Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Pro Hockey Rumors Originals

Trade Deadline Primer: Winnipeg Jets

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

As we enter the middle of March, the trade deadline is inching closer. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the Winnipeg Jets.

A revamped back end for Winnipeg over the summer provided some cause for optimism heading into the season.  After a quick exit in the second round to Montreal, the additions of Nate Schmidt and Brendan Dillon were supposed to steady the blueline and help the Jets take that next step forward.  They’ve certainly helped on that front but unfortunately for them, Connor Hellebuyck has struggled and the end result is that they find themselves right in the middle heading into next week’s deadline – too close to automatically give up but too far away to realistically spend assets to try to make a run.

Record

28-23-10, 6th in the Central

Deadline Status

Toss-up

Deadline Cap Space

$669K today, $669K in full-season space (using LTIR), 0/3 retention slots used, 40/50 contracts used per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2022: WPG 1st, CBJ 3rd, WPG 5th, WPG 6th, WPG 7th
2023: WPG 1st, WPG 3rd, WPG 4th, WPG 5th, WPG 6th, WPG 7th

Trade Chips

The good news for Winnipeg is that if they do decide to sell, they have two veterans at a position that will be in high demand.  One of those is Andrew Copp, whose specific case we looked at in some detail over the weekend.  He’s currently out with a head injury and while it’s not believed to be too serious, it could put a hold on talks for the time being.  While his production has tapered off in recent weeks, he’s a two-way player that can play all three positions and do so in both offensive and defensive roles.  Pretty much every contender would have a use for that type of versatile player although, with a $3.64MM AAV, not all of them will be able to afford him.

The other center that would be available if they sell is Paul Stastny.  The 36-year-old has actually improved his offensive numbers from last season with 17 goals and 13 assists in 50 games, giving him his best point per game average since the 2018-19 season.  Stastny has spent a lot of this season on the wing with Winnipeg having Mark Scheifele and Pierre-Luc Dubois on their top two lines but he was a full-time middleman as recently as last season.  He’d fit in well on the third line for several contenders with an ability to move up in a pinch although his price tag of $3.75MM will take some creativity for some of them to fit the veteran onto their roster.

Nathan Beaulieu is currently on LTIR and will be out until next month but if there’s a team looking to add a bit of depth, his $1.25MM cap hit isn’t overly high and the 29-year-old has held his own on the third pairing in the past although his role has been reduced this year.  The return would be minimal – a conditional draft pick based on games played at most – but there’s at least a small possibility that he’d move.

On the other side of the coin is David Gustafsson.  The 21-year-old pending RFA actually cracked Winnipeg’s lineup as a 19-year-old but had a very limited role that year and in the two seasons since then, his NHL time has been extremely limited, including just two appearances this season that totaled less than five minutes of action.  He has played well with AHL Manitoba with 20 points in 33 games but as someone that needs waivers next season and doesn’t appear to have the confidence of the NHL coaching staff right now, he’s someone that GM Kevin Cheveldayoff might be comfortable parting with in a smaller move if he decided to try to add a small piece to try to help get the Jets into the second Wild Card spot.

Then there are the blank spots on their roster.  Only one team (Seattle) has fewer players signed to NHL contracts and there are a dozen teams that are three or less away from the limit of 50.  Winnipeg is in a position where they could add some extra AHL depth and perhaps a late draft pick to take a contract from one of those teams that has to free up a slot to make a move.  It wouldn’t be worth much but the empty slots effectively are a trade chip for the Jets.

Others To Watch For: D Tyrel Bauer (unsigned prospect), F C.J. Suess ($725K, UFA)

Team Needs

1) Draft Picks – If Winnipeg sells, they need to stock up on picks.  They haven’t had a full set of draft choices since 2017 and have had just four selections in each of the last two seasons.  At the moment, they only have two choices in the first 140 spots which is hardly ideal.

2) Depth Forward Upgrades – As a result of keeping their top forwards intact from last year and adding to their back end, Cheveldayoff had to go really cheap at the bottom of the depth chart.  The results haven’t been great for the most part.  They need low-cost improvements both now and in the long term, making this a team need that needs to be addressed regardless of which direction they ultimately wind up taking over the next few days.  While there are other needs to fill, it’s unlikely they’ll be addressed here with the Jets either selling or basically standing pat

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trade Deadline Primer: St. Louis Blues

at CDT | by 12 Comments

As we enter the middle of March, the trade deadline is inching closer. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the St. Louis Blues.

While many before the season thought the writing was on the wall for an aging Blues team, a variety of breakout years have kept St. Louis on track this year. Jordan Kyrou, Robert Thomas, Pavel Buchnevich, and Ivan Barbashev are all having career-best years that are giving St. Louis some of the best forward depth in the league, and that’s not to mention a good rebound campaign from Vladimir Tarasenko. They’ve also gotten extraordinary goaltending from Ville Husso in recent weeks, keeping the team near the top of the Western Conference after a hot Jordan Binnington start cooled off. Now, they aim to create a roster that’s capable of giving the city of St. Louis its second Stanley Cup in four years.

Record

34-17-8 (.644), second in Central Division

Deadline Status

Buyers

Deadline Cap Space

$113,333 today, $133,333 in full-season space, 0/3 retention slots used, 44/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2022: STL 1st, STL 3rd, STL 4th, OTT 4th*,  STL 5th, STL 6th
2023: STL 1st, STL 2nd, STL 3rd, STL 4th, STL 5th, STL 6th, STL 7th

* – Blues receive Ottawa’s 2022 fourth-round selection if Logan Brown plays under 30 regular-season games for St. Louis in 2021-22. Brown has currently played 21 games.

Trade Chips

The St. Louis Blues have absolutely no salary cap flexibility at this stage to make a trade. While they are operating with a full 23-man roster, meaning they can send a player down and be okay (likely Alexei Toropchenko, who doesn’t require waivers), they’ll likely only have around $1MM to work with on Deadline day. With that in mind, any deal they make likely involves a roster player going the other way.

If they can offload him, the most obvious candidate here is defenseman Marco Scandella. Locked in for two more seasons after this with a cap hit of $3.275MM, his ice time has dwindled this year as injuries and age have limited his playing ability. It also doesn’t help that he plays the very position St. Louis is looking to upgrade the most — left defense. With him getting surpassed on the depth chart by Niko Mikkola, the fit for Scandella is simply no longer there.

In terms of the prospect pool that they have to deal from, Klim Kostin could be a piece desirable to other teams. He’s gotten into 40 NHL games this year but now finds himself back in AHL Springfield after just four goals and nine points, averaging nine minutes a game. The final pick of the first round in 2017 still carries significant trade value and would satisfy many teams’ want for an NHL-capable player without St. Louis having to deal from their active roster.

The Blues are also in an enviable position among contenders as they still have their first-round selection in each of the next two seasons. It’s a safe bet that the Blues will consider moving one of those picks, as their incredibly deep forward group and breakout year from Husso in net makes them a dark horse for a deep playoff run.

Team Needs

1) Top-Four Left Defenseman – Their top pairing of Torey Krug and Justin Faulk has been utterly dominant this season, but the team’s defense has been lacking behind that. Colton Parayko is still holding his own defensively, but the other half of the defense is plagued by inexperience and mediocrity. Finding a partner for Parayko has to be priority number one for St. Louis, and maybe Ben Chiarot or another defenseman fits that bill.

2) Depth Center – St. Louis could benefit from someone who can challenge Tyler Bozak and others for a spot in the lineup. Bozak’s age has caught up to him this year, and his -11 rating is the worst on the team. With just three goals on the season, a younger, cheap veteran option could be extremely beneficial.

Trade Candidate: Andrew Copp

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The trade deadline is now just over a week away as we continue our look at some of the players who have a good chance of being on the move between now and March 21st.

Andrew Copp has fairly quietly but steadily improved over the past several seasons and has worked his way up from being an energy player on the fourth line to a reliable checker to a quality two-way center that plays big minutes in all facets of the game.  As a result, if Winnipeg decides that they’re going to sell, Copp will be one of the most sought-after players around the league in the days to come.

Contract

Copp is on a one-year, $3.64MM contract that was agreed on prior to his arbitration hearing in August and thus contains no form of trade protection.  The deal is all salary and he will be an unrestricted free agent after the season.

2021-22

Copp has been somewhat of a Swiss army knife for Winnipeg this season.  Injuries to Blake Wheeler and Nikolaj Ehlers opened up spots on the wing that Copp filled at times.  He has spent most of the year playing down the middle but even with a fully healthy lineup (including Mark Scheifele and Pierre-Luc Dubois at center), Copp has logged heavy minutes and is third among all Winnipeg forwards in ice time behind only Kyle Connor and Scheifele.

Unsurprisingly, the 27-year-old has seen plenty of action on special teams.  He leads all Jets forwards in shorthanded ice time per game and plays almost the same amount of time on the power play, making him their only player to average at least 2:30 per contest in both situations.

The end result is that Copp is on pace to set career highs across the board (he’s already there in shots on goals).  On top of that, he’s winning over 53% of his draws and we know how much teams value situational faceoff performance in the playoffs.

However, it’s worth noting that his production has tapered off a little bit as of late with five points in his last 16 games while half of his full-season point total came in the first 15 games of the year.  That shouldn’t hurt his market too much but interested teams will be factoring that into their offers.

Season Stats

53 GP, 13 goals, 19 assists, 32 points, even rating, 8 PIMS, 147 shots, 20:05 TOI, 52.9 CF%, 53.8% faceoffs

Potential Suitors

Basically, any contending team with some cap space will have interest in Copp if he’s made available.  Winnipeg could retain to facilitate a deal although they’re close to being capped out so there may be a limitation to how much they can hold back or who they can take on to offset part of the contract.

In the East, the Bruins never really filled the hole created by David Krejci’s departure and have been looking to fill a top-six hole all season.  Copp fits the bill on both ends and they have the cap space to afford him outright.  So do the Rangers who could either slot him in on the wing in the top six or have him anchor a new-look third line that can take some pressure off the top lines.  The Maple Leafs have been linked to some wingers and Copp would be a good complementary piece on the wing on their second line although making the money work would be a challenge with Jake Muzzin set to return later this season.  The Capitals have been looking around at checking wingers and while Copp is rated a little higher, he’s someone they’d have interest in although again, the cap looms large on that front.  The Panthers may covet Copp’s faceoff prowess to help offset Sam Bennett’s struggles on the draw if they aren’t able to add a significant piece on the back end.

Out West, the Wild stand out as a strong fit.  They’re stuck shopping for expiring contracts with the buyout charges increasing next season for Zach Parise and Ryan Suter and could certainly use some improvements down the middle.  The Avalanche have good depth at center already but could use Copp on the wing or in a shutdown capacity.  It’d also be an opportunity to evaluate if he could be a serviceable replacement for Nazem Kadri if Kadri prices himself out of what Colorado can afford over the offseason.  The Flames would have some cap challenges to overcome and would need to use him on the wing but he certainly fits Calgary’s playing style.  If the Predators opt to try to make a bigger addition, Copp is someone that would fit in a role that’s similar to one he plays with Winnipeg, splitting time at center and the wing.

Likelihood Of A Trade

A lot will depend on how Winnipeg fares in this next week.  If they can close the gap on a Wild Card spot, they may hold onto Copp in the hopes of sneaking into the postseason.  However, if that doesn’t happen and a contract extension isn’t in the cards, there’s a very good chance that Copp will be on a different roster once the clock passes 2 PM CT on March 21st.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

PHR Mailbag: Sabres, Islanders, Husso, Jets, Samsonov, Detroit’s Defense, Pacific Predictions, Projections, Avalanche

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Topics in this edition of the PHR Mailbag include Ville Husso’s future with St. Louis, whether or not it’s time for Winnipeg to shake up their core, building up Detroit’s back end, and much more.  If your question doesn’t appear here, check back in last weekend’s mailbag.

@JoeBad34TD: Sabres: It’s time to move on from Mittelstadt, Miller, Eakin, and Olofsson. Miller and Eakin are vets that may get you some later picks.  Mittelstadt and Olofsson are young but not the right fit for this team’s future. Do you see a trade market for these players and at what value?

I agree with you on the assessment of Cody Eakin and Colin Miller – both are candidates to be moved for draft picks so there’s really nothing more to say about those two.

As for the two younger players, I don’t think there’s a great market for Casey Mittelstadt right now.  He has struggled since his rookie season and hasn’t been healthy all that much this year.  With two more years left on his deal at $2.5MM per, Buffalo would be selling low if they moved him.  They’re not in a position where they should be selling low so holding onto him is the smarter play from a valuation standpoint; it’s not as if his value can get much lower than it would be right now so why not hold onto him, make some moves to bolster the roster over the summer, and see how he fits in with the new-look team?  Maybe there’s a better fit and if that doesn’t happen, maybe he produces a bit more to up his trade value.

Then there’s Victor Olofsson.  I tend to agree that he’s not a great fit for Buffalo moving forward but again, they’re not exactly selling high on him either.  He has struggled this year and has just 10 goals in 49 games with a $3.25MM qualifying offer looming large this summer.  If they know that they don’t want to pay that, then it’s a case of taking what you can get now which might be a mid-round pick if the Sabres retain on the contract.  If GM Kevyn Adams is leaning towards tendering that offer though, they might have a shot at a swap of underachieving wingers in the summer.  It’s not going to be an overly exciting return, however.

Y2KAK: What are reasonable moves the Islanders make at the trade deadline?

While they won’t be able to get much for their rentals (headlined by winger Cal Clutterbuck), GM Lou Lamoriello would be wise to try to get a couple of draft picks through moving some of them.  They haven’t had more than six selections over the last three years and only have five for this summer’s draft so getting closer to a full complement of picks would be a reasonable move.

I honestly don’t expect a whole lot more from them.  This is a team that has been good enough to make some decent playoff runs lately so I think Lamoriello will look at this and feel that they could be back in the thick of things next season when they don’t have a massive road trip, get hit hard by positive COVID tests, and have a bunch of injuries.  With that in mind, I don’t know how much he really wants to change things.

One move I could see them looking into is trading Semyon Varlamov.  Ilya Sorokin is clearly their goalie of the present and while they want someone who will probably play a bit more than an average backup behind him, that player doesn’t need to cost $5MM like Varlamov does.  He’s signed for next season and with the trade market being relatively thin in terms of impact goalies available, the 33-year-old could be a candidate to be moved.  It might have to be in the summer but a deadline trade can’t be ruled out either.

bighiggy: With the emergence of Husso, do the Blues look to sign Husso so he doesn’t depart at the end of the season, and then try to trade Binnington? Or let Husso walk and hope Binnington plays better?

The Blues would like to keep Husso and in a perfect world, they find a way to keep both.  Husso is a fascinating UFA case this summer.  He’s having a great year (2.24 GAA, .928 SV% in 24 games) but he only has 41 career NHL appearances under his belt.  Is that enough to land him top dollar on the open market?  Probably not.  But could he land something similar to Alex Nedeljkovic’s deal with Detroit – two years, $3MM AAV?  That wouldn’t shock me.

Now with that estimate, can they afford to keep Husso?  I think they can.  If they opt to let David Perron walk in free agency and fill his spot with someone like Jake Neighbours who is still on his cheap entry-level deal, that might be enough of a shuffle in terms of allocating cap dollars to make it work if they go with low-cost pieces to round out the roster as they’re likely to do.  If they don’t want to do that, then I suspect Husso would walk and Binnington would enter next season as the undisputed starter as if they can’t/won’t pay Husso in the $3MM range, they’re not getting someone that can push for the starting job for less than that.  With Binnington’s struggles, it’s hard to see a viable scenario where he leaves and Husso becomes the starter.

selanne76: Should the Jets make a move to shake up their leadership group? If so, who goes where and what should be the return?

I have to admit, I really like Winnipeg’s core group.  It’s a good mix of veterans and younger players and they’re all capable of scoring.  Breaking that up is risky.  But this core has been together for a while and hasn’t gotten it done in terms of playoff success and even getting to the postseason this year is going to be tough.

Personally, I’d give them one more opportunity next season.  Andrew Copp probably won’t be back and if Paul Stastny departs as well, that gives the Jets some money to work with to reshape the bottom six.  I’d like to see their depth improved as that has been an issue this year; going with low-cost players because they make the minimum or close to it makes the cap work but puts a lot of extra pressure on that top group.

I also could see a coaching change happening.  With Paul Maurice leaving midseason, they were in a tough spot and elevating Dave Lowry to the interim role was the logical choice.  But if they miss the playoffs, it’s an opportunity to bring a new voice and system in; perhaps that gives them the spark they were missing.

If they decided to make a change to really shake it up, my guess would be that Nikolaj Ehlers would be the one to go.  It’s hard to move Mark Scheifele when they don’t have a sure-fire replacement in the system (I like Cole Perfetti as a winger more than a center from a long-term standpoint) and Pierre-Luc Dubois isn’t a true number one and might not have the trade value he did when Winnipeg got him with now two fewer years of team control.  Blake Wheeler won’t bring back much with his age and contract and Kyle Connor isn’t going anywhere.

As for what Ehlers could bring back, it’d all depend on what they’d be doing.  If they were doing a rebuild, a first-rounder and a top prospect would be the key elements of a return.  If it’s a core shakeup, it’d be another top-six winger that’s signed or at least under team control for as long as Ehlers is signed for (through 2024-25).

2012orioles: Even if the Capitals move Samsonov, what value does he bring being an RFA after the season?

Not as much as you might think at first glance.  When was the last time a goaltender was traded in a move that made anyone think ‘wow, that’s a big price to pay’?  It doesn’t happen very often and with the year he’s having, he’s probably not going to buck the trend.

I think Ilya Samsonov can be a starter in the NHL or at least a 1A part of a platoon.  He’s not going to be able to command that type of return with a save percentage that’s just above .900 though, nor is he going to be able to land the type of contract that’s commensurate with that level of a player (high-$3MM range for a 1A, considerably more for a starter) this summer.  Another one-year, prove it type of deal is probably coming.

That actually hurts Samsonov’s trade value a little bit in my eyes.  He has two years of team control left but a one-year deal this summer takes him to a spot where he can opt for arbitration next summer and head to unrestricted free agency in his prime.  The Rangers will likely be moving Alexandar Georgiev for cap reasons this summer, another pending RFA who has had similar hot and cold spells in the NHL and that also doesn’t help Washington’s cause.

When I first saw this question, the word that immediately came to mind in terms of value was underwhelming.  Regardless of whether it’s a futures-based trade or he’s moved for a veteran, any return for Samsonov (if he winds up being traded) is going to yield an underwhelming return.

Detroit_SP: How do the Red Wings address the left side of the defense? They have given up over 6 GAA in the recent stretch and it’s mostly due to left side deficiencies (Leddy, DeKeyser, etc.)

I don’t see a lot of top two D-men in FA that fit with the Red Wings timeline.

Can they swing for Chychrun without giving up Seider, Edvinsson, or Raymond? I imagine Berggren would be going the other way, as unfortunate as that would be. Combination involving him and then from Wallinder, Sebrango, McIsaac, Johannson, Mazur, picks? I’d prefer to avoid 2023 picks given the draft prowess projected.

Target a different defender with term remaining?

Let’s talk about Chychrun first.  The asking price is extremely high and Arizona has no reason to trade him for anything less than a king’s ransom at this point.  The price to be paid is going to hurt so no, a package headlined by a 2018 second-round pick in winger Jonatan Berggren isn’t going to work.  I don’t think they’d need to move Moritz Seider or Lucas Raymond but I imagine the Coyotes would be insisting on Simon Edvinsson as part of the deal and then adding pieces (including Berggren potentially) from there.

I don’t think this is the right time for them to try to fill a top-two spot on the back end.  Detroit isn’t about to jump from missing the playoffs for the sixth year in a row to a contender overnight.  GM Steve Yzerman is all about building slowly so it stands to reason that the shift towards being a playoff-bound team is going to be gradual, not dramatic.  It wouldn’t be shocking to see them give Edvinsson some NHL time next season (he’s signed with Frolunda but as he was a first-round pick, Detroit can supersede that contract).

Out of the pending free agents, Hampus Lindholm is one that would really fit well for the Red Wings if they wanted to make a big splash and while he’s not a big point-getter, he’s a legitimate top-pairing player.  That’s why Anaheim wants to re-sign him and why the trade market for rental defenders is basically at a standstill at this point.  I wouldn’t be shocked if Marc Staal returns either while another depth piece can be added as well through free agency.

Could Yzerman trade his way towards filling some of those holes?  Sure.  But why move those assets out in what will probably be a transitional year as they look to get back into the playoff picture?  Add some pieces in free agency, get a little better, assess where things stand, and then use some picks and prospects as trade currency to add when they’re more ready to go for it.  As a patient GM with both Tampa Bay and now Detroit, that’s the route I expect him to take.

Read more

Trade Deadline Primer: Dallas Stars

at CDT | by 1 Comment

As we enter the middle of March, the trade deadline is inching closer. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the Dallas Stars.

The Dallas Stars’ ability to make a splash at the upcoming trade deadline is a question of both “can” and “should”, to which the answer is the same for both: no. The Stars are currently utilizing the Long-Term Injured Reserve and are not accruing any cap space. As of today, they have practically no cap space and any trade would have to be dollar-for-dollar in terms of full-year cap hit. While small roster tweaks like demoting third goalie Adam Scheel or young defenseman Thomas Harley or waiving recent claim Marian Studenic could open up marginal space for an acquisition, anything more than a low-salary addition will be impossible without sending a regular roster piece the other way. The Stars have put together a deep, diverse roster and should not be disassembling it this season, either as a seller or in a bid to to make a major move as a buyer. While the pursuit of a playoff spot is important (and the Stars currently hold the final wild card spot in the West), a first-round match-up with the Colorado Avalanche likely awaits. Dallas fans should not be fooled by an unlikely run to the Stanley Cup two years ago; the best move this season is to be cautious and conservative rather than overreact one way or the other. The Stars have already extended Joe Pavelski and seem likely to retain John Klingberg as an internal rental – that could very well be the extent of their deadline plans.

Record

32-22-3 (.588), fifth in Central Division

Deadline Status

Stand Pat

Deadline Cap Space

$50,000 today (LTIR), $50,000 in full-season space, 0/3 retention slots used, 46/50 contracts used per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2022: DAL 1st, DAL 2nd, DAL 3rd, DAL 4th, DAL 5th, DAL 6th, DAL 7th
2023: DAL 1st, DAL 2nd, DAL 3rd, DAL 4th, DAL 5th, DAL 6th, DAL 7th

Trade Chips

The most talked-about trade chip in Dallas will of course be Klingberg. However, recent reports suggest that he may not be on the move after all. While Klingberg seems destined to play elsewhere next season, the Stars’ playoff position combined with Miro Heiskanen’s recent mononucleosis diagnosis makes Klingberg far more likely to stay on as an internal rental rather than be dealt. The Stars are able to largely stand pat because their current group has put them in playoff position. If Klingberg was traded, Dallas would have to replace him if they hoped to hold on to that position, likely making retaining Klingberg more valuable than the return they would receive for him.

As for other roster players that could be on the move, it is hard to say who Dallas could move. They would probably like to move Alexander Radulov or Radek Faksa, both of whom have had very poor years relative to their lofty contracts. However, for that same reason neither is likely to move at the deadline. The up-and-down play of Denis Gurianov can be frustrating, but the Stars are unlikely to move him just yet. The same can be said for Joel Kiviranta, who has fallen very short of expectations this season but still has upside. Barring a godfather offer, the two young forwards are likely safe for now.

The roster position to watch is likely in net. Jake Oettinger has established himself as the proven, long-term starter this season. If the Stars are willing to bet on the young keeper to lead them through the stretch run and into the postseason, they could move on from impending UFA Braden Holtby, who has drawn interest from other contenders. Holtby’s current injury situation complicates the matter, but shouldn’t rule out a trade completely. If Holtby is dealt, the team would look to Anton Khudobin to return to the NHL roster as backup. If Holtby stays, the Stars will continue to look for a new home for Khudobin.

Assuming that the Stars keep things quiet at the deadline, it is likely that none of these aforementioned players are traded. It also would imply that their top picks and prospects are safe. Dallas is more likely to peddle mid- to late-round draft picks, older prospects, or lower-level prospects in order as a means to add depth players. Members of AHL Texas who have yet to carve out an NHL role in Dallas but could contribute more to a seller include forwards Riley Tufte and Nicholas Caamano and defensemen Ben Gleason and Ryan Shea.

Others To Watch For: F Jordan Kawaguchi, F Fredrik Karlstrom, D Samuel Sjolund, G Colton Point

Team Needs

1)  Affordable Secondary Scoring – On paper, it would seem that the Stars are well off at forward. The team has skill on every line, with at least one recognizable (and well-paid) anchor, not to mention a blend of experience and youth. Yet, it hasn’t gone as planned this season. Dallas is in the lower half of the league in scoring despite their considerable talent and depth, as many players have struggled with inconsistency and underperformance in general. While it may not be clear exactly where in the lineup an additional forward may fit, there is room to improve. If the Stars felt that the unproven Studenic could help, then there is a need. Of course, the problem is that the Stars will have no more than $1.75MM or so to add – and that is if they budget for only one acquisition. Dallas will have to target affordable contracts given their cap space.

2) Defensive Depth – Even if Klingberg stays and Heiskanen is healthy sooner rather than later, an extra body on defense certainty wouldn’t hurt the Stars chances. The Dallas top four is strong, but the depth falls off after that. Jani Hakanpaa is one-dimensional, Andrej Sekera is well past his prime, Joel Hanley plays a limited role, and the capable Harley is nonetheless an inexperienced rookie. Again, this will have to be a bargain addition, but there are options available that could prove to be an upgrade

Trade Deadline Primer: Colorado Avalanche

at CDT | by 2 Comments

As we enter the middle of March, the trade deadline is inching closer. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the Colorado Avalanche.

Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic is widely heralded as one of the best in the league, and it’s easy to see why. His squad is once again in contention for a President’s Trophy and/or deep Stanley Cup Playoffs run despite some tough injury luck throughout the season. He truly hit it out of the park again this offseason, signing franchise cornerstones Gabriel Landeskog and Cale Makar to cap-friendly long-term contracts (and, while the cost of acquisition was steep, the Darcy Kuemper trade is starting to pay off). With a tad more salary-cap flexibility than some other contenders, Sakic has the chance now to add another player to the mix to push the squad over the top. After that point, though, it’s up to head coach Jared Bednar and the players to ensure the Avalanche get past the second round for the first time in 20 years.

Record

41-13-5, 1st in the Central

Deadline Status

Buyers

Deadline Cap Space

$3.17MM today, $3.89MM in full-season space by the deadline, 0/3 retention slots used, 45/50 contracts used per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2022: COL 3rd, COL 5th, COL 6th, COL 7th
2023: COL 1st, COL 2nd, COL 3rd, COL 5th, COL 6th, COL 7th

Trade Chips

Building an elite team doesn’t come cheap. That’s evidenced by an empty cupboard of upcoming draft picks, especially in the upcoming 2022 NHL Draft with just four selections. The asset pool Colorado has to deal from likely revolves mainly around their prospect pool in order to keep their active roster intact.

That doesn’t mean the team couldn’t look to deal from their 2023 cupboard, however. Their 2023 first-round selection could absolutely be on the trade block, especially if the organization decides to go all-in on a big-name acquisition. While the organization is certainly about to feel the effects of a lack of draft picks in recent seasons, the time to win in Denver is now. Only three forwards (Mikko Rantanen, Gabriel Landeskog, Logan O’Connor) are under contract past 2023, and the team is likely in the most favorable salary-cap position they’ll see for quite some time. Despite a deep class in 2023, the team shouldn’t have too much hesitation about moving their first-round choice at this year’s Deadline.

Contenders don’t love to deal players off their active roster if they can help it, and since Colorado has some salary-cap flexibility, they likely won’t need to. That means that top youngsters Alex Newhook and Bowen Byram are unlikely to depart the organization this month. That doesn’t mean, though, that there aren’t some other players in the Avs organization of interest to other teams.

For trade partners looking to add to their defense pool, there’s Justin Barron. The skilled two-way defenseman was selected 25th overall in 2020 and made his NHL debut this season, getting two games with the big club in his first full professional season. After captaining the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads and representing Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championships last season, he’s notched five goals and 14 assists for 19 points in 40 AHL games with the Colorado Eagles. A safe bet to grow into a dependable top-four defenseman, he likely carries the most trade value of any Avalanche prospect heading into the Deadline.

Another name to watch, and perhaps the most likely to be dealt, is forward Martin Kaut. The 22-year-old, who Colorado drafted 16th overall in 2018, has seen NHL action in each of the past three seasons, especially looking promising with three points in nine games back in 2019-20. In 11 NHL games since then, though, he’s been held pointless, and his production at the AHL level this season has somewhat stagnated with 11 goals and 18 points in 30 games. While he most definitely still has top-nine upside, it’s possible that his value to the organization’s likelihood of winning a Stanley Cup is higher in a trade than in keeping him around.

Others To Watch For: F Shane Bowers, F Sampo Ranta, F Oskar Olausson, F Alex Beaucage, G Justus Annunen

Team Needs

1) Bottom-Six Forward — The Avalanche would love a little more offensive production out of their bottom-six forward group. How they go about getting that at the Deadline, though, could either be through simply a depth acquisition or a trickle-down effect from a bigger name. If Colorado does go out and acquire Claude Giroux, as has been rumored for weeks now, then a fully healthy Avalanche squad would likely see Valeri Nichushkin, who has 31 points in 41 games, pushed back down to a bottom-six role. One of the most underrated two-way wingers in the game, he’d help create matchup nightmares for opposing coaches in the playoffs.

2) Depth Defenseman — Concussion symptoms have likely taken the young Byram out of the picture for the remainder of the year, and with Samuel Girard struggling at times this season, Colorado has had to rely on players like Jack Johnson and Kurtis MacDermid probably more than they’d like to. While Erik Johnson has been a huge boost this year, overcoming past health issues to play in all 59 of the team’s games this season, his luck with injuries (especially in the playoffs) is also a concern. A high-end third-pair defenseman would be the ideal security blanket for this Colorado defense in case of injury or poor play.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Trade Deadline Primer: Arizona Coyotes

at CDT | by 5 Comments

As we enter the middle of March, the trade deadline is inching closer. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the Arizona Coyotes.

Bill Armstrong has been general manager of the Coyotes for one year, five months, and 22 days. In that time, he has already made 15 trades, changing the look of his roster dramatically. Derek Stepan, Adin Hill, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Conor Garland, Darcy Kuemper, Christian Dvorak, Ryan Dzingel, Ilya Lyubushkin–all out. Andrew Ladd, Shayne Gostisbehere, Loui Eriksson, Antoine Roussel, Jay Beagle, Anton Stralman, Nick Ritchie–all in. It’s easy to spot the way that Armstrong is approaching his full-scale rebuild, by sending out anyone that carries value, and bringing back contracts that teams don’t want. It’ll be the exact same strategy at this deadline, which opens up a whole number of possibilities for the suddenly-hot Coyotes.

Record

18-35-4, 8th in the Central

Deadline Status

Seller/Broker

Deadline Cap Space

$26.02MM today, $32.53MM in full-season space by the deadline, 2/3 retention slots used, 44/50 contracts used per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2022: ARI 1st, MON/CAR 1st*, COL 1st^, ARI 2nd, NYI 2nd, PHI 2nd, SJS 2nd, VAN 2nd, ARI 3rd, ARI 4th, ARI 5th, ARI 6th
2023: ARI 1st, ARI 2nd, ARI 3rd, NYI 3rd**, ARI 4th, ARI 5th, ARI 6th, VAN 7th

*As per the terms of the offseason Dvorak trade, Montreal will give Arizona the better of Montreal/Carolina’s first-round picks, unless either or both are inside the top-10, in which case Montreal will receive the better of the two picks. 

^If Colorado’s pick is in the top-10, the Avalanche will send their 2023 pick instead.

**Pick not transferred if Ladd plays in any professional games in 2022-23 while under his current contract, or retires prior to the conclusion of the 2022-23 regular season. 

Trade Chips

If the Coyotes wanted to, they have the draft capital to acquire just about any player on the market. Their three first-round picks and five second-round picks will make them a frequent flyer to the podium in Montreal this summer, adding a huge amount of talent to the prospect pool. Giving up those draft picks at this point isn’t the strategy though, as Arizona is still in tear-down mode wherever possible.

No one represents that strategy more than Jakob Chychrun, who has been on the market all season despite being just 23 and under a relatively inexpensive contract for another three years. If the Coyotes are willing to trade Chychrun, they’re not even considering a quick rebuild with the assets they’ve already acquired. Among those things they could move at the deadline, the young defenseman is obviously the most attractive and could bring back a package that includes multiple high-end assets. Still, they likely will be targeting prospects that still have years left on their entry-level contracts (or perhaps those who haven’t even signed yet) instead of struggling first-round picks that are already around Chychrun’s age, meaning this is a hard trade for many teams in the league to actually accomplish. If he is moved before the deadline, it will be a blockbuster deal.

Beyond Chychrun there is still lots left on the Coyotes’ roster that could be of interest. Phil Kessel, finally in the last season of that eight-year, $64MM contract signed with Toronto in 2013, is a potential target for teams looking to upgrade their second or third line. Whatever you think of Kessel, he’s still an incredibly dangerous forward off the rush and has 78 points in 113 games since the beginning of last season, while playing on a bad Coyotes team. Kessel’s contract already has some salary retention from when the Maple Leafs traded it, meaning it couldn’t go through the double-retention that some other big names will this spring. A single contract can only be retained on twice, meaning the lowest his cap hit can go from this point is $3.4MM.

Speaking of salary retention, that would normally be a perfect option for the Coyotes, but they’ve already used two of their three slots. They’ll have to be quite picky about where that last one is used at the deadline in order to maximize the return. Gostisbehere, for instance, could be an option after he has rediscovered his game in the desert. The 28-year-old defenseman cost Philadelphia two draft picks to get rid of in the summer, but after 36 points in 57 games perhaps there will be another team interested–especially if he comes at just a $2.25MM cap hit through next season, should Arizona retain 50 percent.

Karel Vejmelka is another one of the interesting names to watch, should the goaltending market continue to improve in the next ten days. The 25-year-old netminder has been a revelation this season but is also just a year away from unrestricted free agency. Just yesterday his name was brought up by Chris Johnston of TSN, who opined that if the two sides couldn’t work out an extension, the Coyotes could potentially move on from the goaltender before the deadline.

Others To Watch For: F Johan Larsson (IR), G Scott Wedgewood

Team Needs

1) Draft Picks: It’s simple, the Coyotes are trying to build through the draft. A 22-year-old player that’s headed for restricted free agency soon might be attractive to most teams, but for one that’s about to slash revenues by moving into a tiny building and isn’t expected to really compete for the playoffs in the next few years, a prospect that will head back to junior, college, or overseas is actually the better route. The Coyotes have a ton for this season and for 2024 but note that they have only two selections in the first two rounds of 2023–a draft that has some exceptional talent. Don’t be surprised to see them add to their 2023 collection so that the wave of prospects doesn’t have a gap.

2) Flippable Contracts: It’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Coyotes flip players like Gostisbehere and Ritchie after building them back up with prime deployment. It’s a great strategy for a team that doesn’t really care about wins and losses, and one that has worked well for other franchises in the past. Just yesterday, the idea of acquiring Andreas Johnsson was brought up by Darren Dreger of TSN because of how front-loaded his contract is. The Coyotes could nab a player like that, pay him for 12 months (while giving him powerplay and top-six time) and then flip him for even more next deadline when every team in the league can afford the decreased cap hit. While some might say that the New Jersey Devils aren’t the team to target with that kind of a strategy, there are plenty of other opportunities just like it out there.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Trade Candidate: Braden Holtby

at CDT | by 10 Comments

With the trade deadline now a few weeks away, we continue our look at some of the players who have a good chance of being on the move between now and March 21st.

Braden Holtby’s first season away from the Washington Capitals, the only team he had ever known, the team he backstopped to a Stanley Cup in 2018, did not go well. Holtby signed a two-year contract worth $4.3MM per year with the Vancouver Canucks, and the team was optimistic that he would replace Jacob Markstrom’s starts and help ease Thatcher Demko into his role as a starting goaltender. Holtby’s play was far poorer than those expectations demanded, and he was eventually bought out by the team after only one season, a season where he posted a .889 save percentage and an eye-popping 3.67 goals against average in 21 games. But this season, Holtby has been impressive for the Dallas Stars, and he owns a .913 save percentage in 24 games as the Stars battle for position in the Western Conference’s playoff race.

Contract

Holtby is in the lone season of his one-year $2MM contract with the Stars. His entire contract is in base salary, no signing bonus, and he will be an unrestricted free agent in July. He has no protection against trades in his contract.

2021-22

Holtby began the season brilliantly, with save percentages between .926 and .964 in his first four starts, with the Stars winning three out of those four. Holtby’s numbers came down to earth a bit after that, but overall he has remained steadily above .910 as a whole for his season’s numbers. Holtby faced a minor lower-body injury in early February and largely has ceded the starting role to Jake Oettinger, but despite those two factors he has still provided the Stars with excellent value for the contract they signed. Holtby’s season represents his first venture above the .900 mark in save percentage since 2018-19, and the Stars have to be satisfied with the performance he has given them so far this season.

Looking a bit deeper into his numbers, Holtby has a .922 even-strength save percentage, higher than many goalies considered to be quality starters such as John Gibson, Robin Lehner, Marc-Andre Fleury, and Connor Hellebuyck. But his save percentage on the penalty kill of .827 is one of the lower marks in the league and brings down his save percentage as a whole. The Stars do not have a great penalty kill, ranked 19th in the NHL at 78.9%, so one has to wonder if Holtby’s numbers could be even better on a team that is stronger in that area.

Season Stats

22 games started, 10-10-1 record, .913 save percentage, 2.78 goals against average, 3.0 goals saved above expected.

Potential Suitors

Goaltending is an interesting situation when it comes to the trade deadline, because it can be far easier to determine a team’s need in that position compared to others. That being said, so much of successful goaltending is mental, so much relies on a goalie’s confidence and belief in himself. So acquiring a goalie at the deadline can be tricky. High-profile goaltending trades at deadlines have sometimes borne fruit, like when the Vegas Golden Knights acquired their current starting goalie in Lehner, but it has also backfired in the past, like when the Los Angeles Kings traded Erik Cernak, among other assets, to acquire Ben Bishop from the Tampa Bay Lightning. It’s a mixed bag, so historically speaking acquiring Holtby has some risk. But looking across the league, there are definitely teams in need of goaltending.

The team getting the most attention surrounding its goaltending right now is the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs are a star-studded team and are in a market that desperately wants to see them make their first playoff run with this core of players. It was believed that Jack Campbell would be the guy to get them there, and Campbell is truly a beloved player in Toronto, but his play recently has not been inspiring. Nor has the play all season of backup Petr Mrazek, who has an .890 save percentage. For a team that so badly needs to make noise in the playoffs, adding a Stanley Cup-winning goalie could be the move they need to shore up the side of the game that has decided many a playoff series on its own.

Another potential suitor for Holtby is one that would excite many fans of the team and neutral observers alike- the Washington Capitals. Vitek Vanecek has been brilliant this season, to the tune of a .921 save percentage, but the team has also started Ilya Samsonov in 28 games and gotten a .901 save percentage from him. For a team that expects to make the playoffs, that won’t cut it. The Capitals should be comfortable with Vanecek starting in the playoffs, but uncomfortable at the prospect of Samsonov playing should Vanecek be unavailable, as he was in the team’s playoff loss to the Bruins last season. So what better player to cure the Capitals’ discomfort than Holtby, the goalie who in 2018 cured their longstanding discomfort over having never won a Stanley Cup?

One clear potential suitor for Holtby is the Edmonton Oilers. Much has been made about the struggles of their goaltending, and for good reason. They have a team with high-quality players but no goalie to give them the saves they need to win. They don’t have much room to work with under the cap, but with retention they could definitely fit Holtby in. He would be a major upgrade over both of the incumbent goalies in Edmonton and would also provide them with much-needed playoff experience. It’s a match that makes a lot of sense, and the acquisition cost should definitely fit GM Ken Holland’s desire to retain his team’s first round pick.

A final potential suitor for Holtby may come as a surprise: the New York Rangers. It may surprise a few readers because the Rangers are currently backstopped by a Hart Trophy candidate in Igor Shesterkin. But the move could make sense. The team’s backup, Alexandar Georgiev, owns a .897 save percentage this season. He is simply not a viable insurance policy to a Shesterkin injury come the playoffs. The Rangers have had too strong of a season to lose it all if Shesterkin goes down. Adding Holtby at a price that would not be unreasonable (goalies rarely get traded for significant assets, especially at the deadline) could be a smart bit of business for GM Chris Drury.

Likelihood of a Trade

The Stars are still in the mix for a playoff spot, so potentially subtracting a goalie like Holtby would in theory hurt their odds of making it. But the team seems set on Oettinger as their number-one goaltender, and they have Anton Khudobin waiting in the wings to take Holtby’s role as a backup in case of a trade. Khudobin hasn’t been great this season, but he’s an experienced player who the Stars would trust as a backup, given their prior commitments to him. Holtby isn’t an overwhelmingly likely candidate to be traded, like the Montreal Canadiens’ Ben Chiarot is, but it’s not difficult to see why he could be on the move

PHR Mailbag: Devils, McDavid, Giroux, Atkinson, Namestnikov, Rakell, Predators, Kings, Foote

at CDT | by 7 Comments

Topics in this edition of the PHR Mailbag primarily focus on the upcoming trade deadline with trade scenarios and team needs being discussed.  If your question doesn’t appear here, watch for it in next weekend’s edition.

SpeakOfTheDevil: What do the Devils do on or before the deadline? Who do you see us bringing in/shipping out?

I don’t expect a whole lot from New Jersey.  We know they’re looking for a veteran goalie just to allow Nico Daws to go back to Utica and I expect they’ll find a way to accomplish that.  They could look to do like Montreal did with Andrew Hammond and bring in a third-string option (if Jake Allen returns in the next couple of weeks, I could see a scenario where Hammond moves again).  If Marc-Andre Fleury stays in Chicago, someone like Collin Delia makes sense as a target.  I could even see someone like Jaroslav Halak if they want someone a little more proven.  If he decides he’s open to a move and just wants to get some playing time in the hopes of landing a contract for next season, New Jersey makes sense.  They won’t make the playoffs but playing time wouldn’t be hard to come by.

I believe they’ll work to find a spot for P.K. Subban as a rental although it’s a move that likely requires double retention so that the acquiring team is only on the hook for $2.25MM.  That might net the Devils a mid-round pick.  He’s the only pending UFA who realistically has a chance to be moved.

One other player that wouldn’t surprise me if he was moved was Pavel Zacha.  He’s a pending RFA but has just one year of team control left with a qualifying offer of $3MM.  Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier are entrenched as their top two centers of the present and future.  Is there a team that still thinks he could be a second liner or a high-end third liner?  If so, maybe he gets dealt.  Since he’s younger, it’s not just playoff-bound teams that could be interested which expands the options.  As for a return, I could see a couple of different scenarios – a third liner under team control for longer than Zacha or a similar-aged defenseman.  This one doesn’t need to be a swap that brings in futures.  Beyond these, I think it’ll be a pretty quiet deadline for the Devils.

pawtucket: With Edmonton once again struggling…even if they make the playoffs, they are likely facing the Avalanche who are incredible at home and far deeper than them…will McDavid be happy being bounced in the first round? (That is if they MAKE the playoffs!).

Could he demand a trade this offseason?

Never say never, I suppose, but I don’t sense that McDavid is the type of player who is going to make that request.  I share your skepticism in terms of them being able to go far in the playoffs and Colorado certainly isn’t an ideal matchup for them.  But from a long-term perspective, I don’t think they’re that far away from really contending either.  They need a legitimate starting goalie and if they can get one, they can do some damage.  McDavid knows that.

What could happen that may be more realistic is that McDavid goes to GM Ken Holland and states his preference to see a core shakeup that sees a higher-priced player moved out in order to acquire that goaltender.  That type of discussion would happen entirely behind the scenes and might not even leak out publicly.  That’s more in line with the more reserved type of player that McDavid is over flat out requesting a trade if things don’t go well this year.

rdiddy75: What would a trade with Giroux going to the Avalanche look like? Any chance the Flyers can get Barron and Behrens in that deal? That would help their blue line for years.

@IWTFWC: Chances that Avalanche acquire Claude Giroux and if so, what will it cost? (1st rd pick, Tyson Jost and Justin Barron?) Also, chances Avalanche acquire Cal Clutterbuck? Or someone else to help the PK/GET PHYSICAL?

Giroux to Colorado has been out there as a speculative destination for a while and at this point, it certainly sounds like they’re a contender (if not the contender) for his services.  I’ve mentioned in the last mailbag that my expected price point for him was a first-round pick, a prospect, and salary filler with the Flyers retaining half of Giroux’s $8.275MM AAV.

I think we have the foundation of what a deal would look like from these questions – the first-rounder (which will need to be 2023 as 2022’s is already gone) and defensive prospect Justin Barron.  (I don’t think Sean Behrens will be in there unless the formula changes to two prospects plus a roster player.)  I like the idea of Jost in principle as a younger player that could benefit from a change of scenery.  Part of me wonders if they’d prefer to move J.T. Compher instead who’s a little better but costs $1.5MM more against the cap this season and next.  That would give them some extra wiggle room to add a secondary piece now and more space for next year.

Colorado has scouted the Islanders lately and they could benefit from a physical winger for the playoffs.  I’m just not certain that Clutterbuck is the right fit for them.  They play an up-tempo style and Clutterbuck is not an up-tempo player.  I know things slow down in the playoffs and maybe he could fit on the fourth line but he’s expensive for that role ($3.5MM) and if they were to add Giroux, I don’t know if they’d have enough money left to add someone at that price point, even if New York retained.  I’m not going to put odds on it but I wouldn’t be surprised if they wind up with someone that plays a similar role and is cheaper over getting Clutterbuck himself.

jdgoat: Could Cam Atkinson be on the move this deadline?

I wouldn’t count on that happening.  While it periodically happens, players with multiple years left on their contracts at big money (Atkinson has three more years at $5.875MM) don’t tend to move at the deadline.  There’s an expectation that the Flyers aren’t interested in rebuilding and will instead do another shakeup of their core.  That happened last summer and that’s when I think they’ll make those types of moves.  That’s when more teams will be willing to shake things up compared to now when buyers are simply looking to add to their rosters, not mess around with their core.

Atkinson has actually had a nice season for the Flyers with 39 points in 54 games heading into today’s game against Chicago which is good for second on the team in scoring (just one point behind Giroux).  I don’t get the sense that he’s going to be the player that moves as a result.  If they believe they’re closer to the playoffs than their record indicates, Atkinson is the type of player to keep, not move out.

Johnny Z: Where might Namestnikov be traded to and for what?

Let’s answer the second half first.  There are two options for a return that are pretty similar – a mid-round pick or a mid-round pick plus salary ballast.  Where the pick falls depends on retention (if any) and how much the player coming back in the second scenario makes.  (There’s going to be a math component involved in pretty much every trade being made, it’s just the reality of the cap situation for many contenders around the league.)

As for where he goes, there are two types of teams where I think he fits.  One is capped-out teams getting 50% retention making him an affordable upgrade on a fourth liner and the other is a team that may want to add to their roster but doesn’t want to move much of their future.  In the first group, Dallas and Washington come to mind as options.  In the second, Nashville, Los Angeles, and maybe Anaheim if they can hang around the race a little longer.

skidrowe: Rickard Rakell to the Bruins…what would it take?

First, extension talks would need to go nowhere.  Second, Anaheim would need to fall out of the playoff race enough to justify selling.  I can see a scenario where an unsigned Rakell stays, to be honest, if they’re still in the playoff picture even with GM Pat Verbeek’s recent comments.  I doubt they’d hold onto blueliners Hampus Lindholm and Josh Manson without extensions but there’s less risk of doing that with Rakell since quality wingers are easier to replace on the open market than quality defensemen.

But that’s probably not what you’re wanting to hear, you’re wanting a rough trade proposal.  Rakell is tricky in the sense that he’s probably not worth a first-round pick or an ‘A’ prospect but a second-rounder or a ‘B’ prospect alone isn’t going to cut it either.  The prospect that comes to mind is defenseman Urho Vaakanainen.  Anaheim’s back end has been weakened over the years and while the 23-year-old may not be a top-four player, he could be a quality piece on the third pairing for a while.  The Ducks haven’t had a lot of success filling those spots lately which would be appealing.

I could see Verbeek asking for a second-rounder on top of that which may be a bit high for his Boston counterpart in Don Sweeney.  However, if Anaheim agrees to take Chris Wagner’s contract ($1.35MM in the minors), maybe that helps.  That would give Boston $225K of cap relief for next season (the rest of the cap hit comes off when he’s in the minors) and clear up a contract slot.  That said, the Ducks are a budget team and might want to part with the final year of Kodie Curran’s contract ($1MM one-way) to offset part of Wagner’s deal in that scenario.  Is that a proposal that could land Rakell?  Perhaps, although I’m still leaning towards them keeping him unless things go off the rails over the next few weeks.

Read more

Trade Candidate: Max Domi

at CDT | by 3 Comments

With the trade deadline now less than a month away, we continue our look at some of the players who have a good chance of being on the move between now and March 21st.

Last season wasn’t a great one for Max Domi.  He struggled to fit in with the Blue Jackets in his first year with the team and certainly didn’t live up to his contract.  Then he suffered a long-term injury and the combination of that was enough to cause Seattle to pass on him for free in expansion (where they instead picked someone that went back to Columbus days later as a free agent).  However, this season has gone a bit better for him which may be enough to help him land a new home with a playoff-bound team in the near future.

Contract

Domi is in the final season of a contract that carries a $5.3MM AAV.  He has a $6MM salary and will be an unrestricted free agent in July.  As his deal only covered RFA-eligible years, he wasn’t eligible for any type of trade protection.

2021-22

Domi went through a bit of a roller coaster in the early going this season.  He came back from shoulder surgery much earlier than expected and was in the lineup on opening night, collecting three points.  Then he had a fractured rib and soon after returning from that, he landed in COVID protocol, missing another three weeks.

Since then, Domi has managed to stay in the lineup, albeit not quite in the role GM Jarmo Kekalainen envisioned when he acquired the 27-year-old from Montreal in 2020.  He has played exclusively on the wing this season instead of filling a spot down the middle as originally planned.  Domi has also spent time on all four lines without really being able to settle into one spot.

Domi has also been very unproductive on the power play.  He has played over 56 minutes on the man advantage this season and has one assist to show for it.  That’s the negative slant.  The positive slant is that all but one of his points have come at five-on-five and the role that contending teams will want him to fill is one that even strength production is more important than producing on the power play.

Season Stats

44 GP, 9 goals, 16 assists, 25 points, -1 rating, 30 PIMS, 65 shots, 13:24 TOI, 47.4 CF%

Potential Suitors

While Domi can play in the top six if needed (he has at times throughout his career), that’s not the role teams should be eyeing him to play.  With that in mind, his suitors should be those that want him for more of a depth spot in their lineup.  That said, Domi’s price tag for that role will limit the number of teams who could realistically fit him in without having to move a roster player the other way.

In the East, I had the Bruins pegged as a possible suitor for Domi at the beginning of the season where his positional flexibility can be useful.  He won’t be their top target but he would add some scoring to their bottom six.  The same can basically be said for the Panthers if some of their stronger targets go elsewhere.  The Rangers have the cap room to add a few pieces and they’re a team that would benefit from adding some offensive skill to their bottom six while still trying to fill other areas.  The Maple Leafs have come up as a speculative fit as of late but depth scoring isn’t their top need; they’d need to strike out on filling those and have Jake Muzzin stay on LTIR for the rest of the season for that to really be an option.

Out West, the Kings may be more inclined to do a smaller deal or two that doesn’t involve giving up any longer-term assets and play it safe.  That’s more of the range that Domi should fit in as he won’t command a significant price in return.  The Predators also have ample cap space and could stand to upgrade their bottom six.  They’re another team where it doesn’t seem likely that they’ll make a big splash so some smaller, safer moves like this may be more in their wheelhouse.

Likelihood Of A Trade

At this point, it doesn’t seem like Domi is a strong candidate to return to the Blue Jackets.  While Columbus has been on a bit of a nice run as of late, they’re still longshots to reach the playoffs.  As long as they’re willing to retain on the contract, there’s a very good chance that Domi is in another uniform after the deadline.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top