Bill Meltzer: Star Gazing: What is Stars biggest need?

I voted other for all of the above.

If everything goes right and everyone stays healthy they may squeak into a playoff spot. Benn, Lou, Ryder, Roy, Jagr, and Whitney are a decent top six, but a young team has a hard time staying healthy; when injuries hit we'll have a hard time putting the puck in the net. Nystrom, Fiddler, Garbutt, and Morrow can bring grit and fill in short time on the top 2 lines. Maybe Vincour or Eakin develop into line 2 over the year?

They are missing at least a top defender if not a top pair. Gogo was nice to start the year, and I really hope Larsen gets better, he was solid for a rookie last year. I liked Souray last year but he was completely MIA in the last 20 games. Daley and Robi are good tweeners, Fistric will provide the grit but they'll need more, I'm afraid Rome is this year's version of Pardy. Bring another physical Dman up next year, I'd love it to be Oleksiak but guess he's still a year away.

Bill Meltzer: Star Gazing: What is Stars biggest need?
- Bill_Meltzer

Gogo, Daley, Robidas, Larsen, Rome, Fistric to start the season? I'm okay with that momentarily. This group is a Jbo makes from being playoff worthy IMO. They could definitely use a guy that eats huge minutes and can move the puck. He's also another bigger body on a d-core who's only bigger bodies are Fistric and Rome, aka the two least talented and least mobile guys we have. Jbo is a very, very mobile big body and despite his lack of point production in Calgary, he has the skillset to bring more.

The top 6 is obviously set. I'm not super crazy about the bottom 6 or the center depth. I dont mind Vernon Fiddler as a 3rd line center, but I think that line needs another legitimate winger on it in addition to Morrow. It would make the top 9 dangerously formidable. The 4th line I expect to be a combination of a bunch of guys. Garbutt, Wandell, Vincour (could win 3rd line spot), Nystrom (my first choice for other wing next to fiddler), Fraser, Peterson, and Eakin.

I dont think they have to go overboard and sign, say, Arnott and Moore, but I also wouldn't cry if they did either. I expect Reilly Smith or Scott Glennie to fill a top 6 spot while Roy is out. Whether they are at center or if Eriksson is briefly moved to center remains to be seen. Unless a younger player is really ready to step up and contribute, theres a hole in the top 9. But even without filling said hole with a signing/trade/camp-invite: when healthy, this is a VERY good team.

Eriksson-Benn-Jagr
Whitney-Roy-Ryder
Morrow-Fiddler-Vincour
Nystrom-Eakin-Wandell

Goligoski-Robidas
Daley-Fistric
Larsen-Rome

Thats a playoff line-up when healthy.

I'd never thought I'd see "Aaron Rome is an upgrade on ..." Don't get me wrong, he's a serviceable #6 D man, dependable as well.

The biggest need the stars have is on D - they need someone to compliment (and maybe mentor?) Goligoski.

Bill Meltzer: Star Gazing: What is Stars biggest need?
- Bill_Meltzer

grit

Eriksson-Benn-Jagr should be fun to watch

they need some "sandpaper"

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