Off Season Trade Thread vol. IV: Spezza's Long Goodbye

[DJB]

I really want nothing to do with Berglund. We don't really need another C and certainly not a soft one that didn't perform well in the playoffs. We better be getting a Shwartz or Shatty in return.

We all know that Murray has his eyes on selecting Schwatz a couple of years ago before he was snatched away from us a couple of picks earlier. I'd have to bleieve that Murray is going to insist on getting that kid.

 

[Benjamin]

Smith needs to play with someone like Hoffman. Not lesser offensive players.

 

[TheBradyBunch]

Smith needs to play with someone like Hoffman. Not lesser offensive players.

Does anyone else lack confidence in Hoffman as a longterm option? He's a really good player but I worry about if he will score consistently at the top level.

 

[Benjamin]

Does anyone else lack confidence in Hoffman as a longterm option? He's a really good player but I worry about if he will score consistently at the top level.

His tools are so good but he's never come off as a smart player to me. Could go either way.

Considering he seems to take awhile to adapt to a new league, I wouldn't give up on him anytime soon.

Im pretty confident he can be a 30-40 point 3rd liner. He's been good defensively and good on the powerplay. Could be a very useful utility player.

 

[TheBradyBunch]

His tools are so good but he's never come off as a smart player to me. Could go either way.

Considering he seems to take awhile to adapt to a new league, I wouldn't give up on him anytime soon.

Im pretty confident he can be a 30-40 3rd liner. He's been good defensively and good on the powerplay. Could be a very useful utility player.

Yeah, I suppose so. Agree with all that you said. I'm just not sure I would keep him at the expense of Da Costa. And even though they dont play the same position, they would definitely both need similar players beside them.

 

[God Says No]

I really want nothing to do with Berglund. We don't really need another C and certainly not a soft one that didn't perform well in the playoffs. We better be getting a Shwartz or Shatty in return.

We all know that Murray has his eyes on selecting Schwatz a couple of years ago before he was snatched away from us a couple of picks earlier. I'd have to bleieve that Murray is going to insist on getting that kid.

I agree. I want Oshie or Schwartz.

 

[Benjamin]

I really want nothing to do with Berglund. We don't really need another C and certainly not a soft one that didn't perform well in the playoffs. We better be getting a Shwartz or Shatty in return.

We all know that Murray has his eyes on selecting Schwatz a couple of years ago before he was snatched away from us a couple of picks earlier. I'd have to bleieve that Murray is going to insist on getting that kid.

Would you trade a 21 year old Turris with his current abilities for current Spezza?

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

Would you trade a 21 year old Turris with his current abilities for current Spezza?

I was all ready to blast this post for jumping the gun until I did a bit of research. Wow. Schwartz has to be the quietest 56-point player in NHL history.

 

[TheBradyBunch]

Would you trade a 21 year old Turris with his current abilities for current Spezza?

No, but I certainly wouldnt trade Jaden Schwartz for a 21 year old Turris with his current abilities

Schwartz is a great player but youre getting carried away with that comparison. I do agree we won't get Schwartz, but he isn't yet the kind of guy who can carry a team for stretches (like Turris did). Schwartz has been one of my favorite prospects since he got drafted, mostly because I knew the Sens were so high on him. But he doesnt have the all around impact that Turris does.

 

[Wondercarrot]

Yeah exactly. I'd like to give a good long look at SDC and JGP in the lineup. But I wouldn't trade Spezza either. So basically my preferred lineup would be:

Ryan - Spezza - Hemsky
Mac - Turris - Stone
Hoffman - SDC - Zib
Smith - JGP - Neil

Greening/Condra extra

Exactly. This lineup.

 

[HavlatMach9]

I watched the Blues only a couple times in the playoffs and #9 was impressing me with his control of the puck along the boards that I checked out who he was, and it was Schwartz.

I also did not know he had so many points this year, so at least we know it'd have been a good pick if the Blues didn't nab him first.

 

[Vesa Awesaka]

Does anyone else lack confidence in Hoffman as a longterm option? He's a really good player but I worry about if he will score consistently at the top level.

I dont think he'll be a 20 goal scorer anytime soon but simply having his speed in the line up is an asset well he figures out his NHL game. I feel like he'd fit well as a 2/3 line tweener. A guy who provides a little bit of secondary scoring well being able to move up in the line up and not look out of place

 

[Valar Morghulis]

If you're expecting Schwartz, Oshie or Tarasenko, you're going to be very disappointed.

 

[HavlatMach9]

GMs make mistakes, but it's true that a very good player and controlled is hopeful.

 

[Benjamin]

GMs make mistakes, but it's true that a very good player and controlled is hopeful.

Yup. For all we know Armstrong(Insert any GM) isn't just trading for Spezza, he's trading to save his job. Or maybe ownership pressures him big time for a player like Spezza.

 

[God Says No]

If you're expecting Schwartz, Oshie or Tarasenko, you're going to be very disappointed.

Maybe, maybe not. I'm hoping there is a bidding war to drive up the price. St.Louis, Floreda, Anaheim (now that they are out), a mystery challenger...

 

[TheBradyBunch]

Maybe, maybe not. I'm hoping there is a bidding war to drive up the price. St.Louis, Floreda, Anaheim (now that they are out), a mystery challenger...

I dont see Florida having long term interest in Spezza. They'd have a lot of money tied up long term in Luongo and Spezza with lots of really solid young players.

 

[StefanW]

Maybe, maybe not. I'm hoping there is a bidding war to drive up the price. St.Louis, Floreda, Anaheim (now that they are out), a mystery challenger...

I'm guessing Florida, but who knows. St Louis makes the most sense in terms of team needs, but they just gave up a load of assets to pick up Miller before the deadline and may be reluctant to put in an outstanding offer. Anaheim would use him as a second liner rather than a first, which means the offer will not necessarily be top notch, but at least they have reams of assets to give. Florida is apparently ready to open the bank and make a push, but there is some question about whether they would be willing to part with a top young asset to get the deal done. Their first overall pick intrigues me though, and they did say it is in play.

As you point out, there is a decent chance that someone comes in off board and makes a huge pitch. Wpg really needs a highly skilled C, and they have some interesting pieces that they may be winning to give up. The problem is that a lot of their better trade pieces have decent sized contract that we may not be able to take on. I heard rumours about Dallas, but I can't imagine what they would give up to get a deal done. Nashville doesn't seem to have the pieces to get a deal done either. I'd be pretty stoked if the Avs made a play, because their offense with Spezza added would be as close to unstoppable as you can get in the modern NHL.

 

[HSF]

Schwartz scored 25 goals so I think blues will want to keep him more than Oshie. But we will see I guess

 

[Laoghaire]

Can we agree to stop calling players who aren't big hitters "soft?"

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

I still think if we manage to persuade Hemsky to stay, we can ice a killer top 6.

EDM gets: Shattenkirk + minor
OTT gets: Eberle + i unno
STL gets: Spezza

MacArthur-Turris-Ryan
Hemsky-Zibanejad-Eberle

Soft ass 2nd line but talent and IQ is through the roof.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

All I know is that Anaheim is offensively brutal when/if Getzlaf gets shutdown/injured. I'm really happy they lost the way they did, it showed they need offense badly when it matters.

And I'm even happier that St. Louis lost due to enigmatic offensive ability.

This creates an enormous bidding war between 2 teams who desperately need offense to put them over the top and both in same conference.

What could get interesting is if another team like Dallas makes a pitch.

Even if Kesler is available, if one team gets him, another team will be under pressure to match them.

If no team overpays or we get a deal we like, keep Spezza and add a UFA to play with him and Hemsky.

 

[Captain_Cunney]

Would you trade a 21 year old Turris with his current abilities for current Spezza?

No, but it really is irrelevant. It's all about team needs and taking the next step. The blues are on the verge, we all know how quickly this can disappear. Then you add their youth and prospects into the equation, they can afford to move a young star if they feel he will give them the edge he needs.

It's funny how Turris is now our star (big fan) even though there was outrage when we dealt for him cuz we "overpaid".

Will we get a player like Schwartz in the return pkg? Who knows, but a player like spezza is worth that to a SC contending team, especially if they believe this player puts them over the edge.

 

[DrunkUncleDenis]

Exactly. This lineup.

I'm down for SDC in the lineup too but I don't think we can rely on JGP as a regular going forward. As likeable as he is, I don't think he has the combination of skill and strength to compensate for his size that makes MSL such a force. Even on the 4th line. But hey, I'll gladly be proven wrong.

My ideal 4th line right now (assuming Spezza is gone) is Condra-Smith-Neil with SDC centring the third line, Lazar on his wing. Greening benched.

Edit - alternatively you put Smith with Lazar for a sandpaper line with a touch of scoring.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

Madely> deal in place
a poster> sedin trade proposal

I don't mind Spezza being traded, but it creates uncertainties going forward.

We really need a home run with this trade. Future of the franchise depends on it.

If there was a deal in place... the only reasons it couldn't be announced now would be a playoff team is involved somehow.
Or possibly out of respect to a player involved in IIHF championship.
Or someone needs to be convinced to waive their NTC.

I do not want to see Spezza traded though, can't honestly see how we could get fair market value for him - plus it'd definitely mean Hemsky would go elsewhere. I'd rather show that we're serious about keeping Spezza, convince Hemsky to stay and build from there.

Ya, a lot depends on the return (of course). Its not that easy to get a really good #1C. Could easily be the beginning of a rebuild, which tends to be a multi-year process.