Seriously? Markov wouldn't help this abysmal defense? Markov teaching Mete, Juulsen and Sergachev for 2 years wouldn't help them develop their game? How many defensemen has he increased their value by making them better than they were before playing with him? We would most certainly be closer to a cup, no doubt about it.
Markov would of helped this D last year, but to what extent? I don't see him turning last years squad into a cup contender, or anything past a 1st round if they even managed to make the playoffs with Markov last year. Markov on last years team means no JK this year.
This year Markov has slowed down a lot in the KHL, thats against worse NHL competition. He would be better than Alzner, but Alzner only played what 8 games. Benn/Ouellete to be honest might be a toss up but we haven't seen Markov in the NHL for close to 2 years now.
If he would make the team better today it would be slightly better. And TBH I doubt Markov would still be on the team this year. Either he signs 1 year deal or is traded at last years TDL so saying anything about him being here this year is kinda moot.
Huh? why wouldn't Max get us back Tatar and Suzuki when he was coming off a 30 Goal season? That doesn't make any sense.
Because Tatar played for Detroit and Suzki was drafted by Vegas. Vegas paid 1st/2nd/3rd last year for Tatar. So how do we get both players from separate teams last year, when Tatars value was double his value when MB traded for him?
Radulov wasn't coming at the expense of any of those players. The pieces moved for these players had nothing to do with Radulov, you're not making sense. Domi was traded for Galchenyuk, Tatar was traded for Patches. Drouin for Sergachev (I still wouldn't make that trade). So we only wouldn't have Kotka had we kept Radulov and Markov, but we would be a much better team than we are now so it's an acceptable price for me.
Its because its a domino effect. We sign Radu then the team is trying to win. Max probably plays better and if you are going for it well you don't trade your biggest scorer and captain. AG probably plays better as well with Radu there and odds are the team decides not to move him either.
All the changes we saw were because the team sucked last year, if Radu is around and gives this team some life it changes where the team is going, other players stats, and how much those other players are valued by the team and the willingness to trade them.
Since we don't have a way to view this alternate reality I guess we will never know, but I think the circumstances would of changed, which would of changed who and what was traded for.
