Walker is playing real good right now but i think we're a bit blinded by his .5 goals per game. He's not worth 5 mil. him and malinski will basically be the same player in another year. Makes no sense to make a big downgrade in what manson brings to get more of the same in what walker will bring. i hope he keeps bumping up his play to make a huge pay day in free agency but we didn't really pay much for him when you factor in the johansen contract, which should tell you that you can find average puck movers easier than the grit and grind type players who are playing top 4 minutes.

I think there is some interesting decisions here. I think a lot of Drouin's success is a MacKinnon effect. I'd sign for the vet min not much more. Also heavy on the UFA d-men? I'm not fully familiar with the Avs prospects, but what is the plan with Behrens? start him in the minors or can he plug and play on the big boys?

Yes, it is probably true playing a lot with MacKinnon (and Rants, Cale and Toews) has a lot to do with his resurgence. Other teams might look at him and say, "No chance he replicates that here because we don't have enough guys like that to shelter him with." But I don't think they can get away with signing him to a minimum deal given his actual production. It will be interesting to see if he chooses being in a comfortable situation where he gets to be a supporting player but plays for a lot less than his "market value." You would think, given his history, he might just prefer to remain in his current environment for his own sense of health even if it means leaving a lot of money on the table. But he might decide to bet on himself and go get some more money elsewhere. Definitely worth keeping an eye on.

Behrens is probably going to have to go through the A before he ever gets a shot at the NHL. I honestly thought he'd be a guy they dealt and they still could but he projects as a decent 3rd pair defensive D that can move the puck and the Avs need that so maybe they want to hang onto him so they can have a cheap option there.

ive never really been a fan of nichushkin on the left side honestly, but lehkonen on the right could be interesting.

Manson cap hit is 4.5 if they wanna resign players they gotta cut cap somewhere. I pick manson because one they ain't trading girard. They just extended toews and then makar is makar.

I mean you could trade Girard and pair manson and malinski. Put Jones and hakanpaa

That's why I put drouin as a one year deal

If you’re giving away Manson…. Then MAYBE

But he’d be way down the list of our “top choices”
WAY down

I think Allen Walsh would literally explode if Drouin took consecutive Show Me contracts, lol. He gettin pizzaid

Watch him go to another team and fizzle out and not replicate the same season he had.

We've seen this story play out with Naz. I think JD will be fine, not great, but just OK for the Sharks

As a Sabres fan I'd make that trade