If you consider Josi and Klein "untouchable" then you're not honestly part of the solution. Valuable pieces worth a nice return, Yes! Untouchable? Hardly.
Of course no one is totally untouchable but there are a couple reason I feel these are palyers that must be kept.
Josi Klein and Jones have great contracts at this time and Josi and KK long term good contracts. Rinne has a long term contract signed and will hopefully return healthy if not the team is screwed. If healthy the goalie situation for starter is good almost to 2020.
A team must have a core to start to build around, in my mind these 4 have that potential. There is not one offensive player that you can build an offense around right now. Not in two years when FF can be a major contributor. Not Horni because most of his goals come from in front of the net, what he does is great but you can't build an offense around him. Hes a nice addition like Holmstrom was in Detroit. Its been said over and over and over this team does not have legitimate 1st line players and with the current roster a 2nd line would be pretty weak.
Now are they going to get elite players very doubtful unless Weber is delt for one. They must have proven 1st liners that can pot 25 a piece and hope that FF is that elite player.
You can't totally break the defense to marginally improve the offense and losing Josi KK and Jones would do that. Weber is the expendable piece for this teams situation. If current management wants an immediate fix that is the only option. Move Weber and 1 of Ekholm or Ellis and replace them with veteran defenders winding down there career. That has been the missing element on defense this year the younger guys are still making there mistakes and they end up in the back of the net without Rinne, who could cover up some of there gaffs.
This is a pretty strong statement but I have been there since day 1 and this is the worst offense we have ever put on the ice. Compiled with young defensemen this team as a whole may well be the worst ever iced here. Even worse than the 2001 and 2002 teams. It was refreshing to see some excitement last night in the 3rd that has been absent for a couple weeks.
Any way the ownership go's changing coaching staff, players or both a big change is coming. The team can not stand to be the Oil and suck for 10 years. Any of you who were there in 2002 know what 7500 people in the barn is like. The fanbase will not support a crappy team. Yes there are probably 9500 of us now that will but the casual fan will spend on other entertainment. I said this last year and was blasted due to all the sellouts. Well is headed that way in the fast lane and I do not want to see it happen this team needs fixed and fast.
