Our defensive pipeline doesn't flow ... it spurts and sputters. A lot of big d-men drafted in the first couple years of the franchise, didn't get anything through beyond Skrastins. 01 and 03 gave us some talent that hit around the lockout season with later drafts putting relatively sure NHLers back into the line ... Blum, Ellis, Josi. Now there is Diaby back at the far end of the pipe who may or may not transition to a serviceable pro defender, Aronson bouncing between the ECHL and AHL, and maybe Noonan coming out of BU. For all of the trade a d-man talk these boards feature, there's little backfill if we ship one out for a forward tomorrow. I'm not seeing a player in that now through the end of next season window that looks ready to come up if needed beyond maybe Piskula. Bietto if we need a more offensive minded blueliner? We used to have the ability to talk prospects on the blueline for years to come with a full flowing pipeline to the pros. That depth isn't there right now.
At least the forward pipeline is starting to look like there's a few drops we can use soon if needed with guys like Watson, Sissons, Beck, Salomaki. We've got Maz, Hellberg, the two Finns a few years behind them, and Darling playing like he wants a NHL contract coming down the pipe to the crease.