Still time to buy

I agree, but Buch isn't the guy the BMac has been going after recently. I feel like Kakko or Holtz could be brought in, but it depends on what the return would be if Dowd and Lindgren are traded.

You have to know that ain't gonna fly today. And why would the Caps fall off so hard after adding Buch? The Caps can get in the game, but they will need to wait until Army sees where that pick lands.

I mean that pick is almost guaranteed to be between 9 and 16 this year. Would you take lets say 12oa this year and 45oa next year over 26oa this year and 26oa next year (the rumored asking price of two first round picks)? This certainly isn't a no-brainer accept for STL but given recent prices I think this is a very decent offer.

Okay, right off the top, you guys are three points out of a playoff spot with a game in hand. Adding Buch to that sounds like, oh they are gonna make the playoffs now. That seems like pretty sound logic.

Also, there's a large difference between #9 and #16 in general, but definitely in regards to the Blues situation. Monster difference. And pushing a pick off to next year just lowers its value to the Blues. Buch is not a UFA, not on the block, not being offered around. They don't want to trade him. They will need convincing. A coupla picks is not going to wow them. They are not Chicago.

I'm sure this is all sounds cruelly cold, but it's Army we're talking about here. So cruelly cold totally tracks.

I mean I might be wrong about it but I feel like it's been pretty well reported that the asking price for Buch (retained) was 2 first round picks and they very much are entertaining moving him.

The ranges on the pick should've been 8-17, I just counted wrong originally. Even if they make the playoffs, which is still unlikely, it will be as either the bottom wildcard or the third metro team, so 16th or 15th in the league and 16th or 17th in the draft. You could just as easily (in fact probably more easily) look at this team and see that they've largely been carried by a hot goalie and aren't actually very good - even with Buch - and could drop below BUF and into 25th, picking 8oa. They also could technically make the conference finals or cup final and pick 28-32, but I see absolutely zero scenario in which that happens.

The comparison then is between a mid first (unprotected and with a low but still relevant shot at 1oa in the lottery) plus an early/mid second in the following year and a late first this year and next year (which would be the "two first round pick" package from a contender. I'm just pointing out that the difference between those two is actually not very large, and I think an offer like this would have to at least be considered by STL.