If Pitt pulled off a miracle and signed both marner and Marchand I would go with:

X - Sid - marner
X - Geno - Rakell
Marchand - x - Rust

Rakell could play 1LW to really stack Sid’s line but this gives us 3 decent pairs. Marchand and Rust would prob be an excellent shutdown line as well as pk line. Geno and rakell have played together well also. With our current team I’d say mcgroats and koivunen round out the top 6. Probably Lizotte would be an ideal centre for the 3rd line.

If Pitt pulled off a miracle and signed both marner and Marchand I would go with:

X - Sid - marner
X - Geno - Rakell
Marchand - x - Rust

Rakell could play 1LW to really stack Sid’s line but this gives us 3 decent pairs. Marchand and Rust would prob be an excellent shutdown line as well as pk line. Geno and rakell have played together well also. With our current team I’d say mcgroats and koivunen round out the top 6. Probably Lizotte would be an ideal centre for the 3rd line.
- 10inchTerror

You forgot we traded for Novak. Honest mistake lol. He's an offense first center so I don't think our third line will be built as a shutdown line though. Maybe the 4th, though that is probably a lot of the same guys since they're all under contract unless they move someone.

I also would not go after 2 big ticket forwards when they need to basically rebuild the left side of the defense completely. You still got Tomasino. I could see getting a gritting middle six type, but not a high end (and another aging) big money player like Marchand unless he's going much cheaper than I expect.

Rangers keep losing and tumbling down the standings. At this rate, they might keep their 1st if it’s at 10-12 in hopes of making another big push next season.

Kind of hoping they do keep their pick this year and get worse, and we have their 2026 unprotected 1st round pick in a draft for Mckenna.

You forgot we traded for Novak. Honest mistake lol. He's an offense first center so I don't think our third line will be built as a shutdown line though. Maybe the 4th, though that is probably a lot of the same guys since they're all under contract unless they move someone.

I also would not go after 2 big ticket forwards when they need to basically rebuild the left side of the defense completely. You still got Tomasino. I could see getting a gritting middle six type, but not a high end (and another aging) big money player like Marchand unless he's going much cheaper than I expect.
- Tojo.

Marchand is an interesting one to consider. He only made $6.1M per season on his expiring deal. He is friends with Sid, played well with him on Team Canada in the past, he's won a Cup so doesn't need to chase one, might be willing to take a 2-year deal, etc. He could be an interesting filler for the next 2 years while the younger players work their way up the lineup.

You forgot we traded for Novak. Honest mistake lol. He's an offense first center so I don't think our third line will be built as a shutdown line though. Maybe the 4th, though that is probably a lot of the same guys since they're all under contract unless they move someone.

I also would not go after 2 big ticket forwards when they need to basically rebuild the left side of the defense completely. You still got Tomasino. I could see getting a gritting middle six type, but not a high end (and another aging) big money player like Marchand unless he's going much cheaper than I expect.
- Tojo.

Need a 1LD and hope Pickering can make the jump. All depends on what FA will cost, Marner is probably going to be in the $13M-$14M range, still well worth it imo

You forgot we traded for Novak. Honest mistake lol. He's an offense first center so I don't think our third line will be built as a shutdown line though. Maybe the 4th, though that is probably a lot of the same guys since they're all under contract unless they move someone.

I also would not go after 2 big ticket forwards when they need to basically rebuild the left side of the defense completely. You still got Tomasino. I could see getting a gritting middle six type, but not a high end (and another aging) big money player like Marchand unless he's going much cheaper than I expect.
- Tojo.

Absolutely forgot about Novak haha. And although rust/marchand I think would be an elite shutdown line I think with the proper centre they could also drive play and put up points. Perhaps Novak is that person and Lizotte resumes the pesky 4C role.

And yeah LD is something. Pickering could possibly start as 3LD. But we need some actual Dmen. Gavrikov would be a good 2LD. Koloyc… can stay with Letang I guess.

Hopefully we start to adapt a quality over quantity mindset soon.

Absolutely forgot about Novak haha. And although rust/marchand I think would be an elite shutdown line I think with the proper centre they could also drive play and put up points. Perhaps Novak is that person and Lizotte resumes the pesky 4C role.

And yeah LD is something. Pickering could possibly start as 3LD. But we need some actual Dmen. Gavrikov would be a good 2LD. Koloyc… can stay with Letang I guess.

Hopefully we start to adapt a quality over quantity mindset soon.
- 10inchTerror

Ive liked Lizotte more than I expected to. Absolutely fine 4C and has been asked to do a bit too much this season cus our roster sucks. A fourth line with Lizotte and Dewar wouldn’t be so bad if we have a real third line

Absolutely forgot about Novak haha. And although rust/marchand I think would be an elite shutdown line I think with the proper centre they could also drive play and put up points. Perhaps Novak is that person and Lizotte resumes the pesky 4C role.

And yeah LD is something. Pickering could possibly start as 3LD. But we need some actual Dmen. Gavrikov would be a good 2LD. Koloyc… can stay with Letang I guess.

Hopefully we start to adapt a quality over quantity mindset soon.
- 10inchTerror

The D and G are so bad that maybe we should just play 6 forwards on the ice at all times.

Need a 1LD and hope Pickering can make the jump. All depends on what FA will cost, Marner is probably going to be in the $13M-$14M range, still well worth it imo
- abasin

It's a bad year to be looking for a #1 LD unfortunately. It's nice to get the extra 1st, but I don't know that they can sign anyone who is better than Pettersson.

Normally I wouldn't expect Pickering to start at 2nd pair, maybe third. But seeing what they tried with Koivunen and McGroarty maybe. But maybe that was just for an end of season tryout. Either way, wouldn't mind if they brought in 2 LHD.

Absolutely forgot about Novak haha. And although rust/marchand I think would be an elite shutdown line I think with the proper centre they could also drive play and put up points. Perhaps Novak is that person and Lizotte resumes the pesky 4C role.

And yeah LD is something. Pickering could possibly start as 3LD. But we need some actual Dmen. Gavrikov would be a good 2LD. Koloyc… can stay with Letang I guess.

Hopefully we start to adapt a quality over quantity mindset soon.
- 10inchTerror

Even if they don't have star prospects, if the system can get to the point where it regularly churns out productive players, then they can focus their cap dollars on a few studs instead of having to spread it out to improve the bottom of the roster.

I see on Twitter Ivan Demidov's KHL team thanking him and wishing him luck in the NHL... and then I remember we needed almost a covert operation to get Malkin out of Russia.

Will be interested in see how the kid plays.

You forgot we traded for Novak. Honest mistake lol. He's an offense first center so I don't think our third line will be built as a shutdown line though. Maybe the 4th, though that is probably a lot of the same guys since they're all under contract unless they move someone.

I also would not go after 2 big ticket forwards when they need to basically rebuild the left side of the defense completely. You still got Tomasino. I could see getting a gritting middle six type, but not a high end (and another aging) big money player like Marchand unless he's going much cheaper than I expect.
- Tojo.

Too bad Novak got hurt right away. A lot of the "experts" thought it was a good deal for Dubas.

Too bad Novak got hurt right away. A lot of the "experts" thought it was a good deal for Dubas.
- madmike71

Novak sounds like a bit of an advanced stats darling. So I'm sure he'll divide the fanbase in no time.

I do like that it seems like Dubas will finally go 3 scoring lines. I'm sure he needed some prospects to to lengthen the lineup.

It's the Blackhawks, but Koi looks amazing on Sid's line so far this period.

Wonder how much Grinder would be gargling right now if that was an Acciari block

I think Koi is going to get his first career goal tonight.

That was pretty

Novak sounds like a bit of an advanced stats darling. So I'm sure he'll divide the fanbase in no time.

I do like that it seems like Dubas will finally go 3 scoring lines. I'm sure he needed some prospects to to lengthen the lineup.
- Tojo.

What type of numbers equates to a 3rd scoring line?

It's a bad year to be looking for a #1 LD unfortunately. It's nice to get the extra 1st, but I don't know that they can sign anyone who is better than Pettersson.

Normally I wouldn't expect Pickering to start at 2nd pair, maybe third. But seeing what they tried with Koivunen and McGroarty maybe. But maybe that was just for an end of season tryout. Either way, wouldn't mind if they brought in 2 LHD.
- Tojo.

In free agency, definitely. Dubas needs to be talking to Buffalo. They have Power, Dahlin and Byram, who would all be great 1LD's for us and they also have Samuelsson who would still be our best LD.

I am all for us shipping our #1 this year for Power. Pens #1, Pickering & Graves for Power & Samuelsson.

Power/Karlsson, Samuelsson/Letang & Gryz/Timmins would be a great D group. You could go with someone cheaper and not as good as Gryz, but Samuelsson has had injury issues so its good insurance.

Now that you have a back end, get one or two big FA's at forward and you have a team that can play. I think a really good D group helps solve our G problems.

In free agency, definitely. Dubas needs to be talking to Buffalo. They have Power, Dahlin and Byram, who would all be great 1LD's for us and they also have Samuelsson who would still be our best LD.

I am all for us shipping our #1 this year for Power. Pens #1, Pickering & Graves for Power & Samuelsson.

Power/Karlsson, Samuelsson/Letang & Gryz/Timmins would be a great D group. You could go with someone cheaper and not as good as Gryz, but Samuelsson has had injury issues so its good insurance.

Now that you have a back end, get one or two big FA's at forward and you have a team that can play. I think a really good D group helps solve our G problems.
- MacPatty

Power is one of the guys I'd definitely check in on this summer. I havent looked at his stats to see how much we'd have to pay, but we finally have some assets we could use to at least tempt them.

Rangers fans are really down on him right now, but maybe a buy low option would be a K'Andre Miller?