I've been amazed at the number of recent threads stating that we need to go after <insert forward and/or offensive defenseman> at the trade deadline or in the off-season. Names that have been bandied about lately include:
Marian Hossa
Brad Richards
Jeff Carter
Evgeni Malkin--are you kidding me????
Brian Campbell
Wade Redden
etc.
What's funny is that offense is the last place we need to invest more of our cap space in. Hell, its going to be hard enough retaining our core long-term as is (Kopitar, O'Sullivan, Frolov, JMFJ).
Don't forget that O'Sullivan is an RFA this summer and a likely target for another Kevin Lowe-type poach if we don't get an extension done soon. On that same front, what do you think will happen next summer if both Kopitar AND Johnson aren't signed to long-term deals before then? If you don't think someone will attempt to break the bank on Kopitar, you're deluding yourself.
Dean will likely worry more about re-signing our own young forwards before thinking about someone else's at this point.
If LA is going to spend substantial sums in FA this summer and/or dangle the proverbial "Cammy + a pick" the focus will have to be on D.
The lone exception to the "D first" approach, IMHO, is the draft. If the space/time continuum is disrupted and LA does, in fact, get the 1st overall pick, I would hope that DL will select the "best player available" in Stamkos and then attempt to package as many picks as possible in order to move back into the top 10 if Schenn happens to fall out of the top 5.
The reasoning is that a forward like Stamkos is more likely to have an immediate impact than any defensive prospect. Of the top D propsects, I'm most sold on Schenn as he's been compared to Adam Foote but with better skating skills. As evidenced by the WJC, he would be an ideal complement to Hickey down the road.
Any ideal summer would be something like the following:
Draft
- select Stamkos 1st overall
- trade Dallas 1st + two of our 2nd-round picks in order to move to the X spot (@ 8th position) and somehow draft Schenn
- trade Cammalleri + Tukonon/Lewis + DET 2nd for young "established" D like Suter or Edler
Re-Sign to long-term deals:
O'Sullivan
Kopitar
JMFJ
Re-Sign to short-term "filler" deals:
Blake, only if < 4MM
Thornton, provides solid leadership size on 4th line, only if < 1.5MM
FA:
Mike Commodore
Buyout:
Cloutier
Your 2008/2009 Kings
Brown - Kopitar - Purcell
Frolov - Stamkos - O'Sullivan
Calder - Boyle - Armstrong
Guiliano - Handzus - Thornton
JMFJ - Blake
Suter/Edler - Preissing
Commodore - Visnovsky
LaBarbera
Bernier
