we miss leo k
Rejoint: févr. 2018
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Isles already have a high-end 2C in Brock Nelson so it wouldn't make a ton of sense for them to spend this much on another - you're literally asking for their top prospect, a 22 year old LHD they just traded 13OA for 4 months ago, and a 2023 1st.
And while you're right that high-end 2Cs don't get traded that often, there's a pretty similar player traded the offseason before last who can play 2C in Sam Reinhart. Reinhart isn't as strong defensively as Horvat, especially on the dot, but his offensive production pre-trade literally matches Horvat's to date at 0.65 PPG. Florida had to give him a new contract before he hit the ice with them, so that's gonna hamper his value a bit, but it still only cost them a 2022 1st and Devon Levi's rights (Levi was a 7th round pick in 2020 whose 2020-21 season consisted solely of a 7 game run at World Juniors.)
I can concede that Horvat's value is higher than Reinhart's defensively, but Reinhart had RFA rights for all of 2021-22 and whoever gets Horvat will have him for 25ish games before needing to pay him or walk on. I can't see his value being worth as much as you're asking here, though. - if anything, maybe a team adds a 2nd rounder or a younger roster player/close to NHL-ready prospect, but these asks are bordering on the Eichel package.