Isles fan coming in peace. I think you guys can make a decent leap next season if you do the three main things we did last offseason; Acquire a goalie, acquire two veteran defenseman, get good veteran leadership to support younger players.
- Sign a goalie or trade for one.
Fasth and Scrivens both are nothing more than a 1B/backup. Good for 20-25 games, but push comes to shove, they're not capable starters. Your goalie prospects aren't ready/shouldn't be rushed to step in immediately.
Antii Niemi will more than likely be available. Bernier will be an RFA and I'm sure Toronto will dangle his rights in a trade this offseason. Whether a stopgap (Niemi) or semi-long term plans (Bernier) both would help. That or look for a team selling low on their goalie (Vancouver with Miller or Detroit with Jimmy Howard)
- Sign two defenseman.
I know Nurse, Klefbom, Mancarin, and Fayne are in the future plans. Nikitin, Ference, and Schultz are here for now. The former should be kept while the latter need to either be pushed down or moved out.
Target players like Christian Ehrhoff, Mike Green, Paul Martin, Zbynek Michalek, or Francois Beauchemin; players who can play bigger minutes/take pressure off the young kids and put them in a position to take over their roles 2-3 years, when they decline. Gonna have to overpay? More than likely. But quality veterans (and good players) are what the blueline desperately need.
- Sign some veteran Top 9 help.
I'm assuming some combo of RNH, Hall, Yak, Eberle is making up your Top 6. Which leaves holes at C and LW (assuming Draisaitl is in juniors/AHL). You have other miscellaneous pieces like Pouliot, Purcell, Pitlick that should be bottom 6.
Go target players like Jiri Tlusty, Mike Santorelli, who can bounce between the 2nd and 3rd line and can take some pressure off the younger 4.
I was gonna pitch an idea on the main board but it's probably better served here; a trade with the Kings -
Slava Voynov (assuming case clears) + Mike Richards @ 1.25 - 1.5 mil retained (gets his AAV to 4.25 to 4.5 mil) for a 3rd round pick plus a couple 4ths round picks and maybe a Mancarin type young piece.
Getting a young defenseman (especially as talented as Voynov, and if you can't acquire any via UFA) and a good vet presence (which is what Richards is, plus he'd stablize the Top 6) would go a long ways to helping out the team as a whole.
Names to keep an eye on as they're pending UFA's in 2016 and may not be in their team's future plans, so they'll be attainable: Brian Campbell, Luke Schenn, Chris Kelly, David Legwand.
I don't know, maybe I'm optimistic, but I definitely see light at the end of the tunnel for you guys sometimes soon. (For the love of God please revamp that draft department
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