Quote:
Originally Posted by David Struch
How about this...
Markus Granlund ($767,500)
+ Emile Poirier/Mark Jankowski/Morgan Klimchuk
+ Brandon Hickey/Oliver Kylington/Rasmus Andersson
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I've been thinking along the same lines but I think the Lightning need more of a sure thing than Granlund:
Backlund
Poirier
+ Hickey/Kylington/ANdersson
I think Backlund would have greater appeal to the Lightning as he is an established youngish type player under control. He's not really a top 6 forward but he can complement high end players and he's also very responsible defensively. He has a real Detroit Red Wings vibe to him which I think may appeal to Yzerman.
I think moving Backlund also makes a lot of sense from the Flames standpoint as there are cheaper options to replace him in his role. I'm not saying that any of those options are better at this point than Backlund, but the likes of Granlund, Grant, Arnold, Elson, Jankowski are all players who you could conceivably see replacing Backlund's role as a bottom 6 centre in the near and long term future.
Poirier is the B type prospect that may give the Lightning some potential. Treliving would really have to sell Yzerman on his potential and you have to hope that the Lightning scouts liked Poirier in his draft and draft plus years. Despite Poirier's struggles this year, he is still a better prospect than Jankowski and Klimchuk. Plus Jankowski is not a controlled asset (he could go UFA) which decreases his appeal to any team.
The defense prospect part is really a sweetner.
The fact is that in these proposals, the best player is potentially Drouin, so if the Flames are going to make the deal, they have to provide the Lightning with a "sure thing" which is Backlund and "potential" which is Poirier and one of the young defensemen. Poirier's potential alone is not enough which is why you need the extra defense prospect. The reality is that not all 3 of these defense prospects are going to make it. It'll be up to the Flames to make sure they keep the right ones.
I think value wise, this is the type of deal that is fair for both teams. Not sure what the teams think of the assets in each deal. This is as far as the Flames should give up though, they can't touch the core (Gaudreau, Monahan, Bennett, Hamilton, Brodie).