Buy high, sell low... love it.
- Tomahawk

so if you trade Couturier for Yandle, you think the below is buying high and trading low...

Jeff Carter for Voracek and Yandle....? I think thats more like getting 2 for 1.

Thanks. Couturier is 4th. I may owe MJL an apology
- TheGreat28

Of course that article was written after Couts' excellent rookie season as opposed to after this past season, so there's that.

They drop Huberdeau?
- wolfhounds

Article is a year old.

Except Roy's preference is only part of the equation. I think there has been too much made of that in the press. It feels almost like a Red Herring put out there to make Jones's selection less a sure thing. But it should be.

Popeye Jones's story is only part of it. The Real reason is a hockey reason. If the Avs are taking someone they want or need, it should be Jones. Johnson is still struggling a bit and they need some help on D. Meanwhile they are deep with 3 young Centers and some great Wingers. And how often does a player like Jones show up.
- flyler

They have decent depth on the blueline in the system... they're actually hurting more for impact forwards, especially with Hishon's health being such a huge question mark.

In the end, though, it's going to be BAP. If that's Jones and he just so happens to have a feel-good story behind his selection, that's great. But it's not going to be the reason he goes first, nor are they looking to address current needs when they've made it clear that they're going to be patient with the rebuild.

We've really gone off the reservation in our trade talk speculation...

How about this for speculative, as opposed to Couts and Yandle, is Malkin more important than having Letang?
- wolfhounds

Malkin is NOT a 2-way forward. Malkin is a scoring machine. Better comparision would have been is Staal more important then Letang?

Thanks. Couturier is 4th. I may owe MJL an apology
- TheGreat28

I'd rank both Zibanejad and Hamilton ahead of Coots

Buy high, sell low... love it.
- Tomahawk

My mind tells me we're gonna have to swap player for player or package. I'm throwing Scott Laughton's name in the hat with Matt Read, Sean Couturier, Brayden Schenn and even Nick Cousins. Even if it turns out to be a modest deal for a modest prospect on D or a reclamation project.

Malkin is NOT a 2-way forward. Malkin is a scoring machine. Better comparision would have been is Staal more important then Letang?
- youarewrong

My point was, as opposed to bring players out of retirement and speculating, why not look at an actual situation and declare which of Malkin or Letang you would keep because both players are quite important to their team.

Of course that article was written after Couts' excellent rookie season as opposed to after this past season, so there's that.
- wolfhounds

Well, I'm 100% not devaluing Couturier after last season. Just growing pains. I kinda agree with their rankings except might have Huberdeau and Hamilton higher.

It really gets back to roster mix, needing a top defenseman, and being able to trade someone to get that defenseman.

Well, I'm 100% not devaluing Couturier after last season. Just growing pains. I kinda agree with their rankings except might have Huberdeau and Hamilton higher.

It really gets back to roster mix, needing a top defenseman, and being able to trade someone to get that defenseman.
- TheGreat28

Or draft that defenseman.

TRADE BOB RYAB
DRAFT SETH GREEN
WIN SUPER BOWL

Well, I'm 100% not devaluing Couturier after last season. Just growing pains. I kinda agree with their rankings except might have Huberdeau and Hamilton higher.

It really gets back to roster mix, needing a top defenseman, and being able to trade someone to get that defenseman.
- TheGreat28

Zibanejad is my favorite player from that draft.

and its simply astonishing how Filip Forsberg was stolen at the trade deadline this year!

Koekkoek I get. Wasn't he a reach at the time? I'm curious though why you think Reinhart or Maata will drop.

The other thing is that I think, as many here have said, defenseman develop more slowly so this type of re-ranking is more valid 3-4 years out then 1-2.
- TheGreat28

Reinhart and Maatta just haven't shown the dynamic growth that's expected out of a prospect's post-draft season. Whereas guys like Laughton, Pouliot, Teravainen and Trouba have really taken off.

Well, I'm 100% not devaluing Couturier after last season. Just growing pains. I kinda agree with their rankings except might have Huberdeau and Hamilton higher.

It really gets back to roster mix, needing a top defenseman, and being able to trade someone to get that defenseman.
- TheGreat28

That's why I'm hoping the BPA at #11 is a defenseman...we need to start growing them at home.

And I'm also hoping Gus continues his fine play while Lauridsen keeps improving.

Sure you can. Just because you need different types of players, doesn't make them all equally valuable. For example, puck moving defensemen are more highly valued than defensive defensemen.
- BulliesPhan87

The trade value is higher for offensive defenseman because there are fewer, but in terms of team needs, you need defensive defenseman just as much as offensive defensemen.. you need 2 way forwards as much as you need scoring specialists and defensive specialists...

Or draft that defenseman.

TRADE BOB RYAB
DRAFT SETH GREEN
WIN SUPER BOWL
- jmatchett383

Don't forget Shane Webster!

Well, I'm 100% not devaluing Couturier after last season. Just growing pains. I kinda agree with their rankings except might have Huberdeau and Hamilton higher.

It really gets back to roster mix, needing a top defenseman, and being able to trade someone to get that defenseman.
- TheGreat28

I'm not at all convinced that Couturier is going to be the better offensive player between Schenn and Couturier but does Curturier potenially being the better player mean his 2 way play? Being good in his own end, while chipping in offensively? What if Schenn becomes a better faceoff man? More physical? Has the better hands? What exactly would make Couturier the better player by a margin if Schenn is willing to sacrifice just a little more?

That's why I'm hoping the BPA at #11 is a defenseman...we need to start growing them at home.

And I'm also hoping Gus continues his fine play while Lauridsen keeps improving.
- wolfhounds

I agree they really need to start drafting defenseman. It's the only way to break this cycle. But...the more I look at this draft, especially compared to 2012, there is no real standout after Jones. Maybe Nurse. I think I'm now more in the trade down camp, or trade the pick for a dman.

At some point the whole "draft the best player available because you can always trade that asset for a defenseman" strategy fails if you do not actually ever trade that asset for defenseman.

Don't forget Shane Webster!
- BulliesPhan87

in round 4 of 2012 draft there was another Erik Gustafsson drafted at #93 followed by another Erik Karlsson at #99

so if you trade Couturier for Yandle, you think the below is buying high and trading low...

Jeff Carter for Voracek and Yandle....? I think thats more like getting 2 for 1.
- youarewrong

I get what you're trying to say, but just because you made a killing in the Carter deal doesn't mean you're somehow free from trying to maximize the return on any possible deals involving Voracek, Coots and/or Cousins.

I'm not at all convinced that Couturier is going to be the better offensive player between Schenn and Couturier but does Curturier potenially being the better player mean his 2 way play? Being good in his own end, while chipping in offensively? What if Schenn becomes a better faceoff man? More physical? Has the better hands? What exactly would make Couturier the better player by a margin if Schenn is willing to sacrifice just a little more?
- dingo8urbaby

Schenn certainly skates better and is stronger and more physical. No reason he can't improve his faceoffs and defensive game.

I get what you're trying to say, but just because you made a killing in the Carter deal doesn't mean you're somehow free from trying to maximize the return on any possible deals involving Voracek, Coots and/or Cousins.
- Tomahawk

Always best to trade youth/potential/picks for established players.

Capitals trade:
Adam Oates

Flyers trade:
Maxime Ouellet, G. (AHL Phantoms)
1st round pick, 2002 NHL Entry Draft later traded to dallas to move up and pick Semin
2nd round pick, 2002 NHL Entry Draft (conditional) Daigneualt
3rd round pick, 2002 NHL Entry Draft (conditional)Derek Krestanovich

Article is a year old.
- bradleyc4

i read this artcile somewhere else about a month ago

I'm not at all convinced that Couturier is going to be the better offensive player between Schenn and Couturier but does Curturier potenially being the better player mean his 2 way play? Being good in his own end, while chipping in offensively? What if Schenn becomes a better faceoff man? More physical? Has the better hands? What exactly would make Couturier the better player by a margin if Schenn is willing to sacrifice just a little more?
- dingo8urbaby

I see them both being good with similar ceilings but different strengths and styles, and that's a good thing for the Flyers. Offensively, they both scored a lot of points in juniors and hopefully they do it in the bigs.

I'm not at all convinced that Couturier is going to be the better offensive player between Schenn and Couturier but does Curturier potenially being the better player mean his 2 way play? Being good in his own end, while chipping in offensively? What if Schenn becomes a better faceoff man? More physical? Has the better hands? What exactly would make Couturier the better player by a margin if Schenn is willing to sacrifice just a little more?
- dingo8urbaby

These Bat-Questions and more will be answered next season.

Seriously, the important thing is to build a roster with complementary players, whatever that mix may be. I'm sure Homer will take this into consideration this offseason. Hopefully though he learned the risk/reward with the 2 grand slams with one swing of the bat strategy from last year.

Always best to trade youth/potential/picks for established players.

Capitals trade:
Adam Oates

Flyers trade:
Maxime Ouellet, G. (AHL Phantoms)
1st round pick, 2002 NHL Entry Draft later traded to dallas to move up and pick Semin
2nd round pick, 2002 NHL Entry Draft (conditional) Daigneualt
3rd round pick, 2002 NHL Entry Draft (conditional)Derek Krestanovich
- jmatchett383

Well, in fairness to Homer, he hasn't made those type of trades like Clarkie routinely did.