Off-Season Trade Thread - Needs/Wants

[RoyalDude]

Count me as someone who would trade Ryan Kesler for Jamie Benn in a heartbeat.

Kid is five years younger, has mad skills and is as tough as a two dollar steak.

Of course it would leave a gaping hole in the middle but that's MG's job to figure out. Put together a package for Jordan Staal.

Same here BlobCat. In a heartbeat.

[ESQ]

To a certain point I agree - but how many teams will be able to spend to the cap? Toronto, Vancouver, the Rangers, Philly, maybe Boston - my point is there aren't nearly as many teams that will go over $70 million.

Lots of teams are able to do it - add Montreal, Chicago, Detroit, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, then there are Calgary and Los Angeles and Washington who all spent within $2m of the cap this season.. that's still omitting San Jose, St. Louis and Dallas both have new ownership, Nashville have opened up the vault over the last year or so, Tampa is a small market but have shown a willingness to spend money (their owner is spending tens of millions out of his own pocket to upgrade the arena this offseason)...

This is a very interesting point. Only two teams in NHL history surpassed $70 million in payroll - the 03/04 Red Wings and Rangers. Philly and Toronto have been perennial top-spenders, but Boston has been a mid-market spender, while Chicago has usually been on the low end. Chicago has only been profitable for a couple years, and they shed a lot of salary going into last year that they didn't need to to stay under the cap (Brian Campbell). Boston also stayed well under the cap. Calgary has slim profit margins, particularly with no playoff revenue.

I think the list of teams willing to go beyond $70 million is very short.

[Strangelove]

Count me as someone who would trade Ryan Kesler for Jamie Benn in a heartbeat.

Kid is five years younger, has mad skills and is as tough as a two dollar steak.

Of course it would leave a gaping hole in the middle but that's MG's job to figure out. Put together a package for Jordan Staal.

I would just as quickly swap Kesler for Benn. BTW Benn does play centre....

[dbr]

This is a very interesting point. Only two teams in NHL history surpassed $70 million in payroll - the 03/04 Red Wings and Rangers. Philly and Toronto have been perennial top-spenders, but Boston has been a mid-market spender, while Chicago has usually been on the low end. Chicago has only been profitable for a couple years, and they shed a lot of salary going into last year that they didn't need to to stay under the cap (Brian Campbell). Boston also stayed well under the cap. Calgary has slim profit margins, particularly with no playoff revenue.

I think the list of teams willing to go beyond $70 million is very short.

Considering inflation, that $70m threshold only two teams crossed in 2003 is equivalent to almost $90m today.

There were 7 teams over $60m in 2003, that works out to $75m today. Of course there was no revenue sharing or $2b broadcast deal in those days either.

[Farhan Lalji]

Count me as someone who would trade Ryan Kesler for Jamie Benn in a heartbeat.

Kid is five years younger, has mad skills and is as tough as a two dollar steak.

Of course it would leave a gaping hole in the middle but that's MG's job to figure out. Put together a package for Jordan Staal.

I would just as quickly swap Kesler for Benn. BTW Benn does play centre....

Benn probably does have more potential than Kesler, but is he a better play than Kesler at current? (assuming Kesler is healthy). Given the Canucks' window, would it be in our best interest to trade Kesler for Benn? What's Benn's cap hit? Probably significantly less than Kesler's.

I'd be down for this idea as well, provided that the Canucks use this freed up cap space to get another impact player.

[Island Nucklehead]

Benn probably does have more potential than Kesler, but is he a better play than Kesler at current? (assuming Kesler is healthy). Given the Canucks' window, would it be in our best interest to trade Kesler for Benn? What's Benn's cap hit? Probably significantly less than Kesler's.

I'd be down for this idea as well, provided that the Canucks use this freed up cap space to get another impact player.

Benn is a better offensive player than Kesler, imo. He's a bigger body, and uses it effectively. Loves to crash a bang. He's got a nose for the net, a nice shot, and is a deceptively good playmaker also.

Kesler is a superior defensive forward, is much better in the circle, is faster and has a better shot (when healthy).

Tough to say who's going to be better. They both have injury issues, Benn has had concussions in the past. But he'll only be 23 next season, and had 63 points in 71 games last year for the Stars.

I think Benn is a much better version of David Booth. He's going to be a premiere player for the next 10 years, imo.

Dallas won't deal him. He's an RFA, so maybe throw a 5 year, $30M contract his way and see what Dallas does. If we're moving first rounders for Keith Ballard, a First, Second and Third for Jamie Benn is nothing.

[Strangelove]

Benn probably does have more potential than Kesler, but is he a better play than Kesler at current?

I think he is about as good a player as Kesler at current (which is why Dallas wouldn't do this deal).

Given the Canucks' window, would it be in our best interest to trade Kesler for Benn?

Trading for Benn would simply keep the window open longer imo.

Now that you mention the playoffs, it IS nice to have all that playoff-experience + Cup-hungriness that Kess brings.

All that unfinished-business in Vancouver mentality.

*smacks forehead* What was I thinking: FORGIVE ME RYAN!!!

What's Benn's cap hit? Probably significantly less than Kesler's.

Well he's an RFA right now, prolly ends up with Kess-like money....

[BladesofSteel]

I am totally open to a deal involving Kesler and Benn.

Then we can flip Lu for Price, Schneider for Evander Kane and I might actually feel some sort of connection with this team.

[donlever]

..lol.

So we can all agree everyone is open to it.

We can also agree it is never going to happen.

Next.


Edit:

No fair adding to your post after the fact.

[Potatoe1]

I think he is about as good a player as Kesler at current (which is why Dallas wouldn't do this deal).

Even if that's true, Kesler is a much better center and your centers make your team go...

Well at least they did prior to the league sliding back to the dead puck era, now it doesn't matter that much.

If the rules get tightened back up (I think they will) transition play will once again become the emphasis and in that type of game you take Kesler over Benn, 10 times out of 10.

[Strangelove]

... 10 times out of 10??

What are you... some kinda dink?

[BladesofSteel]

Well at least they did prior to the league sliding back to the dead puck era, now it doesn't matter that much.

If the rules get tightened back up (I think they will) transition play will once again become the emphasis...

I think they will as well.

Slightly off topic for a moment, why does it take a pending work stoppage to get the officiating sorted out? What correlation is there between the league's officiating (on a slippery slope downwards since last year) and the expiring collective bargaining agreement? It makes absolutely no sense.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch... Kesler could bring back a high impact return while providing a fresh direction for this core. I'm not pining to get rid of him, as he's obviously a very difficult asset to replace. But he is a tremendous asset who would be coveted by a majority of the GM's. I'm just no longer sold on him being a long term member of this core group.

[SKYO]

12 year - $67M contract offer for Zach Parise.

& for people wanting to trade RK17 slam my hole.

Trade Ballard for a strong two way C for example Z. Smith.
SIGN MANNY OFF - SORRY MANNY. 850K CAP HIT.
SIGN CAMPBELL

SEDINS BURROWS
PARISE KELSER BOOTH
HIGGINS SMITH HANSEN
CAMPBELL LAPPY KASS/WEISE

[RoyalDude]

PARISE KELSER BOOTH

LOL, again, who is the playmaker on this line? Three puck hogs on one line, brilliant.

[RoyalDude]

I think he is about as good a player as Kesler at current (which is why Dallas wouldn't do this deal).

Even if that's true, Kesler is a much better center and your centers make your team go...

Well at least they did prior to the league sliding back to the dead puck era, now it doesn't matter that much.

If the rules get tightened back up (I think they will) transition play will once again become the emphasis and in that type of game you take Kesler over Benn, 10 times out of 10.

You are out to lunch if you would take Kesler over Benn, Potatoe. 5 years younger, meaner, bigger, more dynamic, more skilled, a local kid. What's not to like? The kid is captain material.

But like Leves said, Benn ain't going anywhere so why we even talking about it?