I would have preferred if we upgraded the roster over a team that barely squeaked into the playoffs.
Obviously, we’ll need some money to re-sign Hall, but for this season, i would have liked to see an effort made to make the team better. Especially on defense.
Hopefully it still happens.
I don’t have anything to back this up but I have a strong hunch Zacha breaks out this season. Maybe it’s that he starts figuring things out, or that he’s going to shoot more, or he develops chemistry with mojo, or he gets a chance and heats up on the second PP unit, but whatever it is, I say 20 goals for him this season.
Draft position doesn’t matter after the draft. Late round guys can be good, first round guys can be bad.
But the expectations you have between the draft and the first few years of a guy’s career are different based on draft position. They just are. You expect the #1 overall to jump right in and contribute. Sometimes 2 and 3 also depending on draft depth. Those guys are usually NHL ready.
When you draft a guy #6, you expect by his 3rd professional year he will have shown some development. Zacha has, but he’s got a ways to go.
Am I ready to give up? No. Would I include him if the right trade came along? Without hesitation.