I doubt Philly gets better returns for Simmonds and Gudas in separate trades or combined.

that would definitely be the most hated line in the NHL, although they would also be able to score somewhat too.

I think both other teams accept those trades.

Beyond a mid-round pick for retention, I don't think you need to sweeten any of these. Teams value puck control. Teams value youth. Teams value draft position and RFA status. Some teams also value size and toughness, but on expiring contracts like Boyle and Simmonds, they're just kind of extra paychecks for teams outside of the playoff picture to write.

Philly can look on CapFriendly and be 100% sure the Caps cannot sign Simmonds for next year. There's just no way they can do it. So even if a team like Colorado offers a 1st pick for Simmonds, Washington doesn't have to match that, necessarily, because Philly can send Simmonds off to play and have fun for the Spring in Washington and then sign him again, long term, on July 1st, to play on a line with Burakovsky. If Simmonds goes to Colorado or Carolina at the deadline, he stays there.

I think this is whats taking so long with Simmonds. I think Simmonds agent and the Flyers are trying to weigh the options between a good pick now, but losing Simmer to a resign, OR shipping him off for peanuts, but to a team who can't/has no intention to resign him after this year.

It is bas enough having to watch Wilson all of the time. Having to deal with watching Gudas too... nauseating.

Simmonds is a terrible fit in WSH. Would never get PP time, doesn't PK. So you'd solely have him for 5v5 where he's, at this point in his career, average. Giving up two 1sts, Andre, Geisser and Bowey? You're shipping out value that would be more than enough to get a Matt Duchene. This is awful.

Although I think we're all too harsh with each other, I see the logic. But Duchene only has 27 minutes of PK as a Senator, so if he costs all that, I think they should pass on him, too.

Who are some available deadline acquisitions, besides Boyle, who chip in with their current clubs on both special teams? I can think of Stone, Hayes, Horses# (not Steers) and Couturier. Any one of them puts the Caps way over the salary cap and is difficult to re-sign. So could all of the above add up instead to convince Florida to talk Barkov? Then the Caps just need to rent a cheap #5 defenseman for depth. Gudas is fine if the cap works, but last deadline, Flyers fans were trying to convince Caps fans to take him for a 2nd, with no luck, so I don't think the above price is quite right.

I think Simmonds for peanuts looks like a 2nd pick, with a conditional added 1st if he re-signs, because he doesn't re-sign.