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Mike Hoffman

San Jose Sharks Flip Mike Hoffman To Florida Panthers

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The San Jose experience didn’t last long for Mike Hoffman, as the Sharks have flipped their newest forward to the Florida Panthers in exchange for 2019 second, 2018 fourth and 2018 fifth round picks. The Sharks will include a 2018 seventh along with Hoffman, who moves from Ottawa to San Jose to Florida in a matter of hours. There is no retained salary in the trade.

Senators’ GM Pierre Dorion is notoriously stingy with trades in-division, which may have led to this opportunity for the Sharks. San Jose finishes the transaction with $4MM more in cap space, and a few extra draft picks to fill out the cupboards. Giving up Boedker would weaken their on-ice performance if his cap space wasn’t used for something else, but the team is expected to take a long run at some top names in free agency this summer. They do have contracts to work out with Tomas Hertl, Chris Tierney and Dylan DeMelo, along with unrestricted free agent Joe Thornton, but should have plenty of space to go after someone like John Tavares or Ilya Kovalchuk to give them some added offensive punch.

That offense was what Hoffman was supposed to bring, something that he’ll now take to Florida instead. The 28-year old winger will move south in the Atlantic Division, and join a relatively young team that already has some outstanding forward talents in players like Aleksander Barkov, Vincent Trocheck and Jonathan Huberdeau. The Panthers will add a four-time 20-goal scorer to their group, despite his recent off-ice situations. Because of those troubles between Hoffman and Senators captain Erik Karlsson, Florida has acquired him for an extremely low price. GM Dale Tallon released a statement regarding his newest player:

Mike is a skilled, consistent and hard-working player who has proven himself to be a talented goal scorer in the NHL. His speed, experience and offensive abilities will bolster our top-six group.

Taking a top scoring threat away from a division rival for a handful of picks after the first round is a steal for the Panthers, who are looking to take a run at the playoffs right away. As Chris Johnston of Sportsnet relays, Tallon had spoken with the Senators about Hoffman but thought the asking price was too high. Last night he received a call from the Sharks, and could find a price that worked. The Senators apparently wanted roster players from the Panthers, instead of the draft pick package that the Sharks were after.

The fireworks seem to just be starting in Ottawa, but both San Jose and Florida seem to be in a better position than they started this morning. This deal is a great one for both teams, as long as Hoffman’s off-ice situations are resolved. Draft week has been kicked off with a bang, and there will be plenty of intrigue as we approach Friday’s event.

Mike Hoffman Traded To San Jose Sharks

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9:20am: The Sharks have flipped Hoffman to the Florida Panthers. For more information check the latest story.

7:55am: The Ottawa Senators have traded Mike Hoffman, Cody Donaghy and a 2020 fifth-round pick to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Mikkel Boedker, Julius Bergman and a 2020 sixth-round selection. This comes after weeks of trade speculation surrounding Hoffman, following an incident between his fiancee, and team captain Erik Karlsson and his wife. Senators GM Pierre Dorion released a statement regarding the trade, that seems to point towards a rift in the locker room:

Today’s trade showcases our determination to strengthen the future of the team by improving chemistry, leadership and character in the locker room and on the ice. We are confident it is a step in the right direction for the long-term success of this organization. 

Hoffman, 28, is about as consistent a goal scorer as you can find in the league right now. After four straight seasons with at least 22 goals, Hoffman will look to establish even better numbers in San Jose playing with what has quickly become an impressive forward group. After trading for and re-signing Evander Kane, and now adding Hoffman to the mix, the Sharks have used poor off-ice reputations to acquire top end talent on the cheap. With Joe Thornton expected to re-sign for a relatively low price to remain in San Jose, the team has three legitimate scoring lines that can do damage at even strength.

While Hoffman brings an upgrade in goal scoring, Boedker may fit into Ottawa’s system with ease. The two-way speedster can help the team utilize Guy Boucher’s defensive style, bringing an added level of responsibility to the forward group. Still, it’s not clear where the goals will come from in Ottawa, especially given the team is still considering a trade of Karlsson. Just this morning, Darren Dreger of TSN tweeted that the team is listening on both Karlsson and Zack Smith as they attempt a full rebuild. If they do pull a full overhaul on the roster, there may be another trade coming for Boedker, who is owed $3MM in each of the next two years (with a $4MM cap hit).

Even with Boedker’s $4MM cap hit, the Senators will save some money the next two years. Hoffman is signed for two seasons with a cap hit just under $5.2MM, a number that the Sharks can easily afford. San Jose headed into this offseason with a huge amount of cap space, and even with the Kane extension should be able to bring back all of their restricted free agents and Thornton.

For Ottawa, the simple fact is that they needed to move Hoffman before the season began. The off-ice problems had become too much, and they did well to at least acquire an asset in Boedker and a prospect in Bergman. The latter may be the key to the deal, as a puck-moving defenseman who will add another lottery ticket to the pile for the Senators. Make no mistake, Bergman isn’t an elite prospect ready to make a huge impact at the NHL level, but should play for the Senators at some point at least in a limited role. The second-round pick recorded 20 points in 65 games for the San Jose Barracuda this season, his third in the minor leagues since being drafted in 2014. Bergman has one year remaining on his entry-level contract, meaning he’ll be a restricted free agent in 2019.

It’s tough to think that the Senators will be better after this deal, and should they blow up the entire program and try to rebuild it could get even worse. The tough part about any scorched earth rebuild though is the fact that the Colorado Avalanche own their first-round pick from either this year (fourth overall) or next. The idea of giving up a real shot at first overall and Jack Hughes next season is a frightening one for a team trying to turn itself around, though it may be the only rational decision. Giving up the fourth pick this season is still an extremely difficult decision, especially if they believe Filip Zadina will still be available.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Latest On The Ottawa Senators & Mike Hoffman

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As a general policy, PHR does not comment or report on a player’s off-ice situations unless they have a significant impact on their status with a team or around the league. This site is meant to wade through the unfounded accusations or hearsay and bring you only the most accurate transaction-related information and reporting from around the NHL and professional hockey. In this case, we decided not to cover a story on Mike Hoffman and Erik Karlsson of the Ottawa Senators because any effect it may have had on their status with the team was unclear. Now, as reports start coming from respected hockey sources on how the market has changed for an impending trade, we feel the need to release something on the situation. The original report came from Shaamini Yogaretnam the Ottawa Citizen, and subsequent response from Hoffman and his fiancée has just been published by Bruce Garrioch of the same publication.

Mike Hoffman has been rumored to be on the trade block for months, and the latest situation surrounding him, his fiancée and Erik Karlsson has only raised expectations of his movement. At one point, many believed that Hoffman was guaranteed to be traded before the upcoming NHL Entry Draft, something which is now not so clear. There’s no doubt that he will likely be moved still, but the situation has increased the difficulty of any deal.

In an updated version of the first report, the Ottawa Citizen spoke with Hoffman’s agent Robert Hooper. In his comments, he made it very clear that he believed there was no place in Ottawa for Hoffman any longer as long as Karlsson remained with the team.

What we’ve indicated to Pierre [Dorion, team GM] is that, and let’s call a spade a spade, it would be very difficult for both parties — both Erik and Mike as well as the wives and the fiancées — to co-exist in the same wives’ room and the same dressing room. 

In my 22 years in this business I don’t believe that I’ve ever come across a situation like this. This is an exceptionally unique situation and one that’s very unfortunate. Hopefully it can get resolved as quickly as possible.

This isn’t something we talked about with Pierre just today. We’ve been aware of this situation since the end of the season,

Insiders all around the league are speculating that Hoffman’s value has plummeted though, and could make it a much tougher sell for the Senators. Frank Seravalli of TSN reports that at least two GMs wouldn’t be willing to tough the situation until it is resolved, and Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet believes it’s now a situation that could hurt Pierre Dorion’s reputation around the league. Friedman believes that the team dropped their asking price for Hoffman before the story broke, and that some other teams may see that as “dirty poker.”

If you make this deal without knowing [about the situation]—and I think there might be some teams mad at the agents too, but the agents are trying to protect their clients and Dorion is trying to protect his investment—whatever the case is I think there were some teams just mad at the overall situation: ’Oh, you tried to pull a fast one on us eh? So what else about some of your guys are you not telling us?’ It’s a brutal situation.

In a video attached to Hoffman’s latest response, Garrioch claims that he believed the team was originally looking for a 2019 first-round pick and an established NHL roster player. Now, he believes that the team will have to settle for a prospect and first-round pick instead, and lists the Dallas Stars, Vancouver Canucks, St. Louis Blues, Minnesota Wild and Buffalo Sabres as potential candidates for a trade. Whether that comes to be in the next few days is still unclear.

The situation obviously also has an effect on Karlsson’s future, though the team has known about the situation since well before the original report. Even Hoffman admits that he spoke to his captain about it before the season was over, but that things weren’t resolved. Karlsson has always maintained that he loves the city of Ottawa and the team, though rumblings of a potential trade persist. If the team can’t get their superstar defenseman signed this summer to a long-term extension, the belief is they will look to move him and start a true rebuild.

Hoffman, 28, is under contract for two more seasons at a reasonable cap hit of just under $5.2MM. His production has been excellent through his four full seasons in the NHL, and he’s coming off a 22-goal, 56-point campaign. It’s obvious that many teams would enjoy adding the player to their lineup, but it seems clear that as long as this situation hangs over his head there will be a smaller market for Dorion to work with.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Avalanche Prepared To Pick Fourth If Senators Fold

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The first fireworks of the upcoming NHL Draft may show up at pick #4. When the Ottawa Senators acquired Matt Duchene from the Colorado Avalanche, part of the substantial package was a top-ten protected 2018 first-round pick. The terms of the deal afforded the Senators a choice between trading this year’s pick or next year’s pick to Colorado if the pick landed within the top ten spots. Finishing the season with the second-worst record in the league, Ottawa was obviously locked in to the top ten. Even after bad luck dropped them to fourth overall in the NHL Draft Lottery, GM Pierre Dorion confirmed that they would hold on to the pick this year and defer to the 2019 first-rounder.

However, that was back in April and things change. It seems more likely than ever that Erik Karlsson and/or Mike Hoffman will be traded away from Ottawa this off-season and that doesn’t bode well for a Duchene extension either. There also continue to be frustrations over the management of owner Eugene Melnyk and the fiscal future of the organization. Ottawa seems far from a free agent destination right now and no closer to turning around one of the worst records in the NHL. The initial Stanley Cup odds for next season reflect this, as the Senators at 100/1 odds are alone in last place. It’s understandable for public relations purposes that the Sens keep this year’s #4, both to add an exciting new prospect and to all but confirm to fans that the outlook for next season is better this season. It may not be the smart move though.

There is a trio of top prospects in the draft this year: defenseman Rasmus Dahlin and forwards Andrei Svechnikov and Filip Zadina. After that, there is no consensus on the next-best player. In fact, the fourth overall pick more or less marks the beginning of a lesser tier of prospects; not exactly a power position in 2018. Next year, the Senators are almost certainly going to miss the playoffs and will be a lottery team with a chance to land in the top three with a lucky draw. According to odds makers, they are also the favorite to finish 31st, which would give them the best odds at the first overall pick – highly-touted franchise center Jack Hughes – and would mean that they could fall no farther than fourth again. There is risk in giving up a pick as high as #4 this year, but there is also substantial risk in not giving it away, blowing up the roster, and simply hoping for a better finish next year. The pain that the organization and the fans would feel about losing #1 after another brutal season would be far worse than giving up a non-consensus top player at #4 this year. The mounting pressure of that very real possibility could force the Senators to give in and surrender the 2018 pick.

The Avalanche know this and are remaining vigilant. The Denver Post’s Mike Chambers caught up with Colorado Director of Scouting Alan Hepple, who says the team knows what direction they would go in if they wind up with #4 this year after all. Per Chambers, the Senators can wait all the way until they are on the clock to make the pick to instead complete the trade this year. Hepple doesn’t think that will be the case, but the Avs are prepared in case it is. They certainly wouldn’t mind the spot, as the team nabbed defensive phenom Cale Makar in that same draft slot last year and would be happy to make a repeat performance. With their own pick at #16, Hepple says that the team will simply take the best player available, regardless of position, but at #4 they have identified a more pressing organizational need, as they did with the UMass puck-mover Makar last year.

If the first three picks go as expected and Ottawa isn’t thrilled by the next-best name on their draft board, they could crumble under the pressure of the potential repercussions: losing a higher pick next year. It could pay off or it could be a mistake in hindsight; there is no way to tell with a lot riding on the decision. However, if they do, Colorado is ready to jump in. It’s not the most likely outcome, but it remains a possibility, and an intriguing one, as draft day approaches.

Atlantic Notes: Karlsson, Hoffman, Eisenschmid, Red Wings

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While the belief around the league is that the Senators may trade winger Mike Hoffman by the NHL Entry Draft which begins June 22, Postmedia’s Don Brennan suggests that they will not be following the same timeframe when it comes to defenseman Erik Karlsson.  While many expect that Ottawa won’t be able to lock up their franchise player to a contract extension, it appears that GM Pierre Dorion will wait until he can officially make an offer to Karlsson on July 1st and then if it gets rejected and discussions stall, then the team will look to move their captain.

Meanwhile, Brennan cautions that the return on Hoffman may be disappointing.  He notes that the Senators have been actively shopping him over the last two weeks but his contract, which carries a cap hit just under $5.2MM for two more years, could hurt his value.  There are teams that will seek buy low opportunities on pricey players or trades where they could send someone making similar money back, elements that Ottawa likely won’t prefer.  Accordingly, Hoffman may not be as high on the priority list for some of the teams that are looking to add this offseason.

More from the Atlantic:

  • Canadiens pending RFA center Markus Eisenschmid has signed a two-year deal with Adler Mannheim, the DEL team announced (link in German). The 23-year-old spent the last three seasons with Montreal’s AHL affiliates in St. John’s and Laval.  In 2017-18, he collected 16 points in 57 games and managed to impress enough to earn a spot on Germany’s entry at the World Championships last month.  Even though he has already signed elsewhere, Montreal can still choose to give him a qualifying offer after the draft if they so desire.
  • With the Red Wings highly expected to select a defenseman with their first-round pick, Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press reports that the organization gives a slight edge to Evan Bouchard (London, OHL) over Noah Dobson (Acadie-Bathurst) in their rankings. Detroit presently holds the sixth-overall selection although St. James suggests they could try to drop down to later in the top-ten, presumably to try to add another pick or prospect.

Mike Hoffman Trade Speculation Heats Up

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If you didn’t believe Darren Dreger when he told TSN 1200 yesterday that Mike Hoffman was likely to be traded before or during the June 22nd NHL Entry Draft, perhaps you’ll take another look after Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic was on the same radio station today explaining the situation surrounding the speedy winger.

From what I understand I think there’s a really strong chance that Hoffman gets dealt in the next couple of weeks here. But I think [the return] depends on the team you end up dealing with. Different teams have different assets, that if you’re [Senators GM] Pierre Dorion probably appeal to you. For example, let’s just pretend the Calgary Flames—who we know did reach out to Ottawa before the trade deadline about Mike Hoffman—you know if you’re Ottawa, you’ve got to look at Sam Bennett do you not? Is that not a desirable asset, hoping that you can turn the young man’s career around, and he’s a center? But if it’s another team it could be a younger player. I think it really depends on what team you end up finding a fit [with] in terms of the return.

At the very basic minimum, my understanding is that the Senators would want multiple assets back. Certainly not just a one-for-one.

Hoffman, 28, is coming off another 20-goal season and has two seasons left on his current contract. Able to bring speed and skill to any lineup, there will certainly be several suitors knocking down Dorion’s door to get a chance at him. For the Senators, trading him means giving up on the chemistry he seemed to build with Matt Duchene in the second half of the season, and attempting to rebuild with younger assets.

This summer could be one filled with fireworks for the Ottawa front office, as Erik Karlsson finds himself amid a hurricane of trade rumors as well. The superstar defenseman is heading into the final year of his current contract, and if the Senators can’t re-sign him quickly after July 1st the distraction might prove too much for a team trying to get back into the playoffs. Karlsson remains one of the top prizes on the trade market, but Hoffman doesn’t fall far behind.

Though teams have other options this summer with the free agent market looking like it will have players like James van Riemsdyk, James Neal and David Perron available, none are quite the style of player Hoffman is and will likely all demand longer contracts on the open market. For teams like the aforementioned Calgary Flames, he might seem like a much more appetizing option, even if he will cost multiple assets.

Ottawa is also facing a situation where they do not have a first-round pick next season, regardless of where it ends up. That’s thanks to the top-10 protection they placed on this year’s selection they sent Colorado for Duchene, which ended up landing at fourth-overall after the team struggled to find any success. It’s been a clear goal of the team to get back into the first round next season, as the team doesn’t look anywhere close to being a Stanley Cup contender and has never been able to afford quick fixes from the free agent market. Trading Hoffman and Karlsson though becomes a scary proposition when Colorado could potentially select first-overall in next year’s draft, and get to bring Jack Hughes (or another top prospect) in while Ottawa flounders at the bottom of the standings. Making a team that wins just enough to keep Colorado out of the top-10 may seem petty, but the pain from giving up a top pick can feel like too much to bear.

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Draft Day Trade Rumors: O’Reilly, Hoffman, Coyotes, Maple Leafs

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Given the last-place finish of the Buffalo Sabres and the comments made by veteran leader Ryan O’Reilly at the end of the season, it would come as no surprise if the team was to trade away their best player not named Jack Eichel in an effort to build around Eichel and his fellow promising young players. Earlier today, TSN’s Darren Dreger spoke on the extensive demands that Buffalo GM Jason Botterill has for any return in an O’Reilly deal and, while he admitted that a deal is beginning to seem more likely, felt that it would take a lot of work for any team to make a fair offer in Botterill’s eyes. Dreger’s TSN colleague and The Athletic reporter Pierre LeBrun seems slightly more optimistic about the likelihood of a deal. LeBrun admits that O’Reilly likely wouldn’t mind returning to Buffalo, what with Casey Mittelstadt and Rasmus Dahlin likely in the fold next year and beyond, and the Sabres may not mind keeping him. However, LeBrun opines that if John Tavares re-signs with the New York Islanders prior to the NHL Draft, the top center on the free agent market will be Paul Stastny and many teams would prefer to search the trade market instead, where O’Reilly appears to be the top prize down the middle. Given the Sabres’ desire to add young pieces – picks and prospects – to develop alongside their new, young core, the draft would be the ideal time to strike on an O’Reilly trade. LeBrun goes so far as to say that the Montreal Canadiens have already discussed such a deal.

  • Another player who LeBrun feels is primed to be dealt during or around the upcoming draft is Ottawa Senators forward Mike Hoffman. Hoffman was a frequent member of the rumor mill through the most recent NHL Trade Deadline, but remained in Ottawa, at least for the time being. LeBrun says that those rumors are back in full swing and that he feels Hoffman will be traded at the draft. The Senators are not trending in the right direction and could benefit from both the multi-piece return that Hoffman would command and a reprieve from his $5.18MM salary over the next two seasons. LeBrun notes that the Los Angeles Kings and Calgary Flames were the top suitors for Hoffman at the deadline, but the St. Louis Blues and Florida Panthers were also among a plethora of teams pursuing a player who has flirted with 30 goals and 60 points for three years in a row.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes and Vancouver Canucks have already been rumored to be listening on offers for their top ten picks in the upcoming draft; add the Arizona Coyotes to that list as well. LeBrun states that the team has contemplated offers and would consider moving up or down on draft day, depending on how the picks fall. LeBrun believes that GM John Chayka has already spoken with the Montreal Canadiens about a swap involving picks #3 and #5, in case the Habs feel they can get the top center in the draft, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, later on and if the ’Yotes have a preferred choice between potential second overall picks Andrei Svechnikov and Filip Zadina. He also feels that there is a strong chance that they could trade down, given the depth of defensemen in the first round versus the desire of other teams to move up for top forwards. Look for Arizona to be busy on the draft floor later this month.
  • Another team that could be making moves on draft day are the Toronto Maple Leafs. In a mailbag for The Athletic, Jame Mirtle says to expect new GM Kyle Dubas to trade down, perhaps even multiple times, during the draft. When Dubas ran the draft for the Leafs in 2015 he employed this strategy, seen far more often in the NFL than NHL. Dubas traded down twice in order to collect multiple picks in later rounds. In a draft that many feel has a significant drop-off in talent after the first 20-odd picks to a tier that encompasses the next 60 or so picks, if Toronto feels that they don’t have a surefire option at 25th overall, they could swap with a team who has a specific player in mind and potentially grab multiple player of similar caliber later on.

Snapshots: Hoffman, Donskoi, Ritchie

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Senators GM Pierre Dorion’s presence in Edmonton earlier this week sparked plenty of speculation of trade talk for the offseason.  One name that has come up quickly is Ottawa winger Mike Hoffman who could potentially be a fit alongside top center Connor McDavid.  However, Postmedia’s Jim Matheson reports that indications are that the Sens aren’t overly enthusiastic about the idea of moving him now as he continues to develop chemistry alongside Matt Duchene.  At one point earlier this season, Ottawa appeared to be willing to move Hoffman but Matheson notes that they turned down several offers for him before last month’s trade deadline.

More from around the league:

  • While Sharks winger Joonas Donskoi is set to miss tonight’s game with what appears to be a shoulder injury, head coach Peter DeBoer told Paul Gackle of the Bay Area News Group that the issue isn’t expected to keep him out long-term. The 25-year-old has been rather productive as of late with six points in his last seven games so his absence will be notable as San Jose looks to hold onto a playoff position in the tight Western Conference.  Winger Jannik Hansen is expected to take Donskoi’s spot in the lineup.
  • Stars winger Brett Ritchie has been listed as out day-to-day with a lower-body injury, relays Sean Shapiro of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 24-year-old actually played a season-high 16:47 in his last game on Wednesday against Toronto.  Ritchie has been relatively quiet offensively this year with just 13 points in 62 games but he leads all Dallas forwards in hits with 159.  Forward Gemel Smith is expected to take his place in the lineup.

Eastern Notes: Kane, Budaj, Sanheim, Reaves

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Evander Kane has found a new home, at least for the rest of this year. While it’s too early to know whether he will stay in San Jose for the foreseeable future, the Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington writes that the Sharks might be the best fit for the 26-year-old personality. In a 10-point notebook on Kane, Harrington writes that what Kane really needs is to be on a veteran team who will tell him how things work, something that he did not have in Buffalo.

The Sharks, who are loaded in veterans such as Joe Thornton, Brent Burns, Joe Pavelski, Joel Ward and Marc-Edouard Vlasic, should be able to have some controlling effect on Kane. Thornton already proved that when the veteran picked Kane up from the airport in a limousine after the trade. He also writes that Kane already is showing off his speed with San Jose as he’s tallied up three assists in two games with the Sharks. That speed was not very apparent over the past couple of months in Buffalo, but the scribe writes that Kane was well aware Buffalo management wanted to move on from him and may have lost interest in sacrificing himself for the Sabres.

Harrington also adds that general manager Jason Botterill should have made a trade earlier when Kane was hot. Knowing his reputation, which only got worse in the last couple of months with his teammates, they never were likely to get the asking price that Botterill was demanding. In the end, it was quite obvious that only veteran teams showed interest in Kane as the runner-up at the deadline was the Anaheim Ducks.

Due to his reputation, Harrington wonders whether Kane will be forced to take a lesser deal this offseason. Players at his age and skill should be getting a long-term deals at $6-7MM, but Kane may be forced to accept something closer to a four-year term if teams continue to worry about his ability to co-exist with his teammates.

  • Tampa Bay Times’ Joe Smith tweets that Tampa Bay Lightning backup goalie Peter Budaj, who hasn’t played since Dec. 29, is really close to returning to the team. The team could have a decision to make, however, as emergency backup Louis Domingue has won four of his six starts and has played well for Tampa Bay. Domingue, who has a 3.29 GAA and a .905 save percentage would have to be officially recalled, however, if they want to keep the 25-year-old. The team has already used two of their four allotted recalls on Anthony Cirelli and Adam Erne, so the team may not want to use a third recall yet and might stick with Budaj. The 35-year-old has struggled with Tampa Bay this year, however, with a 3.80 GAA and a .878 save percentage.
  • John Boruk of NBC Sports Philadelphia writes that the Philadelphia Flyers talked to the Ottawa Senators right before the trade deadline about acquiring winger Mike Hoffman. The scribe writes that sources have said the Senators asked for a package that included defenseman Travis Sanheim and a first-round pick as a starting point. While a first-rounder (they have two of them this year) might have been a possibility, Sanheim proved to be the deal-breaker.
  • Providence Journal’s Mark Divver tweets that he spoke to a pro scout who believes the Pittsburgh Penguins made a mistake when they traded enforcer Ryan Reaves to the Vegas Golden Knights last week. While Reaves took a lot of criticism for his lack of offense with the Penguins, he provided the team with leadership and a physicality the team really needed. The scribe writes that the Penguins struggled when things got tough Thursday when they played the Boston Bruins.

Deadline Primer: Carolina Hurricanes

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With the trade deadline less than 24 hours away, we continue our closer look at the situation for each team.  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 Carolina Hurricanes.

The NHL Trade Deadline is tomorrow at 2:00PM CT. Not only have the Carolina Hurricanes yet to make a move, but there have hardly been any whispers of GM Ron Francis and company talking to to other teams. The Hurricanes are in a tough position with the deadline growing closer and closer. Carolina is in the thick of the Eastern Conference wild card race, three points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final postseason spot, grappling for position with the New York Islanders and Florida Panthers. They also have an NHL-worst eight-year postseason drought to think about when considering their deadline position. At the same time, few would call the ’Canes lineup a true contender this season. Carolina is a bottom-ten team in both goals for and goals against with a -25 goal differential that ranks last among any team remaining relevant in postseason contention. So while the team is desperate to return to the Stanley Cup playoffs, they may be lucky to still even be in contention and could question giving up assets at the deadline without a real chance at a title run. The fact that the Hurricanes have had no presence on the trade market thus far speaks volumes about their own indecision on how to handle the 2018 trade deadline.

Record

27-25-10, seventh in the Metropolitan Division

Deadline Status

Standing pat

Deadline Cap Space

$72,699,714 in deadline cap space
49/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Draft Picks

2018: CAR 1st, CAR 2nd, CAR 3rd, CAR 4th, CAR 6th, CAR 7th, VGK 7th
2019: CAR 1st, CAR 2nd, CAR 3rd, CAR 4th, CAR 5th, CAR 6th, CGY 6th

Trade Chips

If the Hurricanes are sellers, then they have a few impending free agents with value to contenders. The main target would likely be Derek Ryan, who has had yet another strong season in Raleigh after breaking into the NHL seemingly out of nowhere. A versatile, two-way forward with strong possession abilities, Ryan is an ideal pickup for any team looking to add depth and fill out their bottom-six. Veteran Lee Stempniak is also a serviceable bottom-six forward who is no stranger to being dealt at the deadline and finding a role for himself on a new team. Of course, the big name that could move from the Hurricanes would be career keeper Cam Ward, the hero of Carolina’s magical Stanley Cup run in 2006. Ward is an impending free agent and, although he has taken the starting job back from newcomer Scott Darling, is not likely to stay with the ’Canes for much longer. There are one or two teams out there looking for relief in net and Ward could be an attractive target if made available. For anyone expecting the Hurricanes to “sell” players like Justin Faulk and Jeff Skinner, don’t hold your breath, at least at this deadline.

If the Hurricanes are buyers, they offer several promising young prospects and a near-full collection of draft picks to sellers. Blocked by a deep top-six with staying power, young defenseman Roland McKeown is becoming more expendable as the days go on. The highly-regarded 2014 second-rounder could use a change of scenery to somewhere with more opportunity and Francis would be willing to deal him for the right return. Similarly, forward prospects like Valentin Zykov and Lucas Wallmark have been kicking around the AHL for long enough, without a real chance to showcase their NHL ability, that the value of their recent draft positions is beginning to wear off. The Hurricanes would be wise to move on from them if the right deal presents itself.

Players To Watch: F Derek Ryan, F Lee Stempniak, F Josh Jooris, D Klas Dahlbeck, G Cam Ward

Team Needs

1) A Star and A Starting Goalie

The main reason that the Carolina Hurricanes are most likely to stand pat at this deadline is because the two things they need to take the next step are the two things that are most difficult to find in hockey: a game-changing player and a top goaltender. It’s not unreasonable to think they can acquire these players somehow, but at the deadline it’s next to impossible. More than anything, the ’Canes need a legitimate first-line power center and that player simply isn’t available at this deadline. Maybe this summer, but not right now. The Darling experiment has been a failure, but there’s no one on the market who is a lock to outplay him long-term in net. Carolina’s two biggest needs are much easier to address in the off-season. Expect their efforts – and top trade assets – to be put to use then, rather than during the next 24 hours.

2) A Scoring Forward 

If, and it’s a big if, the Hurricanes decide to go for it this year and make a deal that significantly increases their odds of making the playoffs, they need to improve their scoring. The team is solid on the back end and the situation in net is what it is, but up front they have many nice complementary players, but lack that one player who can transform them into a cohesive unit (hence the need for a star forward). A player who can improve the team’s ability to put the puck in the net, not specifically a shooter or play-maker but simply a player with great offensive instincts, would be of interest to Carolina. An impending free agent or a player with term could be sought out; they certainly have the cap space to afford a long-term, expensive contract if need be. With a horrid playoff drought and a new, proactive owner, it’s definitely possible that Carolina could jump into the conversation for a Mike Hoffman or Max Pacioretty, but more likely than not, they save the assets needed to acquire either one for the summer trade market.

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