Cams may be realistic but not the other two.
Kumy is about the most realistic target and I would be fine with that.
That means JJ walks and BB plays with Crosby.
Yes, I JJ has been a great fill in for us, but I just don't see him as an ideal part of this team going forward. Doesn't have great speed, isn't physical, goes through stretches where he doesn't produce a lot, and won't be that high-end guy who's going to put up 30+ goals or 70+ points, and he's not getting any younger. Great trade, and great value at $2.3 million (with CAR eating $K on top of that), but he'll get $3 million or more again on a short-term deal, and I don't see us giving him that unless it was truly a last resort option; and even then we still may have reservations about that.
I would be VERY happy to give guys like Kulemin and Setoguchi a serious consideration on a short term deals, and one or both of them my find Pitt a very good landing spot to try to resurrect their careers playing with great players, and having a chance to win.
Now, with all that said and with obvious salary cap considerations aside, we *could* look at guys like Vanek, Cammalleri and Gaborik. Such level of players and $$s mean that we would either have to forego re-signing Niskanen, Orpik (which I hope isn't a consideration anyway), etc. It may even come to pass that we could look to move Letang for a package of elite futures and draft picks (or cheap, elite ELC young players + picks), retain Nisky for about $3 million/year less, and spend that money on one of those UFAs. I do agree that this may be the least likely scenario because there's more risk, but it's still a distinct option.
He is playing a lot better in the A this year, but he generates a lot of chances and doesn't finish. That's what makes me nervous about him. He isn't a natural offensive player.
My fear is he would become Duper part deux.
He's just too similar to Megna, Archibald and Wilson with various degrees of ceilings.
Shero needs to find a truly skilled young fwd if he is moving Despres.
Dupuis part deux isn't what we would want, but I think that's Etem's floor. I truly believe that he's going to be Dupuis+ which is a great player, even if it's not what we might dream for in a trade (and of course I would aim higher than Etem, but still).
And yes, he has some similarities to Megna, but not to the point where he becomes redundant. And I am very high on Archibald, but he's still at least 1, probably 2, years away from making an impact.
Etem also has a bigger frame and plays a much stronger & more physical brand of hockey than those guys. He is an absolute BEAST on the forecheck, and while he can't necessarily always create & complete plays by himself, he does have a great shot and goal scoring ability (his numbers he put up in the WHL are pretty rare and uncommon, and they're not an accident; and even his numbers so far this year are pretty damn good for his age). He's not the perfect go-to winger for Sid like Neal is to Geno, but Etem could be the perfect guy to be the 3rd wheel on either of the top 2 lines, and his physical play, work ethic & leading by example on the ice, and PKing are elite. If he gets a nice pass from Sid/Geno, there's a very good chance he's going to bury it. And he won't try to overcomplicate his game, and we know that Sid likes to be the one to carry the puck. He's also a great, great and down to earth kid. I've met him in Cali with the pro camp (T.R. Goodman's) crew.
I think Ruopp, Bort, Despres and Dumo all bring the size I want to see on their blueline, but I think only two of them will be on this roster in a few years... Be it Despres/Ruopp, Dumo/Bort, Dumo/Ruopp, etc.
I don't think we will see Ruopp/Bort together unless something goes awry with several other guys.
I agree with you on Bort/Ruopp, and I know we both have high hopes for Ruopp, but until he shows he's in the same category of player as Bort, I don't think he has a chance to supplant him. He may be that #7 D and could be a swing-man like Engo, but it's too soon to know if he'll be a legit top-4/top-6 like Bort.
But I do see more than 2 of those guys on the roster. I see 3:
Dumoulin(Despres)--Letang(Nisky)
Maatta--Harrington
Pouliot--Bortuzzo
Samuelsson/Ruopp/etc. as #7
One of Dumo or Despres gets moved, IMO, and either Pouliot or Harrington plays the right side. If it's Pouliot, then the pairings would see Maatta next to Bortuzzo and Harry(LD) with Pouliot(RD)
