Jesse Pierce

But he's a lot older.

He's in his 30s, where Robert Thomas is in his mid-20s, and he's got a lot more tread on that tire.

Right-handed shot, centerman, face-off guy, power play guy.

There's a lot to like about Thomas.

But, man, I'm telling you, this team might be good enough

the way they are right now.

They just might be when they're healthy.

If Hartman's going to play like he did last year in the playoffs and you've got Eck going and now Yurov is taking, certainly from what we saw in training camp to where we are right now, ready for the stretch run.

He's a completely different hockey player.

And oh, by the way, you've got an Olympian and Nico Sturm up the middle as well.

I don't know that they're not good enough right now to make a run.

We know how good that group of defensemen is.

When they're healthy and Brodine's going to be back here before too long, that's as good a group of defensemen as you can get in this league.

I just mentioned the centers.

And again, this is a team that's always got those star-studded wings in Kaprizov and Boldy.

I don't know, man.

I feel like they're pretty damn good right now.

But again, I'm not making the call.

That's up to Billy G and his staff.

Yeah, what a tournament he had, right?