That trade is just awful for Buffalo.

I just don't see that. Risto is pretty clearly on his way out, don't see them getting a better defender than Schultz in a deal for him. Could even be argued that Schultz has been the better player over the last couple years. Rask is also exactly the type of risk they need to take to build out their middle 6 depth.

Risto is severely overrated but teams don't think so. No way Schultz for Risto even works, let alone throwing in a pretty bad contract of Rask.

CAR loves Staal. No way they give him up for a goalie prospect and a third liner.

I don't think Staal is the player anyone remembers him being.
He'll be 31 this year and that contract runs till he's 34. I would stay away from it.

Rask would probably be the second best center on Buffalo on day one.

Agree that CAR loves Staal but with <40 points last year, he's also a third liner. When Necas comes up this year that's where he'll be playing. Additionally, doubt they want to protect him in the expansion draft and Bjugs is a bit closer to their core's age.

Just throwing some ideas at the wall because there are rumors around each of them.

Agreed but I think he fits the rest of our cup window better than Bjugstad.

Just a rule of thumb, if when swapping "problems" like the Rask for Johnson trade, don't just turn around and then trade that player you got for basically nothing. If it was so easy to do, teams would have done it a long time ago without having to include quality players.

If Buffalo wanted Rask, they could have easily dealt with Minny directly. There is a reason Rask was put into your original deal for Johnson. Nobody really wants either guy at those caps. Neither do you.

As for the Schultz trade, I highly highly doubt you swap Risto for Schultz and all of a sudden Buffalo has quality defense..... Ristolainen = Schultz when he was in Edmonton. Take Risto and plop him into a Stanley cup calibre winning team a couple years ago and watch Risto's defensive numbers sky rocket. Not to mention his offensive numbers which are already very good.

Then there's the age difference and injury history with Schultz. If i'm Buffalo, I decline quite quickly here.

Schultz healthy has been better than Risto, issue is, he hasn't been healthy much over the last 2 seasons

Kessel already nixed a deal to Minnesota, They're on his no trade list. So he's not waiving to go there period.

Kessel and Johnson for Zucker, Rask and a 2nd is horrible for the Penguins.

Kessel $6.8Mx3 >>> Zucker $5.5Mx4
Johnson $3.25Mx4 > Rask $4Mx3