i think nyr not willing to part with lundkvist and/or(?) schneider is a big mistake. eichel is a game changer

i understand that he is good. Currently drury doesnt want to part with either, while i think he should have schnieder available but if we get eichel next year we will be having serious cap issues with fox and ziba. So trading 4 big assets for him and then losing ziba to F.A would be a negative impact asset wise. Dvoraks numbers are actually quite good and hes a defensive center that looks to be a 55-65 point player perfect for behind ziba. Doesnt help he is coming over injured on a new style of surgery.

Hes also a cap destroyer.

Ottawa accepts

If he's a legitimate top 10 C....then you gladly find a way to work your cap around him. The problem is the unknown following his procedure to address his neck. If he's not a top tiered center when he returns to play then his cap hit is a big anchor- for 5 years- going forward. This is the risk holding up his trade. Few doubt that he'll play again- but at what level??

There literally is no way without destroying part of the core thats being built. This means NYR is forced to let go of ziba or trouba. Ziba currently is a top 10 center just a few years older. Trouba is a really good 3rd defenceman maybe even a 2nd but fox is making it hard due to both being on the same side.

I get what you're saying about breaking up the core...but unless Zibs is willing to give a hometown discount they should look to move him anyway...Don't dislike him- but he'll be starting his next contract at 29 yo...and his game is dependent on skills which do fade with age- and his concussion history is nothing to look past either. As far as Trouba- he's just not a 8M/yr Dman...he's overpaid 1.5-3M per. This overpay will be a big problem when guys come off their ELC- and it's obvious a long term extension is warranted....wont be all of them- but Fox is one for sure and LaF and Miller will probably be the same...others will get bridge deals. In the end not every player will be able to be kept...part of the tough decisions a GM has to make in building a contender....but whatever decisions are made as long as this team is solid down the middle and in goal- and sound defensively- they will get into a contention window.