Czarnik is a player that is 1 year away from free agency and offers a skillset that sees him as a one dimensional, complimentary player, that requires being sheltered to succeed.... I agree with the notion that he's not an in demand trade chip which was evidenced by the Flames winning the bidding for his services by simply guaranteeing him a 1 way contract with an AAV of just over a $1M.
Teams would take him in exchange for a mid round pick to see if they can better craft a role for him in their line-up.
For a player with JP's pedigree, and club control, the Pilers will be aiming for either a decent pick (ie. a late 1st rounder), or a similar reclamation project that can better fit the long term.... otherwise, they stand to benefit more by holding his rights and maintaining some leverage in the event he values being an NHLer long term above all else.
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