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A good read: 3 Takeaways from Yzerman's Year-End Press Conference [The Hockey Writers]

Yeah. I have no interest in the Staal bros. I would consider Marc only if we lost a D in the expansion draft, but otherwise, I would go after a higher profile LD and then slot DD and DC down the left side.

A conversation with @Akakabuto and @marcaractac has completely reversed my thinking on the Staal brothers. I will no longer shill for those aging has-beens. Both are nearing retirement and uselessness and our roster doesn't need to rely on players like that. If Marc Staal wasn't here, I would have no interest in Eric. If NYR didn't pay us to take Marc last season I would have no interest in Marc. Vrana - Larkin - Bertuzzi Fabbri - Rasmussen - Zadina Erne - Namestnikov - Glendening Smith - Veleno - Panik Svechnikov Cole - Seider Oleksiak - Hronek Oesterle - Lindstrom Cholowski/Dekeyser Cole = $4 x 2 Oleksiak = $3 x 4 Oesterle = $2 x 2

If a situation arises where Raymond makes the team, putting us over the 23 man limit, just waive Panik/Svech/Lindstrom/Dekeyser. No one is claiming those fools.

I don't see it. He's in the last year of his contract, those picks are still pretty valuable, and anybody Seattle would otherwise take (Svech, Smith, Lindstrom) is totally replaceable. This will be exactly like the last expansion draft. Take your Tomas Nosek, WGAF.

Also keep in mind teams go into camp with a larger roster than allowed some start of the season for various reasons. Competition for jobs, try outs, and simply to be prepared for the inevitable preseason injury. The worst thing that can happen is that a young player still capable of being sent down would get sent down until there is an injury. Though if said young player is good enough, someone else would just get waived. And it would not be a young player (unless it's Svech).

F (13) Larkin Vrana Bertuzzi Fabbri Rasmussen Zadina Smith Svechnikov Glendening Panik Namestnikov Erne E. Staal Nielsen (Buyout) Helm (UFA) Filppula (UFA) Gagner (UFA) Ryan (UFA) Call ups Veleno Pearson Raymond Berggren The forwards look very set to me. Injuries will hit and guys like Veleno will probably be on the Red Wings roster more than less. D (7) Seider Hronek M. Staal Dekeyser Cholowski Lindstrom Oesterle/Cole/Oleksiak/Martinez/etc Stecher (Seattle) Biega (UFA) Call ups McIlrath McIsaac Barton That's a 22 man roster with one spot open. Our D depth is pretty weak. I expect Yzerman will sign another D UFA on top of this to compete with Cholowski and Lindstrom, or another depth/GR guy like Biega or McIlrath so that at least our callups aren't so weak.

A lot of talent is gonna either fall or go unnoticed in this draft. No way I give up two 3rds to get rid of one year of Dekeyser. He will be a totally serviceable dman for one season.