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Deadline Primer 2020

Trade Deadline Primer: Winnipeg Jets

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With the trade deadline now just hours away, we wrap up our look at the teams in the Central Division.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?  We finish with a look at the Winnipeg Jets.

It has been an interesting year in Winnipeg.  They lost several key defenders over the offseason and then lost Dustin Byfuglien to one of the more bizarre situations we’ve seen in recent years as he reported, then left the team to ponder his playing future, and then underwent surgery.  Despite that and several injuries up front, the Jets are right in the thick of the playoff race and have already added to their roster recently.  They may not be done just yet.

Record

32-27-5, fourth in the Central Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$17.395MM in a full-season cap hit, 0/3 used salary cap retention slots, 47/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2020: WPG 1st, WPG 2nd, WPG 5th, WPG 6th
2021: WPG 1st, WPG 2nd, WPG 3rd*, WPG 5th, WPG 6th

* – If Winnipeg makes the playoffs this season or re-signs Cody Eakin before July 5, 2020, this pick will transfer to Vegas and the Jets will have their 2021 fourth-round pick returned.

Trade Chips

As strange as it seems, the Jets are hoping to find a taker for Byfuglien and have been shopping him in recent weeks over proceeding with the expected contract termination.  A team that wants to have a shot at using him in the playoffs would need to acquire him as if he’s not on their roster by the deadline, he would be ineligible to play in the postseason.  But with a $7.6MM AAV for next season, the odds of that happening have to be low.

Winnipeg’s top picks and prospects are likely off the table but someone that they might be open to moving is Jansen Harkins.  The winger has played in 23 games this season with the Jets but has had a limited role.  He will be a restricted free agent this summer and waiver-eligible next season.  There may be rebuilding teams out there that view him as worthy of a bigger role and this would be the time to try to get him while Winnipeg would bring in someone that can help them more in the short term.  Winger Kristian Vesalainen isn’t lighting it up with AHL Manitoba either and while the asking price would be higher on him, it’s not impossible that he moves either but it’s likely they’d want someone with term coming back.

Injured forward Mathieu Perreault has been in trade speculation for the last couple of years in large part due to his contract which runs through next season with a $4.125MM AAV.  While they don’t have to free up any cap room now, moving his deal off the books would really help free things up for next summer.

On the farm, Seth Griffith could be one to watch for.  He has a track record of offensive success in the minors and with their farm team in Manitoba out of playoff contention, he’s someone that could move to a team that’s looking to load up for a Calder Cup run.  Defenseman Cameron Schilling could be in a similar situation depending on whether or not they add any defensive depth.  Goalie Eric Comrie has bounced around this year but with teams looking for goalie depth, he could be a cheap pickup for someone as well.

Five Players To Watch For: D Dustin Byfuglien, F Seth Griffith, F Jansen Harkins, F Mathieu Perreault, F Kristian Vesalainen

Team Needs

1) Impact Defender: GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has done a good job patching up the back end with Dylan DeMelo joining in-season acquisitions Luca Sbisa and Carl Dahlstrom.  However, none of them are more than depth options and a top-four defender would go a long way towards bolstering Winnipeg’s defense core.

2) Secondary Scoring: The Jets already have five players with 21 or more goals this season but it falls off quickly after that.  Bryan Little, one of their top-six forwards, is already out for the rest of the year so there is a vacancy to be filled.  They’re in the middle of the pack in both goals against and allowed so if they can’t improve their back end, adding some more firepower to round out their attack would be a good way to go.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trade Deadline Primer: St. Louis Blues

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With the trade deadline now just hours away, we continue our look at the teams in the Central Division.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?  Next up is a look at the St. Louis Blues.

The defending Stanley Cup champions have had a largely successful season.  They’ve been among the top teams in the Central pretty much all season long and are in first place in the conference at the moment despite injuries to several key players.  However, it’s that injury situation coupled with limited cap room that makes it likely that St. Louis will have a quiet trade deadline.

Record

35-17-10, first in the Central Division

Deadline Status

Limited Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$7.991MM in a full-season cap hit (using LTIR), 0/3 used salary cap retention slots, 47/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2020: STL 1st, STL 3rd, STL 4th, CAR 5th, STL 5th
2021: STL 1st, STL 3rd, STL 4th*, STL 5th, STL 6th

* – If St. Louis makes the Western Conference Final this year with Marco Scandella playing in at least half of their games or Scandella re-signs before the start of next season, the pick will transfer to Montreal.

Trade Chips

Options here are minimal with most of their listed cap space tied to Vladimir Tarasenko ($7.5MM) staying on LTIR.  He’s expected to be activated before the end of the season so they’re in a situation where they’d likely need to match money to make a deal.

One roster player that could go is Jacob de la Rose.  Acquired early in the year from Detroit, his role has largely been minimal.  He’s someone that could be a non-tender candidate as things stand to save a few bucks for next season but at the same time, he’s still only 24 but has over 200 games of NHL experience.  A rebuilding team looking to add a defensive forward could have some interest in his services.  Veteran winger Troy Brouwer recently cleared waivers and if there was a team that was willing to give him NHL time down the stretch, they’d probably move him on.  Beyond that, there aren’t many likely candidates to go.

In a bigger move, center Tyler Bozak makes some sense as his $5MM AAV for this season and next is a bit pricey for his third line role most of the time.  GM Doug Armstrong has said any moves he makes from here on out would likely be ‘hockey deals’ and something with Bozak could make that happen.

At the AHL level, defenseman Jake Walman is someone whose stock has dropped lately.  At 24 with very limited NHL time under his belt, his NHL prospects are starting to thin out so a change of scenery could be in his best interest.  A swap of AHL players involving him might draw some interest.  Beyond that, there isn’t much to consider with a limited set of draft picks (including the second rounders that are popular trade chips at this time) and a lower-end prospect pool.

Five Players To Watch For: F Tyler Bozak F Troy Brouwer, F Jacob de la Rose, F Austin Poganski, D Jake Walman

Team Needs

1) Scoring Depth: With Tarasenko out, they’ve counted on the rest of the forwards to pick up the slack.  They’ve done so for the most part as they’re in the top half of the league in scoring.  If they could find a cheap option for their bottom six, it would give them just a bit more offensive punch and a bit of a hedge against injuries.  Moving de la Rose for this player could be a possibility and would basically be the opposite of the move they made to acquire him when they moved Robby Fabbri to get him.

2) Veteran Spare Defenseman: This isn’t a big need but given the extremely limited scope of what they can do, this could be on Armstrong’s list.  Adding another veteran defender that can be stashed at the AHL level and be called upon if injuries arise would be nice.  They have Derrick Pouliot and Jake Dotchin as options already but finding an upgrade on them would give them someone they’re more comfortable using if it comes to it.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trade Deadline Primer: Nashville Predators

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With the trade deadline now just a few days away, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?  Next up is a look at the Nashville Predators.

It’s been an up-and-down year in Nashville for a team that had such high expectations. For a while, the team was floundering near the bottom of the Central Division. The team fired long-time head coach Peter Laviolette and replaced him with John Hynes. While the results have been slow-going, Nashville seems to be moving up in the standings. Suddenly, just one point out of a playoff spot, the Predators look like a team that could make a playoff run after all. That puts general manager David Poile in an interesting position at the trade deadline. Should he buy, stand still, or maybe even sell?

Record

30-23-8, fifth in the Central Division

Deadline Status

Slight Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$11.517MM in a full-season cap hit, 0/3 used salary cap retention slots, 45/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2020: NAS 1st, NJD 2nd, NAS 2nd, MIN 3rd, NAS 3rd, NAS 5th, NAS 6th
2021: NAS 1st, NAS 2nd, NAS 3rd, NAS 4th, NAS 5th, NAS 6th

Trade Chips

One name seen often as a trade deadline candidate is Mikael Granlund. The winger was brought over from Minnesota to give the team another experienced and gifted top-six forward. However, that hasn’t happened as he struggled with a goal and five assists in 16 games with the team last season. It wasn’t much better early on as he had six goals and 14 points through 35 games under Laviolette, which has had a lot to do with the rumors. However, Granlund seems to have found his game under Hynes. He has nine goals and three assists in those 20 games. Regardless, the 27-year-old who will be an unrestricted free agent next year, still may not be the best fit in Nashville’s system and could be a target for teams that believe he’d be a better fit in their system.

Craig Smith is a somewhat different story. Also a UFA next summer, Smith could be a potential trade candidate if the team feels they can’t re-sign him, although it’s just as possible that Nashville locks him up in the near future as well. Smith has turned it on of late with six goals in his past eight games. He could be part of a package for an upgrade, if the team is ready to move on from him.

The team could find itself bringing in help on defense as the team needs depth, especially with their third pairing. It wouldn’t be surprising if the team moved one of those defenders to send back for an upgrade on defense as well, such as Dan Hamhuis, Yannick Weber or Matt Irwin.

Nashville has most of their picks, but have two second and two third-rounders in this upcoming draft. That might be the ammunition to acquire a player they covet. The team also has a few prospects and while it’s unlikely they would move their top prospect forwards in Philip Tomasino, or Eeli Tolvanen there are a number of other prospects who could interest a team, such as forward Egor Afanasyev or defenseman Jeremy Davies in the right deal.

Five Players To Watch For: F Egor Afanasyev, F Mikael Granlund, D Dan Hamhuis, F Craig Smith, D Yannick Weber

Team Needs

1) Top-Four Defenseman: Despite having one of the best top-four pieces in the NHL before this season started, the Predators knew they here hoping for a lot when they traded P.K. Subban and handing his role to rookie Dante Fabbro. He has had an up-and-down year, but injuries to other members of the top-four, including Ryan Ellis, has forced their third pairing players to move into the top four at times, which has been a disaster, which means the team could really use another top-four blueliner and move Fabbro down a notch on the depth chart. Many feel that New Jersey’s Sami Vatanen could be a good fit here.

2) Upgrade In Top-Six: The Predators have two potential unrestricted free agents in Granlund and Smith coming up and with cap considerations, they might be better off packaging them to another team in hopes of getting a forward with term that can help them both this year and in the future.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trade Deadline Primer: Minnesota Wild

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With the trade deadline now just a few days away, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?  Next up is a look at the Minnesota Wild.

While there was a time that many thought that the Minnesota Wild might be at the bottom of the NHL this year, the veteran team have made a competitive season out of 2019-20. It may be unlikely that the team makes the playoffs, it is still possible the team could go on a run and reach that point. Regardless, new general manager Bill Guerin has little by little been making changes to the team and roster with the hopes that he can make it a younger team in the future. The team already did that recently, when they traded forward Jason Zucker to Pittsburgh for Alex Galchenyuk, prospect Calen Addison and a conditional 2020 first-round pick.

Record

29-24-7, sixth in the Central Division

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$14.208MM in a full-season cap hit, 0/3 used salary cap retention slots, 46/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2020: MIN 1st, PIT 1st, MIN 2nd, MIN 4th, MIN 5th, MIN 6th, MIN 7th
2021: MIN 1st, MIN 2nd, MIN 3rd, MIN 4th, MIN 5th, MIN 6th, MIN 7th

Trade Chips

Perhaps one of the team’s most obvious trade chips has already been eliminated as long-time center Mikko Koivu already took himself out of the running today, when he exercised his right to refuse any trades. The veteran told Guerin today that he is not interested in leaving Minnesota and with a no-movement clause in his expiring contract, the team has no choice but to comply. That eliminates one trade chip.

Perhaps Guerin’s biggest trade chip is on defense. The team has two players that are receiving significant interest from other teams, including Mathew Dumba and Jonas Brodin. Dumba has three more years on his contract after this one at $6MM, but would be heavily coveted and if Guerin gets the right offer, could quickly bring in some much needed youth and talent to the system. Brodin also has another year on his contract at $4.17MM and could also bring in quite a bit of talent, as both players are top-four impact defensemen. However, whether Guerin pulls the trigger is another question. If he doesn’t like the offers, he doesn’t have to make a deal since the team has both players for a minimum of one more season.

While the team just acquired Galchenyuk, the team brought him over merely to even out the contracts for Pittsburgh. The 26-year-old isn’t part of the team’s rebuilding plans and since he’s going to be an unrestricted free agent this summer, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Wild flipped Galchenyuk to a contender for another piece to their rebuilding puzzle. While Galchenyuk is already on his fourth team, he has looked good in the five games he has played in Minnesota, scoring a goal and two assists. Minnesota might be able to find a suitor who is willing to take him and use him in a bottom-six role.

Five Players To Watch For: D Jonas Brodin, D Mathew Dumba, F Marcus Foligno, F Alex Galchenyuk, Eric Staal

Team Needs

1) Young Top-Six Forwards: The Wild have few talented forwards on their roster. They have a few, but what the team needs is difference-makers. Anyone who can step in and inject some youth to their lineup would be a step in the right direction for a team that is hoping to rebuild their team in a short order.

2) Draft Picks: The team picked up an extra first-rounder in the Zucker deal to give the team two first-round picks for this coming draft, but if the team begins any sort of rebuilding effort, then draft picks is exactly what they need for their future to remain bright.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trade Deadline Primer: Dallas Stars

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With the trade deadline now just a few days away, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?  Next up is a look at the Dallas Stars.

The Stars look to have a lock on a playoff spot as they hold one of the top three records in the Central Division this season and with the next closest team seven points behind, it’s unlikely that Dallas is in danger of falling out of the playoff race. However, they are in quite the battle with both the Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues for the Central Division lead and could gain a distinct advantage if they could come out on top of the division with the chance to face off against a wild card team as opposed to playing one of those two teams, which is going to make the Stars as buyers.

Record

35-20-6, third in the Central Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$4.75MM in a full-season cap hit, 0/3 used salary cap retention slots, 48/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2020: DAL 1st, DAL 4th, DAL 5th, DAL 6th
2021: DAL 1st, DAL 2nd, DAL 3rd, DAL 4th, DAL 5th, DAL 6th, DAL 7th

Trade Chips

Perhaps the biggest problem for the Stars is that their assets don’t match those of the Colorado Avalanche or even St. Louis. The Stars were quite active a year ago when they acquired Mats Zuccarello and Ben Lovejoy at the trade deadline, which cost them several draft picks and traded several other picks earlier than that, which leaves the team short a second and third-round pick for this coming draft and it would seem unlikely the team would trade their first-rounder this year. However, the team does have its full complement of picks for the 2021 season, so Dallas has some picks available if it wants to add a player a the deadline.

Another trade chip, although not a big one, might be Julius Honka, whose rights still belong to the Dallas Stars even though he is playing the season in Finland with Jyp HT Jyvaskyla in the Liiga. The 24-year-old was a highly-touted first-round pick in 2014, but failed to earn a full-time role with the Stars in 87 NHL games and finally requested a trade. However, few teams showed interest this past summer and Honka opted to sign overseas. He has four goals and 15 points in 38 contests in the Liiga and could have generated enough interest for a team to make an offer on him.

The team is highly unlikely to move their top prospects in forward Jason Robertson, defenseman Thomas Harley and goaltender Jake Oettinger. However, the team has some secondary prospects, including Ty Delandrea, Ben Gleason, Oskar Back and Adam Mascherin.

Five Players To Watch For: F Oskar Back, F Ty Delandrea, D Ben Gleason, D Julius Honka, F Corey Perry.

Team Needs

1) Top-Nine Forward: The Stars are always in need of scoring that can add to the team’s offense, but the real question is whether the team has the assets, or more importantly, is willing to spend what it might take to go out and get a top player like it did a year ago. However, with random injuries and the team trying hard to have three equal lines at the top, the team could use a goal scorer, who can add to the team. However, with the high cost so far for top players, it might seem unlikely that general manager Jim Nill pulls the trigger.

2) Forward Depth: It’s far more likely that Dallas is a top candidate to go out and add some depth to their bottom-six, which could be quite a bit cheaper than for the team. Throw in the fact that there is little cap room with which to maneuver on this roster and this is the more likely scenario, picking up a veteran that can help out and serve as a replacement if there are any other significant injuries in the stretch run.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trade Deadline Primer: Colorado Avalanche

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With the trade deadline now just a few days away, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?  Next up is a look at the Colorado Avalanche.

The Avalanche have been one of the top-scoring teams in the league all season long which has them comfortably in a playoff spot.  However, a recent rash of injuries has the team on the lookout for some depth at the very least to help get them through the next little while until some of their players come back but GM Joe Sakic could also be setting his sights higher towards adding an impact piece or two as well.

Record

35-18-7, second in the Central Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$28.629MM in a full-season cap hit, 1/3 used salary cap retention slots, 45/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2020: COL 1st, TOR 3rd, COL 4th, COL 5th, FLA 6th, COL 7th
2021: COL 1st, COL 2nd, COL 3rd, COL 4th, COL 5th, COL 6th, COL 7th

Trade Chips

Most teams eyeing contention typically won’t have NHL players available but that might not be the case here.  Winger Vladislav Kamenev is known to be looking for an opportunity to play elsewhere and given that his role is somewhat limited, there’s a good chance that he’ll be involved in a move to bring in someone of significance.  Tyson Jost is also someone to watch.  The tenth pick in 2016 is in his third full professional season but is averaging a career-low 11:52 per game while his offensive numbers aren’t jumping off the charts.  At 21, he’s still young enough to be enticing to several rebuilding teams so expect Sakic to be fielding a lot of inquiries about his availability.

While Sakic has said that his top prospects are all but off-limits, expect defenseman Conor Timmins and winger Martin Kaut to get plenty of attention.  Timmins was a prolific point producer in junior and is catching up after missing all of last season with a concussion.  With 22 points in 33 games in the NHL, he will certainly be on the radar for rebuilding teams.  Kaut recently made his NHL debut and as someone that projects as a safe middle-six forward, he will be coveted as well.

Defenseman Mark Barberio has had a very limited role this season and while they could certainly hold onto him for injury insurance (which is his current role), they could also look to upgrade that spot which would make him expendable.  Kevin Connauton, a veteran of over 300 games, is with their AHL affiliate and could move for similar reasons.  Another blueliner that’s under the radar that could draw some interest is Jacob MacDonald.  The 26-year-old has never played in the NHL but has been a top point producer over the last few years in the minors.  Teams looking to bolster their AHL teams will be interested and with someone as productive as he has been, there could be some that want to give him an NHL look as well.

Five Players To Watch For: D Kevin Connauton, F Tyson Jost, F Vladislav Kamenev, F Martin Kaut, D Jacob MacDonald

Team Needs

1) Goalie Depth: The recent injury to Philipp Grubauer has put the spotlight on Pavel Francouz.  He has played well in Grubauer’s absence, earning himself a contract extension in the process but their goalie depth was already relatively thin and is weaker now.  Sakic himself has acknowledged that he would like to add another goaltender as a result.  Someone on an expiring contract is likely given that both Grubauer and Francouz are signed already for next season.

2) Forward Replacements: With Mikko Rantanen, Nazem Kadri, Colin Wilson, and Matt Calvert out of the lineup, that’s four regulars that are missing.  While one or two can be filled from within, the absences for Rantanen and Kadri are much more substantial.  It’s left a pair of vacancies inside their top six and the Avs will certainly want to fill at least one of those from outside the organization.  Come playoff time with a potentially healthier group, an acquisition like that would make an already potent attack even that much stronger.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trade Deadline Primer: Chicago Blackhawks

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With the trade deadline now just a few days away, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?  Next up is a look at the Chicago Blackhawks.

This has been a disappointing season for Chicago.  After a rare offseason spending spree (thanks to some even rarer cap space) that saw them add several veterans, they were hoping that they’d be able to get back into the playoffs.  That hasn’t happened and they instead find themselves in last place in the Central Division with some intriguing decisions to make over the next few days.

Record

26-26-8, seventh in the Central Division

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$13.068MM in a full-season cap hit (using LTIR), 0/3 used salary cap retention slots, 47/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2020: CHI 1st, CHI 3rd, CHI 4th, CHI 5th, CHI 6th
2021: CHI 1st, CHI 2nd, CHI 4th, CHI 5th, CHI 6th, CHI 7th, MTL 7th

Trade Chips

The Blackhawks have known all season long that there is a looming decision that needs to be made between the pipes.  Both Robin Lehner and Corey Crawford are slated to hit unrestricted free agency this summer.  Both envision themselves as starters so the odds of them both re-signing are low.  If they decide which one to go with now, they could presumably deal the other, allowing them to turn around and deal the other.  In particular, Lehner would be a very interesting addition to the trade market as there are teams looking for upgrades and others looking for injury insurance.  He kiboshed the notion of signing a discounted deal to stay earlier in the season so if GM Stan Bowman has reservations about being able to sign him, Lehner could certainly be on the move.

Defenseman Erik Gustafsson is also drawing some interest.  He’s one of the top offensive threats from the back end that’s available and with a $1.2MM cap hit, he’s also one of the most affordable from a salary cap perspective.  That should make him one of the more coveted players around the league over the next few days.  He was held out of the lineup on Friday night, presumably to guard against the possibility of an injury.

Some of their lesser-used young players could also be in play.  Center Matthew Highmore has played in 26 games this season but is more of a depth player for them than a building block for the future.  Defenseman Slater Koekkoek is in a similar situation.  Winger Alexander Nylander has shown some flashes offensively but consistency continues to plague him.  They may be more inclined to hold onto him over the others but he could certainly be in play as well.  Veteran forward Zack Smith is someone they’ve been trying to move this season but with another year left at $3.25MM, that could be tricky.

Five Players To Watch For: D Erik Gustafsson, F Matthew Highmore, D Slater Koekkoek, G Robin Lehner, F Zack Smith

Team Needs

1) Cap Space: This might seem odd given their above cap room but that’s with LTIR.  Their actual cap room is closer to $150K.  Chicago has several young players that are going to be hitting some of their bonuses including Dylan Strome, Dominik Kubalik, and Alex DeBrincat.  If they don’t free up some more cap room, they will be facing a sizable bonus overage penalty heading into next year.  Shedding some salary and freeing up some wiggle room for those bonuses will be quite important.

2) Draft Picks: For a team that missed the playoffs last year and is out of the picture again this year, they aren’t exactly loaded with draft picks.  They had six last season and only five this year as things stand.  The Blackhawks have done a good job integrating several young players into their lineup (35% of their skaters on the active roster are on entry-level deals) but they will need to get that next wave of youngsters behind them.  Accumulating more picks is a good way to accomplish just that.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trade Deadline Primer: Washington Capitals

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With the trade deadline now just a few days away, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?  Next up is a look at the Washington Capitals.

The Capitals have missed the playoffs just once in the past 12 seasons, so it should come as no surprise to hear that they’re in the mix for the division lead once again and looking to add at the deadline. They already made one move to acquire Brenden Dillon, but could there be more on the way?

Record

37-17-6, second in the Metropolitan Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$1.08MM in a full-season cap hit, 0/3 used salary cap retention slots, 46/50 contracts per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2020: WSH 1st, WSH 3rd, ARI 3rd*, WSH 4th, WSH 5th, WSH 6th
2021: WSG 1st, WSH 2nd, WSH 4th, WSH 5th, VGK 5th, WSH 6th, WSH 7th

*If the Capitals win the Stanley Cup this season, they will give San Jose the 2020 ARI 3rd instead of their own 2021 3rd as part of the Dillon trade.

Trade Chips

One of the things that GM Brian MacLellan has been known for throughout his time leading the Capitals is protecting his own first-round picks. Just once has the Washington executive spent that top selection at the deadline, back in 2017 as part of the package for Kevin Shattenkirk. Given how that experience went, it’s not surprising to see the Capitals sitting with their first-rounder in tact as the deadline approaches.

While that doesn’t mean it is off limits entirely, the Capitals aren’t really in a position to bring in an impact player without removing some salary anyway. They convinced the San Jose Sharks to retain some of Dillon’s hit, but that still doesn’t give them a ton of wiggle room.

If salary has to move out, look no further than the defensive group that Dillon was brought in to shore up. Nick Jensen’s name has been thrown around recently, while Michal Kempny hasn’t had quite the same impact this year as he did when they first acquired him. Radko Gudas however is one to keep an eye on, given his apparent scratching for tomorrow’s game. Gudas was an extra at practice and is on an expiring contract.

If Washington is to get involved in another deal it may also take some prospect capital to get it done. Trading Connor McMichael at this point is a ludicrous proposition, but perhaps some of their lower-level names could be had. All of that is predicated on the idea that they actually get involved on one of the bigger names however, something that certainly may not happen at this point.

Five Players To Watch For: D Nick Jensen, D Radko Gudas, D Christian Djoos, F Travis Boyd, G Pheonix Copley

Team Needs

1) Bottom-Six Depth: To be honest, there aren’t a lot of obvious ways to improve the Capitals now that they’ve addressed (or tried to address) the issue on defense. The only other thing that seems likely is adding in some more depth at the bottom of their forward group, perhaps in the form of a player with some more experience. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic at one point suggested (subscription required) Trevor Lewis as a potential fit, given he brings some positional versatility and Stanley Cup history.

2) PP2 Quarterback: This isn’t really a need for the club, but something that may be considered should they be after something this weekend. There is no doubt that the first unit in Washington is a masterpiece, but Dmitry Orlov’s group hasn’t been as effective. If the team ended up moving out a player like Jensen, perhaps they would consider bringing back someone with a little more offensive flair who could be sheltered at even-strength.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trade Deadline Primer: Pittsburgh Penguins

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With the trade deadline now just a few days away, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?  Next up is a look at the Pittsburgh Penguins.

It’s hard to not be amazed by what the Penguins have done this season, given how many key players have missed time with injury. Only Brandon Tanev, Teddy Blueger, Dominik Simon and Marcus Pettersson have played in all 58 games for Pittsburgh, but the team has caught and passed Washington for the division lead. They already made a big move by acquiring Jason Zucker, but don’t rule out Jim Rutherford over the next few days.

Record

37-15-6, first in the Metropolitan Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$3.499MM in a full-season cap hit, 0/3 used salary cap retention slots, 47/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2020: PIT 3rd, PIT 4th, PIT 5th, PIT 6th
2021: PIT 1st*, PIT 2nd, PIT 3rd, PIT 5th, PIT 7th, ANA 7th

*If the Penguins miss the playoffs in 2019-20, they can send their 2021 first-round pick to the Minnesota Wild instead of this year’s.

Trade Chips

After spending a couple of the chambered rounds in the Zucker deal, it may be hard for Rutherford to find enough to really make a big splash on the trade market. The Penguins won’t have a first-round pick (again) this year, and they traded their 2020 second way back in 2017 for expansion draft considerations. Some may say who needs draft picks when you can find players like Marcus Pettersson and John Marino for (close to) free, but there aren’t a ton of futures left for the team to dangle.

The question then becomes who from the roster would the Penguins be willing to move. Before the season Nick Bjugstad and Bryan Rust were two names frequently bandied about in speculation, but now that the former has missed three months and the latter is the team’s leading goal scorer it might be hard to make a deal around one of them. Bjugstad is expected to be back soon, but with just a few days left it would be hard for anyone to take that risk.

Still, the team has some other forwards that could maybe be involved if a deal presented itself. Simon, Blueger and Dominik Kahun are all important parts of the team, but with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin anchoring two lines you could find replacements. Sam Lafferty is another, though how much value he would really bring isn’t clear.

On defense, Marino’s injury really makes it difficult to trade someone like Juuso Riikola, if they even considered it in the past. The Penguins defense group is likely set, unless Rutherford adds another veteran name before what is expected to be a long playoff run.

That leaves goaltending, where many have pointed to Casey DeSmith sitting in the minor leagues as one of the Penguins’ biggest trade chips. Not so fast says Rutherford, who recently explained he doesn’t plan on moving one of his goaltenders at the deadline.

Five Players To Watch For: F Sam Lafferty, F Dominik Simon, D Juuso Riikola, F Dominik Kahun, F Nick Bjugstad

Team Needs

1) Bottom-Six Flexibility: Rutherford is never shy about speaking his mind, and he did just that to Josh Yohe of The Athletic (subscription required). He plans on adding a bottom-six player that can move around a bit, as long as the prices come down over the weekend. Who that player is exactly remains to be seen, but you can bet there will be a new face flying around the ice next week.

2) Depth Defense: The only way this happens is if the Penguins get bad news on Brian Dumoulin or Marino, but you can never have enough options on the back end. Rutherford knows first hand how many defensemen you need for a Stanley Cup playoff run after being forced to use Trevor Daley and Ron Hainsey as top options in 2017.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trade Deadline Primer: Philadelphia Flyers

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With the trade deadline now less than two weeks away, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?  Next up is a look at the Philadelphia Flyers.

They changed their coach, bringing in a veteran in Alain Vigneault. They changed their defense, bringing in veterans Matt Niskanen and Justin Braun. They even changed the center position, spending $50MM on veteran Kevin Hayes. Unfortunately all that change has the Philadelphia Flyers exactly where they’ve been for nearly a decade—fighting to barely make the playoffs.

Obviously that opening paragraph is a bit of a pessimistic look at the Flyers season, given that they currently have their best points percentage since 2011-12, but their tenuous grasp on a Metropolitan playoff spot will inform the upcoming trade deadline. The team is just a single point ahead of the New York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes and Columbus Blue Jackets, meaning this trade deadline could really decide who gets the final divisional spot.

Record

33-20-7, third in the Metropolitan Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$1.33MM in a full-season cap hit (using LTIR), 1/3 used salary cap retention slots, 48/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2020: PHI 1st, PHI 2nd, PHI 4th, NSH 4th, PHI 5th, PHI 6th, PHI 7th, MTL 7th
2021: PHI 1st, PHI 2nd, PHI 3rd, PHI 4th, PHI 5th, PHI 6th, PHI 7th

Trade Chips

The first thing to mention when talking about how the Flyers might go about the deadline is cap space, or lack thereof. Not only is the team extremely tight to the cap right now, they also have Nolan Patrick looking like he will return off long-term injured reserve at some point. That doesn’t completely rule out any moves, but it might mean they have to move a roster player or two if any big additions are to be made.

With that in mind, it’s hard to not immediately think of Shayne Gostisbehere once again. The 26-year old defenseman has another three years on his current deal that carries a $4.5MM cap hit, but has been nowhere near the rookie who put up 17 goals and 46 points in 64 games or the third-year player who scored 65. In fact, Gostisbehere has just 12 points this season in 41 games and has seen his playing time drastically reduced. You can bet that other teams are wondering if they could buy low on Gostisbehere and try to coax out that first-pairing puck-mover again, but his contract and history make it a complicated deal.

Defense however is an interesting position to watch with the Flyers, given just how many young options they have in the organization. Look past Niskanen and Braun for a moment and you’ll see six other players 26-or-under that can handle (or even dominate) NHL minutes. If one of them had to go, even if it wasn’t Gostisbehere, the Flyers could still have a strong depth chart moving forward.

Even past those young rostered defensemen are some top-end prospects on defense in Yegor Zamula, Cam York and Adam Ginning (though the latter has taken a step backwards this season) which makes things even more expendable. It’s hard to see them moving Zamula or York at this point, but you can bet teams would be trying to pry something out of the Philadelphia system.

Goaltending prospects may also be a group to watch, given that the Philadelphia net will belong to Carter Hart for the next decade or more. Kirill Ustimenko and Felix Sandstrom are both high-upside goaltenders in the system that may be coveted, even if they are still relatively far from NHL duty.

Five Players To Watch For: D Shayne Gostisbehere, D Robert Hagg, F Michael Raffl, D Adam Ginning, D Mark Friedman

Team Needs

1) Center Depth: A lot of this depends on the health of Patrick, who has been practicing with the team of late. It’s not clear when the young forward will be back from his migraine issue, but even when he does the team could probably still afford an upgrade down the middle. It’s why Jeff Carter’s name has been thrown around recently, even if a deal of that magnitude would be difficult given their current cap situation.

2) Top-Six Winger: In a perfect world, adding another high-flying winger like Chris Kreider might appeal to the Flyers as well, given the fact that the team has just one player with 20 goals on the year. They can score with a deep offensive group, but when Oskar Lindblom was ruled out for the year, one of their most talented pure goal scorers was ripped from the roster. Again, it might be tough acquiring someone like this given their salary restraints, meaning it would have to probably be a bigger deal than just draft picks for a rental.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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