Toronto and Ottawa say no. Toronto can get a better deal and Ottawa isn't going to give you more than a 7th

Is there a big value difference between a 5th and a 7th?

Kingsfan: I think valuing Puljujarvi as a late 1st round pick and Benning at a late 2nd / early 3rd is reasonable. If you did a 2016 re-draft today, JP would fall into the 15-20 range easily, so considering him a 20-31 range value in the 2020 draft is decent value. I see lots of Toronto AGM's that move Kapanen for a 2nd + 4th, for instance, so this deal is certainly within the realm of reasonable.

62 players. The biggest obstacle is his salary for what he brings. Not worth $4 million a year. Not worth 1/2 being retained either.

62 prospects, but the odds of scoring a player on the 5th are about the same as the odds in the 7th. The difference in value between a 5th and a 7th is negligible.

And Russell's salary is just $1.5M next year, not $4M. So he's worth it for a team that isn't going to be anywhere near the cap limit.

I don't see him waiving to go to Ottawa. Odds are still way higher for a 7th than a 5th, if you have good drafting.

Maybe, but he has to submit a 15 team trade list this summer. Ottawa may be on it... his concern is that his family is in Alberta and he doesn't want to be too far away. Ottawa offers direct flights to both YYC and YEG.


This is factually incorrect.

His partial NTC includes a 15 team trade list, he won't stay in Edmonton if I can find a trade partner. He doesn't need to be consulted on a trade to half of the teams in the league, only if someone not on his list is interested does he have the option of blocking the trade.

The Oilers have 9 NHL defensemen under team control for next season, at least two should be moved.

Unless the Oilers want to add a sweetener, no one will take on his contract. He isn't worth the contract any more, thus why every Oiler fan wants to trade him.

It depends on the circumstances. He's well worth his contract to a team the isn't anywhere near the cap limit (like Ottawa), because they'll only be concerned with his salary, which at $1.5M is reasonable value for what he brings. Which is why I've traded him to the Senators. His $4M cap hit is utterly irrelevant to them.

You keep missing the point, no one wants to have him on their team. Ottawa is not a cap team and is using players that are affordable and young. If the cap stays the same or lower, they are in a position to take on contracts from the cap teams and get something else out of it.

You never made that point. Go back and read your own posts above.