Millers Musings October 12

 Fed-Up GM deals starting Goalie and 2 top 9 Forwards. 

After the worst start in franchise history, the GM acted, some might say rashly, to shake up the club. 

Veteran F Nick Bjugstad, signed off the FA scrap heap a couple of years ago and since then a staple in the team’s bottom 6, was dealt to Fort Erie for prospect forwards Reilly Patterson and Logan Morrison. More on them below. 

While respected in the dressing room and by Millers management, Bjugstad was not seen as an essential piece and it’s expected that his spot in the lineup will be taken by Ridly Greig. 

The big move, one that could have long-term implications on the club, was the dealing of starting G Stuart Skinner and 2nd line LW Jared McCann to Amos for young winger Jake Neighbours, G Colton Ingram and vet F Luke Glendening. 

Skinner has been the starter and guided the Millers to the playoffs the past 2 seasons. He also owned the only win the club has earned during their wretched start. Ingram is actually older than Skinner (27 to 25) and has less NHL experience and has never been an uncontested starting goalie before. His acquisition could go in several different ways: sharing the net with Lukas Dostal, acting as a placeholder until Dostal is ready to take over the #1 spot, or Ingram could end up with the starting job himself. 

Neighbours is seen as a middle 6 winger capable of putting up 50 to 60 points on a regular basis. Just 22 he’s not the pure goal-scorer that McCann is, but he is expected to develop a more well-rounded game and produce at a rate more than necessary to hold a spot on the 2nd line. He has the skill, smarts and tenacity to play on both special teams in his prime. 

Neighbours is likely to start with Marco Rossi centering him on the 3rd line, and seeing some time on the 2nd power-play unit. Dylan Guenther will move up to the 2nd line, replacing McCann on the Malkin line and on the 1st PP unit. 

Glendening played a depth role for the Millers a couple of years ago, and is likely to be a bench option for now. When he does play it will be on the 4th line and on the PK. 

Reilly Patterson is a 4th round pick playing in the OHL. Noted for his high hockey IQ and his consistent effort, Patterson emerged as a prospect after moving to the wing in the 2nd half of the last OHL season. His ability to play at a pro pace is a concern, but if Patterson can overcome it he could have a career as a bottom 6 forward. 

Logan Morrison was undrafted despite putting up stellar numbers in the OHL, as his average size and middling skating turned off the scouts. However he showed well in his AHL debut and played 4 NHL games. He’s likely an up and down guy between the AHL and the NHL, but he thinks the game well and has some offensive flair and with some luck could carve out a depth role in the right circumstances.