If this team can get above average goaltending, they can make the playoffs.

I like Crouse but that's a crazy price to pay for someone with a career high 45 points.

prolly is - Crouse has improved every year, and plays big heavy role (amongst leaders in hits), great PK and leader of the team. It is overpay but AZ needs his presence - lots of smaller young guys (Crouse just turned 26). dont see AZ parting w him they signed last year to long deal and he went out and improved in every aspect.

Yeah this is an INSANE price

Crouse averaged 15 more points per 82 games than Joseph the last 2 seasons (which are Crouse's best 2 seasons). They are both good defensively but Joseph has elite PK metrics

Oh and Crouse makes 1.35 AAV more per season than Joseph


So to get that upgrade on Joseph, you'd pay :

2024 1st round pick (DET)
2025 2nd round pick (OTT)
Järventie, Roby : worth a late 1st at least
Thomson, Lassi : worth a 2nd

That is A LOT MORE than what the Sens got for Alex DeBrincat

Jarventie is a top-6 sniper prospect. 33 goals 62 pts pace in the AHL last season, had a pretty damn good WJC. He's still 20 years old as we speak

It's may be an overpay but it's not INSANE lol. The first rounder will be a late round pick most likely. No guaranty Jarventie becomes even a middle six player. Thompson is no longer worth a 2nd IMO, that's a reach. There's also a higher cost for untapped potential that Crouse can still improve and become a very good power forward.

That 1st round pick's value is hard to gage at the moment, that pick could almost be anywhere but as of now we have no idea where Boston will land. I know we should never bet against them but I think we can estimate it as a mid first round pick

That said, it was still the main piece by far in DeBrincat's return.

2024 1st round pick (DET) = 2024 1st round pick (DET)
Järventie, Roby >>> Nothing
Thomson, Lassi > Donovan Sebrango
2025 2nd round pick (OTT) >> 2024 4th round pick (DET)
Joseph, Mathieu < Dominik Kubalik


I mean, 26 y/o Lawson Crouse can't have significantly more value than 25 y/o Alex DeBrincat

Even if you have the current weird CF mentality (a decent bottom-6 forward, PK specialist making 2.95 AAV can't be a major cap dump) that Joseph is major cap dump. Let's say that Joseph + Thomson + 2nd = Kubalik + Sebrango + 4th

Then Jarventie is still much more valuable than nothing

Again, Crouse doesn't have MORE value than DeBrincat

Sure, pound for pound, Cat is better. But Crouse’s contract value and term plus potential as a solid top 6 power forward is what drives his value up over DeBrincat’s return.

I feel with Joseph we’ll be selling him low (if he gets traded). I can definitely see him having a bounce back year if he stays healthy and is given some opportunity and then he’s worth the AAV. But he would have to go in with this deal to make the Cap work.

I won't say you're totally wrong but I also won't agree with that. DeBrincat is younger and has 2 seasons over 40 goals, some over PPG. I mean, Crouse is nice but 45 pts career high is a reality

Solution for Joseph : keep him

We'll need him for the PK and to not suck defensively at 5v5

We don't need an offensive player anyway. With the cap remaining and possibly Murray buy out, bring in a good two-ay top-9 forward

And seriously, I wouldn't give the Detroit 1st here... as it could land pretty much anywhere, we never know. We shouldn't trade it. People were proposing to trade the Sharks first back then too, but it ended up 3rd OA and we got Stutzle for it. The rebuild wouldn't look nearly as good at all without him.