If you think Ladd won’t be on LTIR, great, but I’m going to assume he will for the purposes of this post.
Anyways, I think Leddy for Palmieri makes a lot of sense. Leddy could be a good luck moving defenseman for NJD, and Palmieri, as a UFA the following season, could be a Top 6 acquisition whose contract situation could be unattractive to Seattle. If he stays next season, great, if not, Leddy and a 3rd is worth it for a one year rental.
Virtanen could be cheaply acquired to add more offensive depth to the Isles, yet another potential 20 goal scorer that could be a part of an incredibly strong 3rd line. If he does well, we have a cheap scorer for a few seasons. If not, we put him on a sacrificial altar to the Kraken next season. Whatever happens, the Isles have Wahlstrom to replace whichever forward Seattle will draft. Wahlstrom himself will play 39 games this season. If he’s fantastic and scoring at a ridiculous pace, keep him on the roster and trade one of our extra forwards for picks. If not, send him back to the AHL so he doesn’t have to be protected from Seattle.
I’d imagine Ottawa, or some other rebuilder, would take this trade. If not, throw in a middling prospect or pick to get the job done.
No from Devils. We're expecting to sign him this summer, or trade him for a 1st and more at the deadline for a playoff desperate team.
You’re probably not wrong to do that. I just see Palmieri as a cheaper option, both in terms of cap and what it would take to acquire him. If the price involves a 1st rounder, Dobson or Wahlstrom, well, at that point I’d rather start bidding on Laine. Devils would get the return they’d want for Palmieri, but they’d probably want the trade market to be quiet when they do so.
The deal works out well for both sides, Isles should definitely be looking for low cost goal scorers right now and the Canucks should be looking for low cost RHDs. It’s just such a great fit.