I have some questions I mentioned before. And especially with this issues I’m not as happy that he preferred AHL because I did it saw how players specifically fixed this part of the game. Or at least fixed this part from “not AHL level competent enough” to ”NHL level competent enough”. At least not so often. But may be he is talented and he will develop part of it or full of it and will compensate everything he needs compensate by physical tools. Overall he doesn’t even need to develop into the top-4 defenseman. But I think with good coaches he can do it, he has all the tools, it’s just a matter of mind and decision making.
He has a lot of time for development. Bahl has two years. After/parallel that Vilen and Misyul will compete for the third pair role. Siegenthaler signed for 5 more years. So with slide or couple of slides Karpovich easily has 4-5 years of development. I truly hope Devils will not trade him.
Because in the perfect world he could be some kind of limited version of Sergachyov. He isn’t offensive first defenseman with lack of defensive potential, who will be justified by his beautiful hands and bright highlights. He isn’t defensive only D, who has limited potential if can’t be very smart/pro active/positionally competent. He is physically gifted two way defenseman with very interesting potential, who can be great cheap addition for another Stanley Cup run or more.
Jack Hughes has many years ahead, may be 10 or even more(look at Crosby), we should surround him by competent two way players for all this years. Not for Dougie-Siegs-Marino-Palat period. When their actual deals will end, Hughes will be only 26-27, Hischier will be 28-29, Mercer will be 25-26. Our next contending window could only starts there. So I don’t really wanted to trade talented physical two way defenseman, who can start to pan out right in this period, for some bottom liner or complimentary middle six forward for a couple of seasons.
