Once a Kings Fan Too
Joined: Jun. 2018
Posts: 39,695
Likes: 24,617
The basic structure of my latest idea for this trade is:
{Rickard Rakell}* plus the 2019 San Jose first-round pick (number 29 overall) plus {conditional pick (Zuccarello)}
for
{Jason Zucker} plus {Jared Spurgeon} plus {balancing factor}
* OR {Ondrej Kase plus an A prospect}; the A prospect could be LD Josh Mahura or C Antoine Morand or someone to be negotiated -- but I'll come back to this
The conditional pick is a 2021 Anaheim third-round pick that becomes a 2021 first-round pick if Spurgeon re-ups with the Ducks in the summer of 2020
The balancing factor is a 2019 Minnesota second-round pick (number 42 overall) plus a conditional 2021 Minnesota second-round pick; the condition is that it is transferred only if Spurgeon does NOT re-up with the Ducks
Therefore,
IF SPURGEON RE-SIGNS WITH ANAHEIM:
Minnesota gets Rickard Rakell, San Jose's 2019 first-round pick and Anaheim's 2021 first-round pick
Anaheim gets Jason Zucker, Jared Spurgeon, and Minnesota's 2019 second-round pick
Note that one of the hidden benefits of this transaction to Minnesota is a cap reduction of almost $6.9M in the first year and $1.7M in each of the next two years
I think that this potential outcome is even, but I agree that if it favors either team, that team is Anaheim
IF SPURGEON WALKS IN 2020:
Minnesota is left with Rickard Rakell, a 2019 first-round pick and a 2021 third-round pick
Anaheim is left with Jason Zucker, a 2019 second-round pick and a 2021 second-round pick
Again, I think that this potential outcome is even, but I agree that if it favors either team, that team is Anaheim, primarily because of the proximity between #29 overall and #42 overall in the 2019 draft
THE SNAG:
The flaw in this construction is what happens during the upcoming 2019-2020 season. In effect, Minnesota will have Rakell and the remote chance that the #29 pick plays immediately, i.e., one roster player barring a miracle, while Anaheim has the services of both Zucker and Spurgeon (plus the even more remote chance that the #29 pick plays immediately). Essentially, Minnesota needs to be compensated for this shortfall.
I think that the A prospects come in here. I think the first element in the original deal has to be Rakell plus one prospect or Kase plus two prospects. That’s as close as I can come to an even exchange: Anaheim gets the immediate benefit of two NHLers in 2019-2020 and Minnesota gets the future benefit of an extra asset in the coming seasons.
So the final proposal is: Rakell, Mahura or Morand, 2019 first, 2021 conditional third for Zucker, Spurgeon, 2019 second plus 2021 conditional second
I will understand if this idea is greeted with deafening silence because no one wants to waste a lot of time thinking it over.