The return for Trouba is not likely to be anything we are overly happy with unless we get lucky. I have always said teams dealing from a position of weakness often don't come out of a trade as the winner. We got lucky with Kane. We were dealing from a point of weakness but managed to be in the position that a team wanted to tank for McDavid and Kane was out for the season. So they gave up a 1st, two prospects, Stafford and downgraded on defence to achieve that. Had Kane not been out for the rest of the season I wonder if Buffalo still makes that deal. Unlikely given they wanted to outright tank and having Kane on the roster would have made that harder to do. The timing couldn't have been any better for us.
Trouba in some sort of deal for Karlsson could make sense as both teams are at a disadvantage trading them to pretty much any other team. No team is likely to give us a straight across Dman trade for Trouba. And Trouba does hold an advantage in the fact that he could say he will not sign a long term deal with the team we would trade him too. A deal in the summer makes more sense as we could talk to EK about an extension then and Ottawa could talk to Trouba about an extension. The reason I see Ottawa as being somewhat favourable to Trouba is he will be the clear cut 1D on the ride side in Ottawa, he is closer to his family in Michigan and will visit Detroit more often during the season. He will also play Tampa and Florida in their barn more as well so he'd be in Florida more often. Otherwise I think any deal for Trouba is likely only going to net us futures. We also take the risk of someone offer sheeting Trouba in the summer but based on his demands likely at minimum $6 mil a season I can't see him signing as we would probably match it. It's likely to be in the neighborhood of a 1st, 2nd and 3rd rounder for the 2019 draft if we don't match. There is also the option of arbitration but that gets messy and everyone likely wants to avoid that.
At this point I don't see many options outside of Karlsson for a Trouba trade that doesn't involve futures or forwards. And unlikely to be a top 6 Center from anyone.
Trouba in some sort of deal for Karlsson could make sense as both teams are at a disadvantage trading them to pretty much any other team. No team is likely to give us a straight across Dman trade for Trouba. And Trouba does hold an advantage in the fact that he could say he will not sign a long term deal with the team we would trade him too. A deal in the summer makes more sense as we could talk to EK about an extension then and Ottawa could talk to Trouba about an extension. The reason I see Ottawa as being somewhat favourable to Trouba is he will be the clear cut 1D on the ride side in Ottawa, he is closer to his family in Michigan and will visit Detroit more often during the season. He will also play Tampa and Florida in their barn more as well so he'd be in Florida more often. Otherwise I think any deal for Trouba is likely only going to net us futures. We also take the risk of someone offer sheeting Trouba in the summer but based on his demands likely at minimum $6 mil a season I can't see him signing as we would probably match it. It's likely to be in the neighborhood of a 1st, 2nd and 3rd rounder for the 2019 draft if we don't match. There is also the option of arbitration but that gets messy and everyone likely wants to avoid that.
At this point I don't see many options outside of Karlsson for a Trouba trade that doesn't involve futures or forwards. And unlikely to be a top 6 Center from anyone.
That might be quite a gamble. Could have the opposite effect. Fans might take a 'screw Melnyk' attitude. I know that would be foolish on their part but mobs become irrational when angered. 
