Which real good players will be traded this year?

[Juniorhockeyguru]

If Bruce Hamilton is smart, he would trade Cristall and Price this year. Their team is looking pretty bleak for 25-26. They need assets.

Bruce has lost a lot of his magic. They're going nowhere this eason with those 2.

 

[FourQuarters]

If Bruce Hamilton is smart, he would trade Cristall and Price this year. Their team is looking pretty bleak for 25-26. They need assets.

That's true, but it's cruel to trade someone who is going to break the franchise points record in the season…

 

[wksfan]

Cole Temple traded from Regina to Everett for Julien Maze. 2 good young players changing places. Not sure for the rational here unless one guy requested a trade.

 

[hockeykid87]

That's true, but it's cruel to trade someone who is going to break the franchise points record in the season…

Business is business...

 

[TheAppleCorps]

Cole Temple traded from Regina to Everett for Julien Maze. 2 good young players changing places. Not sure for the rational here unless one guy requested a trade.

Not sure I see how this makes the Tips (who look like they should do what they can to be in "win now"-mode) better now or in the future. Maze was a pretty solid player for the team and I thought he was already a quality top-6 contributor.

I don't know much about Temple beyond the draft pedigree, and know you can't judge a player based on stat line. It's not as if he's built for playoff hockey way more than Maze (5'8" vs. 5'10")... what's his game like?

 

[Strummer53]

Not sure I see how this makes the Tips (who look like they should do what they can to be in "win now"-mode) better now or in the future. Maze was a pretty solid player for the team and I thought he was already a quality top-6 contributor.

I don't know much about Temple beyond the draft pedigree, and know you can't judge a player based on stat line. It's not as if he's built for playoff hockey way more than Maze (5'8" vs. 5'10")... what's his game like?

Skill guy that played in a system that was far from complimentary to how he plays (therefore suppressing his stat line).

 

[TheAppleCorps]

Skill guy that played in a system that was far from complimentary to how he plays (therefore suppressing his stat line).

Huh... OK. Maze seems like a skill guy who WAS playing in a complimentary system...

Meh, OK, I'll reserve judgement and hope I can catch a bit of what he can do on the ice.

 

[Strummer53]

Temple is a guy that may not be as good a straight line skater, but has more natural talent. I suspect he will be able to be a better player vs Maze

 

[TheAppleCorps]

Temple is a guy that may not be as good a straight line skater, but has more natural talent. I suspect he will be able to be a better player vs Maze

Inshallah

 

[hockeykid87]

Can't honestly say I expected Lethbridge to get in on the action with that kind of move. I guess the see Medicine Hat struggling to pull away with the Division and decided to go for it. Especially after missing out on the Memorial Cup.

 

[tendyguy]

Can't honestly say I expected Lethbridge to get in on the action with that kind of move. I guess the see Medicine Hat struggling to pull away with the Division and decided to go for it. Especially after missing out on the Memorial Cup.

When they traded Meneghin, I expected them to be ok with a middling year. But Alberta is like Saskatchewan last season - could be a very good team out in round 1!

 

[Strummer53]

These three teams will finish 1,3,4 I would have to think.
I still wonder if RD sells off a bit with this news.
With one of the big pieces give, wonder if those that missed out will get a bit desperate or tweeners will take advantage. There's 3-4 teams in the US and BC that need upgrades yet.

 

[TheAppleCorps]

Honestly seems like a lighter package than I'd expect for a starting goaltender and game-breaking player.

 

[wksfan]

Honestly seems like a lighter package than I'd expect for a starting goaltender and game-breaking player.

The big return are the draft picks. MJ’s first round pick could be 1st overall and adding Lethbridge’s 1st attempts to recoup the picks they gave up last year. Not sure what else they have to trade

 

[hockeykid87]

The big return are the draft picks. MJ’s first round pick could be 1st overall and adding Lethbridge’s 1st attempts to recoup the picks they gave up last year. Not sure what else they have to trade

Problem is they don't have they own 1st rounder this year. Edmonton has it from the Vojtech Port/Rilen Kovacevic trade last year.

 

[Strummer53]

And Victoria has MJ first for next season.

 

[TheAppleCorps]

Lethbridge paid:
19-yo average starting goalie (Brady Smith)
18-yo bottom-six winger (Landen Ward)
15-yo prospect D having a very promising season (Colt Carter)
2025 1st round pick this year (mid-late round likely)
2028 1st round pick
2028 2nd round pick
2025 3rd round pick (mid-late round likely)
2026 4th round pick
2026 5th round pick

Given prices for, say Nate Danielson last year, or the Hofer + Zell haul 2 years ago, that doesn't seem like a whole lot Moose Jaw is receiving for a gamebreaker in Yager and a decent goalie who backstopped Moose Jaw to a championship.

And I'm even more surprised given how relatively wide-open both conferences look. The Tips are the closest thing to a super team and they have the 2nd and 4th team in the standings also in their division... so basically every team that thinks they are a contender should probably think of loading up. I would have expected a bidding war and a higher price for these guys.

But what do I know, I'm an armchair GM.

 

[hockeykid87]

No Andrew Cristall at World Juniors is absolutely insane. Wonder if that accelerates his trade timeline at all.