that condition is illegal, and this seems like maybe a slight overpay depending on what you think of Bourque.

Bourque or Stankoven won't be included in any trade, Dallas is high on them.

Agree with this statement. With how well Bourque has played this year, I think you're looking at either Bourque + 2nd Round Pick OR a 1st Round Pick + a prospect like Blumel, Kyrou, White, etc. You may see some other pieces in there to flush out the deal, but that would be the core of the return, at least in my eyes.

CHI probably accepts.

basically the standard has been that NHL teams don't give up their top (really their top two) prospects and a first round pick for a rental. it's just not a thing. if the stars think he's their top prospect, he's not going out the door with a first.

This is also why I don't see Dallas making a trade for Hanifin, unless it's a sign and trade. If Dallas is content just trading for a rental, they will go for Tanev or Savard and spend far less than Calgary would want for Hanifin.

when was the last sign and trade? I think 2011. Although technically Tkachuk was, but he was an RFA so i wouldn't even count that. I think the last UFA sign and trade was devin setoguchi. i wouldn't even consider that as a possibility.

Though it wasn't truly a sign and trade, you could argue Lindholm was.

This is more what I was referencing. I don't anticipate Calgary to sign him and then trade him off. That's an extremely rare occurrence in today's NHL. But if I'm Dallas and I am trading for Hanifin, I want to do so knowing that he's willing to discuss/sign an extension pretty immediately after coming to Dallas. If he's adamant that he doesn't want to discuss an extension until the offseason then I don't want to give up Bourque or a 1st for a guy that's more likely to test the open market than re-sign.

no, you couldn't.

a sign and trade is a sign and trade. talking to a guy about a contract prior to trading for him is completely different.

I think it depends on what their plan is with Duchene. If he's resigning then I could see Borque possibly being available. But I'd be happy with Borque and a 2nd for hanifan, and who ever has to move to make the cap work. Borque and a 1st does seem like an overpay.

Sure its different, but completely different? If you know he's going to sign it's pretty much th same thing. Damon Severson is the only UFA that was truly a sign and trade. The only other 2 in NHL history was Tkachuk and Dubois but both RFAs.

not quite. setoguchi.

it is different as one seems to impact value (true sign and trade), and the other does not.

Setoguchi was signed 2 months before he was traded, that's not a sign and trade. Boston gave up a lot for Lindholm in what wasn't a sign and trade and Columbus got Severson for a 3rd round pick. So how does that true sign and trade have more value then agreeing to a contract before a trade?

I'd take a flyer on Dellandrea for a 4th.