Trading for Hintz

[Darkwing Puck]

I was just offered a trade of Hintz for some of my cheaper young players (Johnston, Perfetti, Marchenko, etc.), presumably because he hasn't got the cap space to keep him. But I'm in the same boat where I'm not sure how I'd fit Hintz onto my team. I can see two ways to get it done.

1) Drop Crouse and Batherson for Hintz. I've been trying to move Batherson because of the risk of fallout from the Hockey Canada investigation, but I haven't been able to get a good offer. I don't like the idea of just dropping him for nothing. Crouse is really a non-factor, he's there because he hits and his salary fit into the space I had available.

2) Drop Caufield or Zegras for Hintz. I'd probably also have to drop one of or both of Mercer and Wolf to make this work (Xhekaj is another option to drop, but in a banger league he seems like a no brainer keeper). If I dislike the idea of giving up Batherson for nothing, I really hate the idea of giving up Zegras or Caufield for nothing.

Would it make sense to drop any of those guys (Batherson, Caufield, or Zegras) for Hintz? Is so, which one(s)?

[stevegamer]

How much have you allocated to Zegras in your budget for his next contract?

How many can you keep, and why are Perfetti, Johnston, etc not in bold?

[Darkwing Puck]

I've currently got two budgets, one with $7.5 million allocated to Zegras and the other with $6.2 million (basically, the difference being Mercer's contract).

We can keep as many players as we want as long as we're below our $59 million salary cap. I'm currently not planning on keeping Perfetti, Johnston, etc. because if I keep them, I won't need to draft anyone.

[metaldude26]

I'm all for a consolidation trade to upgrade your keepers in a salary cap setup but it has to be for the right guy at the right price point. I don't love all the talent that would be shed to bring in Hintz who isn't quite cap efficient enough for my liking at his salary right now. And to lose all those cheap ELCs just to have to drop some guys to make it work. It's not adding up for me.

Different guy at a different hit and I'd be on board. You have so much young talent that will get expensive in a hurry. Figuring out the right buttons to push at the right time will be key.

*

On the Batherson thing. What you can get too hung up on in a salary cap league is the whole sunk cost losing something for nothing, when in a salary cap league you never lose a player for nothing when they get too expensive. What you gain is cap space and flexibility. Yeah it's nice to get stuff back for pieces you are discarding for nothing and helps you perpetually stay relevant but having the flexibility to make moves is just as nice.

For example, instead of giving up talented guys on ELCs for Hintz. You could just wait until Hintz is dropped and then swap out Crouse and Batherson with the waiver wire (assuming this is legal in your setup).

Every drop is an opportunity to spend cap is some other way.

[stevegamer]

I've currently got two budgets, one with $7.5 million allocated to Zegras and the other with $6.2 million (basically, the difference being Mercer's contract).

We can keep as many players as we want as long as we're below our $59 million salary cap. I'm currently not planning on keeping Perfetti, Johnston, etc. because if I keep them, I won't need to draft anyone.

Is that $59M cap for all players or just keepers?

[Darkwing Puck]

Different guy at a different hit and I'd be on board. You have so much young talent that will get expensive in a hurry. Figuring out the right buttons to push at the right time will be key.

I agree with you that Hintz doesn't have the best contract right now, but by the time guys like Perfetti and Johnston are coming out of their ELCs (assuming they pan out) and the cap has increased, he might look downright affordable.

For example, instead of giving up talented guys on ELCs for Hintz. You could just wait until Hintz is dropped and then swap out Crouse and Batherson with the waiver wire (assuming this is legal in your setup).

Unfortunately, that's not how it works in this league. Players who aren't kept now go into the draft. So if I pass on Hintz now, I'd be taking my chances on his being available when I pick.

Is that $59M cap for all players or just keepers?

Just for keepers. No cap during the season.

[metaldude26]

I'm still not sure that not trading for him precludes you from drafting him. Ultimately, it's about putting together the best puzzle each season so missing out on Hintz now just means having other cap opportunities. I'm not in a huge rush to get him at his price point.