Eberle is a complementary player. With a linemate driving the bus, Ebs is a good scorer, but absent that he's probably not anymore useful than the plentiful group of second-line types that the Jackets already have. That and he might not get past Torts. There's uncertainty with all of them, but Lee, Bailey, and Beauvillier are all better targets.
You're supposed to assume it, it's a hypothetical. None of us know if Panarin would be willing to extend for the Isles, so we game out two situations, one with a sign and trade and one without. You are replying to a hypothetical where he signs before a trade.