Stop...please people STOP. This is NOT a proposal thread....
Look If Kesler is leaving a Center NEEDS to be coming back. Either as a player or a prospect.
Couturier is the obvious choice because he's young, larger than B Schenn an excellent shutdown guy and has some serious offensive upswing as he matures
B Schenn translates into that fast great passing potential 70-90 point center we need after the twins retire.
Laughton is indeed intriguing
But come on that is just the Phily trades.
Detroit, people who keep saying detroit won't trade their youth need to stop for a second. Their endless cup runs and 4 wins in the last 16 years are not because of youth but because of the vets they brought in either via trade or UFA
Mantha, Jurco or Sproul are the obvious choices. Nyquist is a non starter because he's one of the best producers playing in Detroit right now and Holland will not subtract that just to add a two way player
Pittsburgh has endless depth at the D position but come on, if it is not Maata. Why do people really think that we would accept a "possible top 4" in Pouliot (sp) or Dumoulin. If Bennett and Maata are not part of that equation again it is a non starter.
You've got to understand. The total haul for Buffalo was a UFA goalie, power forward with a questionable work ethic, a 1st round pick and a potential second 1st round pick picks a 3rd round pick and a solid prospect. This is for 2 UFA's in positions that they've got in spades....
Kesler alone would/should net a comparable package. Take the Iginla pick up last season and double that. don't forget this is a shallow draft year so picks don't mean as much for playoff teams. And nobody can say where any team will place next year so picks next year as well are fairly meaningless for competing teams.
After yesterdays St Louis/Buffalo trade. Earlier this seasons Vanek/Moulson trade. And the Off Seasons Ottawa Anaheim trade. people really need to step back and evaluate exactly what a Kesler under contract on top of his game post Olympics is worth.
The return for him alone should beggar the purchasing team and rightly so.
So please, no more proposals of the Simmonds Schenn alone quality. Be a shade more realistic