Quote:
Originally Posted by howard_the_duck
With you. The cupboard is dry, so it's tough for the Flames to hang in these trade talks when we are pitted against the Vegas's of the world. People that point to it as a downfall of Treliving aren't factoring in we don't have the same trade chips to deal with (arguably his fault).
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Vegas has been a little cavalier with selling their future for some "impact now" players since their first season. If Vegas seals the deal, I can only imagine the price is higher than we would be willing to pay, and might deeply impact their season. Buffalo is not doing favors for anyone, so the people out there who are saying the cap space will work because they will just send players x/y/z who have term and possibly nmc/ntc's are ignoring the fact that Buffalo won't take it.
Buffalo WILL have to take some salary, in order to hit the cap floor. But it is likely if they take Theodore, the only other big contract is someone like Smith, since his contract comes off the books next year. So Vegas, already injury depleted will give up 3 roster players, one of which is a prospect, and a pick, for a player on LTIR. And if more than Eichel comes back, they may find themselves in trouble trying to fit under cap. I know some people are saying they will Kucherov it, but if anything, the league will be watching for it, and there will be no shortage of other GM's looking to spoil Vegas plan.
And if Buffalo doesn't back down on Krebs, and Vegas pays, who is Vegas' next best prospect? They could find themselves short on prospects/picks for the future, struggling to compete for the current season, and struggling to fit all the re-signs under the cap in the summer.
While I am not optimistic the flames can make this happen, I disagree with any offers people propose for any team involving Buffalo either retaining salary (if they do it would be marginal and just enough to fit the deal), or taking bad contracts, especially bad contracts with term. Same with any deal involving players waiving to go there. After not just Eichel, but what Lehner had to say about Buffalo, I doubt anyone is itching to go there.