I think Stamkos would immediately be the best player on our team, and the true volume scoring threat that the team is missing right now. We have a lot of depth, and we have several really good, well-rounded players. But we don't have anybody that can just break defenses the way Stamkos can.
Stamkos centering a line with Zetterberg and Abdelkader would be almost unfair. Drouin takes a spot on one of the bottom lines vacated by Sheahan. So in the short term, I don't see how the team is any worse. Stamkos is better than Nyquist, and Drouin is good enough not to drop off much from Sheahan.
Long term depends on development. If Drouin can be coached up to even get close to the level of play expected when he was drafted, this would be a no-brainer for the Wings. If we get an All-Star caliber player out of Mantha and two picks, that's a win. We have enough depth already that a few picks amounting to nothing doesn't hurt. And it's not like the team has been desperately depending on first round picks to fill holes up to this point.
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But I do get it. That would be a huge, blockbuster sized trade. If Mantha ever turned into the 30-40 goal scorer he can be, I would be kicking myself. If Nyquist suddenly turned into the superstar that his rookie run made look possible, I would be livid to have let him go. And those first rounders could be anything, even superstars themselves. But a superstar in the hand is worth two in the bush. And if this trade really did pick up steam, I'd guess Holland talks down one of those first rounders to a second, or keeps Sheahan or Marchenko. It's close enough that I'd be for it, and even little moves in our direction would make me feel great.