I repeat, we really don't know what we have until Cizikas is back healthy and we are running 4 lines out there with a quality pivot.
The only thing that dude was right about was we need wing help and we dont have the depth. Insane though to suggest there isn't anything to be excited about. Barzal and Beau are both just 22 years old. Way too early to suggest the later is a middle sixer, especially considering how much he has improved this season and will likely be rewarded with his first 40-45 point campaign.
Also, ludicrous to not see the potential of Dobson, who is also just 20 years old and it looks like night and day him being on his natural side. Yes, he has to get bigger but there is still plenty to be excited about there. Couple that with the fact that the other 3 who make up the nucleus of the blue line are all 25-26 years old (Pulock, Pelech and Toews), please. Waaaay to early to lose the excitement on Bo Wilde too.
Then of course you have one of the top goalie prospects in Sorokin likely to come over. Nothing to be excited about is ignorant talk.
If last night's game proved anything (aside from not having Ladd early in the shootout) it is where our lines need to be when Cizikas returns. The ONLY question is who plays the left side of that fourth line when he does return and Brassard moves back to the wing on the third line.
Lee/Barzal/Eberle
Ladd*/Nelson/Bailey
Beau/JGP/Brassard*
Martin*/Cizikas/Clutterbuck
No, it isn't likely to be Hall or Hoffman, but you can guarantee Lou will upgrade from the three with asterisks and he will be on them in free-agency. And you could do a lot worse than have Wahlstrom, Bellows and Koivula as youngsters who could be in the mix.
We should have Sorokin (who alone is plenty to be excited about) and we will have the same young nucleus 4 on defense more likely than not. The fifth will most certainly be 27-year old Mayfield. Who knows who the other 2-3 will be between Leddy, Boychuk, Greene, Hickey, Aho or whomever- but to not be excited about the before mentioned 5, especially a bigger and more comfortable Noah on his natural side for a full season is stupid.
It is hard to keep things in perspective when you are losing and simply don't have the depth to replace key guys like Cizikas and Pelech (even Greene's minutes are down since his injury)...but there is still plenty to be excited about.
To me it is finding 2 quality wings to put into the mix with Lee, Eberle, Beau and Bailey and being able to do so while keep 2 of the other 3 in Wahlstrom, Bellows and Koivula.
Sorokin, Dobson and the other 4 under 27 on the blue line and 8 good possibilities to put in 6 holes at wing on the top 3 lines- as well as a return to our identity line? That is plenty to be excited about, especially with Trotz at the helm