Dunn for glass??

How many teams are lining up to take your $7M contract for picks? Why wouldn't Edmonton keep their picks and sign Driedger themselves?

Huge overpay for a bottom-pairing defenseman. Both the acquisition cost and the contract.

fleury's been a top 3 goalie in the league this year in like every stat imaginable, he's far from a cap dump

driedger isn't anywhere near as proven, but is obviously very good

With a flat cap, I can't see any team being able to trade for a $7m contract without either some retention or salary going back the other way. I can't see that Fleury to EDM deal going down.

he's closer to a top pair guy than a bottom pair one imo. steller analytics on both ends of the ice, with his physical traits and IQ it screams devon toews II to me

honestly that would be intriguing... i would do it

Oilers can’t afford to do that. If you want that quality of a return for MAF gotta be taking neals contract or work out a deal involving kosk that’s just too much money going one way Edmonton just can’t do it.

You better also be taking Koskinen or Neal on that Fleury deal.

Dunn isn't a bottom pair guy. He's top 4, with top pair potential still. He's been great since he sat a game (injured now). Plus, VGK pick is going to be a very late first rounder in a very crapshoot draft.

Agreed. And Vegas isn't willing to retain salary either. They wanted to deal him in the off-season but couldn't because teams wanted to retain. Best bet? A 3 way deal with the middle team eating salary.

if driedger wanted to be a backup/tandem goalie again he would just re-sign with florida
probably winds up in edmonton or san jose or something

It should be help that he's had a much better season in 2020-21 than he did in 2019-2020 too.

It's pretty easy to look at Edmonton's page and see taking on a $7mil goalie without meaningful salary going back the other way just isn't an option.

He's highly sheltered. Last year he played the second least TOI vs Elites of any regular defenseman in the league and this year he's playing even less vs Elites. Partly that's due to playing in a division with very few elite forwards, but he's still sheltered in comparison with the Blues top-4: Parayko, Scandella, Krug, Faulk.

He's 24. If you honestly think he's "got top pair potential", I suggest you pay more attention to how the NHL coaches deploy their players.

He is top pair potential. Defensemen don't hit their peak until late 20s. Doesn't mean he'll reach that potential. But when he's on, he's a very good all around defenseman. And yes, when you have as many good defenseman as the Blues have, someone will get sheltered.

No, if he really was as good as Scandella he'd be playing more important minutes than he is. HUGE red flag there - I can't believe you don't see it.

Scandella plays a shut down role with Parayko. Shut down defenseman play more time, especially when it comes to playing against guys like Mac 8 times a year. He's a good defenseman, but when you're balancing a bunch of defensemen, someone will always suffer in ice time.
Personally, I dont see him as a "top pair" guy, but he shows those flashes of being that person. He's a top4 with the potential(but probably doesn't reach it). A bottom 4 1st rounder in a bad draft year is worth the upside.

He isn't "top-4" though - he may have that potential but he's not that guy today, at 24. He's a sheltered offensive 3rd pairing guy.

He is a top 4 defenseman on a team with five top 4 defensemen. Kind of hard to get everyone time.

One of the most sheltered D in the league isn't "top-4".