Why does Edmonton do this though? The Goldobin-Puljujarvi swap isn't even my concern, it's the Spooner+Montoya for Gagner+Pyatt that I have concerns with. Gagner is a more expensive, older Spooner. Edmonton's breaking even with this trade at best, and more often than not coming out on the losing end.

no way you get pulju. He's still worth a lot more than a depth forward a top 9 forward and and overpaid 4c

I’m thinking more along the lines of a Puljujarvi, Manning, Spooner for Goldobin, Gagner, Pouliot. We don’t need another goalie. Demko and Marky are good enough. Spooner and Gagner are in a similar situation, both waived and neither very intriguing. Pouliot is way better than Manning, who is basically dump. Goldobin looks like a good 40-50 point scorer who would do well with McDavid. He’s been scratched because of a lack of defensive skill, and McDavid doesn’t need that on his line. He doesn’t play a shutdown role. Puljujarvi has also been scratched many times, but probably has similar value to Virtanen due to the position that he was drafted. Maybe Vancouver takes on Rattie or another minor cap dump or adds a low pick to even this out.

Gagner and Spooner make almost the exact same amount of money and they each have one season left. Gagner got 3 points in the 7 games he was up, they should really look to see if Vancouver would do a swap of those two cause at this point Gagner is far likelier to be an at least 30 point player then half their current roster is and they arent getting anything better for Spooner. I wouldn't swap Pulujarvi for Goldobin though and I don't know what term Pyatt has left, Montoya is expiring at the end of this season.

Spooner hasn't been tried anywhere beyond the 4th line in Edmonton for any substantial amount of time. I'd be more apt to try him as a winger for McDavid or RNH for 4 or 5 games before swapping him for Gagner.

Well if he hasn't played anywhere other than the 4th line that's probably part of the problem. I watched the recent Flames@Oilers game and the lines were just brutal, it's really no surprise they struggle to score beyond McD,RNH and Drai. I get there isn't a ton of talent after those three to work with but Pulujarvi-Brodziak-Kassian was a line, really what's Puljujarvvi supposed to do with that? If Spooner was given the same treatment and stuck with say Lucic and Kassian what did anyone except him to do? I get a guy has to earn his ice time but when you bring a guy in from a change of scenery trade who's put up decent point totals just the season prior wouldn't it make sense to at least give him a couple line mates with a bit more talent, like even Reider and Rattie. I think giving him a chance a bit higher up in the lineup like you suggested or giving him Reider and Puljujarvvi for wingers for a few games would be a good idea, at this point they have nothing else to lose.

No, no it does not