I don’t think we will have to retain in Stastny, and especially if we are getting nothing in return...

Its not necessarily nothing in return. The empty trade is meant as a placeholder since I didnt want this post to be focused on trade values

Depending on Stastny's no trade list you may not have a choice with the retention tbh. He could fill up that list with some teams who dont want to add salary (ARZ, OTT, etc) to force his way onto a team he wants to play for (which in this scenario I assume is COL)

Ik saad has been floating around but do u want to trade players of value for a potential rental. Ik u have a good window before contracts come up but shouldn’t u try to get someone who’s signed for at least 2/3 years?

It will cost a 1st for a top 20 2 way player in the league who can put up 40-50 points

Any chance the hawks could get kaut? Compher and a pick or jost and a pick could work but I really like kaut

Resign saad. I know it’s not just that easy but he’s gonna be making less than 6 mil per on his next deal. Colorado has plenty of cap space

That's definitely something to consider, Killorn would be a good target with some term left if they wanted to go that route. Depending on the price I think this could be a solid option as well. With the expansion draft they would have to make some roster changes in the 2021 offseason anyway, so if you had to pick a year to add rentals this is a pretty good year to do it

If that's the price then I don't think the Avs go for it. I think COL would be willing to make a deal based around one of Jost/Compher/Zadorov though

I doubt Sakic would move Kaut tbh. He's going to be essential for the cap crunch since his ELC slid and he is now cost controlled through 2023

Ur right about the expansion draft. Maybe less expensive winger then. Someone who’s older. I like saad he’s a good player but I feel the avalanche should continue with their mo of good asset management as that’s what’s gotten them here and search out another Stasney on the wing where u don’t give up much if your comfortable letting him go for nothing.

I agree that's more of the Avalanches style when it comes to rentals. Very cheap to acquire but effective (at least they hope):
Namestnikov, Brassard, etc.

But I've seen Saad rumours on Twitter so I thought I'd make a scenario like this to see what it would look like

I really hate to see Saad leave. He will be forever under the shadows of Panarin because of that bad trade but as such, also one of the most underrated players in the league based on the intangibles most fans don't recognize outside of points (stripping the puck, puck possession rarely coughs up the puck, tough on the boards, excellent forecheck and good backcheck, PK and PP player, very good in all 3 zones, excellent transition game, big strong and above average speed, excellent post season player with above .50 ppg in his post season career, etc.). You simply can't replace top 6 2-way players like that very easily or for that matter cheaply, you just can't. I'm more in the camp that Hawks should immediately start working on an extension at $4.5M for 4 or 5 years.

That said, if they do move him...albeit a downgrade...I like Compher coming back as part of a package. I think the Hawks would have to demand at least a 3rd with Compher (maybe 3rd and 5th) or a pretty good prospect like Justus Annunen or Drew Helleson

Before Covid and the flat cap sure. Now I wouldn’t take that to the bank, particularly for a pending UFA.

Annunen isn’t on the table in any trade that doesn’t involve a long term starting goalie to COL.