2024-2025 Blues Trade Proposals Thread.

[Reality Czech]

EP is pacing around 60 points his last 82 gp. Pass on that grenade of a contract. His disappearing act would drive fans nuts here. Sign Marner this summer and trade for a dman

0% chance Marner is signing here. Not high profile enough for him and I don't see how we could afford the contract without moving a big salary or two. Plus, we already have Marner lite in Kyrou. Don't really need two of that type of player.

I do agree that I'd pass on EP simply because I think the risk and cost to acquire him will be too great. If the price is less than expected, I'm willing to consider.

 

[SirPaste]

With the cap on pace to skyrocket the next 5 years the money will age well and we will have the cap space. We have lots of impact prospects coming but no true "stars" in my opinion

I agree we need a star, EP is a star despite the down year. I would rather allocate that kind of money to a 1C or a 1D than another winger.

 

[Frenzy31]

I agree we need a star, EP is a star despite the down year. I would rather allocate that kind of money to a 1C or a 1D than another winger.

I get that, but one has no asset costs, the other will cost us JK plus.

 

[Reality Czech]

I get that, but one has no asset costs, the other will cost us JK plus.

How could we afford Thomas, Buch, Marner and Kyrou while also improving the defense and leaving enough money for depth? Marner would never sign here anyway, he craves the big market spotlight.

 

[StlBigFly]

I think Chicago, at last draft, should have used the 2OA plus to force Toronto to trade them marner - make an offer the Toronto board couldn’t refuse with a giant overpay. They’re really jeopardizing Bedard by surrounding him with scraps. Not that im complaining.

If it gets to the point marner is approaching ufa deadlines then Toronto will recoup some assets somehow. I don’t think anybody but Toronto will get the shot at signing him for free. He’s way too valuable to give away.

 

[Xerloris]

With the cap on pace to skyrocket the next 5 years the money will age well and we will have the cap space. We have lots of impact prospects coming but no true "stars" in my opinion

Bettman will not let the cap skyrocket

0% chance Marner is signing here. Not high profile enough for him and I don't see how we could afford the contract without moving a big salary or two. Plus, we already have Marner lite in Kyrou. Don't really need two of that type of player.

I do agree that I'd pass on EP simply because I think the risk and cost to acquire him will be too great. If the price is less than expected, I'm willing to consider.

I don't know much about Marners personality but it's entirely possible he only wants to be in Toronto because it's his home town and has nothing to do with big city stuff.

 

[Brian39]

EP is pacing around 60 points his last 82 gp. Pass on that grenade of a contract. His disappearing act would drive fans nuts here. Sign Marner this summer and trade for a dman

What am I missing? I'm seeing that he has scored 76 points in his last 82 games: 48 in 48 to end last season and 28 in 34 to start this season.

 

[SirPaste]

I get that, but one has no asset costs, the other will cost us JK plus.

We don't know what the cost would be, but that wasn't the point. I just used him as an example of a someone I would be willing to part with some prospects for since he is rumored to be available. There is a close to 0% chance Marner would ever sign here or we would even attempt to do so.

 

[Brian39]

Bettman will not let the cap skyrocket

Are you suggesting that Bettman is going to make sure revenue starts going down? The teams (and Bettman) generally love money and will prefer to make more money. The cap is going to skyrocket because the league is now making way more money each year than it was before the COVID recovery plan. Revenue was $5.2B in 2018/19, which is what the 2019/20 cap was based on. Revenue was $6.2B last year and the projection is $6.6B this year. But the cap hasn't been increasing to keep pace due to the escrow debt. That debt has been paid and we will go back to a normal cap calculation in 2026.

Unless revenues tank by roughly $1B or the league locks out a full season to drastically reduce the player's share, the cap is going to skyrocket. There have been zero indications that the league is seeking to change the 50/50 HRR split and that would tangibly cost the owners a ton of money.

The cap is going to skyrocket. The increased revenue demands it. The only question is whether it gets into the mid/high 90s this summer or if it is going to jump $10M+ in the summer of 2026.

 

[Xerloris]

Are you suggesting that Bettman is going to make sure revenue starts going down? The teams (and Bettman) generally love money and will prefer to make more money. The cap is going to skyrocket because the league is now making way more money each year than it was before the COVID recovery plan. Revenue was $5.2B in 2018/19, which is what the 2019/20 cap was based on. Revenue was $6.2B last year and the projection is $6.6B this year. But the cap hasn't been increasing to keep pace due to the escrow debt. That debt has been paid and we will go back to a normal cap calculation in 2026.

Unless revenues tank by roughly $1B or the league locks out a full season to drastically reduce the player's share, the cap is going to skyrocket. There have been zero indications that the league is seeking to change the 50/50 HRR split and that would tangibly cost the owners a ton of money.

The cap is going to skyrocket. The increased revenue demands it. The only question is whether it gets into the mid/high 90s this summer or if it is going to jump $10M+ in the summer of 2026.

People have already claimed the cap would sky rocket this year and last and it didn't. Sure, it went up by a few mil which is huge compared to the dead cap of the last few years but Bettman does not want the cap to sky rocket and they will not allow it to jump 10+ mill in one off season.

 

[Stealth JD]

People have already claimed the cap would sky rocket this year and last and it didn't. Sure, it went up by a few mil which is huge compared to the dead cap of the last few years but Bettman does not want the cap to sky rocket and they will not allow it to jump 10+ mill in one off season.

It hasn’t jumped because of escrow. It WILL jump because of…math.

 

[Frenzy31]

As long as the TV contracts increase. It will be interesting to see what happens in the figure. RFK is talking about preventing Big Pharma from advertising on TV. And while I am sick of seeing pharma adds on TV, I do think TV contracts will start decreasing, which in turn will lower revenue……..

This will not happen overnight, but 5 years from now…. Contact, not just for hockey, but pro athletes are getting stupid. But back on track.

RC: not sure we are going to do anything with our D at this point. We have added Fowler and Broberg. Leddy is signed for another year. Plus we have Lindstein etc coming up. Maybe something with RHD, but with Faulk signed for a couple more years, I don’t see much to be done.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Now, I don't think we have a shot at actually landing him, but it's sparked by the report that Vancouver has high interest in Dobson. Dobson is one of a few players that I would currently put a lot on the table for. If he's available and would be willing to sign long-term here, I'd hope Army is very aggressive.

 

[Frenzy31]

Now, I don't think we have a shot at actually landing him, but it's sparked by the report that Vancouver has high interest in Dobson. Dobson is one of a few players that I would currently put a lot on the table for. If he's available and would be willing to sign long-term here, I'd hope Army is very aggressive.

Vancouver is listing a player they would like for EP. Not sure Islanders bite, but my guess is this is negotiation tactic by Vancouver.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Vancouver is listing a player they would like for EP. Not sure Islanders bite, but my guess is this is negotiation tactic by Vancouver.

I know, was just giving an example of a player that I would put a lot on the table for.

 

[Reality Czech]

Bettman will not let the cap skyrocket



I don't know much about Marners personality but it's entirely possible he only wants to be in Toronto because it's his home town and has nothing to do with big city stuff.

Purely my speculation. Maybe this image is clouding my judgement.

 

[Xerloris]

Purely my speculation. Maybe this image is clouding my judgement.

View attachment 955573

I mean when you put it that way I imagine this is how Marner and Matthews look at each other in the locker room

 

[joe galiba]

It hasn’t jumped because of escrow. It WILL jump because of…math.

how dare you use the "m" word

 

[PeoriaBlues309]

What’s the most you guys would give up for EP?

 

[Brian39]

People have already claimed the cap would sky rocket this year and last and it didn't. Sure, it went up by a few mil which is huge compared to the dead cap of the last few years but Bettman does not want the cap to sky rocket and they will not allow it to jump 10+ mill in one off season.

It was overwhelmingly discussed here that the cap would increase by 5% for this year (the maximum allowable under the CBA without a separate agreement). Which it did. In fact, the NHL and PA actually agreed for it to increase slightly more than 5%. Absolutely no one argued that it would skyrocket the previous year, because the escrow debt was not paid off. The argument was that the cap would go up 5% per year once the escrow debt was paid off until the expiration of the 2020 MOU that de-linked the cap from HRR. Which is exactly what has happened.

You are either making shit up or your reading comprehension on the topic has badly failed you. Your failure to understand what annual 5% jumps looks like does not make it any less true. Bettman is not able to "control" the salary cap. He does not "allow" for it to jump. You need to learn the absolute basics of how the salary cap is calculated.

Barring a lockout, the cap in 2026/27 is going to be linked to HRR for the first time since COVID. "What Bettman wants" isn't part of the linkage formula.

The league made $6.2B in revenue last year. They are projecting $6.6B this year. If we were using the linkage formula to come up with the 2025/26 cap, the cap would be $105M for 2025/26. Even if the league experiences no growth in 2025/26, the cap is going to be in the $100M-$105M range. With continued growth, the cap is going to get to $110M+.

I think the NHL and PA want to smooth this growth by raising the cap by an extra few million this summer (beyond the $92.4M projection that is the maximum 5% allowed without a deal). And I could see all parties agreeing to a lag formula for the first 2-3 years of the next CBA. But the cap is going to be linked to HRR again, which means a skyrocketing cap with skyrocketed revenue.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

What’s the most you guys would give up for EP?

We'd have to give up more than we expect. Wouldn't surprise me if the asking price starts at Kyrou, Dvorsky/Lindstein, and a 1st.

 

[PocketNines]

a package of Kyrou and Stancl is the most as the two main pieces. Stancl so hot right now and playing in British Columbia they would feel the sizzle to the prospect offer.

I am really enjoying Stancl being a Blues prospect and they need a player like him too. If you get EP then it's a center trio of EP Thomas Dvorsky. Might be a little soft is my only concern. I am not all girded up to get this player. He seems like a player geared more toward the regular season and that gives me pause, not just his contract which also does.

I perceive more relentless drive to compete out of Dvorsky than EP btw

We'd have to give up more than we expect. Wouldn't surprise me if the asking price starts at Kyrou, Dvorsky/Lindstein, and a 1st.

that's three major assets and we pass and let him go to Buffalo where he should go

 

[Linkens Mastery]

a package of Kyrou and Stancl is the most as the two main pieces. Stancl so hot right now and playing in British Columbia they would feel the sizzle to the prospect offer.

I am really enjoying Stancl being a Blues prospect and they need a player like him too. If you get EP then it's a center trio of EP Thomas Dvorsky. Might be a little soft is my only concern. I am not all girded up to get this player. He seems like a player geared more toward the regular season and that gives me pause, not just his contract which also does.

I perceive more relentless drive to compete out of Dvorsky than EP btw


that's three major assets and we pass and let him go to Buffalo where he should go

I'm absolutely expecting the price will be two-three major assets plus cap dumps. Looking at the Eichel trade for example. And thats with Eichel having health issues.

 

[Reality Czech]

I mean when you put it that way I imagine this is how Marner and Matthews look at each other in the locker room

This is how I imagine Matthews

 

[Brian39]

What’s the most you guys would give up for EP?

We'd have to give up more than we expect. Wouldn't surprise me if the asking price starts at Kyrou, Dvorsky/Lindstein, and a 1st.

I would be content telling them that Dvorsky/Lindstein are not on the table as a secondary piece to Kyrou. I'm happy to talk about a long list of other assets as secondary pieces, but we're only talking about one of those prospects as the main piece of the deal. If that kills the deal without further negotiation then so be it. I'd let them know that I'm more than willing to keep the door open on a Petey for Kyrou+ swap later if they don't get what they want elsewhere.

I would also be pretty content telling them that the 1st would only be available as a secondary piece to Kyrou if there is some decent protection. My thought is top 7(ish) protection on the pick plus the condition that we get their 2nd rounder (in 2025 or 2026) if the pick we give them winds up being 8th through 16th. Pick your exact numbers based on how you view the draft class. But I'm not interested in giving up the 1st rounder without getting a pick back if we are still picking in the top half of the draft.

Beyond that, we have a lot of good (but not great) prospects that I'd be willing to put on the table.

I'd also be seeing their interest level in guys like Saad, Faksa, Joseph, Texier, Torpo, Sunny, Leddy, and Suter (with a willingness to retain on any of them).

Realistically, I think my final offer would be something like this:

Kyrou
Stenberg or our 2025 1st (with protection)
One prospect we drafted outside the 1st round in the past 4 drafts (their choice)
Faksa (50% retention). Add/swap veterans with retention depending on their preference.
2027 4th
2026 5th

for

Petey and their 2025 2nd