The Blues would not take Kessel for free, let alone give up Tarasenko for him. EWW.

The Devils are trading a 2nd, 3rd, and 4th for Tarasenko AND holding onto $3m...not a good deal for NJD

The money is not real money. He's already been paid out. It's just a cap hit which the devils easily absorb for a year so that's moot.

I think Devils are out on Tarasenko.
Would just keep Kessel.
At least he is healthy.

Problem is you're giving up waaaaay too much for Kessel.

That's not the point, it's that the net overall price for Tarasenko here is more than even a 2nd, 3rd, and 4th for a player we aren't even sure is healthy on a team that shouldn't risk anything of value to MAYBE make the playoffs with a guy that MAY not be what we was before the surgeries. Losing those assets while still rebuilding for high risk doesn't make sense.

I'm not anti-Tarasenko, but I'm more than willing to wait out STL until they have to trade him or another team, namely NYI, risks their assets for the high risk.

Ok but at some point you have to take a gamble. I get you don't like the price but if healthy a guy like Tarasenko can lift the entire team up and we don't have anyone in the system that matches the profile of a sniper especially on the right side. Draft picks are great but even a 2nd rounder's odds of making the NHL is still pretty low.

Here is the thing, I'm willing to take on Tarasenko, but I am also willing to wait out the price. WHEN do you have to take risks? When it's your window to win. The Devils are in a tough division still while we wait for PIT and WSH's lack of prospects and their growing age to take. The Devils have traded away a ton of 2nds the last few years...no need to risk another on Tarasenko's shoulder, let alone all the other things mentioned.

Does Tarasenko make them a guarantee to make the playoffs when you don't even know what he is at this point? No. That's why I would be out on this deal as it is too much risk for not enough reasonable payoff.