Washington is having a great deadline! They are getting younger and aquiring picks while only dealing UFA's
I think that’s exactly what they’re trying to do. This is not a sell-off or the start of a rebuild. It’s making lemonade out of a lemon season.
They were kept out of the playoffs more by injuries than by lack of talent, and as long as Ovi’s still playing like the greatest goal scorer of all time, they’re going to want to try to keep their win window open. But it’s not happening this year, so it makes sense to take advantage of knowing where they stand to pick up some assets that could help in the future for guys they were probably going to lose at the end of the season anyway, rather than hanging onto them for an improbable playoff run. Then use the cap space that losing those guys creates, and maybe some of the draft picks they're acquiring now, to reload around the returning core.
surprised that the avs paid a second round pick for a solid third line centre considering their track record. maybe sakic/mcfarland have something up their sleeve