I just wrote their draft positions because it shows that they were highly touted and have good potential. With their play since then has shown why they were drafted so high since they have excelled since then in the respective leagues they are in.
And I am not saying we are going to get David Clarkson, I am just saying it would open up the cap space needed to acquire a free agent of that Caliber. Be it a Clarkson, Horton, Weiss or whoever else is available. So that does matter. Cap space DOES matter.
We have cap space to get Clarkson regardless. Whether or not we pay him what he wants is another story.
Kadri>>Scheifle and I'm not taking the gamble that Schiefle reaches where Kadri is right now, let alone what he can become moving forward.
Trouba is a great prospect and likely has a higher ceiling than Gardiner, but Gardiner has shown top pairing potential as well in the playoffs, and at the very least, a good puck-moving 2nd pairing. The gap between Trouba and Gardiner value-wise doesn't make up for the gap between Kadri and Scheifle.
The 13th pick could be a factor that swings the value in our favour (towards making the trade). Only issue is that we're the only team giving up the proven NHL players and it makes us a significantly worst team next year. Not to mention the high risk your investing in all these prospects, none of which is a sure-fire stud. I wonder what that would do for the morale of our team moving forward and the proceedings of guys like Kessel and Phaneuf when they become UFA's. Does moving these guys actually help towards overall team chemistry and the internal development of our existing players? What kind of message does it send to guys who are taken in internally into our system that we continuously give up on them and treat them merely as assets. All things you have to consider.
