Why are Minny fans so hell bent on moving Kulikov? I’d love to trade a mid rounder for him right now and at his cap hit, that’s an absolute steal. He just came off a nice season with some solid numbers, what’s the rationale behind that?

If Addison is the plans, they have 8 NHL ready d men. His cap hit is more useful.

Love the idea but the major flaw….the guy riding the pine…

Makes sense, figured it was to open a roster spot for an upcoming prospect but I mean still wow. Those are some good numbers on a very cheap cap hit. You could probably even get a team to overpay a little for those reasons but it seems like he’s being treated like a cap dump.

With Fiala gone the need to do it basically disappeared overnight.

I wanted and tried to keep him, I'd prefer it in fact, as I'd rather have Goligoski stay as the 7th defenseman but unless Vanecek came in at league minimum a $2M contract needed to go out. But I don't see Vanecek coming in lower than what I signed him for realistically, so between Kulikov and Jost, Kulikov is the more expensive cap hit.

I think if he’s moved, it’s for the value. Merrill is hurt for some amount of time and the team didn’t show confidence in Addison last year for one reason or another. Kulikov still fills a role for this team. And as much as I don’t agree with moving Dumba, he could be moved if they get the value they want. But likely one of those guys is gone by the TDL if not sooner.

I mean yea as I said I would 100% sauce Minny a mid rounder for Kulikov, and I think more teams should be in on that for sure. If you play him the right way he’s a very nice asset to have at a very nice cap hit as well. Just sucks for Minnesota having to let Fiala go and then being so tight with the cap.

I honestly forgot Merrill is hurt right now.

Then again, Addison did seem to play decent next to Goligoski in the few games they played next to each other last year. So it's possible Addison covers for Merrill until he gets back to health.

10k rinks did a piece about Addison being immature and taking dumb penalties, game misconducts and majors for stupid petty things. They alluded to that being the reason to keep him in the minors. Needed to be able to handle himself with more poise instead of easily baited into stupid penalties.

Respectfully think you should do some history into Jesse. He's a Lockerroom cancer. He left Edmonton once because they were playing him on a line he didn't like and wanted certain roles. This time around, he apparently didn't put in efforts when he wasn't playing on a line to his liking.

After our discussion a few nights ago I’m coming around to ripping the band aid off with Addison if he’s in the plans and move Dumba if you can get a 2nd and a prospect type deal for him. He’s got nothing more to prove in the AHL and if he struggles in the NHL then so be it, but he’s looked fine when he’s been called up. Regardless of what happens trade wise, Addison needs to play every night in the NHL this year or you move him now.

The kid is 22. Thats what 22 year olds do. I wouldn’t be worried about that.

Spurgeon and Brodin are on long term extensions, Merrill and Goligoski just got extensions, Middleton is getting extended and Dumba is sticking around to probably get an extension next year

With Addison also worthy of a spot, Kuli really has no place anymore

Value is probably fine and Vanacek is very much in play, but I don't think Kulikov is the type of piece the caps are after, they would just take a second or third instead.

Would they have any interest in Jost instead, do you think?

Oh I totally agree, just saying that’s their thought on why Guerin is taking his development a little slower and not rushing it. He’ll grow out of it, they just don’t want him to come up, not be ready and get rattled big time