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Originally Posted by Bourque's Twin
What is trading Russell seriously going to do?
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-Show a commitment to possession
-Add assets, especially top 6 forward or top 15-60 draft pick type assets that this team genuinely needs.
-Not tie up a future roster spot with a tough-to-move veteran contract (which extending Russell creates) when Hickey, Kulak, Culkin, Wotherspoon etc can be a #4D. We already have Smid/Engelland filling that role. The more and more NHL teams buy in to possession stats, which are now even tracked on NHL.com, the lower and lower a Russell's value gets. Sell high(ish), don't get stuck selling low.
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I can't see the team responding well to that.
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They would be mentally fragile if they don't respond well to that. When the Kings traded Jack Johnson for Jeff Carter, they responded well to it by winning the Stanley Cup not collapsing.
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We can't forget that these 2 guys were one of the best pairings in the NHL 6 months ago.
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It was never one of the best pairings in the NHL. It wasn't as bad as it's been now, but it was always inherently flawed.