If Boston blows this Montgomery could very well become available. A potential pool of coaching candidates that includes Cooper, Brindamor, Montgomery would be insane.
On a side note, Boston has looked absolutely terrible. Soft, lifeless, sleepwalking, one-dimensional. Very uncharacteristic for them.
We don’t have an abundance of speedy skilled wingers that can play with Jack. Getting rid of Bratt to fill one need just creates another void. Not to mention I think Bratt can keep improving and hit an even higher level. I like that Jack has someone who can play a hundred miles and hour with him.
Mercer/Holtz can kick rocks if making room for Tkachuk. Cap space can always work itself out. Vegas and Tampa have had no problem figuring it out.
Ottawa can demand the moon since it is their captain and they don’t have to move him, but it would be foolish for the Devils to include Bratt on any deal. Why? Same reason you gave for Tkachuk’s value - the things he brings that the other does not. Bratt provides things like speed, on-ice awareness, puck handling, chemistry with our top centers that Tkachuk cannot. Bratt is also locked down longer term.
There is no way Bratt would not be enough in a deal. Tkachuk brings sandpaper but he’s also a dolt of a player. His IQ is low, he takes dumb penalties all the time and his production isn’t anything where you’d have to throw players into a deal in addition to Bratt.
Theres a reason he’s captained disappointing team after disappointing team year after year. His on ice leadership sucks. That said, I’d take him in a heartbeat because of his intangibles and because he’s a good player and what we need. For Bratt? Hell no. For Bratt plus more assets? Stop.
Not bringing in another veteran defenseman with that LTIR space was criminal and a major reason we’ve missed the playoffs.
And it’s not like the universe didn’t beg Fitz to make a move - so many dmen got hurt, many at once at times; the goaltending continuing to show how bad it was; the major minutes unfairly thrust upon the young defensemen; the first goal conceded debacle; late goals conceded; giving up goals in bunches.
And yet Fitz sat there….infuriating, especially given that the universe begged us to grab a playoff spot.