What started the thought was a discussion:
If he doesn’t stay, which of course is the general belief, but if he doesn’t; who can fit him from three points of view: depth chart hole, salary cap structure, and has legitimate assets to offer in return whereby the aftermath of the trade doesn’t cripple the acquiring team because it had to send out stuff that can’t be replaced easily, and also; that Colorado can get enough to feel good about, having it be their preferred outcome for their strategic reasons as it always is. Bonus points if the team is in or near contention with a non-rebuild depth chart.
If you go thru the league with those criteria, I think a whole lot of teams get eliminated.
Like for example: unless NYR was moving Panarin the other way, it’s hard to understand how Rantanen could become a Ranger. Or: Vegas seems to always find a way, but I don’t see how they could shift things. Teams like Toronto have this need covered. The lightning just signed Guentzel. A team like the Panthers looks like they’ll have to address things like future defense before they’d look at some large winger investment. The Kings would be interested I’d imagine but I don’t see what they would offer…I think they need all of their young pieces maybe - they’re the prime case where the trade cost would do too much damage imo; losing Dubois for nothing from depth chart perspective hurts. A team like Seattle has the need but the depth chart is not ready imo compared to others.
I kinda whiddled down the league to:
Stl, NJD, Utahns, Hurricanes (but they’re cheap). I’m sure there are others but I don’t see it really. There’s unprotected Kyrou, short termed Necas, Utah and devils is just a ton of guys. I think if a big wing change happened, these are the 4 places that have good odds to be involved, apart from rental and the Petterson/Miller situation being separate. Then I’m dropping a necas plus for Rantanen idea because historically that franchise avoids huge contracts; the thing Rantanen is reportedly asking for.
I think the best trading partner is possibly Utah, if it came to it; because they have so many different things to offer. It seems like a big splashy thing to do for a new franchise to sell tickets. Stl is similarly positioned with assets. Both teams have middle aged guys such as Thomas and Keller, Parayko and Sergachev; both are not rebuild cores, they’re the opposite; they’re the ages you load up. Neither team has a bonafide winger allstar at the productive ages (Keller not being counted because he is on the ice no matter what in most situations and would be complimentary or the return for Rantanen and Kyrou lot counted because while he is great at what he is great at, he is a different tier of player who’s compensation reflects as much). They’re both cores missing a few pieces to contend and teams in these positions sometimes trade up to add that piece. These two teams are ideal to make a large transaction imo, just probably not with one another. As for the Devils, they have interesting things. If some other team’s decision maker falls in love with something interesting in New Jersey then I think you’ll see something big. The capitals are also interesting but I just don’t see them moving what the ask would be. Ryan Leonard is a keeper and their timeline seems to fit him with McMichael. Imagine if that was offered tho? I’d have a real hard time saying no.
Colorado is in the best position. They have allll the leverage. If Rantanen moves it’s because an offer exists that is too good to say no to, probably something that solves multiple problems with high end solutions. Their worst case is bending on salary negotiations then that’s not that bad.
I know some Colorado fans absolutely love Rantanen and hate to ever see him traded and they’re not the ideal audience for the topic, but im not here to blast them; instead, what I think can be realized is that if something happens, you’re getting paid. You don’t have to do this. That’s a good way to be.
Colorado has a history of change around core offensive forwards in the 28-30 age range.
