You can’t win a Cup with one line, even if it’s a really good line. Goaltending, defense, and an appropriate system can cover up some warts, but if you aren’t able to exploit matchups up and down the lineup, the wheels fall off eventually. Boston and St. Louis were the two deepest teams this year, and we’ll both continue to get deeper as time goes as well, as long as we play it smart (and I think we both will).
I don’t love the drafting that any of the central teams have done lately, with the exception of maybe Chicago, who has pick #3 to spend on Friday. Let’s hope that turns into another Cam Barker for them. Nashville is probably going to trade Subban, Dallas’ FO pretty brutally called out their top line just a few months ago, and Winnipeg is at the end of their grace period for their cap situation and the chickens are coming home to roost. Minnesota is a dumpster fire. Colorado has a lot to like, but again I don’t like/trust their depth, and I think they’re kind of a paper tiger outside of their top line, especially if they lose Varlamov as is expected. Arizona will be a bit of a wildcard when they come into the Division, and with new ownership I could see them making Carolina-level noise in the playoffs before long if things go right (big if there).
I like our odds as much as anyone else in the Central. But we’re going to have a target on our back all season long next year, it isn’t going to be a cakewalk. With the right moves, we can stay competitive, bring some fresh legs to carry us through the front end of the season, and make another run.
