We might start the year with only 1-2 of the kids up, but from management's perspective, can the bottom six get any worse than it was this year? Blandisi and Boucher outplayed half the forward corps. quite easily. And truthfully, so did Pietila.
I would not be surprised to see Wood, JQ and Zacha all stick. And we haven't even gotten to Lorito, Lappin or any of those guys.
Shero does need to sign a big time forward, and obviously these kids are unproven. But it's not so farfetched that we become one of the youngest teams in the league at the end of next season.
If I had to guess. Shero's plan will be to either sign or trade for a top 6 RW. We have absolutely no one in the system that can slot into Stemp's spot not now or in the future (long shot on Speers but he isn't even close). So its a hard push for Okposo or another KPalm trade.
If he can't get either he will sign another plug like Stemp and Tlusty were. He won't break his age/contract limit here.
Camm, Rico, Palms are pretty much set in their respective spots in the top 6. Zajac as the other center is set in stone as well. No one is taking their jobs without playing well out of their minds or an early injury happens.
You have a ton of guys battling for 2LW, 3LW, 4LW, 3C, 3RW (assuming we sign a 2RW), 4C, and 4RW. Group is going to include Boosh, Blender, Kalinin, DSP, JJ, Zacha, JQ, Wood, potentially Lorito and Lappen, Pietla, and maybe Black and Coleman. O'Brien and O'Neil might get a shot too.
Shero is going to bring in another cheap bottom 6 signing or two like Kennedy and definitely a couple of PTOs to further add fire to the camp battles. Also there is the x-factor in Patty coming back which makes the battle for LW and potentially 3C even hotter.
Defense Lars and Greene are locked. Hynes might separate them, but both are playing every game. Schlemko most likely will be resigned.
You will have camp battles between Severson, Merrill, Moore, Hulk, Santini, Schlemko, Jacobs, and almost all of the AHL D. Hrabanka, Scarlett should get looks as well. I could see another PTO here, but I just don't see Shero making any kind of major signing on defense. Even with the potential of one or two bodies traded out in our quest for that top 6 RW that is still a lot of guys fighting for not so many spots. They might keep War around as competition, but I don't see him winning out over all these hungry kids. Severson and Merrill won't want to sit anymore, and Santini and Jacobs are going to come in hungry. Santini especially I can see gunning hard for a roster spot. That kid has snarl and he wants to play badly. Plus he has the goods.
We will have a back up battle between Wedge and Kinky. Maybe we bring in one more guy to do what Yann did but isn't as awful as Yann.
As for who goes. Outside of PTOs or one year contracts where we send someone to Albany. I don't see any of Ruutu, Tootoo, or Gio back. Gio has the best shot, but I could see this finally be the year they either start scratching him or send him to Albany. Tlusty and Kennedy might get PTOs at best if only because of the lack of RWs.
The fantasy off seasons in the other thread I think are off base. I don't see Shero going nuts outside of going hard for another RW. I don't see major D additions, and why he might call Stammer I don't think he offers crazy money there either. I see him drafting smart and either stock piling more picks, or sending some out again in that quest for a long term RW. I don't forsee any major signings for the bottom 6 either. I think he lets the kids battle that out with PTOs. He won't spend big money until he has to spend big money.
