Matheson isn't long term either.

Harris is likely expendable, slip Struble in there.

I'm putting Barron as 3RD and bumping the other 2 up.

Matheson is top 10 in scoring by defenseman in the league, and on an amazing contract.

The idea that we would trade him away because he's 30 is baffling to me.

Let Hutson, Reinbacher, Xhekaj, Mailloux TAKE it from him, by all means, but to just hand it to them because they are "young" and he is "old" makes no sense.

When is the last time a D-core without a 30+ year old player won the Stanley Cup?

Not saying dump him just saying he isn't long term (5+ years) imo. I'm a big fan of Matheson.

I hear you, but he keeps getting better each year! We should ride out his prime rather than try to deal him. He was clearly made for this market in a way other players were not.

That has to fall off eventually. If we're not competitive come his last year I think we should move him for a return and try to sign him or another vet for the following year. By then we should have plenty of D options ready to step up into that spot. Maybe not required but getting a haul if we're not anything more than a bubble team makes sense to me.

It's hard to project this team that far out. We tend to expect too much out of players with less than 300 games under their belt in this fanbase.

I am constantly reminded that you need 8-9 defensemen to make a deep playoff run, and you need players with experience to help calm their nerves.

I hope they find a way to keep the west island boy and trade some of the younger players. Matheson is the new Markov...