pinedak
Registered User
- Dec 4, 2014
- 374
- 4
Teams are reluctant to give up their top prospect these days even for someone like Simmonds. Maybe in a crazed bidding war some GM loses their mind but I doubt it.
I agree the Flyers have Kunin level guys already in the system and are likely to take another with this year's first. Add Minnesota's first and it could possibly be two in this draft. But I still think the deal would be worth it. IMO, the Flyers are either going to have to draft their elite first line forwards or trade a young defenseman for one. So add a one Kunin level guy, maybe even two, to say Ghost in 2-3 years for the next elite young forwards who's relationship sours with his current club (Eichel?), and that's an overpayment package no GM could say no to.
And Philly would have the assets to cover the loss. I think your point about top prospects is important though. The fan base should about what it would take for Philly to move Provy for example.
If he was the price for say Subban you'd decline. But Karlsson is a different matter. Subban is a great dynamic player and then you have the tier above in Karlsson. That's what it takes, and Simmer isn't a Karlsson-level at forward.
Because the above is true, you have to compile enough 1st and 2nd pair assets to make the acquisition of the elite player possible without compromising a growing roster. Moves like Simmer for Kunin, a 1st, & 3rd-5th meet that goal in a way attempting to trade for an Eichel at present simply cannot. The former is good asset management. The latter is the mentality that put Philly in it's current position.
It's not as if Philly is taking those 1st rounders and drafting more Scott Laughton's. Those days are dead and gone.