The Lost Boys - Offseason Review

The Lost Boys:

L: Kovalchuk-Atl FP, Knuble-Pha RFA, Schaeffer-Ott RFA

Rating: 3.5

Kovalchuk is a serious threat to go 60-60 and take home armfuls of hardware. Knuble is a line dependent (Forsberg or Bust) winger with above average finishing ability and zero hockey sense. Schaeffer is a speed winger who may work his way into a more prominent role for the Sens. A safe 4th liner. I expect the Lost Boys will want to find a high octane compliment to Kovalchuk in order to push this score up to 5.

C: Sakic-Col FP, Conroy-LA RFA, Turgeon-Col RFA, York-NYI RFA, Richards-Pha RFA

Rating: 3

Sakic is still a ppg machine until he proves otherwise, and a solid #1 pivot. Conroy is a bland #2. He can still go a ppg with an elite winger, but its a stretch. Turgeon is probably a dead average #3, and choosing him over York is a close call. Richards is the wild card, he could bloom into something special, or take another year up the ladder. (His first goal in the NHL was a thing of absolute beauty - drive hard on the wing, take the check from the defenseman, roof daddy with the backhand. Welcome to the NHL.) As a result of Richards' promise York or Turgeon is expendable.

R: Fehr-Wsh P2

Rating: 1.5

The Lost Boys don't have much at right wing, but what they got is pretty nice. Fehr should make the Caps full time this year and for a very good reason, the kid can score. In a dream rookie season he'll make a run at 30+ if he gets some help on the pp, or gets a gifted playmaker as a pivot. If he's around after 30 games, and is producing 3rd line numbers, he could be promotion worthy.

D: Visnovsky-LA RFA, F.Kaberle-Car RFA, Kubina-Tor RFA, Grebeshekov-LA P3, Koltsov-Vcr P3, Ziska-LA P3.

Rating: 2.5

Visnovsky has the tools to flourish in the FUNHL as a powerplay QB, and is a legit #2. Kaberle is an equally legit 3-4, and provided he isn't supplanted by someone younger and faster (Jack Johnson) he should remain so. Kubina is an expensive joke. He'll fill out someone's D for the entire year, but is not going to help anyone win anything. Grebeshekov is still waiting for his breakout season and has slightly more promise than LA team-mate Zizska. Koltzov is a slight speed defender who is on the bubble for having an NHL career, but the buzz on him out here is zero for what its worth.

G: Gerber-Ott P3, Garon-LA P2

Rating: 2.5

The Lost Boys can console themselves for their dearth of right wingers in the pipeline with the fact that they have two intriguing goalie prospects brewing. Gerber won the lottery and will get starting minutes behind the Senators deep defense corps, and should post dressable numbers. Garon is a threat to overtake Dan Cloutier for the number one job in LA, and if he does he could emerge as a very useful backup option. It ain't pretty, but it would compete.

Overall: 13