I like all these moves

Howard will only go to a playoff team. Detroit wants nothing to do with Allen overpaid and not very good anymore. Sanford mIght pan out I guess.

Why does Howard get to decide where he goes? Allen is the dump and you get a solid prospect and a 2nd.

Because he has spent his entire career with Detroit and at 34 he might just want to retire a Wing. One thing the Red Wings are loyal to to their players. He'll probably only play a couple more years left and Detroit will have no problem resigning him. Plus the Wings would only be trading him so he can have a shot at a cup. Since he will probably be retired by the time the Wings are a contender. In my opinion Sanford isn't solid yet and at 24 he might never be that good, but is my opinion. Plus Holland said they want a 1st for Howard and if we are taking Allen and his ridiculous contract you are going add something valuable. Our cap is a mess and we have enough ridiculous contracts of our own to deal with.

What happened? Looking at The Blues I thought you were going to be really good this year.

Allen is poor + slumps from our three best players (Tarasenko, Schwartz, Pietrangelo). Sure maybe they're loyal, but they're going to trade Howard that's kind of a given. This is just an idea to get rid of Allen's contract. I'm sure the Blues could retain and give another pick or prospect. But, Howard is a UFA end of season and old. Blues only want to do this to get rid of Allen.

Ok but it isn't a given there is a good chance chance he stays. I have a couple of friends that work for the Wings and they are 50/50 on him being traded. I trust their insight over sport writers and hockey analysts.

You can't pull of the Buffalo trade and still get Kakko. We own the 2019 protection that would land Kaapo and the 2020 1st (STL) would then automatically belong to Buffalo for the ROR trade. If you traded the 2019 pick to Buffalo, it would have to be a top ten pick in order to retain the rights to it. If it were a top ten pick, it would have to be a top two pick since your scenario has the Blues drafting Kaapo. Therefore you can't trade the 2019 pick to Buffalo for the 2020 pick.

I think Boston chuckles and declines. If they trade Vaak, it ain't for Petro. It will have to be Parayko.

The Detroit scenario is just movement for movement's sake and the Blues lose. Howard might be traded, and I'm all in for dumping Allen, but there's no reason to take a soon-to-be-retiring goalie, give up a 2nd round pick and a solid bottom six player with size just to get rid of Allen. Just buy him out and admit Army was an idiot for extending him prematurely. You then fire Armstrong.

The Carolina deal is spot-on. Both teams should jump at that deal.

If you can get both Steen and Maroon to waive their NTCs, both of those deals are fair and help each team out, although I think Steen could reasonably yield a 2nd rounder from Vegas if that much is retained. Steen is exactly what Vegas needs. The question is, will Steen decide to go.

Solid work.

That's fair - it was just an idea for moving Allen's contract.

I'm moving the 2020 pick to Buffalo for the 2019 pick. I know the protections, I think we'll finish with a top 10 pick and hence I moved the 2019 pick to us. Then drafted Kakko.

As for the Boston trade, I'm not sure. I think we could possibly do Debrusk + 1st + low prospect for Petro then. I think there's a fit to be had there in my opinion. Might just take some wiggling.

The Allen trade I prefer more than buying out, but yes that is also an option I suppose.

Steen waives IMO because of Stastny and Maroon's NTC leaves after Jan 31.

The thing I like most about your whole scenario is the Blues drafting Kaapo. Yes, please.