Millers Musings

 Offseason Preview

After being dispatched rather effortlessly by Las Vegas in the 1 st round of the playoffs,

the Georgetown Millers enter the off-season not certain of their next steps.

Several of their best regular season performers are pending unrestricted Free Agents –

G Cam Talbot, LW Blake Coleman, and D Sean Walker just to name 3 – yet the Millers

don’t really have a slam-dunk resign given how many of these vets have under-

performed this year in the NHL. The most likely UFA to be re-signed is current 3 rd string

G Jake Allen, who would back up or potentially time share the crease with Lukas Dostal,

given Connor Ingram’s struggles this NHL season.

The Millers have some youth coming up; ticketed for top 9 roles are C Jesperi

Kotkaniemi and C/LW Marco Kaspar, and D Jackson LaCombe is a lock for a top 4

spot. Winger Maxim Tsyplakov is likely a given for the 4 th line. Youngish vet D Zach

Jones is currently the number 7 Defenseman among those under contract or an RFA for

the next season. D Vladislav Kolyachonok, C Matt Rempe, and LW Mikael Pyythia also

graduate from their Minors status but are way down the depth chart.

Given what is currently on hand, the Millers forward depth chart lines up this way (LW-

C-RW). Players in bold are those who did not appear in any games for the Millers last

season, even If they were on the active roster.

Copp-Larkin-Necas

Kaspar-Malkin-Guenther

Martinook-Kotkaniemi-Moore

Robinson-Henrique-Tsyplakov

O’Connor and Joseph are likely reserves unless traded.

The Defense corps welcomes back 5 Defenders who saw playoff action, plus LaCombe:

Theodore-LaCombe

Walman-Marino

Gostisbehere-Ferraro

Jones and Kolyachonok are the only current depth defenders.

Assuming Allen is the UFA re-sign, the netminders are essentially the same minus

Talbot:

Dostal

Allen

Ingram

Is this a team that can nail down a playoff spot? Probably. But it lacks the depth and star

power to really challenge the top of the division and conference. One more top 6

forward is badly needed, and an upgrade in defensive depth, considering injury

concerns for Theodore and Marino, is warranted.

Georgetown has sat out the first wave of trades, preferring to see how several of their

players and potential trade targets finish out the NHL Season before making any big

moves. Expect them to be active in free agency and also to move out one of their 2 late

first round picks for more immediate help.