[Trade] Gourde (75% ret), Bjorkstrand, 26 5th to TB for 26 1st, 27 1st, TOR 25 2nd, Eyssimont

[Samonadreau]

Seattle in full tank mode now.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Samonadreau

Seattle in full tank mode now.

They're in ‘get what you can for expiring assets’ mode. Gourde is UFA this summer, Bjorkstrand next summer, and the team is in 28th place. Eyssimont is a nothingburger, but two late 1sts and a late 2nd are nice to have when the team obviously isn't going anywhere fast.

I like to think of ‘tanking’ as making your team worse to get you closer to a #1 overall pick. The Kraken are already as bad as they're likely to get. None of the teams behind them have got enough oomph to be overtaking anybody in the last 20 games. If you can't move up, can't move down, and can't make the playoffs, you might as well sell.

I'd expect Brandon Tanev to head out the door, too. He'll be useful to the right playoff team with max retention.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Hedman is 34, Guenzel is 30, and Point is 29 in a week.

Hagel, Cirelli, and Vasilevsky all have birthdays before next season.

I’d say, realistically, they’re looking at another 2-3 years tops before the wheels start falling off. That’s pretty close imo.

They can likely be a playoff team for 2 to 3 years after this. But this is their last best chance to win it all with the ages of this many top players. So that's likely why they're willing to be this aggressive in getting 2/3rds of what could be a good third line.

Crosby was 29 and turning 30 in 2 months when he last won a cup, Malkin was 30 about to turn 31. Letting turned 30 near the start of those playoffs and guys like Rust and Guentzel turned 25 and 22 that year. So you look at Tampa and their top guys are all just a bit older than that.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

They may not hit a wall, but a slow decline is highly probable for all those players. That's enough to make the difference between a Cup contender and a run-of-the-mill playoff team.

That's what happened to the Penguins. I believe the Penguins won their last cup when Crosby was 30 and since then they made it past the first round once after, and today are what the Lighting could be late this decade as the loss of all these draft picks will catch up with them. I think the Lighting have maybe 2-3 years left in their window but sometimes the window closes fast.

Edit: D'oh! I see Sylvanfan beat me to it!

[GirlySports]

Do the Lightning even attend this year draft?

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Do the Lightning even attend this year draft?

they have more picks than the Oilers

[bluejays]

As much as Brisbois get credit, he certainly overvalued certain players. This trade is one but the Jeannot trade was crazy too. He’s good in that he realizes the team had to get younger and he moved on from many guys over the years who weren’t worth their future value. But then his core is still older and these deals give up the future chance at acquiring that next great player they’ve done so well at zeroing in on. It’s a head scratcher. Who else in the league would pay such a high price?

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

That's what happened to the Penguins. I believe the Penguins won their last cup when Crosby was 30 and since then they made it past the first round once after, and today are what the Lighting could be late this decade as the loss of all these draft picks will catch up with them. I think the Lighting have maybe 2-3 years left in their window but sometimes the window closes fast.

Edit: D'oh! I see Sylvanfan beat me to it!

Toews, Crosby, Kopitar, Bergeron never won a cup after 30.

Interesting stat. Age catches up quickly and so does big paydays.

Conroy made his moves, now he needs to unearth that #1C or we lose our window with the players he brought in.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

Toews, Crosby, Kopitar, Bergeron never won a cup after 30.

Interesting stat. Age catches up quickly and so does big paydays.

Conroy made his moves, now he needs to unearth that #1C or we lose our window with the players he brought in.

The next Flames window likely corresponds to Wolf and players that aren't on the current roster like Parekh. Conroy has brought in some nice players at the right age but they are depth on a team with a Stanley Cup window.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

The next Flames window likely corresponds to Wolf and players that aren't on the current roster like Parekh. Conroy has brought in some nice players at the right age but they are depth on a team with a Stanley Cup window.

Yeah that's kind of how I see it. It's like a 26 year old Parekh and a couple younger forwards with Wolf. Guys like Zary and Coronato are the veteran support guys in the top 6. But it's guys not on the team today driving it.