With the deal between Vancouver and Buffalo being finalized, what do you think it would have taken for Ottawa to add either Cody Hodgson or Zack Kassian? To me both of these players are extremely attractive for quite different reasons; Hodgson for his elite skill and Kassian for his elite power forward potential

My preference would have been to make a move for Zack Kassian, who seems to fill a larger hole in the organization and had the lesser price tag. It would seem that Kyle Turris or Mika Zibanejad would have been the Sabres starting asking price. My personal view is that Zibanejad for Kassian and a 3rd this year would be an amazing deal for Ottawa. I know that this is not widely shared, but I would love to hear what some other people would be willing to part with to have acquired Kassian. This trade is obviously dependent on Buffalo and Ottawa cooperating enough to be able to make a trade. Regher and Murray are old hockey guys and don't get their panties in a twist a la Brian Burke, but I think that they also see the danger of trading in the division. With realignment possible maybe this fear is dispelled slightly, but I think Darcy would still rather deal with Vancouver than Ottawa.

My secondary move, and the more likely of the two, would be to attempt to appease Vancouver to wrestle Hodgson out of B.C. We do have Zibanejad and Turris who seem to fill the same role as Hodgson, but I am not sold that either one has 65 point potential which is what a Stanley Cup winning team needs from its second line centre (See Evgeni Malkin, henrik Zetterberg, Patrick Kane/Patrick Sharp, and Patrice Bergeron). That being said the Canucks are looking for immediate help as well as not selling the farm for only a season. Chris Neil showed last night that he has a touch of skill in those boxing gloves, but that alone wouldn't get the deal done. Nick Foligno has shown this season that he isn't afraid to get physical and will answer the bell when its needed. Mark Stone is a big boy who fits the same mould as Kassian, but hasn't made the jump to professional hockey yet. My supposition would be that Foligno and Stone is too high a price for the Sens to pay. That being said, Neil and Stone sounds about right from the Sens perspective. Conversely, Foligno, Carkner or Matt Gilroy, and a 3rd might be enough of a package to get Hodgson. Carkner may have to be switched out for Tim Conboy or Craig Schira and the 3rd would become a 3rd and a 5th.

To recap, the two deals I would have liked to see done were Zibanejad for Kassian and a 3rd and Foligno, Carkner, and a 3rd for Hodgson. What are other opinions on the possibility of replacing either team in this deal?