Very reasonable. Not enough experience on the back end though. Q will kill Stan if that happens...

I think they need to find a way to bring Oduya back.

For this reason, I was a proponent of easing in 1-2 rookie dmen this past season. TVR seems to be the real deal as a complimentary guy while paired with a vet. Maybe Reilly signs and plays like a seasoned blue liner in his inaugural season. Other than that, we just may see three rooks playing along side the best top 3 group in the League.

I think they need to find a way to bring Oduya back.[/quote]It has been said Lenny may want to try and max out what probably is his last NHL contract. However, as invaluable as he has been in his three plus years as a Hawk, unless he re-signed for, say, $2M, I can't see it happening.

Unlike many of the other teams, the Hawks do have a lot of RH dmen organizationally. Most of their top defensive prospects shoot from that side as well. I, for one, believe in LH-RH balance on each pairing despite the success JO has had with Hammer. So in that regard, at the right price for the Hawks, Oduya could still be a very viable option.

i think that we need to bring in at least one vet. it doesnt necessarily have to be oduya, but it will be harsh to expect 4 young defensemen to develop simultaneously

Absolutely! That is why this past season was the time to incorporate 1-2 rookie defensemen and ease the process. TvR has been a nice addition besides his poor injury fate. I was hoping Johns could have made the big club last Fall. He, unfortunately, has has his issues staying healthy as well. And we all know Quenneville has a real tough time trusting young blue liners. At this point, it is all about veterans (both forwards and defensemen) taking a discount; otherwise it appears young guys with low cap hits will be on the roster nightly.