Quoting: Jamiepo
Jensen didn’t look bad but no better than marincin or Oz.
That was my thinking as well with the lines. I am starting to feel the same way about lindholm but really I think that goes for anyone on our fourth line. I seem to go from player to player on that line wanting to fire them into the sun. Never gauthier really because of the low expectations. Next Boyle, I’m not sure about that but if he could just be Matt Martin under 1m I think he has a place next year. But he never will be. We need a tough guy, badly.
To be honest I think we have too much cheap talent in the AHL to sign any ufa’s next season. Moore and grundstrom could easily replace ennis and lindholm. Maybe a cheap league minimum vet 4c.
I don't know, Jensen played like 22 mins last nigth and came out a plus 1, for what that's worth. I like Oz (Mar Mar not so much) but he;s like 14 mins a night, no pk and pp time. I think he looks good with Dermott and I think he can grow into a really good 5/6 d. But I could see a play for Jensen, who does alot of Pking, throw him out with Mo and push Hainsey down with Dert. That lands Oz in the press box and gives us good d depth for the playoffs with Bab's trusting OZ to fill in for injuries if needed. Its easy to tell he doesn't trust Holl. Plus Jensen is a super cheap cap hit, wouldn't cost much in a trade and he could walk as a UFA if it didn't work out.
I'm on the fence with the Goat. He can look slow as molasses and can have hands of stone, but he does remind me a bit of Boyle in that they're both huge and Boyle didn't even get a regular shift until he was like 25yrs old. My expecations for the Goat have always been tempered but he could be a diamond in the rough.
I hear ya on the 4th line lack of love. Somepne posted a signing of Rick Nash the other day. If he is healthy that could be a neat Mike Fisher kinda signing for the playoffs and give us a 4th line of Nash, Goat, Brown, and leave us with a press box of Lindholm, Ennis and Oz if we got Jensen. That's good depth for the playoffs and Babs trusts all of them.
I also hear ya on the potential need for toughness. I think this aspect gets poo pooed to often, and maybe from folks who've never played the game at a high level. I know from my pathertic career in competitive hockey that when there is a guy like a Tom Wilson running amok against your team, he can take your team off its game and it helps to have someone who can set him straight. I love kadri, but I don't think its fair to give him that assignment.