Get the concept but the PHI trade isn't even close. Maybe if we were a goalie away but we aren't. If you are doing stuff like this you need to go to teams not in rebuilds/retools because they would be more likely to give up a prospect to win now. You're basically asking Philly to give up a 1st rounder for an old Howard and scraps.

Detroit's problem wasn't with the goalie, as their horrible defense left Howard and Mrazek out to dry on many occasions, and they couldn't score if their life depended on it. They are needing a full rebuild and shedding the albatross contracts of Helm, Abdelkader, Nyquist, Ericsson, Kronwall, etc.

Even though Philly didn't make the playoffs this year, their poor goal-tending certainly didn't help. Even at 33, Howard (2.1 GAA and .910 SV%) certainly played better than Mason (2.66 GAA and .908 SV%) and Neuvirth (2.82 GAA and .890 SV%). Philly has a good young corp on D (Gudas, Manning, Ghost and Provorov) and at forward (Giroux, Voracek, Schenn, Coutourier, Simmonds, etc. ), as well as prospects in the pipeline. I'm assuming they are going to get Nolan Patrick in this year's draft to add to that core. IMO they are ready to take that next step into the playoffs, and they need a decent goalie to put them into contention.

As far as calling Smith and the 2018 3rd round pick (in a strong draft) scraps, Givani Smith was selected at #46 in the second round last year. He looks and plays like a young Wayne Simmonds, which happens to be who he patterns his game on. IMO the only reason he fell into the second round was that he played on a horrible team in juniors. If he would have played on a decent team, he would have been a high second or even a late first rounder not much behind Robstov. Detroit needs a center prospect more than a wing, especially with Zetterberg on his last legs.