Vegas will want a top prospect like Wahlstrom or Dobson, there are a dozen teams in a bidding war. They're not trading him for piecework

KEEP GUSEV AND HIS 5’9 frame.
TWO WORDS - JAN KOVAR

He plays in an inferior league with 15 more feet of ice surface.

Let them get in to a bidding war. Islanders should stay out of it and keep their prospects.
This guy is not worth it.

He can be a Jan Kovar or Shipachyov or he can be a panarin. There's clearly risk, which is why Vegas only thinks he was worth 2 mil. With that said, Kovar was a good KHL player, but he wasn't top 3 in the league with the elite International play that Gusev has had. To say Gusev is just another Jan Kovar is not fair to the guy until he shows otherwise. (Kovar proved within a few days he wasn't ready for the NHL).

If Vegas (who clearly have seen him play more than anyone) thinks he’s worth the risk? Why isn’t he a priority?
If Vegas wanted him at 2 million why should we give him 4???
Sorry, It’s someone else’s hype...

Billing this kid as the-next-could-be-maybe-Panarin... Isn’t fair either.

Nigel Dawes was the #2 scorer. A 33 yr old former Ranger.
Nail Yakupov finally scored 20 goals in the same KHL...

There are some exceptions, but I trust Vegas scouts over anyone’s opinion.
I’ll pass.

THERE IS NO WAY ON GOD’S GREEN EARTH WILL I BE TRADING DOBSON OR WAHLSTROM FOR GUSEV.

THEN VEGAS CAN KEEP HIM. HE’S NOT EVEN WORTH KIEFFER BELLOWS

Then we will keep him

At no point did I even slightly suggest that Wahlstrom or Dobson should be sent to Vegas. Also, Vegas' scouts clearly liked him enough to tell GMGM to sign him in the middle of a playoff series. The bottom line is: Vegas is a team with a ton of chemistry in their top 6, values that, and also didn't expect Gusev to command a ton in RFA. They wanted the bridge (FWIW, Sorokin is also going to get this "bridge" deal if he ever comes over from CSKA). That's why he's on the block and that's why he's not going to be a Golden Knight. And we're really comparing this guy to Yakupov? and Dawes? When did they have the same international success Gusev had? Maybe world Junior's against U18 kids? Maybe it is unfair to say panarin, but there's definitely a reason as to why he's the most hyped up KHL player coming over as a FA in quite some time.

Just to be fair Sorokin will get an ELC assuming he ventured over next year. He’ll be 23 so two year ELC then a free agent

This is true, shorthanded that explanation.

When Nigel Dawes was the 2nd leading scorer behind Gusev? Thats what Im talking about.
When Yakupov Couldn't break 20 goals in the NHL but did it his first year in the KHL? Thats what Im talking about.

I never compared Gusev to them. Wake up and stop believing the hype. If Vegas wanted him? They had the money, they would have signed him.

Vegas do want him but cant meet his price due to their cap constraints