The Western Conference Final featuring the Ducks and Predators could yield more interest around the NHL than just which team will be vying for the Stanley Cup, suggests Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. Both teams have very strong defensive depth which will be great for the series but will present some challenges when it comes to the looming expansion draft. Accordingly, Smith expects Lightning GM Steve Yzerman to be keeping close tabs on this matchup with the thought that both teams may have to make one of their defenders available.
Yzerman is on record saying he would like to get more production out of his back end. Victor Hedman had a career best 72 points this season but the rest of their blueline failed to reach that mark combined. They were interested in Kevin Shattenkirk prior to the trade deadline and will likely pursue other two-way threats as well this summer. Considering the depth both Anaheim and Nashville have on their bluelines, the Lightning certainly won’t be the only team watching this series closely and looking to see if they can take advantage prior to the expansion draft in June.
Elsewhere around the league:
- Oilers goaltender Cam Talbot has declined a request to join Team Canada for the World Championships, notes Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal. He led the league in games played by goalies this season with 73 while adding 13 more during their postseason run. Canada currently has only registered two netminders for the tournament in Calvin Pickard and Chad Johnson. Winnipeg prospect Eric Comrie is also with the team but is not officially on the roster as of yet.
- Still with Edmonton, defenseman Kris Russell told Paul Gazzola of the Oilers’ team website that he’s hoping to re-sign with the team for another year: “They showed faith in me by going out and signing me there so obviously, I’d like to come back but there’s a business side to this and you never know what’s going to happen. They have to make decisions too, the brass here. I’m an Oiler and I’m not going to look past that until I’m told otherwise or come July 1st maybe but I want to be here.” After pricing himself too high at the outset of free agency, the 30 year eventually agreed to a one year, $3.1MM deal in early October and had a quality year for the team, logging over 21 minutes a night during the regular season while leading the league in blocked shots with 213 despite missing 14 games.
The Predators are not moving any of their big 4 defensemen. They will protect all 4 in the expansion draft by using the eight skaters option. Teams hoping to acquire one them are going to be disappointed. Anaheim is a different story . They have all sorts of issues when it comes to the expansion draft. They have 4 forwards & 1 defenseman with no-movement clauses. If they chose to go the eight skaters option, as of now, they would be forced to expose Rakell, Silfverberg & two of Manson, Montour & Vaatanen. If they chose to got the 7-3-1 option, they’d be forced to expose Manson, Montour & Vaatanen. That’s a big problem for them. They are going to have to make some moves in order to be able to keep some of those players.