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In this edition of the hotstove, we discuss which realistic trade candidates teams should avoid.
Todd Cordell
Milan Lucic is the easy answer. His production is on the decline, he's not a good skater, he's on the wrong side of 30, he's making big money ($6 million per), and there are still five years remaining on his dealt. I wouldn't take on that contract without Edmonton attaching meaningful assets to him.
My alternative answer is Rasmus Ristolainen. It'd take a good haul to pry him for Buffalo and, quite frankly, I don't think he's worth it.
Ristolainen is very good on the power play. He's shockingly inept at 5v5, though. Over the last two years, offensive dynamos like Roman Polak, Robert Bortuzzo, Dan Girardi, Kris Russell and Greg Pateryn, among many others, have averaged more points per 60 minutes played.
Ristolainen also struggles defending the blue line and breaking out of the defensive zone.
For me, there are too many red flags to pay up for Ristolainen on the trade market.
Jan Levine
Milan Lucic - with five years left at $6 million AAV, the contract itself is bear. Add in his decline in play and continued migration of the NHL towards speed and away from physical play, Lucic has become somewhat of a dinosaur. For Edmonton to move Lucic, they either will have to target a team looking to move a player with a similarly bad contract but who might be a better fit or eat a substantial amount of the $ owed, up to 50% allowable by the CBA.
Accomplishing either option will prove to be difficult. First, unsure there is a direct player for player match that will satisfy either team unless the acquiring team would want to buy out Lucic. Now, if the Oilers are willing to eat some salary, then a buy out might be more palatable. But it doesn’t appear as if that’s the case. Which is why Lucic is the name I am going with here. Secondary might be Corey Perry, largely for AAV of $8.625 mil per even though he only has three years remaining on his contract.
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