At this point I think all the Thrashers need are roughly two top six forwards. Ideally that would include a center for the Czar, but at this point I'd be happy with a good finishing right winger to accept passes. I'm not averse to making Erik Christensen our top guy; he's a creative player who seems eager to prove himself, something he'll finally have a chance to do next season.
The arrival of Ilya Nikulin looks imminent, and I think that's super-solid. Nikulin is a damn good stay-at-home defenseman, and what's better he has tons of experience playing with the Czar. If we land Nikulin we won't NEED Jason Smith. The leadership roles on the team are filled by Moose and Kovy...Jason Smith can try his hand in Tampa, though there seems something blasphemous about him donning the Bolt uniform.
At this point, our defense looks like this:
Enstrom (quality puck-mover, fast, great shot, assist-making machine) - Havelid (rock-solid stay at homer)
Hainsey (fast, offensive, like Toby but bigger) - Nikulin (rock-solid and a fine skater)
Bogosian (fierce, offensive, competitive, fiery) - Klee/XLB/Boris Valabik
That might be the best defense we've ever had. Yes, of course you can quote me (in derision or agreement). Best defense we've ever had.
Meanwhile DW really needs to get going on this forward-hiring business. Vermette and/or Demitra, come on down.
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6 comments:
In other words we could be under the cap floor AND one acquisition and a little luck away from an NHL Defense to be jealous of.
I can not believe you blasphemed and said we don't need Jason Smith. Here's where I'll disagree. Havelid is "rock solid?" Did you actually WATCH any of the games last year sweetie? If it wasn't X with his ass glued to the goalpost every time an opposition's goal went in, it was Havs. And further, we don't just need Gator for leadership and defence. We need a guy who can take us to the promiseland, and it's pretty damned clear that dude ain't gonna be Waddell.
I still think we need Jason Smith, but it looks like we will be signing that Russian dude we drafted a while back.
I have no idea what he will be like, but I would think he would take Smith's spot.
Sigh.
As much as I have admired Jason Smith in the past, I think the fact that he has not signed with us yet is a bad sign. If he wants to be a Bolt, let him go be a Bolt and he can feel the wrath of the Czar as he schools him 8 games a year.
As Crash Davis said in Bull Durham, "I'm not interested in any woman who's interested in that boy."
Razor Catch Prey makes my point for me. Precisely, Razor Catch Prey.
I love Jason Smith, but I do think Nikulin would be a fine defensive defenseman...and again, he already plays with the Czar every summer. A Team of Two Ilyas! Who could resist it? Certainly not the Thrashers marketing department...perhaps.
Maali- "Rock-solid" is probably a bit of an exaggeration when describing Havelid, but on balance I think he's a pretty decent defenseman. The only one aside from Toby Enstrom that didn't make disastrous moves nearly game last season. Enstrom had some awful turn-overs now and then, but I think that can be safely blamed on rookie awkwardness. He'll be wiser next season.
Gator's advantage over other-Ilja is NHL experience. I mean, we're pretty much talking about a rookie here, for the time it'll take him to adjust to the NHL game/rules/rink. Bah. I'm resigned to another year of suck.
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