Ask Cliffy Anything - July 16

[C4RL]

What's your top 5 D for points next season?

Thanks!

[SlimCliffy]

Predictions for the top 6 in Washington and Buffalo? They both look like they have a lot of options at this point.

For Buffalo I would guess Kane - O'Reilly - Ennis and then Moulson - Girgensons - McGinn. I don't think they give Eichel top-six minutes out of the gate. There's no need for this team to do so. Also, Gionta is no longer a top-six forward, and would seemingly make a good "mentor" line mate for Eichel (for whatever that's actually worth).

I can't imagine Washington doesn't at least try out Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie to start. That would seemingly make the second like MaJo-Kuzya-Williams.

I don't really see either team as really having a lot of options. Guys like Beagle and Wilson for Washington aren't top-six forwards, and Burakovsky is behind Kuzya at this point. The only change I can see for Buffalo is Eichel ahead of Girgensons, but again, there's no need to expose him to tough competition next year, at least until he proves he can handle 17 minutes a night. .

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What's your top 5 D for points next season?

Thanks!

It's Karlsson and then everyone else.

The next four after I see as some mix of Burns, Subban, Letang, and Giordano. That assumes Letang is healthy, of course. Hedman, Carlson, and Shattenkirk are all candidates to be in that mix, too.

[SlimCliffy]

How far away from the dance is Anthony DeAngelo?

I'm not really a prospect guy so I would look to other Dobber contributors for that. My best guess would be after a year in the AHL.

[Zorro]

Who is a backup goalie now that will be the next M.Jones or C.Talbot??