Schmidt maybe playing his way onto Vegas
88 could have been his target all along.
The evaluation checklist will go like this...IMO.
1. GMGM checks to see if any team is willing to pay a good price to select then trade a player.
2. IF no, GMGM selects youngest player with highest upside. Tiebreakers will be, salary and number of years LV will be able to control said player.
When I look at Grubby vs Schmidt, as GMGM, I take Schmidt if we're talking retaining the player. As an entry franchise, unless we're talking a lock franchise-level goalie, I don't need a good 1B starter like Grubby in year 1. I'm ok being bad and having a few chances to get my franchise-level top-3 draftees and adding that guy via draft or trade later on.
I feel like Grubby is going to be making more $ as a starter on his next contract than what Schmidt will make too. I could be wrong...but that's my line of reasoning for selecting Schmidt (now that he's shown he can play well in the postseason).
Eller must be unprotected....Wilson protected. I almost feel like the Caps wouldn't mind seeing Eller picked. He's probably gone after one more year at an expensive salary in real $, not cap hit.