My thoughts -
I don't get why people are down on DeSmith/Jarry. They're a touch inconsistent but they've got the quality and having two of them gives you a better chance with the inconsistency. In any case, it is what it is, you're not finding a vet who'll bring better numbers than them at the cost, but I like them.
Riikola. Everything's been said. Just stay this good forever. One comment I would make - he hasn't taken heavy NHL minutes as a regular thing yet, that attrition can be brutal on unsuspecting players, I'd go slow on his NHL responsibilities due to that.
If Dumo's out... I'm reluctant to break up Maatta-Johnson after that game, but Maatta is the guy with the most experience of taking on that sort of competition and playing with Letang. That's the safe play.
Letang's ran hot and cold this pre-season. I think people have been very harsh on Maatta, who's had some of the best underlying numbers and does look faster... just doesn't have better acceleration. Johnson's looked good. Oleksiak... meh.
I'm not up for trading dmen unless we kinda have to this season. We'll want this level of depth come the play-offs. Pray for internal development on the LW.
On ZAR. Here's what I think about the kid,
He's on the path to being a good scoring line 3rd wheel and a bad 4th line player. Or at least, that's what he's been for us the whole way through here. Which is weird when he was sold as a "3rd at highest ceiling" guy, but that's not what he's been.
So... of course he looked bad last night. Of course he looked good with Cullen and Hornqvist. I think the best thing for him to do is go back down and I think that's the best thing for the team as we don't have the berth.
Grant looks like he'll be a decent 13th forward but won't force hard decisions if that's no longer enough.
Think everything there is to be said about Sprong has been said.
I think Cullen-Sheahan could be really good for us. Brassard looks so energised.
As a whole... the wings situation still looks a little borked in the specifics, if super strong on paper. We need one of the promising LWs to take the ball and run with it. We need the RW jigsaw to resolve itself. Cookies isn't wrong that Rust to LW solves a lot of issues there, but we'll see how that one plays out.
My guess is it won't take long for Crosby-Horny and Geno-Phil to play out... but my guess is that Rust will get promoted to L1 when that happens and everyone else will get demoted a line. Not sure that solves the problem.
Incidentally... I don't think it's too early to ask who people have in mind for LW targets in season? I hope its not needed, but there's a decent chance it goes down. I can see Rutherford trying a bargain bin solution in December/January if he can make it work.
