For previous trades, please see my 2019-20 AGM here:
TRADES
I traded both Sekera and Russell to clear up roster spots for young players, but it should be noted that with $6.7M in spare cap space I don't NEED to trade both of them. Also, the return isn't very important as it doesn't alter the roster one iota. But for clarity, I will explain my thought process:
- Sekera is now fully healthy and can complete his off-season training and camp for the first time in 3 years. He was heavily relied on in the World Championships, he still has the skill and smarts to play top-4. In any case, my scenario is for a trade next summer, AFTER the coming season. If he has an injury-free season in 19-20 and if he proves capable of once again playing top-4, he is absolutely worth a 3rd pick (and probably more) because there's so little risk involved and so much upside. How many 3rd round picks become top-4 defensemen? Not many. If he doesn't play well next season or is injured again there are other options: they can buy him out and save $3M or put him on LTIR. Any way you slice it, he can easily be removed from the 2020-21 roster and significant cap savings will result.
- Russell will have 1 year x $1.5M left on his contract as of July 1st 2020, and a 15-team trade list - he'll be easy to move despite the $4M cap hit. He's a veteran defensive defenseman who has fared well, he generally leads the league in blocked shots yet his scoring rates put him in the top 90 defensemen in the league. He was +5 last year when his team as a whole was -42, so he is a positive contributor all around.
- Persson will be an RFA at the time of the trade, his rights can be traded for a return such as the one listed if he proves to be a competent 3rd pairing guy. If not, I just won't qualify him and he'll become a UFA - off the roster and gone. The trade scenario only happens if the younger prospects push him out of his job, otherwise he stays and plays in the spot I had penciled Jones into.
- Brown will also be an RFA, I had to sign him to show that I owned his rights. Same deal as Persson: if Brown loses his job to better players he can be moved for a return or just let walk. If he isn't tendered a Qualifying Offer by July 1st he becomes a UFA.
THE ROSTER
okay, I'm just going to come out and say it: that's the best 3rd line in hockey without a doubt. But it's only possible if the other lines work well - the top-6 is exactly the same in the 2019-20 roster I put together in Part 1. So we're assuming lines 1 and 2 worked out just fine and we'll keep them together. We know that Hall and RNH have chemistry, playing them against 3rd line competition with a big, speedy sniper like Cozens should produce as many points as most 1st line in the league. Suddenly, its 1982. Yamamoto replaces Kassian (UFA) on the 4th line, who, along with Gambardella and Khaira should make a fantastic energy / forechecking line while also being, at least marginally, a threat to score. I think this roster could challenge for the Cup if the D prospects are as good as I think they are. There's still Samorukov waiting in the wings too. Starrett had a good season with Bakersfield this year, another like that and he'll be ready for the NHL. His AHL numbers aren't far off Binnington's, I'm not expecting him to be that good but he could challenge Koskinen for the starting job in 2020-21.
EXPANSION DRAFT
the Seattle draft will take place the following summer, so the roster below is roughly the way it'll look at the time of the draft. My protected list is as follows:
McDavid
Hall
Draisaitl
Kapanen
Burakovsky
Puljujarvi
Benson
Nurse
Klefbom
Jones
Whichever goalie is doing best
Note: Nugent-Hopkins and Larsson are UFA's that summer and won't be protected, while Bouchard is exempt. Not sure who Seattle will take, but both Yamamoto and Bear played junior hockey in Washington state, Yamamoto in Spokane and Bear in Seattle. Maybe they could be persuaded to take Lucic? Doubtful, of course, unless there's a significant sweetener. He will waive his NMC, so at least we aren't obligated to protect him.