Trade Backlund and Toffoli to Toronto for Nylander. Nylander fills that top right wing and would pair well with Huberdeau, ideally sign Nylander or flip him at the deadline.
Trade Hanifin to Dallas for Wyatt Johnston and a pick. Johnston is young and has future First line Center potential and could be our long term option down the road.
Trade Lindholm and our first for Columbus' third overall, or ideally Lundholm straight for the third overall.
Sign O'Rielly to center Huberdeau and Nylander. He's still serviceable and I don't think he demands the market value that he used to. I think you can get him for 5 or 6 per year maybe 4x6m. Give time for Johnston to take over at 1C.
Sign Michael Bunting to play on a line with Kadri, I think those two could be lights out together! 6x5m
Huberdeau-O'Rielly-Nylander
Bunting-Kadri-Coronato
Dube-Johnston-Mangiapane
Pelletier-Coleman-Deuhr
Yes there's still a hole on defense, but we do a shift towards some youth. And maybe still have a chance to compete!
I get the whole rebuild thing, but that was last year! Should have wheeled Huberdeau and Weegar for more picks, could have traded a bunch of talent while at high value and had a chance at Bedard. Worst case we stock up on first rounders this year and get some great assets. We need to have a competitive year this year to gain value on some of these bigger contracts. I swear if we sell Huberdeau low because Sutter wasted him on his off wing on the second line... Huberdeau would go to a new team and be back to being one of the best left wingers in the league. I get that Flames fans are frustrated with the fact that they always retool, but selling low to initiate a rebuild is not the right move either!
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