Trade Rumors and Free Agent TalkTrade rumors, transactions, and free agent talk. Rumors must contain the word RUMOR in post title. Proposals must contain the word PROPOSAL in post title.
boston is in a situation where they are in a win-now mode, but they are also set up to be able to win 3-4-5-6 years down the road too given the ages of their key people and how the kessel trade worked out. i wonder if that puts the team into a situation where making an attempt at the first overall this year might make some sense?
for edmonton i think the team's primary needs are help for second line center, and on defense, and maybe in goal too
boston actually has some guys with 'winning expereince' who are young and potentially expendable that might make some sense for edmonton.
so my proposal
thomas
krecji
boychuck
2012 first
for
khabibulin
horcorff
gagner
2012 first
the trade could seem very controversial at first but there is some logic for each part of it.
first as far as the swap of goalies is concerned... both khabibulin and thomas are guys who had some off-ice controversy over the last 2 years. both are ufas after this year. thomas has has way more recent success but khabibulin had a great stretch of hockey this year too so he can still bring it at times anyhow. boston is going to hand their starting job to rask anyhow so all they really need is an affordable vet backup for a couple years and khabibulin seems the very definition of that. his cup winning experience is super bonus. so dealing off cap hit for a backup goalie does make alot of sense for boston. in the meantime, edmonton gets themselves the better current goalie. edmonton simply cant afford to miss the playoffs again and thomas is been amazing when healthy over the past 4 years. edmonton spends a bit more for their cap, but they have the room for now and get a much better option for a number 1 goalie for at least this year {then why not resign him?}
the krecji for horcorff swap also favors edmonton on the ice as far as getting a legitimate number 2 guy in place. contracts are roughly equal here. change of scenery might be huge for horcorff who doesnt suck as a player {he is just overpaid by a few million dollars} horcorff would have to slot in as boston's third liner but that is okay cause boston wants to go with seguin in the middle anyhow. seguin might not be ready to do it at playoff time, but maybe horcorff recaptures enough old magic that he steps it up at crunch time? as far as third line centers go.. horcorff is a studd. if a team has him on the third line then they know they got a better third liner then 90% of the competition. i wish the contract was around 2.5 mill, but talent wise this is an awesome third liner. for edmonton, they actually get a guy that looks like a ppg producer when he is healthy and playing with talent. he might have some damn fine chemistry with hemsky too. edmonton committed to hemsky so finding a linemate that can bring out the best in hemsky would be smart.
as for gagner... i dont really think boston needs him but neither does edmonton and he sort of balances out the trade. if seguin fails in his move to center then gagner might be useful. more likely, boston would try to move gagner soon as seguin establishes himself in the middle. he isnt a key part of this proposal in either case. boychuck though is. boychuck does have the edmonton/alberta background and as such might be willing to stick around for the next 10 years or so and become the respected vet that is needed on everyteams back end. boychuck can play 20+ effective mins of hockey per night in a 3/4 role even on a cup winner. he brings physical respect/grit to a young/small team too.
i would say edmonton technically wins all 3 exchanges but not so much that boston totally ends up with crap... and as far as the one exchange boston would win its HUGE. being able to pick first overall would mean yakubov i guess. boston has no great success with russians in the past but we drafted a kid last year we are high on. obviously we have seguin and bergeron locked down as 2 huge key points to the top 6 over the next several years. lucic and marchard also seem to be in position to be huge fixtures in the top 6 over several more seasons. there is some real talent here, but another game breaking superstar might help out this team that couldnt score at crunch time this year and had the worst offense in the entire nhl just 2 seasons back too. with injuries to guys like savard/horton, suddenly the pure offensive talent up front gets kind of questionable in boston and a guy like yakubov becomes real attractive. edmonton meanwhile has hopkin and hall and eberle and hemsky and you got to ask yourself just how useful would another undersized/non-physical skilled top 6 guy actually be? a draft pick in the 20's can be gambled on another pitlik type pick which is something edmonton could actually use more right now.
trading the first overall will always be hugely risky... and picking a russian that might end up in the khl is super super risky too. so theres alot of reasons to hate my proposal for those who fear taking chances. im going to make this post anyhow because i think id be willing to roll the dice as a boston fan and i also think this deal addresses edmonton's needs too.
im not sure if any other team would make a better offer for the first. i think the guys im trading to edmonton would have a reasonable chance of sticking around edmonton when their contracts come up. alot of players demand out of edmonton but boychuck is from there. thomas has been with the team before. krecji isnt an american native and has been in small canadian towns in the past. the contracts for krecji and boychuck are reasonable for what they bring to the table. their ages are young enough that a team could keep either guy for at least 10 years and expect good results.
i guess thats about all i can say in defense of my proposal so im open to hear what others might think
What do the oilers seriously need krejci for? If Boston wants the 1st overall, you can bet your ass either Dougie Hamilton or Seguin will be going back.
Absolutely awful for Boston. They don't need this at all.
They give up an aging goalie that they may not want anyway, a good 2C, a decent depth defenseman, and a mid-late 1st, for the 1st overall, an aging goalie who can respectably play back-up to Rask, and a pair of middle-6 centers.
Take out the picks, and it is bad for Boston. Leave the picks in, and it is much worse for Edmonton.
What do the oilers seriously need krejci for? If Boston wants the 1st overall, you can bet your ass either Dougie Hamilton or Seguin will be going back.
Thomas is useless for Edmonton and Boston would just play Rask to the same effect. Boychuk is the type of player you can sign any FA year to compensate. The only real valuable piece is Krejci and the 2012 1st and Boston could afford to lose both of them with Seguin and Bergeron becoming their top 2 centers, if Yakupov is coming back as well.
this trade makes no sense for edmonton we are looking for younger players , i could see lucic, hamilton and swap #1's. Before everyone says it's an overpayment that is what it is going to take folks sorry.
boston is in a situation where they are in a win-now mode, but they are also set up to be able to win 3-4-5-6 years down the road too given the ages of their key people and how the kessel trade worked out. i wonder if that puts the team into a situation where making an attempt at the first overall this year might make some sense?
for edmonton i think the team's primary needs are help for second line center, and on defense, and maybe in goal too
boston actually has some guys with 'winning expereince' who are young and potentially expendable that might make some sense for edmonton.
so my proposal
thomas
krecji
boychuck
2012 first
for
khabibulin
horcorff
gagner
2012 first
I lol'd at you saying "young players" and then including Thomas.
Thomas is useless for Edmonton and Boston would just play Rask to the same effect. Boychuk is the type of player you can sign any FA year to compensate. The only real valuable piece is Krejci and the 2012 1st and Boston could afford to lose both of them with Seguin and Bergeron becoming their top 2 centers, if Yakupov is coming back as well.
This is a AWFUL trade for Boston because of HORCOFF.
