Timmins proved to be an NHL quality player in the playoffs when it mattered most. Not to mention he’s young and hasn’t even played a full pro season yet. He’ll likely turn into even more.
It’s ok to be fine with getting Kuemper but also hate the trade. I feel like everyone here is either all in one way or another. There’s never any middle ground.
I for one am absolutely thrilled we got Kuemper. I think if healthy he’s a top 5 goalie in the NHL behind this team. But f*** I wish we found another way to acquire him. Timmins and a 1st is just a lot.
My problem is the risk and cost. Kuemper when he is a playing well is a good goalie. I'm not as high as you, but he's good. He won't allow the bad goals that Grubi had a tendency for, but I don't think he'll make as many high end saves either. Which is totally fine, health permitting, he'll do well.
The risk is simply health... Kuemper has had one season without injuries of some sort. It was a season where he was a backup too. Every other year has had some sort of injury crop up, and it seems to me, that injury prone guys don't really get better in the hands of the Avs' training staff. That is putting a lot of eggs into his basket, with the other eggs in the basket of a goalie that just missed a full season. This could easily blow up in the Avs' face and blow another season. I think is a pretty much a coin flip of that happening...
The other issue is the cost, and I don't care about spending the assets to fill the team. That is what they should be used for. This was certainly a high cost and the Avs had to do something. That isn't the issue in and of itself... the issue is that they spent two of their most expendable assets in one trade to get just as good as last season with more risk in net. Now when you go down the list of assets that can be used in a trade to improve the team, you have basically paired it down to Byram/Girard/Toews (just one), Newhook, 23 1st and 2nd (don't have the value of 22s and the 1st would have to be condition until the lottery conditions on the 22 pick is settled... lowers the value further), and Barron. Each one of those will hurt, and I'm not convinced Sakic will actually move any of them... simply because look at the UFAs coming up. Kadri, Nuke, and Burkie being UFAs next summer basically eliminate any chance of Newhook being in a deal. Barron is the only RD prospect in the pros that has a chance of replacing EJ, who is really needing replacement soon (I argue past replacement time). Then you're to the left side trio... all have great value in different ways. Moving Toews/G this year is risky on the Byram hitting the proper level to not have the top 4 dropoff. Byram could be a guy that is a key piece in a big deal, but that could bite you in the long run (IE not a Sakic type move). I see moving one of those guys as a stalemate for the season, then
maybe a summer 22 move. There just isn't much that is expendable now that can actually improve the team without some major headaches in the next two seasons.