Nope. not even close

The problem here is Kuzy is fine as a second line player. Eichel isn't. And if you put Eichel on the first line, Backstrom isn't a second line player. You're making someone worse to offset. Having more money problems to choke your team with top end talent doesn't work as well as people think. On the Buf side, both of those 1st don't equal much considering they're def gonna be in the high 20's. I think neither team wants this. Kuzy I also don't think would work well under to pressure of carrying a team.

This is like a legitimate trade.

Kempny and Panik don't really add much, but Miller isn't exactly the bees-knees either. Kuznetsov is obviously a step down from Eichel, but he is still a 1C/2C. Then two #25ish picks to help make up the difference. $2.2M savings on cap, $16M in actual salary savings over the next 5 years. Buffalo is not hanging up the phone. Sure, this might not be the final deal, but it is probably the most solid one that I have seen.

Backstrom has played 2nd line with Vrana and Oshie pretty consistently over the last couple of years though, including the 2018 cup run.

If that's true then I stand corrected. But who was playing top line instead? Also I really don't think it changes my mind on overloading top end players on a team that's thinning on depth.

Kuzy much more often plays with Ovi and Wilson on the top line. I agree with you on the problems with overloading expensive top end players; Toronto is a prime example of that.