Quoting: Koskinen_The_Great
This. Raty is mid. Beauvilier is a throwaway.
This is a 1st protected for Bo
This smells like Canucks just wanting to burn it down quickly and tank as well as guarantee Horvat doesnt get hurt!
Canucks could have gotten more but I understand the deal rn for the Canucks. Isles got a good deal but I dont really see the need but I guess it was better than doing nothing for an older team in their competition window.
Makes sense given they're 5th OA as it stands
With ANA ,CHI and SJS having good weeks as far as wins/points
VAN bumped SJS out of 5th OA , ARZ is about to knock ANA out of 3rd OA(if they didnt go to OT they would have) and CBJ just knocked CHI out of 1st OA
CHI, SJS and ANA all have players of high skill level they're shopping who are stealing wins trying to up their value to contenders.
ARZ and CBJ dont have the depth to do much other then rely on next man up which hasnt been going their way.
VAN after Horvat's 4 assists lead them to their 2nd win in 3 games i think realized their timeline to get ahead is the next 15 games or so.
IF they sell early and only win lets say 3 of the next 15 games they'd be right there with CBJ at the bottom of the league battling for 1st OA.
For VAN i think its just as much about Michkov as it is Bedard as like NJD, MIN ,WSH and a few others they've been taking advantage while most teams steer away from Russians.
Whether they land Bedard , Michkov or even Fantilli or Carlsson to a lesser degree they're still winners even taking a loss on Horvat.
Past those 4 picks though the quality slide's down from Future All Stars and Gold Medalist's almost guaranteed to High odds of it but could just be solid Middle 6 players with top line upside.
Good call i never thought about that angle
I was just so confused on why they took less and didnt even take a top prospect from NYI.
Aatu isnt even the best Raty let alone a top prospect , his brother is as he's not defined by Power Play Production
It reminds me so much of the Kostitsyn's where both were good but one needed Power Play and Kovalev to produce.
The other didnt need anyone and was as productive on Power Play as he was Dominant on Penalty Kill while being a 5v5 checking force.
Neither were guys you'd consider all stars just really good middle 6 options or bottom 6 depending on the teams depth level's .
Aatu will do fine but the minute someone gets that contract away from ARZ his brother will agree to come over to the USA to develop. As it stands he's a 4th year Pro and as of this June 1st 2023 he'll be a UFA able to choose the club he wants to join going forward. He was smart waiting as he's 21st in league scoring on the 2nd best team in the league where both his top 6 Centers ,their top line RW and top D join him in the top 20(ish in Raty case). He's pushed himself to be better even leaving the system he'd spent his entire youth developing in for more minute's and a bigger role on a less historic team (essentially leaving the Detroit Redwings for the Tampa Bay Lightnight circa 2003)
While Aatu just polish's the skills that paid the bills up until his Draft.
Aku is more focused on become a top overall player with a high compete level and heart with a willingness to sacrifice his body that Aatu simply doesnt possess