couldnt afford 2nd t
Joined: Sep. 2021
Posts: 1,014
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I am surprised this is such a landslide as a win for Seattle.
This is the definition of a 'fair deal'.
It is difficult, if not impossible to move out cap with term right now. Even for great players. Columbus managed to do it and get assets. Even if those assets are less than what people would like for the player under a less restrictive cap ceiling.
Look at it this way, they traded Bjorkstand for a 3rd, a 4th, and the facilitation of Johnny Gaudreau's signing.
People will bring up Gudbranson, as if this is NHL 2022, but the reality is that Gudbranson's cap hit isn't linked to this series of transactions because he plays a completely different role/position. They identified that they needed another top 4 defenseman. They may very well have chosen the wrong guy, but in any event the were going to sign someone to top 4 money.
Should they have given up a 1st round pick to move Nyquist instead? That is apparently what the cost was to move JVR. I can't imagine it's much cheaper for Nyquist right now.
Whether they moved on from Laine, Bjorkstrand, Nyquist, Roslovic, etc - the cost was either going to be high to dump a contract, or for players who aren't negative value, the return was going to hurt. This was the cost of acquiring Gaudreau and keeping some balance to the team.