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Jannik Hansen

Shattenkirk “More And More Likely” To Be Dealt As A Rental

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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

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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. Jason Pominville

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.

Canucks Notes: Virtanen, Miller, Burrows, Hansen

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Although Canucks right winger Jake Virtanen has struggled once again this season, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman noted in an interview with Sportsnet 960 in Calgary (audio link) that he doesn’t expect the team to give up on the former first rounder just yet (transcription via Fan Rag’s Chris Nichols):

“But it’s looking to me right now that the Vancouver Canucks and Jake Virtanen – for whatever reason it’s oil and water right now. It’s not a mix. They probably should have sent him down last year. But you’re not giving up on a guy who is a first-round pick after two years. You’re still going to keep it, even though he’s devalued a bit.”

Virtanen made the NHL roster out of training camp but struggled early on, collecting just a single assist in ten games.  He was then sent to the minors in November in the hopes that he would rediscover his scoring touch but that has yet to happen as well as he has just five goals and five assists in 39 minor league contests.  However, he’s still just 20 years old so it’s far too early to sell low on him (which they would be doing by moving him now) just yet.

Other notes out of Vancouver:

  • While the team remains within striking distance of a playoff spot (they’re just five points out of a Wild Card position), Sportsnet’s Mark Spector argues that the Canucks need to be in full seller mode. He cautions about what goaltender Ryan Miller would fetch in a possible trade as many playoff-bound teams already have their goaltending in place and that he’d be more of an insurance policy than an upgrade.  He also notes Alex Burrows as someone who would be attractive to teams and suggests that New Jersey’s return for Vernon Fiddler from the Predators (a fourth round pick) could be around what they should expect to get for him.
  • Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province notes that GM Jim Benning will talk to some of the players with some form of no-trade protection about potentially waiving those clauses as the team gets set to begin their CBA-mandated bye week on Monday. That list is a long one as Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin and Loui Eriksson all have no-move clauses, Burrows, Miller, Brandon Sutter, and Alex Edler all have full no-trade clauses while Jannik Hansen can block a trade to 21 teams.  Kuzma also suggests that the Canucks may have some extra motivation to try and move Hansen in particular as he may be a player the team considers leaving unprotected in June’s expansion draft.

Jannik Hansen “Would Prefer” To Stay In Vancouver

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Canucks forward Jannik Hansen will surely be a popular name as we approach the March 1st trade deadline. However, in an interview with Iain MacIntyre of the TheProvince.com, the veteran made it clear that he wants to stay in Vancouver.

“I have another year on my contract, so maybe a team that’s not in the playoffs would want me for next year,” he said. “It’s tough for me to figure out what’s going to happen…But I’ve made it very clear I’d prefer to stay here.”

The 30-year-old would be a worthwhile investment for contenders seeking some offensive reinforcement. While his five goals and seven assists through 23 games leaves plenty to be desired, the veteran is certainly capable of finding the back of the net. Last season, Hansen finished with a career-high 22 goals, making it his fifth-straight season that he’s netted at least 10 scores.

Hansen is also very affordable. The veteran is currently in the third season of a four-year, $10MM deal, and he carries a tolerable cap hit of $2.5MM. That means an interested team wouldn’t have to break the bank to acquire the forward.

On the flip side, as PHR’s Zach Leach pointed out earlier this month, Hansen’s injury concerns are real, as he’s missed a chunk of games over the past two seasons. Furthermore, the veteran has a limited no-trade clause and can block a trade to all but eight teams. This would surely complicate any potential deal.

“If the team comes to me, I give them my (trade list of eight teams) and then it’s in their hands,” Hansen explained. “I can’t veto a trade…If (Canucks GM Jim Benning) wants to trade me, he can trade me.”

 

 

Garrioch’s Latest: Julien, Duchene, Hanzal, Hansen

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While some expect recently-fired coach Claude Julien to resurface as the head coach elsewhere, Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun suggests in his latest Insider Trading column that he can afford to be ‘choosy’ about where he wants to go next which could delay a decision until sometime in the playoffs.  That would then allow him to see if any teams that get in but are ousted quickly make a change which might be a more desirable spot than going to a non-playoff team (or even the expansion Golden Knights).  He notes that Tampa Bay and Dallas could be a pair of teams that will ponder a change if things don’t improve by the end of the season.

As usual, Garrioch also has some notes on trade talk around the league.  The full column is worth a read but here are some of the highlights:

  • The Hurricanes are making a big push for Colorado center Matt Duchene. There could be a decent fit between the teams as Carolina has several strong young defensemen which is something the Avalanche are looking for in a potential return.  Garrioch adds that blueliner Noah Hanifin is someone that Colorado is asking for as part of a package for the 26 year old forward.
  • Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett will have a large say in the process when it comes to trading pending UFA center Martin Hanzal. The asking price remains very high from GM John Chayka and while plenty of teams remain interested, no one is willing to meet it just yet.  This certainly feels like a situation that’s going to come close to the wire as teams will hope to out-wait the Coyotes in the hopes that they will accept a lower offer at the deadline rather than risk losing him for nothing in free agency.  The two sides have held extension talks earlier in the season but they weren’t able to get a new deal done.
  • If the Canucks ultimately decide to sell, winger Jannik Hansen is someone that several teams have interest in. His flexibility to play in different roles as well as a manageable $2.5MM cap hit should be attractive to some teams, especially those who may be tighter to the cap on March 1st.  As part of his modified no-trade clause, Hansen has to submit a list of eight teams he would accept a trade to which could potentially complicate things.  We took a closer look at his situation last week which includes a breakdown of some teams that Hansen would fit with if Vancouver decides to move him.

Canadiens Eyeing Alex Burrows

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With a loss earlier today to the Boston Bruins, the Vancouver Canucks are falling further and further out of postseason contention. The Canucks sit six points behind the Nashville Predators and Los Angeles Kings for a wild card berth in the Western Conference. They also have just one win in their last six games face powerhouses like the Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks in their upcoming games leading to the NHL Trade Deadline on March 1st. Though in many ways Vancouver has exceeded expectations in 2016-17, they are trending more toward being sellers at the deadline than buyers.

One of Vancouver’s top trade pieces is none other than career-Canuck Alexandre Burrows. The agitating forward is still a strong two-way contributor, but his offensive production has been tailing off for years. A rebuilding Canucks squad seems unlikely to re-sign Burrows yet again, and would be especially willing to move on if they can get something in return. A destination may already be in mind: the Montreal Canadiens. As The Province’s Ben Kuzma writes, Burrows and teammate Jannik Hansen could command a good return for Vancouver if the GM Jim Benning only asks them to waive their no-trade clauses.

We here at PHR have already connected Hansen to Montreal, but according to Kuzma, the Canadiens have been heavily scouting the Canucks and may have interest in Burrows as well, if not more. While the first item on Montreal’s wish list is a top-six center, they have also made it known that they are in the market for other forward help. In fact, many expect the Canadiens to be one of the biggest players in what otherwise could be a quiet deadline market. In Burrows, Montreal would receive a gritty forward who is able to win battles along the boards, make his presence felt around the net, and, more than anything, help out on the penalty kill and in improving the team defense. The Quebec native seems like a suitable fit for a team whose GM and coach, Marc Bergevin and Michel Therrien, have emphasized two-way play from their forward corps in recent years, so look for the Canucks to pull the trigger on a deal if it develops.

PHR Originals: 01/30/2017 – 02/05/2017

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As we get closer to the NHL trade deadline, PHR has been pumping out the original pieces. Here is a look at the past week:

Trade Candidates: Jannik Hansen

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The Vancouver Canucks can choose from a few different reasons why they should trade Jannik Hansen. 1) The injuries are becoming a concern; after missing 15 games last year, he’s played in only 18 games this season. 2) They probably won’t end up protecting him in the upcoming Expansion Draft and would then very likely lose him for nothing. Hansen has been a hard-working and loyal contributor, but you don’t risk losing a Sven Baertschi or Markus Granlund to keep an injury-prone 30-year-old. 3) Whether they think so or not, the team is in a rebuild and they can get a quality return for a forward with a year remaining at $2.5MM who scored almost 40 points and posted a +16 in 2015-16. The playoffs always seemed to be out of reach for this Canucks team this season, and despite their best efforts, it just doesn’t seem likely to happen this year. If there is any consolation, Vancouver can become bona fide sellers at the Trade Deadline, of which there are very few, and can find a fair deal for Hansen.

Contract

Hansen is in the third year of a four-year, $10MM extension with the Canucks. While his cap hit will count for under $900K at the deadline, any team that acquires him will be on the hook for another year at a $2.5MM cap hit and $3MM salary.

2016-17

Hansen’s 2016-17 season has been forgettable to this point, due primarily to the fact that he has barely played. Hansen missed all but three games in the month of November with broken ribs and returned in mid-December, only to suffer a knee injury just two weeks later. Hansen has not played since December 22nd, and there has been little noise about an impending return. While you can say he was on a career-high pace with nine points through 18 games, that’s a lot of speculation based on a small sample size. It’s more fair to call this season a wash for Hansen, at least so far. Lucky for him, last season was one of the best of his career and the last five years tell the story of one of the most under-rated players in the NHL. Hansen had 157 points in 348 games over the past five seasons and before that was a key piece of the team’s 2011 Stanley Cup run, all while making under $2MM per year on average.

Season Stats

18 games: 5 goals, 4 assists, 9 points, even +/-, 30 shots, 16:11 ATOI

Potential Suitors

The Edmonton Oilers would be an excellent fit for Hansen. The team is playoff-bound and lacks a right-shot scorer other than Jordan Eberle. They also have a young team, but not much cap flexibility, and a good, affordable veteran for next season and possibly beyond could go a long way. By March 1st, Vancouver should be far enough outside the postseason picture that they would be willing to deal even with their division rival.

However, if the Canucks are uncomfortable with the thought of facing Hansen, a nice bargain that they have kept to themselves all of these years, on a regular basis in 2017-18, they may seek an option outside of the Pacific. The Montreal Canadiens could be willing to move some capital to make Hansen part of the team. Another team in a cap crunch and in desperate need of a right-handed scorer behind Brendan Gallagher, Hansen would be able to help the Habs in the postseason this year and help them to get back to the postseason next year. Other Atlantic teams like the Ottawa Senators and Boston Bruins could also use another scoring winger, and both have plenty of cap space next season, such that $2.5MM would hardly make a dent. Watch out for the Columbus Blue Jackets as well, who need a right-shot forward this year and may need one even more next year if they are unable to retain Sam Gagner.

Likelihood Of A Trade

Hansen is a rare commodity in this market. He is not an impending free agent, nor does he carry a long and expensive contract. Instead, he has just one year remaining at an affordable cap hit, and with many concerns over the salary cap not increasing next season, that is very valuable. The Canucks are often believed to be disillusioned with the state of their franchise, seemingly trying to build a contender when their success implies a need for a rebuild. It’s possible that Vancouver passes on moving Hansen and decides to protect him over a younger asset in the Expansion Draft. However, GM Jim Benning is not that short-sighted. If he can figure out a way to keep Hansen without hurting his squad, he probably will, but the odds are that his best bet is to trade the career Canuck a get a good return for him. Teams may not be lining up for a player with only 18 games under his belt this season, but Hansen’s value extends past the stretch run and the postseason and several squads will surely jump at that opportunity.

Injury Updates: Avalanche, Malkin, Ducks, Devils, Hansen

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The Colorado Avalanche are set to get a boost to their lineup tonight in Anaheim as they have activated defenseman Tyson Barrie and winger Rene Bourque off of injured reserve, reports Mike Chambers of the Denver Post (Twitter link).

Barrie missed the last four games due to a lingering lower body issue.  He leads all Avalanche blueliners in scoring with 23 points (3-20-23), a mark that puts him third on the team overall.  On the flip side, his -23 rating is tied with New Jersey defenseman Damon Severson for last in the league.

As for Bourque, he has made the most of his successful training camp tryout, scoring nine goals for the Avs this season which is tied for the third most on the team.  He had missed the last three contests with a lower body injury and if he can stay healthy over the next month, he’s a potential candidate to be dealt given his low cap hit of $650K.

Other injury news and notes from around the league:

  • While Pittsburgh center Evgeni Malkin won’t play tonight against the Predators, head coach Mike Sullivan told Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he is making “significant progress” from a leg injury that caused him to miss their last game before the All-Star break as well as the All-Star Game itself.  There is no firm timetable for his return but the fact he skated before practice would suggest that Malkin, who sits third overall in NHL scoring with 54 points (22-32-54) in 47 games, is nearing a return.
  • The Ducks will also have some reinforcements tonight against the Avalanche as they will have center Nate Thompson and right winger Jakob Silfverberg back in their lineup, notes Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register (Twitter link). Thompson has missed the entire season after tearing his Achilles’ tendon during the offseason although he got into three AHL games on a rehab stint last week.  Silfverberg missed the last three contests with a head injury and is tied for fourth in team scoring this season.
  • New Jersey blueliner Andy Greene is targeting Friday’s game against the Flames as a return date from his arm injury, writes Fire and Ice’s Andrew Gross. He took part in the full morning skate today but isn’t quite ready to suit up tonight.  Greene has missed the last 11 games as a result of the injury.  Gross adds that winger Beau Bennett (lower body) skated on his own the last two days while blueliner John Moore (concussion) has undergone testing the last couple of days but hopes to skate on his own as soon as tomorrow.
  • Via the Canucks’ Twitter feed, right winger Jannik Hansen isn’t likely to play on Thursday against the Sharks but is getting closer to returning to the lineup. He has been out since late December after suffering a knee injury.  Hansen hasn’t played a whole lot this season but has made an impact when he has been healthy, collecting nine points (5-4-9) in 18 games.

Jannik Hansen Out For Up To Six Weeks

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The Vancouver Canucks announced today via Twitter that right wing Jannik Hansen is expected to miss 4 – 6 weeks with a knee injury suffered Friday night. Hansen was apparently hurt on a knee-to-knee hit from Mathieu Perreault of Winnipeg. Replays show the hit may also have been late but the league later said that no further action will be taken against the Jets forward.

Hansen, obviously feeling the hit was illegal, immediately dropped his gloves and went after Perreault who refused the invitation.

The Danish forward has appeared in only 18 games this season and has five goals and four assists while averaging 16:11 of ice time per contest. Hansen was starting to heat up and had tallied three times in his previous three games.

The Canucks had been searching much of the season for a right wing to skate with the Sedins, Daniel and Henrik, and Hansen had been filling that role of late. Prized free agent acquisition Loui Eriksson previously failed his audition with the twins before the team turned to Hansen. The 10-year veteran has spent his entire career with the Canucks after being selected by the club in the 9th round of the 2004 draft. Hansen will be a UFA after the 2017-18 season and is currently in the third year of a four-year, $10MM deal he inked with the Canucks in September of 2013.

 

 

 

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