Is it a no-brainer to offer Kuznetzov for Kopitar?

[larrylintz]

It's a one-year points league.

I assume the only way i would lose, assuming the other guy is at all interested, is if Kuz is promoted to top PP unit...which i suspect he won't be, as i think Trotz wants a playmaker to drive the 2nd unit, as he obviously has plenty of firepower on the first.

It concerns me that Kuz had just two minutes-ish of pp time tonight, while Ovi had 6 so it wasn't like there weren't a lot of ops, and when he scored his fluky goal he was on the ice with Johansen, not Ovi.

I'm gun-shy after last year when i "sold high" in November by trading Tank for Taylor Hall, almost everyone thought it was a win for me, and it with disastrous results.

[snipshow101]

Kopitar is such a terrible fantasy player.

[GTA Fan]

I don't think it's a no-brainer, but I think if you had to bet your Grandma's house on who scores more points, you bet on Kopitar. That being said (sorry Grandma), as a Kuznetsov owner I have considered making this same offer and decided against it. The safe move isn't always the right move.

I'm gun-shy after last year when i "sold high" in November by trading Tank for Taylor Hall, almost everyone thought it was a win for me, and it with disastrous results.

That was a good trade. You can't beat yourself up over a correct decision. Most decent fantasy GMs would have done the same thing.

[larrylintz]

I don't think it's a no-brainer, but I think if you had to bet your Grandma's house on who scores more points, you bet on Kopitar. That being said (sorry Grandma), as a Kuznetsov owner I have considered making this same offer and decided against it. The safe move isn't always the right move.


That was a good trade. You can't beat yourself up over a correct decision. Most decent fantasy GMs would have done the same thing.

Thanks. Yeah, this board was 3-1 in favour of making that trade when i did a reality-check poll, but it was still painful because the first game after deal Tank scored four goals, Hall did SFA for months and got hurt, and i got a lot of trash talk in my league for making the wrong call.

Interesting you didn't pull trigger on Kuz-Kopi. What is your rationale, given the likelihood he will be moved to 2nd line (if he hasn't already) the second he cools off, and given his 2nd-tier PP role vs Kopi getting lion's share?

[SubbaNsalad]

Kuz is a better offensive player than Kopitar. Period.

So yea even given less oppurtunity he could have equal production. In a pts league ill def take Kuznetsov. Even if i lose the deal itd likely be a small margin whereas if Kuz breaks out for 75 and Kopitar sits at his reg season average you probably lose pretty badly because if he does hit 70 plus itll likely be because hes worked his way onto the top PP and gettin those 3 v 3 minutes. So yea id take the gamble on Kuz. Im a riverboat gambler though haha 2 years ago i traded Ovi in a deal for jamie benn plus.. trust me its all the more rewarding when you win your league being a contrarian and snatching up young talent over proven guys

[Big Ev]

maybe not a no=brainer, but I would definitely move Kuznetsov for Kopitar. Classic sell-high, buy low. You know you will get at least 64 points from Koptiar as that is his lowest total in the last eight years. He will finish with 70+. We can't say the same for Kuznetsov.

[larrylintz]

I like your style, Subba, even if my conservative side sees the logic of Big Ev's point.

As an aside, I think i've lost more than I've won pulling off "classic buy-low, sell-high" deals. I'll never forget (I'm giving away my age here) getting booed by my pool-mates as i walked with a sly grin into the pub for our weekly gathering the day after pulling off this heist -- I traded a kid named Federov to the league's weakest owner for a proven vet in Gary Leeman. I think i lost 50 points on that deal.

I've learned a painful rule-of-thumb over the years, that sometimes surprising hot/cold starts mean a lot -- a hidden injury, age, perhaps a personal problem, a career breakout. At the same time I really like Kopitar, he won me one of my leagues last year after i acquired him late in the season, and he was fun to watch. Tough call.