Jeff Skinner, Max Pacioretty In Trade Market “Holding Pattern”

Over the last few months, two names have come up most often when you discuss scoring wingers that could be available for trade. Max Pacioretty and Jeff Skinner are both expected to be dealt by their respective clubs before the season begins, but after initial speculation on where they could end up things have dramatically quieted down. Perhaps that’s because of the existence of both, as teams are trying to make sure they get the best deal of the two options. Elliotte Friedman joined NHL Network today to talk about both players and indicated that some of the suitors for one may be the same as those for the other:

I think there’s another player that we haven’t mentioned yet who is similar to Pacioretty, and I think they’re kind of in the same holding pattern. That player is Jeff Skinner from Carolina. I think teams are kind of sitting there saying ’okay, Montreal’s got this asset they want to deal, Carolina’s got this asset they want to deal’ and I think teams are kind of saying ’okay, which one can we get a better fit.’

I think for example Pittsburgh is a team that has interest in Jeff Skinner, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve checked in hard on him. But I think those two players are kind of similar in a lot of ways and teams are trying to out wait Montreal and Carolina to see if they can get a better deal. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Penguins are taking a long look at Skinner, maybe more than Pacioretty.

Indeed Skinner and Pacioretty have both been excellent offensive producers throughout their careers, and each have just one year remaining on their current contracts. While Pacioretty is three and a half years older than Skinner and is coming off a worse offensive season, he has shown to have a higher playmaking upside with four seasons of 30 or more assists and 60 or more points. Skinner has just one season like that, and it came way back in his rookie season in 2010-11.

Still, both would bring instant offense to almost any team in the league and could fit into most team’s salary structure for the 2018-19 season. Pacioretty comes with just a $4.5MM cap hit on one of the better bargains in the NHL, while Skinner is at just $5.725MM this season. It’s important to note that Skinner also has a no-movement clause, but as we’ve seen many times in the past those can be worked around given enough time and the right situation.

Friedman also notes Chicago as a possible destination for Pacioretty, though in a completely speculative nature given their recent trade of Marian Hossa’s contract. Chicago had been previously rumored to be interested in defenseman Justin Faulk from the Hurricanes, but don’t look to have any imminent trades pending. Skinner or Pacioretty could certainly help the Blackhawks as they try to compete again in 2018-19, but whether they would be interested in a long-term extension for either is unclear.

So we wait for the “holding pattern” to end at some point, and perhaps that will be decided by the deadline that another scoring winger has placed upon his own team. Artemi Panarin told the Columbus Blue Jackets that he wants all business finished by September 13th, the start of training camp, giving the team incentive to move him now if they’ve decided to cash in their asset. Any team acquiring Panarin would want some time to work out an extension, something that would certainly be true of Skinner or Pacioretty as well.