Late first, might be able to get away with a 2nd and 3rd. Problem is we'd need a 1C before we moved him for picks.

CBJ probably says no, but I'd ask for a deal around Texier if I'm Guerin.

@MNBassman @TanSor

@Viqsi @Bluejackets2000

Thoughts?

As a rental?

Texier is off the table unless you’re taking Wennberg back.

I think a 2nd and a 3rd is fair, I’d even be willing to offer our 2021 1st (Playoff protected)?

Figured, but worse players have been traded for better prospects. We don't have anybody in our system that projects as a 1C so if we move Staal it leaves a gaping hole on our top line.

Don't think our owner would want picks for next year, he wants to win ASAP. Has to be a good prospect or pick(s) this year

Minnesota should be rebuilding.. they really aren’t that close to competing imo. Maybe at the deadline it would be a better trade target if Staal is still there. Columbus doesn’t have any center prospects outside of Foudy. We are weak at center too.

Also Texier is a better wing then he is a center. I just think Staal would be a perfect fit in Columbus and a great mentor for PLD and Foudy but also everyone as he’s won the cup before.

I just can't see Minnesota trading Staal after he took a discount to play there...

I don't even think they'd consider moving him right now if they did acquire a center. They already need to add a center with him on the roster, given his low cap hit I think they keep him for better depth. If they're out of it next year at the TDL, maybe they flip him for a pick.

I really like Staal, and at 35 with 1 more year on his contract would be nice to have him, and he is still putting up decent numbers...but I definitely would not pay too much for him. Anderson (equivalent to a 2nd round pick) and a 3rd would be as much as I would want to pay. I realize the Wild are in desperate need of centers, but so are the Jackets. Wennberg is a very good younger option, and being a 2-way (defensive-minded) centerman, on a longer contact than Staal, he would fit in very well as 2C in Minnesota for a long time. Maybe swap Wennberg and a 2nd for Staal? Staal's numbers/output now is about what Wennberg put up in his highest year output....Wenny could definitely get back to those levels. Give him a new opportunity, new coach, new system (which fits his game perfectly), new wingers, etc.

I think you've jumped to this conclusion too quickly. We heard similar things about Johansen and PLD when they got started on the wing as well.

I’m not 100% sure Texier will get much of a chance at center though either, with Foudy coming up and Grigoranko, Jenner, Nash, and PLD. I see Texier on the wing more then him being a center. It’ll be interesting to see where Grigoranko fits in.

The stated plan is ultimately to develop him there, or at least attempt to. And Nash and Jenner both have gotten moved to the wing as necessary - indeed, Jenner's unofficial second job seems to have been to be the "backup center" on lines when we're developing a guy like that.

Whether or not he stays there at the NHL level is of course yet to be seen. I just don't think it makes sense to pronounce him as already "a better wing than a center".