Barring a sudden collapse, I think we will be soft buyers. We will explore the market for a low-cost guy to add depth or address one specific thing the front office feels we're lacking. If we can get that type of rental for a 5th or later (or a 2020 3rd/4th rounder) then I see us pulling the trigger. Maybe we explore a "hockey trade" for a non-rental, but those are fairly rare at the deadline and would probably have already happened or will happen in the next couple days.
Other than that, I don't see us doing much. We've played too well the last 2 months to sell a major asset. That would be the 3rd straight year we've sold a good player at the deadline despite being in the thick of things and I think Army feels he owes it to Berube and the roster to not cut their leg out. Schenn is 100% not re-signing if we're true sellers at the deadline. He was pissed last year and would be justifiably more pissed this year. I don't think our minor 'dead weight' assets carry enough value to make it worth downgrading depth and upsetting a room that appears to have come together. I think you owe it to your season ticket holders, players and the coach you are still evaluating to be permanent head coach to not sell unless a team offers a comically large package. If that happens, I think you owe it to those groups to flip that package for immediate help that you think is better than the asset going out.
We're already missing a 1st and 4th round pick this year and a 2nd in 2021. I don't see us parting with another 1st, Kyrou or Bokk, which takes us out of the running for the 2 or 3 major rental upgrades. I don't think Kostin is enough to be the centerpiece for Stone/Duchene/Panarin and I don't think the Blues are low enough on Kostin to move him for a 2nd tier rental. I just don't think it makes sense to pay the price it will take to acquire a rental that really moves the needle. We're either losing one (or both) of Schenn/Petro in 18 months or dealing with a big raise (or two) to keep them. Dunn will also be due a big raise that summer and Thomas/Kyrou will hopefully need them after that. We are going to need a few ELC assets ready to contribute at the NHL level in 2020 through 2023 in order to compete throughout ROR and Tarasenko's deals. Paying the required price for a major rental probably prohibits us from getting that contribution. I don't think this is the year to start mortgaging the future on a rental.