In Nashvilles case, scoring forwards are what they need not more defense.

They have a top 4 in Ellis, Josi, Ekholm and Fabbri, where does Trouba fit in?

I think Trouba wanted that NMC on his contract for a reason, meaning that he wouldn't be waived off. Unless it's a draft day deal, which NSH is not doing because they don't really need RHDs and they'd be everlastingly f*cked for the expansion draft as they'd have to protect Trouba, and they already have Josi, Ellis and Ekholm that also needs to be protected...

Bratt isn't going anywhere - Devils decline.

no question on that MTL trade... yes

Trouba to Nashville makes no sense they're set at RD, And the last thing they need is a RDman making $8 million per for the next 6 years. If Poile moves Johansen he'll be looking at shedding $8 million not taking $8 million on.

I don't really diagnose it that way....Nashville had a top 10 scoring team last year in terms of goals/60 and goal differential. The problem is that the offense would largely revolve around whenever Josi was on the ice. It would really fall off the table without Josi/Ellis. Fabbro looked bad last year...consistently so on the offensive end. Fabbro was analytically the worst offensive dman in the league.



This isn't to say anything about Fabbro's potential, but the Nashville cup window is closing in the next few years just based off of aging and cap mgmt. If Nashville's going to make a cup it's going to be in the next couple years and it's unclear if Fabbro has the offense to become a top 4 dman in that time. So you let Fabbro develop comfortably without pressure on the 3rd line, improve your 2nd pair offense IMMENSELY and get younger. Hynes has moved Duchene to the 1C and bounced Johansen down to play with hustle wingers because he doesn't think his effort is there. He's really an ideal change of scenery guy.

can you deny that the value is there for the devils. storme and howden would give you guys great depth down the middle. i wouldn't turn down the trade if i was a devils fan.

what's bratt's ceiling? 2nd liner, 45-50 point player?

The value might be there, yes. But we need wingers and defenseman not centers. No deal therefore...

Bratt has certainly shown he could be more than that (60-70 points) but consistency is his big issue. But he's a former 6th round pick and there's absolutely no reason to trade him right now unless it makes us better at defense or on the wing.

We don't need to stockpile Centers right now. We need goal scoring wingers and defense. Easy decline by NJD.

....You literally just traded for 3 wingers over the past 6 months.

Kuokkanen, Merkley, and Foote. Kuokkanen and Merkley are no doubt up in the NHL next year, as is Ty Smith.

What you don't have is C depth. Zacha is clearly not the answer and I don't think you have the confidence to bet on Michael McLeod's future.

Strome and Howden help you up the middle immensely, which is honestly where you need it..