Jackets decline. They want quality over quantity. Not sure any of the players coming back from even make the jackets roster

Was expecting a Kevin Bahl for Sam Steel trade here....

Prospects #3 (top-10 in NHL), #5, #8/9 from the best prospect pool in league...moving from a 112-point team to a 59-point team.

I personally dislike the trade for NJ, but if I were CBJ, it would seem like a very good deal.

I mean jackets prospect pool is neck and neck with the devils if not better depending on who’s rankings you go by and that’s before you add another 3 picks in the top 35 this year with 3OA. They are set at winger with laine, gaudreau, marchenko, Kent Johnson, Voronkov, texier, bemstrom, foudy, bemstrom, Oliver, Robinson. That’s if Boone Jenner and roslovic don’t go back to winger. They need a 1C or second pair LD otherwise it doesn’t make sense to give away their best winger who is still young and fits their timeline.

No tanking team is going to pay for Blackwood

Both Bemstroms?

Devils shouldn’t be in the Laine market anyway.

Nah, that's a very good offer for Laine. Now, would Jarmo trade the player he's coveted since before he was drafted? Probably not, and not within the division, but Holtz alone is an excellent prospect. I just don't think either team goes for this.

It’s okay but jackets don’t consider. Laine is only 3 years older than holtz or Foote. Again it’s quality over quantity. Jackets are at the point where they don’t have enough roster spots to develop all of their prospects anyways why add more that don’t make the top 6 and probably not the top 9 next year? Holtz is starting to lose value as a prospect too

I don't really think it makes sense for either side. It's a more than fair offer, but even though I'm not a huge Laine guy, I think he fits really well with what they're trying to do and once they get a better C for the top line, he could go insane with the playmaking of Johnny and whoever that is, be in Johnson, Carlsson, or someone else. And for NJ I just don't think they need him. They've got plenty of star forwards or guys with potential to hit that level that adding Laine is kinda redundant, as dumb as that sounds. Just think it's in their best interest to keep the great core they have, pay for Raises as they're earned, and keep cycling through their great prospect pool to keep the youth and manageable contracts coming.

Those are exactly the teams that would pay for blackwood 😉

I mean both prospect pools are top notch. My thing is, if they want to be true contenders a few years down the line, they should trade JG and Laine and stock up on valuable futures. I really don’t think either (albeit, especially JG) fit their timeline. That’s not to say Laine is old, but he’s 25, and Holtz is 21. That’s a significant difference considering their core ages. Add these three pieces to their already very very good pool and it’s no doubt the best in the league, and getting rid of Laine and JG probably also help to tank for this upcoming season.

I somewhat agree with you about Johnny but laine is still young enough to fit the core. I just don’t see holtz or Foote ever making the jackets roster. They already have trouble finding ice time for better players. Jackets aren’t trying to tank next year. Jarmo will be aggressive trying to upgrade the roster to be more competitive next year. Jackets need quality over quantity as they have too many prospects already so trading laine doesn’t help with that

I get the underlying humor, but again, nobody is paying for Blackwood. Too many free bad goalies to pickup as a FA