Quoting: Penguins21
I mean, they are getting back an nhl ready prospect, a top prospect, and a 1st round pick though. For sure. For a 31 year old, superstar (turns 31 in February, so actually 30). Prime is 26-32 years old. How old are u?? I’m guessing not 32 yet??
And now with all the advancements in the last 10 years in recovery. You can probably add onto that.
Any team would give up a young NHL ready player and their top prospect and a 1st round pick for him. Every team has those guys. All 32 teams. And none of them are Steven Stamkos.
statistically forwards peek at 27. Some a little later but for the most part it's earlier than 30. So I don't count the 30+ years as prime. Are they still good, yeah, but they are slowing and stats are typically in decline at that point. The really bad thing about aging forwards is they decline faster than defense men.
Also not everyone can extend and the old ways of hockey aka guys playing well into their 30s is coming to an end. Players slow down by the time they are at 33-34. Modern what ever doesn't stop guys from slowing down. There is only so much you can do with losing steps. People hit their physical peek at 24-25. Now that can change for some people who do nothing early in life and something later. But biologically studies have shown that's when your body starts to throttle down. Which when you look at the rest of the stats it starts to make sense why players statistically peek at 27. You got a physical peek and experience peek. Then it's down hill. Experience will only make you so much better and the decline catches up.
Even Bergeron who in all regards was a great player in his youth, is slowing. He can't play his old game aka 200 feet shut down guy. He gets his starts in the Ozone now and has for several years, mainly due to his legs not keeping up with his old game. He was 34 this year.
Is he still a good center, yeah, but he's a shell of his former self who use to play a great 200 foot game starting in the Dzone most shifts. So I think you get 2-3 good years out of Stamkos. By the time you hit 34 the decline is noticeable on almost all players.
Which is why I think the asking price is way to high on what you are asking. Especially in this market. You might get a late 1st and a player/prospect of some regard. But OTT might be a pretty high 1st round pick. And I don't see him returning that. Especially on a team that for all intent is not competing for a cup in that window.
Stamkos is a really solid player but no one is confusing him with a generational talent. Odds are he declines like everyone else.
I could see him getting a 20 goal guy on a small contract and some 2nd round picks/ B+ prospects.
But a huge return I don't think so. He's too old to bring that back. Much like teams probably aren't dishing out that much For a 33 year old Crosby. which is why it will never be worth it to trade him.
Which is why I think TB did the math and said, it's easier to lose a 20 goal forward than a guy who can net you 40 even if he only has a few years left in the tank.