Who adds what?
Joined: Jul. 2017
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I think Burakovsky just quietly put together 7 points in the last 20-odd games? His wrist is almost healed from a playoff injury, and he's going to keep getting better. He put together a 2.47 p/60 season three years ago. He put together a 40-point pace two years ago. Players get injured in hockey. A lot. Sometimes players get injured a bunch of times in a row, and teams give up on promising careers. Then later, sometimes, they don't get injured, and they get back on track. New Jersey knew this better than Edmonton, a little while back.
Lappin isn't necessary; too many contracts. Unless you'd like a couple guys from Hershey's press box?
Burakovsky could catch fire with Hall, and that 2nd pick could turn into nothing pretty quickly. Johansson could already be slowing down, and might not do much, but putting old friends back together makes a good story, and if he can recapture a tiny bit of that magic he used to have a LW on the top power play in Washington, he frees Kuznetsov up to play on the second unit with Vrana and Wilson, and together they could get something going, there. It's a gamble, because he's no longer even on NJ's 2nd power play some nights, but he knows the people, so maybe they can help him remember what used to work for him, before he leaves as a UFA.
Mueller is interesting. He looked solid last year playing 16 minutes a night. He's imperfect this year in 18, but if he can play sixteen in Washington, that takes a minute each of defensive responsibility away from Niskanen and Carlson. That could help them save a bit of energy for offense. Plus he's a much less expensive RFA than Burakovsky. Between him and a 2nd, that's a pretty interesting offer.
If it worked with the salary cap, I'd rather see the Caps target Wood plus Lovejoy, but barring injury, I don't see that fitting, and even though Bowey's a tiny bit quicker on offense, Mueller just has a lot of defensive experience for his age. Could keep develping. And it's not like anyone ever regretted trading New Jersey a top six wing for a bottom four defenseman...