Is Konecny that good???

I know some Detroit fans might do that trade but I wouldn't. 2023 picks should be off the board and first round picks should be off the board. Those picks are more needed to fill organizational needs than for another winger which are actually quite a bit easier to come by.

I'd take konency but it would have to be for next year's Boston first and probably not a 2nd with it, maybe a prospect or 2

CBJ likely getting one of Bedard/Fantilli/Carlsson does not need Hayes, especially with Jenner/Roslovic/Johnson behind one of those 3

Hayes would fit a need as a M6 C. Particularly if Sillinger needs extended time in the AHL (IMO yes, he does). Particularly if we are Blessed by Bedard or Find Fantilli, I think that more or less spells the end of Johnson’s chances at C, also. Jenner has always been a weird fit at C - he’s more of a natural W, but has been pushed to C so often out of necessity.

This ask is a bit much though. I’d do a ‘24 2nd, Roslovic, and Foudy. Retention needs to likely be around $2.5M. I’d normally say Bean is on the market, but CBJ desperately need bodies on the blue-line.

I just don't see Hayes contributing much to this roster, he's talented, but i don't see him fitting the style they are heading towards.

Johnson is still only 20, this has been a rough season, but with the winger talent of Laine/Gaudreau/Chenakov/Marchenko plus whoever they get from the LA pick, I don;t think they should invest in a 30 year C who will likely get them 60-65 points all while burying guys like Johnson and Sillinger (plus their likely top-3 pick from this year)

So you wouldn't want a 2C who produces 60-65 points, while playing a 200 foot game, can play all situations, and can be a veteran influence in the locker room and is quite well known to be an excellent guy in the room? I would want a guy like that, I do like having Hayes on my team. What's a shame about it is that our former GM and current brain trust picked other players that either cannot play or will not play ever again to surround him and Giroux when Hayes was signed. Shouldn't have traded for Ellis, Atkinson, Risto, Braun, and shouldn't have signed Risto or Sanheim.

This is what happens when you have a entire organization having no direction or heading in several.

With the likelihood of drafting Bedard/Fantilli/Carlsson and having Johnson and Sillinger, all who have higher ceilings than Hayes, yeah, I'd rather build internally and not limit one of those 3 to 3rd line minutes.

Columbus isn't winning the cup in 2024... so better to draft and develop where they can control.

They have a lot of veterans already there for leadership, they need talent, and RFA status tat they can control for the next 7-10 years so people stop leaving Columbus for nicer fancier teams.

I was on the fence with this one until reading your post here and I do agree.

Yeah trading firsts is a definite no go in my books. If we can get a higher end centre and RHD this draft I would be stoked. I wouldn't surrender Boston's next year either cause they will likely regress.

I don't know that they do that much you move Coyle in to the 2C spot between Bertuzzi and DeBrusk and then they don't need a superstar to center Marchand and Pasta just someone who fits kind of like Ryan Strome did with the Rangers. So I think I'd probably give up Bostons 1st next year but it would depend on how things start to pan out for Boston so the deal would have to be closer to the draft or after.

Their defence is still good but yeah they definitely have some decisions to make and I wouldn't trade that first until next deadline at the earliest. Could end up like Ottawa when they traded for Duchene or San Jose with Karlsson.

Agreed, it's a lot of youth and potential with those names, but in the end, some players don't pan out. A team needs to have the right leaders in the locker room around them too. I know guys like Johnny, Jenner and Gudbranson are there, but is that enough to have in the room while bringing up these young guys? Are all of these young talents going to slot in where they played in Juniors or maybe make their money on the wing? There are always questions up and down a lineup when you play the youth, with Hayes, you know for a fact where and when he plays, and his track record in the locker room.

I'm saying, there are worse options out there than him, and he brings a lot of value. Especially being buddies with Johnny, I think this makes sense as a fit more so than other places tbh. Who knows, maybe in 3 years when Hayes is gone, one of those guys who was playing 3rd line minutes and getting useful experience from a guy like Hayes, absolutely starts tearing it up when promoted. Just like several guys in this like, two that come to mind right off the bat are Sean Couturier and Ryan Kesler.

absolutely agree, there are significantly worse options.

Johnson is progressing, 32 points in 62 games this season, and Sillinger regressed a little, but I think that's as a team as a whole they took a step back.

But a top end talent can help remove some of the pressure.

I don't know, I don't think Columbus is in panic mode to have to make the playoffs next season or anything, first they need to stay healthy before really tinkering with their roster, 13 games of Werenski is a huge loss and Merzlikins having a rough year definitely didn't help.

I get what you are saying but Boston clinched a playoff spot in 64 games and only The 1998-99 Dallas Stars(63) and The 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings(59) have clinched a playoff spot faster. I don't see how they'd miss the playoffs next season let alone them falling to the bottom 10 or more likely the bottom 5 where the'd have a realistic shot at the 1st or 2nd pick.

Now if Boston dose something like this:

Boston Blow-up

Then a bottom 10 finish is a definitely possibility.

Kind of what I mean. Honestly you just never know. Pastrnak could get hurt or McAvoy. Maybe Marchand falls off a cliff. Bergy and Krejci both don't resign. Possibilities are endless but we have seen teams go from the top to the bottom within a year. Or be missing the playoffs. Look at Calgary and Florida this year, top contenders last year, not in playoff contention this year. San Jose did that as well. As far as I'm concerned no player unless they are certified elite talent, young and on a multi year contract would be worth giving up any of our first round picks. That's just me.