Take out Mercer and the 3rd.

Not bashing on you because I 've seen way worse around here, but I don't understand why people would think Zegras is worth more than Eichel. Less potential, less capacities to play center, less years under team control, less track record.

Expectations should be way lower. Somewhere between Eichel (2x1st+2nd) and Dach (1st+3rd).

2x1st (one top 15, one top 30) should be the crazy over the top ceiling IMO. And if ANA has higher expectations than that, they should just keep him and let's never talk about it ever again.

Dach was traded when he had 59 points and 19 goals in 152 career games
Zegras had 65 points and 23 goals last year

None of these happen. NJD isn’t trading Mercer until the offseason if they can’t afford him. VGK trade is awful for the ducks. Why do they need another LHD when they already can’t fit all the NHL ready ones they have in the lineup? Henrique is worth more than a 4th. And Zegras isn’t going anywhere no matter how hard MTL fans try to wish that into existence.

Knights pass. Can do way better than Vatrano if that is on the table

MTL accepts but I don't think Anaheim touches that deal. Especially since I don't think Heineman or Mesar are Verbeek type players

Verbeek doesn’t even think about one of these trades, not even for a second

Checks out that a Habs fan made this

Because Zegras doesn't have a potentially career threatening neck injury on top of an 8 figure contract.

Yes, we know NOW that the procedure for Eichel was a success, but when he was traded for, the potential health issues accompanied by his 10 mil AAV cap hit meant there were very few bidders, and Eichel wanted out.

Verbeek holds all the cards with regards to Zegras. He's signed to a completely reasonable cap hit, he exits an RFA, and he doesn't need a procedure a hockey player had never had before.

Dach ALSO has serious health issues, as can be seen with him missing a huge chunk of the season, yet again.

Yeah, this isn't it.

If Vegas though Eichel was at the end his career, they would had never traded for him. Their offer would be nothing. No serious GM would go " I'm willing to pay 3 first rounders for this player, but because I believe he might never play again, I'm only willing to waste 2 firdt rounders!". Same for Dach.

And a $10M contract isn't a bad thing since you are buying elite talent with a track record. He earned it through performance, which Zegras hasnt. Saying Zegras is signed at a "reasonable cap hit" is a very polite way to say "Verbeek didnt throw money at him because he doubts Zegras will meet expectations based on past performances".

Also, Vegas bough Eichel's 5 best years, where a team trading for Zegras could lose him before his peak in only 4 years.

... and this is why Zegras isn't worth close to 3x1st. It's ok if you don't get it, but this is how the trade market works none the less.

WTF are you talking about loosing him in 4 years, his current contract expires as an RFA, the acquiring team could lock him up to another 8 years of they wanted to.

And yeah, the risks associated with Eichel player into depressing the bidding war for him. Vegas gambled on it, and they won. Montreal gambler on Dach, and this far it really looks like they've lost.

Zegras isn't a fresh start candidate, he hasn't asked for a trade, and he has no health risks, so unless someone coughs up a sufficient return that Verbeek can't say no, he's staying in Anaheim, and frankly, a grab bag of picks and B prospects isn't it.

It's ok if you don't get it, but this is how the trade market works none the less.

Yeah sure, you reaaally know how it works:

Zegras is worth 3x1st, like (check notes) freakin Wayne Gretzky in his prime.

Heard of him?

mercer has been below mid this yr and vanecek is just cap going back as hes also been below mid

And John Gibson costs 6.4 million dollars (the 3rd highest paid goalie in hockey this year) and after tonight is at 1.3 GSAx this year.

Mediocre this year, below average the 4 years before that.

And will be getting paid over the next 4 years amongst the likes of

Saros, Swayman, Igor, Sorokin, Helle, Bob. Probably going to be the 7th highest paid goalie over the next 4 years overall. And I can name at least 20 goalies I think I'd rather have over that time.

If he was an unrestricted free agent today, I wouldn't offer him more than 5x4. So that puts his value over the course of the deal at -5.6 mill

If vanacek was a UFA today, I'd probably offer him 2x2. So that puts his value in my eyes at -2.8 mill.

We'll keep mercer. Slow start but scored 37 5v5 points last year ranking him 67th in the NHL. To put that into perspective, Kirby Dach had 18 points last year 5v5.

I think the Avs would probably accept that.