I was browsing through my cap space worksheet and have come to a conclusion. The time to begin a rebuild/major overhaul is now. Nothing I looked at inspired a whole lot of confidence for the future.
Foligno & Dubinsky take up over 11 million in cap space annually for the next 3 years - they need to go away somehow someway.
Jenner & Calvert are due for new deals this year. I'm not sure I see a reason to re-sign either but if they are I hope its for a short term and for what they make now.
Johnson is due a new deal and will probably want at a minimum 5 years at at least 5 mill. No way Jarmo falls for this, I hope.
What to do about Bob? I guess I'd like to see him extended asap after July 1 for no more than 8 mill a year and for no longer than 6 years. Might be hard to do but that is what I would shoot for.
The young guys are a mixed bag imo. Anderson and PLD look like they will be at least adequate top 6 guys for a long time.
Bjorkstrand & Milano remain big question marks in my mind. Bjorkstrand looks like he could be all right in a different system. Milano needs to get stronger at a minimum. And a different system would benefit him too imo.
Jones & Werenski are the rocks on which to build a very solid D corps for the next 10 years. Nutivaara looks promising. Savard could be a chip used to upgrade the offense. I keep Murray even though he gets hurt a lot (not injury prone though) at a reasonable rate and term. 4 years 4 mill? Gavrikov if he ever shows up might be a solid addition. This group plus Bob is the base for the future.
The Monsters are an offensive disaster. No real help apparent. Overseas guys? Who knows? Different game there.
Abramov smurfish. Maybe an offensive star in the making or another bust. Time will tell.
Panarin has to be re-signed. I hope he is extended July 1 for 8 years at whatever it takes. Jackets have never had a guy with his skill level, save maybe young Nash but even then he was a different type of player. Hopefully he is not discouraged by the overall poor offensive system.
Then there is Torts and staff. I don't see him changing. I think he needs to go.
Just my opinions.
Foligno/Dubi - Regretfully, reluctantly agree that at least one of them needs to go.
Calvert/Boone - Agree, sign both at current salary for short term; if not acceptable, let them go.
JJ - needs to be gone. For his own sake and for CBJ. Not a bad player, just not enough D need to pay what the price will be for a 2nd or 3rd pair D, when D seems to be our strength (assuming a healthy Murray - and yes I have my helmet on).
I love Bob at G, but not the salary he will command. As painful as it would be, I'd trade him, get a veteran to be #1-B and have Korpi as #1-A.
Agree on PLD and Andy.
Agree on D. Savard may be more valuable for us to keep than what he would bring, but agree that testing the waters on Savard warranted.
The shortness of talent list up front is troubling. Unless Abramov is a home run...unlikely but possible.
Panarin - yes. I was fine with the trade for him, but his overall play has been better than I expected. Now if we can get him finding the back of the net a bit more....
Torts - if Bob stays, Torts's system fits. If Bob does not stay, system change needed.
WAY TO AGREEABLE - must be Sunday morning!