Joined: Jul. 2018
Posts: 349
Likes: 246
Shedding salary this season has been more difficult than most expected. The Islanders having to trade Toews for picks feels like there was real offer sheet concerns. A team could have offered up to $4.25M without having the compensation go above a 2nd, so getting two 2nds sounds like the Islanders get a better return than they would have (as they felt they couldn't match an offer in that range) and Colorado gets to negotiate a contract that is a little more favorable.
Toews is worth more than two 2nds, and it doesn't look great to have to let this player go for a below market return because of some of the money spent on depth in recent years. So Colorado wins this deal pretty easily.