Where Do Cologne Go From Here?

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Last off-season, Cologne made the bold decision to put off on a rebuild and instead try to make a cup run despite taking heavy losses, the main example being losing Bismarck Koenig to Free Agency, and being placed in the European Conference at the most competitive that the conference has ever been in the ten team era. Filling their holes with inactive players, Cologne have managed to remain surprisingly competitive but with five games to go, they look like they're set to narrowly miss the playoffs. However, they will not have the advantage of having an early first round selection as they traded that in order to secure Brock Waldron in Season 44. On top of that, the team is set to lose perhaps their two best players in Waldron and defenseman Nicklas Karlsson to retirement and in addition, the vast majority of their team is set to face regression and most of those set to face regression don't have the activity required to counter it. 

 

So what do they do? Theoretically, if they signed the right Free Agents and traded their S48 first, they could get the required pieces to challenge for the playoffs, but they'll likely enter the season with an inexperienced goalie in Sandro Clegane who may not be at the level to help Cologne compete with the other top teams in the EU conference in S46. 

 

At the same time, with the assets that they have in place, are they going to be able to start a meaningful rebuild of any kind? Outside of Clegane, the only player who could get some value in trades is Jackson Miller, and even then they might not be able to get that much considering he's in his final season. 

Edited October 15, 2015 by XaviYEAH! Woods