95% of the time almost all of us vote for the player over the draft pick. I believe this happens because we see immediate impact as more valuable than long term planning. If someone offered you $10 today or $15 in 2 years, how many of us would take the $10 today? Almost all of us would. Kings took the $15 down the road.

If this was a quality pick you could argue that, but you're getting a 4th line winger here for somebody who will likely never play an NHL game, and if they do, it's even more likely that it won't be any more than what Lemieux is.

Pretty surprising trade. I've been impressed with Gauthier's recent play, though, so I'm not that surprised that Lemieux might've been the odd man out. The streak of very good NHL role players coming from the Carolina farm system continues in earnest. Kuokkanen, Nicolas Roy, Gauthier, Luostarinen, Forsling, Clark Bishop; it's a pretty huge list of successful full-time NHL graduates for different clubs. No wonder clubs like to wheel and deal with our FO.

This is a MASSIVELY better deal than Montreal got for Staal ... Montreal got taken to the cleaners.

If this was a quality pick you could argue that, but you're getting a 4th line winger here for somebody who will likely never play an NHL game, and if they do, it's even more likely that it won't be any more than what Lemieux is.

And? There is a difference between a depth veteran center that could play in your middle six than a true young 4th liner grinder. I'd rather have Staal than Lemieux 1000%

At this point in their careers ... Lemieux is a better 3rd liner than Staal ... and neither of them are 2nd line quality.

I don't really see how this trade is bad for the Kings. BL was an early 2nd round pick like 6-7 years ago. The 4th rounder will almost certainly not be as good as BL. But, the Rangers could've dealt him to 20 different teams and they had plenty of time to do it. You gotta figure a 4th rounder was as good as they were ever gonna get for him. Fair Deal.

If this was a quality pick you could argue that, but you're getting a 4th line winger here for somebody who will likely never play an NHL game, and if they do, it's even more likely that it won't be any more than what Lemieux is.

so rangers traded their only tough guy weird would have moved Howden

Roy, Forsling, Bishop are not NHL full time player. Gauthier and Luostarinen are fringe guy that could well be returned to AHL. The only one that I agree with you is Kuokkanen

Howden has 0 value

Roy, Forsling, Bishop are not NHL full time player. Gauthier and Luostarinen are fringe guy that could well be returned to AHL. The only one that I agree with you is Kuokkanen

u could probs get a 7th round pick or AHL player for him

I recall when Rangers fan would say his value a 3rd rounder.