krsmith17

Yeah, there's definitely some people out there that value Athanasiou higher than Mantha, but I'm not going to put a whole lot of stock in one person's opinion. I still think, given the choice, most, if not every GM in the league would choose Mantha over Athanasiou. This seems like a very bad list by the way. Everyone's list would vary, but a few of his rankings are way off in my opinion... Bertuzzi ahead of Mantha and Hronek. DeKeyser ahead of Cholowski and Rasmussen. Veleno way down at 11. McIsaac as 21. Larsson at 26... etc, etc... Some GM's sure. I'd still bet on Mantha being valued higher by most though...

What's a better bet? Athanasiou continues his upward trajectory for the next several seasons? Or unknown draft pick, maybe in the top 10-15, is one day better than Athanasiou? I'll take the former... I'm sure you'll take the latter, because "you like to take risks"...

The "well, he's only scored 30 goals once" argument is dumb. He scored 30 last season at the age of 24. No one is saying he's going to be a perennial 30 goal scorer, but he should be capable of scoring 25+ every season for the next 5+ years. You don't trade that away for a draft pick... Anyway, I'm done arguing this with you. I know you're all about acquiring ALL the draft picks, and I also know it's not going to happen, so whatever...

There's a reason 24 year old 30 goal scorers never get traded for draft picks... It's not smart asset management. IF Yzerman is going to trade Athanasiou (I'm not so sure he will), he's not going to trade him for a pick. He would trade him for a player around the same age or younger, similar to the Drouin for Sergachev trade.

Trading a 30 goal scorer for a pick, regardless how high you think that pick might be would be foolish. Sure, you might luck out and get a top 15, maybe even top 10 pick, and you could get a high end prospect with that pick. There's still no guarantee (it's actually highly unlikely) that that prospect becomes a better player than Athanasiou... I've said this before in the whole proven prospect vs late 2nd round pick debate. You should always take the surer thing... Yeah, that's only because of the trade rumors swirling around Athanasiou. You rarely hear top players rumored to be traded. It's usually the guys a step below that are in the rumor mill, for the most part. In my opinion, Larkin and Mantha are our two top players, that's why they're never rumored to be traded, and likely won't be traded. The Athanasiou to Yzerman comparison is too silly to talk about. Not even remotely similar players / situations... I would say a better comparison, maybe not so much the player, but the situation, is Drouin. We all seen how that played out in Tampa under Yzerman. I'm not saying Athanasiou will be traded, but Yzerman's not going to take any s*** from anyone thinking they're bigger than the team. No, Yzerman would not have picked Cozens or Zegras because Yzerman has said countless times that he picked Seider, not because he filled a need, but because he believes that he was the best player available. You can choose not to believe that if you want, but I believe him. Seider has all the tools to be an elite defenseman. I am however okay with, like you said, continuing to develope our young D core of Seider, Hronek, Cholowski and McIsaac. I'm not in any rush to trade Athanasiou at this point, but if he could fetch a top defenseman around the same age or younger, I'd do it. Athanasiou is a really good player, but he's not so good that he's "untouchable". If you can upgrade your team, you do it.

What are you doing posting that s*** here then? This is the "news" thread, not the "rumor" thread... TrumpFakeNews.img

Great add for Buffalo.

You keep saying this as if people are saying we need to "dump" Athanasiou. That's not even close to what people are saying though... Athanasiou is a very good middle six winger / center with a ton of trade value. If we could have traded him for Trouba, I would have done it in a heartbeat. If we could trade him for another top 2/3 defenseman in their prime, you have to at least consider it. No one thinks Athanasiou is a bad player that needs to be traded, but I do agree that he is likely one of our best trade chips right now. What gives you this feeling though? I'd be shocked if any GM's value Athanasiou more than Mantha. Athanasiou had a great year, but Mantha had an ever so slightly better year... He was dominant the last few weeks of the season (our best player, including Larkin), and in the World Championships. I expect a massive year for him this year. I agree that trading him for a pick would be dumb, unless it's on the draft floor and it's a top 5-10 pick we're confident enough would become an elite player. I wouldn't trade him for any old 1st round pick though. I'd consider trading him for a prospect, if we're talking a high end defense prospect, but those guys probably aren't being traded anyway... In saying all that, I'm not in any rush to trade Athanasiou, and I'm not as concerned now, after this draft, to trade him for help on the back end. I'd still do it if the right deal came along, but it would have to be something juicy...

I disagree with the bold. I think Mantha has as much or likely even more value than Athanasiou. I personally value Mantha a hell of a lot more than Athanasiou, and I think most teams would as well. They're both very good players, but if we're trading one for help on the back end, it's AA for me for sure.

Whatever you say... 30 goals, 70 points. Anything less = bust...

It seems like you really want to be "right" about this... You'd prefer self gratification over seeing Zadina succeed...

I hope Yzerman doesn't make any major signings this weekend. Stay away from the free agent frenzy. Continue to draft and develop in house.

Does anyone have a reputable source? I haven't seen a single report on this...

Great news! Watch him end up in Edmonton...

Absolutely. No way that gets it done though. Maybe. I think Nylander is overrated though, and a team with Matthews, Tavares and Marner should be able to afford to trade Nylander for help on the back end... I hope this whole situation blows up in Dubas' face though... F*** the Leafs...

Nylander to Buffalo for Montour and a pick..

He didn't skate the first two days. On the ice today though.

Marner isn't going anywhere. If he does, he's a f***ing idiot. He grew up a die hard Leafs fan, despite the team being s*** his entire life. He's a key piece that can finally turn that team around. At what point do you put money on the back burner, and make the decision to do something every Ontario kid (Leafs fan) fantasized doing growing up... Does anyone really think he's going to give all that up over a few millions bucks, when he's already all but guaranteed to make around 100 million in his career?... I don't...

I think if Seider had played in the CHL last season, he would have been a consensus top 10 pick all season, and maybe even gave Byram a run for his money. The DEL is a very strong league, compared to junior leagues, and the fact that he was able to play, and play well against grown men as a 17 year old, win the rookie of the year, while getting low minutes and very little opportunity on the power-play, is very impressive. The more I hear and read on this kid, the happier I am that we "reached" for him at 6...

Exactly. Even if you remove the two 6th overall picks from the equation because Detroit would likely be better after adding Aho... Would you trade Svechnikov, Cholowski, Hronek and Saarijarvi for Aho? I don't even think I'd do that, and that's likely worst case haul in that scenario... Yeah, there's been talk that he will be signed for around $3.4M, but until the contract is signed, a team can still submit an offer sheet. I'd be comfortable signing him for around $4M, and give up a 2nd round pick.

I don't know. I don't really feel comfortable offer sheeting any player in that range... Aho is a phenomenal player, but is he worth $10+M and 2 high first round picks, plus a 2nd and 3rd round pick? I'm not so sure... Even if it's not Lafreniere, we would have a good chance of getting one of, Byfield, Raymond or Holtz as well. All of which could be better than Aho. I get the whole bird in the hand mentality, but that's a LOT to give up... If it were up to me, I'd much rather go after one of the smaller fish, like Kapanen. $4.2M and a 2nd round pick, for a 22 year old 40-50+ point right-handed winger. That's much better value in my opinion...

It's funny because I was sort of thinking the same thing. I think McIsaac will be better than Ouellet (we hope), but I don't think he'll be anything more than a solid bottom pairing, penalty killing defenseman. That's not a knock on McIsaac at all though. You need players like that. I just don't see the same sort of ceiling that CRL sees...

I hear ya. I guess you just meant in regards to draft hype? I haven't been THIS excited for a D prospect in forever, but I've been excited about plenty other D prospects over the years... You really think McIsaac is going to be better than Hronek and Cholowski? I don't see it, but I hope I'm wrong... Do you think he has top pair potential?

Hronek? Cholowski? McIsaac? Has Seider already surpassed all of them in your mind?

Seider > Hedman / Heiskanen