1. Retained Salary on a rental is barely worth mentioning. The money does not stay on the books longer than a few months, and it's mostly so that way SJ can even afford Nyquist to begin with. 2. I would actually argue that this is better than the Zucc deal because the condition on the pick is actually feasible. The Sharks are stacked this year and look like they might be the best team top to bottom in the West. Dallas is still in a contention for a playoff spot, let alone winning two rounds. No guarantees that Zucc will want to come back to Dallas either. 3. Nyquist is a rental, which is inherently less valuable than a player who is cost controlled/has term. 4. Nyquist also had a NTC, which thinned the market and kept the competition down some on him. My guess is that as soon as it became clear than an extension was not close, Holland began working the phones with teams on Nyquist's shortlist. On this point we can blame Holland for handing out so many NTCs and NMCs. It played a factor in why the result is so average. 5. We cannot forget that Ottawa has completely dominated the market by making Stone, Duchene and Dzingel available. If Ottawa wasn't blowing it up this year, Zucc, Nyquist and Simmonds are considerably more valuable.
1. Defense > Forwards in terms of value. Especially so for rentals. Nyquist is clearly the better player, but any semi-competent d-man is always liable to get something. 2. I think it's wiser to consider the Jensen trade more like two trades at once. Wings wanted at least a 2nd for Jensen and got it. Full stop. On the other hand, Bowey was clearly on his way out at Washington and likely was going to be put on waivers at some point. He had been passed by several younger guys for them already, writing was on the wall for both parties. Wings payed a 5th (which is basically nothing) to move in front of Ottawa, who probably wouldn't mind to take on a reclamation project. 3. Bowey no longer has a 2nd round value. If he did, no way do the Caps move him. He would be a younger Jensen. At this point, we will have to wait around and see if Bowey can actually become an NHL player at all, which, interestingly enough, is basically what a 5th round is worth.
