I'd rather try and trade our first this yr and santini for theo. He could end up being the #1 LHD we need.

That would leave is with
Carlson
Vats
Sevs (expensive yes but solid right side)

Theo
Butcher
Greene
Micro

Good move on LJ
I'd would try and convince Tavares to come here instead of JVR, but that would take moving Zajac and Greene, which I'd be ok with

Overall nice moves

If we make these moves, 2018 will probably be the highest we pick in a long time. Also, this is one of the deepest defensive drafts in a while, so not having any picks before the 4th round is a bad idea. Shea also has one of the highest ceilings in the league, so it would take Severson and Wood to come close to matching that potential.

I agree about wanting Tavares over JVR, but there is no way to do it besides trading Zajac without salary retention, which I think is impossible. Also, if that somehow ends up happening, the team won't be able to afford Severson's contract for a 3rd pairing Dman

Possibly a team that needs a centre, might trade for Zajac despite his inflated cost for three years.

Potential is not concrete, yes we all know its possible, but as you said a deep D draft, plus a rostered player like santini is a sure thing. Santini played good big minutes early in the season but it was too much IMO. It shows that he can, so he has value. Theo is 22 so giving up a 1st round in this draft is just jump starting that build. Its not like Theo is 27. But I do see what you are saying overall. If anyone can do it its Shero. Zajac can be moved but it may be pennies on the dollar, if that means room is made for these 2 players who would be against it? If you look at it like this: Greene and Zajac for Carlson, Tavares. Because that what it end up being on a ledger sheet. Agree that there would be a sweetener. I don't think Shero will leave those holes in the draft either, he move something. Good time to be a fan for teh Devs

Why cannot you just play Vatanen - Carlson, Greene- Severson, and Butcher- Santini with Mueller as the 7th man? It's not perfect but you don't have to get up anything.

Although Vatanen has played on the left in the past, it is not ideal having a Dman play on his off side. The point of trading for Shea Theodore is to potentially have 5 Dmen in the lineup who will be Devils for a long time. If we don't want to trade Severson, we can trade Santini for a lesser LHD than Shea Theodore

In this case it is simple, if Vegas trades someone with Shea's puck skills on the back end, they won't want to replace him with a stay-at-home Dman. They already have decent depth with stay-at-home Dmen

...And the D man they choose this yr

We aren't going the first 3 rounds without a single pick

Maybe I'm not explaining myself correctly.
My scenario is-
If we trade our 1st (@ 16-20 most probably..IF we get into the playoffs) and Santini to Knights.
Vegas gets a defender who can play right now (yes I know stay at home) and an 18 old defender like Jared McIssac in this draft (for reference: https://www.draftsite.com/nhl/player/jared-mcissac/28717/ )

Yes we do not get a pick until round 4 in this case (but this trade had nothing to do with making a move for a potential #1 LHD), but Shero has added a 22 yo LHD D in Theo who plays now.
Will Vegas do it, probably not without some negotiating, and I see what you are saying but I would not give up Wood for anything but over payment, to add Sevs + is just that, over payment.

With the way we have played lately, we might be in the Dahlin sweepstakes anyway!

I am familiar with McIssac, and I know that he is 2-3 years from the NHL. Vegas already has Brannstrom and Hague, so that isn't overly enticing to them. The mid-late part of the draft is not deep at wing, and Vegas already has Glass and Suzuki, so that isn't overly appealing either. Where Vegas is lacking is wing depth at both the NHL and prospect level; that's where Wood comes in. Vegas is also much weaker on the right side than they are on the left, so that's where Severson comes in.

Also, if this past deadline taught us anything, it is that Vegas wants players who can help them win immediately. They gave up 3 picks (1st, 2nd, 3rd) for Tatar because to them, draft picks are like candy. That same team wouldn't trade a player like Theodore, who is good now and has a ceiling near Norris levels, for a 1st rounder and a question mark. Yes, Santini is a question mark because he had trouble cracking the lineup in one of the least defensively talented teams in the league. This doesn't mean that Santini sucks, but it does mean that he is far from a known entity.

Yes, this might seem like an overpayment, but you have to overpay to get a player who can step right into the top pairing and hasn't even come near his ceiling yet. Overpayment happens for top pairing LHD because no team is looking to trade their best LHD under 30 yrs old. You have to convince the team to part with a player who they really don't want to lose, and overpaying is the only way to do that