My ideal deadline would be to trade Swick and Andonovski for picks. You can never have too many plus teams are always looking for size and physical players for the playoffs. Those players always carry good value.
Then trade for a second import player. The market on imports is usually pretty low at the deadline. Most teams are set. Kitchener doesn’t even need an impactful player but one who could be a productive addition for cheap to offset dealing Swick and Andonovski out.
Then trade Bottineau for any return that you can. At 18 he has really not improved much since last year and is still a fourth line player. Nothing against him but some younger player I would rather give that ice time to.
I agree on Andonovski and Swick.
Not so much on trading for an import. They come cheap but for one of any significance, he’ll cost something. And, would we have to release the rights to one of Pobezal or Chrenko? If so, hard no.
As for Bottineau, he brings close to the same as Mercer and is a year younger.
I don’t see Mercer in the mix as an OA next year but Bottineau will be back to play those dirty minutes on the PK, etc.
I’d move out Mercer and keep Bottineau. I think Grisiola has made Mercer expendable.