When we first started doing Twitter-driven hockey mailbags over at ESPN, we crowdsourced the perfectly sound of mind hockey fans online to come up with a hashtag. The result was #CustanceCorrespondence, mostly because it was long and obnoxious. You may not recall, but we only had 140 characters to work with back in the old days on Twitter, and the hashtag alone took up half of it. So it stuck because we’re all pretty easy to amuse.

Now that Twitter has changed the rules and apparently we can write forever without any consequences, it’s no longer obnoxious. It just sounds like bad alliteration from a writer who is egotistical. But I’m nothing if not a nostalgic traditionalist.

The Friday #CustanceCorrespondence mailbag is back with a wide range of questions, with trade rumors, Red Wings GM questions and a coconut oil debate. What else would you expect?

Let’s dive in:

Now that Duchene was finally traded, who’s the next big player to swap teams? #CustanceCorrespondence — Jacob Born (@jborn39) November 10, 2017

That Matt Duchene deal was such a good trade. I loved the creativity of getting three teams involved, something we don’t see nearly enough in the NHL. I was wondering whether or not Joe Sakic would get full value for Duchene, especially as this dragged on. By getting two teams involved, he absolutely maxed out. That it took as long as it did, shows just how hard these types of deals are, but maybe it’s provided a blueprint for others to copy. And maybe David Poile’s willingness to do a monster trade every six months will loosen up his colleagues around the league.

I’m not optimistic. This is usually when things go quiet on the trade front. So the realistic answer to the question is nobody.

If you need an answer, the logical one would be John Tavares, but the Islanders look like they might be better than we thought. You get the sense he’s going to give that team every opportunity to prove to him it’s worth sticking around. So I’ll pass on that low-hanging fruit and go with Montreal’s Alex Galchenyuk. The Canadiens were smart not to trade him when his value dropped, but he’s playing better. Just a few days ago, coach Claude Julien complimented his work ethic and rewarded him by playing him with Jonathan Drouin.

If they can get him going, that’s the time to move him. The biggest challenge with Galchenyuk is getting what he’s worth. Trading him for 50 cents on the dollar comes with a very real likelihood of looking bad when he puts it together with the new team — which he will. So it’s going to take a team stepping up to make it worth the risk for Montreal.

How many writers do you have on staff at @TheAthleticWPG ? I’m on the fence about subscribing…give me the 280 character pitch… — TrueNorthStrong&Free (@DaMone1799) November 10, 2017

Now, this certainly falls under James Mirtle’s domain since he’s running all of Canada. True story. He’s now in charge there. But here’s what I know about Mirtle. He’s really smart about identifying unique talent that sets our hockey coverage apart. For example, I love what Murat Ates is doing already in his coverage of the Winnipeg Jets. It’s smart and it’s insightful.

I also know that James is eagerly looking to augment the staff in Winnipeg. The more people who subscribe for Jets coverage, the more urgent that pursuit will be. If you’re on the fence, I’d respectfully suggest you take the plunge, dive into the coverage by great hockey writers like Mirtle, Pierre LeBrun, Tyler Dellow, Justin Bourne, Eric Duhatschek, Corey Pronman — all of whom weigh in on the Jets — and then see what you think. Along the way, interact with Mirtle, who definitely listens to subscribers. I see Winnipeg as an area of potential growth, especially if that team looks like it’s trending in the right direction.

Why is Ken Holland so reluctant to shoot Johnathan Ericsson into the sun? Can he not see what everyone else sees, I giant pylon that’s a turnover machine?#CustanceCorrespondence — (((Gary))) (@gshumu) November 10, 2017

Well, for one, Jonathan Ericsson’s owed $4.25 million through 2019-20, and that’s not an easy contract to get out of. My sense is that GM Ken Holland believes that’s a somewhat reasonable rate for a veteran defenseman who can play on the bottom pair. He’s still a guy earning over 19 minutes per game right now under Jeff Blashill and the Red Wings see value in having a defenseman who has size and strength and gives the opposition something to think about physically. When you look at the makeup of some of the other defensemen on the roster, they don’t necessarily bring that to the table. That’s the thought process, at least.

If it were up to me, I’d have six great-skating, offensive defensemen and try to win a track meet. Those defensemen don’t grow on trees though, and the Red Wings still believe you need more balance on defense. But mostly it’s the contract. That’s not an easy one to move.

How excited are you for the next seven years of the Brent Seabrook decline? #CustanceCorrespondence — Bloody Marian Gose (@_Jeff_Hicks_) November 10, 2017

I realize that contract isn’t going to age well. It’s a good example of paying for previous accomplishments instead of future performance. Chicago GM Stan Bowman, for the most part, has done a nice job of moving non-core players in an attempt to avoid those kinds of contracts. That one will eventually be problematic.

I think these first dominant teams of the salary cap era had the disadvantage of trying to figure it out on the fly with incomplete information. The Red Wings were the first example, and the lesson to be learned from their experience is to make sure you don’t compound the big contracts of the golden era with more big contracts to try and extend it.

The Kings are also dealing with it, but their success this season suggests that maybe the decline isn’t as linear as we might assume. The league is so equal from top to bottom that, as long as you still have a few elite players, you have a shot to compete. That’s the good news for Chicago.

If I were a GM on a team loaded with good, young players, I’d fight for a rule change in the next CBA that allowed contract extensions to be done well before the final year of the contracts. I’d try to get those second contracts before players have taken off in their entry-level deals. Maybe they’d trade security and guaranteed money in exchange for a lower number than they might earn by waiting. Imagine drafting a guy, signing his entry-level deal and then going right to work on a long-term second contract that comes with shared risk but the possibility of a great deal.

What are you reading right now? — John Evans (@Jtevans0) November 10, 2017

I try to alternate between fiction and non-fiction. The two recent non-fiction reads for me were Seth Godin’s The Icarus Deception, which I strongly recommend. For those in Detroit or history buffs, the other non-fiction book I just finished was The Arsenal of Democracy by A.J. Baime. Another great read.

Now, I’m currently in the fiction rotation and enjoying a book called I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes. It’s great so far, but I’m only halfway through. I can’t give it a full recommendation because the ending could be awful for all I know. I’ll keep you posted.

If you could force @eduhatschek to lobby for one player to get in the HHOF, who would it be? #CustanceCorrespondence — Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) November 10, 2017

and if you pick any other than Jere Lehtinen, why are you still hockey writer? #CustanceCorrespondence — Juha Hiitelä (@jhiitela) November 10, 2017

This is a great question. Eric was generous with his time in the most recent podcast episode of The Full 60 where he broke down what the Hall of Fame voting process was. He also broke down the time we snuck into a Go-Go’s concert, but that’s neither here nor there.

To answer the question, my Hall of Fame campaign would be for Sergei Zubov (sorry Juha!). He played over 30 minutes per game when the Stars won their Stanley Cup. He put up 19 points in 22 playoff games for the Rangers during their Cup run in 1994. He has more career points than defensemen Mark Howe and Scott Niedermayer, both in the Hall. Only one Russian defenseman has more career points than Zubov.

My guess is if he was born in Sarnia or something, he’d already be in.

is using coconut oil rather than vegetable oil when baking a cake worth the trouble? — Scott Crew (@ArtSchlichter) November 10, 2017

Is it that much trouble? Aren’t you just swapping out oils? Admittedly, I don’t know much about coconut oil or baking cakes. I do know that, if my house is any indication, coconut oil is the most versatile thing on the planet. We seem to have jars of it everywhere. It’s great for dry skin. It’s great to cook with. It probably gets out stains, I don’t know. I like coconut oil though. Thanks for asking.

what are the odds this is Ken Holland’s last season as GM of the Detroit Red Wings? — Nathan Smith (@nrs82) November 10, 2017

This is the big question in Detroit. What I don’t have a great sense of is how he’ll be evaluated this season. If the team overachieves and makes the playoffs, I guess that’s good for ownership and the bottom line, but it’s not ideal for the long-term prospects of the franchise.

As owner, I’d be more impressed if he made the tough decisions and started selling even before it was clear the team was out of playoff contention if it maximized the return for some of the Red Wings’ moveable assets. But I’m not the owner. I do get the sense from Holland that he has the long view in mind while managing this season and won’t make short-term moves just to save his job. That’s key.

Without knowing where owner Christopher Ilitch’s priorities lie, it’s hard to truly evaluate Holland’s chances, but as not to dodge the question, I’ll say 60-40 he’s in a different role after this season.

what’s your favorite kind of dog — hamhat (@Clamhat_) November 10, 2017

We’ve owned two dogs. A lab and a Golden Retriever. They’re both the best. Labs are a little more needy but, man, do they make you feel good. I’ve never felt more loved than I did around my lab. Our golden was much more chill, which fit our three-child family pretty well because it’s already chaotic without a needy dog around. I’m not sure there are any other dog breeds in the conversation.

The wings are exceedingly expectations and are looking like a middle of the pack team. Isn’t this more harmful to their long term success? Especially with the conservative GM approach KH has? — Zack (@Elgrandegato35) November 9, 2017

Yes. The Red Wings, as it stands right now, are in the absolute worst spot. They’re not horrible. They look good on a given night. They can beat anyone. They’re outside a playoff spot with two teams above them. It gives a false sense of how close they are to true contention.

The good news is there’s still time for it to trend one way or the other. If the young players make huge strides and the goaltending continues to play lights out, maybe there’s another gear. It’s not like the East is filled with elite teams. More likely they’re about where they should be and, if that’s the case, the best option is to move players like Mike Green and Gustav Nyquist and gradually slide down the standings while giving the kids a bigger role.

As far as I know this is Ken Holland’s last year on contract, assuming no extension, who are replacement candidates for Wings GM? #CustanceCorrespondence — Mike Holdt (@mikeholdt) November 9, 2017

If I were in charge, I’d still want Ken Holland around. He’s earned the right. I also think the Red Wings’ front office could use a new voice from outside the glory years. My solution would be to make him president of hockey operations. I’d expand Ryan Martin’s role. Then I’d bring in an outside GM for a fresh perspective.

My first three calls would go in this order:

1. Paul Fenton, assistant GM Nashville — The Red Wings need to hit in the draft and nobody does it better than Fenton. I love the philosophy the Predators have embraced defensively. I love their approach to contracts. I like their aggression in trades. He should be a GM somewhere.

2. Julien BriseBois, Lightning assistant GM — We’re going to assume for a moment that Steve Yzerman isn’t going anywhere. BriseBois has been a big part of the Lightning’s success and is another executive ready to make the jump. He’ll be in high demand after the Lightning win the Stanley Cup this year, assuming he has the opportunity to move.

3. Kyle Dubas, Maple Leafs — If we’re promoting Holland, Dubas has a skill set that I think would really compliment the current makeup of the Red Wings’ front office. He was part of a successful rebuild in Toronto and can import some of their philosophy to Detroit. He’s strong in analytics and could help build out that portion of the Red Wings’ front office. Mike Futa (Los Angeles) and Bill Zito (Columbus) should also be in this conversation. If you want to get creative, call Pat Brisson in Los Angeles and see if he’d leave CAA. Maybe he brings John Tavares with him.

If things don’t start to turn around for the Coyotes do they look to move veterans like Goligoski and Hjarlmarsson at the deadline? #custancecorrespondence — Mike Murphy (@shawnmurph) November 9, 2017

Not to plug the Full 60 pod twice in one mailbag, but I’d recommend listening to the extended interview with John Chayka in Episode 5. He believes that you have to insulate your young players with capable veterans and, if you were to move Alex Goligoski and Niklas Hjalmarsson, you risk exposing the young defensemen in Arizona and stunting their development. And Oliver Ekman-Larsson was very excited about the Hjalmarsson addition. I’d do nothing to anger OEL with the ability to extend his contract coming this summer.

That said, Chayka is very much a trust-the-process GM and, if there’s an offer that makes the team better long-term, he’d have to consider it. Typically though, teams don’t trade for players with term at the deadline.

What’s your early prediction for the east and west conference finalists this year? — KarlSENS (@KarlSens65) November 9, 2017

Eastern Conference:

Tampa Bay Lightning over the Columbus Blue Jackets — The Lightning are the best team in hockey right now. They’re unreal. Crown them. I love the Blue Jackets’ defense and, as Pierre LeBrun has hinted, I think they have a move in them to add help up front by using that depth on defense as a trade chip.

Western Conference:

Not sure over the Nashville Predators — I love the makeup of the Predators’ roster. I just think it’s too hard to advance to the Stanley Cup finals two years in a row and, yes, I’m aware the Penguins are back-to-back champs. As good as the Blues and Kings are playing, I don’t think the best team in the West has emerged yet.

Are there any top-4 defensemen that could be on the move in the near future? As a Devils fan, they certainly could use one and there are obviously many other teams that could as well. Or is it just too early for that type of player to be moved? #CustanceCorrespondence — David (@LegsFeedWolf80) November 9, 2017

As a Devils fan, you know the asking price for a top-four defenseman. You got Taylor Hall because of it. They’re just not easy to acquire unless you have a center you’re willing to move or a young stud winger, and there just aren’t many teams with that luxury.

There are two teams especially to watch who might be willing to move a defenseman: Columbus and San Jose. Sharks GM Doug Wilson has depth on defense and cap space moving forward. I can see him being active on the trade front, but he also may save his cap space for a free agent class that isn’t especially deep but has interesting options at forward. The rental market might be the best option for teams looking for defense, with Mike Green one of the best candidates there.

Question: are you interested in the football fantasy trade proposal I submitted to you this morning? — Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) November 9, 2017

I’m not going to bore you all with the details of where this conversation ultimately went. Nobody cares about our fantasy league but us. But I’ll say this: Pierre may or may not have agreed in principle to a deal only then to shop it to another owner, to get a better draft pick. So beware when Pierre approaches you with trade offers if you ever join a league with him because you may think you have a deal only to see another one pop up on your league transactions. That’s all I’m saying.

Have a great weekend!

(Featured image by Vincent Ethier / AP)