What if dealing lindgren pisses fox off so bad, he doesn’t want to resign long term?
While mathematically possible, that is so unlikely it warrants dismissal.
While I'm sure Fox has bonds w/his teammates, some more than others, and likely his regular partner may be at the top of the list, we all know how much, including from his earliest youth when supposedly he wore Rangers pjs to bed, he loves this team.
I doubt he does not put the team first here, especially since there is reality of hard cap and roster size limit as determining factors. He would be more likely, logic suggests, if a favorite teammate was getting a raw deal and not paid in line w/typical projections.
If he puts the team first, he will certainly recognize there is need for mo toughness. So he will want Robertson, whether that is as an add to Lindgren or as his replacement.
But again, that leaves the ?, what happens to Jones if we keep Lindgren?
We need to play Jones for upwards of a season at min no matter what to establish his NHL value.
And no, I will not follow you and other win now guys gambling on an injury risk, expensive Eichel as return for Jones as a core piece.
Get a 1st for Lindy.
Add 1st for Strome
1st + fore Buch
Bank future picks.
If/when opportunity emerges, you are ready.
Use totality of assets, i.e, youth that can emerge.
Add toughness and better lineup as I've described.
some variation of Buch to CAR for 1st + Drury
Strome for 1st min
if you don't get a better offer
package deal:
Strome to SEA now for 2023 1st [top 10 protected]
Lindy to SEA now for 2024 1st [top 10 protected]
Geo + Hajek + Reunanen + Howden
for
2021 2nd + 2022 3rd + 2023 3rd
... helps SEA now to get going ASAP
helps NY in long run, esp if Kraken are not as successful as LVGK asap
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finally, I could flip the script and ask what if he likes Jones + Robertson better?