For less than three years of Buch, with UFA expiry, that's a bit pricey. Those assets are better spent on a player with term such as Meier, even if he would have a higher cap hit.

If you're taking Niemela, you're not getting a first for a rental

NJ would be paying this price because of Buch's affordable cap hit and control. Even when Buch becomes an UFA he'll likely still be a cheaper AAV than Meier's next contract (just a guess). With all the prospects NJ has they shouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger on something like this.

Yikes, so much no thanks.

1st and a good prospect has quite literally always been the going rate for a top six/top four rental at the deadline, especially when the player doesn't have control over his destination and the trading team is willing to eat half the salary.

I’m not huge on Holtz or shakir, would rather just keep Buch.

Shakir and holtz are decent but for Buch I’d want a better defensive dman and Mercer instead

I’d only do the first two tbh

Should be Thomas or Kyrou there at that price. Contracts are little hairy though.

Giroux didn't get that

Giroux did return a 1st, 3rd and prospect in Tippett? A Giroux trade would have cost even more if not for his NMC that limited the only team to FLA.

Is Barbashev not for sale? What would his price be?

ROR is your captain, even though he doesn't have any clauses, I'm sure management would want to do right by the player and trade him to his preferred destination. Look at Giordano, he didn't have any clauses and he still chose his destination

I would say yes as NYI.

Of all our UFA's I see Barby being the one STL may keep. In the event he's traded, I'd say a 2nd and 3rd or 4th in return. If there's a prospect STL likes from the trading team those pick(s) could change; just depends on the package back to STL.

Perhaps. But if STL is selling, we need to get as much back in any return as possible. Sounds harsh, but just my perspective. Armstrong has handcuffed himself enough with all the NTC he's handed to other players. He needs to maximize return on those he can. Plus Tank and ROR would likely be traded to contenders, so it's not like we're shipping them to bottom feeders...

I would be fine with that Leafs trade if it was a 2024 first rounder over a 2023 first rounder considering the 2023 is a lot deeper

Giroux had control over his destination, and still returned a very similar package of 1st+good prospect, with an over-ripe young roster player and a 3rd in place of the good prospect. I'm not sure that's a great counterpoint.

O'Reilly is younger and plays center full time, and has won the Stanley Cup before. Even if the Blues do trade him to his preferred destination, there is not a hard and fast limitation on that like there was with Giroux. And the Blues (wrongly, I think) don't seem hellbent on trading him like the Flyers did with Giroux. I would be shocked if it doesn't cost a 1st and a good prospect.