Joined: Sep. 2018
Posts: 2,179
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My heart says yes, but my mind tells me no. I think this team could look a lot different in the next 2 years. I like the extensions, those all seem reasonable, but I doubt Olivier comes back after hitting UFA. I can't see any of Tarasov, Boqvist, Peeke, or possibly Texier having a long-term future here (Texier is 50/50).
It really feels like this team has too many top-6 wingers, yet none of them are top-pair/star quality right now or anymore. Gaudreau is here forever, and probably slots in as 2LW by then. It really feels like one of Laine or Chinakhov, or less likely one of Johnson or Marchenko, get moved in the next two years.
LDBB, Malatesta, and Texier make sense on the 4th line, maybe that turns into the next Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck line. Fantilli, Sillinger/Voronkov, Voronkov/Sillinger feel like the long-term C's. The right and left D are locked in, too, can't see a trade or replacement of any of those players.
So really that leaves the 3rd-line wingers and starting goalie to tinker with? Boone could be a great fit there for years, but maybe Brindley slots in if one of the other wingers gets dealt. And that's ignoring both a top-6 pick this year (at the moment) and any returns from a top-6 forward trade (Laine, Chinakhov?), Provorov trade, any other pieces we get from TDL 2024/25, and any other prospects/picks that could surprise (Dumais, Whitelaw, Pinelli, Ivanov, Ceulemans, etc).