Even if you don't get Macklin...I'm assuming the rest of that description still applies, no?

I don't think you go with that line-up if you get Celebrini. Cutter isn't a centre, that is for sure.

Zegras - Carlsson - Cutter
Killhorn - Celebrini - Terry
Vatrano - McTavish - Strome

I would think is your top 9. That said, I think you seriously have to consider moving someone out for help at RD if you get Celebrini (probably Z as McTavish is more of a need as a scorer who can convert to wing and play C in a pinch). We can't afford to have Carlsson, Celebrini, Z, McTavish, Terry, and Cutter - I'd imagine all will want $7-12 mil each at some point. Not to mention that Minty might demand a pretty penny once/if he solidifies himself.

I still think we're going to pick it up down the home stretch once everyone is back in the lineup. We'll pick in the 3-5 range. I sincerely hope we go Leshunov at that pick. I'm starting to see chatter from Hand fans about Demidov's ability to dangle through traffic, but I think that gets him killed at the NHL level against NHL defenseman, so I'm still out on him.

Fowler really is being put in bad situations though, he needs to have his minutes cut and I think it's time for Helleson to come up and start getting NHL reps, plus we need the AHL spots for Luneau and Warren.

Mintyukov-veteran (Roy maybe)
Fowler-Helleson
LaCombe-Gudas
Vaaks

Keep Zellweger in the AHL until Fowlers deal is up.

I'm starting to become a bit concerned with McTavish, he's been demoted for a while now to the third line. I get what Cronin is doing breaking up the Vatrano-McTavish-Strome line, they're a defensive black hole. If they weren't leading the team in - with Fowler then I think we'd be another 10+ points up in the standings. I give LaCombe a pass because he was glued on Fowlers off wing for quite a while. McTavish though, there's something up there.

I would ideally like to see our top 6 be
Gauthier-Carlsson-Killorn
Zegras-McTavish-Terry

Or if we're going to keep McTavish at 3C to push his defensive development, keep Zegras as 2C and give him Gauthier to set up.

I don't want McTavish on the third line -- that's the perfect place to break Gauthier in without overexposing him. With veterans on either side of him, he'll do fine in the middle. Putting him with two young guys who are still learning how to play a 200-foot game seems like a very bad idea to me.

Matt Roy would be the off-season home run signing, but one serendipitous bolt of lightning per summer is enough to ask for.

I wonder if Verbeek would look at trade LaCombe // Vaakanainen to get Zellweger some playtime on that 3rd pairing

I know not many Ducks guys agree with me, but I’d love to try and get Trouba to pair with Mintyukov — Roy would be fine too if we could convince him to sign like a 2 x $6,500,000

I’m struggling to assemble my optimal top 9 with all our guys plus Celebrini here

Fair enough. I don't think Gauthier is a C. He's a shooter with good positioning, but from what I've seen he can't drive the play like a McTavish, Celebrini or Carlsson. Maybe he learns? If you want to shelter him than move him down the lines on the W. It is easier to shelter a W than a C.