its interesting and I agree leadership and competitiveness you get in a guy like nisk who isn't athletically gifted but uses all he has. the problem is what leadership your loosing by trading your captain away. I dont think the value is far off but idk if this is the kind of deal dallas will do.

That isnt enough value for a Benn, I like Niskanen but he isnt the same level as Benn. Adding a legit top 4 defender is overkill, Dalla could get a better return for him.

Not even close enough value for Benn... Benn and Lindell are the most valuable assets in this trade imo...

Benn is already going to cost a fortune. Adding a $2.4mil aav salary retention (until 2025 no less). that would have to be a MASSIVE return for DAL to even consider that. I'm talking "Orlov + Vrana with maybe even more" kinda of deal.

Okay where do I start...


HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA

If I’m sending Benn to Washington I’m asking for Vrána Wilson Orlov and a 1st

Thanks for weighing in.

Niskanen's a legit #1 defenseman because he's top 31 over each of the last two seasons in even strength points, ice time, and penalty killing time. Over the last eight playoffs he leads all defensemen in even strength assists.

I don't think he ever gets traded unless there's a superstar like Benn involved. But if he does go anywhere, the Caps would need two good defensemen to fill his roles.

At even strength, this year, Benn and Vrana are tied in goals, but Benn has four more assists. Vrana's on an ELC, at 23 years old. Tom Wilson is the best player in that offer, followed by Orlov. Also, see below.



See above.

Also, Benn is signed through age 35, at $9.5M. The team just cussed him out on Twitter pretty good, this morning. Trading him without retention is going to narrow the market, considerably.

Vrana and Orlov? Maybe for Benn (50%), Lindell, Gurianov, and Dallas' 2019 1st? But more likely, just no.

Is Niskanen the kind of #1B defenseman you win a Stanley Cup with? Yep.

If Dallas wants to rebuild, they're going to have to trade with teams that have cap space, or make a multiple team arrangement and flip good players elsewhere. If they want a change in leadership, as they said publicly this morning, then I think Niskanen's someone they'd be happier with.

You misunderstand, only reason DAL move Benn, is if he asks for a trade, because of a stupid PR move by their president. DAL wouldn't be selling him by choice. and even then, they don't need to. this isn't a E.Karlsson situation. Benn is signed. So they ask full value for him or they just keep him.

Niskanen is a top pairing guy, sure. why would DAL want him as the key piece in a deal though? They already have Klingberg, Heiskanen, Lindell, who could all be top pairing. add the fact that Niskanen is 32, and Benn is 29, if I'm DAL and I'm suddenly left with no choice but to move Benn, I'm definitely not trading him for someone older. and Burakovski and Bowey aren't making up that difference. and then you have the balls to try and add Lindell to the deal, THEN try and have DAL retain $2.4mil aav for 7 more years for him to play for WSH? dude, come on....

Vrana and Orlov would be a fair starting point. For both sides.
Asking for Wilson and a 1st on top of those two like the other guy wrote is ridiculous though. for sure.

Niskanen has two more years at 5M. Benn has five more years at 9M. Neither team has any cap space or any worthless players, so to make a trade, it has to include good players on both sides, and they have to somewhat balance each other out in terms of the roles they play and the salary cap space they take up. Benn is actually earning $13M this year, so Dallas should see significant short term savings on this trade, as well as the massive long term windfall of cap space.

Burakovsky is 23 years old and has 128 regular season points, plus 16 in the playoffs. Benn has 20 playoff points, albeit in fewer games, at 29. Burakovsky's gonna be pretty good, pretty soon, if he isn't already.

Bowey was a 2nd round pick, but last year among rookie defensemen he outscored some first round picks, and fell just outside the top ten due to limited ice time. He's going to be as, good as Lindell once he gets enough ice time to develop.

Niskanen, assuming he sentimentally listed Dallas as one of the five exceptions to his no-trade list, is someone who just won a Cup and could lead Dallas to stay in the playoffs this year at a much lower long term cost than Benn. If not, once he finds himself on a non-playoff team, he's likely to waive his NTC and they can flip him to any team they want. Right handed defensemen with offensive skill who are good at killing penalties are about the easiest type of player to trade, and the term on Niskanen's contract is much more attractive than what's on Benn's.

A Caps trade for Jamie Benn (with NO retention) starts with Kuznetsov. Your comparison of Benn and Vrana shows that your ability to evaluate player value is still amazingly poor. Your suggestion of Vrana and Orlov for Benn at 50%, Lindell, Gurianov, and a 1st is troll level.

Just when I think that you are getting better... you plummet backwards.

$$$$$$$$$$$hhhhhh. There's a salary cap now.

Agreed. Dude is a legit superstar

again, I feel your completely missing the point. Your trying to shove shove Niskanen in this Benn deal. I'm trying to say DAL wouldn't want Niskanen in a Benn deal. You following up by saying how good Niskanen is is besides the point. Is he a good Dman? yes. Would DAL want him as the key piece in a Benn deal. The answer is no.

Let me try and help you get what I'm saying. Lets just say your the GM of WSH, and I'm the GM of DAL, it goes like this:

Eli: "Hello? Blazingbat11, it's a me, Eli! I wanna make you an offer on Jamie Benn! Since, you know... your President is an idiot and publicly calls him F#$%ing HorseS@#$t..."

Blazingbat11: " Yes, our President is a moron,,,, but I'm not interested in moving Benn, he's our captain and we are confident he'll turn things around, and we got him locked up long term, just what we want. But sure, let's hear this offer of yours!"

Eli: "I'll trade you Niskanen, Burakovski, and Bowey.... for Benn, Lindell, and Polak, but you also have to retain $2.4mil aav on Benn until 2025 so we can fit him under our cap!"

Blazingbat11:


Eli: "Hello?"

DID YOU JUST SAY TOM WILSON IS THE BEST PLAYER IN THAT DEAL LMFAOOO IM DONE

He's the only one at a point a game, or at 3 points/60 this year, anyway. No idea whether that's sustainable, but he hasn't even been playing on the top line lately, and he's doing alright. Not much of a track record, but at 24, signed for 5.5M/year, he's got way more trade value than Benn

Edit: They're about equally good, defensively, but Wilson is tougher.

Alright dog I’m gonna have to stop you right there

Okay. Good luck writing those checks. Only $52M to go. https://www.capfriendly.com/players/jamie-benn



Wasn't Jagr?

Jagr was a completely different situation. Pens were on the verge of moving and financially screwed. Pens got pennies on the dollar for jagr because of the financial situation they were in. Completely different situation

Yep. When he was 29.

Caps invented salary retention to move him a year and a half later, for a checking line wing on an expiring contract, when he was, again, leading the league in goals.

If Dallas holds onto their stars, they might recover and still do well together. Or they might end up not being able to get back a #1d, a top six wing, and young defenseman with high potential.

#1- Nisky is great but he ain’t no #1D. He’s not even #1D on Dallas
#2- burakovsky hasn’t proven he’s a top 6 winger
#3- Bowey hasn’t done anything yet. Could very well be a bust

If Dallas moves Benn they could get much more and everyone on this thread agrees

What does that have to do with your suggestion of Vrana and Orlov for Benn at 50%, Lindell, Gurianov, and a 1st being a troll level suggestion? Are you saying that is just the reason for the 50% retention? But it doesn't address the gross one-sidedness of the deal to begin with. If you remove the 1st coming from Dallas and add a handful of 1sts (#30's) going TO Dallas this deal might START to be balanced.

But as I said, any deal of Jamie Benn going to Washington, with NO retention, starts with Kuznetsov going to Dallas. If there is retention the price goes up considerably; Kuznetsov + Vrana + for example. And with that you can still forget the likes of Lindell, Gurianov, and a 1st coming back.

Quoted for awesomeness!!!

Kuznetov, Vrana, Orlov, and Wilson are probably not available. Burakovsky is rumored to be under discussion. I'm going way out on a limb by mentioning Niskanen and Bowey.

Dallas fans and, much more, Penguins fans are responding to this Caps fan post as though I think the Caps desperately want Jamie Benn. I don't. I think he'd fit okay in a middle six role, and ought to be a defensive upgrade over Burakovsky, if his contract worked. Is that saying much?

Dallas' team president is saying Benn is "horsesh!t." They are committed to pay him another $52M. Niskanen could be quickly flipped for a 2nd and a good prospect. Bowey and Burakovsky are cheap, young players with some potential.

Maybe it will sink in this time... a Caps trade for Jamie Benn would start with Kuznetsov.

No one, NO ONE, thinks that the Caps desperately want Benn. However, your trade suggestion, and subsequent replies, are so far off value that you are confused by people's comments.

Would you accept Burakovsky, Niskanen and Bowey for Kuznetsov? Much less Burakovsky, Niskanen and Bowey for Kuznetsov ($2.4M retained), Vrana and Djoos? That is how your trade suggestion looks to anyone not wearing rose colored glasses... those 3 for Kuznetsov ($2.4M retained), Vrana and Djoos.