[devo22]

just for fun:

CAR: tough one because they surely would have to balance cap. Probably have to include Teravainen because of that, who is too good to be a cap dump either. Jarvis is who I'd ideally want, but something around Teravainen and Necas could work.

NYR: another tough one due to cap. Their young lottery picks haven't really panned out so far, but I still think there's upside with Kakko's game and he might benefit from a change of scenery. Othmann is the prospect I'd want. Throw in picks and try to make the cap work, but it'd need to be creative.

PIT: not interested. Their cupboards are bare and they don't have young core pieces either. Pass.

WSH: only marginally better than Pittsburgh. Lapierre is interesting, but that's about it. Pass.

NYI: there's some pieces. Wahlstrom has upside and Raty is an interesting prospect. Throw in a roster player like Beauvillier and a couple of picks and it's starting to get somewhere. More of a quantity over quality package though and thata's not all that enticing, if you think about it.

CBJ: now this is an interesting one for obvious reasons. Another cap nightmare though, so we'd probably have to take back a contract like Nyquist. Johnson has to be in the deal or bust, and I want Ceulemans and a pick too. They'd have some pieces, but it'd have to be creative.

NJ: one of the more obvious and enticing options. Mercer is the one I want, but Bratt and Holtz are nice pieces too in case they'd shut the door on Mercer. Either way, they have the pieces to make it work and they are a very interesting dance partner.

PHI: another cap nightmare, but taking on JVR could work - selling him at the deadline could give us more futures. One of Konecny or Farabee would have to be in the deal for sure, along with prospects and/or picks. There's surely more interesting options out there though, both for the Flames and Tkachuk himself.

FLA: probably not a good fit after they have traded away so many 1sts. Lundell is the guy I'd want, but as for other pieces, it's a difficult fit.

TOR: yet another difficult cap situation. Nylander is the obvious piece coming back, but I'd want a number of prospects and picks on top of that. Do you take a flyer on Liljegren or Sandin? Not all that enticing.

TB: don't see an option here after they've re-signed so many players long-term. Pass.

BOS: an interesting one because Pastrnak is UFA next season. One big-name UFA for another one, if you get him to sign? Probably unlikely. Lysell is the prospect I'd have some interest in, but other than that, not a lot of enticing pieces.

BUF: some interesting pieces, namely Cozens, Quinn and Peterka. Maybe a youngish roster player like Jokiharju or Asplund? There's piece to work with, and for once cap is not an issue here. Not sure Tkachuk would be interested though.

DET: not sure I see a fit there, surely doesn't fit their timeline. They have young pieces, but I'd expect Yzerman to keep drafting their core at this point instead of trading a couple of them for Tkachuk.

OTT: tough one. I don't touch Batherson or Formenton right now, for obvious reasons. Without them, it's difficult to come up with something.

MTL: another one where I don't think it'd fit their timeline. Caufield would have to be included, but I don't really see a deal there.

COL: doubt it's an option with the cap and everything, but if it was, I'd want Newhook in the deal for sure. Maybe someone like Girard to help with the cap? Picks, prospects. There's pieces.

MIN: The Austrian in me wants Rossi, of course. Dumba with a contract extension? Picks, prospects again. Cap needs to be figured out too, but if Dumba is in the deal, it's less of a concern.

STL: another obvious one and it starts with Kyrou (if you're 100% sure there's no Hockey Canada cloud over him). Neighbours is the prospect I'd want. There's options here though, including roster players like Krug, Perunovich and Tarasenko. Either way, there's certainly a deal to be made.

DAL: sneaky interesting option, even if you assume Robertson and Hintz are untouchable. Johnston, Bourque and Stankoven are all very intriguing prospects. Lindell to make the cap work? Picks, prospects.

NSH: another sneaky interesting option. I'd want Tomasino in the deal, but they have other youngish roster players (Jeannot, Carrier) and decent prospects (L'Heureux, Evangelista) too.

WPG: tough fit. Depending on the direction the Flames want to go, does Scheifele make sense? If not, I don't see many options. Probably pass.

CHI: don't see a fit with them currently.

ARI: see Chicago.