Wowow: You have given the reasons why it difficult to trade Gio. Starting next season, 6 years at 6.75m per at age 32. Shades of Dion Phanuef. A bad deal when it was signed and will be an increasing bad deal forward. The Flames have Brian The Brain Burke's fingerprints all over the franchise, near the cap, a lottery pick team, a bad combination.

If anything his NTC is the most unrealistic aspect of trading him. IMO you are slightly under-rating him as well. Top 15 in minutes-per-game and points for defensemen, averaging 0.71 ppg over the last 3 seasons plus intangibles (locker room, heart and soul, captain). Sure the last 2 years of his contract might be below value but I see him playing a Brain Campbell (7.143MM cap hit btw) at Florida type role at that time on a contender.

It's well known Hamonic wants to go to Western Canada.

I may be undervaluing him, but you mentioned the last three seasons. Realistically teams would be trading and paying for the next six years. No one knows what a player in the future, but historically most players will decline in their 30s, and in Gio's case his contract runs from age 32 to 38. As a Leaf fan, I have suffered through so poor contracts that have handcuffed the team. Just don't think the Isles would want the possibility of a future decline of Gio. And Campbell...just an amazing career (still). And the Panthers have Jagr and Luongo too...Must be something in the water.

Love the idea of bringing back Iggy. Nice team

I really like this team, bringing in Hamonic will provide top 4 minutes on a great contract, letting Brodie and Hamilton take the lead, Iggy would be a great veteran alongside Bennett and even the Monahan-Gaudreau line. I think Tkachuk would really mesh well with this team.