Quoting: Drjohnson022
Here is my thought process on the whole thing:
Braun is a cap dump to his former D Coach in Boughner who may still see value in him assuming he is not fired.
Gambrell is most likely never going to be a top 9 player in the NHL, but he still has some value.
Chekhovich is the lesser of the Ch twins IMO and I think Trochek is really good (look at his season last year).
Couture is not a good center and needs to get bumped to the wing (Just doesn't make anyone around him better or drive play. He is more of a passenger on that line for Meier and Pavs to do the bulk of the work). To do that, you need a legit #2 center to bump him there. Trochek is also only 25 right now with 3 years on a very team friendly deal so it helps get us through the Pavelski contract with some pretty static salary cap costs and a quality player.
Hm. Okay. I see your logic on the Cooch thing (and I absolutely agree, for the record) but I honestly think that Braun is worth more than you give him credit for here. He's
absolutely having an off season, but he also has an 8 year history of extremely solid play to back up the idea that this is a glitch (which I genuinely think it is - I am very concerned with some of the Shark's coaching staff right now and would very much like to see some changes made there in the off season. It seems unlikely to me that Jones, Dell, Braun, and Vlasic - all of whom have good records to this point - would all stumble so severely at the same time without some kind of coaching issue.) I do agree that Florida would be a smart destination for him, especially given that his former D coach is there and knows the value he brings. I'd like to see if he could be moved without giving up
two of our best prospects.
Beyond that, you're underpaying Pavs, Meier, and Labanc (who admittedly could be underpaid given his lack of arbitration rights) and ignoring the goaltending situation - Bibeau is just not ready to come up. I know we'd all like it very much, but his play is still worryingly spotty and that's at the AHL level - I think he'd get creamed if he were called up.