The Joshfrey Krupuls are coming off a (probably
intentionally) dreadful 2017-18 campaign and GMJK should approach the upcoming
season as the next step in a careful rebuild.
The season preview last year noted “the Krupuls still lack a
bona fide super star or anyone projected to score 70” and that remains as true
today as it did a year ago. This is not a competitive team as a result.
Luckily, the Krupuls have some intriguing prospects in Tolvanen,
Yamamoto and Heiskanen, all of whom project to be impact keepers down the road.
While GMJK would be wise to keep all 3, one of them will have to be kept as a
roster player under the outgoing prospect rules, leaving the team with some
tough decisions for the remaining keeper list.
The Krupuls have an embarrassment of riches on defence, with
Carlson, Barrie and Hamilton to all projected by Dobber to score 54-57 points.
Shea Theodore’s “mere” 45 points may mean he is the odd man out. Theodore is
far enough above replacement level that he may attract some pre-draft trade
interest, or GMJK may opt to keep 4D.
The forward corps is headlined by a 33 year-old two-way
centre who is expected to miss the pre-season with an injury. A deadline deal
sending a renewed Anze Kopitar to the Micahleks for Patrice Bergeron and a 1st
round pick was the right move, and GMJK would be smart to double down on that
by exploring trade options for Bergeron, who would be a good depth player on a win-now
team but has no place on a rebuilding squad. After Couture and Johansen, the
remaining forwards are 40-50 point bubble keepers on most teams, and many are
on the wrong side of their most productive years.
Using Dobber’s predictions, if the Krupuls go with 6F+3D+1G
(including an otherwise eligible prospect in the 6F) they will get 551 points
from their keeper roster.
Season Prediction: The Joshfrey Krupuls will end the 2018-19
as a lottery team once again.
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