My point was next year we might not see any forwards make it out of camp. Not until we're no longer needing to shelter the young guys we have in Virtanen/Gaud, which probably will take another year. Green needs to start utilizing them in checking roles(secondary PK). When I said Lind will probably be getting the Mac treatment I mean that he'll probably be with the team 3/4 of the year as an extra, just like Mac was. He'll be groomed for the following year and get a handful of games so he'll kind of 'make the team' but not really. Jasek could get a similar treatment too.
We are also loaded at FWD if we re-sign Toffoli or sign a top 6 guy. Something to keep tabs on. Same with Pearson next year. We keep both and are able to integrate young players that could push a guy like Pearson down to the 3rd line we got a deep team. If we then become overloaded with forward talent trade one for a D. That's a scenario that would require a lot of cap work by Benning and/or a complacency buyout or two.
Leivo too is another guy to keep tabs on. If we can't sign Toffoli then Leivo will definitely be back. He's not a bad top 9 guy and can be a stop gap for Lind/Pod. Personally I'd like to see all Pearson, Toffoli and Leivo re-signed. All 3 are pretty good two-way players that can produce points and would fit in with young guys we bring up. It would really make us deep in the top 9 and I like Leivo better than Roussel for Gaudette. If the young guys really step up then a guy like Boeser could be shopped for a good young defenseman
Petey-Miller-Toffoli
Virtanen-Horvat-Boeser
Pearson-Gaudette-Leivo
Motte-Beagle-Mac
Sutter
Could swap Toffoli/Boeser/Virtanen/Pearson around but that sort of forward lineup would help make us a playoff team next year.
D we are probably gonna see a couple at least. If Tryamkin comes back that's a gimme. 6th,7th, 8th spots are all up for grabs with guys like Breezer, Rafferty, etc getting looks. I would keep my eyes on the D spots next year, could be a lot younger than we're used too in the top 6 7th and 8th spots.
My D-core next year would be
Edler-Myers
Hughes-Tanev
Tryamkin-Rafferty
Brisebois
Like I said though cap work and/or compliance buy outs would need to happen. They'd be Roussel/Eriksson for me.
I think by 2021-22 we'll see a few forwards make the jump after Jake/Gaud have rounded out their games and Petey/Hughes are signed to bigger deals. Pod being the big one and Lind having been groomed to take a spot the following. Hog should spend a year in the AHL unless he blows expectations and outplays Pod/Lind.
Overall I think we're seeing Mac(as a regular), Rafferty, hopefully Tryamkin and hopefully Brisebois next year. I think all 4 have a good shot of making it next year. top 6/extras we've gotten after Biega have all faltered and with how old our D-core is I could see JB letting the young guys fill those spots to see what they have in them.