Getting guys like Petry pretty much matches with the things Yzerman did on early Tampa days. He did get more veteran players first (Kubina, Brewer, Gagne, Roloson etc.), to bolster the roster, and surround the few kids. At the start it was Hedman and Stamkos only. Then he did sell other players one-by-one and opened spots for kids one-by-one. But the veterans were around them for 2-3 year periods.
That's why I'm believing on this rumor. It sounds like an Yzerman move. He doesn't want to go after UFAs like Klingberg, who'll probably all want a long-term deal. Yzerman has been doing those 2-3 maximums for all on our team. No long-term commitment with anybody.
It's reasonable, those kind of deals won't handcuff you long-term on the building process. You see how the kids are developing, vets help them and can build timelines, when they are ready and then get rid of the veteran, who is probably on the last year of his deal. Petry could now come in, and be gone at 2025 deadline, on his last year, who knows. That's how Yzerman has operated in the past. People just refuse to get this and accept it as normal Yzerman policy.
He can easily get players, if the right deal and idea is there, and get rid of them, if the right deal and idea is there as opposite.
Only Alex Edler is UFA guy who I think would sign short-term like 2 years from free agency. So you get him to play with Seider and trade for Petry to play with Edvinsson. 3rd pair is Walman/Oesterle-Lindström. Or maybe even Staal exists.
Then he will start experimenting the Hronek trade, to fix the center hole.
