The Price Is Right - Connor McDavid Edition

[Br4d]

So the Oilers come to the Rangers and offer Connor McDavid for Igor Shesterkin, Alexis Lafreniere, K'Andre Miller and the Ranger's 2024 1st Round Pick.

 

They do this because they have concluded that they're going to lose a ton of games this season without an NHL goalie and McDavid is likely to move to Toronto after the '25-26 season because that's his home town.

 

For the Rangers this is a 3 year rental because truth be told they are unlikely to be able to re-sign McDavid either because home is home and he wants to bring a cup to Canada before he retires.

 

The price for him is huge for a 3 year rental.  The Rangers probably could take Miller and the '24 1st out of the deal if they offered Adam Fox instead but the Rangers already know that is going to be a huge problem for Fox.  The thought of getting Fox back at some point, likely near where McDavid leaves isn't enough to soothe the issues caused by trading Fox.

 

So the questions are:

 

1.  Do you do this deal and mess with the best team chemistry in the NHL right now?

1a.  Is it worth trying to do this deal after the season instead?  2 year rental at that point but no messing with a potential cup-winning team on the hottest streak in franchise history.

 

2. Do you try to get involved in a 3-way deal instead and profit from that?  Something like moving Shesterkin and Miller to the Oilers and getting Nylander from the Leafs and Skinner from the Oilers while McDavid goes to the Leafs?  The deal would have to include an extension for Nylander that would not impact the cap this season but might moving forward.

 

3.  Do you just say this is too complicated to fit into a potential cup run even if it's the only realistic chance to get McDavid or make a real trade for Nylander?

[phillyb]

Bretzky, is that you?

[Br4d]

Panarin - McDavid - Vesey

Kreider - Zibanejad - Wheeler

Cuylle - Trocheck - Kakko

Goodrow - Bonino - Pitlick

 

Lindgren - Fox

Gustafsson - Trouba

Jones - Schneider

 

Quick

Domingues

 

F#13 or D#7 figure it out.  Garand is G#3 at Hartford

 

That roster does not have Stanley Cup this year and next written all over it?

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

No it doesn't lol.

 

You have Vesey AND Wheeler in the top 6. Panarin - McJesus would be an insane line, but the rest of the lineup will struggle to score 5v5. I don't want to see Jones - Schneider as a pair in the playoffs, especially not with a healthy lineup.

 

Quick has been good for 7 games, we have no guarantee he won't turn into a ~.900 goalie again.

 

Does it even work cap wise? Maybe this season, but what about next year? Wheeler, Quick and Gus are gone and we would need to find league-minimum replacements in goal, top 4 D and a top 6 winger. Lindgren and Schneider are up for raises (we will need to extend both with Miller and Gus gone), same for Kakko (lol).

 

And Oilers would just laugh at this proposal. Shesterkin AND Fox + is probably the only thing they'll even bother listening to.

[Sharpshooter]

You can wake up now. lol They're not trading him and he's not coming here.

[Ozzy]

6 hours ago, phillyb said:

Bretzky, is that you?

 

Winner!!!  LOL

 

I just fell on the floor! 

[The Dude]

3 hours ago, Br4d said:

Panarin - McDavid - Vesey

Kreider - Zibanejad - Wheeler

Cuylle - Trocheck - Kakko

Goodrow - Bonino - Pitlick

 

Lindgren - Fox

Gustafsson - Trouba

Jones - Schneider

 

Quick

Domingues

 

F#13 or D#7 figure it out.  Garand is G#3 at Hartford

 

That roster does not have Stanley Cup this year and next written all over it?

"It's in the game.. "

 

[4EverRangerFrank]

1a - man I’d hate to mess with this right now. Chemistry is so right. It’s working. When you’re going through what just might be the best-ever franchise start, how do you not roll the dice on the season? Nobody knows what we’ll look like - or be playing like - in April, May. Right now I’m sitting tight and holding these cards. Summertime is the time for changes if this squad proves unable to ring the bell. 

[Ozzy]

14 minutes ago, 4EverRangerFrank said:

1a - man I’d hate to mess with this right now. Chemistry is so right. It’s working. When you’re going through what just might be the best-ever franchise start, how do you not roll the dice on the season? Nobody knows what we’ll look like - or be playing like - in April, May. Right now I’m sitting tight and holding these cards. Summertime is the time for changes if this squad proves unable to ring the bell. 

 

[BrooksBurner]

Fun topic. Yeah, it's EA Sports tomfoolery, but let's live a little guys.

 

My answer is a hard no if the premise is that McDavid wouldn't re-sign here. Two and a half years is not enough time to burn the Rangers' best trade assets for that kind of move.

 

If he signs an extension, I change my answer and it's an unequivocal yes with zero hesitation.

 

For the record, I'm disregarding that I do not think this is enough to net McDavid, and I don't think it's the kind of package Edmonton would settle for. They will for certain want a legitimate 20 something 1C coming back if the idea is to reconfigure the roster rather than rebuild it.

 

A more realistic scenario might be Shesterkin++ for Draisaitl this summer if the Rangers recognize they shouldn't pay Shesterkin after next season.

[RangersIn7]

7 minutes ago, BrooksBurner said:

Fun topic. Yeah, it's EA Sports tomfoolery, but let's live a little guys.

 

My answer is a hard no if the premise is that McDavid wouldn't re-sign here. Two and a half years is not enough time to burn the Rangers' best trade assets for that kind of move.

 

If he signs an extension, I change my answer and it's an unequivocal yes with zero hesitation.

 

For the record, I'm disregarding that I do not think this is enough to net McDavid, and I don't think it's the kind of package Edmonton would settle for. They will for certain want a legitimate 20 something 1C coming back if the idea is to reconfigure the roster rather than rebuild it.

 

A more realistic scenario might be Shesterkin++ for Draisaitl this summer if the Rangers recognize they shouldn't pay Shesterkin after next season.

And I do believe that of the two, Draisaitl would be the more likely to be traded

[BrooksBurner]

9 minutes ago, RangersIn7 said:

And I do believe that of the two, Draisaitl would be the more likely to be traded

 

He absolutely is, and they probably should if they are serious about reconfiguring that roster around McDavid.

 

A Shesterkin-to-Edmonton deal is probably hog wash in general too. He has a 10 team NTC. I'd be surprised if Edmonton isn't on it.

[RangersIn7]

2 minutes ago, BrooksBurner said:

 

He absolutely is, and they probably should if they are serious about reconfiguring that roster around McDavid.

 

A Shesterkin-to-Edmonton deal is probably hog wash in general too. He has a 10 team NTC. I'd be surprised if Edmonton isn't on it.

I have the same thought regarding Draisaitl.

They could bring back a massive haul and solve some of their many depth issues if they moved him. 

[Drew a Penalty]

9 hours ago, phillyb said:

Bretzky, is that you?

 

Needs more Del Zotto.

[LindG1000]

Any trade for Connor McDavid probably just makes us Oilers East in the not-terribly-long haul, barring something that defeats the purpose (i.e. Zib or Panarin going to EDM). 

 

I don't really want to sign up to be Oilers East. 

[Drew a Penalty]

2 minutes ago, LindG1000 said:

Any trade for Connor McDavid probably just makes us Oilers East in the not-terribly-long haul, barring something that defeats the purpose (i.e. Zib or Panarin going to EDM). 

 

I don't really want to sign up to be Oilers East. 

 

Yeah, I'd much rather wait until the summer 2026 to even really consider McDavid.

[Sharpshooter]

2 minutes ago, LindG1000 said:

Any trade for Connor McDavid probably just makes us Oilers East in the not-terribly-long haul, barring something that defeats the purpose (i.e. Zib or Panarin going to EDM). 

 

I don't really want to sign up to be Oilers East. 

They were in 1994 and won the Cup. lol But, I know what you mean, and this is much different. But I agree that Draisaitl would be the likelier candidate.

[siddious]

4 minutes ago, LindG1000 said:

Any trade for Connor McDavid probably just makes us Oilers East in the not-terribly-long haul, barring something that defeats the purpose (i.e. Zib or Panarin going to EDM). 

 

I don't really want to sign up to be Oilers East. 

Exactly my thinking. If you have to give up half the team then what's the point

[Br4d]

I think McDavid is a lot more likely to move than is generally recognized.  I think the Oilers are lot more likely to move him than is generally recognized.

 

Whatever else is true it seems that McDavid is not at the core of a future Stanley Cup for Edmonton.  There's not enough talent around him and time is beginning to run short on the Oilers to figure this out.

[Phil]

1 hour ago, BrooksBurner said:

Fun topic. Yeah, it's EA Sports tomfoolery, but let's live a little guys.

 

My answer is a hard no if the premise is that McDavid wouldn't re-sign here. Two and a half years is not enough time to burn the Rangers' best trade assets for that kind of move.

 

If he signs an extension, I change my answer and it's an unequivocal yes with zero hesitation.

 

For the record, I'm disregarding that I do not think this is enough to net McDavid, and I don't think it's the kind of package Edmonton would settle for. They will for certain want a legitimate 20 something 1C coming back if the idea is to reconfigure the roster rather than rebuild it.

 

A more realistic scenario might be Shesterkin++ for Draisaitl this summer if the Rangers recognize they shouldn't pay Shesterkin after next season.

 

Agree with all of this.

 

There's a slew of clauses in the way here, but a much more realistic proposal, IMO, is Zibanejad (Oilers need a C back and Rangers can't pay Zib + McDavid), Lafreniere, Othmann, and an unprotected 1st for McDavid (who signs an extension).

[Br4d]

6 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

Agree with all of this.

 

There's a slew of clauses in the way here, but a much more realistic proposal, IMO, is Zibanejad (Oilers need a C back and Rangers can't pay Zib + McDavid), Lafreniere, Othmann, and an unprotected 1st for McDavid (who signs an extension).

 

I don't think McDavid is signing an extension anywhere but Toronto.

 

The situation the Oilers are in is dire for two reasons:

 

1.  The team has fallen apart this season and they are not competitive at this point.

 

2.  McDavid is likely to pull an Adam Fox on the NHL and make it clear to all suitors that Toronto is where he will be playing in '26-'27.

 

The fact that the Oilers are not competitive is going to aggravate everybody involved into making a decision sooner rather than later.  You can make a good argument that for trade purposes McDavid is at the highest trade value that he will ever have for the Oilers off of his great season last year and the 2.8 seasons remaining on his contract.

 

The reason I laid out the deal above is that it works for cap purposes and for the purposes of getting the Oilers the highest possible return while involving only 2 NTC's, McDavid and Shesterkin.  McDavid presumably would be thrilled to join the Rangers this season and hang around for a year or two until the tides bring him home.  Igor would be the stumbling block the two teams would have to work through.

 

The Rangers got Adam Fox for 2 2nd's because it was clear he was coming here one way or the other by the point the trade was made.

 

McDavid's value is only going down for the Oilers as they move closer and closer to the point where he can just leave.

[RangersIn7]

28 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

Agree with all of this.

 

There's a slew of clauses in the way here, but a much more realistic proposal, IMO, is Zibanejad (Oilers need a C back and Rangers can't pay Zib + McDavid), Lafreniere, Othmann, and an unprotected 1st for McDavid (who signs an extension).

Yes

 

Theyd absolutely have to send a contract of significant size out of town, presumably directly the other way, in order to make a deal like this work.

 

I feel for McDavid.

I really do.

 

If he does in fact end up leaving there, he will have given them 10+ seasons and isn’t likely to get near a Cup.

Kid committed himself to that franchise, knowing their history and he’s getting burned.

 

Tough.

 
I don’t see him asking for a trade. I think he’s too much of a class act to do so. But there’s no way he’s there come July of 26.

 

 

 

[phillyb]

1 hour ago, Phil said:

 

Agree with all of this.

 

There's a slew of clauses in the way here, but a much more realistic proposal, IMO, is Zibanejad (Oilers need a C back and Rangers can't pay Zib + McDavid), Lafreniere, Othmann, and an unprotected 1st for McDavid (who signs an extension).

 

Why would Edmonton trade their #1 asset and not solve their #1 issue? (goaltending)

[Phil]

1 minute ago, phillyb said:

 

Why would Edmonton trade their #1 asset and not solve their #1 issue? (goaltending)

 

OK, then it's Zib, Shesterkin, Othmann, 1st for McDavid and whatever trash goalie they're sending back to offset. Something like that.

 

All of this is to say these two teams don't match up for this player.

[phillyb]

2 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

OK, then it's Zib, Shesterkin, Othmann, 1st for McDavid and whatever trash goalie they're sending back to offset. Something like that.

 

All of this is to say these two teams don't match up for this player.

 

I agree. I like the Draisaitl talk, but it looks like he plays the left side.