Byrddog
Lifer
- Nov 23, 2007
- 7,494
- 830
why move either? Smith has played like a top 6 forward. trading him means we need another top 6 forward to replace him.
Wilson has shown he can contribute, so you give him a chance to do it in the season this year. its possible confidence was all he lacked.
this is a team that needs to decide if next year is a 'go for it" year. if it is(and I believe it should be), then I expect to see us move picks/prospects, even top prospects, for established NHL players to shore up the secondary scoring and some extra depth at D.
If you can upgrade your top 6 at a minimal increase in CAP hit you do it every time. Imagine you have player x who is a left winger is say 26 and has scored 30 goals each of the last 3 years and he can be had for 5.5 to 6 mil it only makes sense to move Wilson and just increase your cap hit by 1.5 to 2 mil. The same can be said for Smith. Or What if you could pick up Druion for example who will be even more cost controlled. t this point it is not feasible to have guys making 4 mil on the 3rd or 4th line.
Most are so certain the cap will increase to 74 this year and continue to go up. But people need to recall that last year Buttman projected the cap would be 74 for this season and it settled down to 71. If the player org does not max the escalator there is no way it will be 74 next year and if they decide to refuse any escalation it would be 69 mil.
But even considering all of that we have seen Poile over the years just sit on his hands. As long as the team makes the playoffs. That's the frustrating thing for me anyway I want improvements to be made and I have zero confidence in Wilson now. And Hook is not a viable top 6 guy in any stretch. The 3rd line is a mismosh now as well and the team can not stand more young guys and be improved. AT this point I can care less if Smith is in the top 6 because there is no other option. But I expect more from a 4 mil player than either Smith or Wilson provide. The long periods of not hitting the scoresheet is unacceptable no matter what other attributes a player brings if both Wilson and Smith created as much as some think there assist totals would be dramatically better.