Puck yeah. Someone finally putting fair value on Cat. This is a fair trade, but personally I don't think NJ does it. Unless they believe he's the piece that will put them into contention for the next 5+ years.

I bet they would. Fitzgerald is on the hot seat

True it's not like Cat is "exiting" his prime... he's entering it.

Are you saying the Hawks have been in contention for the last five years? What will change? NJ really isn't any better than the Hawks right now.

Cat is a great player, but how is this not a drastic overpay? He’s played basically his entire career with Kane, so possibly inflated numbers due to that. I would never see Jersey giving up the #2 overall, Holtz (previous 7th overall), and future 2nd. But I could see just #2 for Cat.

Hmm please show me where I said the Hawks have been contenders?
And New Jersey is in a MUCH better position right now. If you think otherwise you are daft.

Artemi Panarin. There you go.

Wait what?

Panarin was one-for-oned for Brandon Saad. He only proved his value in Columbus.

It was inferred; you said acquiring this player would make them contenders. How? If x player didn't bring contender status to y team, how does x player bring contender status to z team? Y team was not contending. Z team is not contending; they were nowhere near the playoffs. Were they one of the best defensive teams in the league and they needed a little more goal scoring? They're missing defense, puck retrieval, and goaltending. Debrincat fixes this?

Wait, so how is this relevant to my original point?

Panarin was in the same boat. "He's only as good as Kane made him seem" And posted career years after be moved to CBJ. The argument that Cat is only going to be as good as Kane lets him is a dumb argument. Cat is definitely a 35 goal 75 point guy, if not more, without Kane with him.

As I understood it, and correct me if I'm wrong: Panarin played with Kane so you were saying that he wasn't carried by Kane and he's a very good player now.

I replied by saying that because of the possibility he was carried by Kane, Columbus didn't have to pay a lot for him. All it cost them was a middle six player. Then Panarin proved his actual value with Columbus as one of the better playmakers in the league, and his value went up.

Debrincat also has the stigma: people like me aren't comfortable thinking he's a great player in his own right but is carried by Kane giving him time and space.

Ahh okay I get what you were saying. I like DeBrincat a lot, I just don’t think you give up the #2 overall, a top prospect, and a future 2nd. Too much for a younger rebuilding team to pay in my opinion.

We’re you trying to spell extension?