Viqsi
"that chick from Ohio"
Just an idea that came to mind while I was writing up something else and that I think might merit some discussion.
Small adds are obviously always possible if necessary; I'm not sure how or where they'd work, tho, so I didn't bother trying to incorporate them in this.
To Columbus:
Derek Stepan
To Arizona:
Alex Wennberg
Why Arizona might go for it:
Stepan's been a Good Soldier, to be sure, but Arizona is still building and it shows - in a pretty hopeless Pacific, they're unfortunately still near the bottom. That suggests that younger pieces would be valued - and that moving Stepan should be considered as he may well be no longer useful by the time the team is ready to compete. Wennberg is four years younger than Stepan, is also good in all situations (although he doesn't produce as many points, in no small part due to his reluctance to shoot), and still has upside that he can grow into and that he has a fair chance of meeting if he gets that Swift Kick In The Ass one can get from a trade. So he can both shelter kids as they develop AND potentially grow himself.
Why Columbus might go for it:
Wennberg's still got plenty of room to improve, but for whatever reason it's not been happening here, and improved production is pretty badly needed Right Now. Stepan's having a down year points-wise at the moment, but historically he's done much better, so he's absolutely worth picking up. He's also got a much bigger cap hit, but that's not really a worrisome consideration.
Why Arizona might say no:
Chat as much as one might like about "youth" and "potential"; in the end, Stepan has been a better NHL player than Wennberg. Unless Getting Younger is actually a useful priority, this would not be good value for Arizona as written; some add would be needed. Centers are valuable, y'know.
Why Columbus might say no:
Wennberg's upside is basically what Stepan is. He's younger, cost-controlled, and on a better contract. Unless that shortcut is a useful priority (I think it is), this would be problematic for Columbus as written. Centers are valuable, y'know.
Thoughts? Rotten tomatoes?
Small adds are obviously always possible if necessary; I'm not sure how or where they'd work, tho, so I didn't bother trying to incorporate them in this.
To Columbus:
Derek Stepan
To Arizona:
Alex Wennberg
Why Arizona might go for it:
Stepan's been a Good Soldier, to be sure, but Arizona is still building and it shows - in a pretty hopeless Pacific, they're unfortunately still near the bottom. That suggests that younger pieces would be valued - and that moving Stepan should be considered as he may well be no longer useful by the time the team is ready to compete. Wennberg is four years younger than Stepan, is also good in all situations (although he doesn't produce as many points, in no small part due to his reluctance to shoot), and still has upside that he can grow into and that he has a fair chance of meeting if he gets that Swift Kick In The Ass one can get from a trade. So he can both shelter kids as they develop AND potentially grow himself.
Why Columbus might go for it:
Wennberg's still got plenty of room to improve, but for whatever reason it's not been happening here, and improved production is pretty badly needed Right Now. Stepan's having a down year points-wise at the moment, but historically he's done much better, so he's absolutely worth picking up. He's also got a much bigger cap hit, but that's not really a worrisome consideration.
Why Arizona might say no:
Chat as much as one might like about "youth" and "potential"; in the end, Stepan has been a better NHL player than Wennberg. Unless Getting Younger is actually a useful priority, this would not be good value for Arizona as written; some add would be needed. Centers are valuable, y'know.
Why Columbus might say no:
Wennberg's upside is basically what Stepan is. He's younger, cost-controlled, and on a better contract. Unless that shortcut is a useful priority (I think it is), this would be problematic for Columbus as written. Centers are valuable, y'know.
Thoughts? Rotten tomatoes?
) or he just doesn't shoot enough (legit criticism but perhaps overstated). I was basically going team-by-team on the theory that "just trade him and Mysteriously Get Someone Better" was a little silly, and in the process discovered that I'd potentially overlooked Stepan as a target. So I figured, why the heck not. See what other folks think.
