TZE already touched on this but I'd love to know about any other #3/4 who can put up 50 pts while being a defensive rock who plays a physical game and skates well. Those are all top pair guys.
If you're ready to move AA/Mantha in a couple years to round out the top 4 why wouldn't you just move them now for a top pair dman? You're favouring foregoing a real opportunity now for a potential opportunity in the future which isn't even defined. Why do you think we will ever get an equal player for cheaper than what Trouba is now?
Tyler Myers does not have the same untapped potential as Trouba, not even the same ballpark. He's 4 years older and about to enter his 30s. He's not physical at all, he's not nearly as good defensively, skating is about par, and he is worse offensively. He is what he is at this point. Trouba is 25 and this season is the 1st he got a real opportunity to be the #1 for a long stretch while Byfuglien missed ~40 games. And he had a career year. He wants that kind of role permanently which is a big part of why he wants out of Winnipeg and I think he can handle it (at worst a very good #2).
DK-Green
Kronwall-Hronek
Ericsson-Daley
Cholowski-Kaski
What part of that makes you think we're in a position to turn our noses up at a top 30 dman because he's not a championship calibre #1? I'd love to get that player (and there's one available this offseason) but beggars can't exactly be choosers. And at this point I've yet to hear a name (not from you specifically) about who that could possibly be.
It's fine if we're able to leverage assets for a top 4 dman like you mentioned in your first post there. But if a top pair continues to elude us then we're in the same position that we've always been. Our problem has never been 2nd/3rd pair dmen. Our problem has been that we have no top pair so our 2nd pair dmen like DK, Green, and Kronwall have been tasked with containing top lines when they are way out of their depth doing so. If Cholowski, Hronek, or McIsaac never become more than a #3 (which is realistically the most likely scenario), then our problems persist.
I get preferring not to part with Cholowski, I like him too, but the odds of him ever becoming better than what Trouba is now are incredibly slim. Ideally he'd be left out and we could do something around AA/Mantha who would be much easier to replace in FA. But Winnipeg is giving up a top pair dman and they're going to want what they're going to want so if they insist on Cholowski I'm not holding him back (provided the balance of the trade is still fair value).
As for your 2nd last paragraph re:Heiskanen. Yeah I'd love Heiskanen, and honestly would prefer the 19 year old over the 25 year old. But there are only so many Heiskanen's to go around. We don't have any of them, and the teams that do won't be giving them up.
Why have an argument instead of a disucussion? I've made very few determinations if any.
Replying bottom up. My reference to Heiskenen is that I believe his class is deeper, and plays a style that will be relevant further into the future. So saying opportunities like this one wont come along again is dubious to me.
I've never argued for turning our noses up to anything, thats a strawman. I am very interested in the scenario and excited to see how it plays out. But my point is, if you trade #1 assets for a guy, and you pay him #1 money for 6 years, if he's not a championship caliber #1, you've handicapped your teams potential for a whole cycle.
You say at worst Trouba is a very good #2. I'm Pretty much on board with that.
As for Meyers, at his size I consider him to be a stage of development behind his age. A 6'8" 29 year old has as much room to mature his game as an average sized 26 year old imo. Trouba is a better player for sure, but your skating comp highlights my point a bit.
Meyers is not an example of how we can fix our top pair, but we can bring him in for free to solve a depth issue/increase the likelihood 17 or 21 develop into top pair guys. Meyers would be a champ level #3-5 for the long term. (If the price is right)
What do you mean 'cheaper than he is now'? We dont know what the price is. As for 39/72, I think it's reasonable to expect that their trade value will continue to rise for a couple years. And again, I havent even said I wouldnt trade them for Trouba today.
And lastly, I'm sticking with my Brad Stuart comp. His age 26 year was very similar to Troubas age 25, and Stuart settled in to the #2-4 role from there. And the list of current players that could put up 50pts playing 22 minutes with that crop of forwards and play style is way longer than just boneafide #1's.