Theoretically, What does a McDavid trade look like?

[shrader]

13 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

No it doesn’t. 
 

Holland will ask for that but Adams will hang up the phone. If McDavid does indeed ask out He has total control over His Destination with His NMC and will have input over what Edmonton’s Return. McDavid wants to go to a team that has a chance to win the Cup and he is not going to allow that team to be decimated in a trade. Similar to how Hasek had a say in Detroit’s package for Him.

McDavid has two years left on his deal after this and if He wants out there will be tremendous pressure from McDavid’s Camp, The NHL and Sponsors to make the move, so Holland doing nothing is not an option. 

People like to mention Gretzky. Here’s Wayne on an expiring contract (granted he was 35):

1996-Feb-27 Traded from Los Angeles Kings to St. Louis Blues for  Patrice Tardif, Craig Johnson, Roman Vopat, round 5 pick in the 1996 draft (Peter Hogan) and round 1 pick in the 1997 draft (Matt Zultek)

[That Aud Smell]

2 hours ago, Archie Lee said:

It isn't something I would be interested in, but a Sabres trade for McDavid would likely start with Power and one of Thompson/Cozens and then add a combination of 3-4 top prospects and 1st rd picks. 

Good post. I think the consideration mentioned above is spot on.

1 hour ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

Tage or Rasmus are the asking starting point from the Oilers.

33 minutes ago, shrader said:

It has to start with either Tage or Dahlin. 

And possibly both. I mean - if I am the EDM GM, then that's what I'm demanding.

Also, NFW Hockey Jesus would agree to go to Buffalo. 

[Flashsabre]

2 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

Good post. I think the consideration mentioned above is spot on.

And possibly both. I mean - if I am the EDM GM, then that's what I'm demanding.

Also, NFW Hockey Jesus would agree to go to Buffalo. 

I’m pretty sure he wanted to go to Buffalo at the draft.  Grew up around Richmond Hill, played in Erie, Buffalo is right in the middle. I wouldn’t count out Buffalo as an option if it ever came to that.

[French Collection]

1 minute ago, Flashsabre said:

I’m pretty sure he wanted to go to Buffalo at the draft.  Grew up around Richmond Hill, played in Erie, Buffalo is right in the middle. I wouldn’t count out Buffalo as an option if it ever came to that.

Yeah, I don’t think he would be upset like he was about going to Edmonton at the draft.

[Brawndo]

2 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

I’m pretty sure he wanted to go to Buffalo at the draft.  Grew up around Richmond Hill, played in Erie, Buffalo is right in the middle. I wouldn’t count out Buffalo as an option if it ever came to that.

Jay McKee, who was on the Erie Staff at the time, even tweeted He would be happy if Buffalo won the lottery 

[shrader]

3 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

I’m pretty sure he wanted to go to Buffalo at the draft.  Grew up around Richmond Hill, played in Erie, Buffalo is right in the middle. I wouldn’t count out Buffalo as an option if it ever came to that.

A lot can change in 8 years. I don’t know how much weight the thoughts of 18 year old McDavid have at this point. 

[Weave]

4 minutes ago, shrader said:

A lot can change in 8 years. I don’t know how much weight the thoughts of 18 year old McDavid have at this point. 

Yeah, especially given the results of the last 8 years.  I know it would affect my decision making.

[Marvin]

The NMC affects the return on either McDavid or Draisaitl.  There will be no need to include Power, Cozens, etc.

If either is willing to come here, then the Sabres may have an advantage.  The Sabres are an up-and-coming team, so either may be OK with coming here.  Because the Oilers draft so poorly, the Sabres have what Edmonton desperately needs even before a trade: quality futures.  Maybe you have to trade Savoie, Benson, and a couple of other pieces.

[Taro T]

3 hours ago, Archie Lee said:

The Sabres did get the equivalent of 3 first rd picks for Eichel, at a point where Eichel needed neck surgery.  I think the Oilers would do significantly better than that. 

The Gretzky trade was 35 years ago and involved the owner of the Oilers getting what would be the equivalent of $40 million today. I don't see a modern day McDavid trade as comparable.  

I do think that trade talk around McDavid and Draisaitl will definitely heat up if the Oiler season does not progress towards playoff contention. If things don't turn around significantly, extending either player (Draistaitl this off-season, McDavid next) seems unlikely.  The Oilers will need to decide which is worse:  being pilloried for winning nothing with McDavid and Draisaitl and having to trade them, or being pilloried for being the team that won nothing with them only to then see them walk as UFAs. 

It isn't something I would be interested in, but a Sabres trade for McDavid would likely start with Power and one of Thompson/Cozens and then add a combination of 3-4 top prospects and 1st rd picks. 

EVERYBODY (but @shrader apparently & yours truly) forgets that Gretzky wasn't only traded TO LA.  He was also traded FROM LA.

Interestingly (or not), Ryan Johnson's dad Craig was one of the pieces that went to LA in that deal.  The Kings got 1 1st rounder, 3 players, and another late round draft choice for the Great One.  The package was that small because everybody knew he was just going to be a rental for the end of that season.

 

Edited November 10, 2023 by Taro T

[WhenWillItEnd66]

No trade for McJesus is going to be worth what you would give up. Lets say he is 120 points average, giving up 3 players that produce 40 points average is equivalent in production. (Yes i know it is 3 people)  Now for some of these trade ideas you are giving up Power, Dahlin, Tuch, Cozens etc, not to mention the picks that would go with it...... 100000000% not worth it. Now, on the other hand, we have some serious prospect leverage that can be used. 

[Archie Lee]

19 minutes ago, Taro T said:

EVERYBODY (but @shrader apparently & yours truly) forgets that Gretzky wasn't only traded TO LA.  He was also traded FROM LA.

Interestingly (or not), Ryan Johnson's dad Craig was one of the pieces that went to LA in that deal.  The Kings got 1 1st rounder, 3 players, and another late round draft choice for the Great One.  The package was that small because everybody knew he was just going to be a rental for the end of that season.

 

Maybe I’m misunderstanding, but are you comparing Gretzky being dealt at age 35 to McDavid at age 27-28?  

[Taro T]

As a purely hypothetical exercise, expect a trade for McDavid would not net the Eulers equivalent value in trade; it just can't.  But it would net them more than the Sabres would want to give up.

Expecting it would start with 2 of the next 3 Sabres 1st round picks, Cozens, another prospect/player that was acquired w/ a 1st rounder (would likely end up either Savoie or Benson, but Edmonton would be asking for Power to be that piece when the discussion starts), and 1 other slightly lesser piece (this year's 2nd rounder, Rousek, something of that general level).  And giving up all that would be painful, but depending upon whether McDavid still considers Buffalo a place he'd like to be long term expect Adams would reluctantly part with that.

[sabresparaavida]

2 hours ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

Good point about contract and body limits.

If the Sabres decide to trade for McDavid in a non 'hockey trade' they are admitting that yet another rebuild has failed.  It's most likely that the trade would be made by the next GM and not KA.

No, a non ‘hockey trade’ would mean the Sabres are trying to go for a cup, not rebuild. It would be moving futures for the best player in the league, instead of moving Dahlin and Tage for McDavid and Kane (which would be closer to the hockey trade)

[Taro T]

4 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

Maybe I’m misunderstanding, but are you comparing Gretzky being dealt at age 35 to McDavid at age 27-28?  

Am not "comparing" anything.  Am pointing out that 20 games of 100+ point Gretzky and ONLY 20 games of Gretzky (who was still better than a point per game player for the 2 following years) wasn't worth nearly as much as people watching casually might have expected him to return.

Also, am indirectly stating that even though this is a hypothetical, that contract term will go a long way towards dictating what any potential trade of McDavid might return for the Eulers.  Teams trading for McDavid now are only guaranteed 2-1/2 seasons of him.  The closer any trade gets to the end of the '25-'26 season will significantly affect the return.

[LTS]

If the conversation with Edmonton started with some form of swapping Tage Thompson for McDavid I am pretty sure I am listening.  I wouldn't for Dahlin because you need defense.  But effectively tacking on other parts and the main roster change is that?  I'm there all day, every day.

I like Tage but c'mon.. you bring in McDavid and Thompson ain't your 1C and you have 2Cs.

Naturally it all depends what else you have to give up in addition to Thompson to get there.

Edited November 10, 2023 by LTS
changed one to on.. I didn't want to imply only 1 other thing

[shrader]

51 minutes ago, Taro T said:

EVERYBODY (but @shrader apparently & yours truly) forgets that Gretzky wasn't only traded TO LA.  He was also traded FROM LA.

Interestingly (or not), Ryan Johnson's dad Craig was one of the pieces that went to LA in that deal.  The Kings got 1 1st rounder, 3 players, and another late round draft choice for the Great One.  The package was that small because everybody knew he was just going to be a rental for the end of that season.

 

When I first moved here to NC, I was walking through a mall and a memorabilia store had a framed picture of St Louis Gretzky hanging front and center of their store. It wasn’t signed or anything, just a framed picture. What a strange thing to see prominently on display in 2014. 

[French Collection]

I would think that Holland wouldn’t want to be starting a rebuild so it is either a re-tool or he is gone.

[kas23]

5 hours ago, Buffalonill said:

Why wouldn't he go to toronto that's his dream? 

And he has the leverage.

 

But wasn’t he a Sabres fan growing up?

[kas23]

I think a better idea would be a Trade with Toronto to make EDM East. Would Draisatl + McD for Matthews + Marner be good enough?

[Doohicksie]

6 hours ago, Buffalonill said:

He will go to the leafs ..

Which sucks but that's where he's Going

Which will mean they will have about $1.2 million left total to spend on 18 players.

[Norcal]

I'd have zero issue sending the next three first round picks plus one or two roster players as well as a top prospect like Benson/Savoie or both for McDavid.

The three firsts are in lieu of a top roster player to keep the team intact for a run. 

[Buffalonill]

49 minutes ago, kas23 said:

But wasn’t he a Sabres fan growing up?

No

[Doohicksie]

4 hours ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

Yes.  Neither of them answered the question either.

It's a dumb question because the cost would simply be too high. 

[mjd1001]

Leaf fans are all over Twitter trying to get him to Toronto.  Of course EVERYONE wants to come to Toronto, with their history of recent playoff successes, the media and fanbase that is not smothering at all, and the low taxes and clost of living.

Anyway, I dont' think it would happen, but if it did...Toronto gives up Matthews to a USA market he wants to go to. Toronto gets McDavid. Edmonton retools with the USA market that gets Matthews giving EDM a first rounder or two..probaly their best 2 prospects, and 2 or 3 of their top 5 current NHL guys who are under 25 years old.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

1 hour ago, kas23 said:

But wasn’t he a Sabres fan growing up?

No.  The leaves from The Great Satan.  It's a *dream* to play for them he said in 2015.  They can have him.

1 hour ago, kas23 said:

I think a better idea would be a Trade with Toronto to make EDM East. Would Draisatl + McD for Matthews + Marner be good enough?

Pretty close.  Leaves would have to chuck in a pick.  2nd or maybe a 3rd.