Fair.

MIN is offering Fiala, not Kaprizov.

Also, educate me on the last time a top-5 pick was traded for a player (or even better yet, a player's rights without a contract).
Has it ever been done in cap era?

Name when a 25 year old PPG 80+ point RFA last hit the market and was available?

I think its more a comment on style of player than actual body weight.
We have plenty of transition guys, perimeter guys.
NJD could use a boast in front of net, and in corners retrieving pucks.

Fiala was 22nd in scoring
Buchnevich was 33rd in scoring

Actually its the NJD offering the pick for Fiala.

Value is determined by total points not just goals, assists are just as important to determining a players worth offensively.

Fiala was 11th in points for wingers this year. 20th in points for all forward positions, when Buchnevich ranked 22nd for wingers and 40th for forwards.

https://www.nhl.com/stats/skaters?reportType=season&seasonFrom=20212022&seasonTo=20212022&gameType=2&position=F&filter=gamesPlayed,gte,1&sort=points&page=0&pageSize=50


Buchnevich wasn't a PPG player when he was traded. He is now, after the fact. Fiala will be. That makes a difference.

I agree that Fiala > Buchnevich.
But comps are useful in setting benchmarks for future trades.

If Devils were offering Zacha + 37th overall pick, that would be more that what NYR got for Buch. (Zacha> Blais, 37th>56th).

Is that enough? Does that win Fiala (and beat out other bids)?
If he is signing an extension, probably not...but its a good starting point.
Add a prospect or another pick...maybe both...and you are probably in ballpark relative to recent comps.

But asking for #5 overall (and sometimes #5 overall plus Holtz) is an asking price unrooted to actual markets.

But we are not offering the 5th pick for Fiala.
(especially if he is without a contract)

Not basis in recent NHL history for such a trade.

I have never once said Fiala was worth both 5th overall and Holtz. It's one or the other. If Holtz was offered, it automatically becomes a 2nd and nothing more.

If Holtz or Mercer aren't on the table then that 1st absolutely needs to be. PPG players don't grow on trees and there isn't an ounce of credibility to thinking that pick will ever hit the same stratosphere as Fiala.

Fiala is the sure thing.

That 5th overall, Holtz, even Mercer, sure as hell aren't.

Your own GM said that pick is available for an *impact player*. Fiala is an impact player.

I watched the press conference. He was asked a question and answered it with a “all options are on the table” type of response. NHL.com sent a beat reporter from a different club (ours does draft stuff too) to cover and he wrote it as “Devils are trading #5”.

He said the same thing last year with #4 and previous year with #7.

So it’s just that. An option.

There is no precedent for a top-5 pick being traded straight-up for a player. None in cap era.

If Devils had to move Jesper Bratt, I’d be saying same thing.

Especially if he doesn’t have a contract.

But you do if you need to come out of a rebuilt next year and you need a high talent established player. These guys will be good but not for 2-3 years will they be legitimate stars. The devils don’t need more prospects they need to go into cup contention while their current young stars are still young, they are getting older each year and the devils don’t make the right moves to better the team. They need to trade the pick for someone. I don’t know if I would trade it for Fiala but I would definitely trade it for a high talent forward. Also to the thread starter: there is no point for the devils to let Subban go and then sign a different veteran UFA RD to a 1 year deal. Subban is the best Guy on the market for that spot especially considering how small of a cap hit u can get him for: either you bring up a rookie full time or you resign Subban