Quoting: Tintin
This doesn't change the fact that your suggest trade is still not consistent with any recent 1st line winger trades with team control, such as Fiala, DeBrincat or Meier.
You're suggesting an overpay.
None of those guys were signed for 5 years on a good contract nor were any coming off over point per game seasons (Fiala was actually). But sure, I tend to add more than what would probably be required as to not have fans of other teams screaming about underpaying. Realistically, it might not cost this much.
Quoting: Tintin
I'd love to get Keller in, there's a clear logic behind targeting him in a trade, I don't disagree with that.
I disagree with moving 1sts for the sake of moving 1sts, if anything contenders has a bigger need for a steady supply of rostered ELCs than non-contenders. That's how contenders stay contending (in this instance I don't mind trading the 2025 1st though, I do mind trading both Casey + Holtz on top of that).
Which brings us to Casey. I think there's a fairly clear path to him playing a huge role on a contending Devils team throughout the 20s'. Not next year, and maybe not the year after that, but in 25/26 there's a very good chance that Casey will have developed past John Marino as a hockey player. As such there will be many amazing future opportunities to trade Marino while not sacrificing any overall ability in the Devils RHD corps.
As a freshman, Casey was probably the best defenseman throughout the NCAA (even better than Luke Hughes) and if he keeps that the Devils have yet another dynamite young D to add to their future lineup. Dealing him now would be nothing if not premature.
I'm not sure there's a very good chance that a 21 year old Seamus Casey is a better defender than a 28 year old John Marino. Maybe offensively, but certainly not defensively, which, with the influx of high end offensive defensemen like Hughes and Nemec, sound defensive guys are going to be even more important.
48 points in 39 games playing the 1D role for Luke vs 29 points in 37 playing 2nd pair. I'm not sure you have a convincing argument that Casey was a better defenseman that Luke, and certianly not the best defenseman in the NCAA (nor best freshman defenseman when Lane Hutson exists)
You're not wrong on the need for ELCs on contending teams, so sure, one of Holtz or Casey probably doesn't have to be in this deal. But again, I like to make these slight overpays to avoid the classic ACGM bias towards your favorite teams own players.