With the depth we have in Charlotte, I don't mind having a 12th-13th forward guy like Saku on the roster and leaving a spot open for your Kuokkanens, Roys, Gauthiers, etc. to battle it out.
I hate when we pencil in a specific guy, but if it's "today this is Saku's spot, but show me something during camp and it could be yours", similar to what Foegele was able to do, I'm all for that.
We actually won't have much room assuming everyone comes back and we get a forward for a RHD:
Guys who will make the team no questions asked:
Aho
TT
Nino
Svech
Staal
Williams
Martinook
Guys who would probably make the team barring a major surprise:
Foegele
Wallmark
McGinn
Questionable:
Saku
Mystery Forward from trading a RD (subject to moving into either of the above groups)
That's 12 spots without signing McKegg or Ferland and without a single Checker. Assuming the Mystery Forward is a bonafide top 9er, all we'd have is that Saku spot for a Checker to come in and take. If they decide to separate Necas from that group of Checkers forwards and pencil him in rather than making him compete for the same spot, that's 13 forwards already.
I think we let McKegg cash in somewhere and maybe Bishop takes the 4C. I frankly liked him better than McKegg anyway, just a poorly timed injury and a hot start from McKegg.
And, while I'm all for adding depth up and down the lineup, I think we are automatically adding a top line winger next year named Andrei Svechnikov. You hate to stand pat and hope your players will just get better, but in Svech's case I think a significant uptick can be penciled in.