Edited Jan. 3 at 2:03 p.m.
1 & 4) I would love to see Iafello and Namestnikov, moved… we are paying way too much for our bottom lines and we need to upgrade 2C and our RHD. We have lots of younger and cheaper bottom 6 wing and C options in the system, and neither of these 2 belong in the top 6 of a contending team.
2) I think including any of theses players in trades is likely the best option, though cheaper bottom 6 players is how you afford the salaries of the big boys, so maybe keeping them helps too
3) see #2
5) KC is dynamic and can play anywhere, but we would need Ehlers as our 2RW, so Connor needs to slot back at 1LW
6) 2C is our biggest need and should be Chevys main target, (though I highly doubt he even thinks it’s required)… for me Lindholm is the main target… fits our need in every metric and would be a huge add to our team… only issue being would he extend, but you make that part of the trade negotiation.
7) Schmidt absolutely needs to go,… he is hugely over payed and is taking up space better suited to better other options… my opinion is he should never have been acquired to begin with.
8) Heinola, for me, is best suited as a trade piece to either get that 2C or pry a top pairing/top 4 RHD out of somewhere… obviously not the main piece, but definitely an enticing additional piece. I put Samberg ahead of him and I see no place for him to advance in our system.
Lineup I’m thinking, for remainder of this season, is;
Connor - Scheifele - Vilardi
Perfetti - Lindholm - Ehlers
Iafello - Lowry - Neiderreiter
Barron - Namestnikov - Appleton
Morrissey - DeMelo
Samberg - Pionk
Dillon - Chisholm
Those top 3 lines would be dangerous and that 4th has potential.
The defence pairings are with existing roster, but we could pick up an RHD to upgrade at any level.
In the offseason, we;
- move Iafello and Namestnikov for cap to spend on 2C extension or whatever, then slot Lambert in with Neiderreiter and Lowry, and Kupari or Gus takes the 4C slot
- depending on salary request or cap need, keep or lose Dillon.. if we lose him, Chisholm gets the bottom paring LD slot with Samberg as 2LD
- upgrade the RHD if it hasn’t already been done.