Does Benn really fall to the 3rd line?

Sorry but Detroit says no. Bernier is the only NHL goalie in the system.

If DET pushes the UFA market anywhere, it's in goal. I don't think we are talking Lehner, but I could see Khudobin finally getting a chance to be a starter.

More about line balance. Instead of stacking the lines, instead now there are three very solid lines. Also allows one prospect to play with two established talents per line.

yea

I see detroit either going for Holtby cause I do not think washington will resign him, or they make a deal for murray (all depends on how well jarry does in the playoffs).

I get what you're saying about balancing the top 3 lines, but I wouldn't pull Hintz off the top line. The speed between him, Gurianov, & Seguin was the Stars best offensive asset this season.

Hintz-Seguin-Gurianov
Robertson-Domi-Radulov
Benn-Pavelski-Fast

This gives the Stars a fast scoring line, a physical scoring line, and a 3rd line that is a bit of a combination of the two.

And instead of signing Thornton, just call up Dellandrea to fill that shutdown Center spot on the 4th line. He's in a prime position to take Pavelski's spot in a couple of years, but the reduced 4th line minutes are a great transition between the OHL and his future middle-6 role with Dallas.

I'm opposed to moving both Dickinson and Faksa. It's quite rare to have two able defensive centers in a team, and seeing both go would eventually weaken us.

I still don't get the point on acquiring long-term d-men only to lose them in a year. In this scenario, either Weegar or Brodie is gone.

Bernier and Fedun trades are bit pointless. Would much rather just keep the picks and re-sign Khudobin at $3M.

It would be Brodie. But then again, it's a chance idea. And considering Brodie is a free asset off free agency, there's not much of a loss. Trading for and losing a defender is a lot worse.

The idea is that Fast replaces Faksa's talents. iirc, he is pretty defensively inclined. I suppose I could reverse the Kulak - Dickinson part, although I figured MTL would only bite if a center was going back.

As for goalies, sure, if Khudobin agrees to come back. I feel like this is his last chance at a starter's position and he might follow the dollar bill and the expanded role. Bernier is far cheaper cap wise than any UFA of similar skill.
I also only moved Fedun because Tampa drastically overpays for meh guys on cheap cap hits. He's really just a replaceable 7th D, so get what you can for him.

Bernier is cheaper only if you retain his salary.

I'd like to keep a goalie that is able to play 30 games a season, with Bishop declining. This is why I'd re-sign Khudobin. I don't see him costing much more than Bernier, maybe around $0.25-0.5M more.

I wouldn't be so optimistic about Brodie going. Nowadays almost all long-term deals include a NTC or NMC, and with expansion draft nearing I can't see many able UFA D-men signing without the clause.

As for Fast, I think keeping Faksa is a better option, because he can play C and he can do that very well. If they drive the same purpose, I think FLA as a team would go after Fast rather than moving probably their 3rd best D... Also doesn't FLA need more offensively skilled 2C over a defensive mid-6 C?

I think Dallas made him more a defensive guy than he himself was. Florida needs centers over wingers, thus why they wouldn't target Fast. Faksa used in a different system, paired with (say they split the top line) Huberdeau could accelerate his offensive game. If he can reach that, he is both a cheap asset in terms of cap, and the 2C that FLA needs. If not, he is still a very util 3rd liner that benefits Florida's desperate need for defense.
Weegar is a difficult asset to price. I typically ask more for him, but I am also high on Faksa becoming more. I just do not think he has reached his full potential in Dallas.

I'm a huge fan of Faksa, and I too do believe he hasn't reached his full potential. Every shift on ice he gives it all. Personally, I'd only move him for a first round pick plus something. I'd be so freaking pissed if DAL dealed him somewhere else and he starts to shine offensively, like for example what happened with Danault after he got moved to MTL.

As for Florida's wings, if Hoffman and Dadonov walk, I'd say they still need players in these positions.

Weegar is the defense equivalent of Faksa. Workhorse, statistically great, drastically undervalued. Except Dallas' need at 2RD is much larger than their need for a bottom six center that they can't make work in the top 6.
I mean, look at this team vs. what you have now. Which team is more difficult to play against? Does the trade make your team better?

You raise a fair point about the NMC/NTC, but it's pretty rare that middle of the pack guys get NMCs. Usually NTCs, which don't impact the expansion draft.

I do agree that the team is better, but I don't see that teams would do so many trades during one offseason and then acquire free agents to fill up the positions they lost. I don't think that is a realistic standard for any NHL GM to work with. Let's take that MTL trade for example. I can't think of a single example when a NHL team moved a TOP3 D of the team for a 2C (although from what I've caught, apparently Domi isn't that effective on the C position really. He's more of a LW...), and then filled that same roster spot with an UFA D. This formula is used in basically all of these moves, which I find quite unrealistic.

This is the way to build up a team in NHL games.

If we were to forget all other moves but the FLA trade, we do need a 2RD more than Faksa, but we'd also be much more likely to lose Weegar in the expansion draft than Faksa. Faksa fits nicely to the 7 protected forwards, Weegar has hard time fitting to the 3 d-men that'll be protected. Needs fit, situation doesn't.