Well, Simmonds is pretty darn good, he's Hartnell without the big contract (though he'll get one in a couple years, but at age 26, not 30) and the mind fart penalties and a lot more speed. He's definitely a core player.
And they are starting to add these guys, for all of Holmgren's mistakes, when he dumped Richards and Carter, he didn't get taken to the cleaners. Voracek, Giroux, Couts, Read, Simmonds, Bellemare, Raffl, that's seven nice forwards, if Schenn could learn how play wing (or get traded for one), Laughton, Leier, they're pretty solid for years. If guys like Cousins or Straka can step up, even better. What I like is they have a good shot at three solid two way lines plus a fourth line that is more than a bunch of forechecking stiffs. The ability to come in waves is how you wear down teams limited to a couple talented lines and little else (which is what happens when you have to pay for "stars").
