The front office has done a good job over the last two off seasons, adding a good mix of veteran talent and using the NHL Draft to acquire young prospects, but with several of these young men set to hit the league, the forward line will become very crowded and just letting a player walk without getting something in return doesn’t make good business sense, especially with the need for depth on the back line.
John Krpan of Fan Sided wrote a compelling article last week on the state of the franchise and the pluses and minuses of the team from the last few weeks. It was suggested that management could look into acquiring Kevin Shattenkirk for JvR, a move that would strengthen the team as a whole and help them contend for a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2017.
The other idea was to wait, see how Auston Mattews gels with the veteran players and perhaps gain a bit more leverage power if they have a good season. However, with van Riemsdyk playing just 40 games last year due to injury, the third time in his NHL career he’s missed 30 games or more, would it be wise to get the help they need now and not risk another injury cutting his year short?
One thing is clear, the front office will have some major decisions to make over the next two years, including the possible loss of talent in the expansion draft and with several wingers likely on the way out, moving one of their best now for a player that is solid on both ends of the ice and can help lead the power play makes sense. Shattenkirk has proven his worth over the last five years with St Louis and would be a great addition to an up and coming franchise like Toronto.
