I would never trade Byfield for an without a doubt great, but also aging and most likely declining, Rantanen! Who will also demand twice the salary that Byfield does.
You wouldn’t trade away the Kings’ number one center of the near future, who is already developing a two-way game against top talent? Leaving us with no suitable number one center after Kopitar? And throwing 12M and maybe plus at an aging winger to solve one problem for now but also making one even worse problem now and in the future?
It’s just a bit reductive to call one of the most productive forwards over the past 3.5 seasons an aging winger. Rantanen turned 28 in Oct. We aren't talking about Brad Marchand. Rantanen is the type of player you build around. He doesn’t create problems, he solves them. He’s a complete forward who plays at a level above anyone on the roster. This is not a Kovalchuk situation.
My comment had more to do with trading Byfield, and yes even a player like Rantanen coming back means a bigger problem because now they’re out one of the most important positions on the team. When you’re talking about a cornerstone player who’s still not nearly at his peak yet, Rantanen is aging by comparison.
Rantanen is much better than people tend to give him credit for. I get that he gets overshadowed by MacKinnon, and his production would go down without him, but he is easily one of the top wingers in the game and would be a huge addition to the Kings (if they somehow managed to sign him). I don't see him slowing down over the next 4+ years and even once he does, his complete game will continue to be a boon.
I agree with you on not trading Byfield. At the end of the day we need a top two-way center and Byfield fits that role regardless of if he even ends up centering the top line or not. I do think Fiala would pair up on a line really well with Rantanen, though, so it would be a shame to trade one and sign the other. Unfortunately I think Gav will price himself out after this season, with as well as he has been playing. I don't think the Kings will be able to sign him to a $7-8m/AAV while still having Doughty on the roster unless they forgo any top free agents in the offseason.
Yep, was going to mention that. Kopi and Gavi seem to be the ones showing more fatigue than others.
Not according to my wife… ;-)
I would for sure love Rantanen on this team! Without a doubt, he’s a monster!! But not if the cost is Byfield…
Rantanen in the final season of his contract. I don’t think we have the assets to trade for him. We’d have to sign him as a free agent.
