Run out a worse version of the team that's going to miss the playoffs by 10 points?

alexeyev needs to play this year. there is no point in going out and getting a below average defensemen to replace your future. they also will go out and get at least one top 6 forward for some secondary scoring.

You don't want to run out a younger faster version of a team that was 2nd in the division till we started playing old and slow guys over youth?? Look at Tomisino in Nashville's identical arch to McMichael and hes scoring at a 55-point pace since his call-up. Ethan Frank is the fastest player in the AHL and is leading rookies in scoring so id give him a shot too. Id rather not waste money signing middle-tier replacement-level players to 2-4 million dollar deals as we have done the last 3/4 years and it hasn't worked out at all. Time to go young and fast.

Don't get me wrong I would definitely give McMichael and Frank shots to make the team but the old and slow players that have been problems are all still in the lineup. I love Sandin but he's also not going to be as good as Orlov was last year. This team needs much bigger changes to remain seriously competitive -- at least one of Kuz, Mantha, or Oshie needs to be moved out and ideally an actual impact forward moved in.

Yeah they gotta send Mantha to AZ or buyout. Oshie I think is fine gets hurt too often to rely on but not much you can do. I think the main issue with Backstrom is that Lavi uses him like he's still in his prime and plays him top 6 and 17+ a night. i think if he was pp2 and 3rd line playing 12-13 a night he could excel in that. We can't trade him based on his contract and what he means to the city so I think just a coach that understands he is not the player he once was will help a lot (Im hoping we hire Hershey's coach). Lastly, dont know who would take Kuzy on though I was moving him to the wing and having Mcmichael center given how bad Kuzy was this year at center. And defenses I agree to an extent I just don't see who we could reasonably sign with this FA class that doesn't have a terribly aging contract, maybe Dumoulin based on us loving to get old Pens players but again there really isnt any two way left shot D in this FA class that are a big enough improvement over what we have IMO to justify paying 3-5 MIl for 3-4 years too outside of basically Dumoulin.

with the extra space you have here plus the ~5.5m if they dump Mantha you could fit in from FA:
Killorn - 33 - slow
Kane -34- slow
Compher- 28 career year Historically not a good sign
Bunting -Good but what price
Tarasenko -33 old but has speed left good term would be important
ROR -32 and 0 foot speed
Tatar - 32 - slow and playing on top line in NJ points are inflated
Ghost - We have Sandin and Carlson absolutely no need for another defensive liability pp qb
Soucy - Sure but is it that much of an upgrade over Alexeyev at the price he will cost
Orlov -31 and has reportedly wanted 5-7 years, historically physical D big contract and late 30s....
Graves- Dont mind think hell cost a pretty penny though
Gavrikov- Dont mind(Graves is better)

Trades are obviously a different route and if we could get a big young piece that way id be for it, and as you just listed probably outside of Bunting there is not a single guy there that makes our old slow team any younger or faster. we would just continue the rinse and repeat of bringing in older veterans on contracts that will age terribly. You watch us vs Carolina or Toronto or any young quick team we look 2 steps behind on every play and an addition of Kane, ROR, Killorn, Compher, Tatar or even Tarasenko doesnt change that. I forgot ab bunting and graves and either of those signings I think would be huge but the last thing I want for the oldest team in the leauge is to sign another early-mid 30s player.