1. Skjei to Carolina for Gardiner 1m retained (negative value) and both 1st round picks. Taking on Gardiner must be worth like a 2nd or at least a 3rd. Skjei is definitely worth more than a 1st round pick. Value can’t be that far off.
2. Three way deal with Toronto and Minny, in which Gardiner at 50% (ie down to 1.5m per) goes to Toronto, Liljegren to Minny and Greenwood to us. Some might say that the value is way off, but retaining 1.5m in Gardiner for FOUR more years has a lot of value.
3. Kreider is traded to the Islanders for Bellows and their 1st, no protection.
Smith replaces Skjei on LD and Hajak is put back in the mix. Greenwood replaces Kreider on the 1st and Bellows provides further internal competition. Truth to be told, I don’t think we become much less competitive.
We would have four 1st round picks, and one of Toronto, Carolina and the Islanders are missing the POs. TORs 1st is protected if they win the lottery, but if they are probably making it and even if they miss it odds are that they wouldn’t win and that it at least would be top 15.