That's another reason why I'd love to bring Merrill back. He's ideally a bottom pair defenseman but can play up on the 2nd pair for a bit when needed.
Agreed.
When I look at who we could realistically attract, understanding that we're almost guaranteed to be out of the playoff picture, I think my "ideal" summer LHD adds would look something like this
Martinez: 2 year, 9 mil (4.5 AAV)
Merrill: 2 year, 2.5 mil (1.25 AAV)
Staal: 1 year, 2 mil (2.0 AAV)
Is it thrilling? Not at all. But this would ensure that guys like Seider and Hronek have at least competent partners to develop alongside, while maintaining flexibility for prospects like McIsaac, Johansson, and maybe even a top pick this year to ease in over the next year or two.