It's sounding like a media trade war for Grandlund and Ekholm. Between Philly and Toronto
let them fight
I think Ekholm > Muzzin trade value just because I really expect Ekholm to be willing to re-up with us at a "Bargain" level, better than the contract Muzzin got. Plus I also think he's a little better than Muzzin. That was a bad trade for LA, though. I don't think it should dictate what we look for. They got a good player with the pick they got, but that's a coin flip that we wouldn't necessarily win as well as LA appears to have. The other prospects they got (Durzi and Grundstrom) are replacement-level of effectively zero value. They got lucky to get Bjornfot for Muzzin, basically. No guarantees we'd get even that lucky, and it's a bad trade to look to as a precedent.Ekholm = muzzin trade value. (1st, Young forward, D prospect)
Muzzin: 496 gp, 51 G, 162 A
Ekholm: 558 gp, 49 G, 157 A
stats to age 30
RV: 3 yrs after this season. 60pt player where he can get 30. JVR trade to Philly? (22 yr old D prospect)
Ekholm = muzzin trade value. (1st, Young forward, D prospect)
Muzzin: 496 gp, 51 G, 162 A
Ekholm: 558 gp, 49 G, 157 A
stats to age 30
RV: 3 yrs after this season. 60pt player where he can get 30. JVR trade to Philly? (22 yr old D prospect)
Not at 2 more years of $4M. If we do it's virtually certain we're moving Ekholm in the very near future.Gardiner just been waived by CAR. Would we maybe have interest in claiming?
Not at 2 more years of $4M. If we do it's virtually certain we're moving Ekholm in the very near future.
Gardiner just been waived by CAR. Would we maybe have interest in claiming?
Again, I don't even think of "contending" as the goal. Just being middle of the pack is good enough, and getting into the playoffs is a valid first step. And Ekholm any time in the next 6 years definitely helps us do that. A lot moreso than anything we'd get in a trade for him. I don't believe we will trade Ekholm. I will be SHOCKED if we do.I think the writing is on the wall when it comes to Ekholm, I definitely think he's getting moved this deadline. It would be nice to keep him if we were close to contending, but I don't think we're close anymore.
Again, I don't even think of "contending" as the goal. Just being middle of the pack is good enough, and getting into the playoffs is a valid first step. And Ekholm any time in the next 6 years definitely helps us do that. A lot moreso than anything we'd get in a trade for him. I don't believe we will trade Ekholm. I will be SHOCKED if we do.
And if we do, I'm pretty sure it will just be another sign of error and degeneration in Poile's ability as a GM, tbh.
I guess it's fair if you have that "win or nothing" mindset. I don't think "middle-of-the-pack" is a terrible goal. As a fan, if most of our games are competitive and we get into the playoffs, it's pretty satisfactory to me. YMMV.While I'm a fan of Ekholm and I think it'd be alright if he re-signed with us, I think with all the rumors going around that it's a probability that he's traded. Realistically that looks like what's going to happen. He's on top of all the trade lists, Poile's already said almost everyone's available and there have been rumors involving multiple teams.
There are many things I'd blame Poile for, but I don't think trading Ekholm while his value is highest would be one of those things. We're just not a good team, most of our core is about 30 and we don't have a great prospect pool. If we were in a playoff spot I'd be pissed at Poile for selling Ekholm, even if we were just "middle of the pack" I might too IF we were a team capable of coming from behind, or keeping a lead, or winning in general.
I also don't want to waste our time being middle of the pack, yes there are examples of us and L.A. going on to the finals or winning the cup while middle of the pack, but the goal should not be middle of the pack.
I guess it's fair if you have that "win or nothing" mindset. I don't think "middle-of-the-pack" is a terrible goal. As a fan, if most of our games are competitive and we get into the playoffs, it's pretty satisfactory to me. YMMV.
If Ekholm will resign, you keep him. He is a core player for playoff teams. He elevated his game and is a leader.
If you really can’t sign him, then he should be worth an immense amount. He is a top pairing guy.
We also don't have a lot of pieces that are going to bring back quality young assets and high picks. Trading Haula, Cousins, etc... for mid-round picks doesn't really get us anywhere long-term in terms of re-shaping the roster. This core has been on a steady decline since the Cup Finals year and shows no sign of trending back. I'd rather build around Ekholm than Ellis but the org thinks differently.If we were playing well I think my mind would change.
Yeah, I'm happy to take him at 4 or 5 more years, especially if he continues to accept below-market-value AAV. I'm not the least bit worried about taking him back at 4-5 yrs and $5Mish. That's below what's he worth to the extent that it'd be a no-brainer to take him back.In a vacuum, bringing back Ekholm is a no brainer. My concern is he will be 32 by the time his current contract ends. How many years is he going to want? The last thing this team needs is another vet heading into his mid 30s on a long bloated contract.
Truth. Between the development time of a draft pick and the hit rate tailing off in an exponential decay, a team would be lucky to tread water by collecting a garbage bag of mid- and late round picks. Those picks might be sweetener to move up in the draft to go get a guy, but it's still a crapshoot even at that.We also don't have a lot of pieces that are going to bring back quality young assets and high picks. Trading Haula, Cousins, etc... for mid-round picks doesn't really get us anywhere long-term in terms of re-shaping the roster. This core has been on a steady decline since the Cup Finals year and shows no sign of trending back. I'd rather build around Ekholm than Ellis but the org thinks differently.
I think the point about future and chemistry fits everyone in the Hynes system.Haula's 1-year contract isn't worth much to Preds and there doesn't seem to be future or chemistry for him, but the Wild desperately need a center with any kind of faceoff skill.
I could see a low value trade with Haula to Minnesota.