Dallas Stars May Miss Chance To Trade Patrick Sharp Due To Injury
Mar. 1: Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports reports that Sharp’s injury is significant enough that it will stop him from being traded today.
Feb. 28, 4:00pm: If you’re a fan of the Dallas Stars and you hate that they’ve begun to sell off expiring assets this year, you may be in luck. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet is reporting that team doctors will meet with Patrick Sharp at the conclusion of the Stars game against Pittsburgh to discuss a nagging injury. Though he is able to play through it—he played two nights ago and is expected to be in the lineup tonight—it may keep him off the trading block.
Friedman says that Stars GM Jim Nill has been very up front with teams who have inquired about the pending free agent. Though this doesn’t by any means guarantee that he won’t be moved, any team looking for an immediate impact in their top six may look elsewhere.
Sharp is in the last year of a five-year, $29.5MM deal that he signed with the Chicago Blackhawks back in 2011 and is easily one of the most decorated scoring threats on the rental market. With eight 20+ goal seasons (including four in which he scored at least 33) he presented an opportunity to get a player who could provide a real impact with top-line players for the remainder of the season and in the playoffs.
We profiled Sharp a month ago and listed no less than seven teams that could have been interested in the three-time Stanley Cup winner. The fact that he has 47 goals in 142 playoff games and is only owed an actual salary of $5MM this season was just icing on the cake. Sharp is admittedly getting older at 35 and has seen his production slip this year because of concussion problems, but when the market is paying solid prospects for Alex Burrows and second-round picks for Brian Boyle, he still looked likely to command a hefty return.
Again, this doesn’t mean he’s guaranteed to stay with the Stars but it could definitely cool the market on him if he’s deemed to injured to help immediately. Teams may still acquire him if he had a shot at returning for the playoffs, but it would likely have heavy conditions on any picks sent back to Dallas. Obviously the type or extent of the injury isn’t known, but Michael Russo of the Star Tribune guesses that it may have been a collision with Nino Niederreiter on February 16th for which the Minnesota forward was given a five-minute major and game misconduct (video of hit).
Regardless of when it happened, it’s bad timing for the Stars if they wanted to get anything out of Sharp at the deadline.
Minor Transactions: 03/01/17
While all the big deals will be listed on our deadline transaction tracker, we’ll keep an eye open for any player movement between the NHL and AHL here like always.
- The New York Islanders have brought Josh Ho-Sang back up on the emergency conditions he was recalled on yesterday. Interestingly the team loaned him back to Bridgeport just a few hours after recalling him yesterday to leave room in case they made a deal.
- After acquiring Brendan Smith, the New York Rangers have sent Steven Kampfer back to the Hartford Wolf Pack. Kampfer was up with the team because of the Dan Girardi injury, and logged almost 16 minutes of ice time in the Rangers’ 4-1 loss last night.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins have added from the inside today, bringing up Derrick Pouliot from the AHL. The defenseman has played seven games with the NHL club this season.
- According to Mark Divver of the Providence Journal, the Boston Bruins have brought Joe Morrow back to the big leagues. Morrow hasn’t played in an NHL game in over a month, but has 17 under his belt this season.
- The Devils announced that they have recalled forward Kevin Rooney from Albany of the AHL. This will be his first NHL stint after signing an entry-level contract back on Monday. In 57 AHL games this season, he has ten goals and seven assists.
- Dallas announced that left winger Remi Elie was re-assigned to their AHL affiliate in Texas. The 21 year old didn’t get into a game after being recalled on Sunday. In 49 games this season in the minors, he has eight goals and 17 helpers.
- According to Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star, the Maple Leafs have sent Nikita Soshnikov down the Toronto Marlies ahead of the AHL playoff eligibility deadline. The forward was left out of the lineup last night after Brian Boyle joined the team.
Blackhawks Acquire Johnny Oduya
The Chicago Blackhawks have reached an agreement with the Dallas Stars to acquire defenseman Johnny Oduya. In return, the Stars receive a conditional fourth round pick along with minor league forward Mark McNeill. If the Blackhawks win two rounds this postseason and Oduya plays in 50% of the games or more, the pick will be upgraded to a third rounder.
Oduya is no stranger to the Blackhawks as he spent parts of four seasons with the team from 2011-12 through 2014-15. He played a total of 219 regular season games with Chicago in that span, scoring nine goals and 34 assists while averaging 20:37 per game. He left the team to sign with Dallas in the summer of 2015.
The 35 year old rearguard has been slowed by ankle problems this season which took him out of the lineup on two separate occasions. As a result, he has suited up in just 37 games this year, tallying seven points (1-6-7) while logging a career low 18:10 per night in ice time.
Oduya should slot in as a considerable upgrade on the third pairing for the Blackhawks while giving them another option for their penalty kill. Alternatively, he could be slotted back alongside Niklas Hjalmarsson (when he returns which is expected to be next week) as the two played together in Oduya’s first stint with Chicago. Hjalmarsson was placed on injured reserve to free up a roster spot to make the deal.
From the financial side of things, the veteran rearguard carries a cap hit of $3.75MM. However, the Stars will be retaining 50% as part of the deal.
As for McNeill, he has played in just one NHL game since being drafted in the first round (18th overall) back in 2011. He has spent the entire season with Chicago’s AHL affiliate in Rockford, scoring six goals while adding 22 assists in 58 games. He will report to Texas of the AHL.
ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun was the first to report that the Blackhawks had acquired Oduya via Twitter while TSN’s Bob McKenzie added in the details (all Twitter links).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Atlantic Notes: Gionta, Sabres, Gauthier
The captain wants to stay. That’s what Brian Gionta is telling the Buffalo Sabres and their fans, as he plays through the final year of his current contract. Bill Hoppe of the Buffalo Hockey Beat published a piece today that quotes Gionta reiterating his hope to stay a Sabre through the end of the season and beyond if they’ll have him.
I’ve made my position pretty clear. I’d like to stay here. I’d like to be here going on in the future. I want to see this thing through.
Gionta isn’t the player that scored 48 goals and 89 points in 2005-06, but he is still a reliable winger and huge leadership presence among a young team building for the future. As the reins are handed over to teenage phenoms and 20-something stars, Gionta could still be a positive influence even at the age of 38. As his $4.25MM contract expires this season, perhaps the Sabres will look to bring him back on a shorter, much less expensive deal in the summer.
- The Sabres in general will be involved in rumors right up to the deadline tomorrow, as Dmitry Kulikov and Cody Franson are two of the most talked about names left among defensemen. Joe Yerdon of NHL.com reports that the entire lineup including goaltenders is a game-time decision for the Sabres tonight. With the team struggling to find the success of their contemporaries, it’s very likely that they sell off some expiring assets in order to help facilitate the ongoing rebuild. Though the team thought it may be coming out of it this summer, it looks like another bottom-ten finish for the Sabres is on the horizon.
- Brian Boyle will make his debut in the Maple Leafs lineup tonight and he’s bringing help with him. Both Mitch Marner and Tyler Bozak are expected to play, meaning that there was no longer room for Frederik Gauthier on the roster. The big centerman was sent to the Marlies when the Leafs activated Marner off injured reserve.
Montreal Canadiens Acquire Jordie Benn From Dallas Stars
It’s a big day in the Atlantic Division. The Montreal Canadiens have made a deal of their own, acquiring Jordie Benn from the Dallas Stars in exchange for Greg Pateryn and a fourth-round pick. The Stars defenseman has two years left on his current deal at $1.1MM per season. 
After Pateryn was publicly put on the block recently, it was only a matter of time before the Canadiens found a taker for the 26-year old. Turns out they’ve used him as part of a package to acquire the Benn, a solid depth defender that will help them in their playoff push—especially now that the Maple Leafs and Senators have added to their forward groups.
Benn is the older brother of Stars’ captain Jamie Benn, but far less of a household name. A fine puck-mover capable of playing on the penalty kill, he has 15 points in 58 games this season. Despite being left-handed, Benn has been playing the right side in Dallas and may jump right over Nikita Nesterov who was acquired earlier this year and has played sparingly in recent weeks.
With the Habs relying so much on a 38-year old Andrei Markov and a less than effective Alexei Emelin, Benn offers some respite. Though Nathan Beaulieu has shown the promise of a top-pairing defenseman in the future, adding the experience of a proven NHL player is always welcome as a team heads towards the playoffs. The fairly low cost of Pateryn and a fourth-round pick is understandable for a team in first place.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Stars Activate Johnny Oduya From IR
After missing 15 straight games, it looks like Stars defenseman Johnny Oduya is set to rejoin his team. Mark Stepneski of the Stars official website tweeted that the team has activated their alternate captain from the injured reserve.
Oduya was originally placed on the injured reserve with a lower-body injury in mid-January. The 35-year-old has battled ailments throughout his second season in Dallas, and those injuries have clearly played a role in his production. In 36 games, Oduya has only recorded one goal and six assists, as a well as an underwhelming 20 hits. Still, as our own Zach Leach pointed out, the veteran is a very useful piece for the youthful Stars defense, and they’ve clearly struggled without their leader on the ice. In the 15 games that Oduya has missed, the Stars have limped to a 5-10 record.
With the trade deadline approaching, the defender could actually be on the move, as our own Brian La Rose wrote earlier this month. The player is in the final year of a two-year, $7.5MM deal, and his $3.75MM cap hit certainly isn’t impossible to trade. Oduya could provide some veteran leadership to a team seeking defensive reinforcement. On the flip side, Dallas is still within striking distance of that second Western Conference wild card spot.
Friday Trades Recap: Patrick Eaves, Tomas Jurco
Friday featured a couple trades as the trade deadline approaches. Here’s another look at what went down today, and what it could mean for both teams down the road.
Trade #1: Anaheim acquires Eaves
Ducks Receive: F Patrick Eaves
Stars Receive: 2017 2nd round pick (conditional)
The Details: This could be a huge win for both teams should the Ducks see the playoff success they hope for. Eaves has had a tremendous season, netting 37 points (21-16) for a Stars team that could never turn the corner. Eaves brings another dimension of scoring for the Ducks who are looking up at the Sharks and Oilers. The Stars did well, too, snaring a 2nd round pick at the very least for a player who only had one 20-goal season until this year. Should the Ducks advance to the Conference Finals, Eaves needs to play in at least 50% of those games for the 2nd rounder to turn into a first.
Who wins? It all depends on how far the Ducks advance. It’s a win-win should the Ducks go to the Conference Final or beyond since the Stars have a second round pick become a first. If Eaves bolsters their scoring or has a good playoff, it helps the Ducks case in dealing away a second round pick. Should they get bounced in the first round or Eaves not help out as anticipated, it would be a slight nod to the Stars.
Trade #2: Chicago acquire Jurco
Blackhawks receive: F Tomas Jurco
Red Wings receive: 2017 3rd round pick
The Details: The Red Wings and Tomas Jurco never worked together. A highly touted prospect, Jurco never gave the Wings what they sought while the Wings never gave Jurco the ice time or playing time he expected. Enter the Blackhawks. Chicago dealt a third round pick for the 24-year-old winger, who can slide in nicely on the third or fourth line that is less about grit (unlike Detroit) and more about goal scoring and puck possession. Two seasons ago, Jurco netted eight goals in 36 games. The Blackhawks boast a much stronger roster than the Red Wings, and it could be a steal if Jurco lives up to the potential many thought he had.
Who wins? If Jurco flourishes in Chicago, it’s an absolute win for the Hawks. Still young, Jurco never really broke into the lineup despite being known for his puck possession prowess. While Ken Holland is known for letting his prospects “over-ripen,” this seemed to be an “over-done” situation in Detroit. Regardless, they still got a third round pick for a player they would have most likely lost this summer. Another way of looking at it? The Wings weren’t playing him regardless, and getting a third round pick is an absolute win. Should Jurco be a regular contributor for Chicago, a third round pick suffices as a nice giveaway and pickup for both teams.
Anaheim Ducks Acquire Patrick Eaves For Conditional Second-Round Pick
The Dallas Stars have traded Patrick Eaves to the Anaheim Ducks for a conditional second-round pick. The pick turns into a first rounder should the Ducks reach the conference final with Eaves playing in at least 50% of their playoff games. If that doesn’t happen, the second rounder will be the same pick Toronto sends to Anaheim to complete the Frederik Andersen trade from last summer. That pick is the “middle” one from Toronto’s three seconds—Ottawa, Toronto and San Jose.
Eaves was profiled by our own Zach Leach recently, who actually mentioned Anaheim as a potential match for the winger while we also listed a top-six winger as the biggest need for Anaheim during our deadline primer series. The fact that Anaheim addressed their biggest weakness without dealing from their group of young defensemen is a huge boost for a team looking to make another deep run in the playoffs. Though a first would be a costly price should the team make it to the third round and lose, a late second is palatable for a player of Eaves quality.
The pending unrestricted free agent signed his third straight one-year deal with the Stars on July 1st this summer, and has paid off in spades for the club. With 21 goals and 37 points in 56 games, Eaves has jumped onto the top line for the Stars and looked right at home. His ice time has reached a career high, and he’s been a deadly weapon on the powerplay, notching 11 goals with the man advantage.
While his history should make the Ducks and their fans a little wary about installing him on their top line right away, he has proven to be a capable defender in the past as well and should help their weakened top-six. With Rickard Rakell recently moving back to center for the suspended Antoine Vermette, there was a hole there for the team to fill. The fact that they’ve done it early gives them a little more negotiating power in any discussions about their young defensemen, as they now don’t need a winger desperately in return.
With the move, Eaves has positioned himself even better for another run at free agency. He was already likely deserved of a multi-year deal after his first half with the Stars, but if he can help the Ducks on a deep playoff run while playing with another exceptional center—whether it be Ryan Getzlaf or Ryan Kesler—he’ll be able to sign one last deal before retirement. He’ll be 33 in just over two months.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Shattenkirk “More And More Likely” To Be Dealt As A Rental
We’ve now seen four trades made in the past week as the trade market picks up before next Wednesday’s trade deadline. On the latest edition of Insider Trading, TSN’s Bob McKenzie, Darren Dreger, and Pierre LeBrun dropped some tidbits about potential trade activity.
The main topic of discussion was the consensus best player available in St. Louis Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. McKenzie believes that the likelihood of Shattenkirk being dealt as a rental is becoming “more and more likely” as the days pass. Beginning with the Edmonton Oilers last June, three teams have had trades fall through because Shattenkirk wasn’t willing to sign long-term. The most recent team to have a deal in place was offering a seven-year, $42MM contract, according to McKenzie.
That’s a hefty price to pay for Shattenkirk, taking into account the acquisition cost. Blues GM Doug Armstrong is not wavering on his asking price of a first round pick, a top prospect, plus “something else.” While some teams may balk at that cost, Dreger reports that teams will continue to kick tires until the deadline. Dreger believes the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, and Tampa Bay Lightning have already been in touch but have concerns about the price.
While Shattenkirk may view himself as a rental, that’s not to say a team couldn’t acquire Shattenkirk with the intention of pitching him on staying beyond this year. As we reported earlier today, TSN’s Frank Seravalli believes that Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli should be confident in his ability to pitch his team to Shattenkirk, as they appear poised to be a top-ten team in the NHL for the next decade.
In other notes from the TSN insiders, the Minnesota Wild, Florida Panthers, and Chicago Blackhawks are all interested in bolstering their forward cores before the trade deadline. Minnesota and Chicago are likely pretty happy with their rosters as they sit atop the Western Conference. While neither team will be looking at making a big splash, both would like to add a depth forward. Specifically, the Blackhawks would like a player with a low cap hit who could be acquired with just a draft pick. That’s not likely to be a high draft pick, however, as Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman wants to keep picks for the upcoming draft, which will be held in Chicago. The suddenly hot Panthers aren’t necessarily buyers, despite winning eight of their last 10 games. If they do make a move, LeBrun believe they would be interested in adding a top nine forward in a rental capacity.
Those three teams will likely have interest in Dallas Stars winger Patrick Eaves. With 21 goals in 59 games and a $1MM cap hit, Eaves is drawing plenty of interest from around the NHL. There are as many as 10-12 teams inquiring about the gritty winger according to Dreger.
[Related: PHR’s profile of Patrick Eaves]
Another forward likely on the move is Martin Hanzal; LeBrun reports that most of the teams inquiring about the 6’6 center are from the Western Conference, but Montreal is one of the most interested clubs. Despite missing nine games this season, Hanzal already has 15 goals, which is one off his career-high from 2010-11. The Coyotes would like to move Hanzal by the end of the weekend, according to LeBrun. Of course, that’s depending of the offers available to rookie GM John Chayka.
[Related: PHR’s profile of Martin Hanzal]
The Vancouver Canucks are among the growing group of sellers, but the player drawing the most interest from rival teams is not a rental. Jannik Hansen has one year left at $2.5MM and has lots of teams interested in acquiring him. However, the Canucks aren’t looking for a draft pick in return; GM Jim Benning is asking for a top prospect or young NHLer in return for the long-time Canuck. That’s a steep price for a middle-six player who’s never scored more than 39 points in a season.
Deadline Primer: Minnesota Wild
With the trade deadline now just a week away, we continue to take a closer look at each team. Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?
After slipping into the playoffs last year with less than 90 points and the final wildcard position, only to get punched in the mouth by the Dallas Stars and go home early, the Minnesota Wild needed a change. They’d fired their coach halfway through the season, and were relying on an aging (but excellent) core of Mikko Koivu, Zach Parise and Ryan Suter too much to succeed.
Enter Bruce Boudreau and the kids. After good solid seasons from the young guns a year ago, many of them have exploded to the forefront of the team this season, with Mikael Granlund, Nino Niederreiter, Charlie Coyle, and Jason Zucker all already setting career-highs in points through 59 games. They’re leading the Western Conference by five points and look poised for a deep playoff run.
Record
39-14-6, 1st in Central Division
Deadline Status
Buyer
Deadline Cap Space
$5.20MM – full-season cap hit, 47/50 contracts per CapFriendly.
Draft Picks
2017: MIN 1st, MIN 3rd, MIN 4th, MIN 5th, MIN 6th, MIN 7th
2018: MIN 1st, MIN 2nd, MIN 3rd, MIN 4th, MIN 5th, MIN 6th, MIN 7th
Trade Chips
Minnesota will almost surely avoid trading anything off the roster that has put them in prime position for a Stanley Cup run, meaning they’ll have to use draft picks and prospects as bait if they want to add anything next week. It’s a shame they don’t have their second-round pick from this season—which they traded to Buffalo for Chris Stewart back in 2015—since they are used so often in rental deals. 
The Wild do however have a fairly stocked cupboard of prospects that could be waived in front of a team looking to get younger. Their drafting the last decade (or longer) though not perfect in the first round has unearthed plenty of talent in later selections. They’ve picked players like Cal Clutterbuck (3rd), Justin Falk (4th), Marco Scandella (2nd), Erik Haula (7th), Darcy Kuemper (6th), Zucker (2nd) and Johan Larsson (2nd) all outside of the first round and found excellent value in each.
If a team really wants to go after youth, they could ask for prospects like Jordan Greenway, who showed off his skills at the most recent World Juniors. Kirill Kaprisov is tearing up the KHL as a 19-year old, and it was recently reported that he’ll play for CSKA next season. Alex Tuch is showing his ability at the AHL level after a dominating NCAA career, and Luke Kunin continues to captain the University of Wisconsin up the college hockey rankings. It would be crazy to trade any of these names for a rental, but if the Wild want to enter the ring of possible long-term upgrades, they have the pieces to do it.
One Player To Watch: F Jason Pominville, who has a big cap-hit and is playing much less due to the emergence of the young guns is a contract that the Wild may look to move out if they’re to make any improvements.
Team Needs
1) Wing Depth – The Wild would like to move Coyle back to center ice if possible, but they’d need a winger who can jump into their top-six to do it. Jannik Hansen has been rumored to be on their radar, but a player like Patrick Eaves seems a better fit. It’s not guaranteed that they’ll do anything, though GM Chuck Fletcher has said that they have some “unproven depth” at forward.
2) Center – The nice thing about having Coyle is that if you can’t find the upgrade at the wing you could always acquire a center instead and leave him out there. Arizona’s Martin Hanzal was quoted today by Chris Hine of the Chicago Tribune as saying he wants to stay in the middle even if traded, which would still be possible for the Wild.