Speculation: Do the Avs trade a top-4 defenceman for a forward?

[Northern Avs Fan]

Is a big trade coming, or are the Avs hoarding all the good defenceman for themselves?

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[Richard88]

If the Avs trade for a forward I suspect that it'll be Newhook going out, or just futures.

After adding a 2C with term there won't be a place in the Avs top 6 for Newhook for a few years so he's the logical piece to move.

The Avs D quality and depth is their biggest competitive advantage and I don't think Cmac will want to ruin it.

 

[henchman21]

I can’t see Newhook being a key piece for a 2C

 

[missionAvs]

Yes, I got little G going for a 2C like Soderberg or something.

 

[shadow1]

God I'm not sure.

A lot of people are going to say Sam Girard should be traded. But today proved again how fantastic his contract is, with free agents like Chiarot ($4.7aav), Gudbranson ($4.0aav), and Leddy ($4.0aav) getting horribly overpaid.

Then flash forward to next summer: EJ's bloated deal will be off the books, and Toews will be a year from free agency. Meanwhile Girard will be 25-years-old with four years left on his great deal.

If I'm GM, I'd explore trading Alex Newhook.

It seems highly questionable as to whether he's a center. And if he's a winger, he's behind Nichushkin (8 yrs), Landeskog (7 yrs), Lehkonen (5 yrs), and Rantanen (3 yrs) in the pecking order.

I don't love the idea of trading a 21-year-old homegrown talent who scored 33 points as a rookie. But he's obviously not a great fit long term playing limited minutes as a third line left wing.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Maybe I’m crazy. But maybe winning a cup makes it more likely they move Toews for a C? Like he’s probably a cap casualty once his deal expires as it is. Maybe CMac likes the cost certainty that Girard brings and you still get Girard and Byram for the duration of their peaks.

But that’s probably not gonna happen.

 

[Richard88]

I can’t see Newhook being a key piece for a 2C

Why not?

 

[henchman21]

Why not?

He’s just not that level of guy… he projects as a good 2nd line wing with a chance he just ends up a meh middle 6 wing. That level young player doesn’t return a 2C except at the deadline for rentals… certainly not with term.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

I dont think so. Newhook + 1st should be able to get it done without having to break up that Defense.

 

[Asinine]

Yes because we already know we can win without him.

Him being on a good contract also helps his value for a return.

 

[henchman21]

I dont think so. Newhook + 1st should be able to get it done without having to break up that Defense.

What center with term would that bring? I don’t see one. 2nd line prospect and a 28-32 pick just doesn’t have that value. It could get a guy like Miller especially as the suitors there doesn’t off. I’m not at all against that move btw

 

[ANewHope]

I hope so. Byram showed he had another gear when given more ice time/responsibility. Come playoff time rolling Makar/Toews/Byram non stop just makes so much sense. Girard doesn't pair well with them and with a healthy roster he shouldn't even be playing special teams. Who knows how his game responds to a reduced role?

Girard would be amazing injury insurance and a massive luxury as a 3rd pairing defensemen. You can't roll with that when your 2C is JTC/Newhook. 21 year old d-men who play like Byram just did don't get moved and I don't think they would move Toews due to how he pairs with Makar.

 

[JH21]

Toews - Makar
Byram - Manson
Girard - Johnson

11 million on that 3rd pair.

I would have said no to trading G before we resigned Manson. Now that he is back he doesn't have a spot.

-How many minutes does G get?
-What happens if Byram takes a big hit and his concussion issues come back? Then we are back to EJ in the top 4.

I'm torn. I don't think Girard gets as big of a return as most because he is a liability defensively but man that's a good group. I just don't think we can afford to carry all them.

JJ as a 3rd pair getting 8 minutes a night and a nice 2C is better than G on the 3rd pair and Compher/Newhook at 2C.

Ideally we trade G for futures...a few draft picks including a first (to use at the deadline for a rental) and a young D prospect and use his money to bring back Kadri at 7 x 7

 

[pockets]

Yes, whether it’s to gain the cap space necessary to re-sign Kadri or to acquire another 2C

 

[John Mandalorian]

I dont think so. Newhook + 1st should be able to get it done without having to break up that Defense.

This is about Miller? And this is assuming you'll get retention from Vancouver because they're currently over the cap?

 

[Gatorbait19]

Maybe I’m crazy. But maybe winning a cup makes it more likely they move Toews for a C? Like he’s probably a cap casualty once his deal expires as it is. Maybe CMac likes the cost certainty that Girard brings and you still get Girard and Byram for the duration of their peaks.

But that’s probably not gonna happen.

It’s a shrewd thought but ultimately Toews is too valuable to move now with our current Cup window.

 

[ANewHope]

It really is crazy to take a step back and look at this d-core compared to what we iced for years.

I don't even think it's a hot take to say we have the best defensemen in the league, another 1D, and another potential 1D. That's just absurd. Re-signing Manson which I liked is just excessive IMO. As much as I want a d-men moved for a C ..it would be kinda crazy to watch it for an entire season/playoffs.

 

[Tru]

Please don't trade the D!!! The defensive depth was huge for us all season, and then adding Manson was a main reason why we were successful in the playoffs.
Injuries are inevitable! Don't trade the DDDDDorD!!!!

 

[Gatorbait19]

With as good as our defense is and how much offense they generate, it’s not completely crazy to just pick up 1 more defensively sound center like Rodrigues and go from there. Overall we’d still have good offense but be a crazy difficult team to play against defensively.

I’m not advocating for this and prefer to trade Girard for a 2c. Whether that’s for a solid 2c with some term or for cap space/futures so we can re-sign Naz, I don’t care.

With as good as our defense is and how much offense they generate, it’s not completely crazy to just pick up 1 more defensively sound center like Rodrigues and go from there. Overall we’d still have good offense but be a crazy difficult team to play against defensively.

I’m not advocating for this and prefer to trade Girard for a 2c. Whether that’s for a solid 2c with some term or for cap space/futures so we can re-sign Naz, I don’t care.

 

[sethro109]

I sure hope not. I feel like a 2C at the TDL while not running Makar and Toews into the ground during the season is the way to go.

 

[the_fan]

Yes, I got little G going for a 2C like Soderberg or something.

Girard for Joe Thornton

 

[AvsWraith]

Don't see any way to run it back unless we trade G. Who's gonna replace Kadri's 15 points in the playoffs? That clutch goal-scoring against Vasi in Game 4? Newhook? I seriously doubt it.

 

[sethro109]

Toews - Makar
Byram - Manson
Girard - Johnson

11 million on that 3rd pair.

-How many minutes does G get?
-What happens if Byram takes a big hit and his concussion issues come back? Then we are back to EJ in the top 4.

I'm torn. I don't think Girard gets as big of a return as most because he is a liability defensively but man that's a good group. I just don't think we can afford to carry all them.

JJ as a 3rd pair getting 8 minutes a night and a nice 2C is better than G on the 3rd pair and Compher/Newhook at 2C.

Ideally we trade G for futures...a few draft picks including a first (to use at the deadline for a rental) and a young D prospect and use his money to bring back Kadri at 7 x 7

I don't really see that as 11 million on the 3rd pairing. Just think of it as MacK making 12 million as our #1 C. Which is what will happen next season anyway.

Also there's no way Bednar will run traditional 1st 2nd and 3rd pairing minutes though out the season if that's our D depth. It'll all be situational.

Defensemen have it hard in this league and are forced to fill the same amount of minutes as the forward groups with having one less line. After the lockout offense ran the league. Then it went back to gritty defending almost like the clutch and grab era. Now the Avs have evolved the defensive position by having them create a lot of the offense with talented speedsters on every pairing from the back end. I believe focusing on that and putting our money in what just won is the cup is the way to go.

 

[Iracundia]

Ask EJ for his 19 team list and start making some calls.

 

[the_fan]

Trade Girard for 2C. They won the cup without him.

Toews-Makar
Byram-Manson
JJ-EJ

That's the d core that won the cup