The Bladerunners
L: Hall, Read-Pha RFA, McGinn-Col RFA, Maroon-Ana RFA, Domi-Arz P2
Rating: 2.5
Hall is arguably the best LW in the game right now, so the top end looks good (if currently injured), but the rest is a mix of not quite 3rd line guys. Read is a decent 4th liner but I'm not convinced that either McGinn or Marroon were draftable. Domi is a very interesting prospect, but failed to make the Coyotes out of camp and is thus likely at least another year away.
C: Stamkos-TBay FP, Staal-Car FP, MacKinnon-Col RFA, Zajac-NJ RFA
Rating: 4.5
Stamkos is as elite as it gets, and is a bona fide #1C. Staal is no longer an elite #1, but has settled rather comfortably into being a very good #2. MacKinnon is the wild card as he could conceivably post seriously crooked numbers sitting in the 3rd line spot. Zajac is an injury-replacement-only kinda player these days.
R: Voracek-Pha, Simmonds-Pha, O'Reilly-Col, ,Brouwer-Wsh RFA, Yakupov-Edm P4, Jaskin-StL P1, Kapenen-Pit P1
Rating: 4
Seems high, doesn't it? Voracek is sneaky legitimate as a #1RW, albeit at the lower end of that category. Simmonds had an elite goon season last year and is a nice blend of toughness and scoring. O'Reilly isn't likely to break out with a 70 point season anytime soon, but he's an exciting talent on the upswing. Brouwer is a waiver action waiting to happen. Yakupov is a guy who might (finally) have his breakout year where he guns 40+, but I don't think it will happen in Edmonton. Jaskin and Kapanen are both mutli-tooled offensive talents who are likely 2 or more years away from being active contributors.
D: Ekman-Larsson-Arz, Krug-Bos, Seabrook-Chi, Josi-Nsh, Franson-Tor RFA, Vatanen-Ana RFA, Daley-Dal RFA, C.Murphy-Arz RFA, Pouliot-D Pit P3, Gormley-D Arz P2, Morrow-Bos P2, Clendening-Chi P1
Rating: 2.5
OEL is only 'ok' as a top line guy, and that weakness both persists and worsens as we move done the roster of D-men. Krug has evovled into a surprisingly good offensive defenseman, but his tiny size is an invitation to injury. Oh look, he's already hurt. Seabrook is still a beast, but at some point is going to lose PP time to Clendening and others. Josi had a huge season last year, but the arrival of Seth Jones as a force is going to cramp his PP time moving forward. Franson is an above average offensive defenseman with frequently poor defense, he's a favourite to be dealt out of TO. Vatanen is a very nice find, a PP QB with excellent upside, if a tad undersized. Daley and Murphy are never going to make this roster barring catastrophic injuries ahead of them. Pouliot is an exciting offensive prospect, but he has been lapped by others in the Pens org like Maata and Depres, so a change of scenery may be required. Morrow is a poential candidate to contribute especially with Krug and Chara out with boo-boos. Gormley has had 3 straight dissapointing prospect years in a row. Make the damn team already. Clendening is a big mobile offensive defenseman in Chicago. Which, should be pretty good some day. But not today.
G: Bobrovsky-Clb RFA, Luongo-Fla RFA
Rating: 2
Because nothing says 'fear me' like Columbus + Florida goaltending.
Total: 15.5
No comments:
Post a Comment