In the Edmonton Papers it was suggested the ask from the stars by the Rangers was your first, good prospect and another pick--and Dallas offered the 2nd and later picks
can you post the offer from the Stars or the ask from the rangers--the only stuff I can find as reported by legit media guys is that the Rangers asked for the first and other stuff and things ended there. Stars were not given the first up.
Stars offered a deal centered around the Rangers choice of any prospect not named Julius Honka. According to Mike Heika in an interview with Jeff Marek, Rangers held out for Honka. The GMs play their games and both the Rangers and the Stars come out looking terrible. While, Oilers get a great piece for a couple of draft picks.
In hindsight, the Rangers should have just taken Faksa and called it a day, he's currently one of the Stars best and most reliable players. Hard to say if he would have been the pick at the time, probably not. Maybe Lindell, he had just won the MVP in the Finnish league (currently playing on our top pair, but is over his head). Maybe they'd have picked Shore, maybe Dickinson. Don't know, there were a few guys to chose from who I think certainly would have been better than the 57th and 79th picks.
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Now as far as hindsight for the Stars, just giving them Honka outright and avoided the disaster that is Niemi completely would have been the best play. Though, I wouldn't have done Honka for Talbot at the time so that is unfair of me to say now.