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Sharks Not Pursuing Jaromir Jagr

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With the answer to just one little question, San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson eliminated the last hope that Sharks fans had of a major free agent addition this off-season. It’s now mid-September, training camps are opening, and San Jose still has yet to make a notable move. They added aging grinder Brandon Bollig, who played exclusively in the AHL last year, Antoine Bibeau, most recently the fifth-string goalie in Toronto, and just a few days ago AHL veteran Brandon Mashinter. Meanwhile, they watched career Shark and franchise leader in just about every category, Patrick Marleau, leave for the Maple Leafs and failed to take advantage of late-summer, affordable replacement options like Drew Stafford (New Jersey) and Thomas Vanek (Vancouver). The Sharks don’t even have an intriguing PTO player in camp.

The last hope of a big-name free agent who could actually help the team in 2017-18 was none other than the legendary Jaromir Jagr. The highest-ranked member of PHR’s Top 50 Free Agents yet to sign at #13 overall, Jagr’s continued availability had been an ongoing story all summer. The 45-year-old future Hall of Famer may seem washed up by age alone, but played in all 82 games with the Florida Panthers last year, registering 46 points. The year before that, Jagr was nearly a 30-goal scorer, racking up 66 points in 79 games for Florida. Somehow, one of the greatest players in NHL history continues to have gas in the tank. In need of replacement scoring and even some veteran guidance for a plethora of young up-and-coming forwards, Jagr seemed like a good fit for San Jose and has continued to be attached to the team in rumors. That ended today. The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz asked Doug Wilson about the possibility of Jagr going to San Jose, to which the GM replied definitively that he did not see the Czech phenom as a fit.

So, the search continues for both sides. Jagr has heard all off-season about teams that “seem like a fit”, but has not had any concrete offers all summer. Last anyone checked in, Jagr was still considering simply playing for HC Kladno of the Czech Liga, a team that he is a part owner of, and then suiting up for the Czech Republic at the 2018 Olympics. After that, perhaps Jagr would draw some interest as a stretch run addition for an NHL team. For now, that seems to be the only option for the aging superstar. As for the Sharks, Wilson nor any of his colleagues have expressed any concern over the team’s lack of off-season additions or potential scoring difficulties. While it is possible that they could still make a trade before the season or early on in the new campaign, the fact that they have no interest in Jagr seemingly means that they are done with free agent additions for the 2017 off-season. The only other notable names left that could be of any interest to San Jose are veterans like Jarome Iginla, Brian Gionta, or Jiri Hudler, all of whom would seem to provide even less upside than Jagr. The Sharks seem content to head into the season with their current group. Maybe a rough start could make them rethink their position on one of the greatest scorers of all time.

Bruins Notes: Pastrnak, Beleskey, PTO Candidates

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The negotiations between the Boston Bruins and 21-year-old superstar David Pastrnak have dominated the headlines in recent weeks, despite the fact that there has been little substance to the actual news. Pastrnak is a restricted free agent coming off of a break-out 70-point campaign and is looking for a long-term contract. The Bruins would like to provide him with one and reportedly made an offer of six or seven years worth $6MM per season earlier this summer, after which there has not been much of a response. While that does seem to be somewhat below market value, especially in light of Leon Draisaitl’s new deal in Edmonton, any report that Pastrnak’s side is unhappy with the offer or unwilling to deal with GM Don Sweeney or President Cam Neely is nothing more than speculation.

Well, it seems that some clarity – and perhaps a conclusion – could soon be on the way. Pastrnak’s agent, J.P. Barry, arrived in Boston yesterday to meet with the Bruins’ brass to discuss the situation. By all accounts, this is the first in-person discussion that the two sides have had this summer, perhaps lending to the idea that the delay in the new contract could be due more to scheduling than anything else. The Bruins still appear certain that they will be able to come to terms on a new deal with Pastrnak, with Neely telling Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald that “David has expressed that he loves it here and wants to play here. We want him here for as long as it makes sense for us.” If Pastrnak continues to produce like he did in 2016-17, what “makes sense” for the Bruins is to keep him as long as possible. With that in mind, they should be flexible to an extent on the salary demands. On the other hand, Neely points out that, outside of the deals signed by former Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli in Edmonton, the market has not changed all that much and their offer to Pastrnak is within reason compared to contracts signed by similar players in recent years. There seems to be a mutual interest between both sides on getting a new deal done and a resolution could be reached in the coming days, finally putting to end a news cycle of fear mongering regarding Boston and their top young scorer.

  • Once Pastrnak is signed, Bruins fans can turn their frustration and anxiety to a new target, which will more than likely be Matt Beleskey. With Jimmy Hayes gone, Beleksey will now face the full ire of the Boston fan base some training camp. Admittedly, Beleksey is fresh off of a very disappointing season. The veteran winger was plagued by injury and ineffectiveness in 2016-17, playing in just 49 games and recording only eight points. While his $3.8MM cap hit is manageable, more is expected at that price tag. However, many are quick to forget that Beleskey’s first season in Boston, 2015-16, was the best of his career. The big forward set a career high with 22 assists and 37 points and skated in a career best 15:51 minutes per game. Beleskey’s 260 hits were also tops on the team, helping to make up for the loss of Milan Lucic, a fan-favorite. In fact, Beleskey had “new fan-favorite” written all over him heading into last season, but that has surely changed. Yet, Beleskey told CSNNE’s Joe Haggerty that he plans to stick to his game this season. Beleskey has spent much of the off-season training in Boston and working to improve his speed, but has no intention of cutting back on any of his trademark physicality. If he is fully healthy and re-focused, as Haggerty sited a “touch of complacency” last season, then bringing that physical edge back to the Boston lineup would be a welcome addition. Yes, Beleskey faces stiff competition this fall for a top-nine spot from Frank Vatrano, UFA add Kenny Agostino, and promising prospects Anders Bjork, Jake DeBrusk, Peter Cehlarik, and Danton Heinen, but his size and strength match up with the historical preference in line mates of second-line center David Krejci, who played his best hockey alongside Lucic and Nathan Horton years ago. If Beleskey really can return to form, he will certainly be given a shot at a scoring role and could find a good fit alongside Krejci and David Backes. 
  • The two themes of the Bruins’ summer have been 1) the team wants to give the kids a chance to make the team this season and 2) the off-season priority is an extension for Pastrnak. That combination has led to speculation that the Bruins would have interest in a late-summer signing or PTO for veteran wingers, after Pastrnak had signed and the up-and-coming forwards had gotten a look. Until recently, Drew Stafford, who performed well in Boston at the end of last season and kept in touch with the team all summer, and Thomas Vanek, whose career has pitted him against Boston many times, were considered two of the top candidates. Now, both have signed with other teams for the coming season and the Bruins’ options are getting thin. Between the aforementioned Bjork, DeBrusk, Cehlark, and Heinen on the left side and top forward prospect Zach Senyshyn on the right, as well as center Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson potentially pushing Ryan Spooner to the wing or sliding outside himself, the Bruins could easily plug their holes internally. However, if they think that those young players need more seasoning, Beleskey, Vatrano, Agostino, Spooner, and Riley Nash are a group that could use some more competition for top-nine spots. The last thing the team needs is to push natural checking line players, like Noel Acciari and Tim Schaller, into the top nine like they did last year.  Depth on the right side is more concerning and the likes of Alex Chiasson or Teddy Purcell could be intriguing PTO candidates, while a high-ceiling scorer like P.A. Parenteau or Jiri Hudler may also be worth a look. With the recent influx of PTO agreements, the Bruins may need to enter the fray before the Pastrnak negotions are over, or else risk missing out on a closer look at one of these options.

Czech Republic Could Have Olympic Edge With Unsigned Players

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The NHL’s decision to not allow their players to attend the Olympics (even those playing in the minors) has changed the playing field for many countries heading into the 2018 Games. While normally Canada and the United States are powerful teams, loaded with superstar NHL talent they’ll now be looking for former NHL players and college-aged stars to try and put together a roster that can compete. Russia, Sweden and Finland will all lose many NHL stars but have their own professional leagues filled with experienced international players that should make them medal favorites.

One nation that is often overlooked is the Czech Republic, who’ve won just a single bronze medal since Dominik Hasek and company beat the US, Canada and Russia in three straight matches to take home the gold, allowing just two goals in the process. This year could see a potential return to glory should they use the opportunity now apparent in NHL free agency.

Jaromir JagrNow heading into the middle of August, many experience NHL veterans remain unsigned. While all of the national teams will likely be contacting their aging stars for help, the Czechs have an excellent group to go after. Jaromir Jagr leads it, as he’s shown that he can still play at the very highest level in the world. He’d likely be one of the best players in the tournament should he start the season playing for his own Czech team. But it goes beyond the second all-time scoring leader in NHL history.

Milan Michalek, a former 30-goal man is now a free agent after being buried in the minors by the Maple Leafs and dealing with injury last season. Michalek never did fit in Toronto after being part of the Dion Phaneuf trade from the Ottawa Senators, but has experience at two Olympic Games and plenty of other international tournaments. At just 32, he likely still has enough left in the tank to be an effective option.

Even Milan’s older brother Zbynek Michalek could be an option after playing last season almost entirely in the AHL. The 34-year old defenseman has seen his career deteriorate quickly due to concussions, but has plenty of international experience including two World Championship medals.

Jiri HudlerJakub Kindl has never lived up to his billing as a first-round pick, but has been a positive possession defender for most of his career, and spent 39 games with the Florida Panthers last season. If he can’t find a role somewhere as a depth option around the league, the 30-year old will surely be on the short list for the Czechs.

Jiri Hudler doesn’t have a job yet, even though he’s just two seasons removed from a 76-point effort with the Calgary Flames. The 33-year old forward has 428 NHL points and has always been a fine two-way player capable of moving up and down a lineup. Though he dealt with both illness and injury this season, it’s still clear he has some fuel left in the tank and could help the Czech team. He scored 11 points in 32 games for the Dallas Stars this year, but logged fewer than 12 minutes a night.

Last, Roman Polak is still working his way back from a horrendous injury suffered in the playoffs last season for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but could potentially be ready to play again by the February tournament. Should he remain unsigned, he could even showcase his gritty physical play style in the Olympics for a future role. He’s coming off a reasonably successful season with the Maple Leafs, in which he was a key to their penalty kill and played 75 games.

While there are many free agents still unsigned, the Czech Republic may have the most talent among any nation still on the open market. Should these players find themselves still without a job come September, signing a one-year deal in a European league may be more enticing, seeing as it may come with another chance to represent their country in the Winter Games.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

A Quiet 2017 Off-Season

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By the time August rolls around each year, it seems like the off-season is dragging on. The July 1st free agent frenzy is long behind us and it’s been weeks since the last major signing. Fans are struggling to get their hockey fill and counting the days until the puck drops on preseason hockey. In 2017, fans have all the more reason to be sick of the off-season. When compared with the summer of 2016, this off-season has simply been boring. It was expected to be as such, but no one could have predicted just how quiet this summer could be.

As of today, August 6th, 2017, there have only been two unrestricted free agents signed to contracts worth more than $6MM per year: Kevin Shattenkirk to the New York Rangers (as predicted) and Alexander Radulov to the Dallas Stars. In contrast, there were four such deals signed on July 1st, 2016 alone. Drop that mark down to contracts worth more than $4MM annually, and you get uninspiring names this year like Evgeni Dadonov, Dmitry Kulikov, Nick Bonino, Karl Alzner, Martin Hanzal, and Steve Mason added to the list; hardly a superstar among them. 2016 saw high-profile players like Milan Lucic, David Backes, Loui Eriksson, Kyle Okposo, and Andrew Ladd all find new homes. Those signings came on the heels of the P.K. Subban – Shea Weber and Taylor Hall – Adam Larsson trades as well. The best swaps 2017 has to offer so far are Travis Hamonic or Marcus Johansson being dealt for draft picks. There have simply been a lack of franchise-altering moves made this summer.

Then you have the timeline of when deals got done. By August last year, the best unsigned free agents were Antoine Vermette, Jiri Hudler, and Jhonas Enroth. The year before, Cody Franson and David Schlemko highlighted the August market. In both cases, NHL teams got their deals done in July, filling the month with exciting signing news. This year? Not so much. Legendary players like Jaromir Jagr, Jarome Iginla, and Shane Doan remain available, alongside other able-bodied contributors like Thomas Vanek, Drew Stafford, and Daniel Winnik. That’s in addition to Franson and Hudler as well. Teams are simply waiting around on this market for reasons unknown. Could it end up as an exciting run of signing in August? Maybe, but don’t count on it.

The weak 2017 free agent market coupled with the challenge of preparing for June’s Expansion Draft has simply resulted in one of quietest off-seasons in recent memory. Several teams still have needs and spots to fill and signings and trades remain possible, but at this point the summer is a lost cause. Time to look forward to next season and even next summer when we *hope* to see the likes of John Tavares, Rick Nash, Evander Kane, James Neal, James van Riemsdyk, Paul Stastny, Mikko Koivu, Cam Atkinson, Jonathan Marchessault, Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Mike Green, Jack Johnson, Calvin de Haan, and Antti Raanta all hit the open market. Hopefully that list is enough excitement to get you through the rest of this one.

Will The San Jose Sharks Make A Move?

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It’s hard to make an argument for any other team in the NHL as having a less exciting start to the 2017 off-season than the San Jose Sharks. Yes, the Sharks are just a year removed from a Stanley Cup appearance and have re-signed Norris Trophy-winner Brent Burns as well as Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Joe Thornton, and Martin Jones since then. You can get excited about new deals for Ryan Carpenter and Tim Heed last month too if you like. Yet, other than re-signing their own players, what have the Sharks added to their 2017-18 squad?

We know what they’ve lost. Patrick Marleau, a career-Shark and the franchise leader in goals (power play, short-handed, and even strength), points, and games played, is now a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs. David Schlemko, a 2016 free agency addition, was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Expansion Draft and then flipped to the Montreal Canadiens. Micheal Haley (Florida Panthers) and Buddy Robinson (Winnipeg Jets) are also gone.

The only additions for San Jose thus far, as they look to plug the holes formed by lost free agents as well as improve upon their 2016-17 performance: left wing Brandon Bollig and goaltender Antoine Bibeau. Bollig, 30, is a physical, fourth-line caliber forward, but doesn’t produce enough on a consistent basis to be a regular player. Bollig hit his career-high in points in 2013-14 with the Chicago Blackhawks when he scored 14 points in 82 games. Soon after, he was traded to the Calgary Flames, where he scored just nine points in 116 games over two seasons before being buried in the AHL for the entirety of the 2016-17 season. The big winger posted 11 goals and 11 assists in 60 games for the AHL’s Stockton Heat, but still brings little to the the table for the Sharks other than grit and experience. As for Bibeau, the 23-year-old keeper was not tendered a qualifying offer by the Toronto Maple Leafs after a disappointing season. Bibeau had an .894 save percentage and 3.08 GAA in 32 regular season appearances for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies and performed even worse in his one playoff game. Bibeau had clearly fallen behind Garret Sparks and Kasimir Kaskisuo to fifth in the Leafs’ organizational depth chart, and so he was not retained. In San Jose, Bibeau will be no greater than fourth behind Jones, Aaron Dell, and Troy Grosenick and may never get another NHL start.

Bollig and Bibeau, two players destined for the AHL, are not exactly an inspiring pair, which begs the question: will the Sharks make another move? The team is far from perfect and could use some help. Jones and Dell proved to be a solid duo last season and the blue line is as deep as any in the NHL, but San Jose is not without needs up front. The Sharks ranked just 19th in scoring last season, and also boasted on of the worst power play’s in the NHL, below average face-off numbers, and poor possession stats. Burns (a defenseman) was the team’s leading scorer last year and tied for the team lead in goals, while the since-departed Marleau was fifth in scoring and third in goals. The rest of the top five scorers –  Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture, and Joe Thornton – will return, but the 38-year-old Thornton is recovering from a torn ACL and MCL, an injury that occurred after he scored all *seven* of his goals. Beyond those three forwards, the production dropped way off in 2016-17 to the likes of disappointments such as Mikkel Boedker and Joel Ward and young, developing players like Chris Tierney and Tomas Hertl. The Sharks have a clear need for secondary scoring, especially with Marleau gone, and could use a power play catalyst as well. Brandon Bollig is not going to cut it and a full season of Jannik Hansen, acquired at the Trade Deadline, likely won’t either.

Top options for the Sharks include Thomas Vanek, Drew Stafford, and Jiri Hudler, while taking a waiver on a veteran like Jaromir Jagr, Jarome Iginla, P.A. Parenteau, or Mike Ribeiro or on a younger player like Alex Chiasson or Brandon Pirri could work as well. Given the Sharks’ scoring needs, their sufficient cap space, and the complete dullness of their off-season to this point, perhaps maybe two of those players could find their way to San Jose. If not, the Sharks do have pieces to make a move to acquire a scorer, potentially a Matt Duchene or Evander Kane, if they so choose. One way or another, GM Doug Wilson needs to do something, and quick, or not only will he have a team that has surely gotten worse since the end of the season, but he will have a disappointed fan base on his hands as well.

Best Of What’s Left – Part 2

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As we close in on the end of an only moderately crazy July 1st, there are quite a few names that remain from our Top-50 Free Agents list. Here are some of the best of what remains in the back half of our Top 50:

Johnny Oduya (#32) – A reunion with Chicago was not overly successful after he was traded to the Blackhawks in February. So far, there is little noise about where the 35-year-old defenseman will go. It’s still possible that Chicago plans to add him to their roster, but after a disappointing campaign, perhaps he will have to wait till someone comes calling. Of course, Stanley Cups and playoff experience are quite valuable, so his name should surface soon.

Jarome Iginla (#33) – Los Angeles has already told Iginla that they don’t want him back, so where does that put the 40-year-old winger who scored 14 goals between the Avalanche and the Kings? It seems the veteran forwards are getting the least attention by NHL teams. Could returning home to Calgary for one final run be in the cards for him?

Daniel Winnik (#36) – Winnik has played for seven teams so far in his career and is looking for a chance to stick with one team. The 32-year-old center has quietly put together one of his best seasons with a career-best 12 goals with the Capitals. However, he hasn’t received much interest on the first day of free agency. Could Washington get him on the cheap?

Shane Doan (#38) – Four teams have shown interest in Doan, according to arizonasports.com’s Craig Morgan. While he doesn’t mention any of the four teams, he adds that Doan will take some time to think about it, so we may not hear much from the 40-year-old forward for another few days. His experiences in Arizona should prove an enormous amount of leadership towards almost any team.

Brian Gionta (#39) – All signs point to Gionta not returning to Buffalo. It looks as if the new brass there might want to move on and hand their captaincy to some younger players. So where does that leave the 38-year-old, yet still productive center? Waiting.

Jiri Hudler (#40) – At 33, Hudler is quite young, but injuries have mounted for the veteran and there has been little call after the first day for the veteran center. However, despite missing more than half the season, the veteran still scored 47 goals in the two years previous. While no one has stepped forward, there should be teams ready to take a chance that he will return to form this year.

P.A. Parenteau (#41) – The 34-year-old has bounced around a lot over the last few years and might have to find a new team once again. While a reunion with Nashville is certainly possible, Parenteau only played 13 games (playoffs included) for Nashville for a total of one assist.

David Desharnais (#42) – Once thought of as a legitimate candidate to be taken by the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft, Desharnais is also looking for work and may have to look to other teams for his chance, although their quite a few ahead of him on this list.

Matt Cullen (#43) – You would think that the trend of veteran forwards would continue here, but the rumor is that Cullen is considering retirement and, if not, would likely be brought back by Pittsburgh. Despite 31 points last year for the Stanley Cup champions, Cullen might be done at age 40.

Ales Hemsky (#44) – It’s still early, but there are indications that Hemsky might be given the opportunity to return to Dallas. The veteran dealt with injuries and missed all but 15 games. If proven healthy and the Stars still have openings after all their moves in the last week, Hemsky could come back on a one-year deal.

Viktor Stalberg (#45) – Rumors persist that Ottawa wants to bring the speedy wing back, but it would have to be short-term after playing 18 regular season and 17 playoff games and finishing with just two goals and four assists combined.

 

 

 

Stars Notes: Nichushkin, Expansion, Honka

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When Valeri Nichushkin left for the KHL last summer after having trouble with Dallas Stars head coach Lindy Ruff, the team lost one of its best young assets to a rival league. The former 10th-overall draft pick had put up 34 points in his rookie season, then missed most of the next year after hip surgery but came back with another solid 29 point season as a 20-year old last year. He looked like a star (pun intended) in the making in Dallas, ready to break out over the next few seasons.

Well, breakout he did, just on the wrong continent. With 24 points in 36 games, Nichushkin was outstanding for CSKA Moscow when he was healthy. He is under contract for one more season with the Russian team, but Jim Nill was on the radio today saying (via Mark Stepneski of NHL.com) that he would like to bring him back to North America eventually. The now 22-year old would be a nice addition if they could get him under contract, as they’re likely losing Ales Hemsky, Patrick Sharp and Jiri Hudler this year—not to mention Patrick Eaves and Lauri Korpikoski, who they dealt at the deadline.

  • According to Stepneski, Nill also said that he likely will protect Nichushkin in the upcoming expansion draft, something that would complicate things quite a bit. Protecting Nichushkin would leave one of Antoine Roussel, Brett Ritchie, Radek Faksa or Cody Eakin exposed, none of whom the Stars could afford losing for nothing. While leaving Nichushkin exposed isn’t perfect, it would be hard to see Vegas taking a swing at him not knowing for sure if he’d ever come back to the NHL. Perhaps the Stars will work out a deal with the Golden Knights on who to take, as they currently look like they’ll lose an effective player in the draft.
  • Julius Honka will be back up with the NHL team at some point, to play another 8-10 games with the big club before the end of the season. The top prospect played 10 games earlier in the season for the team, and has thrived at the AHL level for three straight years. There will be no playoff run for the Texas Stars of the AHL this season, as they currently sit in seventh place in their division with a 27-29-4 record.

Expansion Draft Issues: Post-Trade Deadline

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Last month, we looked at several teams facing some tough situations in regards to the upcoming NHL Expansion Draft and offered potential solutions to how they could address their needs for forwards, defensemen and goalies at the NHL Trade Deadline. With March 1st over and done with, many of those squads have solved their problems with signings or acquisitions.

Calgary Flames

Problem: Defense

Status: Solved

The Flames solved their problem of otherwise having to expose Mark Giordano, T.J. Brodie, or Dougie Hamilton with the ingenious signing of Matt Bartkowski, the only defenseman on the planet who was both free to acquire and automatically eligible for exposure in the draft. It’s a good thing they signed him too, since they ended up trading away their best fall-back option, young defenseman Jyrki Jokipakka.

Carolina Hurricanes

Problem: Defense

Status: Unsolved

It was a pretty quiet deadline in Raleigh, as the ’Canes shipped out Ron Hainsey and Viktor Stalberg and then called it a day. What they didn’t do was acquire another body on the blue line to help solve their lack of a defenseman to expose. Carolina is still facing the problem of All-Star Justin Faulk being the only defenseman on the roster currently meeting the criteria for mandated exposure, due to the majority of their defensemen being too young to be eligible altogether. There is no way that Faulk is there for the taking by Vegas, but GM Ron Francis is left with only two choices: extend impending RFA Klas Dahlbeck or extend impending UFA Matt Tennyson and make sure he plays in seven more games this season, as he’s currently short of the 40-game mark.

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Trade Deadline Summary: Winners & Losers Of The Central Division

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The NHL Trade Deadline has come and gone, and while it wasn’t the most exciting deadline day in recent memory, there were quite a few notable moves. Here are the winners and losers of the “wild” Central Division:

Winners

Chicago Blackhawks:

Of course the Blackhawks are winners on deadline day. Did you expect any less? Although they didn’t make any major moves, Chicago brought in two players via trade that can help them immediately. Oduya, a former Blackhawk, is still familiar with the system and has played with many of the current players. Oduya should be able to step in right away, play major minutes, and form a shutdown pair with Niklas Hjalmarsson (when he’s healthy). Just like the good ’ol days. Meanwhile, like nearly any forward, Jurco has a skill set that will fit in well with Chicago’s star forwards and for just the cost of a third-rounder, could represent a long-term fit with the Blackhawks.

Dallas Stars:

The Stars are a tough team to place at the 2017 deadline. They are in the midst of an unforeseen epic collapse of a season and have done well to trade their impending free agents. If Patrick Sharp, Ales Hemsky, and Adam Cracknell weren’t all hurt, Dallas would be a deadline loser for not moving them. As it stands, they did hold on to Jiri Hudler, but traded their three other healthy upcoming UFAs. Eaves earned them great value in return and Korpikoski, a late off-season addition, nets a promising young defenseman in Heatherington. Even McNeill and a fourth-rounder for Oduya is a pretty good deal. So for those three moves anyway, GM Jim Nill did well. With that said, the Benn trade was ill-timed and doesn’t make your team better. Benn still had term on his contract and was the team’s best defensive defenseman and, of course, captain Jamie Benn’s older brother. Dallas will likely regret that move. The Stars are teetering on the edge of winner and loser, but they’ve been through enough this season, so we’ll call them winners.

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Atlantic Division Notes: Sens, Franson, Panthers

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The Ottawa Senators have been in the market for a top-six forward for much of the season and that need has only grown with the recent news that Bobby Ryan would be on the shelf for three to six weeks due. Ryan, with just 24 points in 50 games, hasn’t been as effective this season as in years past but still brings the track record of a proven scoring forward. However, despite the team’s need, Senators GM Pierre Dorion is not willing to give up too much in any deal, as Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun writes.

As the scribe notes, the Senators are one of several clubs that have been linked to Colorado center Matt Duchene at various times this season but the asking price, a young NHL defenseman, a prospect and a first-round pick, is too rich for Dorion’s blood. Cody Ceci, Thomas Chabot and Colin White, players Colorado would certainly demand as part of a package in any trade talks, are considered off limits according to Garrioch. That leaves Ottawa shopping in the second tier rental market in all likelihood, with Garrioch suggesting the team has or may have interest in pending free agents Jiri Hudler, Thomas Vanek and/or Drew Stafford. While those names may not be particularly awe-inspiring to Sens fans, as long as Dorion chooses to hoard the team’s best young assets then that’s more than likely the best they can do ahead of the trade deadline.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic Division:

  • There has been no shortage of teams with reported interest in St. Louis Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, the top offensive defenseman believed to be on the trade market. Every year contenders burn up the phone lines looking for quality blue line depth ahead of the deadline to bolster their chances of making a deep postseason run. Of course only one team will end up with Shattenkirk, which will leave plenty of disappointed teams looking for alternatives. One option for some of those clubs may well be Cody Franson, according to Bill Hoppe in a piece on Buffalo Hockey Beat. Earlier in his career, the right-shot blue liner was a solid point producer capable of playing in all situations. Since signing with the Sabres ahead of the 2015-16 campaign, the 29-year-old’s offensive game has regressed with Franson posting just 16 points in 53 games this season. However, given the high demand for defensemen capable of playing the right side, it’s likely the Sabres could flip Franson for a solid return to one of the teams either unwilling or unable to meet the high price tag the Blues have set for Shattenkirk.
  • Since Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau returned from injury nine games ago, the Florida Panthers more closely resemble a viable playoff contender even if they’ve actually drawn no closer to a postseason spot. The recent surge has possibly shifted GM Dale Tallon’s deadline position from potential seller to potential buyer. In the event they go the latter route, the Panthers could be in the market for a depth winger, as Tallon tells TSN’s Frank Seravalli in a recent interview. The longtime NHL executive tells Seravalli that he feels the team is “strong up the middle,” and that “either wing some place would work.” He also says that while the team has a couple of talented young wingers in the system, he doesn’t feel that “they’re ready to take the next step yet.” Tallon was extremely aggressive at last year’s trade deadline, adding forwards Teddy Purcell and Jiri Hudler to improve the club’s scoring depth. With plenty of veteran wingers reportedly available, there’s little reason to believe he won’t be just as aggressive this year, assuming he can find a deal or two to his liking.

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