Two second rounders for a #5 isn't good value. If Sakic paid a third rounder and got Lou to retain some salary its a good deal.
This was an overpayment.
He’s absolutely not a true #5 was my point, and the Avs knew it (and likely other teams as well)... at the very worst is a great second pair defenseman on a contender. The Avs are ahead of a lot of teams using newer and newer metrics to evaluate players, and or are better at it than many, and the metrics
showed he played well above his position. **There were almost certainly other teams trying to get Toews. They wanted to make sure they got him (a
lso, lots of teams are devaluing 2021 draft picks because of the world context impact on scouting and play time )
It was a gamble, but not that much of a gamble and was absolutely worth locking him up over other teams. Again, he’s played like a top pair defenseman this year
and literally has been their top pair defenseman with and without Makar. He’s legitimately great for this team and would be for a lot of teams in a league where defenseman are routinely in high demand, with few available.
Teams would pay way the hell more got Toews now which is why the Avs got him when they did.
Even if he only plays great for them for 4 years, if it’s top 4 and especially if he plays as well as he is this year, he was a much safer bet for value than any 2nd round pick could possible be. You don’t land gems every draft with every pick, and they would still likely take years as defensemen typically develops a lot slower towards their peak than forwards.
Makar, Girard and Toews are one of the very best top 3 defenseman groups for any team this season. They’re a huge reason for the Avs putting up absurd stats this past stretch and generally have been great all season.
Again, Toews has been huge when Makar was injured. His positive impact on his team measured in a variety of ways on their
top pair approaching 25 minutes has been better than the overwhelming majority of dmen this season.
excellent trade
*Mind you, Trotz is a great coach, but he’s far from perfect especially at utilizing and evaluating young players.
fun fact: he routinely scratched an already very good but learning Nate Schmidt, who was solid all around and also had good metrics, for “will over skill (or effectiveness)”Tim freaking Gleason who was ass for the Caps.
Schmidt gets traded to the Knights and, well, you know.(edit: was left exposed, but all the same he was better than multiple of the Dmen they had and was scratched/3rd pair a ton of games)