Who adds what?
Rejoint: juill. 2017
Messages: 13,677
Mentions "j'aime": 2,703
If the Wild want that deal, I think it keeps the Caps just as competitive, and a little more youthful, except at center, where Kuznetsov, at 25, is the youngest top six center in the organization. I think they could fix that with other trades of defensive prospects for offensive prospects, but in the last couple years, Kuznetsov has been at least as consistent and as amazing of a setup guy as Staal, plus he's seven years younger. Niederreiter is a 24 year old perennial 20 goal scorer, so that puts some youth back into the Caps' forward corps. Then they can make trades for center prospects, or try to find a bargain on the UFA market.
I'm ignoring your defense, because it's become a cliche to cut Orpik after the TV announcers called him slow against the Penguins. He's one of the toughest defensemen in the NHL, and that helps in the playoffs. Liles is eight years removed from being a productive offensive defenseman. What does he bring that the Caps won't get from rotating their prospects through the third pair?