Quoting: emattuck09
Eh, hard to compare Kovy's PPG this year vs. KHL and then translate expectations to Gusev - you can easily do a similar comparison using Panarin and the stats would favor Gusev over Oshie. Not to mention VGK isn't looking to add another high price/long term contract that could potentially turn into an albatross contract with injuries/declining play. I don't think this trade would work for either team based on the "intangibles"
Vegas signed Paul Stastny last summer, who's a year older than Oshie and hasn't hit twenty goals in the last five seasons. Oshie has had 26, 33, 18, and 25 in his last four. Oshie's game is based on having the best hand eye coordination in Olympic hockey history, and being tough as nails, so even if his skating slows down, he shouldn't have much trouble keeping up his point totals. His deal ends with him two years older than Stastny's, but it's 750k cheaper per year, so I think both teams see it as more of an asset than a liability, still.
And you're right.... Panarin adapted pretty well to a new language, league, and continent. But he also lucked into a perfect line combination featuring an NHL MVP and a Russian-speaking center. Vegas cant provide that for Gusev. Washington can. So for intangible reasons, both teams might be happier with Gusev in Washington and Oshie in Vegas. But not at the above trade price, and not on just a two year tryout deal. At 35M over seven? Sure.
Then hopefully Alexeyev rocks training camp, the Caps build the best five man Russian unit the NHL has seen since late '90s Detroit, and there's an intangible good enough to justify trading an elite NHL goal scorer for an unknown quantity.
The trick after that is to add a wing with as much checking as they lose with Oshie. Brouwer at 750, anyone?