RealGM

A 2012 First, and a Conditional Second for a guy who played around 60 games over three seasons with the Caps.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere who is a decade older is posting better numbers across the board and doing so for half the cost.

Basically you may have passed up Filip Forsberg or Mikhail Grigorenko, heck even the top goaltending prospect in Malcolm Subban may have been a better use of that pick.

Is it too early to call the deal a blunder?

I wouldn't call this deal a blunder just yet. Apparently Varlamov has been dealing with some personal issuses related to the KHL crash.

I'd give the deal some time, but right its not looking so good.

I don't entirely disagree;

I guess what really confused me was that there was little chance of the Avs knocking the doors off this season, yet they still moved their first pick in 2012 to add a talent which (IMO) was worth nowhere near that.

Avs management conscientiously traded what appeared to be a surefire top 10 pick for Varlamov;

Even if Varlamov gets better; when you factor in what may be taken with that pick he is going to have to stand on his head for the next two seasons to make that deal seem fair no?

I think it was a Toronto-esqe situation where managment thought the team was going to a lot better than they are.

I think Varlamov's going to be a good goalie. but he'll never to worth that top ten pick.

NOPE