Who adds what?
Joined: Jul. 2017
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Tough decisions, indeed, and I don't see Minny looking to get any older, unless it's for picks. Trading a 30 goal scoring winger for a younger, cheaper 30ish-goal winger is pretty smart, but the other teams get to check those number, too.
Gusev is supposed to be as good as Shipachyov. Moving a 30 goal winger to make room for the buddy of the first guy the Golden Knights famously demoted to the AHL seems unlikely. Gusev scored about as much as Kovalchuk two years ago, when both were in the KHL (one less point, to be exact). Last year in the NHL Kovalchuk got 34 points, and Gusev improved 25% in the KHL, so maybe he's a 40pt guy in a situation like Kovalchuk came over to? Maybe a little better if he finds a team that really has a great situation for him.
Plenty of teams with older Russian guys to mentor Gusev and help him adjust to the NHL will make good offers for him, eventually. Could easily get a 2nd round pick and a B prospect. Just as easily get an established checking line player who fits the cap, if one is even needed. Plenty of prospects, so it doesn't matter too much. A lot of fans think he's going to come over and magically be Panarin, but Panarin played his first NHL season on a line with a Russian center to help him with the language, and Patrick Kane. The Knights are stacked, overall, but they have no Russians after jumping ship on Ship, and no one who's won an MVP award, just yet? So it's not the ideal spot for Gusev. Some teams that have some decent Russian forwards pencilled into their top six and could make offers might include: NYR, Fla, Car, LA, Dal, or Was. Most of those teams are up against the cap, so taking a little salary back could maximize the return.
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