(Left - Gaustad and Lucic fighting it out during practice, as the Bombers season goes down the gutter)
Baghdad (AP)
As predicted at the end of last season, the defensive corp let the team down. The team is clearly in rebuilding mode, with a strong group of solid players signed long term to attractive contracts (Lucic, MacArthur, Marchand, Purcell) but will need to compliment these players with a game breaker or two to really have the opportunity to advance next season.
The team has some serious decisions to make, with its solid youngsters in the system.
Players potentially cut: This list isn't that hard to figure out. Scott Nichols has probably played his last game with the Bombers, as Kyle Brodziak has shown that he can do the same role but also provide secondary scoring. Brad Boyes was acquired simply to make the cap hit work and will likely be a casualty, unless he can be signed at an attractive price. Brian Gionta, Steve Eminger, Marty Turco and Matt Hunwick have already been told to pack their bags, now that their contract has been fulfilled. This leaves Anton Stralman and Tom Pyatt on the bubble. While Nik Antropov is signed for 2013, there is a risk that he may be bought out, given how much money the team has accumulated.
(Left - Derek Stepan)
Players potentially promoted: Derek Stepan has shown promise - with the trade of Mike Richards, the team has a huge hole in the 1C and Stepan, Gagner, and Peverley will fight for that position. Joey Crabb has shown that he is a good bang for the buck and may potentially be promoted up. Depending on how they rate, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Brendan Smith may also be expected to strengthen the blueline for the team.
The team intends to stick with its core players and will try to bolster its talent through free agency. The team still has to see how well these players perform during training camp next year (translation - how they rerate) but the GM is optimistic that the team will be efficient but inexpensive to operate. The only major worry is the lack of star power and how that will impact the team's ability to win.