For truth, nobody knows what Rutherford/Allvin will do.
They could do anything and most might look bad to fans but be good for the team. A team with some pretty decent players but with cap issues. This often happens when teams go deep into the playoffs but unfortunately Benning's fake playoffs were spending and giving out contracts like this was a team that went deep but didn't get a sniff. That still leaves Rutherford/Allvin with some tough choices, cap related.
To get quality, quality has to be offered or the future sold for bags of beans.
Rutherford/Allvin have done well so far in trading away first round picks, they got Hronek and Lindholm. They made this a "win now" team.
The cap rules. But the team also needs to get bigger and younger.
In building a good team usually it is done from the back out, I am sure most fans realize this after years of Sedins still getting points, Hughes and Pettersson with star level point totals but the refrain was constantly the team needed to improve the defence. They did just that.
According to CF the team will have around 24 mil and currently another 2.5 in LTIR from Poolman to use. But there might very well be another 6.675 mil from Boeser. these blood clot issues can take 6 months to work out. That is long enough that the team might be able to tap his amount for awhile or get through the summer with signing most of those they would like to keep.
I get the impression that Rutherford/Allvin will do what they think is best for team improvement regardless of fan popularity. They traded Horvat and after a news cycle in the next season he is hardly even mentioned anymore. They traded away two first round picks and it is only now anyone really cared because they worked. They even traded away Kuzmenko whom fans really liked but they got over that even though they are now looking for another player like him.
That Lindholm trade has me wondering if they know something about Pettersson's health so he is a ready replacement if they re-sign him. Like were they looking forward to where Lindholm is the #2 center next year?
If Boeser is put on LTIR that will solve most of the immediate cap issues for signing anyone they want.
BUT I hope they are aggressive and go after some blockbuster deals that add more younger larger players. With the cap going up 5 mil EP's 11.5 mil isn't that hard to move based on his past reputation. EP would not be the first player whose point totals dropped under Tocchet. Most recovered after a change of situation. Meaning he still has almost FP value. It was pointed out many times that EP's last 44 games were horrible, that's a lot of games.
I have my pet players I would like to see in a Canuck uni, Crouse, Voronkov and Marchenko. Total cost, less than Boeser and all young and over 6'2" and fast. EP's 100 points from Voronkov and Marchenko combined getting 125 pts playing with Lindholm, Crouse getting 65 - 85pts playing with Miller, then Blueger, Garland and Joshua. With a 4th line of prospects getting around 10 min a game. Then much later maybe Boeser comes back in December, 6 months to get well and another 8 weeks of working out to get into shape because I understand there are no works outs during treatment.
Oh and don't get too worried about RHD, Florida has one, Dallas has two, Edmonton plays two, it is convenient but not vital. Besides Willander is a RHD AAA prospect.
If a Hronek trade gets Crouse and Kesserling, BOOM. even if they have to add in another player like Hoglander.
AHH, the fun days of imaginations waiting for the draft and what this team will do. That last few years have been all about criticizing the incredibly stupid and short sighted operation of this franchise.
IMO again my desire, give Zadorov Myers contract and Myers Zadorov's contract, let Cole go, there will be another veteran dman to sign like Schenn was, promote Juulsen and whomever the do get in a trade, my named guy, Kesserling and save 2 mil on paying the defence. They get bigger and cheaper.
Maybe Foote is to defence coaching what Ian Clarke is to goalie coaching. But now that would be a massive amount of human flesh to try to move forward and defence. Maybe even the biggest team in the NHL. Then they only have to be better than 4 teams in the division to make the show, much easier.
And quite probably have a few million in cap space without using Boeser's cap hit for TDL polishing. With the dismal performance of the PP I wonder if Kessel would have helped?
