Trade Review

[Referee3083]

Trade deadline was tight last night, so I didn't get a chance to post this before deciding to move forward. But I always like to learn from my moves, so I'd love thoughts on if this was a good or bad deal.

It's for the team in my signature (not yet updated for this deal). I'm in 1st place, but after a 10-0 start, I've gone 5-5 and may miss the regular season title. I felt like I'm limping into the playoffs, so I made the following deal:

Trade away: Kyle Connor(LW), Clayton Keller(LW,RW), Drake Batherson(RW)
Receive: Matt Tkachuk(LW,RW), Mats Zuccarello(RW)

Connor was the only player that was a keeper for me, and so he's replaced with Tkachuk for next year. Zucc is the highest scoring (4.2 pts per game) among Keller (3.8 pts per game) and Batherson (3.3 pts per game), so it felt like RW improvement as a rental for this year's playoff push.

[BloodSport]

I don’t think I would have done it. It’s close though. One of my many strategies is following schedules, standings and healthy scratch potential. Tkachuk is easily the best piece in the deal long-term, but short term, it wouldn’t surprise me to see any or all of Keller, Connor or Batherson out score him during fantasy playoffs. Arizona and Ottawa have nice schedules to finish the fantasy year and they won’t be scratched. Florida has a less appealing schedule and Tkachuk is almost guaranteed to miss at least a game as a healthy scratch at the worst possible time for you. Connor and Zucc are a wash other than long-term.

Not a bad deal, I just wouldn’t have done it based on strategies I employ.

[Belexus75]

i dont like it just cause your league does not count PIMs or Hits. While MT is great, he is not that much better offensively than the 2 top forward you trading + Batherson is at worst = Zuc and much younger.

to me, your league is not a league where you go crazy for Tkachuks...

[Rockies & Hockeys]

It's probably a slight short-term loss for a long term win. Getting Chucky was definitely nice!

[Referee3083]

i dont like it just cause your league does not count PIMs or Hits. While MT is great, he is not that much better offensively than the 2 top forward you trading + Batherson is at worst = Zuc and much younger.

to me, your league is not a league where you go crazy for Tkachuks...

Thanks for the feedback. Interestingly, even without PIMs / Hits, MT scores significantly better than the others:

Avg pts per game this year and prior two years:
MT: 4.9, 5.9, 5.2
Connor: 4.3, 4.2, 5.1
Keller: 3.9, 4.2, 3.9
Batherson: 3.4, 3.5, 3.8

For perspective, players in the 5 - 5.5 pts per game range are Kaprizov, Eichel, Petterson. Total players that score at an average of 5 pts per game or more are just the top 28, while avg of 4 pts per game or more are the top 93 players.

[Belexus75]

Thanks for the feedback. Interestingly, even without PIMs / Hits, MT scores significantly better than the others:

Avg pts per game this year and prior two years:
MT: 4.9, 5.9, 5.2
Connor: 4.3, 4.2, 5.1
Keller: 3.9, 4.2, 3.9
Batherson: 3.4, 3.5, 3.8

For perspective, players in the 5 - 5.5 pts per game range are Kaprizov, Eichel, Petterson. Total players that score at an average of 5 pts per game or more are just the top 28, while avg of 4 pts per game or more are the top 93 players.

what are scores of your 2 guyus you will add to replace 3 you traded? im sure if you add it all, side you traded will score better..

i have no question MT is best player here, but he is not better enough to justify the return.

[Referee3083]

what are scores of your 2 guyus you will add to replace 3 you traded? im sure if you add it all, side you traded will score better..

i have no question MT is best player here, but he is not better enough to justify the return.

Great question:

- Activate Rust from IR to RW (scoring 4.1 this year)
- Use Zuccarello as RW (scoring 4.2 this year)
- Use Necas as backup RW (scoring 3.4 this year)

So improvement in RW scoring over Keller and Batherson. And MT has a bigger jump from Connor at LW.

The other thing to consider is I onky have 2 active wing spots, and have a limit on the number of games that can be played each week (6 total RW and 6 total LW). So quality > quantity.

[Belexus75]

is rust and zuc your 2 weakest guys or just guys that will replace those traded? you need to use 2 weakest guys imo for the math to work.

[Referee3083]

Necas and Batherson were my two weakest. Here's what I was running before -> now after the trade:

LW1: Connor (4.3) -> M Tkachuk (4.9)
LW2: Robertson (4.3) -> Roberston (4.3)

RW1: Keller (3.9) -> Zuccarello (4.2)
RW2: Necas (3.4) -> Rust (4.1)
Backup RW: Batherson (3.4) -> Necas (3.4)

Rust was stuck in an IR spot and I would have had to drop Necas / Batherson to activate him.

[Belexus75]

in your situation this makes more sense but you need to be careful getting stuck on current points...this is not going to stay that way....

im purely on what i know about settings and players you paid too much. Full multiact i think it would be good for you but not in your set up.

[Referee3083]

That’s fair and I see what you’re saying. I don’t disagree that it was a bit of an overpay. It felt like the right thing to do, especially with the mantra on these boards that you should always be on the side of getting the best player in the deal. Also because I was going to have to drop Necas or Batherson anyway.

I appreciate your perspective on the deal and giving me some things to think about in the future.