Gustafsson is awful, and has always been an awful defender. Save for his 1 outlier year last season, he's basically an AHL player. He'll probably ask for $4M or more as a FA.

Getting anything for 'ole #56 is a plus.

Lehner cost you no picks or prospects to get. Based on the fact that they moved him, it's pretty clear that Stan and Lehner were not in the same ballpark on an extension.

Getting something (3 somethings?) for something for which you paid nothing is a plus in my book.

Stan has some work to do in the off season, again. But this trade deadline is far from bad. Bad would be still having Lehner & Gustafsson on the roster after 3 PM EDT today.

I have had enough of the troll
- NamedSources

I'm still trying to figure out his moniker.

While his agent is here on the board explaining how good he is too...
- PatShart

Exactly, hold on.. “Elbows, make a right at the light”.

You were talking about Lehner being Vezina quality. Support your assertion.

Go back and look at your posts from weeks ago....you are funny.
- mohel

Just when I thought it couldn’t get any crazier!

This board is funny to watch. Constantly complaining on here about how much of a liability Gus is, that he's a train wreck in his own end, that he needs to be trade NOW. Stan trades him and we're upset with a 3rd rounder? Do you think every GM in the league can't see what we saw? I, for one, and happy he is moved and let's see if we can draft someone early in the 3rd.

As for Lehner, I would've liked to see him remain and sign an extension. Conflicting reports out there of his intent, but if he gave indications he wanted too many years for too much money to stay, then I don't blame them for making a move. Idk what to make of Subban, but at minimum it's a backup for this year and Crow taking the reigns for the remainder of the season to see what his worth will be the next 2-3 years. Also, a draft pick and prospect can't hurt.

I don't think Bowman won the day, but I do think he was successful in getting something for two guys who probably wouldn't be on the team next year.

I was actually one of the few staunch supporters of Gus dating back to last season. He makes his fair share of mistakes - no doubt about it - but he was still our best offensive d-man by FAR. Who do we turn to now? Keith’s one goal a year? Boqvist’s 8 points in 35 games? (Still far away from being impactful). Or do we hope that Maatta or Murphy become offensive stalwarts?

On top of losing your best offensive d-man, you trade away your best goalie as well.

Again, both guys needed to be dealt because they aren’t long-term fits for us. But simply “getting any return” doesn’t fly here. Not with some of the prices other teams were willing to pay this time of year.
- TommyHawk

Sure it does. The players were going to leave for zero. Getting what you can is the GM's job. Maybe you think the market should have offered more, but it didn't.

Gustafsson is awful, and has always been an awful defender. Save for his 1 outlier year last season, he's basically an AHL player. He'll probably ask for $4M or more as a FA.

Getting anything for 'ole #56 is a plus.

Lehner cost you no picks or prospects to get. Based on the fact that they moved him, it's pretty clear that Stan and Lehner were not in the same ballpark on an extension.

Getting something (3 somethings?) for something for which you paid nothing is a plus in my book.

Stan has some work to do in the off season, again. But this trade deadline is far from bad. Bad would be still having Lehner & Gustafsson on the roster after 3 PM EDT today.
- scottak

THIS. 100%

The only question that we don't know the answer to is "were they willing to pay those prices for our players?".
- Chunk

Serious question, in reference to today, is Sami Vatanen a much better player that Gus? He was able to fetch a 2nd and a former 2nd round prospect.

He’s also an expiring contract and currently on the IR and hasn’t ever eclipsed 40 points in a season. He may be considered a “steady” #4-type of d-man, but hard to believe that he’s more valuable than Gus is (even if Gus is worse defensively).

This board is funny to watch. Constantly complaining on here about how much of a liability Gus is, that he's a train wreck in his own end, that he needs to be trade NOW. Stan trades him and we're upset with a 3rd rounder? Do you think every GM in the league can't see what we saw? I, for one, and happy he is moved and let's see if we can draft someone early in the 3rd.

As for Lehner, I would've liked to see him remain and sign an extension. Conflicting reports out there of his intent, but if he gave indications he wanted too many years for too much money to stay, then I don't blame them for making a move. Idk what to make of Subban, but at minimum it's a backup for this year and Crow taking the reigns for the remainder of the season to see what his worth will be the next 2-3 years. Also, a draft pick and prospect can't hurt.

I don't think Bowman won the day, but I do think he was successful in getting something for two guys who probably wouldn't be on the team next year.
- HawksHype

Always take a dramamine before coming on the board lmao

I for one, figured that he would only get a 4th for Gus so the fact he got a 3rd was a HR IMO

Sucks to see Lehner go but it is what it is. We don't know what those negotiations were. The fact that he got traded is reason enough to believe that either they were not close AT ALL on a deal and/or he had no confidence in making a deal by the end of the year so he wanted to make sure that he got something for him instead of nothing

Sure it does. The players were going to leave for zero. Getting what you can is the GM's job. Maybe you think the market should have offered more, but it didn't.
- mohel

I agree. That’s why I’ve stated that those guys had to be dealt if they weren’t in the cards long term.

But if I was to tell you last week that the return for Lehner and Gus would be a 2nd, 3rd, and a C-level prospect, would you have been happy?

Serious question, in reference to today, is Sami Vatanen a much better player that Gus? He was able to fetch a 2nd and a former 2nd round prospect.

He’s also an expiring contract and currently on the IR and hasn’t ever eclipsed 40 points in a season. He may be considered a “steady” #4-type of d-man, but hard to believe that he’s more valuable than Gus is (even if Gus is worse defensively).
- TommyHawk

If Gus was in demand as much as you suggest wouldn’t Carolina have made a deal to get him?

I'm really surprised that they weren't able to make their cap space worth something to someone.
- Cmonalready

Check out Capfriendly.com. Plenty of teams have $10 mil in cap space. Not too many pure salary dumps. Most of those are made in the off season.

Wait a second.... PE is the voice of reason here? Magic!
- Chunk

I always have been, maybe you are seeing clearer now.

You got a backup Goalie (good to have in case Crow gets hurt again), a lottery prospect, and a 2nd pick that could become something as well.

Not saying anything will come from any of those three players but I'd rather take a shot at one working then having him walk for nothing
- Savetheembers33

Subban is a seriously good soldier. He stays on the ice after practice all the time when anyone wants extra work on something. His attitude is very good. I like the guy. But put him in a game and he's just not very good. And that's with a much better defense than the hawks currently have. I'd rather Lankinen get some games like Delia did and see how that works out cuz Subban is not the future. I wish he was, but he's not. And prospects and picks, who the (frank) knows. One has to trust how the hawks draft, and these picks ain't in the top 10.

Serious question, in reference to today, is Sami Vatanen a much better player that Gus? He was able to fetch a 2nd and a former 2nd round prospect.

He’s also an expiring contract and currently on the IR and hasn’t ever eclipsed 40 points in a season. He may be considered a “steady” #4-type of d-man, but hard to believe that he’s more valuable than Gus is (even if Gus is worse defensively).
- TommyHawk

Offensively Gus is MUCH better than Sami. Defensively Sami's MUCH better than Gus. It's easier to justify paying a 2nd Rd pick for a Defensemen who...actually plays Defense instead of a Defensemen who could make some awesome plays every game...but is more than likely going to give up at least two chances every game that could cost you the game

Serious question, in reference to today, is Sami Vatanen a much better player that Gus? He was able to fetch a 2nd and a former 2nd round prospect.

He’s also an expiring contract and currently on the IR and hasn’t ever eclipsed 40 points in a season. He may be considered a “steady” #4-type of d-man, but hard to believe that he’s more valuable than Gus is (even if Gus is worse defensively).
- TommyHawk

Serious question, do you think some team offered more for Gus and Stan turned it down?

Bottom line is Vatanen is more valuable than Gus- the market just showed you that. Maybe you've overvalued Gus.

I always have been, maybe you are seeing clearer now.
- powerenforcer

I can see clearly now the foil is gone
I can see all conspiracies in my way

If Gus was in demand as much as you suggest wouldn’t Carolina have made a deal to get him?
- paulr

We don’t know. We do know that at least 3 teams made offers though per tweets in recent days. That’s enough of a demand to not not simply accept what you can get.

Maybe Stan was holding out for more and overplayed his hand, who knows.

Point being, while it’s good to get any kind of value for a player that is on the outs, you simply can’t just “accept” it for what it is. That’s all.

Serious question, do you think some team offered more for Gus and Stan turned it down?

Bottom line is Vatanen is more valuable than Gus- the market just showed you that. Maybe you've overvalued Gus.
- mohel

Never believe the market. Believe that Bowman is an idiot

We don’t know. We do know that at least 3 teams made offers though per tweets in recent days. That’s enough of a demand to not not simply accept what you can get.

Maybe Stan was holding out for more and overplayed his hand, who knows.

Point being, while it’s good to get any kind of value for a player that is on the outs, you simply can’t just “accept” it for what it is. That’s all.
- TommyHawk

LOL

I agree. That’s why I’ve stated that those guys had to be dealt if they weren’t in the cards long term.

But if I was to tell you last week that the return for Lehner and Gus would be a 2nd, 3rd, and a C-level prospect, would you have been happy?
- TommyHawk

Happy in that situation is determined by how I value the player compared to the market. The answer came today on the ACTUAL value of both players.

Offensively Gus is MUCH better than Sami. Defensively Sami's MUCH better than Gus. It's easier to justify paying a 2nd Rd pick for a Defensemen who...actually plays Defense instead of a Defensemen who could make some awesome plays every game...but is more than likely going to give up at least two chances every game that could cost you the game
- Savetheembers33

That’s a fair interpretation.

But for a team like Carolina who is top-10 in GA, #1 in SA, and lost their best offensive d-man and will be without him long-term, might Gus have made more sense to them?

We can do this all day long. I’m not here to pick fights. I’m just under the impression that Stan overplayed his hand, that’s all.

Subban is a seriously good soldier. He stays on the ice after practice all the time when anyone wants extra work on something. His attitude is very good. I like the guy. But put him in a game and he's just not very good. And that's with a much better defense than the hawks currently have. I'd rather Lankinen get some games like Delia did and see how that works out cuz Subban is not the future. I wish he was, but he's not. And prospects and picks, who the (frank) knows. One has to trust how the hawks draft, and these picks ain't in the top 10.
- 6628

Ohh I agree with you on that. I'd be MUCH more happy about Subban coming back IF Crow had been traded too. I wanted to see Lankinen get a shot at the end of the year to get an idea of what he can be. I don't think we see that now.

As far as the pick, who knows if anything comes from that but the Hawks have had success finding guys in the late rounds prior

Subban is a seriously good soldier. He stays on the ice after practice all the time when anyone wants extra work on something. His attitude is very good. I like the guy. But put him in a game and he's just not very good. And that's with a much better defense than the hawks currently have. I'd rather Lankinen get some games like Delia did and see how that works out cuz Subban is not the future. I wish he was, but he's not. And prospects and picks, who the (frank) knows. One has to trust how the hawks draft, and these picks ain't in the top 10.
- 6628

Glad Stan didn't trade anything crazy. He had 2 assets and he got something back for both of them. Nobody gives up a lot for a goalie on an expiring contract and Gus is an 8-12 minute a night guy and 4-6 should be on the PP.

Put Subban in net and their lottery pick could get better.

The Hawks won with cheap goalies. Not saying they'd win now with bad goalies, but you don't need more than 6 million tied up in goalie salaries. Get some D-men and some players who can play 200 feet and a shut down centerman. Or will Toews become that guy in the next year or two. 4th liner.

That’s a fair interpretation.

But for a team like Carolina who is top-10 in GA, #1 in SA, and lost their best offensive d-man and will be without him long-term, might Gus have made more sense to them?

We can do this all day long. I’m not here to pick fights. I’m just under the impression that Stan overplayed his hand, that’s all.
- TommyHawk

The Canes didn't think so.