I doubt the Canucks will pay a 2nd to dump Mikheyev tbh. There were some reports around deadline time that he still had some positive value around the league

As a Hawks fan, I'd pass on that VAN trade. I'd prefer we get a more talented winger if possible. If we can't...then I guess right before the season starts...then I'd be ok. More like an "if all else fails" situation.

I'm indifferent on the NYI trade. Depends on whether KD thinks there's a sleeper at #13.

I'd probably also keep Nazar at Michigan. I get that he's a year older, but he was injured essentially all of last year. Given him a 2nd year at college. Heck, being so close to a title...may make him want to go back and try for it next year.

Deal

Interesting idea for the Lee trade. That seems like something the Isles might go for. Definitely like it for the Hawks. I'd hate giving up Phillips in the Mikheyev deal. He should take that 2nd just to move. I'm also hoping Hawks can upgrade from Blackwell and Megna as depth guys.

Isles pass on the Lee deal. This year's draft isn't deep. Going down towards the end of the 1st rounder is not worth it. We keep Lee 1 more year, then buy him out the year after.

I feel like helping the Isles out of a $7M cap hit for the next two seasons should be worth more than that, but I don't exactly hate it, either.

I wouldn’t be sending a late first back to the Islander for taking two years of Lee at $7m per, perhaps one of the late 2nd round picks.

I would consider the Vancouver deal, I think Phillips will just gets lost in the depth of LHD, in my opinion he will settle in behind Vlasic, Korchinski, Del Mastro, Kaiser and Allan.

It's interesting you say this. Not that Wheeler is the end all be all, but I was just reading that he thought this draft didn't have the top end talent 1-10, but was actually a deep draft for tier 2 or tier 3 players.

Moving up those 8 spots is a pretty big deal in this draft, there's a pretty big drop off outside the top 15 players or so imo. Or course guys always drop but usually not into the 20's. Getting up to 13 could be the difference in getting another Nazar level prospect in the systme. On top of the pick, Lee is still a usable player for the hawks and the 7M doesn't matter the next two years anyways.

Same idea in the VAN deal. Hawks get a useable top 9 guy and also get a 2nd. Phillips has a pretty tough path to the NHL full time behind Vlasic, KK, EDM, Kaiser, and Allen anyways. Personally i'd rather take on guys like Lee and Ilya for more draft capital rather than overpay FA's if we have the option.

No thanks on the Isles trade. The difference between #13 and #21 is the #41 pick on the soundofhockey pick value chart. In no world do I take on TWO years of about to turn 34 and coming off a 37 point paced season (hasn't been North of 60 pts in 7 seasons....the kind of production you expect out of 7 million in cap) for just the #41 pick. I realize Lee's 2 remaining years prevents the Hawks from doing nothing, but at some point you make deals based on fair value which this is not. If we are doing a deal around Lee and the #13, I would package Hawks 2nd #34OA and negotiate on which LHD prospect the Isles want (among Phillips, Del Mastro, Allen, or Kaiser) and consider maybe another pick depending on which specific LHD prospect gets settled on. As others have stated already, the LHD prospects eventually don't have a place to play if they all work out and picking which one's will and moving the rest of the depth while there is value would be ideal.

I would also rather take on dumps for more draft capital. But I don't want to move up just for the sake of moving up. Also, this draft isn't as shallow as some people make it seem. The narrative public scouts seem to be pushing is a drop off after Celebrini, which I don't even believe is as drastic as they are making it seem. Moving Lee's contract should cost more than 7 spots. I would maybe trade our own 2024 2nd for 20 spots, and I would definitely move both the VAN and LAK's 2nds, but $7M x 2 years is a HUGE amount of relief to just be handing to any team for such little gain. I'd rather just stay at the TBL pick.

I think moving cap will be a little cheaper this summer than it was last year with the cap rising 6-7M

The cap is rising around $5M, not 6-7. But that doesn't matter. That money will be eaten up so quickly. These large raises will be short lived. Players will be looking for a bigger piece of the pie. Tons of players around the league are due new contracts. It really isn't as much money as you would think, in terms of cap implications. It may have an effect on the price of moving cap, but the difference will be marginal.