Vancouver deal

Lets get her Done bois!!!

Trading Kessel and scraps for random depth pieces and useless picks? One star. You can't blow a 90-point hole in the offense and expect Sprong and Virtanen to patch it.

42 of Kessel's 92 points came on the powerplay. You can put Hal Gill out there and he'll pick up 15 powerplay points with that group. That leaves 50 points to replace and I think Sprong can reach that. You gain depth at D putting a 2nd pair guy in Hutton on the 3rd pair. You get out of a year of Hunwicks contract by trading for del Zotto. Virtanen would probably play 3rd line once you move one of Hagelin and Sheary for some more cap space and you have room to add a free agent or 2 for more depth scoring. The pick you use at the trade deadline to acquire a piece if you need it.

You really think that with the body of work Sprong has put together, he's a sure enough bet to score fifty points at even strength that we can trade a guy who just helped raise two banners? Less than forty guys scored that many points at evens last year and you think Sprong is a 100% lock for that? Because that's the only way you can even being to entertain the notion of trading Kessel, which is already bordering on impossible.

I have him pegged for 20G/15A. It's not up to one person to replace a player. It's a team sport. The Penguins got barely any depth scoring, something that helped them win 2 Cups. Offense isn't the only way to win, either. You can also play defense and allow fewer goals than the other team, something the Penguins had problems with this past year.

I'm not crazy about trading Kessel, but he had a career year at age 30. He's not getting younger, and eats up a solid chunk of cap. If you plan on moving him before his contract ends, why not move him when you can get the most return for him.?