Tought one

[ginf17]

I'm in a rebuilding mode in my league and get an interesting offer (Letang side is mine). In our league, dman got 2 points for a goal and 1 point per assist.

Here is the offer :

Matheson M.
Strome Dylan
Stone Mark
Spezza J.
8 or 9 overall - 2018

vs

Letang K.
Toffoli T.
20 -23 overall - 2018


I'm not sure about this one, because Letang is a beast in this kind of league and can reach more that one point per game (consedering is making 2 pts per goal), but he is also injury prone.

Toffoli and Mark Stone as the same upside (I prefer Stone a little bit more), so for me, you can removed these 2 guy from the trade. That leave Letang vs Matheson and Strome. I have hi hope on Strome, but Matheson in my mind will make about 30 - 40 pts + 10 goals approximately at his peak, but he play behind Ekblad and Yandle on the PP. Do you think he has better upside. I don't see him play often, but heard good thing about him.

The hiding card is Dylan Strome who can turn into a first line forward (75-85 pts) in my opinion for many years to come.

The draft pick is to my advantage, has we follow the NHL entry draft for the availability of the prospects, so next year players look more interesting than this year and you have more chance finding a good one. That trade will give me the opportunity to get 2 picks in the top 8-9 in 2018.

I'm at least 2 years for entering the competition, so Letang wil be 32 when I will be ready to compete.

What do you think about this trade?

Should I do it? Thanks for your help.

[BreadManPanarin]

Trade looks pretty good for you considering your compete window. Can you get someone younger instead of Spezza? He doesn't seem useful for you.

Edit: If you haven't let all of your league mates know that Letang is available, I would do that first. Just in case it starts a bidding war.

[lucafen4]

Pass.. you're getting a lot of watered down talent in return for a pure stud. I need a much more established player in return for Letang. not maybe prospects -- there's debate of what Strome can actually become. Just a bad time to trade Letang.

[RizzeeDizzee]

How many teams? What are roster sizes? Letang should be able to get you more, I think, since Matheson might not amount to much, Stone is solid but not spectacular, and Spezza is fading. Let's also not forget that Toffoli is nothing to sneeze at. Strome is obviously the big piece on the other side, but Letang is a major bird in the hand - one that gets hurt a lot, but a bird in the hand nonetheless.

Trading Letang now will be selling low due to how last season ended. Waiting brings with it risks, but also opportunities. I think you should either shop this deal around to get something better if you're hell bent on trading Letang now, or you should decline and wait for Letang to heat up again, then shop him to get what will most definitely be a better deal.

[Axeman33]

You would be taking on four players and only sending out two. Would you be forced to drop two to make room for the extra players?

Any chance you can show your entire roster?

My initial reaction is to pass but I'd like to hear more info.

[BreadManPanarin]

Pass.. you're getting a lot of watered down talent in return for a pure stud. I need a much more established player in return for Letang. not maybe prospects -- there's debate of what Strome can actually become. Just a bad time to trade Letang.

Some of that debate on Strome is a bit unfairly generated due to his brother's struggles to get up to speed in the NHL. I am not a huge D Strome fan, but Dobber has him 2nd on top prospects list after Keller, and gives him 90 pt John Tavares upside... so its not like he would be trading for just any prospect.

I'd be fine with passing on the deal too though. Certainly not a no-brainer deal, particularly if one isn't sold on Strome.

[ginf17]

Everybody know that Letang is available in my league. I take Spezza in that deal, because the other guy can't protect him and I will probably be able to flip him for a 3rd round pick during the draft this year or during the season for a draft pick next year... What do you think about Matheson? Did you see the same production as I do?

[nhloffencefirst]

Matheson had a pretty good season for a rookie, and he's still just 23. He sure has the tools to produce, with speed to burn, good hockey IQ and a good shot. He's already considered one of the best defenders of Fla. He was name the best defenseman at the 2016 WHC, but that was based solely on points production. He shoots left and Ekblad shoots right, so Ekblad-Matheson could eventually become a great first pairing. The question is, when will he be given the opportunity to play on the PP with Florida? This is the key. With a new coach, we can't base our judgement on last year. And it seems the new management wants to distance itself from the decisions made last year. Matheson might be given more offensive responsabilities, since it's the direction the NHL is aiming at. So, he has the the potential, but the result are certainly not guaranteed.

Strome lacks foot speed and strength, but that should come with time. He has great hockey IQ, very good vision, and he can shoot to score or tip the puck in front of the net. He's a very good prospect, not just any prospect.

Stone and Toffoli, like you said, are pretty similar. However, the first in 2018 may very well turn into a stud if you do your homework.

The value of Letang is difficult to assess. It depends how many GM are in your league and how many need a stud like him. The injury risk is definitely an element to consider. The quantity and the quality of assets you receive is sufficient to move on I think. I would do that trade in a heartbeat if you think you're not gonna receive a better offer. Trades like this are usually dificult to do during the season. It's up to you.

[BreadManPanarin]

Matheson had a pretty good season for a rookie, and he's still just 23. He sure has the tools to produce, with speed to burn, good hockey IQ and a good shot. He's already considered one of the best defenders of Fla. He was name the best defenseman at the 2016 WHC, but that was based solely on points production. He shoots left and Ekblad shoots right, so Ekblad-Matheson could eventually become a great first pairing. The question is, when will he be given the opportunity to play on the PP with Florida? This is the key. With a new coach, we can't base our judgement on last year. And it seems the new management wants to distance itself from the decisions made last year. Matheson might be given more offensive responsabilities, since it's the direction the NHL is aiming at. So, he has the the potential, but the result are certainly not guaranteed.

Strome lacks foot speed and strength, but that should come with time. He has great hockey IQ, very good vision, and he can shoot to score or tip the puck in front of the net. He's a very good prospect, not just any prospect.

Stone and Toffoli, like you said, are pretty similar. However, the first in 2018 may very well turn into a stud if you do your homework.

The value of Letang is difficult to assess. It depends how many GM are in your league and how many need a stud like him. The injury risk is definitely an element to consider. The quantity and the quality of assets you receive is sufficient to move on I think. I would do that trade in a heartbeat if you think you're not gonna receive a better offer. Trades like this are usually dificult to do during the season. It's up to you.

damn. Well said, new guy. Welcome to the forums!! Looking forward to more of your thorough, well-reasoned advice.

+rep on your first post.

[STONE.]

Pass for me right now.
I'd wait until the season and gamble that Letang starts hot. Then see if there are better offers available.

[lucafen4]

Some of that debate on Strome is a bit unfairly generated due to his brother's struggles to get up to speed in the NHL. I am not a huge D Strome fan, but Dobber has him 2nd on top prospects list after Keller, and gives him 90 pt John Tavares upside... so its not like he would be trading for just any prospect.

I'd be fine with passing on the deal too though. Certainly not a no-brainer deal, particularly if one isn't sold on Strome.

He might and for Stome's sake, I hope he hits 90pts. The big question though is, how long does that take? Letang at 65 games a year potentially outpoints Stome himself for another 2-3 years. When healthy he's a top 3Dman in multicat leagues. I want more proven than Strome in return. Spezza's old and broken and Mark Stone underwhelms me in every way imaginable.

[BreadManPanarin]

He might and for Stome's sake, I hope he hits 90pts. The big question though is, how long does that take? Letang at 65 games a year potentially outpoints Stome himself for another 2-3 years. When healthy he's a top 3Dman in multicat leagues. I want more proven than Strome in return. Spezza's old and broken and Mark Stone underwhelms me in every way imaginable.

Well OP had stated that he is at least 2 years off from competing, so Letang isn't doing him a whole lot of good. 2-3 years from now Strome could very well be a more valuable asset than Letang. Especially with 2 points per goal.

I'm not saying I love the deal, just that I think for a team that isn't in competition it makes sense to take the best deal you can get for Letang. If nobody else is lining up to hand over a guy who is a top 3 prospect on Dobber's list, then I would be fine with taking this deal. Waiting until Letang puts together a good stretch of games is an option too, but honestly I feel like any intelligent GM knows who/what Letang is by this point and isn't going to get caught wildly swinging their valuation of him based on a stretch of good games/health.

Also, you trolling Ev with that last sentence?

[nhloffencefirst]

We must not forget that Matheson is also part of this deal, as well as a first round pick in 2018. Taking into account that the OP won't be competing for a few years, like BMP said, for me, the deal is more about Strome, Matheson and a first, than about Strome and Spezza.

Keeping Letang is taking the safe route. But we all know that every time we say to ourselves, "Thank God I didn't do that trade!", someone else is saying "Why didn't I do that trade!" Matheson, Strome and a first are good assets that have the potential of becoming great assets. What if that first round pick becomes a Provorov or a Werenski? If a better deal is out there, I wouldn't wait for it, I would look for it now. He said everybody knows Letang is available, so he should be able to raise the bid. If he can't, than maybe the market for Letang is not that great in his league.