TrueBlueGED

So is Guhle or any number of decent prospects who end up making the jump but never make an impact. I like Risto considerably less than most around here, but we can't move him for a coin flip of even being an NHL player. 2nd pairing Dmen don't return a top-6 forward and a top-4 Dman.

The main guy coming back has to be a roster player who is useful for another 4ish years. Preferably not about to turn 30. A prospect, be it Foote or someone else, should not be the main piece. I don't think Risto goes anywhere either, as it seems like such an offseason deal...but I'm excited at the idea of moving him in a real hockey trade.

I think we can safely assume Point, Sergachev and the other big guns are out. Miller or Gourde and...Erne?

OMG please. Bring me Kucherov! Obviously that wouldn't happen, but they have a lot of pieces that would make sense for us.

I can't believe he came back. Legit shocked.

Looks like a season-ender to me. Maybe if it's a low grade sprain he could come back in April, I guess. But not great. Fire up the tank gifs! *ducks*

Money is obviously a hugely important factor, but I'd argue it's secondary to institutional fit and sense of belonging. I'll spare everyone the specifics of cautionary tales, but feeling like home away from home is a critical factor in academic success and overall well-being.

I'm interested in Wennberg, but I think Columbus either has to retain salary or take back money to compensate for the risk that that 59-point season is not representative of what he is. Okposo is on IR and wishful thinking anyway, but maybe they could free us of Sobotka's final season.

...is it too soon for a culture joke?

This is the actual trade thread! I hate you! Duchene would work, but man, I'd so much rather have an O'Reilly (I swear I'm not using his name to be provocative) type with a two way game. Duchene is a poor man's Eichel.

Risto is a perfect example of bad toughness. He'll chase guys around and blow coverages as a result, or do the opposite and hit a guy after blowing a coverage to act tough.

I'm more of a blackjack and roulette man. So no, I did not. Also of note is I was there for a conference for 3 of the 4 days, so I only had free time after 5 each day.

I agree with the bold, I just think a legitimate debate can be had as to how good Risto really is. It's possible he's one of the few who could return more value in a trade than he brings on the ice.

Does it? I just think we're still so close as to not be smacked with the reality of what they will (pr likely won't) bring to the NHL.

You make it sound as if GMs don't make bad trades or that they all place the same value on players. It's not a matter of bamboozling some clueless schmuck, it's an issue of legitimately different evaluations.

I was there for 4 days. I lost interest on day 1. Every casino was the same; no different than the same car in different paint colors. Every "mall" with the same assortment of high end stores no normal person is buying from, bad and boring souvenirs, the smoke everywhere, the near-impossibility of finding good beer. I could go on. I'm sure it's fine for some people if you enjoy getting all fancy and going to clubs or whatever, but it's not my bag at all. All flash and no substance.

Meh. The difference between picking #24 and #31 is basically nil.

At this point, Coyle is really just an okay player. He's more of a 3C than a 2C. In a vacuum, I'm not going to cry over not getting him...but he'd have been a quantum leap over Sobotka.

Prediction: not Buffalo.

I can't say for sure whether Vegas is the most overrated city in the country, but it has to be up there. What a disappointment.

I've definitely been wondering for awhile about the quality of that work that Nightengale and crew do. It's impossible to know, of course, but the team has regularly made decisions that cut against the publicly available data, and it's a trend that spans 3 GMs and...5 coaches? It's impossible to really assess without knowing the internal decision making dynamics, but it's definitely worth thinking about.

I take back everything I ever said about wanting to know more about player injuries.

Every game that goes by really does blast a bigger hole in the "trading O'Reilly had to happen because the room" position.

You're right, of course, but so is Ink: fans really identity with the pugilists.

It's Bogosian. His toughness is about as consistent as Risto's ability to complete an exit pass. Symptoms often times take a day or several to show. Anyway, get well Kyle. With what we know about CTE and what he went through a year ago, it's hard not to be concerned long term whether or not he continues to play.