Add another first and some stress sweat to that trade

I would make that trade, I’m not sure Seattle is looking to move Dunn.

Parise > Bellows IMO

Yeah I honestly dont get what Lou's idea was. Green and Chara aint top 4 anymore and after the Shutdown Duo they really got nothing intimidating on that blue line.

Thats why I said when they traded Towes that it would haunt them for years.

they should have traded leddy that offseason and kept toews, it was such a mistake. that said, they’re also deliberately making the D way worse by signing andy greene and chara to fill those spots, they’re washed. pelech and pulock (especially pelech, who’s been great) are still formidable but it’s a mess behind them. they have to add someone. honestly, it’s inexcusable that they didn’t solve this problem in the offseason.

Trading Toews was incredibly stupid - but what’s going on is a Trotz issue right now. He’s choosing to overplay both Greene and Chara . It’s common sense to put one of Aho/Salo in the lineup, they just need a puck mover for Mayfield. That’s it. Isles would have 100% beat Carolina if Aho was in the lineup.

totally agree. pelech played 18 minutes tonight. 18!!! just one minute more than chara!!! it’s 100% a trotz issue. he should be playing pelech and pulock for 23 minutes a night at least. most top defensemen are playing 23+ minutes a night. i don’t need to see them play a half hour a night or whatever but it’s ridiculous that you’re not leaning on your best players.

Yeah it’s ridiculous - we have two top 20 defenseman and a big time up and comer in Dobson who actually looks great despite his one mistake on Bennett’s goal. Trotz is deciding to negate that luxury by giving Greene and Chara ice time they don’t deserve.

fr. i know they’re trying to give dobson time with chara for the ~veteran presence~ or whatever but if you want the kid to actually learn how to play defense while also giving him the chance to explode offensively, you put him with pelech. dobson was astoundingly good in the preseason game he played with pelech. obviously, it was preseason, and i’m not an advocate for splitting up P&P more than is necessary, but that’s a way they give the three of them more ice time and make sure chara and greene aren’t playing more than maybe 12-15 minutes a night max. insanity.

I agree - I still think Chara can have a positive impact playing 12 min , he doesn’t have the stamina to play 17–18 minutes. You saw that on Barkovs goal where he just skated right by Chara and there was nothing Dobson could do about it.

Dobson has all the tools to be a #1 - it would be cool to see him get playing time with defenseman who can execute simple plays.