In the NHL, general managers are often forced to weigh the cost of keeping a quality player against the potentially significant return sending said player packing would net.
Columbus Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen is currently facing this exact situation with center Nick Foligno.
The latest rumor, from Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun Times, says that Kekalainen and the Blue Jackets will do everything in their power to sign Foligno, but that barring a contract extension, the pending unrestricted free agent could potentially be moved for a bounty of picks and/or players.
The 27-year-old Foligno has 16 goals and 14 assists this season, totals which lead the short-handed Jackets. He has consistently been their best player and will command top dollar on his next pact.
"You have to think Foligno is looking at the seven-year, $36.75-million deal that David Clarkson signed with the Leafs at $5.25 million per season in 2013-14 as a benchmark," writes Garrioch. "The Jackets aren't sure if Nathan Horton will ever return from his back issues, so they want to keep Foligno badly."
Just how badly and how rich they're willing to make him in the process is the question. He's currently making $3.08 million in the final year of his deal. The difficult part of the equation for the Blue Jackets is that his services would, no doubt, net an extremely lucrative contract out on the open market - unless the team blows him away with their offer, he may not be in any rush to re-sign.
"If this deal isn't done by the March 2 trade deadline, then Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen will have a decision to make on whether he tries to hang on to Foligno to get him signed or get significant assets in return to help Columbus down the road," writes Garrioch.
The Blue Jackets are a much better team than their record this season indicates. They've been decimated by injuries and currently sit at 6th in the Metro Division, but have a bevy of young players and a quality up-and-coming core.
While Foligno certainly makes them a stronger team, now and in the future, the potential haul that could come from moving him may improve their already young team even further and help set them up to contend for the next decade-plus.
