nope

Making the pick later doesn’t make Markstrom more valuable

It sure doesn't make him less valuable. NJ was told from day one if they want Markstrom it's going to cost them Mercer and more.

Which isn’t a realistic asking price, even if that’s actually a confirmed asking price

NJ fans need to give it a rest and stop acting like Mercer is worth his weight in gold. It'd take more than just Mercer he isn't worth a number 1 goalie all by himself. Really nothing about those negotiations has been confirmed except that Calgary initially told NJ that Markstrom would cost them Mercer. IOW any offer had to start with Mercer.

Nemec was mentioned too but that was a bit later and probably more of an off the cuff "If you won't trade Mercer then how about Nemec? No? Ok bye!" than anything seriously discussed. Calgary probably would have either done the 50% retention NJ wanted or added something pretty nice maybe even both in a trade for Nemec. An elite RD prospect is worth a lot more than a 3rd line center/winger with good middle 6 potential.

Mercer is another Zacha / Sharangovich only less productive than either on a supposedly better team. Zacha (the best of the three) got them Huala, Sharangovich + a 3rd got them Toffoli (who NJ has already traded away), Mercer isn't going to fetch more than both. There's no room for him at center, he's bounced all over the lineup and will more than likely be traded within a year or two just like Zacha and Sharky before him were.

Zacha: 25 year old with a career high of 36 points and 17 goals
Yegor: 25 year old with a career high of 44 points and 24 goals
Mercer: 22 year old with a career high of 57 points and 27 goals

You really love not understanding age or production or contracts

I can also make things up

LMAO

Zacha at age 22 had 8 goals lmao

Take off the rose colored glasses. You all act like he's an elite center when he's not even a top 6. He might develop into a top 6 eventually but so might a whole of other players around the legaue and if Mercer does manage that it sure as hell won't be in NJ. Exactly like Zacha and Sharangovich.

Heck even Eric Huala seems to be ahead of Mercer on the center depth chart now, Huala has been playing 2nd line center while they experiment with Hughes on the wing with Hischier. Mercer has been relegated 3rd line winger. Once again that's exactly like Zacha and Sharangovich before him. But according to NJ fans Mercer is a superstar worth his weight in gold. LOL

Mercer at age 20: 17 goals 40 points
Zacha at age 20: 8 goals 25 points
Yegor at age 20: AHLer

Yegor at age 21: AHLer
Zacha at age 21: 13 goals 25 points
Mercer at age 21: 27 goals 57 points

Yegor at age 22: 16 goals 30 points
Zacha at age 22: 8 goals 32 points
Mercer at age 22: 17 goals 28 points

Yegor and Zacha are 26 year olds who've still never had a season better than Mercer at age 21

You’re making up how much I like Dawson Mercer. I actually agree that he’s overhyped, although you’re downplaying him *almost* as much as too many NJ fans overhype him
Its easy to include him in a move for a goalie like Saros, and a bit tougher to include him for a goalie like Ullmark, but a deal I would still be okay seeing done. https://www.capfriendly.com/forums/thread/817587?post_id=4789426

Markstrom isn’t that valuable though. He’s an up and down almost 35 year old goaltender, who’s lows kill a team. There are better options than Markstrom, and the goalie market doesn’t justify that high of a price for him regardless.