P.Joneson

We aren't making the playoffs this year, and if changes to our core aren't made we aren't making the playoffs next year. And by changes I don't mean additions through free agency. The problem is we have a good enough of a team to be "competitive" but we don't have a good enough of a team to make any kind of impact in the playoffs. We will be consumed my mediocrity. We will just keep missing the playoffs by a couple of points which will result in lower draft picks. I would much rather throw in the towel this season and try to get the best draft position you can and hope you can trade Kesler and Edler away for draft picks next year in 2015 and younger roster players. Ideally if we can get pieces that will make us "competitive" again with a much younger core over this season and next we will be in good shape to start challenging again in the 2015-16 season.

And keeping Kesler also makes us a better team??? That has sure worked out well for us this season. I find it very hard to believe that was the only offer on the table. As I have said I really hope there is a better trade for us at the draft. But if we get to next years deadline after an even worst season then this years where we are definite sellers and trade Kesler for less then what we could have gotten today then there is going to be a lot of explaining to do.

Yeah because keeping our "best" hockey player who is only getting older and his best years are clearly behind him is so great. Our team is currently only 2 games above 500 and on a downward spiral to the depths of the standings. They are on route for their worst season since 1998-99. We desperately need to get younger and we should trade Kesler as soon as possible to bring in multiple valuable assets. A trade needs to be done at the draft now and most GM's will know this....

Sure if we get better offers at the draft but there is no guarantee of that. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

It doesn't matter if Kesler or Edler don't want off this team it's we need to move some of our better assets to get some youth injected into the lineup. If some players haven't asked for a trade already then they should be. We are on pace right now to have our first losing season since 1998-1999. Back then Mark Messier was our captain, Garth Snow was our goalie, we traded Pavel Bure and Mike Keenan was our coach. Not the best of times and that's exactly where this team is heading.

Absolutely shocking decision by ownership and management. Do they really think his value will be higher at the draft and that more teams will be interested? What are the chances Kesler waives his NTC to go to a team that is not contending this year. This team is sinking and we don't have the players in our system to right the ship right now. Some of our most valuable assets need to be moved and unfortunately this includes players of Ryan Kesler's calibre.

If you take out Etem or Silfverberg and add Fowler then that might work... But I don't think Anaheim has any intention of trading Cam Fowler

I'm sure Anaheim will just "throw in" Fowler... haha.

He should be played unless they are trading him tonight. You want to send the message to teams that he is still a Vancouver Canuck and we are ok with not trading him if you don't offer what we want. If you don't play him teams will know that we need to get rid of him, which could slightly drive down his price.

I'm hoping with the acquisition of Matthias this puts an end to Pittsburgh's pathetic trade offers that include Sutter. We have no need for him anymore.

yeah i can't wait to see your reaction when kesler and the sedins are traded one day if you thought luongo choked i can only imagine what your thought of the sedins cup final performance was

wow, good for him. Can finally leave this organization that has shown him no respect since the cup finals.

I don't think Philadelphia is going to part with Voracek or Simmonds, I really hope they do, but there is still a deal there to be made. Scott Laughton is a bit redundant but I wouldn't complain if he's involved. It will probably look more like Schenn, Read, Laughton/Hagg/Morin, 2015 1st Round Draft Pick (2014 draft is in Philadelphia and they probably want to keep it for now) & a 2014 2nd Round Draft Pick. They may have to add 2 of the above prospects and then they would have to trade Meszaros away for a pick (probably another 2nd after they trade theirs away to us) to make it work cap wise.

I don't think people are saying they necessarily want Schenn over Couturier, but Philadelphia has made it pretty clear they don't want to part with him. Trying to force the issue with Philadelphia for Couturier when they are offering Schenn isn't worth it. Brayden Schenn is an awesome player with a great future ahead of him. He is also third on his team in hits, behind Zac Rinaldo and his brother Luke. He has 40 more hits this season then Kesler so he does fit into Tortorella's system of dump and crash.

With Columbus definitely out then Philadelphia is easily the best trade partner if they are willing to part with Brayden Schenn which seems like a possibility now. Pittsburgh can't match let alone beat any trade that Philadelphia offers that includes B. Schenn. I have to agree with some of the posters that Philadelphia has probably offered something along the lines of B. Schenn, L. Schenn, Laughton, Morin/Hagg & 2014 1st Round Draft Pick for Edler and Kesler If that's the final offer that will definitely be the best offer we can get for Edler and Kesler. If we could somehow convince them to keep Laughton and L. Schenn and include Simmonds or Voracek that would be ideal for us. Or if they swapped out L. Schenn for Downie and a 2nd or 3rd Round Pick that could also work. B. Schenn, Simmonds/Voracek, Morin/Hagg & 2014 1st Round Draft Pick for Edler & Kesler or B. Schenn, Downie, Laughton, Morin/Hagg, 2014 1st Round Draft Pick & 2014 2nd/3rd Round Draft Pick for Edler & Kesler

This is the worst possible outcome and I can't help but feel that Ray Shero is trying to convince Kesler to only waive to them by going to the media and saying they will beat any offer when in reality they don't have the pieces we need.

We need to get a trade offer out in public that is better then what Pittsburgh is currently offering us because right now if I'm the Columbus GM and I know what Pittsburgh is currently offering I only have to offer Brandon Dubinsky, A Top Prospect (Alex Wennberg or Kerby Rychel) and a 1st Round Draft Pick and I've already done better the Pittsburgh.

I also think what happens with any deal involving Edler has an affect on how much we need to get back for Kesler. If we can somehow get Schenn for Edler then Pittsburgh does become a decent trading partner. But right now Ryan Kesler is our 2nd line centre and if Brandon Sutter is the guy coming back to fill Kesler's role for now then we are in trouble. Brandon Sutter is not a 2nd line centre on any team in the NHL. But if we got Schenn from Phily for Edler then Sutter doesn't look too bad as our 3rd line centre. That said I hope Gillis tells Pittsburgh to screw off.

I don't see them giving up Ryan Murray. I would take Ryan Murray and Boone Jenner with no pick for Ryan Kesler.

I do agree, if we can get either Brayden Schenn, Top Prospect (Morin or Laughton) and a 1st Round Draft Pick for Ryan Kesler or Boone Jenner, Top Prospect (Rychel or Wennberg) and a 1st Round Draft Pick for Ryan Kesler Then we take it. My concern is there is nobody in our system that has the offensive upside to take over 1st line duties from Henrik Sedin. With the exception of Brayden Schenn in all these proposals we wouldn't be getting somebody back who can as well, and even he is questionable. Hence why I was saying we go all in for Johansen. But if we are going to get an offer like the ones above "which I doubt" then I'm all for it. Granted I'm only basing this on Pittsburgh's crappy offer and how reluctant they seem to part with the necessary pieces. Pittsburgh at the end of the day is just not a great trading partner for us. Philadelphia and Columbus make way more sense. Unless Shero all of a sudden comes to his senses and realizes he will have to part with Maata to get Kesler.

So he's saying he can't best any offer then

I'll admit if we can get Boone Jenner, a 1st or 2nd Round Draft pick & another prospect (Rychel or Wennberg) from Columbus that would be a great trade for us.

Just to note I would rather not give up Horvat for Johansen as the thought of our top three centres being Johansen, Horvat and Gaunce is drool worthy. But to get a player like Johansen without parting with Horvat would probably take Ryan Kesler, 2014 1st Round Draft Pick (which at our rate will be a top 10) and Nicklas Jensen.

I do get what your saying. We can get more pieces for just Ryan Kesler (which increases the odds of success). But none of them are currently or have the ceiling that Ryan Johansen does. Yes right now we can get a 1st round draft pick, a rosters player and another top prospect for Kesler but other then the "roster" player those are all risks. When you're dealing with picks and unproven prospects you're going to take a risk. At least Ryan Johansen has 150 games played in the NHL and is slightly less of a risk. Any trade you do has an element of risk involved with it. Out of all the players mentioned in possible trades for Ryan Kesler or Alex Edler, Ryan Johansen is the best player to take a "risk" on, maybe Olli Maata.

Thank you! If you're going to argue that Johansen could all of a sudden not pan out and pull a Daigle then you have to accept that Horvat won't either. Horvat is a way bigger risk at this point in his career then Johansen. Yes it's a lot to give up but it's often said the team that get's the best player is the winner and in a trade involving Kesler and Horvat for Johansen we get the best player. We can disagree on that if you want. I'd rather have the "extremely risky" Ryan Johansen then the injury prone Kesler or untested Horvat. That's just me though.