Why would Carolina do this? Gryz would be like the 8th best D man on Carolina. You want a 3rd for him? Keep him, or send him elsewhere

Yeah it’s mainly just a placeholder team, any team works

Not surprising what team doesn’t love an absolute fleece of a trade lol

I just don’t get where a 1st 3rd and good prospect for a rental(as of now) is a “fleece”

1. Zero interest in Merkulov, doesn't fit any team needs and isn't that good of a prospect.
2. That's simply not enough, just because your cupboards are nearly empty doesn't mean that the few things in there are worth a lot to other teams.

Come back when you are offering Poitras or Lohrei with your 1st

All this bluster aside, looking forward to the day where Calgary fans no longer assess prospects they’ve never watched.

I’m fine sticking in it to raise the price on Tampa Bay, but I think Calgary should hurry up before Boston makes the hockey trade and shows their intention.

There is no need to include Lohrei and a #1. Tampa Bay can’t and likely won’t be able to beat a deal that doesn’t include them. No reason to even engage it. Losing him is not an end all.

Except for the fact that Tampa Bay isn’t the only other team in the Hanifin sweepstakes, he’s the most valuable player on the market and just cause you hear one thing from one source doesn’t mean its our only option.

I am also looking forward to the day that teams fans can stop overrating their own assets and pretend that a 23 year old undrafted left winger (which is a surplus position for us) is somehow the centerpiece for a hanifin deal, that is absurd.

I can explain that - there's a psychological reason for that, and it happens every year at about this time. The selling teams fanbases magically forget what deadline rental deals look like, and this happens. someone will come by saying, "first and your top two prospects!" or maybe its multiple first round picks. Last year canucks fans were sick over what they got for horvat, and sharks fans were nauseated by the meier return, even though both vancouver and san jose did really well for themselves based on established precedent for what deadline rentals cost. But their teams are bad, and they're looking for hope, so they lie to themselves. Humans are basically the only species that will happily lie to themselves to protect their psyche.

But it doesn't change reality, and you're right. Poitras and Lohrei with a first isn't a thing. of course it isn't. There have been some instances of a teams top prospect being moved for a deadline rental, but there isn't a first round pick going with it. So in a few days we'll see a first, a teams fourth best prospect, and a salary - as we always do, and calgary fans will be outraged for a day and then start telling everyone how this prospect that they previously said was unacceptable is actually the second coming, and that this was better than they expected.



how many times have you seen merkulov play and what are your issues with the player?

Tampa appears to be the one he’s open to an extension with at this moment. My assumption. Is he’d consider one with Boston or Florida too, but Florida doesn’t have the cap room unless they are open to letting Forsling, or Montour hit the market (assuming it would be one of them instead of a center)

Either way, I don’t see Boston include Poitras at all. Could see Lohrei or Lysell with a #2. The primary value in the trade is the 2025 first. Make no mistake about that.

I’m glad you made the commentary on Merkulov, because it shows you likely have never seen him play.

1. He started off at LW last year, but played center once Vinni Letteri got hurt and he’s been averaging ~ a ppg since that moment. That’s basically at the same level as Matthew Coronato, but I acknowledge he’s older. I believe if he’s not playing PP minutes in the bumper, his scoring will go down at the NHL level just like I believe Coronato needs to improve his shot selection because he’s not going to get so many opportunities in the league. Merkulov’s shot and ability to plant himself to the left of the net is going to get him an NHL opportunity,

2. You do realize COVID made Russia even harder to scout? Undersized Russian kid who went to college, gained size, became an all Big Ten performer over more heralded picks, and was arguably the top free agent option when signed. Hes older, but he’s outperformed a ton of more heralded players and his skating is about league average (which is the primary reason most good players drop).

If he is included in an actual deal, my guess is some Calgary fans may pay some money to actually watch an AHL game and pay attention. He’d be a secondary asset probably behind a first and a second round pick, but he’s a good flyer.

I am not calling him a bad prospect but he's not some 1st line potential winger. Which would be the only reason Calgary would target for a winger prospect at this point (ie Holtz)

well you said he wasn't a good prospect, but whatever. what makes you think this? he's had a very similar level of success to holtz at the AHL level, and neither have had success at the NHL level. what's better, being a known unknown or having a decent sample size of not being good at the NHL level like holtz?

either way, hanifin is a deadline rental. deadline rentals don't return prospects like that.

You are missing the point. I'm not expecting Hanifin to get Holtz but I don't expect Calgary to actively target wingers with lower ceilings than him. Calgary is so overflowing with middle 6 wingers as is.

I think you are underrating Holtz too

maybe. i think you're overrating what deadline rentals get.

Because I expect my GM to continue targeting positions of need?

of course not. but you're sticking your nose up at middle six guys. GMs aren't trading young players they view as potential top line forwards for rentals.

I literally started off by saying Flames have zero interest in him because he doesn't fill any positional needs. I am not saying I expect a player like Holtz for Hanifin. I am saying that Calgary will target a B to B+ level defense or center prospect over a B to B+ winger prospect every day of the week.

I highly doubt Hanifin ends up in Boston because outside of Lohrei and Poitras they really don't have anything of interest. And fair or not I don't see Boston making either available

not for nothing, but this is the first you've mentioned those being the positions that calgary is targeting, so your point was not clear.

what prospects do you think calgary can legitimately target in a hanifin trade?

I was definitely pretty clear in this post that Merkulov does't fit a team need.

As for who I think Calgary can target? I was pretty sure Dallas would make Bichsel available for him but not so much now that they've acquired Tanev and moved Gruzhnikov in the deal. I think Wallinder from Detroit is a pretty realistic target, same with Lapierre in Washington. personally I think Calgary will end up with a 1st and an under 22 prospect. The weird part is links to Tampa and Florida. Like Boston, neither have strong prospect pools, nor 1st round picks this year. I wonder but still doubt if Florida would dangle Lundell

well, no. you said it wasn't a fit which is pretty vague. that doesn't magically imply a d man or a center or a goalie or whatever. might not be a fit stylistically, or whatever. i'm not a mind reader.

Here's the thing - the good prospects don't go for rentals. Wallinder is actually a pretty reasonable target, because he's not that good of a prospect in my opinion. This is just the way of the deadline market. Got one of the best pieces? Fine, here's a first and our third to fifth best prospect and a salary. there's a rigid formula to this. I also don't think GMs put nearly as much emphasis into position as you may think. At the blue chip level, sure. But those guys rarely move. If you've got eight good winger prospects, you're lucky if two are NHL players.