Looking to trend up in the standings, starting at the draft. Here is the updated trade block
MASSIVE Overpay Required - Taylor Hall, Mattias Ekholm, Samuel Girard, Will Butcher, Ryan Ellis, Kyle Palmieri, Philipp Grubauer, Shane Gersich, Casey Mittelstadt, Tyler Bertuzzi, Kevin Fiala, Eeli Tolvanen, Kristian Vesalainen, Casey Fitzgerald, Cole Hults, 2018 picks
Upgrades Only - Mika Zibanejad, Chandler Stephenson
For the Right Price - Derek Stepan, Morgan Frost, Alex Texier, Cliff Pu, Thomas Novak, Patrick Harper, Grant Mismash, Calle Rosen, Victor Ejdsell, Yakov Trenin, Frederic Allard, David Farrance, 2019 and 2020 picks
On the Block - Robin Lehner, Matt Hunwick
Team Needs - High end 1C, top four RHD, quality backup goalie, top six RW, 2 or 3 bottom six forwards
Player's rights owned
LW - Kristian Vesalainen - HPK
LW - Grant Mismash - Univ. of North Dakota
C - Rasmus Asplund - Farjestad BK
C - Alex Texier - KalPa
C - Cliff Pu - Kingston Frontenacs
C - Thomas Novak - Univ. of Minnesota
C - Patrick Harper - Boston Univ.
C - Pavel Koltygin - Drummondville Voltigeurs
RW - Patrick Cehlin - Lulea HF
RW - Eeli Tolvanen - Jokerit
D - Casey Fitzgerald - Boston College
D - Cole Hults - Penn State Univ
D - Stefan Elliott - Ak Bars Kazan
D - Taylor Aronson - Nurnberg Ice Tigers
D - Adam Smith - Bowling Green State Univ.
D - Hardy Haman Aktell - Skelleftea AIK J20
D - David Farrance - Boston Univ.
D - Jacob Paquette - Kingston Frontenacs
G - Marek Mazanec - HC Slovan Bratislava
G - Tomas Vomacka - Lincoln Stars
G - Karel Vejmelka - SK Horacka Slavia Trebic
G - Konstantin Volkov - SKA-1946 St. Petersburg
At this point I’d rather wait and see how the draft goes before trading picks for prospects. If I’m still interested in this after the draft, I’ll get back to you
2018 1st VAN ( most likely a top 3-8 pick) for 2018 1st STL and Samuel Girard
Something like this would be in consideration once the draft order is revealed. But the St. Louis pick is probably in the low 20's or high teens at this point. If you think that a potential top pairing LHD is worth moving up 10-15 spots, it's not happening here.
This is something that I'd consider. Could you add the two 6th rounders you previously proposed?
I was thinking that Cholo is on the high side of the spectrum for what Gruby is worth (late first / early 2nd) so that might take over some value that the picks were providing. Plus Kinkaid has to be worth a little something, he's always been a decent backup.
I was thinking that Cholo is on the high side of the spectrum for what Gruby is worth (late first / early 2nd) so that might take over some value that the picks were providing. Plus Kinkaid has to be worth a little something, he's always been a decent backup.
Cholowski's future would be slightly limited here, and he's never been a guy I've been high on. I have Girard, Butcher and Ekholm (unless something changes) on the left side for a while. If Cholowski was a righty, it'd be a different story. It's something I'll think about, but getting Cholowski isn't something that excites me a ton at this point.
Maybe we just stick with Kunin and Vesalainen for now?
Cholowski's future would be slightly limited here, and he's never been a guy I've been high on. I have Girard, Butcher and Ekholm (unless something changes) on the left side for a while. If Cholowski was a righty, it'd be a different story. It's something I'll think about, but getting Cholowski isn't something that excites me a ton at this point.
Maybe we just stick with Kunin and Vesalainen for now?
Sure, we can do that, unless you have any other ideas for Gruby. You good with this then?
I'm going to think about this one a little longer before getting back to you. Center depth is so important, and the thought process was that I could have Mittelstadt-Frost-Kunin down the middle. That's where my hesitation is. But I should get back to you sometime tomorrow.