I've been thinking more and more about Carolina as a potential trade partner for Binny. I think this deal would have to take place after the season for a number of reasons (NTCs, Salary Cap, and roster construction for Carolina's playoff push) and would be predicated on the concept that Carolina tanks out of the playoffs again, mainly due to goaltending, and Burns retires.
To Carolina - Binny, Faulk, and possibly a small sweetener - I'd go as far as to include a Simon Robertsson or Buchinger level of prospect, maaaaybe even Zach Dean, but I'd really prefer to keep him, and/or a later (5th+) round pick.
To STL - Scott Morrow and Jesperi Kotkaniemi.
On July 1st Faulk's full NTC modifies to a 15 team, and Binny's modifies to a 14 team. Faulk I assume will include the 7 Canadian teams plus bottom feeders such as Chicago, San Jose, Philly, Anaheim, and Buffalo. That accounts for 12 teams - I'd also assume he'd rather not go to Utah, Pittsburgh, or Columbus, but those are more guesses. Binny might keep some Canadian teams off his list, but who knows. Anyway, I don't think Carolina would be high on either of their lists to block, as they've been a very successful franchise for the last 6 years, they have a head coach everyone raves about, and there's really no hockey media/crazy fandom to bother them in Carolina.
Why it makes sense for Carolina:
1 - It maximizes their win-now window - Really this all depends on the value they see in Binnington and his ability to win when it matters most. Markstrom brought back a 1st and a bottom pair D-man, and his playof resume isn't nearly as good as Binny's. Assuming the Canes bow out again due to goaltending, they will be hard pressed to find a goalie on any market with a better big game resume then Binny. Faulk is a step down from Burns, but he's still a serviceable Top-4 D and from a production standpoint very similiar to Burns. I frankly think Carolina's system makes players look better from an advanced metrics standpoint then maybe they really are and Burns is a benficiary of that.
2- They get (Somehow) younger. Assuming Binny replaces Anderson and Faulk replaces Burns, they actually get younger at both positions.
3 - They get -some- cap flexibility. Currently Anderson and Burns make a combined 8.68M. Add in Kotkaniemi and that goes up to 13.5M. Binny and Faulk combine for 12.5. Carolina finding a 3C for 1M is pretty far fetched, but they also are likely replacing the cap hit of Orlov (7.75) for Nikishin's ELC. Nikishin's ELC will expire (Since it will only be a 2 year) in the same year that both Binny and Faulk come off the books. I think Hall's money goes to Rantanen, so that's a wash, but with the cap going up they should be able to fill a 3C role without much headache. I wouldn't love retaining on say Faulk, but I wouldn't let say 1.5M retained stand in the way of this deal either.
4 - They still have Badinka as a solid RHD prospect they can mature into their NHL roster.
Why Carolina doesn't do it:
1. They have been patient with Morrow and are about to reap the reward, they may value him far more as an ELC D-man then they do Binny/Faulk.
2. Center depth becomes an issue. Aho is amazing, and Staal is putting up a massive season, but he'll be 37 on opening day of 2025. Carolina doesn't really have any center prospects worth writing home about. Kotkaniemi is overpaid, but it's not a gross overpayment. Finding a 3C in UFA can be very tricky, and can you continue to trust Staal as your 2C next year?
Why STL does it:
1. It brings in guys that fit our retool timeline much better, especially in major areas of need, RHD and C.
2. It maximizes the value of Binny, an asset that really isn't going to do much for us when our next window opens, as he's likely to age out quickly. It also gives us an opportunity to see what we have in our young goalies - Hofer has done OK as a backup so far, and I'm not really sure what's left for him to prove as a backup - Colten Ellis has also put up two really solid AHL seasons as the 1A in Springfield, I think it's time to give him a shot as a backup or perhaps a tandem type in the NHL. Zherenko gets the full starters load in the AHL next season to see if he can handle the workload.
3. This trade would have the same effect on the right side of our D as Broberg did for the left side of our D from an age/projection standpoint. All of a sudden we go from having Parayko and a lot of question marks to something that looks a whole lot more substantial.
4. Kotkaniemi is overpaid, but it's not terrible and even if he becomes our version of Lars Eller, a 3C who puts up 15ish goals and 35ish points a season, that's perfectly manageable with the cap going up - and we don't have anyone in the system outside of Dean that would profile as a 3C unless Dvo doesn't hit, and who wants to think about that. Maybe we even catch lightning in a bottle again, no one thought Holloway would turn out as well as he did.
5. It's the first step in passing the torch of our leadership group towards the younger core. It also makes trading Schenn down the line more feasable and helps relieve the pressure to rush Dvo to the NHL. Thomas/Schenn/Kotkaniemi is a better trio then Thomas/Schenn/Sunny, that's for damn sure.
Why STL doesn't do it:
1. Trading a goalie like Binner is tough. He's the franchise leader in wins. He's the guy who won us our only Stanley Cup. He's been nails in big games his entire career, which is something you can't quantify or scout. He's been a rock for us through this entire retool and never complained, even though our team has left him out to dry more often then not. He's one of my personal favorite Blues ever, and it would be heartbreaking to watch him leave. He should have a statue outside of Enterprise making that save on Nordstrom for all eternity.
2. Carolina says they want a sweetener or retention that we can't stomach.