Problem with Tampa is they can't really afford to move Hedman even if there's a fair trade. They have a good blue line, but most teams can't move their #1 and save face. They don't have a very strong line of D prospects either if I'm not mistaken.
- ehabs9

Sadly this is true as well.
Looking at Tampa's depth at the blue line is like looking in a shallow pond.
But this is where things can get a little bit interesting.

Problem with Tampa is they can't really afford to move Hedman even if there's a fair trade. They have a good blue line, but most teams can't move their #1 and save face. They don't have a very strong line of D prospects either if I'm not mistaken.
- ehabs9

Exactly, I can't see Tampa bringing back Stammer unless
coburn/carle and maybe Callahan got
Moved. Hedman going nowhere in my opinion

Shattenkirk wouldn't be a bad get either for EDM
- Anthony5967

That could happen too.

All I know is that this trade deadline will be very interesting to say the least.

All I know is that this trade deadline will be very interesting to say the least.


- EdmHockeyMan

Here's hoping!

Gotta even wonder too which teams have submitted offers and if they even plan on dealing him now. Heard a rumored COLORADO deal of Rantanen and Zadorov. I thought I saw MTL sent an offer too but it would in my opinion take a ton for a division rival to acquire him. Rangers according to Ek and others offered Yandle+F prospect, gotta think it was Buchnevich. Can't wait to see what the Tampa genius does with the youngster. Maybe he will have a bad AHL stay down there and the value will drop.
- Anthony5967

No way it's Buch. Wouldn't trade him straight up for Drouin. Probably Graves.

Elite NHL forwards top out (in terms of peak performance) around age 26. Once performance decline sets in it is relentless. Jägr in some ways is the exception that proves the rule. Go back and take the top scorer from any team 5 or 6 years ago and plot out their production since. You will see a regular, consistent decline in offensive production once they hit that magic age of 26.

Stamkos is already in serious decline. Nobody will say it because hope is such a big part of marketing a sports franchise. Yzerman is crazy to pay him $9m a year for 8 years when we can already see evidence of his declining performance. Ask Montreal fans what they think about their $9m man for 8 years and Dmen do not decline nearly as fast as forwards.

How do you like the Pittsburgh future with 2 declining assets on the front end of $9m contracts. Keep it simple. Do a simple trend line showing Stamkos' production from year to year. The chart does not lie. He is trending down and the trend is always relentless.

Stamkos, goals per game played since age 18.

08-09. .291
09-10. .621
10-11. .549
11-12. .731
12-13. .604
13-14. .675
14-15. .524
15-16. .425

Yak for Drouin being involved in a blockbuster package?

Tampa needs a shake up which makes this more interesting. Hedman could be in Oiler silks.... Send this years 1st to Tampa... Add in Fayne and Schultz or Sekera instead...

Drouin-McDavid-Pouliot (Shift Pouliot to the Right Wing) Seems pretty good.
Not to mention adding in a Hedman will make our Defense more stable.

Still wouldn't do it though.

Yak and McDavid really clicked during that 13 games stretch and at this rate, Schultz has negative value. However, with what is going on in Tampa, it looks like either Stamkos or Drouin will be gone by seasons end...
- EdmHockeyMan

Hedman is not moving

Exactly, I can't see Tampa bringing back Stammer unless
coburn/carle and maybe Callahan got
Moved. Hedman going nowhere in my opinion
- Anthony5967

I'm not sure where the cap issues come into play with the Lightning, yet. Stamkos makes $7.5m, say he gets a $3m raise which would not start until after this season when Coburn, Ohlund, Gagner all come off the books which is $10m. Killorn comes off after this season too so if you say we don't sign him as well that is almost $13m. Give Stamkos the extra $3m (IF he wants to stay in Tampa as he says) and you still have $10m for Hedman who will probably get somewhere around a $4-$5m raise, again IF he wants to stay in Tampa. Moving Carle would be the greatest thing that could happen to the team, for one it clears a roster spot but two we save that $5.5m but even with Carle the team has room to play. Saying Stamkos at $10.5m sounds like a huge cap hit but it's only $3m more.

Alot of talk about Tampa fans being unreasonable but really most the "offers" presented here are low balling. Why isn't Yandle good enough? Cuz you don't trade Drouin for half a season of a non-elite D man when your not in a playoff spot. It's not that hard to understand. Drouin has been bad? Dig deeper than the surface. His 5v5 p/60 has been phenomenal. It's lack of opportunity not lack of skill. He scores at the same rate as Sedin and Voracek. Last I checked they were pretty good. In the minors cuz his team thinks he's bad? No he's in the minors cuz he's played like 5 games the last 3 months due to injuries and he can get more conditioning and minutes there than on the big team. He has some development to do but his skill is there and is elite. You don't trade elite prospects for scraps especially when you hold all the cards in dealing him. They don't have to do anything and have a lot of control over him. Also no he wasn't sent down because he was a distraction the rest of the team didn't even know until his agent went public

I think Drouin is smug little Dink for requesting a trade. The guy is 20 and thinks hes entitled to playing time.
What a facking joke.

The guys favourite team is Detroit and obviously he doesn't understand their system.
- SRam19

Grigerenko II???

Yes based on those things. What else do you want to base potential on? yaks draft class was poop.

He's had the opportunity to play in the NHL, he's played 214 games. Drouin has 89. And he's produced better than Yak did over those first 89 despite spending most of his time running under 8min a game, while Yak averaged between 12-15min a game.

I didn't make anything up, your first post was the one that simply said "Yakupov>Drouin" without giving any reasoning behind it.
- ehabs9

More making poop up! How has he produced better?
Yak 0.49 pts per game ( 1st 2 seasons)
Drouin o.42 points per game.

Yakupov scored 0.49 points per game his 1st 2 seasons on argue able the worst team in the league playing mostly with 3rd liners. Saying he has been given better opportunities to succeed than Drouin in just a bunch of Malarkey made up by people trying to paint a picture.

That's like me saying the main reason Drouin scored more Points in Junior was because he played with Nate Mackinnon, and not Alex Galchenyuck who was on the shelf for half of Yaks Jr career ......except that what I'm saying has more truth to it.

Yak did not have a better opportunity under Dallas Eakins than Drouin.

First, I highly doubt the Blues were in on Johansen, because if they were offering up Shattenkirk, there's no way Columbus would've turned them down in favor of Jones. I don't think any team in the league would currently take Jones over Shattenkirk.

Second, while it's entirely possible the Blues are in on Stamkos or Drouin, or both, I think it's a bad idea. Chances are, Stamkos signs with Toronto as soon as he's free; and while Drouin has potential, I haven't seen anything that makes me believe he's a #1 center, much less the one the Blues are looking for.

I think Edmonton is a good dance partner regardless. If the Blues are offering up Shattenkirk, it aught to be for someone like Nuge. If they're offering up Pietrangelo, he better be part of a package for Draisaitl and Nurse.
- RobShouts

I think a lot of teams would take Jones over Shattenkirk.

Edmonton is waiting to see what they have. I expect movs in the off-season along the lines of what you are describing.

If I'm Edmonton I take McDavid regardless if he says he won't play for me in that scenario, call his bluff and let him sit out and not play in the NHL.
- FlyerAdam30

and McDavid takes you to court, and wins.

...

If Drouin is kept in the ahl this season, then others of his ability that are already playing in the NHL due to their organisations needing them, will get paid more when the time comes. You could say Tampa is costing (potentially), Drouin the chance to really cash in on his first big contract.
- Aussiepenguin

He isn't good enough, yet.

More than one person in Tampa thinks that, or he would not have been send down.

Drouin is worth about as much as Nail Yakupov. That is all.
- Jeropotato

I suspect he is worth more than Yakupov, as Yak is more proven *bust*.

It wouldn't be my opinion. I think Yakupov has at least as much potential still and Drouin is starting to look like a guy you want to avoid having on your roster.

Based on what? Jr stats?pre draft scouting analysis? And exactly what opportunities has Yak had on the Oilers 3rd line playing with the likes of Anton Lander, Derek Roy and Boyd Gordon?
You cant just make poop up to prove a point. Everybody raved about this Yak kid until about 5 seconds after he was drafted.
- Jeropotato

As much as I think think Yakupov in underrated, also can't just make up sh1t about the success he has had. For a first overall he has had a VERY uninspiring career.

... as far as who he has played with, that arguement never seems to hold water when it is used with regards to any team but our own team

As much as I think think Yakupov in underrated, also can't just make up sh1t about the success he has had. For a first overall he has had a VERY uninspiring career.

... as far as who he has played with, that arguement never seems to hold water when it is used with regards to any team but our own team
- Aetherial

I don't actually think Yak > Drouin, not for sure anyway, I just think it's funny how he's a bystander Drouin is worth a massive haul.

Freakarenko II???
- mattsox

fixed

and McDavid takes you to court, and wins.
- Aetherial

- eichiefs9

- eichiefs9

northern Alberta has some gems that's for sure

- eichiefs9

northern Alberta has some gems that's for sure

Elite NHL forwards top out (in terms of peak performance) around age 26. Once performance decline sets in it is relentless. Jägr in some ways is the exception that proves the rule. Go back and take the top scorer from any team 5 or 6 years ago and plot out their production since. You will see a regular, consistent decline in offensive production once they hit that magic age of 26.

Stamkos is already in serious decline. Nobody will say it because hope is such a big part of marketing a sports franchise. Yzerman is crazy to pay him $9m a year for 8 years when we can already see evidence of his declining performance. Ask Montreal fans what they think about their $9m man for 8 years and Dmen do not decline nearly as fast as forwards.

How do you like the Pittsburgh future with 2 declining assets on the front end of $9m contracts. Keep it simple. Do a simple trend line showing Stamkos' production from year to year. The chart does not lie. He is trending down and the trend is always relentless.

Stamkos, goals per game played since age 18.

08-09. .291
09-10. .621
10-11. .549
11-12. .731
12-13. .604
13-14. .675
14-15. .524
15-16. .425
- spatso

Players decline, but for top level players, it's not necessarily relentless. Spezza vs. Stamkos ppg:

Spezza Stamkos
0.77
0.76
0.88
1.00
1.05
0.92
0.95 0.75
0.89 0.88
1.21 1.08
1.30 1.19
1.32 1.18
1.46 1.11
0.71 1.16
0.64 0.58

lots of good examples of top level guys who perform well into their 30's. Sedins, Sudin, Aflredsson, Ignila, etc. Vinny is an exception.

If you're signing Stamkos, I'd expect 70-80 points for 4-5 years and 60-70 points for 2-3 years.

I think drouin is going to get moved quickly, possibly Colorado would be a good landing spot.
- Yeti1181