The Av's literally don't need any retention to do a deadline deal and won't be adding extra value to a trade to get retention. Also Simmonds seems to have really dropped off in play and I wouldn't be interested in paying for him either.
Good point about retention, you’re right about that. For a moment I forgot about cap accrual, and obviously with that in mind cap space won’t be an issue whatsoever for the Avs in any deadline day deal. Basically unlimited cap space due to running with $7.4 million space most of the year (or at least until now).
If there’s anything we lack in the bottom 6 it’s some size and toughness (not that it’s the be-all-end-all per se), particularly if the 3rd line ends up being Jost-Compher-Burakovsky, and although Simmonds might be past his best, in a depth role he would be a very strong physical addition in the playoffs.
Regarding a trade involving Hall, I don’t think the cost of Simmonds would be that great. More like the difference between Zadorov + Kaut + 1st + conditional 2nd, and Zadorov + Jost + 1st + conditional 1st.
Basically I see Simmonds as something of a sweetener who could bump Kaut + conditional 2nd into Jost + conditional 1st (all else being equal) or something thereabouts.