I think Hayes can play in multiple roles. He was a PK guy, he play net front on PP, he has pretty good passing skills. So overall I think he can be put in multiple roles. Maybe they try him out vs Bunting for the Net front role on PP. Unfortunately he is slow, but I think he could potentially be ok in the bottom six.

That’s certainly possible but this might also be indicative of just being sellers/in a rebuild now. We’ve been shopping Smith and Jarry hard. We’ve made Rakell available. All those guys are still on the roster and now we sold off a significant chunk of cap space for a future. I could totally see this as Dubas realizing there’s nothing out there and just trying to maximize assets. Yeah that’s sad, but again let me reiterate that it’s highly preferable to signing a bunch of defensive forwards in an attempt to half ass compete

We have like 7 mil in cap space with pretty much everyone signed. We can still go out there and get Domi and Beau, have a more fun team than we did last year, and bank that high second in our back pocket from the Hayes trade. I think that’s fine.
- Victoro311

Yohe’s latest article basically says that Dubas sees the writing on the wall and is just trying to stock the pick/prospect cupboard.

Yohe’s latest article basically says that Dubas sees the writing on the wall and is just trying to stock the pick/prospect cupboard.
- j.boyd919

I get the kind of thinking to trying to get a bunch of prospects in hopes the young guys could take over when the big three retired, but I think you still have to take some more chances. Sign some guys to a 1 year deal. Skinner would be that perfect 1-2 year smaller deal. Maybe Atkinson to a 1 smaller year deal as well. Duchene last year was discussed last year with the same thought. Hell if he wants to stock pile then trade Pettersson for some prospects and picks and try to sign Skjei or Gostisbehere.

Maybe trade some players off and have a some veteran lines and our 4th line of just the young kids.

Or he could be aggressive and take his shot at a RFA and offer sheets someone.

Sack up and deep sea off the coast for mahi and grouper.
- Victoro311

The only thing required to do that is money my friend.

I doubt the Boston connection is going to matter very much when Hayes comes into practice and proves himself a low effort female dog.
- Victoro311

My comment there was aimed at the fact that Sully must know Hayes, he's a Boston kid that went to BC, etc. I'm sure Dubas consulted Sully at least a bit about this, and there's no way the plan is to not play Hayes. He's almost certainly going to start the year on the third line.

Presumably they think they can get enough out of him to mostly offset the cap hit, then the 2nd aligns with Dubas's plan to draft his way out of the mess Hextal left him, even if it takes a few years. So far his drafts seem to have gone really well, hence maybe that is the best path forward.

Run your mouth when you actually win something higher than runner up....
- PittsPens

Don't get mad at me I didn't put this team in the hole with the EK trade...