1st round picks don't get dealt to clear cap room. ANY team would say no to that

My favourite part of this has to be Hossa playing 3rd line RW

Montreal isn't going to give you anything for Schlemko and Alzner. They want to take on bad contracts.

Arizona says no to taking on Lucic trade

I literally just saw a very similar proposal for Edmonton, Lucic, Arizona, and Philadelphia on Twitter. It had Panik > Hinostroza, and I would agree that Arizona would more likely want to keep the younger guy with term than the expiring UFA. Unless they were currently fielding calls on him for more pieces, but I'd argue Hinostroza is worth more.



If you were following along, Arizona is only an intermediary for a 3-way trade. They eat $1.5M over the remainder of his contract and just have the extra $2M to their cap. I'm not 100% sure how feasible for them it is to do that, considering a few RFAs need raises and the OEL extension kicks in this summer, but for a team that can't spend money and needs to somehow reach the floor, it's not a terrible option.

Im not 100% sure about this so correct me if im wrong: Lucic's contract cant have $4M retained total since he makes $6M/yr. You can only have 50% of the total cap hit retained in total

Habs are in the same boat as Arizona, willing to take on bad contracts for picks in return. They got cap space to burn also. Only difference is Arizona doesn't have salary to burn only cap space, as where MTL has both.

It has happened before but just not in the form of a non drafted pick. Florida traded Lawson Crouse to get rid of Bollands contract. Crouse was a top 11 pick just the year previous. Year sure, Arizona gave them a 2nd and a 3rd in return but in a vacuum, that shouldn't get you a lottery picked player back in return. Carolina did the same with the Bickell contract. Canes got Teravainen
(who went 18th overall a couple years prior) with Bickell for only a 2nd and a 3rd back.

I think we can say the Crouse trade isn't working out for Arizona but the Canes trade was a home run!

Regardless it was all to say that if a team like TB had to pay someone a 1st to get rid of Callahan so that they could ensure resigning guys like Point. I don't think that would be the end of the world. It would be a late pick anyway and whats more important. A late 1st or Brayden Point?

I think there just hasn't been the right circumstance for a team to trade a 1st with a cap dump yet but it may be coming eventually. A contract like that of Lucic's may be the first. If Oilers were entrenched in a playoff spot anywhere between 20th-30th, I could fathom them doing a Lucic+1st for a 2nd+3rd or something like that. If there was a player available I was that certain of like Brock Boeser at 23, I would be tempted to do it.

1st of all, im pretty sure 50% of Lucic's salary can be retained in total so one of the trades would have to retain less, also they wont get a 3rd for Lucic, even at 3 mill. 2nd of all, I think they say no cause they like Hinny, hes played v well recently and seems like one of those guys who can thrive in those smaller markets on any line

It's 50% in any given trade. Theoretically, Philadelphia could have Lucic at $1.5M if they so wanted. It is cap compliant.

If this trade does happen before the offseason, I'm not sure if Arizona is on the hook for Lucic's bonuses, but a roster spot would need to be cleared to bring Lucic on. If it's not Hinostroza - and I figured as much - then you're looking at an AHL bum for a $2M cap hit and four free picks. This isn't a terrible move so long as Philadelphia wants Lucic at around $2M.

at 2 mil* you mean. As an oilers fan, I would honestly be totally fine with paying a 3rd + for lucic at 2 mil. dude's definitely cleaned up his game, just makes wayyy too much

Arizona has to give extensions thus summer to keller and Gaclhenyuk

considering a few RFAs need raises

maybe they don't make the montreal trade then? It just seemed to me that very soon montreal will be strapped for cap space when they have to sign all their players currently on cheap deals
*edit: my bad, I didn't understand what you were saying lol. Arizona probably later flips schlemko and keeps alzner in the minors.

keller is going to get 7 to 8 million and that would put arizona well above the lower limit so taking on more dead salary might not be in Chaykas books

I'm sorry, what?? What the hell has Keller done to warrant a second deal worth that much? He's on pace to miss the 60-point mark this season, it's not like he's forcing Arizona to dump a Brink's truck on him. At the high-end, Larkin looks like a much closer comparable, but because Keller has nothing for arbitration rights, Chayka could have him sign a 2 year bridge if that's what they felt makes more sense. Considering that's a team that probably can't afford the actual cost of 2 $8M players, I think that would be much more likely. $6.1M maybe, but suggesting 7 million is insanity. Nylander didn't even get $7M lmao

Montreal is in fabulous cap position until summer 2021, but much can change between then and now. But the Habs were just a bad example to chose though, Arizona should absolutely capitalize on their cap space to get assets, their are probably 12-15 teams that might part with an asset to clear a bad contract, and certainly Edmonton is one of them. One problem for Arizona is that they have too many contracts, they are at the 50 limit, so they will have to dump some either through trades or buyouts, even if just the AHL guys, if they want to take more on.

Fair play my dude! Good answer. I'll agree that there are some circumstances where it's necessary (Like your Tampa example) but in general, It's a very unlikely scenario. Maybe this is something Oilers need to do to rid themselves of the Lucic contract

By all means its is rarely the right answer. I'm not trying to say otherwise. if there are other options available, you do that first...but just that there may be some point where a team would be better off sacrificing a late 1st to ensure they keep a star player on the team. If the Oilers needed the money and where a good team like Tampa for example, I wouldn't hold it against them doing it. It might be the only option left.