So yes, Dubie almost always does what I would do, but these latest moves make little sense to me.
The Engvall dump isn’t good no matter how I look at it. He was a really good player for us, I’m not listening to all this stuff about butter soft and turnovers. The guy was legit difficult to play against, could carry the puck, and has ability to pop 20. Lose him for a 3rd before a playoff run when a major team concern is scoring depth from the bottom 6? I don’t get it at all. If the trade was ZAR for a 6th, that I’d understand. This worsened us.
Sandin I can understand trading, but I don’t really agree with it. I’m not a huge Holl fan, and he’s gone next year anyway. I prefer Sandin’s ability to skate and move the puck, chip in offense, than Holl’s ability to shut anyone down and properly get the puck out of our zone. But fine, you expect you’ll only have him next year and need to trade him anyway and someone will give you a 1st now, ehhh, alright. But we just talked about how late 1sts are mostly dog shit, so why ditch a guy who could play ably and who was signed through next year for that now? If he was a main piece of the Meier trade, that makes a lot more sense to me.
I have to believe both Sandin and Engvall were moved to create space for something better that hasn’t arrived yet. If not, they were unnecessary downgrades for mostly irrelevant consideration for a team going for the cup.
The Schenn trade is worrisome, but with Sandin gone I’m not sure who he’d bump, if anyone. If Lilly is ever scratched for him, then fuck Keefe to hell. But he’s not bumping Rielly, McCabe, Gio, Brodie. So maybe Holl if he dips, I dunno. But I am legit shocked at Schenn’s offensive output. And a +9 on that team, where I’d expect something similar to OEL’s -22. Maybe he’s actually been good this year. We’ll find out.
But first let’s see the next big move. I’m quite concerned that this has been way too much turnover for a team going into the last leg of the season though…
