Obviously we’ll never know what was really in the cards, but it’s disappointing that Shero could not make a Karlsson trade happen. Severson is a much better player than the roster players SJ traded, and will probably be much better than any of the prospects. Even without an extension, you take a chance when someone is pretty much giving away one of the best players in the sport.
The window is obviously not shutting anytime soon, and barring something catastrophic I have no concerns at all that Hall will be here for the long run and will have a lot of excellent hockey still to give. But we still need at least two impact players to take the next step. It’s plausible that Smith becomes a legit top pairing defenseman. So that’s one. Then you got to hope that Zacha flips the switch and turns into a monster. Stranger things have happened. If not it’s got to come from outside the organization and I don’t think any GM will take the chance of being on the wrong side of a Taylor Hall type deal with Shero. Maybe he can snag a guy like Neidereitter, a good player but not a next level type.
Just don’t want to be one of those zombe franchises that are in and out of the playoffs, whose only real shot at taking the next step is sucking in the right year and winning a lottery pick.
