Joined: Mar. 2017
Posts: 24,015
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Top pairing is elite today, but the rest of the defense... meh.
Brannstrom has an NHLE of 20 points in 82 games, is undersized and suspect defensively. He won't be getting PP time behind Chabot and Ekblad, so that 20 point projection might even be low... his ES NHLE is just 7.5 points over 82 games. In 2 years? I doubt he'll be "elite", more likely he'll be a 3rd pairing NHLer.
Stralman isn't elite now and he's 33 this summer. Two years out and he'll be ready to retire.
Borowiecki / DeMelo / Jaros - nope, not elite and never will be. Jaros has some potential as a possible top-4 but will never be elite.