Rangers buy out goodrow and match that

No where close to Lindholm

Why would Winnipeg add draft picks? Isnt a trade usually picks and/or prospects for a roster player?

I'll pass on Wheeler, just don't think he would be a good fit. There's other players who could be had for kind of cheap for cap reasons i could see the canes taking a chance on. Arvidsson or Hall comes to mind.

Gonna need some more value going to Calgary in that Lindholm trade.

I'm a big fan of Crouse but i'm not entirely sold on trading Skjei+ for him. I do like that d-core a lot with the addition of Miller and Soucy. Maybe it could work. Only issue i have is what happens when Nikishin signs? One of him or Miller would be forced to the bottom pair. I think we'd be better off finishing off Skjei's contract or signing a more short term solution.

Jets would rather just buy out Wheeler, saves them cap space and draft picks

Brady Skjei isn’t leaving Carolina, he will be extended after July 1st.

I doubt Wheeler is traded with 2 3rds and max retention for FC. He likely pulls a low round pick with full retention. I dont think Zona would have any interest in Skjei, maybe they are the third wheel that gets the futures from a Skjei deal to another contender. Even then it sounds like we are determined to re-sign him.

I dont see us getting Lindholm. He will be outside of the age range for us to give him the 8 x 8.5 deal he will get and dont do expensive rentals.

Lindholm isn’t going to get 8.5mil from the Canes. Would love to have him back, but if he is asking for that much, the Canes would be better off searching for a middle 6 C elsewhere.

Ridiculous. Wheeler isn't a complete cap dump and is still relatively productive. WPG can get an asset or two for him with retention or, at the very least, reduce his role to the 3rd line and get more out of him in his final year.

We will see… Carolina got Pacioretty for nothing last year and even had Vegas throw in a right defenseman. The Canes essentially sent little value to San Jose for Brett Burns (a top pair Dman). Cap space is king. Wheeler may not be the return, but the Canes will get someone of relatively high value for next to nothing simply by offering cap relief. Also, if I am Don, I would prioritize Pesce over Skjei. That’s assuming that both of them want a seven or eight year deal. Brady Skjei is older and I’d move him while his stock is high. Skjei at 36-37 years old is not going to look so great. Agree on the Nikishin situation, but he won’t be here for at least 2 years and can play on the 3rd pairing as a rookie.

That’s what Vegas said about Patches last year. They couldn’t. And why would you want to spread his cap hit into future seasons?

I’m not sure about that… What if I told you we could have three good-great 2 way centers locked up indefinitely for a total of $22-$23 million in cap space???? That’s pretty reasonable.

Hall was literally my other thought… I think we’d have to give up an asset for him with $2mil of retention. I’m good with that too.

He only has 1Y left, so retention wouldn't spread into future seasons, unless you think I suggested a buyout, which I didn't. To reiterate, if WPG can't find a trade partner even with retention, they're better off just playing him in a reduced roll rather than paying assets to ship him off. WPG isn't in cap trouble, especially with PLD and Helle on the way out.

Fair enough… sorry, that was another post suggesting the buyout 👍

Lindholm straight up doesn’t deserve 8.5mil. 6.25-6.75mil, sure, as anywhere between 4.8-6.75mil is the going rate for defense first centers. Lindholm is also just a glorified 2C, who was just over reliant on his wingers (Gaudreau and Tkachuk) for a massive part of his offense.

All I’m saying is that Lindholm shouldn’t be overpaid just so the Canes can run 3 great 2-way centers. Because before you know it, you have a situation like Toronto’s, where 5 players take up more than half of the available cap space.

Yes, but at $22 mil you aren't anywhere near that problem

There is a reason why I mentioned Toronto in my last comment. You are looking at the Canes situation from the now perspective, and aren’t looking at the future. So assuming your situation occurs, and the Canes utilize 22mil of their available cap space on Aho, Lindholm, and KK, the Canes are still very much in trouble. Svech is already locked up for just shy of 8, while Jarvis and Necas likely get around 7 each in the long term. That’s about 44mil in cap space right there, only tied up in 6 players, and with about half of their cap space remaining, they have to fill out the remaining 15-17 slots on the roster. It’s way too short sighted, which would likely hurt the Canes in the long run. I mean, unless Waddell becomes a wizard that gets all the key signings to an unrealistically low AAV

I guess I'd argue that you are missing the point and we are going to have that issue anyhow. Would you rather spend big on a winger (TK, CC, ADC, CK) or a center for the next several years. One or more of the guys you mentioned won't be on the roster anyhow assuming you are adding up front this offseason. If Aho is making ~$9.5 and KK is ~$5 then I'd expect a #2 center to fall somewhere in the $7-8 range. You can't pay everyone, but I'd rather lock up the middle of the ice at a reasonable rate long term then spend the money on wingers. And remember 2 of our top 4 D-men will likely be Morrow and Nikishin who will be cost controlled during most of these C contracts. Burns will be gone as will another of our top 4 D-Men (I'd guess Skjei). Our 4th C would likely be a Rees type that is afforable too. And the cap will be ~$10 million higher in a few years too.