Please explain why Dvorak at 4.5 with similar production to granlund (and granlund's production should improve with a full year in the system), who also is now coming off a knee surgery which will make him even worse, isn't just as much of a cap dump as granlund?

Not sure why Pitt would do that. Seems like it'd be about 500,000 of cap relief but cost them a top 15 pick.

Dvorak is a much better defensive asset than Granlund is. Granlund's production (5v5) was on pace with Dvorak while he was on the Preds, but that was getting 60% OZs. When Granlund got traded to the pens, they used him in a more defensive role, and his metrics/produciton crashed a result. Dvorak has been consistently used as a defensive mid-6 center/wing for his career and his production hovers around 0.4-0.5 P/GP despite not always having great linemates. I think it's a clear upgrade and provides cap savings. Pens also get another first, moving to 31st. I think that pick swap is worth it for both teams

It provides no marginal cap savings and considerable risk as Dvorak is a serviceable 3C on a contender of healthy. But the health is an unknown question mark. They could use this same package and get a safer bet as a 3C.

The thing is Dvorak isn't good defensively. Ignoring contracts I'd flip a coin on who I'd pick, and 500k a year isn't worth ****

Chicago declines. Need more than a late 4th to take Hoffman.

Costs more than that to dump 4.5 mil in cap. Just keep Hoffman. Montreal has plenty of cap space to eat the last year of his deal