Let me preface by saying I like Hags a lot. He has world-class speed, he's been a top PK guy here for years and is a great guy in a room. But you can't hide the fact that he's been almost useless at even strength for a few years now. His lines never have consistent chemistry, most notably last year with Richards and Callahan/St.louis. His lines have flashes, but rarely play complete 60 minute games. He doesn't play on the PP. He has never, and likely will never, hit 20 goals. This is not the kind of guy you give a raise to while in cap trouble. Fast is showing he can take over his PK minutes, while Nash and Step have developed into dangerous short handed threats. Next year Duclair is making this team, and has shown he can be a much better finisher while also bringing significant speed himself. If Zucc comes back, which i think will happen, the lines may look like Nash-Brassard-Zucc Duclair-Stepan-St.Louis Kreider-Hayes-Miller literally anyone besides Glass-Moore-Fast That's not too bad. I like that third line with the size and physicality they would bring. Bottom line is we should see what we can get for Hags at the deadline. He is not very effective at even strength and doesn't justify giving a raise this offseason. If we can get a big guy with some offensive ability I'd be all for that, or maybe even a Dman to help if Staal goes.
Hagelin was fantastic in the playoffs. However, I agree with several of your points. One, he consistently doesn't have chemistry on any line he is placed. Two, Duclair is almost as fast and he has 10 times the offensive ability. Three, because he will be a RFA and there are a lot of slow teams out there, he should bring back a nice return. You could especially use him to dump that scrub Glass. Do you pull the trigger on a deal as follows. Hagelin, Glass and Allen for Chiasson and a 2nd. Bringing in a bigger forward with some nice offensive skill. Giving up the top PK and defensive forward who looks to be a 15 goal guy max with several empty net goals. I'd consider it at this point.
Very true about the playoffs. Maybe he's a guy we would hold on to for another post season run and then trade his rights in the offseason. Not to mention his value would be higher if he has another productive post-season like the last one.
Provided AV pulls his head out of his ass with Miller. The emergence of Miller, the talent of Hayes, Duclair and Buchnevich has made Hagelin trade bait. Plus, having 2 players in Hagelin and Kreider with the offensive IQ of a squash, getting top 9 minutes is a good reason why this team can't score a lot when Nash doesn't score.
I have no issue dealing Hags, but if we do it now we better get a bigger and better top 9 forward back. We all know we need another top 9 forward, hopefully with some size, to be a legit SC threat this season, and trading Hags away would thin us out upfront even more. I like the idea of dealing him this summer, unless we can get that bigger/better top 9 forward for him in a deal now. Otherwise I wait. We are a now team, so if dealing him in season won't help now, I wouldn't do it. I wonder what happens with Duclair after the JWC's. I would guess he is not back on the team and goes to juniors, but who knows...maybe he can play a role here in the top 9 if we don't deal for another top 9 guy that we clearly need.
