I still don't see this team making the playoffs. I guess their ceiling would be a wildcard spot, but most likely a bottom 10 team-- still questionable goaltending, really green defense, not enough secondary scoring, etc.

the team will live and die by the goaltending as they do now, secondary scoring is my biggest questionmark aswell

I like the upward trend of the Sens. Won't be able to crack the top 10 in the East next season. But when some of those youngsters develop, Sens could be quickly very good.

- All the signings look close to what they will realistically be

- Don't think Abramov would have a chance to crack the lineup and is still committed to the KHL next season anyway. He'll have to make a name for himself in the KHL if he eventually wants to pull a Dadonov

- A guy people would have discovered this year but unfortunately got injured right away is Angus Crookshank. I think he will be on the team 100% if healthy and don't have a setback from that injury.

- Connor Brown needs to be on the "3rd line" to be at his best. He is not a top-6 forward but will still be quite productive in his role at even strength. That's why he's so valuable

- If Sokolov makes the team, I don't think it would be on the "matchup line". You could maybe have him with Formenton and Stutzle as he is a sniper who could benefit from Stutzle playmaking but would that line would really be scary for the opposition? We need to make a statement so acquiring a short term stopgap quality veteran (exactly like Giroux needs to happen

- I keep Mete as the 7th D-man, he is fast, young, cheap, good on zone exits and not a disaster if he's not playing with a Josh Brown, for example.

- One of Thomson or JBD is the 3rd pairing RD, the other one continue to develop in Belleville and waits for callups.

- Yes, we could/should move on from Zaitsev

As you can see below, 3 spots to fill IMO, 2 RW and 1 RD. Sokolov could be that 4th line guy. Greig and Jarventie will try hard to make the team but are still pretty young. There might be other candidates, like Viktor Lodin, for example

Tkachuk - Norris - Batherson
Formenton - Stutzle - ????????
Paul - Pinto - Brown
Crookshank - White - ????????
Watson

Chabot - ????????
Sanderson - Zub
Brannstrom - JBD/Thomson
Mete

Murray/Forsberg/Gustavsson




Goaltending is the last question mark for me. Sens goaltending has been nothing short of excellent this season. It's just doesn't "look that way" in people eyes because we get scored on a lot but the team BLEEDS grade A scoring chances. The TEAM DEFENSE is clearly the weakest part and is barely NHL level in most games.

Guys like Sanderson, Pinto, White and Crookshank will help a lot but I suspect coaching might not have what it takes to instill proper/efficient hockey systems in the NZ/DZ zones

Just curious, would you guys have any interest getting Karlsson back? SJ could take a bad contract back in any return.

Need another top 6 forward and we make the playoffs