aGENT

No matter how many times you write it, still doesn't make it true. +/-$3m is not 'top 6' money.

Larsson is a (more physical) Tanev type. He gets flack for not being 'more' than that, but both those guys are still very solid players (and was/would likely be solid partners for Hughes). Myers is solid as well. But is Myers better than 'Mr X' + Larsson...? What if 'Mr X' is Mayfield? I think I take Larsson+Mayfield over Myers personally.

We have SOME cap. We could pull off a move like this. Plus it seems Benning has 'something' up his sleeve (Louie retiring? Already 'made' a deal to move some?). But I agree, we'd likely need to at least be sending Roussel back in the suggested Reinhart-9th deal. Really it's quite hard to armchair any of this with so little information on what is likely to happen though.

You only expose Myers if you already have a RD (like Risto for example) coming back ahead of the ED. Schmidt can still play right if need be. And Hamonic feels like a layup at this point. Risto, Schmidt and likely Hamonic isn't a bad right side at all And there's the damask chance Seattle doesn't take Myers as well (though then cap gets iffy).

I think we could get someone different and/or cheaper. Is... say Larsson at $4-5 better or worse? Probably better defensively but worse offensively. A bit less physical.

I think they would. Even as a 'mediocre fancy stat' guy, he's still worlds better/more valuable than anyone else we'd be exposing. But as you say, at least we open the cap space to sign someone else. So theoretically, we trade for 'X' right D, we expose (and lose) Myers and then sign a Hamonic/Savard/Larsson (probably at a couple mill less). Hell, maybe even two of them if we want to move Schmidt left and tandem Juolevi/Rathbone. Hardly the end of the world. Hughes, Larsson/Savard Schmidt, 'X' Juolevi/Rathbone, Hamonic Or we

I'd consider trading Schmidt (after the ED) but if we have to expose someone extra, it's Myers IMO. Dare Seattle to take the 'mediocre analytics' guy who is (IMO) more replaceable. That said, at this point I don't see us spending major assets to trade for a guy like Risto. Kick tires on teams 4+ deep on solid D, for cheap, ahead of the ED (CAR, TBL, NYI etc). Otherwise sign some short term guys this summer and target Parayko, Risto etc next year.

Yeah, that's other problem. Not only is he not REALLY the fit for what we need... But he's also going to cost way more than those guys too. By no means will guys like Parayko, Risto, Lindholm etc be cheap, but they're going to be a solid bit less than Hamilton will be.

Ehhhhh... I hear ya. I'm a big proponent of improve always, any way possible. But if we commit to him this year, next year it's harder to go after Parayko, Risto etc as you've already committed those dollars. It's not a no but... You'd need a second plan to clear the cap next year too still target one of those guys that's a better fit.

Yeah, like I said... He's a good D... Just not quite what we need.

Good D but not the D we're looking for IMO. Might have to wait until next year's free agency when guys like Parayko, Risto, Lindholm etc are potentially available (and we'll have more cap).

LAK in 2012 as well.

While I agree Hughes will almost certainly improve his defensive play, McAvoy has always been better in that regard and will likewise, continue to improve.

McAvoy is not a 30 point D. He's also only 23, and like Hughes, still improving. If Hughes puts up 80, McAvoy puts up 60. All while letting less goals against, having more size/pushback etc.

Yeah Rathbone's not as dynamic as Hughes. Not quite the 'waterbug' of a skater or quite as 'high end' of a player. But he will likely be more 'complete'... Hughes for McAvoy... Yeah I'd think about it. As amazing as Hughes is.