Season Preview: Dicklas Lidstroms

Dicklas Lidstroms

Still Dickless:

Mikael Granlund

Corey Perry

Max Paccioretty

Pavel Buchnevich

Nolan Patrick

Anthony Mantha

DOM SAYS: 51.3 points average

Morgan Rielly

Mikhail Sergachev

Charlie McAvoy

Noah Hanafin

DOM SAYS: 40 points average

Thomas Chabot (p)

Alexander Nylander (p)

Getting their dicks back:

Kyle Turris

Oskar Lindblom

Anthony Duclair

Tobias Rieder

Connor Brown

Ryan Strome

Julias Honka

Christian Djoos

Brian Elliott

Steve Mason

GMSD began his rebuild in earnest last draft, scooping up a bunch of pebbles with his pan and hoping to find some flakes of gold. As might be expected, some worked out, some didn't. I think he was hoping for more from guys like Brown, Strome (the one currently recovering from a broken ankle after coming face to face with Pettersson in pre-season action), Duclair, Lindblom. The GMMM model of drafting good young platers who become great, well, requires the young players to be actually good. GMSD's players aren't there yet, and I have questions about the long-term upside of Mantha and Buchnevich, but he's in for a pound so what the hell. And, a lot of players are disappointments until they aren't; people were worried about Rantanen, for example. Dom's projections are based on past performance, and he's not in the business of predicting breakout performances. So, it'll be an interesting year for the Lidstroms. Could surprise, but I suspect this one needs a bit more time in the marinade.

If this team is going to gel into a champion in the coming years, he needs second overall pick Patrick to be more late bloomer Seguin (who got 22 points in 78 games as a rookie) than actually-not-all-that-great Sam Reinhart. Missing time with a face infection is Salo-level bad luck. In reality, I think he's going to settle into adequacy. Nico Hischier is way better. 

Maybe he'll keep prospects instead of Perry and Patches, but trade chips matter and I think he'd be well served to hold on to them and hope they get off to hot starts. If he gets decent evolution from McAvoy and Sergachev, he's got a top shelf defence core for the long term but his forward group remains a work in progress.

First overall this year is as good as any year that hasn't involved McDavid or Crosby. A helluva fast forward button on this team's long term chances.

Projected finish: 15th.