1. Taking on Gardiner at 4m for another 3 years is not good.

2. I think CHI would rather just buy Maatta out.

I think we just trade him for a pick.

I like mojo but next year CHIs top 9 will be too crowded for him. Would rather see a pick, low end prospect, or buyout for Maatta.

I disagree. Yes 3 years is not ideal, but you think 2 years of a Gardiner/Joki second pairing would be that bad? The point of taking on Gardiner is we let McCabe walk next year and give time for Samuelsson/Johnson to develop into Gardiner's second pairing position. The guy has good analytics and just had a down year

What if you can't trade him for a pick and you need to take back a similar amount of salary? Would this trade still be interesting?

It’s hard to agree to, we have a very crowded forward core for next season and I can’t see him getting significant ice time here. If you added a pick it might be easier.

Ditto to the question I asked Stan_Bowman, what do you think?

Fair point, will probably depend on if anything happens with Strome

Depends on the forward situation for CHI but if it was just a trade about exchanging similiar cap hits I'd do it.

We already have a lot of guys like Gardiner. Offensive guys that are prone to lapses on defense. Add on that he just turned 30 + his back issues + 3 more years at 4M and it's no bueno from me. Would rather target a cheaper more defensively responsible guy.

His analytics this year were really bad WAR / GAR / SPAR

BUF can have maata but we don't want players back. Already have too many middle 6 wingers

Gardiner is worth more than that. The dude looks on fire in camp and looked like a stud in the exhibition game. I know it's only an exhibition game, but even before the break, Gardiner looked like a man possessed.

His contract heavily holds back his value, but I think he would be perfect for Buffalo

I know he had a down year, but his defensive analytics over his career aren't terrible. It's not what he's known for, but I don't think it's a liability. Him and Joki would be perfect and he would replace Risto on our PP2

3 years at 4 mil for a guy who's held a 2.5 PPG rate for the past 6 months is unfair value?