it's really unlikely he is moved for real-life purposes, but for competitive purposes there's a valid argument that moving him keeps the team competitive for a longer period.
However, it all hinges on Landeskogs health. They definitely won't need to if Laneskog can't return.If he is moved though, the Avs would probably want to shed his entire cap and get pure futures, with at least 1 NHL ready ELC.
He's woken up since the trade deadline (thank god), but stats aside, he's been pretty awful/frustrating to watch most of the season. He also was a no-show in one round during their Cup run, so I think in some ways he's overrated. If anyone on the Avs benefits from playing with top players, it's Rantanen.
However, when he IS on (and let's hope we see it more), he's one of the best in the league and he's nearly impossible to contain. Very Jagr-like one minute, Bambi the next.
As for losing Lehkonen as a cap casualty to sign Mikko to a massive deal.. that would make me hesitate. Is it easier to find someone to fill Lehkonen's role? Sure. But Lehky @ 4.5M provides more value to the team than Mikko @ 11M IMO.. too often Mikko's play leaves you wanting more, while Lehkonen's never does. You can't have that too often from a guy making that kind of cash. They are both nearly equal in importance to the team's overall success, albeit in very different ways. I guess it will depend on if Kovalenko could be that guy like a poster mentioned.
All this said, it's probably a moot point and he's an Av for life even if it means the Avs fall out of contention. Just my take on it.
