A Horton Trade Allowing Brett Connolly To Be The No3 Pick

With there being significant rumours that Nathan Horton might be traded to the Bruins, I wonder what sort of deal could actually make this work.

If the Bruins end up taking Seguin at No2, the easiest way to deal with their overcrowding in the middle would be to trade an existing center for a winger, allowing Seguin to have somebody to pass to.

Nathan Horton is rumoured to be the most likely tradeable asset at the Panthers and they could be looking to move him. They also have very little behind Stephen Weiss in the middle. But if they trade Horton, they they also create a hole on the wing.

An idea might be to trade Nathan Horton and the No33 pick to the Bruins for David Krejci and the No15 pick

Why this works for the Bruins

They are loaded down the middle and need a winger, but don't have a great deal of cap space. Horton for Krejci is essentially a direct salary swap. The Panthers would want a little more, as big young power forwards on reasonable contracts don't grow on trees but swapping the No15 for the No33, basically still allows them to package their No32+No33 to trade back into Round 1 and take a defenseman like Alexander Petrovic.

Why this works for the Panthers

Horton is not happy in Florida and want to play in a hockey hotbed. Trading this pick for Krejci gives them a No2 center who has experience of playing with Olesz and Frolik for the Czech national teams and might get the best out of Rotislav.

The No15 pick, gives Tallon the chance to take a risk at No3. If not for injury then I think Connolly would have made the Top2, a Top3 in this years draft and if he passes the medical, then Tallon might a chance on an immediate replacement for Horton, knowing that despite the merits of Fowler, Gudbrandsen or Gormley, he will still have a shot at Foubort, McIlrath or Merrill at No15.