Joined: May 2019
Posts: 39,600
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Thanks for doing a Devils post!
I think...
1. Mercer stays at center and they go with 1-2-3 punch. Hischier can play hard defensive minutes and Mercer's D is pretty solid too.
2. Zacha stays next to Hischier, they seem to play well together (Zacha has 31 pts in 37 games as Nico's LW).
3. Wood is injured, but ideally our 4th line is once again Wood/McLeod/Bastian next year.
4. Last year, Kuokkanen and Sharangovich did well on Hughes' wings. They were there again for some of last night.
Kuokkanen* -- Hughes -- Sharangovich
Johnsson -- Mercer -- Bratt
Zacha -- Hischier -- Tatar**
Wood -- McLeod -- Bastian
Graves*** -- Hamilton
Siegenthaler -- Severson***
Smith + TBD****
ETA 2021-22: Alexander Holtz, Nolan Foote, either Graeme Clarke or Tyce Thompson
ETA 2022-23: Nikita Okhotiuk, Arseni Gritsyuk, a goalie in either Nico Daws or Akira Schmid
ETA 2023-24: Luke Hughes, Shakir Mukhamadullin, Samu Salminen, Nikola Pasic
ETA 2024-25: Ethan Edwards
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* this spot will likely be Holtz's by this time next year.
** this spot will like go to Clarke, Thompson or Gritsyuk once Tatar departs
*** Both Graves and Severson have 1.5 years remaining. We likely extend on of them.
**** Smith can play both sides, so "TBD" could be any new acquisition or Bahl, Okhotiuk, White from AHL.