Few issues
1) Overpaying Lemieux by about 425,000. He isn't arbitration eligible, his negotiating rights are far from ideal, he takes a 2 year deal at 1 million a season
2) Brendan Smith will not be our #6 defenseman, I don't see anyway he beats out Hajek and Rykov, let alone both of them. If somehow he isn't bought out or traded, he will likely start in Hartford
3) Buying out Shatty is so short-sighted. His numbers aren't bad, 1 year removed from knee surgery, playing on a total dumpster fire defense and lastly his 6 million dollar dead space cap hit next year is a death sentence that I like to think Gorton is smart enough to avoid.

I do think the trade is realistic, though if we retain salary I'd like to get a better pick since Vesey got a 3rd and Namestnikov can play all 3 forward positions and is a complete player.

Shatty buyout must be avoided. Way too much dead space next year.

These points are all correct. Furthermore, the difference in value of a 3rd round pick vs. 4th round pick is actually pretty negligible. So whereas Namestnikov's actual value is something like a late 2nd. We'll take a 4th...that's all unretained.

Looks like Gorton isn't so smart after all...

Hate the move

Yeah he’s made some great moves this summer but the Shatty buyout was very shortsighted. Still would have preferred a Smith or Staal buyout and even trading Vlad or Strome with a sweetener at this point to get them off the books. Curious to see what move or moves he makes next
Does he deal Kreider for good value or hold onto him for deadline deal?
Does Gorton deal Strome or Vlad for pennies on the dollar?
Or does he do something no one is expecting?
I have to think it’s Strome of Vlad for pennies on the dollar, but we shall see.