Two first round picks isn't a haul?
Eichel went for the same value depending on how you look at Tuch. Meier and Horvat went for less.
Two 1sts for a star player with term is not a haul. Meier and Horvat didn't have term so don't count. Eichel got 1st, 2nd, a recent 1st with promise in Krebs, and a 50 point giant winger with a good contract who, crucially, was from Buffalo and liked the idea of being there in Tuch.
But that's kind of besides the point. All futures based returns for NHLers suck. Some suck more and some suck less, but there's zero reason for teams to do it unless they're either
a) Getting something else they want out of it - cap space, rid of a bad locker room guy, deliberately getting worse to rebuild
b) Can't get better due to expiring contracts or trade restrictions
If Arizona don't want to get worse, there's zero reason for them to entertain a non-stupid futures based offer for Keller.
You can bring in plenty of good or very good players if you are willing to move unprotected 1st rounders. While Karlsson maybe has the highest upside there are also plenty of outcomes with injury, lack of fit with Letang and general dysfunction that this thing could bomb. It bombed with Burns evidently.
Not to mention if you move the 2024-2025 1sts you have very little in the way of assets to add to the team if we're actually contenders this year.
Instead of sweetening the pot with the 2025 1st just play chicken. Work with Rust about finding him a destination that gives us the assets to flip to SJS and lessens the retention. And for pete's sake make phone calls to other teams that are not San Jose about the package.
First off, who said anything about the 1sts being unprotected?
Second, this team needs to get radically better if they're going to win a cup. I really, really, really doubt that there are plenty of players available, either as individuals or as packages, who can be had for the sort of package we're talking about for Karlsson who have that sort of radical improvement upside. That's because as pointed out, futures based packages suck. What teams are out there with the players we want and in a position where they have to take futures based packages?
And, once you've isolated them, which of them have players to sell where their players contracts don't limit the market? Because with an open market for guys, the likelihood someone can outbid us skyrockets.
Sure, I hope Dubas is exploring every angle. But as best I can tell, Erik Karlsson represents a unique combination of ability and limited availability. I really don't see many opportunities to get the same amount of talent for the same amount of assets elsewhere. It's Kessel all over again, assuming San Jose give in.
Don't get me wrong. I think it can easily go wrong. I don't want to throw the sun and moon at it. But this is the one gamechanging talent on the market within our price range I see. I'm okay with them getting a little aggressive on one of the few gambles out there that has a big enough jackpot. If we play chicken and don't get Karlsson, I don't see anything else worth the assets out there.
Also the idea that Rust is going to waive his NMC in his circumstances is so unlikely I don't see any point hoping for it but we've seen that conversation.
