Value of: Alex Edler for a Young Center (22-24)

[Horse McHindu]

Alex Edler for a Young Center (22-24)

There have obviously been a lot of Alex Edler trade proposals on here within the last year, but I don't have a specific team in mind. Instead, I have a specific position and age range in mind. I am wondering if there are any centers out there, between the 22-24 age range, that would be considered 'equal value' for Alex Edler?

As a Canucks fan, here is how I see things. This is just my opinion, but I think the Canucks' next core has some nice pieces.

Goalie: Demko
Potential #1 defenseman: Juolevi
2nd line center: Horvat
Potential "complementary" 1st line winger: Boeser
1st line defensive pairing: Juolevi-Tanev
2nd line defensive pairing: Hutton-Gudbranson
Other complementary pieces: Baertschi, Virtanen
1-2 of the following panning out: Tryamkin, Pedan, Rodin, Etem, Granlund, Gaunce, wildcard draft picks between 2013-2017 that pan out.

Bottom line - I believe that if the Canucks were to somehow land a very good center, they would have a pretty good young core moving forward.

Yesterday, I contemplated the idea of getting one of Nathan MacKinnon or Steve Stamkos. For obvious reasons however, neither of these options are overly realistic. Many of my fellow Canuck fans are supportive of another 'tank' in order to land Nolan Patrick, but tanking doesn't necessarily guarantee anything.......especially with the lottery system. As poorly as the Canucks did last season, it still wasn't enough to land Auston Matthews or Pierre Luc Dubois.

So here's another idea that I thought of today from a Canucks perspective:

1) Re-sign Dan Hamhuis. That way, when you trade Alex Edler for said *mysterious young 22-24 year old Center of equivalent value*, the depth on the Canucks defense doesn't take too much of a hit, and the young Canucks' defense (and team in general) wouldn't be overwhelmed with responsibilities that they are too green to hand.

2) Trade Alex Edler, and perhaps a draft pick or a prospect for said 22-24 year old Center.


Canucks' "next core" line-up (circa 2020?)

###-Horvat-Boeser
Baertschi-AlexEdlerTrade-###
###-Sutter-Virtanen
###-Cassels-###

Juolevi-Tanev
Hutton-Gudbranson
###-###

Demko
###

I'm not exactly sure what the 22-24 year old Center Alex Edler equivalent is, but if I had to guess, he'd be a top 6 center. I'm cautiously optimistic to say Ryan Nugent Hopkins or Brayden Schenn, but the value likely isn't that high (or is it?).

Anyways - what I'm thinking is this:

-The Canucks pull off that Alex Edler for 22-24 year old Center trade
-The Canucks struggle for a few more years, accumulate picks, and fill in those gaps with said picks and UFA signings.

With Horvat, Sutter, and 'AlexEdlerCenter', the Canucks wouldn't have that top flight franchise center, but they'd have three #2's......and perhaps depth in other areas (wings, defense) via picks can compensate for this.

Thoughts?

What type of center does Alex Edler get you? (in that 22-24 age range). I want to think Ryan Nugent Hopkins, Brayden Schenn, or Sean Couturier, but I'm likely not even close. If that's the case, would adding in a 2nd get the job done?

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[LV*]

Kadri is only 25 but I know you wont want him

 

[Cogburn]

With Edler or Tanev moved, our D is either unproven or horrible.

Let's see how free agency shakes out before we trade what we can't replace.

 

[King In The North]

Kadri is only 25 but I know you wont want him

Besides the age restraint, I think this would be a fair trade

 

[Palmer2Fitz]

I feel bad for Canucks fans. You guys should have sold high on the twins a year or two ago.

 

[Horse McHindu]

Kadri is only 25 but I know you wont want him

Most of my fellow Nuck fans would likely reject the idea, but I'm fairly open to it (although I'd have to think about it more to see if I was fully onboard with said idea).

Horvat-Kadri-Sutter down the middle when the twins retire..........definitely not the greatest thing sinced sliced bread, but you'd essentially have three #2 calibre centers playing down the middle.

Not sure if this is an appropriate comparison or not, but the 1995 New Jersey Devils didn't exactly have superstar centers when they won the cup that year.

Just thinking if the Canucks decided to go this route, and then spent the next 3-4 years hyper-targetting wingers and defensemen in the draft, if they could build a New Jersey-esque 1995 model (i.e. no franchise centers, but extremely good overall depth down the middle, combined with solid wingers, tremendous defense, and a tremendous goalie).

Ideally - the Canucks would be able to draft, sign, or trade for a franchise center, but how realistic is it?

 

[Syckle78]

So you want a 22-24 year old third line center. I doubt I'd give up that much for edler.

 

[Syckle78]

Kadri is only 25 but I know you wont want him

Toronto would get boned in that trade.

 

[Horse McHindu]

With Edler or Tanev moved, our D is either unproven or horrible.

Let's see how free agency shakes out before we trade what we can't replace.

Agreed, but that's why I'd advocate signing Hamhuis. Obviously, Hamhuis wouldn't be able to replace Edler, but it would allow our young defense to play in roles that they'd be comfortable in. But yes - trading Edler or Tanev, and not signing a Hamhuis or another veteran D would lead to a train wreck.

 

[Nuckles]

Kadri is only 25 but I know you wont want him

I personally value a top pairing d-man much more than a 45-50 point center.

 

[Smeagoal]

So you want a 22-24 year old third line center. I doubt I'd give up that much for edler.

Really? You wouldn't give up a 3rd line center for a top-4 D?

 

[LV*]

I personally value a top pairing d-man much more than a 45-50 point center.

Alright so how are you going to get a young center?

I'd only do it so Rielly has a good partner to learn from, I'm not a big fan of Edler anyway.

 

[Six Assets]

Your guy is Mika Zibanejad.

Since we're set at LD with Methot and Phaneuf, I'll pass.

 

[Horse McHindu]

I feel bad for Canucks fans. You guys should have sold high on the twins a year or two ago.

By virtue of their contracts, and dependency/desire in playing with one another, the ROI in a potential Sedin trade probably wouldn't have been to management's satisfaction.

Trading the twins, is the equivalent of trading one player who has a 14 million dollar cap hit.

Canucks would either be forced into a position of retaining serious salary (going against the cap), or giving away the Sedins' (zero retention) at peanuts on the dollar.

 

[Nuckles]

Alright so how are you going to get a young center?

I know this is hard to believe, but there are 28 other teams in the league the Canucks can trade with. Also, there's the draft. I would prefer trading Edler for futures (picks/prospects) because this team needs a full-on rebuild thanks to Dim Jim.

As a side note, I think there's zero chance Edler waives his NTC for Toronto.

 

[SEALBound]

Bonino

 

[Horse McHindu]

I personally value a top pairing d-man much more than a 45-50 point center.

So do I obviously, but I prefer a younger asset heading into his prime than an older one exiting out of it.

Not saying that Kadri is necessarily that guy, but the Canucks' lack of depth down the middle when Henrik retires will be a major issue. Heading into this draft, I figured Pierre Luc Dubois was a lock, but I was proven wrong.

Canucks D could be in good hands moving forward, but that middle depth.........oh boy.

 

[LV*]

I know this is hard to believe, but there are 28 other teams in the league the Canucks can trade with. Also, there's the draft. I would prefer trading Edler for futures (picks/prospects) because this team needs a full-on rebuild thanks to Dim Jim.

As a side note, I think there's zero chance Edler waives his NTC for Toronto.

Which young centers are available from those 28 other teams?

 

[kanucks25]

This trade wouldn't work.

Nobody is going to trade a 1C for Edler and it's not worth it for us to trade him for a middle-6 C when we have Horvat and Sutter.

I'm a Kadri fan but he's not a 1C. We're hoping Horvat can produce like him this upcoming year.

So you want a 22-24 year old third line center. I doubt I'd give up that much for edler.

You think we'd trade a #2 D-man for a 3rd line center?

 

[Breakers]

I feel bad for Canucks fans. You guys should have sold high on the twins a year or two ago.

Right cause teams can just fit 14 million into their cap situation.

They are untradeable, not because they are bad, but because they have to be traded together.

 

[Paulinvancouver]

Sedin-Sutter-Horvat-Granlund

We don't need a center.

Keep him.

 

[kanucks25]

Right cause teams can just fit 14 million into their cap situation.

They are untradeable, not because they are bad, but because they have to be traded together.

They're only 7M with 50% retained, and the Canucks could take cap back.

Sedins are easily moveable if the team ever wanted to do it.

 

[CherryToke]

With Edler or Tanev moved, our D is either unproven or horrible.

Let's see how free agency shakes out before we trade what we can't replace.

Hutton can replace Edler easily.

 

[Homesick]

Zero chance the Oilers give up RNH for Edler. Zero. I actually hope they keep their "top pairing defenseman" because it's more beneficial for the Oilers to keep playing the Canucks aging superstars.

 

[Pandaman11]

A 35/40-point center is more or less what you'd get for Edler at this point.