The key here is targeting teams with cap troubles and avoiding wasteful UFA signings.
NYI trade: Yes we are helping out rivals, but getting paid for it. They are both rentals, and Leddy could pay off as LHD depth in the end. Komarov could be bought out, but might as well keep him for depth and avoid payout toward next year. Butcher would be a cheaper buyout for NYI, just $1m.
COL: Ryan Graves is the defender I want, even more than Hamilton (because I think it is more plausible). A big shutdown guy is what this team needs. He's worth the 2nd and a prospect kicker but I threw in a 4th as well. Keep in mind he only has two years until he can walk to UFA. Devils would have room to sign him for sure, but would need to prove they are a team on the rise.
VGK: The Golden Knights will need to cut salary. Not sure how many teams will be looking to make a rental trade now with so little cap room out there. I can't be sure Holtz and Mercer are both ready. Holtz is tougher as he should never be on the 4th line and I do not want to see him bouncing up and down...key is to find consistency. Mercer can possibly play anywhere and I just see him having a better shot at making it next year over Bastian. Smith is not vital by any means, but I do wonder how desperate VGK will be to dump salary to make for the next round of deals. They already have Stone and Tuch on the top two RW lines. Worst case, Smith should be able to be flipped at 50% closer to the deadline.
EDM: Goalies are voodoo, so you might as well get paid for the chance on one. This clears a bunch of cap for EDM getting rid of Koskinen. I'm also bearish on Wood...he's a 4th liner here that other teams may love his speed and want him to play up the lineup. Getting another 1st just builds the prospect pool and give Castron more to work with. Wood could be solid for EDM if he figures out how to finish his breakaways. If you imagine dumping a $4m goalie costs a 2nd rounder, and Wood would cost a 2nd rounder, then getting a lottery protected 1st would be worth it.
I really like Hakanpaa's defensive numbers. I think the PK could be greatly improved. Subban is truly homeless with PP time, but not much to be done there.
Would love to upgrade on Boqvist at 3C, but I don't see the player out there short term. The key with all of these deals, besides Graves, is that they are all expiring and Devils retain cap space next year as the cap crunch continues. NYI, VGK, EDM are all in win-now mode for one reason or another. COL can replace Graves with Byram, and will need to as they will get close to the cap once they sing Landeskog, Makar, and Grubauer.
Is this a playoff team? I doubt it, but I don't otherwise see it in the cards next year anyway unless PIT and WSH finally start to really fall apart and either NYR or PHI crumble. The key is to improve, build up the prospects they have, and enter 22-23 with Holtz, Mercer, and at least one of their LHD (Bahl, Vuko, Okhotyuk) ready to be a 3rd LHD regardless of if they draft a LHD this draft as they should all be two years from making the NHL.
If they don't make the playoffs, the Devils should be able to make something back on 50% retentions on Smith and Leddy.
The only trade I don't like from NJ POV is the Oilers trade
In the end, do you truly ever see Wood rising above the 4th line on this team? I can see not liking Koskinen, but the UFAs are not full of sure things.
I'm really not fearful of EDM winning a few rounds.
The only trade I don't like from NJ POV is the Oilers trade
I like it from the Oilers point of view. But seriously Koskinen is not as bad as people make him out to be. He would probably give you a number of wins as a backup for one year.
In the end, do you truly ever see Wood rising above the 4th line on this team? I can see not liking Koskinen, but the UFAs are not full of sure things.
I'm really not fearful of EDM winning a few rounds.
Im fine with Wood being a 4th liner. He's physical, can score, and does his role. On top of that, he's one of the best leaders on the team and has great chemistry with Mikey and Nate
I like it from the Oilers point of view. But seriously Koskinen is not as bad as people make him out to be. He would probably give you a number of wins as a backup for one year.
I like the idea of getting Koskinen as a cap dump. He's not bad, but not worth 4.5 Mil. The part of this trade I don't like is selling low on Wood
If I'm Ken Holland, I counter with a swap of 2021 draft picks, rather than the 2022 picks. Regardless of how the Devil's respond, I am probably taking that deal. Moving Koskinen makes space to bring in an upgrade as well as Mike Smith (whose leadership skills alone make a return desirable) and Wood should prove to be a solid upgrade over Shore at 4LW as well as a pretty good backup plan should Seattle claim Benson, of should Benson struggle at 3LW. I like his speed, tanacity, and willingness to chuck knuckles when necessary.
I like the idea of getting Koskinen as a cap dump. He's not bad, but not worth 4.5 Mil. The part of this trade I don't like is selling low on Wood
That's the one big thing, I am not sure I am selling low on Wood.... A few years ago you could argue he wasn't worth his salary and was never putting it together...that he had zero value. This is me turning something into a 1st.
As Uphere said, I'd be happy to take the 2021 1st (19th overall) by trading the NYI pick instead, the only concern I had with that being that EDM doesn't really have many picks this year at all. This would be preferable to me honestly.
That's the one big thing, I am not sure I am selling low on Wood.... A few years ago you could argue he wasn't worth his salary and was never putting it together...that he had zero value. This is me turning something into a 1st.
As Uphere said, I'd be happy to take the 2021 1st (19th overall) by trading the NYI pick instead, the only concern I had with that being that EDM doesn't really have many picks this year at all. This would be preferable to me honestly.
Wood just had the best season of his career last year. His value is rising, especially since his playing style is uncommon
Wood just had the best season of his career last year. His value is rising, especially since his playing style is uncommon
We can look back on this in a year. Others would have said that Goose would see his value rising after the previous season. He faced a new coach and a new system, but fell apart. I wouldn't want to put too much on someone that peaks as a "good" 4th liner when I can find more future value.
We will just have a difference of opinion on Wood is all.
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