Value probably isn’t that far off but Devils aren’t trading Mercer. He’s an untouchable

I'm sorry, what?
That is an egregious ask from Minnesota.
Might be enough for one of #2 or Mercer, but certainly not both.
Add Wallstedt and Devils accept.

The only way that is happening is if Wallstedt is in the return, which is just as unlikely as NJ trading Mercer

No...not really because Mercer is included and Devils don't need Addison.
Greenway is probably a step above a lot of UFA alternatives, but not so much as we would ask for him to be included.

Fiala...for...

one of - Zacha, Johnsson, Tatar, Boqvist, Zetterlund, Walsh
one of - Kuokkanen, Clarke, Thompson, Stillman
one of - 2022 2nd round pick (#37), 2023 2nd round pick

(something like that)

Wallstedt would be nice too

😂

Do Wild fans really believe Devils would need to add to #2 pick to get Fiala?

(please stop reading Russo and start ready history of trades in NHL)

There is a VERY good chance not one player taken in the top 10 of this draft ends up as good of a player as Fiala is now…and he’s still getting better!

Russo is a nothing more than a hack and mouthpiece for the org. It's sad he used to be a top reporter before joining the athletic.

Both of those assets from NJD should be off limits unless something stupid (Rossi/Wallstedt+ Fiala) is offered.

I agree Russo is a hack! He spends more time talking about food and coffee than he does hockey!

I think most Minnesota fans know NJ isn't trading Mercer or the #2 pick. I think most NJ fans know Minnesota isn't trading Wallstedt.

Oh absolutely. It’s just the practicality in the way though. Neither are moving

Give me one draft where that applies (where all 10 of the top-10 are worse that Fiala)?

Or is 2022 the worst draft year of all time?

2012

I’d say 1996. There were some solid dmen in 2012.

2022 is an average to slightly above average year.

There is a less than 10% chance a player taken in the top 10 will be as good as Fiala. That increases to 20% if the player is taken in the top 3.

That's just cold hard statistics at work. Sure, maybe there'll be a prospect or two that blossoms and becomes something. But it's not likely in this draft. Which is categorized by being deep, but not heavy in top-end talent. Just like 2020.

Outside of maybe Wright, Cooley and Savoie. No one else is considered to have that high of an upside as good as Fiala. And even those 3 have enough questionmarks that they could just as easily bust out. Same as any other draft.

None of which are better than Fiala.

Solid sure, but none outright better. As a player I'd take Fiala over and of Rielly, Dumba, Trouba, or Lindholm (not taking into account for team needs).

This is a weak draft. The top-3 FWDs and top-2 d-men are in 4-10 (maybe Wright is a 3?) range quality prospect in an average year. The rest of the top-10 is prospects you find in the teens. If it was a strong draft (2016) I think the top FWD pick this year wouldn't be taken until after Tkachuk. The d-men might get taken instead of Juolevi (I still can't believe that Chychrun fell to 16)?

I think I just threw up a bit reading this. Where's @HeadHighSauce? They were telling me how Devils proposals were good offers and referenced 2023 1st+Foote/Gritsyuk as the typical trade offer. In reality, the above is the typical awful Devils proposal.

Wild aren’t getting 1st plus two A-level prospects.

Look at recent comps like Buchnevich, Reinhart deals. Two RFA wingers comparable in value to Fiala. Both traded last year.

Look at how Wild GM speaks about Fiala publicly. How Fiala has stripped the Wild from his socials.

Look at Minnesota’s cap situation.

Look the the entire history of NHL draft trades.

Look at Fiala’s contract situation.

Look at the clock ticking.

What tells you Fiala gets such a high return?

Using Reinhart/Buchnevich as the comparables is hilariously misguided. Fiala would have had that value prior to this past season. Since he had a point per game season his value has definitely gone up significantly.

Hall being traded to Arizona from New Jersey is the closest comparable to Fiala in recent memory.

Minnesota can clear cap other ways.

Guerin is also on record saying he likes Fiala and wants to have him back. But that doesn’t grab the clicks or fit your narrative so obviously it just gets tossed aside, right?

Not for the high end it isn’t! It’s deep, but no truly elite prospects.

I agree with that.

At pick #1, it looks lousy.
At pick #3, it looks average.
At pick, #6 it looks pretty good.
At pick #16 it looks good.
At pick #33, it looks just okay again.

But in reality, no one really knows. 2014 was supposed to be thin. 2017 was supposed to be starless. 2020 was supposed to be deep.

That trade was Hall+ b prospect for 18oa + a conditional 3rd + 3 b prospects.

#3 is such a boom or bust pick the last 15 years or so it's hard to argue either way. #6 looks weak to me, but I think the drop off is between the 5 and 6 prospects this year. 16 does look good. I do think the top of the 2nd round will be better than the norm.