The NHL holiday transaction freeze starts in just a few days, and already we’ve heard rumblings from several teams around the league that are in dire need of shake up. The St. Louis Blues seem to be on the minds of nearly every broadcaster in North America, with markets wondering how Alex Pietrangelo, Vladimir Tarasenko or Colton Parayko would look in some new colors.
While none of those three may eventually get moved, the Blues are one of the teams worth monitoring as we move through the holiday season and approach the 2019 trade deadline. Very little has gone right this season for St. Louis, and even after their recent two-game winning streak the team still sits in sixth place in the Central Division. The only team behind them, the Chicago Blackhawks, are another team looking to change their fortunes at some point. On a 1-8-1 streak, the Blackhawks now sit last in the entire NHL with a -32 goal differential and are right in the thick of the draft lottery race for star prospect Jack Hughes. Chicago doesn’t have a lot of assets that aren’t locked into seemingly unmovable contracts, but could try to really change their culture by moving out one of their core Cup-winning faces.
The Los Angeles Kings, another team soaring towards the first-overall pick, have been in the news lately because of Jeff Carter. Their second-line center doesn’t hold any trade protection in his contract, but has another type of armor to help decide where he could be traded to. Carter could potentially use retirement as a weapon against both the acquiring team and the Kings, given that it would cause a cap recapture penalty against Los Angeles. There’s little chance that the team wouldn’t work with him to find a soft landing spot, but even then there may be several complications in a trade.
That takes us to the Eastern Conference, where the Ottawa Senators are starting to slide closer to where many believed they would finish the season. After a stronger than expected start, the Senators now carry a -20 goal differential and sit just two points ahead of the Florida Panthers for last place in the Atlantic Division, despite having played three additional games. Ottawa is perhaps the most interesting team to watch in the entire league as the deadline approaches, given the pending unrestricted free agent status of both Matt Duchene and Mark Stone. The Senators, who owe their top pick to the Colorado Avalanche this June, would love to get back into the first round somehow to help their rebuild continue.
Then there is Philadelphia, who is considering a coaching change after bringing in a new GM and could make several moves to alter the direction of the organization. Chuck Fletcher has been rumored interested in making trades before the freeze kicks in on Wednesday, but with just a few days left that could have to wait. The Flyers too have an unrestricted free agent in Wayne Simmonds, and a potential glut of young offensive-minded defensemen who could help many teams around the league.
So who will put up the “For Sale” sign first and start uprooting their foundation? Who will be first on the phone when the trade freeze lifts? Where will playoff-hungry executives show up to try and make a deal?
Cast your vote below for who you think will be the biggest seller of the season, and leave a comment to explain your choice.
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Kings
Senators
Blues
Blackhawks
Flyers
Kings have pieces teams covet and have hit rock bottom. Ottawa has incentive to win with Colorado getting their 1st rd pick. Blues will keep trying with the same formula that’s failed every year, with goaltending once again letting them down.Bowman won’t let go of the past in Chicago. Flyers have enough talent to make playoffs, need a goaltender.
I’m not sure Bowman CAN let go of the past anymore. Seabrook isn’t movable, Keith he probably could if they retained some, but I’m not sure Kane and Toews bring enough back on those contracts to warrant moving either. Something with Pittsburgh surrounding Kessel and another player making equal $$ could be interesting for Kane. Pittsburgh would get another elite winger, better than Kessel even, and Chicago could hold onto the 2nd player and flip Kessel for futures. I’m not sure exactly what the value disparity between Kane and Kessel would be, but I think Pearson+Kessel is about equal money wise to Kane for the sake of an example.
Kane is the only Blackhawk that stays.Everyone else can start packing.That includes the coach & joke of a gm.
Toews is the heart and soul of that team. I think it’s highly unlikely him or Kane move
Toews stinks. Kane is still one of the best in the NHL.
Kane is probably a top 10 player in the NHL. Kessel is probably, maybe top 30
Yes I know the value from a player standpoint, but I question from a contract standpoint how much value they can extract from Kane. The last couple years on his deal have the potential to be ugly, but it’s not a given, he could age well. Kessel on the other hand has some more control and a lower AAV, but not an extreme long term commitment. And I agree it’s unlikely either moves, but if they really want to kickstart a massive rebuild, trading for Kessel and Pearson and flipping Kessel is probably the best way to gain future assets.
Over the past 2 years Kessel and Kane are even in points. Add Pearson over the past 2 years and the Pens are ahead 81 points for the same cap hit as Kane. Phil is also RHS. He would never agree to a trade to the Hawks because he hates the spotlight. Kane would be lethal with Crosby though
Well the idea would be that Kessel would move to a third team that would send picks and prospects to Chicago. If he went back to Boston or became the stud forward that Carolina needs I think he might accept a trade. The argument for Pittsburgh doing it would be that Crosby and Kane would even further boost the production of each other, more so than combining Crosby and Kessel.