If that’s the return, sign his arb offer and trade him at the deadline.

That 2023 pick has to be at least top 10 or top 5 protected.

If that 2023 pick is unprotected then this is a deal MN has to make. Not sure Boucher does anything though, rather sub for a C or RHD prospect. Or no prospect and keep the 2nd rounder maybe throw in a 4/5th.

If the pick is a 23, there’s no way I’d accept it unprotected and there is no reason to send a 2nd back, maybe a 4th/5th if you need an equalizer. And even then, you need a JBD or Greig type prospect instead of Boucher.

Do not forget that Fiala is a top 5 scoring target that has years of youth on all of Miller/Forsberg/Gaudreau and will have the lowest cap hit of that group. There will be suitors.

You’d want the pick protected? An unprotected 2023 first round pick is extremely valuable. More valuable than 7OA in 2022 IMO. That 2023 class looks loaded with top talent.

Make it top 2 protected. The point of trading for Fiala is to win now. That 23 pick doesn’t hit the NHL for 2 years. At which point Dorian is gone for botching the rebuild rather than trading the 23 1st. While Michkov and Bedard are generational, no team trading for Fiala is expecting to be in the hunt for them. You have to make the trade assuming that pick is a mid teens lowest, otherwise what’s the point.

We also do this with every upcoming draft year, so I’m not that concerned if the pick is 22 or 23.

If the point is to win now then should be fine without protection then. No rule saying you assume it’s a pick in the teens. They haven’t made the playoffs in 5 years.