The All-Star break is almost upon so it’s a good time for our next mailbag segment. Following the break, playoff races will start to head up while the trade market should come into focus while there should start to be pressure on players and teams to finalize extensions or shift their focus toward finding a new destination.
Our last mailbag was run in two parts. The first examined the possibility of Jonathan Toews joining Boston, possible trade candidates for Arizona, what’s next for Minnesota and Nashville, and more. Among the topics in the second column were Vancouver’s potential difficulty for trying to shake up their core, if it’s time for New Jersey to go all in, and Detroit’s center situation.
You can submit a question by using #PHRMailbag on Twitter or by leaving a comment down below. The mailbag will run on the weekend.
The Flyers DESPERATELY need to go all in on a rebuild. Is Provorov to the Kings for a package including Byfield realistic? Could Hayes, JVR, Konecny, and Ristolainen all be moved?
Could they all be moved? yes. For any sort of a positive return… not likely. And Provy has not much of a return now either.
Nevermind the fact the entire New York Rangers team refused to wear the “pride” jerseys last Saturday.
@ Baji, I was just referring to his play this year. Don’t care about his political/religious stance.
Konecny not going anywhere…but maybe Frost, think Torts is reaching his limit with him…
What would possible packages be for Larkin and Bertuzzi if the Red Wings aren’t able to get new contracts with them done and decide to deal them?
see Horvat return for a comparison for Larkin. see much less for Bertz.
What do you think of Larkin being traded to Boston? A Horvat type return would be DeBrusk, Brett Harrison, and a 23 1st for Larkin at 1/2 salary. Does that sound about right?
deBrusk is much larger than Beauvilier. Expect smaller pieces included in that situation.
And Horvat is having a much better season to date. Expect about 2/3’s of the return. The salary retention could affect the return, but not too much. It’s only for 1/3 of a season.
I did, Harrison is not nearly as valuable a Raty, but he may be in a couple of years, or not. An the 1st will be at least 10-12 back from NYI’s 1st.
Which of the Kings’ right-handed D-men do you think is more likely to move? What players do you see L.A. going after?
Expect the kings to sit on the periferary. May collect some smaller pieces unless a good piece falls into their laps for not much. they’re still a borderline team and should not be willing to put too many chips in yet. expect that in the offseason.
2 part question
Do the Devils acquire Timo Meier?
Do we have to give up Holtz to do that?
May be willing to part with a piece or 2 for Timo, but not too many big pieces. Once again expect them to push their chips in in the offseason. Still a little too early to go all in.
Why is the Players Association taking so long to find a replacement for Donald Fehr?
when was the last time you heard of someone hiring their own boss? That’s essentially what this situation equates to. It’s gonna take some time to find the right guy they trust to run their union .
Oh, Supreme Soothsaying Spheroid, I humbly seek your wise fortune-telling: 1. Does Horvat somehow resurrect Barzal’s scoring? 2. Luke Hughes rumored up with Devils in early March; does he make their PP? 3. Does Tarasenko stay or go – and to where n’ for whom? 4. Same Q regarding Laine?
1- give it a couple games before we call anything on their partnership, we don’t even know if they’ll play on a same line. 2- Hughes may decide to play 1 more year, it’s up in air, but likely he declares for this season. Devils are doing things like a smoker and low and slow with prospects. Nemec and Hughes 3.0 expected to hit the minors instead of the NHL to finish the regular season to keep their ELC contracts intact. If he makes the show, expect some PP1 time but mostly PP2. and sheltered ice time other wise.
3- Tank owns a NTC, he only goes somewhere he wants. And likely doesn’t command a HUGE return but at least 1-2 decent pieces.
Laine resigned last offseason and has 3 more years with a MNTC.
How surprising is it that Fletcher still with the Flyers? If he is allowed to make moves at the deadline, doesn’t that pretty well mean he stays even in to next season? Not fair to a potential new GM to let Fletch make any moves now…is Briere ready to take the next step? If so, do they risk losing him to another team by sticking with Fletch now?
How surprising is it a team who left Clark in charge for (how long?), is now leaving Fletcher in charge? Not too surprising actually.
Yeah, but that was with Ed Snider in charge, an owner famous for his loyalty to his former players. What Spectacor’s excuse is I have no idea.
I recently read an excelent article on a Philly sports blog I shall not name here, that took a deep dive on the NHL and the Old Boys Network, and how this mentality got the Flyers in the position they are in now…
It pains me to say this but I fear the Blues are in need of a major overhaul from top to bottom. Their fiscal situation isn’t sustainable. They need to start stockpiling draft picks. Their reserve list is ok but pretty bare of any significant talent. Tarasenko and O’Reilly could bring some nice draft picks. Parayko has become the fans whipping boy…I can see him being moved. Maybe Krug goes too. Binnington overpaid for the return the team gets from him. Defense needs to get tougher and bottom six forwards need to improve. This team is not set up for the future at all in my opinion.
Blues gotta decide if they’re in it now to win or need a reset. In an uncomfortable position with many vets that should help them now and some great young talent. but its time to poop or get off the pot. Try and win one more with ROR and Schenn and crew or move pieces for the future with Kyrou and his crew.
The Rangers NEED to get more ❤️ not prettier. Any chance they package some younger talent like Hajek, Robertson, Jones or Blais & a pick or so for players like Jeannot (who is struggling) and Xhekaj who plays a game Jeff Gordon hates? Instead of multiple 1st’s & talent for a rental when I don’t think we are there yet. Need guys to hammer pucks & bodies!
With the goalie tandem in MSG and their record they should be pushing their chips in. Maybe not all in, but a strong push. Their window is open and it’s time for them make a move. Address areas of needed improvement and go for it.
I’m embarrassed to be a Penguins fan at the moment. Shouldn’t they just start the rebuild with how terrible GMRH has screwed the team over? Obviously, they’re no longer a serious contender and likely not a playoff team either.
How big do the Kraken dare to dream about their post season?
Seeing Ronnie franchise’s history, they use this as another building year. They’ve exceeded expectations 10 fold so far. He won’t go all in yet for a short term gain. It takes some growing to become a long term competitor usually. “You gotta crawl before you walk, and walk before you run” is the old saying no? And guys like Stevie Y and Ronnie Francis have tended to take those approaches in the past. Expect Seattle to be content to just make the post season this year and push chips in going forward after this year if they continue this growth of being competitive.
What Wreckage said. There is NO way, none at all, where the Kraken go deep into the playoffs with Martin F’n Jones in net, and there isn’t really a quality stopper having a quality year who’s on offer. Why mortgage the future to win a single playoff series?
With Dylan Larkin having difficulties getting a new contract from Detroit, is he now on the trading block? What would be the asking price? Would the Sabres sending, #1, Mittelstadt, Olofsson, Krebs and The rights to Portillo or Johnson work, if the Sabres and Larkin agree to a deal?
Ahhhhhhhhhh hahahahaha.
is this serious?
Like for real?
The Canucks just got half- one third that for a guy having a career year at about equal value. At best expect Portillo/Casey/Olofsson, protected 1st or 1st next year and Peterka. If the Horvat deal draws any conclusions to value at this point so far. If the Sabres get desperate, which they shouldn’t as they’re a still rebuilding team and can take a run at Larkin in FA instead of paying a premium for him. The Red Wings and Sabres are at about the same part in rebuilds and don’t line up as dealers. And both looking for some of the same parts going forward.
What would the Blackhawks do with Conor Bedard? If they keep trading away everyone, is Bedard supposed to play with wingers like Mackenzie Entwistle and Boris Katchouk? Should I keep my fingers crossed anyone else wins the lottery?
Do what they can to build around him?
I dont think Bedard is a generational talent Ala Crosby, Ovechkin, McDavid… but he should be a face of a franchise. Another Stamkos, P Kane, or Kaprizov type that teams need to plan against. Hawks will have money going forward to build around him if they win the lottery and the right to draft him. They’re in a nice spot where whomever they get in this great draft class, they can afford to build around whomever they get provided they finish in the top 5 of this class.
Yeah, but the Blackhawks are just flailing around. Trading DeBrincat was 100% in the opposite direction from where they need to go. If the premise was that DeBrincat would be too old to be of value on the other side of a long rebuild, the same time frame applies to Bedard, who’d be a free agent at the end of his rookie deal on the other side of a long rebuild. Sooner or later, a team needs to stop the endless churn of trading genuine talent for Ooo!New!And!Shiny!Prospects!And!Picks! that may or may not ever work out.
@NHA, agreed the ADB move was questionable at best. But many of the real media guys speculated it was in an effort to get Captain Serious and Kane to waive their NMC’s early so they could try and move them in the past offseason instead of waiting all the way to TDLD to maximize on a return.
Still think they could start to build around CB98 if they landed him in the draft. Then they can see what they have in him going forward for his 2nd contract. Bridge deal needed or long term mega contract. Also some speculation he might want to play in Vancouver or Seattle only floating around, Vancouver most specifically. Doesn’t make sense to me since his mom moved to Regina to make his Jr career more comfortable. But rumors happen.
Eh, well, if just sitting down with Kane and Toews and having grown-up conversations with them weren’t going to budge them, the “Haha, we’re going scorched earth so you’ll be stuck playing for a LOSER!!!” wouldn’t be much more effective, I expect.
And sure, they *could* build around Bedard, if Bedard genuinely pans out … we’ve both seen many a top pick who was Sure To Be The Next Hall of Famer fail. But do we trust Chicago management not to blow it?
The Rangers need more toughness! They also could use better depth on the bottom six.
Sorry i have another question
Do you think wreckage will comment on everyones question even though we didnt ask for his opinion?
I hope not. The people overseeing the site need to delete his comments
It IS a comments section. People ARE allowed to comment on things. If he bugs you all that much, there’s the mute button.
Not everyone’s. I skipped a few. But thanks for the recognition. Nothing wrong with submitting opinion and trying to stir up some conversation during this down time of the season.
Can you trade wreckage to reddit or fake book or hockey buzz, please!
Like others on this site, I do check other sites for their opinions and to participate in chat.
As someone else said, if my opinions are that offending and it bugs you so much, there is that 4th button below my comment you can use. Or you can just see my handle above the comment and choose to not bother reading what I posted.
Who do the Caps trade Mantha to? And do they get a RHD in return? or just an iou
I know it’s early(ish) but… Is 2018 the biggest bust draft this millennium?
By a quick look there are about 3 top tier players out of the whole draft and a few bit players which seems incredibly weak. I’ve seen a lot of debate about the top drafts of the past 20 years… but what about the worst?
Thanks in advance.
Check the 2012 draft if you want to see one of the worst.
Nah, 2018’s definitely worse than 2012. It’s still relatively early days, but one measure of a rotten draft is what goes on *after* the first round. After the first, how many guys are any better than a fourth-liner/bottom-pairing? For 2018, damn near no one. In 2012, you still have Gostisbehere, Stevenson, Murray, Grzelcyk, Severson, McCabe, Parayko, Andersen … a whole bunch of guys ranging from useful to outright stars.
For me it’s not even outside the first round. When you look at it, seems like nothing outside the top 10 was worth much and even in the top 10 there are a few busts and some 3rd or 4th liners. It’s nuts.
Beings the Preds have been playing somewhat better of late, do you think Poile does something to help their scoring inconsistency or does he continue to ponder the future of the team he built while watching Tolvanen score alot of goals in Seattle?
Does Brian want less hits in the comments sections? Does a regular, offering their opinion affect how he posts? Also, should the “chat” be open as not just a “Q&A”, but a chat instead to see everyone’s opinions? See the Q’s the host chooses to answer and see how they’re answered/replied to.