ROOS LETS LOOSE POLL: Who'd benefit most from a fresh start?

[RizzeeDizzee]

Look at the rosters of your teams right now and ask yourself, isn't there at least one player who you could envision doing much better if put on a new team? I'm guessing there is, perhaps even several of them. So let's stick with that for this month's poll.

Your task is to vote for the five players you feel would be most improved, right at this moment, if given a fresh start on a new team. Define “most improved” however you want. But in terms of “fresh start” assume it means, for forwards, a long look on a scoring line and PP time if they’re not receiving that already, while for a defenseman it means, if they’re not receiving it already, PP minutes and a favorable offensive zone starting percentage. In cases of players currently getting favorable deployment, it just means a change of scenery to perhaps help spark or invigorate them.

As far as players who I didn’t include, you’ll notice there are no skaters who’ve played fewer than 200 games and/or are 22 or younger, since it’s possible they’ve just not come into their own. I also didn’t include high profile struggling players like Johnny Gaudreau, Timo Meier and Jonathan Huberdeau, as I felt they’d reflexively get too many votes.

As usual, please post here to say who you voted for and why, to give added perspective.

[RizzeeDizzee]

My votes went to:

Kaprizov - If he had any semblance of a scoring center, he might be in Kucherov territory
Kuemper - Two words: Cam Talbot
Nurse - I feel like he has true #1D potential, complete with PP deployment, but is stuck in Edmonton playing tough minutes
Olofsson - I know it seems longer ago, but he was really good his first four seasons and if put on a top line with a playmaking center could pot 40 goals
Skjei - To put things in perspective, he has four PPPts despite averaging under 30 second of PP time per game, and is scoring above a 50 point pace, so think of how much more he could do

[loppantorkel]

Voted for:
Girard - cramped blueline (+ some issues)
Hanifin - same
Hertl - could use better supporting cast
Kaprisov - same
Olofsson - seems like a roleplayer of a type that's expendable in Buffalo

Skipped any goaltender.

[Princeton]

My votes:

Brannstrom: Needs PP time to be truly effective. SJ perhaps?
Ehlers: TOI speaks for itself. Would thrive on some teams. EDM? MTL?
Girard: As said crowded blueline.
Olofsson: Too many better young bodies in BUF: WSH?
Noeson: Needs to go somewhere that needs offence. NYI would be a fit.

[random-d]

I find it interesting how many of Brindamour's players are on this list considering he was in the running for the Jack Adams last year. There is obviously enough talent on that team but it's underperforming so far this season.

[senryu]

Brannstrom and Girard for me. They seem to have the skill and talent to be offensive contributors, but circumstances never seem to work out for them.