Nearly all of NHL offseason talk now is circulating around the Seattle Kraken. With protection lists due from teams just a week from today, and the draft itself coming up on July 21st, teams are pressed for time to make moves to prepare themselves for the draft.
10 different teams – the Buffalo Sabres, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Islanders, Anaheim Ducks, Minnesota Wild, Columbus Blue Jackets, Winnipeg Jets, and Pittsburgh Penguins – made side deals with the Vegas Golden Knights back in 2017. While most of the trades were teams handing Vegas draft picks in order to ensure a specific player was selected, some notable players were included in these trades, especially Reilly Smith and Shea Theodore.
We’re already aware of one team that will join this list in 2021 – the Nashville Predators. After dealing Viktor Arvidsson to the Los Angeles Kings, a move many assumed was to clarify Nashville’s protection situation, Preds general manager David Poile mentioned that he’s hoping to make a similar deal with Seattle to make sure they select a certain player. And while he’s the only one that’s said something outright, there are other obvious candidates for side deals. The Lightning could make a second side deal, perhaps of more significance this year, as they look to deal some big contracts in order to remain cap-compliant into next season. There’s also a team like the New York Islanders or Pittsburgh Penguins that could stand to get a contract off their hands as well.
So we ask you, the PHR readers, to predict the future. How many side deals do you think will happen at the expansion draft next week? Do you think that teams have learned from ill-advised moves in the past, or will desperation strike in a flat salary cap world?
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Do the Flames make a deal with Seattle to take Lucic so they can keep Gio?
Not a chance. Seattle won’t take him
Most of these are only happening because of flat cap from covid. If this was pre covid less then five. Teams learned not worth giving value for seventh forward or four defensemen like they did with vegas. , Almost all these deals will be made to dump salary not protect a player from being picked.
They will have to select someone like neal, lucic or Eriksson to hit the cap floor i would imagine. I would really like to see a deal were the habs convince them to take price. His 10.5 cap hit could go a long way and we seen how he played during the season, just cuz he turned it on for 7 weeks doesnt mean he isnt starting his decline. While he jlhas value now would be the time to really try to get him out. I dont think it happenes or he would even consider it, he went thru long rebuilding stretches already. Only chance is he is tired of the pressure in Mtl and he wants to be close to home
I sincerely doubt the canadiens are trying to get rid of price after a cup run. Bergevin is going for it next year. What a slap in the face to the fans, the team owner and to price if he did that.
Mm, I don’t think so, Buzzler. There are PLENTY of guys with contracts in the $4-6+ million range who (a) their teams would love for the Kraken to take them off of their hands, but (b) can still play at least at a middle-six level. They don’t have to waste time on a Neal or an Eriksson — both of them are done. (Lucic, hm. For getting to the cap, he can still at least produce at a 3rd/4th line level. He might do.)
But it’s going to be only so many. Seattle will want some of those guys, but not more than a half dozen, and maybe not so many. Now let’s say (by some miracle) Bergevin slips enough drugs into Price’s tea cup to get him to waive his NMC. That ain’t going to happen, but let’s just say. Alright. What kind of package will he have to offer Seattle to take Price off his hands? A 33 year old with a $10.5 million hit and a NMC for FIVE more years? A guy that except for three playoff series this year has only been better than league average one year in the last four? Short of the Bobrovsky deal, that’s the most hideous millstone around a team’s neck in the league, and if I’m Ron Francis, I’m going to sneer at anything that doesn’t include Cole Caufield in the conversation.
If the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior, then I don’t see Francis being that overly active in making side deals. 5 or 6 maybe. He wasn’t exactly that creative during his time in Carolina.
Teams seem to be in much better position relative to their protected lists this time around. Only a handful of teams appear poised to lose a player that is too good to lose for nothing (Dumba, for one) and trades can still happen.
I can see a lot of teams trying for “I’ll give you X to take this bad contract” deals but I doubt Francis is too interested unless they overpay.
The Flyers are likely deal makers with Seattle. They may have to throw a draft pick at Seattle to take JVR or Voracek. The Flyers need to open cap space desperately. Either player is a good veteran presence for an expansion team.
Would love the habs to throw in a few draft picks so Seattle could pick Jonathan Drouin. I doubt anyone will be interested in Drouin, so a more realistic option would be Byron. Would a 2nd + 5th be enough for Seattle to select Paul Byron ?
Seattle will need a few big contracts . They pick and choose who they still think can pay or my have value at trade deadline