2nd+ prospect on Toews.... but I really don't see NYI as a fit

Nyquist is done for the year.

You can add Domi and Athanasiou to this at minimum IMO. Both played with Horvat in juniors and could round out a line with him/Barzal

I’m not sure either see very good fits for our system, I've heard neither are the most defensively responsible. Though that may have changed, I don’t know.

Admittedly, I just want to see Toews in an Isles jersey. I also just like faceoff specialists.

Two questions: what kind of prospect are we talking and why specifically do you not see the Isles as a fit? Nit saying you’re right or wrong, just curious on your opinion.

Would imagine the ask for Barbashev is a 23 2nd and some add on like a 24/253rd or a B/C prospect. Who the prospect could be is a wild guess. Hard to feel gauges of middle prospects

Nyquist is projected to be back a couple weeks before playoffs apparently now. Seems he may be traded for conditional picks based on how many playoff games he appears in.

I’d consider a 2nd and a 3rd pretty fair. Do the Blues need LHD prospects? We have a surplus of those in the middling range.

Your trade deadline is done i think with horvat.

JVR most likely goes for a 2023 3rd round pick. That or a 2024 2nd.

Toews is supposed to be worth a 2nd.

Puljujarvi would be free if you take him. First team that takes him back in a trade gets JP.

Well, yes and no. We need the type that you draft and really explode or you take with a pick or get in a trade that you wouldn’t expect from a Barbashev. We have some pretty decent options and currently have multiple guys under contract for term who are best suited as #4s or below. I don’t expect this to be fixed instantaneously, but ever since we lost Bouwmeester, we’ve lacked a mobile defenseman who is good to above average in all 3 zones that’s left handed. It’s a lot of the belief of why Parayko has struggled so much.

Again, don’t expect it to be fixed here. But taking a shot on a tall mobile LHD to possibly figure it out isn’t the worst thing in the world. Defense is certainly preferred to goaltending or forward in terms of project type prospects or depth type prospects that would be expected in this situation

I wouldn’t be shocked, trades are 10 times harder to swing than ACGMs give credit for, but I would be frustrated with that. It’s hard to look at our current roster and not worry about our bottom 6.

I guess to be more specific, would a 2nd and Salo, Aho or Odelius do the trick? If one of those wouldn’t do it, I’d still be fine with a 2nd and a 3rd.

Bottom 6 takes 6 picks to improve. Can be done for free in the offseason though.

I’d do Toews for a 2nd. Same goes with Puljujarvu, though I’d only take him on as a last resort.

I get what you’re saying, but “can be done in the offseason” can’t be in our vocabulary until Horvat signs an extension.

To be clear, the reason I’m looking for middle or bottom 6 help is because we need to make the playoffs this year. Missing the postseason makes extending Horvat, who we paid a king’s ransom for, much more difficult.

To me I think that trading for players just to make the playoffs wastes picks and downgrades the picks you still have left.

Lou Lamoriello has a verbal contract in place anyways.

Yeah, I get that. It’s usually not my style to go for rentals, but I think the situation kind of forces our hand here.

I wish I could tell you with certainty. However, Salo and Aho are already at the NHL level I believe. We need a guy to develop as opposed to that. We don’t have any room for a guy that’s already at the NHL level. We have Leddy, Krug and Rosen signed for next season along with Scandella and Mikkola as a UFA upcoming. I don’t see a route to trading Krug, Leddy or Acandella so unfortunately I would guess no