Nah I dont see the net benefit of the swap. Kaut is on the first year of his ELC and will be a valuable piece to round out the bottom 6 moving forward, hes having issues cracking a deep talented team, but his defensive game is high end, he will have value no matter what

Brown is in the last year of his ELC and is having issues even staying in the NHL on a bad rebuilding team. Brown loses his waiver exemption as well next season, Kaut they have a lot of flexibility with for a while.

Brown is in Kamanev territory. You dont have to swap Kaut for that

Brown has done a lot better in the minors but he is two years older. I don’t love the trade for either side so that’s probably a good indication that the value is relatively even.

I don't think he's in Kamenev territory. That said, I'm not in love with the trade. Brown is getting pretty close to put up or shut up time.

I don't think Kaut is gonna make it in Colorado though with so many ahead of him on the depth chart. If they can swap him for another prospect at a different position or include him in a package for something bigger then it's worth considering (imo).

If Kaut cant make the Avs, brown wont make the avs especially over Bowers.
Like I said, all you are doing is trading for the guy you lose all roster flexibility for coming off hie ELC and requiring waivers. Brown has to be in the NHL or he is on waivers starting next year. Kaut doesnt have that issue for a couple more seasons yet

If roster flexibility is your main issue with the trade then Brown could always be signed to a 2 way contract next year...

thats not how things work.

You would have to non qualify him and he becomes a free agent, then you lose all RFA control of him with him free to sign wherever he wants

T580

Waivers is a very fair point.

Bowers will most likely start at LW, which gives him a fair shot at making the team next season, and 4C could be a place for Brown. Kaut is behind a lot of bodies at RW. I get that folks like him, but I don't know if the team can maximize his value. At best he ends up at 4RW, but even that might be tough with how well LOC has shown.

Brown isnt a better C upgrade over Bowers though. Really am not seeing the upside of Brown at all, Sens fans have questioned his ability to be an NHL player...so why would a cup contender take a fringe reclaim project and play them on the 4th line?

If you have issues with Kaut....thats fine but this is not the trade to flip him in. Brown really isnt very good at the NHL level

Bowers was mostly LW last year though. Not sure about this year. I have high hopes for him at C eventually but it may be a couple years.

I don't have issues with Kaut per se. I see him as having a tough time making this roster though, which leads me to want to explore moving.

Hes back at C with the eagles, they moved him to wing last year to get him ready for call up opportunities as he would be able to play either position.
But now avs have a bigger need for C, he will be back at C.

Plus with Newhook coming, you can have Newhook at 3C, Bowers./Jost/Compher (deepening on the draft) as the 4C. Really C isnt an issue to move Kaut for a low reward reclaim project in Brown

Brown wont make the team as a C either, so not seeing the benefits

Initial reaction is that this is bad for Colorado. Kaut has 2 more years of ELC after this year which is very valuable.

That right there just kills this idea. Avs aren't trading 2 years of Kaut on an ELC for a guy who could be lost on waivers next year.

I can understand the idea of moving Kaut given our clogged RW, but moving him for a guy like Brown does nothing to help the Avs. If Kaut is moved it needs to be in a package for a 3C or a goalie (eg. Kuemper).

Brown won't make much more (if at all) on his next deal, so I think that's kind of a wash.



Having as many guys that can play C as possible is desirable (imo). Otherwise you end up with Dries in the lineup. Brown still has upside but has been derailed by injuries and a crappy organization. I don't personally think it's as far off as some others.

That said, I can see and appreciate your points. I'd rather include him in a deal for Crosby or Malkin but I do think this is interesting enough to discuss. I just don't see Kaut as an impactful player on this team.

I agree that having more C's is never a bad thing.

However, the fact that Brown isn't waiver exempt makes it difficult to have him in a depth role. If he's not in the lineup then he's eating nachos and his contract is counting against the cap instead of being sent down because you don't want to risk him going through waivers.

I'm starting to think that the organisation might be open to trading Kaut. Bednar said he didn't like his camp and he's seemingly down the pecking order of Avs depth forwards behind O'Connor and Sherwood.

It would be huge for this team is Kaut can emerge this season as a legitimate option on the 3rd line like we saw last year though. Kaut - 3C - Donskoi could be pretty decent and an upgrade offensively on what we currently have on that line with Nichuskin and Compher.

Are you sure about that? I might be mistaken but I’ve seen Ottawa do that multiple times when a prospect wasn’t quite ready to make the NHL. Most recently Marcus Hogberg was on a two way last year that turned into a on way this year and he was never non-qualified...

yeah I am sure how that works.
Hoberg came off his ELC, still an RFA, signed a standard contract. 2 way contracts dont make you waiver exempt. all that means is that you have different salaries in the AHL vs NHL