ANA has zero use for Howden or Hajek other than to flip them

I like the Detroit trade, my only concern is with Manthas injury problems

I like all these for NYR

I mean

Player A: 21 year old C picked in the late 1st round, has scored 37 points over the last 2 seasons after putting up big #'s in the WHL
Player B: 22 year old C picked in the late 1st round, has scored 30 points over the last 2 seasons after putting up big #'s in the WHL

Apparently Player A has zero use
and Player B is Sam Steel.

I'd say revise your characterization and realize that this is probably a decently valued trade or I guess Sam Steel is pretty cheap..

Agreed. It's kinda concerning, but I think if healthy the value is comparable. We'll see how he finishes the year...

Not to mention Howden has been in the Rangers bottom 6 for a while now

and don't forget Steel's time on the PP... It's tough to make a an argument that Howden doesn't have much value while ALSO trying to make an argument that Steel is a top 9 C with potential.

It's fine if you want to put down Howden, but it goes both ways.

Player A has also played what, 40-50, and when he wasn't in NYR's lineup... The team improved noticably... Also almost everyone I talk to (who are way better at evaluating talent than me) seen to think Howden caps as a 3C, and Steel literally turned 22 a week or so ago, and Howden will in a bit over a month, their basically the same age lmao.... Yes I do think Steel is overrated, he'll probably be a good but not great 2C for his career, but even without him, I'd still rather have Lundestrom Zegras and BOG over him at C long term, then you have Kase Ritchie Silf Terry Comtois etc fighting for middle 6 wing spots...

Mantha has had 3 injuries. The first was a broken finger from fighting Witkowski and the second was a broken hand from a fight with Nemeth. The third one happened when Muzzin body slammed him breaking a couple ribs which punctured his lung. So he keeps the gloves on and there is no injuries and that is why I wouldn't say he is injury prone. Detroit isn't going to trade Mantha ability to score is something Detroit hasn't had since Franzen career was cut short.

OK. that's all well in good. I'm not sure what that has to do with my trade.

The trade is Kase for Howden, Hajek and a 3rd.

The argument you seem to be making is that the Ducks already have all the Forward talent that they need in their system and any more is just to be flipped. That doesn't make much sense to me...

Hajek has the exact same statistical profile as Larsson and Guhle and with the dearth of D prospects in the Ducks system that's worth more than nothing. In terms of NHL ready players, Lundestrom needs some time in the AHL and BOG needs a couple years in the AHL. Silf and Ritchie and even Rakell might not even be on the roster next year. Howden slides into a C spot in the NHL tomorrow for the Ducks.

I don't see why they don't make this trade given that they're starting a rebuild.

I think their reason for trading him is positional. There are basically no major RHD prospects in the Detroit system. Meanwhile, between Veleno, Zadina, Berggren, Mastrosimone, Rasmussen, Hirose and their likely top 4 pick this year (Laf/Byfield/Raymond, etc). You gotta believe that at least 3-4 of those guys along with Larkin, Bertuzzi and Fabbri are the core of the top 6 going forward. And while Hronek and Seider are going to take care of the LHD for the future. There's basically no top 4 RHD talent in the system right now. Trouba is in his prime, signed long term and immediately becomes your #1 PPQB and PK guy. I'd say Mantha's contribution is more replaceable in Detroit's context.

That's exactly what I'm saying, the ducks have, long term an overload of forward talent already adjusted to the system, in just prospects they have way more than 6 middle 6 guys, as soon as next year (really this year) you'll have Lundestrom Comtois Steel Terry Kase Ritchie, all fighting for spots, and ANA would be stupid to move any of them, then Silf and Rico who wait could get moved, but I'm pretty sure Rico has a full NTC, not sure about that tho, I don't see Howden topping any of those guys, and even if he does, he just forces an unnecessary trade (that GMBM is already questionable at...) for a minor at best, if at all, upgrade, then you have BOG and Zegras coming, there goes Howden within 2 years, plus we likely draft a forward top 5 with our first this year, there's another guy who'll be middle 6 next year...

Guhle>>>>>>Larson>Hajek (in reality, Guhle only slightly better, just zoomed in to show that Larson is really only marginally better than Hajek) and the ducks don't have a "dearth" of D specs... They have a "dearth" of RHD specs, on the left side you encounter the same issue as you do with middle 6 forwards, Lindholm isn't going anywhere, then you have Fowler* Guhle Larson Mahura (who is the best of the three despite his defensive ability, or lack thereof) and LaCombe coming up on the system, so Hajek just becomes yet another spare asset we'd look to trade for an RHD, Lundestrom wasn't brutal last year, probably caps as a 3C similar to Howden, and will be ready next year at the latest, he's solid defensively, BOG needs a few years yeah, but his ceiling is much higher than Howden, the ducks would be utterly insane to trade Ritchie or Raks rn, and even so, there's still a plethora of forwards ready, Howden probably isn't better than Lundestrom rn, he defiantly needs more AHL time, he showed this year he was not ready for the NHL, his defensive game was just not there at all

I think you need to take another look at Detroit's roster. Hronek and Seider are both RDs and with Lindstrom who looks really good and Tuomisto is getting a ton of praise just like Lindstrom did last year. Don't forget Bowey who has steadily improved all season long still a 3rd pair guy but able to put up 20 to 30 points a season isn't bad. So RDs aren't Detroit's problem it LDs that need work. So Miller would be a better fit and since he's not established yet NYR's 2020 1st for Mantha is a lot more realistic. But not to worry because DETROIT ISN'T TRADING MANTHA.