I would rather have a more futures-based deal for Dubois if given the choice. I don't want to lose Gaudreau or Monahan. I want as stacked a team possible to fit under the cap, and have the majority of value in futures.
A top nine of
Gaudreau - Monahan - Lindholm
Tkachuk - Dubois - Mangiapane
Bennett - Backlund - Dube
That's rather devastating. I don't consider Hanifin expendable either - I have no idea how Valimaki will do over the course of the season, and even if he does well and completely back-fills Hanifin, injuries happen.
Not sure if Columbus would entertain a futures-based package or not, but that's where I would prefer. Trim the fat any other way possible, but keep the most talent on the team. I do think that part of the reason the top line stinks it up in the playoffs is that there is simply not enough of a scoring threat on the other lines (and the Tkachuk-Backlund line always has the tough match-ups).
If you follow the Pens' playoff series, sometimes Sid puts up next to nothing while Malkin lights it up, and then the following series it is a reversed (I will forever remember that fact, as I lost a hockey pool on the Stanley Cup winning game).
I can't wait to see the return for Dubois wherever he ends up going - I have no idea how high his value really is, but I think he is a great gamble to bet on, and I think I would rather have him over Barzal if I had a choice, as I think he is going to be tougher to contain.
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