Consider also that it's not really that unfeasible, given our asset pool, that we could acquire a much better player than Kreider to fill that top 6 void. If you assume Panarin, Zibanejad, Kakko, Kravtsov, and Chytil have permanent or soon to be permanent spots in that top 6, to say nothing of Strome, what's to stop us from sending out Kreider to return a first and prospect package in return, and then sending out our own first, the Kreider first, and another of our higher-end defenseman prospects, and moving up in the first to get someone like Stutzle?
I mean, maybe the question is "What about next year?" but I'd submit the answer to that is: Who cares? We would have a wonderful looking young top 6 that is gonna score and score and score in buckets in the future. Not to mention our defense is full of scoring puckmoving types in DeAngelo, Fox, even Miller and Lundkvist.
Here's the thing, I wouldn't view trading Kreider as the final answer.
Another poster asked me earlier if a top six without Kreider and featuring two young wings is my strategy, and the answer is no, it's not.
Trading Kreider or keeping him isn't the end-game. In other words, it's not the goal. Nor is acquiring picks, prospects and ammo. Those aren't goals, those are tactics.
The goal is to build out a complete team.
And to that achieve that goal, there are many different approaches and opinions on approaches.
Some people think that involves Kreider, others don't.
But I don't think the Kreider himself is the end-game, regardless of where one falls in the discussion.
In a world where nothing is guaranteed, and all of us are taking guesses on the best approach, it comes down to whether or not you think you can get closer to your goal (building a complete, winning team) with Kreider, or without Kreider.
In other words, which bag of mystery are you more comfortable reaching into.
Personally, because of the factors I've already stated, I do not believe the Kreider mystery bag gives us our best chances.
But even as someone who is in the pro-trade camp, I do not believe that trading Kreider is the final answer. It might be part of the answer, based on the ammo we get back and how we use it. But whether he stays or goes, there's follow-up moves that will become necessary. I think those moves are easier without that contract, and with some of the ammo we get back. But it won't, by itself, put us at our goal.
