Quoting: mytduxfan
Okay, perhaps your definitions make a little more sense i.e. 1st liner --> elite --> franchise --> generational. I often use "elite" to describe the very best players at their respective positions, but franchise might be better. In that case, I think we need a "franchise" C to become a real competitor and, probably, a franchise D. I'd be interested to here your thoughts on our prospects and their projected outcomes. For me:
Zegras - Elite 1st liner
Steel - mid-6er
Comtois - Elite 1st liner
Lundestrom - mid-6er
Jones - bottom 6er
Tracey - mid-6er
Terry - mid-6er
BOG - bottom 6er
Larsson - bottom pairing
Guhle - bottom pairing/AHLer
Mahura - bottom pairing
Thrun - bottom 4.
LaCombe - top 4D
Andersen - bottom pairing
The other thing I have difficulty with is that most of our guys are playmakers, which makes it very difficult to build a line-up that I'd feel comfortable saying is competitive. Rossi would be a great addition. Again, I'm not sure I see franchise C in him though. However, his scoring touch would be most welcome.
I think Steel can be a good top 6 guy, same with Comtois, kind of like a Bryan Rust in PIT, solid top 6 forward, but if you find a line he fits well with he can be PPG, Mahura can be bottom 4, and as of RN, Thrun>LaCombe, I think both have top 4 potential, and yeah, we do have a lot of playmakers/TWF's... Comtois is probably the best goal scorer in the system...? if we can get Rossi, and hopefully find a guy later in the draft (MARAT possibly) that can be an elite winger I think we'd be fine with like Comtois-Rossi-x/Rakell-Zegras-one of Terry BOG Tracey Heinen or Milano/x-Steel-x, Comtois can be that Rust type on the first line (not many first lines have 3 elite players anyway, unless they don't have much depth) and Raks has shown he can be good when paired with an elite C, defense is tough, I def don't think we need a franchise d man, with Gibson, but unless Lindholm bounces back, we need a number 1 guy, preferably an RHD (Brandt Clarke) who can "shelter" a Thrun LaCombe or Mahura etc on the left, then have a very very good second pair with Lindholm-x (Manson maybe, maybe Fowler) and whoever isn't on the first pair on the left side is gonna be a stupid good bottom pair guy, rn at least I don't think we'll compete like BOS, with a loaded first line, we'll compete more like 1st year VGK, can run 4 lines and have 3 d pairs, get one or two guys like Gibby (MAF) and one of Rossi Zegras Comtois (or x) to play above their heads (WK) and compete from there (and hopefully proceed to fleece a team out of a top 5 player in the league bc Melnyk is too cheap to pay him)