While I'm certainly not sure the team is any better now than they were on the Fourth of July, I do feel like the overall story coming into Day 1 at Cranberry has actually improved a decent amount.
- For now at least.....and it obviously won't take long for this to change.......the Rutger McGroarty trade looks pretty favorable. While nobody was against Brayden Yager, I don't get the impression anyone thought of him as a potential Top 6 center. Of course, that changed when he got moved to Winnipeg; after which the Canadian scouts/analysts all of a sudden moved him up about 40 places on their Prospects lists.
- At the same time, McGroarty (who was previously far higher rated as a Jets prospect) dropped almost completely off those lists. Meanwhile, he was reportedly all over the ice.....skating, hitting, and scoring......at the Buffalo prospects series last weekend. Evidently he's a kid who could potentially threaten to make Sid's line coming out of camp (though he's got to prove he can keep up with Sid and Rusty).
- I understand the even better story from Buffalo was the South African kid Harrison Brunicke, who the Guins drafted in the 2nd round this year. Apparently he was one of the best all-around defensemen in the tournament; and may actually be a better prospect than 2022 1st rounder Owen Pickering. Keep an eye out for him as a candidate to make the Canadian National Junior team for the 2024 WJC.
- They have tons more organizational needs.....lets start with sheer skating depth.......but at least they finally have some new kids to pay attention to. Beside McGroarty, Brunicke, and Pickering, people seem reasonably excited about Connor Bedard's old buddy Tanner Howe, speed demon shrimp Mac Swanson, plus some of the kids they got in the Guentzel deal.
- Additionally, I've read that 2021 Hextall 2nd rounder Tristan Broz came out of nowhere last season after transferring from Minnesota to U Denver, and is all of a sudden a prospect. Now, all Dubas has to do now is double the sheer number of honest skating prospects in the organization (over the next year or so).
- Of course, that's apart from the legitimate depth they have in goal; highlighted by Sergei Murashov, who people evidently believe could turn out to be another of those world-class Russians.
- As for the Guins roster, at least Sid is back delivering/selling tickets; which is really the lynchpin behind all of FSG's give-him-whatever-he-wants instructions to Dubas. Evidently, he was ignoring all the public moaning from the fans this summer, and just decided what he wanted/needed last weekend. Even those who hate him.....and there are plenty of them out there.......are breaking their own arms saluting his beyond team-friendly deal.
- Finally, as for the 24/25 season, your guess is as good as mine who'll start in goal on Night #1....can Sid keep playing the way he's been playing.......can Karlsson return to All-Star form......do Letang and (especially) Geno have anything left......can Graves rejoin the NHL after last season's abortion........can Bunting be the cornerstone forward that everyone seems to be expecting........and can O'Connor can solidify himself as a Top 6 forward (which they desperately need).
Last edited:
