OT:
Our prospect pool gets way more **** than it deserves. We're stacked between the pipes even if you ignore varly and just look at the pipeline; what with Pickard, Martin, Aittokallio, Will and Plooshy2 (that huge kid we drafted who dropped cause he was hurt and so couldn't fully participate in camp this year, don't remember his name just remember that it reminded me of Palushaj making this season's Landy look firm on his skates).
Defensively:
On the Left: We have a really good set of LHDs; Bigras, Dunk, Gaertsen, Beaupre and possibly Lauridsen if he ever really puts his tools together like Holden sporadically looks like he is doing. A group that's very exciting with Bigras continuing to blow away any ceiling people try to put on him; Dunk and Gaertsen both taking steps to becoming nasty mid-pairing shut down guys; and Beaupre is still around as long term project for shut down gig on the third pairing like Stuart was playing for us before the injuries struck the d-corp.
With only Hejda, Stuart and Holden keeping them off of the NHL club/sheltering their arrival...and Hejda leaving in the summer...it's crucial we bring someone in to play with EJ and bridge the gap, letting Holden and Stuart hold off the kids for second and third pairing spots for as long as they can. But if that 3-5 year EJ partner is brought in, we'll actually be in a really sweet spot at LHD as an organization as our prospect pool at that spot just needs time to develop without being rushed.
On the Right: If you consider that we have EJ and Barrie nailed into the first two RHD spots, we've got a pretty good set up on that side of the defense already. What with the interesting longer term projects; like the gargantuan goal machine Wood, the leader of the young american WJC defense and increasingly defensively responsible NCAA-er Butcher, and the smooth-skating occasional-Wilson-esque-hit-delivering Corbett. Plus the guys nearing the point where they need to crack a lineup but are either still in the AHL or just breaking through to become third pairing NHLers this season; talking Elliott, Not-Stastny (Noreau), and Redmond here.
So even if Redmond is the best we get from those right sided dmen, we should be strong on that side without any further additions, although it's tough not to be intrigued by Wood and Butcher's potential to upgrade upon Zach down the road...assuming Not-Stastny, Elliott or Corbett don't surpass him first.
Forwards:
It's upfront where our prospect pool is a let down, but even there we've got some interesting depth guys and projects who could help fill out our bottom 9 nicely. Everberg and Rendulic lead the way as the imported big bodies, on top of them Schuhmacher seems to be getting closer and closer to earning a contract with organization, and if he can improve his skating some more he won't be far off of those two very soon. Then there's the smurfs; Smith, Bourke, Sgarbossa, Hishon and Agozzino; of whom I feel pretty confident about us getting a legit NHLer (talking non-Porter/Mauldin level) or two...admittedly it is Smith or Bourke who I see replacing Talbot in the bottom 6 (only with hands closer to Briere's), and not Hish or Sgar replacing Tanguay in the top 6...but still each of those guys has something(s) to his game that could well lead to an NHL career. In pure grinder/PKer roles I'm high on both Henley and Condon, although both still have work to do and plenty to prove to get there over the next couple seasons; and Heard seems to finally be finding a spot in Dean's lineup.
Leaving us with the Junior boys where Bleackley is looking like a better shooting and more skilled righty-version of McGinn in the making, and McGinn is already a fine middle 6er, even without being a good defensive player/PKer or the extra skill Bleacks has in his hands. He seems a lock to fill some role for us if he doesn't suffer a Hishon like injury, be it as a complimentary winger for Dutchy or MacK, or in the bottom 6 as Malkin's partner or replacement. One of our few guys who has legit top 6 (and not just middle 6) talent, a high likelihood of reaching it, and the skillset that Roy seems to prefer. After him we've got Magyar and Nantel, of whom I have seen almost literally nothing and so have no clue, although from what I've read both have the skills to turn into something so I'll mention them as possible "interesting long shots".
TL
R it's really only scoring line wingers we can bank on other than Bleackley, that our system is missing. If we add a high end forward with our first this year, like we should, and if one of the long shots hits or we are able to get another steal with our second round pick, then we'll be at least fine there as well. Elsewhere we have one of the best goalie pipelines; a strong set of LHDs; a bunch of interesting RHD for that spot behind EJ/Barrie; and a whole mess of potential middle- and bottom-6 forwards, with a couple long-shot scoring-line guys in the mix.
