Bury him in the ECHL!

I agree he is not as bad as everyone says, but not worth nearly his cap hit. If he had a choice of being waived back to Hartford, OR take a trade to a team on his no trade list, which to you think he would pick? If ANY team will trade for him, he would approve the trade.

I would have to disagree. Using the Senators as an example is easier. The Senators are rebuilding and want to play their young defensemen. That means Smith, again, is the odd man out. Smith is trying to play for another contract, and he would be unable to really help his case there. Not only that, but he would have to pay more in income tax dollars in Canada as well. So I would think there are some teams where he would actually exercise his modified no trade clause. But most teams in truth are probably just not interested at this point, so there are only a few teams where he would not be willing to go to.

You think he would rather play another season in Hartford than take a trade to Ottawa? I doubt that very much. His career in the NHL is over if he goes to Hartford again, he can kiss any future contract good bye.

He may not be sent to Hartford, considering they move other defensemen if they cannot move him. He already was there last season and then stayed up this season. Unsure why you think going to Ottawa would save his career any more than going to Hartford. In Ottawa he just gains less income on his current contract, and does not even get to play on one of the worst teams in the league. I just think it does not make much financial sense for Smith to waive for Ottawa. These three teams have the best chance of being interested, and he would certainly try it out in those three places.

Why do you think he won't play for Ottawa, but he will play with the Rangers? With the new kids coming up next year, the only shot he has at any playing time in NYC is on LW, and that is very doubtful with Lemieux on the team next year. I would be either he is traded this off-season, which is his best bet to play in the NHL, or he is waived and ends up in Hartford. And Ottawa is just one team, I was saying he would not refuse any trade and go to Hartford instead, that would just be a silly on his part. And I like Brendan, but his time with the Rangers in over IMO. To much youth that is faster and better puck movers than him.

MN doesn't need him or his his cap hit. Even if they move on from Spurgeon they have:
Suter/Dumba
Brodin/???
Seeler/Pateryn

Pick up a UFA to play 2nd pair. Have Pateryn play there again. Either of Belpedio and Menell could make a roster push next year. Hunt had a decent showing last season and could be brought back. They could trade Zucker for a d-man. So many other better options than taking Smith.

I really don't see Ottawa happening, and I don't think Smith will be in Hartford next year. He was on the team last year and Quinn started playing him at forward. He seems to have become the 23rd player on the roster, perhaps the most overpaid one in the league, but still. I think the rangers are gonna go 7 D, 13 F, and him as a guy who can be either (8D/14F). He'll probably only get in a couple dozen games but better to have that than lose assets moving his contract (which I think has to happen if you want to get rid of him, far too many D are better than him at much much cheaper prices). Quinn likes him, he brings some 'jam' or whatever, and it's a headache to get rid of him. Unless they're getting two $10+mil contracts this summer I think he's safe.

I am saying Ottawa is likely not interested in him, and that he would be in the very same situation as he is in with the Rangers, but he would make less money after taxes, so why would he want to go there either? That's all I am saying.

Of course there are better options. A trade like this would only occur if for some reason Minnesota could not get what you listed. In any event, it looks like Minnesota is committed to a retool of sorts, so it's possible they would take him on for next to nothing; it just depends on which direction they want to go in. I was not saying that are interested, I was only saying that if I had to pick three teams, they may be one of them if the right circumstances occur.

Quite possibly, but he may want to move to get more playing time. The three teams I listed seem like the best chances for him to increase his playing time to help him get another contract in 2 years. There is something to be said for waiving no trade clauses on your terms and getting in front of the eight ball.

I get that....my point was this....if the Rangers went to him with a trade to ANY team, it's highly doubtful he would refuse the trade because he will most likely end up in Hartford next year if he stays.

I don't think he is safe next year with Kakko or Hughes joining the team plus Kravstov, plus Fox on D already, before Gorton starts adding free agents. He played wing last year to try to showcase him to teams for a possible trade, to show his versatility. His time in NYC is done IMO.

I think the problem with both of these points is they assume NYR won't have to give up assets to get rid of his contract. Even if he is a borderline NHL player, he is paid far too much, I don't think any team would actually offer him a spot in the top 6 next fall, they would rather play their young guys or sign someone just as good as him for 700k. I mean sure, in an ideal scenario you get rid of him and sign a different depth D that's cheaper (unless you want Fox or Hajek at the 7th D which would hinder their development) but why give up a 2nd or 3rd round pick to be able to do that? Are they really gonna be that tight against the cap next year? I find it hard to believe. The rebuild might be accelerated but I don't think it's 'sign 3 massive contracts and try to win a cup this year' accelerated. Even if Smith wants to move on and so do the Rangers, what team in their right mind would take that contract for nothing? The ones listed above might be landing spots for him but the GM will rightfully demand something else to go with him, and at that point just take the cap hit, bury him if need be.

A team that is unable to grab anyone in free agency that they like for their team. These trades would not be made at the draft, if that was not clear. They are either made post-free agency frenzy or in the middle of season (or even right before it). As for your remarks regarding demands by other GMs, I think you proved why they would not be able to ask for a king's ransom; because it may be likely the Rangers have enough cap space to keep him. There may be no urgency to make the deal this year. Sure, maybe the Rangers would have to throw in a pick, but it would not be as high as a second or third as you suggested.

I also think it is important to look at the specific teams I listed, looking at the Ducks and the Wild, in particular. If you look at their contracts and their terms, they could have ample cap space while to make this work. It will come down to whether or not they can find a player they like on the right side to take over. Both teams seem to not have any youth on the right side that can come up and play the next couple of seasons. So, if they feel Smith would be a good pair for one of their younger defenseman for a couple of years (for example Guhle for the Ducks and Seeler for the Wild), then they MAY be open to trading for Smith. And because there is no urgency for the Rangers to trade him this offseason, they probably could not demand a second or a third. Sure, maybe they could grab a 4th or 5th, and at the same time move a contract they do not want, and it may actually be worth it to them. Key word - may.

And the point of the post was really to urge people to stop sending him to teams that are most likely not interested in Smith, or a place where he would not want to go to. Obviously there is some disagreement whether he would unconditionally waive his trade rights, but I am of the opinion that he knows he would actually be worse off if sent to certain teams (most notably the Senators).

This doesn't make much sense to me, teams will lower their offer because the rangers don't actually need to move Smith? Won't they just say, okay I'll go get another guy then. They're not gonna go, well since you don't actually have to move him I'll take him for a 5th. Would you take Russell's contract for a 5th? That's very bad management, teams leverage their cap space, they treat it as an asset.

Here's a short list of depth UFA RHD: Polak, Lovejoy, Girardi, Fedun, McQuaid, Stralman, Heed, Petrovic, Kampfer, Witowski, Welinski, Wideman, Holzer, Prout, Ruhwedel, among others. You're saying all these guys get scooped up before ANA and MIN can make a bid? That's a lot of teams needing RHD depth and having enough cap space to outbid. Wouldn't these guys be jumping for a chance to get into those Top 6 roles you're saying ANA and MIN can offer? All those guys will come in cheaper than Smith even with half his contract retained.

I am saying if they do not want any of these guys, or that they sign elsewhere by mid-late July, they may want a veteran like Smith to play with a younger player like Guhle. They have two spots on the right side to fill. In addition, the Ducks are currently going through a transition, so they may not be looking to sign long-term contracts, and are comfortable taking on Smith. I do not think the price is going to cost the Rangers a high-mid round pick, considering the Rangers in turn could help the Ducks out too, by taking on one or two forward contracts that the Ducks would like to move (examples would be Rowney, Ritchie, or Eaves if he does not qualify for LTIR). So that might lower the value of the pick the Rangers would have to send. And the Rangers do not have to force sending this pick, so if the price is a second or a third, they do not have go through with it. Maybe the Wild or the Panthers would be interested if certain circumstance occur, but the team that people should be proposing to move Smith to is the Ducks, plain and simple. But again, these are big ifs. What defies logic is moving him to the teams that many have posted here.

Lotta big if's here indeed, can't imagine half of them happen. I have to stop here because this has become a big waste of time, Smith isn't moving, maybe they buy him out but more likely he's the 8D/14F

Yes, that's sort of what I am trying to say...