Flames decline easily

Add a 1st and CBJ will accept. They're taking more cap hit for longer for an older, worse, declining player.

Agreed - maybe not a 1st per se, but CBJ are taking on a bigger hit for an extra year on a player that, even if he has been on the ice more, has been just as much of a gamble as Laine has been.

Worse? I would challenge that idea. You can’t get much worse than the guy who barely played last year and seemingly quit on his team before that. I’m not sure Skinner would waive to go to Columbus anyway. What reason would he have to want to?

Skinner over the past few seasons has more points and less off ice issues than Laine. CBJ gets more points for the longer term and more money Sabers get less cap lesss points for dealing with the off ice issues.

If you’re chalking up “off-ice issues” as “his dad died suddenly and he had to be away from the game for a time on a league-negotiated PAP stay,” then honestly I have no words.

And yes - Skinner has more points, but he has also played more games (which, great, if you want to ignore Laine’s fluke injuries and PAP stay), but is also averaging .83 PPG over that span to Laine’s .91 PPG.

CBJ are getting, by average, less production on more cap and an additional year of term. Even if you want to avoid the add, CBJ pass on a straight-up trade.

But, by all means, if you want to expand it to the past five seasons, we can absolutely jump into Skinner’s long-term value.

Either way it's not going to happen because Skinner will block it.

Moot point because Laine will block it first.