Just what Sullivan wants.

Honestly, I would rather them have signed Kessel to this deal than sign Eller lol. Throw Phil in the top 6 and top PP - drop Rust to the 3rd line with Acciari and Granlund maybe

Sullivan isn't GM but yeah just wanted to see what it would look like, don't think it actually happens

Kessel doesn't fit great with 87/71 outside of the PP, better to give him his own line with a passer like Granlund and forechecker like O'Connor

Also think Rust has a nice year after struggles last season

I think the current front office is going to take his input more seriously than the previous one.

I have to disagree there. Malkin and Kessel were pretty good together at 5v5. And I wouldn't want Kessel if he's playing bottom 6 - especially if it's with Granlund. No defense there. And they're going to get heavy dzone starts. I just don't like that combination. To each their own I guess.

I think Rust will have a good year as well - he really just had a down shooting year that's all. But that's why I think he's a move down candidate - to give the lines better depth. Not necessarily as a punishment for bad play - but to make the 3rd line actually decent

I think Rust with Malkin > Kessel with Malkin

I would bury that 4th line with D-zone starts as it would be solid, they probably end up playing more minutes than the proposed 3rd line

Anaheim will give you a 5th for Rutta. We have no need or want of DeSmith, you can keep him.

Gives Dostal more time to play in the AHL, which can't hurt. If he's 100% ready and needs NHL time midseason, can probably move DeSmith for a pick somewhere rounds 3-5 to a team that needs a solid backup. Or just waive him, they have the space and/or let a team grab him off waivers for free

I value Rutta at a 3rd-4th on his own, wouldn't move him for a 5th

That's fair - I would probably agree there. I just think the negative of having Kessel/Granlund together on the 3rd would outweigh the benefit of having Rust over Kessel with Malkin. If that makes sense.

Oh the 4th line will definitely be buried with dzone starts haha. And it should be solid. The thing I'm worried about is how the 3rd line would handle those dzone starts. I'm just trying to go based on Sullivan's recent deployment. If he decides to do a 180 and give the 3rd line more ozone starts then I wouldn't have a big problem with Kessel being down there with Granlund.

Dostal needs NHL games, he's earned the backup spot in Anaheim. The Gulls tandem is already set with Clang and Alexander. So why would the Ducks put themselves on the hook for a 1.8M backup that they have no use for. "You can do X, Y or Z with DeSmith". No, we'll just not spend assets to get him in the first place.

If you want a 3rd for Rutta then the Ducks pass. He's your cap problem not ours at this point in time. And yes, that means our d-corp will be terrible again but they don't call it a rebuild for no reason.

I have a higher opinion of O'Connor than most, think he makes up for a lot of what those two lack

& Granlund I think improves with better deployment/linemates, he's been average defensively most of his career

He's not a cap problem, he's a spare piece, there's a difference

Can make it a 4th/5th whatever if you want but I'm not going to argue value too much on a mid round pick

I don't see how depth hurts Anaheim, most teams have 5+ goalies now, Pens have 6+ at the moment. Flexibility (especially at goalie) has value

I'm right there with you on DOC - I've been high on him as well. But even still, I don't think he's some defensive dynamo that makes up for those two. As much as I didn't like McGinn, he was pretty elite defensively - but even he couldn't make up for playing with Carter/Kapanen and getting heavy dzone starts. So I don't think DOC could either.

Of course - Granlund would definitely benefit from better linemates and deployments. Like I said if Sullivan completely changes his deployments and the third line gets around 50/50 starts then I wouldn't really have an issue with those lines. Average defensively most of his career, sure, but not recently - which is really what matters.

If or when I need a guy like DeSmith I'll find him on the waiver wire. You don't need to trade assets for a 5th or 6th goalie option.

DeSmith is an upgrade on what you'll find on the wire... he'd be the second most NHL capable goalie in the Ducks organization

We can agree to disagree here