1. those that have a soap box do.
2. yager plays the primmer position. center has more value than wing. and has the higher upside. while yager lacks strength, McGroarty lacks skating which do you think is the riskier flaw?
3. true, but does that make up the difference?
1. I'm not sure what you're referring to here. Neutral sources generally favor McGroarty over Yager as well. I'm not just talking blowhards like Yohe or DK or whoever.
2. I'm not convinced Yager projects as a center at the NHL level. Not sure he has the compete or the physicality for it. Seems more like a wing to me but we'll see.
3. Make up the difference for what? If McGroarty is the superior prospect (and most seem to think he is) why not make this deal?
There's nothing wrong with the trade. But it wasn't some rip off in favor of the Penguins, either. It was a fair value hockey trade. I think the Penguins like it because of a mix of NHL readiness and the profile of the player in question which suits Sullivan's style better. The Jets like it because Yager is frankly a higher ceiling player (with maybe a lower chance of reaching it) than Groats and they don't mind him marinating for another year. I would not call it a no-brainer though... regardless of what the talking heads have to say. It seems to me like a trade of basically the same level of prospect but with different attributes. Attributes that this team... and especially Mike Sullivan who runs this team... likes better.
I don't understand how anyone could look at what Dubas has done this year and seriously think he has any real intentions of competing. Sid (who still doesn't have a contract extension BTW) is penciled in to start this year with DOC on his left wing and 38 year old Malkin who himself is probably cooked will be starting with Ricky Raks and a guy who was a third/fourth liner last year and we're all hoping and praying somehow has suddenly found a ~PPG touch. But I'm not really in the mood to shit all over everyone's offseason hopes and dreams either so I suppose we'll see. But on the face of things this roster is sad... with the exception of possible better depth. Whether or not that depth is actually used is another thing entirely, of course.
The more I look at the Groat/Yager trade the more it looks like a "skills for intangibles" swap. Which I generally hate. But hey if he turns out to be exactly what the doctor ordered for this team (think Neal for Horns) then I'll gladly eat a plate of crow on that opinion. Either way unless he's a bonafide superstar it won't matter enough to argue over regardless. Neither he nor Yager are foundational pieces IMO.
I don't think it was a rip off. It was a fairly equal deal. Perhaps weighted a bit in our favor as most consider McGroarty the better prospect.
Not sure I buy Yager having a higher ceiling. Better skater, perhaps better shot, but weaker physically and smaller. Perhaps Yager will bulk up in time and lessen those physical differences. They are a year apart in age.
I don't think Dubas has a sincere belief in competing this year, but I do think he wants to rebuild as fast as possible and he's hoping to be able to put together a competitive roster within the next few years. Why do I think that? Because even when Dubas goes for futures, he goes for guys who are already established prospects. He could have had a first for Guentzel but instead went for a bunch of prospects who have already had development. Why do that if not because he wants to speed up the rebuild and get guys onto the roster before Sid retires? This McGroarty trade follows a similar train of thought: by getting a prospect that is a year older and has played at a higher level (college vs major juniors) Dubas is banking on McGroarty making a difference sooner than Yager would have.
As to your last point, I think you're underselling McGroarty's skill level. He's produced quite well at the college level so far.
I do agree that unless Dubas hits a home run and has one of our prospects turn into a superstar it won't matter. Let's say McGroarty turns into a solid top six forward. Great. What else do we have to replace Sid? We'll still be really bad once Sid retires unless Dubas makes some great trades/gets unexpected free agent help. This "rebuild on the fly" business is going to require some luck. The Rangers for example got that by having Shesterkin turn into a star and by having Adam Fox fall into their lap, and also by having guys like Panarin wanting to go there. We will need similar amounts of luck to not bottom out.
For a guy who supposedly loves playing for this coach, it's certainly taking Sid a long time to sign that extension, eh?
It is kinda crazy that he hasn't signed yet. If he's not signed by the time camp starts he's going to get bombarded by questions from reporters and it's going to happen daily. And the Canadian media will harass him endlessly.
Only a few weeks until camp, no? Strange shit.
