Uncle Fitzy...make the call!

Would u trade Smith in a package for Chychrun? I feel like both teams would like that trade

If he wants out of Calgary, i cannot see why he would want to play for NJ

Well, he is cousins with the GM Tom Fitzgerald. and He is family friends with Jack Hughes and Luke Hughes.

Yes. But what else would the Devils have to add?

Is Smith good or is he just another Vince Dunn

Heh. His first choice would be to play for the Blues with his best buddy RobTom.

Value aside, Tkachuk's QO is $9M, and his performance will probably uplift the number from that.

I think his next contract is around $10M x 8 or something like that.

Depends what else is in the package...but if its mostly Smith, yes, probably. But not selling the farm for him.
(Some of the packages on here are nuts, BTW).

I am also not as quick to bail on Smith as some Devils fans. Its a sophomore slump.
Its been said that he is hardest working guy on team, nobody watches more tape, or attends more optional skates (or plays more NHL 22).
He lives and breathes hockey. I think he will be fine.

(that said, Jack can afford to find his own place now)

"RobTom"
Is that what he is called now?

I have heard the "Third Tkachuk Brother" and "Matchbox 18"

The locals tend to call him RobTom a lot. I'd never heard Matchbox 18 before, pretty clever.

I don’t know, I know he likes playing against Brady, but a line of B. Tkachuk, Norris, M. Tkachuk would be lethal. I think he might consider OTT as a destination.

Well, the dream is to also have Brady with them in STL. Obviously, that is going to be tricky unless something wild happens in Ottawa. But no, he would MUCH rather be in St. Louis. This is certainly not a secret. He grew up there dreaming of wearing the Note, his folks live there, he spends his offseason there, his best friend is there.

Not him but I probably wouldn't.
I'm lower on Chychrun than most meaning any package you'd have to present to Arizona (including Smith or no) wouldn't be worth it.






Uhm isn't Dunn quite good in his own right?
Anyway, Smith has been horrible this season, a sophmore slump for the ages.
I still think Ty has top 4 upside but he really needs to step it up next season.
Worst case is that Ty turns into another Will Butcher.
Hopefully a new coach can avert that and realize Smith's potential.

He is better than what came out of the gates this year, for sure.
He was hurt in pre-season, lost his PP role to Dougie, and was deployed in different (less sheltered) situations this year.
So started season with some speedbumps.
Also, Lindy doesn't always deploy the most d-man friendly system (lets them chase in the corners, wingers don't do enough to block shooting lanes in d-zone).

When Smith is playing well, he is very confident with puck. And is great fit for a team using possession-style offense. Rarely makes mistakes and takes the puck away more, gives it away less. He closes gaps well, uses his stick to interrupt plays. His play-reading early in year was a real weakness, but has been better. Its usually a strength as he is a high IQ guy. He can get beat on transition and would ideally be paired with more of a stay-at-home type to cover for him. Not a big shot, but is very crafty with movement on blueline to get the puck through defenders and onto net.

Not ever going to be #1, but probably solid 2nd pair player.

Source?

For me, he'll never be a Top 4 guy because his skating hinders him. He is so stiff in transition and he plays top-heavy. Doesn't generate a lot of power from his legs when he skates.

I think Dunn, Grzelcyk...other guys that Smith has been compared to are reasonable. There are differences obviously.

But I do not think Smith and Butcher are comparable.
First, Smith has the skills, skating, talent that Butcher never had. Butcher was a crafty/IQ guy.
Second, Smith is hard-working and committed. Butcher was entitled, lazy and didn't want to work on defensive side.
Third, Smith arrived three years younger than Butcher.

Skating doesn't worry me. He is not a burner, but skates fine. Anyone expecting Scott Neidermayer would be disappointed, but I don't think skating will be what keeps him out of top-4. It will be his play without puck, in his own zone, that holds him back.

That's about 3/5 of Tkachuks value

mate that's a top 5 pick, one of the top 15 prospects in the world and a serviceable middle six winger.
How is this three fifths of Tkachuk?

How is it not? You are not getting an elite top line forward for that little. Tatar does absolutely nothing for the trade. Add in another high quality prospect and maybe a 2nd or 3rd and I think you are there

Tkachuk isn't returning better than a top 5 pick and a top 10-20 prospect in the NHL.

Tkachuk is very good but this seems like a tough deal for the devils. Holtz is their top prospect and that first should have a really good shot at top 3. Depending on the pick, it could very possibly end up being two young elite players for one.

If you think so. Calgary will not be trading him so the conversation is all conjecture anyways. Only way he leaves Calgary is through free agency, and he certainly would not be signing with the Devs