As for Strudwick and Vandermeer.. I don’t think either of these are very good… but perhaps a team looking for toughness would pick them up. But it wouldn’t (or shouldn’t) be for anyone great. I do agree that both of these guys likely have negative value. It would probably be to fill out the team (i.e. 7th d-man)… at best, maybe if a team is desparate for toughness. Vandermeer has played a bit better lately, so perhaps if he starts showing that he has a physical game in him still (where the eff has that game gone??), he might garner more interest. No one seemed to think Staios or O’Sullivan would get us anything either.

Anyways, I couldn’t see a package of Cogliano and Vandy/Strudwick alone (maybe with another guy thrown in, or us taking some bad salary back on the other side to balance things), but I could see Cogliano get us a mid-round pick or a long shot prospect or other reclamation project or something of that nature on his own. As for Vandermeer, he probably has more chance of getting us anything, but it won’t be much at all, agreed.

I actually really like Cogliano still. He’s starting to adjust his game. However, I think it might be all for not. It might be best for him to play “his style” somewhere else and for us bring in someone who is already an experienced checking centerman since they really aren’t that rare.

Correction…vandermeer is not cheap.

oilinblood: Chucker? seriously?I respectfully disagree.Cogs= no trade valueVander/Struds = no trade valuePackaged together = even less trade value due to combining cap hits for worthless players.I wish that you could combine 2 to 4 worthless players and make them worth something in combination but in reality i think they get even tougher to move. I dont see ever being able to trade any of those 3. they will simply have to be released when the chance comes.if you think im wrong… what was the return on Gagne? ask philly what they got for an all star and actual NHL talent.I wouldnt mind seeing them waive Cogs, Struds… and maybe Vandermeer. Just get it over with. You wont get much return anyways. Then you have even more cap room which is the best asset to have. Help teams at the deadline by taking cap hits in return for picks/prospects…so that they can have an easier time making the deals they need.I want to see what Joe Thorton dump might happen this year and the Oilers will be the first to get the call when a dump becomes available.We got cap space and assets. We are ready.

Yup. Seriously. I’m looking at it from the perspective of cap space but from the opposite side. Cogs will have enough value to get something, Struds or Vande can get you something at the trade deadline. I’m sure of it. Put them together and you may get a cap troubled team willing to part with a guy we can use. I think it’s likely more possible that we see some deals like this soon as teams want to either change up their team in hopes of making the playoffs or want to move a guy because they need to make room for other guys.

My point is that Cogs has a very low cap hit and still has reasonable upside on the right team. I think he does have trade value, not super high, but him with another guy on and expiring contract, which is super valuable in today’s NHL, would get you a guy with one or two years left.

Sometimes it’s not a hockey trade but a cap trade. I’m thinking we can exploit this if we’re patient enough.