Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Pro Hockey Rumors Originals

Trade Deadline Primer: New York Rangers

at CDT | by 12 Comments

With the All-Star break now behind us, the trade deadline looms large and is now less than a month away.  Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the New York Rangers.

The Rangers opted to shake things up over the offseason with Chris Drury being promoted to GM and Gerard Gallant taking over as their new head coach.  The roster was also reshaped and the results have certainly been promising as they’ve gone from a team that missed the playoffs to one that is within striking distance of first place in the East.  As a result, Drury will be busy looking to add but with their salary cap situation, they will be balancing the short term and the long term with any acquisitions.

Record

32-13-5, 3rd in the Metropolitan

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$20MMM today, $33.5MM in full-season space, 0/3 retention slots used, 45/50 contracts used per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

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

Trade Chips

Most contenders wouldn’t want to necessarily subtract from their current roster but it’s an option that New York may need to consider with backup goaltender Alexandar Georgiev.  The 26-year-old has made it known that he’d like to play more but with Igor Shesterkin in the fold, that’s not going to happen barring injury.  The pending restricted free agent carries a $2.425MM cap hit and is owed a qualifying offer of $2.65MM, one that might be a bit too pricey for them for next season.  There are some teams that would likely want to get a longer look at Georgiev to see if he could be a longer-term option although the Rangers would be wise to get another goaltender if they opted to move Georgiev now with veteran Keith Kinkaid serving as their third-string option.

Things have not gone well for winger Vitali Kravtsov in his time with the Rangers.  The 22-year-old didn’t make the team out of training camp, went back to the KHL, and it’s clear a change of scenery would be beneficial.  However, considering he was the ninth overall selection in 2019, his draft status may carry some weight and be appealing to a team looking for a prospect that’s a little more developed over a draft pick.  He’s a restricted free agent this summer but it’s hard to see him commanding a big raise on his $925K AAV since he only has 22 games under his belt.

Young defensemen are always desirable commodities to rebuilding teams and New York has one on its roster in Libor Hajek that is struggling to get into the lineup.  He has played in just 14 NHL games this season plus five more on a conditioning assignment but is only a year removed from playing in nearly 80% of their games last year.  He signed for his qualifying offer last summer for just over $874K and the lack of playing time doesn’t give him a case for much of a raise.  With youngster Braden Schneider starting to establish himself, the path to playing time is even steeper now for Hajek and he seems like a logical player that could be added into a trade.

The three-year, $7.5MM given to blueliner Patrik Nemeth raised some eyebrows and he has had a limited role on the third pairing so far without doing a whole lot.  If Drury looks to bring someone in with term left on their contract, Nemeth is the type of player they could try to use as a salary offset.

Other Potential Trade Chips: F Morgan Barron ($925K through 2022-23), F Austin Rueschoff ($842K, RFA), F Evan Vierling (unsigned prospect)

Team Needs

1) Forward Depth: Injuries have thinned out New York’s forward depth at times this season and has left their bottom six group a little weaker than they’d like.  Replacing Sammy Blais’ grit is one area they’d likely want to add but bringing in a two-way player that can score a bit and kill penalties is another element that would certainly be beneficial for them to add.

2) Top-Four Defender: Adam Fox and Jacob Trouba are proven top-four pieces but after that, New York’s back end primarily consists of younger players or depth veterans like Nemeth or Jarred Tinordi.  A veteran that can allow them to take a bit of pressure off their younger players would help with an emphasis on being able to play a key defensive role.

3) Long-Term Center: Mika Zibanejad has his extension for next season so he’ll be in place for the long haul.  But Ryan Strome’s fate remains in question and Filip Chytil likely isn’t ready to step onto the second line if Strome doesn’t re-sign.  If there’s a way to get a long-term second pivot, that would be a nice pickup for Drury even if it means that Strome winds up moving on.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trade Deadline Primer: New Jersey Devils

at CDT | by 2 Comments

With the All-Star break now behind us, the trade deadline looms larger and is just a month away. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the New Jersey Devils.

The New Jersey Devils looked poised to put their rebuild behind them this season and push for a playoff spot after signing star defenseman Dougie Hamilton to a seven-year, $63MM contract, and adding veteran forwards Tomas Tatar and Jimmy Vesey, goaltender Jonathan Bernier, and defenseman Ryan Graves to complement a group of developing young talents such as Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Dawson Mercer, and Ty Smith. That hoped-for success the Devils saw going into 2021-22 was not realized however, after a tough series of injuries, COVID-protocol absences, and poor play. While the Devils are not the buyers they may have wanted to be, the organization also likely does not consider itself a traditional seller either. The team is poised to shop several veteran assets, but may also look for longer-term building blocks to add in the right situation.

Record:

17-28-5, 8th in the Metropolitan

Deadline Status:

Hesitant seller

Deadline Cap Space:

$21.45MM today, $36.46MM in projected deadline space, 1/3 retention slots used, 47/50 contracts per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks:

2022: NJD 1st, NJD 2nd, NJD 3rd, NJD 4th, EDM 4th, NYI 4th, CBJ 5th, NJD 6th, NJD 7th

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

Trade Chips:

Depending on which direction, or directions, the Devils decide to go at this deadline, they have several pieces they could move in either situation. The most notable piece the Devils have to offer is that of defenseman P.K. Subban. Subban is on an expiring contract, becoming an unrestricted free agent after this season. While certainly a big name who can still make an impact on a powerplay, he is not the player he was when he won the Norris Trophy in 2013 or the player who helped lead the Nashville Predators to a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2017. Subban has picked up three goals to go along with 14 assists in 47 games this season for New Jersey but has also seen his ice time drop off significantly from last season, decreasing from 22:22 in 2020-21 to 19:34 in 2021-22. Subban’s offensive prowess could be useful to a playoff team, though he does carry a steep $9MM cap hit. While it comes off after this season, it may be a tough squeeze for teams that would benefit from his services, even if the Devils retain a large portion.

New Jersey also has an intriguing unrestricted free agent piece in Vesey. After big-time hype coming out of college, Vesey has been a steady presence in the NHL, albeit not at the level some had him pegged. After struggling last year to just ten points in 50 games between Toronto and Vancouver, which saw him placed on waivers and claimed by the Canucks, Vesey was invited to Devils training camp and made the team. He has performed well for New Jersey, tallying seven goals and six assists in 46 games and being a presence on the penalty kill. While he won’t be a major trade chip, the Devils could expect some demand for the veteran who carries just an $800K cap hit for the remainder of the season.

Looking in another direction, New Jersey could look to buy, so long as they can acquire a piece that acts as a building block for the future. The most notable and discussed of these potential pick-ups is Canucks’ forward Brock Boeser. In addition to draft picks, the Devils have several talented young players they could part with to make a splash. Perhaps the likeliest of candidates is forward Pavel Zacha. Zacha, who the Devils selected sixth overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, has not necessarily reached the heights that were expected of him, but has appeared to find his groove in the past couple of seasons, putting up 29 goals and 29 assists in 97 games over the course of the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons so far.

In a trade like this, the Devils could also conceivably be asked to move one or both of Yegor Sharangovich or Smith. Sharangovich, a fifth-round pick in 2018, has been a nice find for the Devils, scoring ten goals and 24 points in 44 games this season on top of 16 goals and 14 assists in 54 games last season. Smith was the Devils’ first-round pick in 2018, going 17th overall. He made his NHL debut last season and played well, but has struggled for much of this year. Presumably, the Devils would prefer to build a package around Zacha, as opposed to a Sharangovich or Smith.

The organization also boasts a strong prospect pool from which to deal. Teams would of course be interested in a top prospect like fourth-overall selection Luke Hughes, or others like Alexander Holtz, Chase Stillman, or Shakir Mukhamadullin, but New Jersey would obviously likely prefer to counter with smaller, but still impactful names such as Reilly Walsh, Nolan Foote, or Daniil Misyul.

Other Potential Trade Chips: F Nathan Bastian ($825K, 2 years, RFA); D Christian Jaros ($800k, RFA); Jon Gillies ($750K, UFA)

Team Needs:

1) Scoring Wingers: The Devils have plenty of depth down the middle, most times employing some of those players on the wing. The team has seen incredibly strong production out of Bratt, and solid, expected production out of Tatar and Andreas Johnsson, but the team should look to add another wing or two to complement the likes of Hughes and Hischier. If all works out, Holtz will fill one of those spots moving forward, but acquiring a player like Boeser, or even Conor Garland, could have a strong impact on the Devils scoring, and bolster the overall depth of the forward group.

2) Defensive Depth: Between Graves and Hamilton, the Devils have created themselves a formidable top pairing. However, for long-term success, the organization must be able to round out its entire defense core. Subban’s tenure with the Devils appears to be ending shortly, and there are questions about Smith’s development. Jonas Siegenthaler has rounded out his game nicely and appears to be a reliable piece for the team. Mukhamadullin and Hughes, if their development goes well, should join the team in the coming years.  Still, the team could benefit from adding one or two more formidable defensemen to complement Graves and Hamilton, and bring along the young players.

3) Draft Picks: While the organization is looking to add pieces to join the line up now and end the rebuild, this will be the likely return for any deadline sales the team makes.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Trade Deadline Primer: Pittsburgh Penguins

at CDT | by 7 Comments

With the All-Star break now behind us, the trade deadline looms large and is just over a month away. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Despite more predictions of their demise this offseason, the Pittsburgh Penguins have kept on rolling all throughout 2021-22. The team’s ridden great depth scoring and good goaltending from Tristan Jarry through the entire season to overcome more injury issues with stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Pittsburgh currently stands tied for first in the Metropolitan Division, and should undoubtedly be buyers at this year’s Trade Deadline. With an increasingly tricky salary cap situation, though, that’s easier said than done.

Record

31-12-8, 2nd in the Metropolitan

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Room

No base cap room, $4MM in deadline cap space with LTIR, 0/3 retention slots used, 47/50 contracts used per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2022: PIT 1st, PIT 2nd, PIT 4th, PIT 5th, PIT 6th, PIT 7th
2023: PIT 1st, PIT 2nd, PIT 3rd (becomes 4th if Jeff Carter plays in 50 games this season), PIT 5th, PIT 6th, PIT 7th, TOR 7th

Trade Chips

If one regular player is to get moved off the team’s current active roster in a trade, whether it be for salary or roster space reasons, it’s likely winger Dominik Simon. The 27-year-old hasn’t found his way up the lineup, being relegated largely to a fourth-line role. He’s averaged less than 10 minutes of ice time per game and has three goals and nine points in 45 games.

In terms of the prospect side of things, the Penguins don’t exactly have the largest cupboard to deal from. There is 21-year-old Swede Filip Hållander, who the team has already dealt away once, only to reacquire him later from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Jared McCann. Playing in the AHL with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season, he’s on pace for a full-season total of just seven goals and 23 points in 63 games, however, and his stock isn’t as high as it was after an impressive SHL season the year prior.

One position they could look to deal from is goaltending. They have considerable young depth at the position and could afford to lose a player there more than any other area. One name that should carry some value is Finnish netminder Joel Blomqvist. While he didn’t get into game action in the abbreviated World Juniors this season, he has an incredibly impressive .940 save percentage in 13 Liiga games with Kärpät this season. The Pens drafted him in the second round in 2020.

There’s also a pair of young forwards that remain on Pittsburgh’s roster as scratches or injuries in Radim Zohorna and Drew O’Connor. Zohorna looked good in stints last season but has only appeared in eight games this season as Pittsburgh’s forward depth remains tough to penetrate. O’Connor was impressive in the preseason but had just five points in 22 games before being sidelined with an undisclosed injury about a month ago.

Other Potential Trade Chips: F Tristan Broz (unsigned 2021 draft pick), D Mark Friedman (12 NHL GP in 2021-22, pending RFA), D Juuso Riikola ($1.15M cap hit buried in AHL, pending UFA)

Team Needs

1) Middle-Six Scoring Winger: Jason Zucker continues to be out week-to-week with an upper-body injury, and he hasn’t exactly been exceedingly productive when healthy, either. Pittsburgh could upgrade considerably on Danton Heinen, who’s currently riding shotgun on the second line with Malkin and Carter. Another true scoring threat behind the team’s big line who could benefit from playing with Malkin would help increase scoring and improve the team’s bottom-six depth and stability.

2) Sixth/Seventh Defenseman: The team obviously likes having Chad Ruhwedel around, considering the two-year extension assigned to him today. But he remains one of Pittsburgh’s starting six defensemen on a nightly basis with relatively little competition internally. A right-shot man with a higher pedigree to fit in on the third pairing with Mike Matheson will only improve this team’s playoff aspirations.

Trade Candidate: Ben Chiarot

at CDT | by 22 Comments

With the trade deadline just over a month away, it’s time to look at some of the players who have a good chance of being on the move between now and March 21st.

A few years ago, Ben Chiarot was playing a limited role on Winnipeg’s back end and the three-year, $10.5MM contract he signed with Montreal back in 2019 raised some eyebrows for being what appeared to be a pretty generous payment.  However, the 30-year-old has become a fixture in the top four for the Canadiens and after a strong showing in the playoffs last year, Montreal has set a high price tag for the pending UFA with several teams already expressing interest.

Contract

Chiarot is in the final season of his deal that carries a $3.5MM AAV.  The contract also contains a 10-team no-trade clause.

2021-22

As has been the case for pretty much everyone in Montreal this season, things have not gone well for Chiarot.  His primary partner from last season was Shea Weber who hasn’t played at all this year and likely won’t again.  Former GM Marc Bergevin tried to recreate a similar pairing by adding David Savard but that duo didn’t work well when they were together while Jeff Petry – who has been moved into the number one role – has also struggled.

The end result is that Chiarot has struggled considerably.  He has been asked to play a bigger role than he should be, including taking a regular turn on the power play for extended stretches.  His offensive numbers are close to his recent output but he hasn’t fared well being the focal part of their defensive plan and the advanced stats aren’t any better when it comes to scoring chances and shots allowed.

That makes his case a particularly interesting one.  How much stock will teams be willing to put into his performance over his first two seasons with Montreal and their playoff runs (spanning 32 games) compared to his level of play this season?  The player he was during the first two years is worth a lot more than the player he has been in 2021-22.

Season Stats

44 GP, 5 goals, 4 assists, 9 points, -27 rating, 36 PIMS, 82 shots, 23:17 TOI, 45.8 CF%

Potential Suitors

No playoff-bound team will be looking at Chiarot to play the role he has been with Montreal.  As a fourth option that can kill penalties though, he’d represent an upgrade for several teams while deepening their depth.

In the East, the Panthers, Hurricanes, Rangers, Maple Leafs, and Bruins have all been linked to Chiarot already.  Carolina’s top four on the back end is set and someone like Chiarot would really improve their depth and take off some pressure from that top group.  Even with 50% retention though, making the money work would be tight.  The left side of Florida’s back end is their weaker side and for now, they have close to enough cap room to bring him in through LTIR although it should be noted that Markus Nutivaara hasn’t been ruled out for the season yet.

The Rangers have more than enough cap space and Jeff Gorton and former European scouting director Nick Bobrov now with Montreal, they’re going to be speculatively linked to the Canadiens on multiple trade fronts.  Toronto has made it known they’d like to add to their back end although GM Kyle Dubas’ stated preference is to add someone signed beyond this season.  If they were to send one of Travis Dermott or Justin Holl back to Montreal in a deal that also featured 50% retention on Chiarot, the move could be close to cap-neutral as well.  Boston and Montreal don’t trade with each other very often and they’re more of a curious fit as Matt Grzelcyk, Derek Forbort, and Mike Reilly already comprise their left side.  While Chiarot can play on the right, only the third pairing needs to be shored up there so he may not be the best target for them.

Out West, the Blues, Kings, and Flames have been identified as known suitors.  St. Louis has a definite need to upgrade the left side of their back end and Chiarot fits the style that head coach Craig Berube would like but they’re basically in a spot where they have to match money which would make things more challenging as they ideally wouldn’t want to subtract from their roster.  Los Angeles continues to hang around the playoff mix and certainly have a hole to try to fill on the left side of their back end.  While it’s possible that Alexander Edler could return this year which would complicate things from a cap perspective, the Kings could ask to include Olli Maatta’s expiring contract which is almost the same price tag as Chiarot’s to offset that risk.

Calgary was involved in talks for Chiarot as part of the Tyler Toffoli trade earlier this week.  While such a move would be harder now from a cap perspective, they also have a salary offset in Nikita Zadorov’s expiring deal that could help on that front.  While Nashville hasn’t been directly linked to Chiarot, they’re a team that he would fit on but the question is how much they will be willing to spend on a rental player in a season that had been deemed as a bit of a reset coming into the year.

Likelihood Of A Trade

GM Kent Hughes met with the media earlier this week and all but guaranteed that Chiarot will be on the move as soon as someone is willing to meet the asking price.  Reports have suggested that the Canadiens are looking at what Columbus got for Savard last season (a first-round pick along with a third-rounder) as the benchmark for a move and they are willing to retain the maximum 50% for it to happen.  Barring another injury, it’d be very surprising to see the veteran in a Montreal uniform after the deadline.

Trade Deadline Primer: Columbus Blue Jackets

at CDT | by 1 Comment

With the All-Star break now behind us, the trade deadline looms large and is just over a month away.  Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

After missing the playoffs last season and moving out veterans Seth Jones and Cam Atkinson over the summer, it was obvious that Columbus was going in the direction of a rebuild.  However, they’ve played better than many expected and have a points percentage over .500 and are the first team outside of a Wild Card spot as they sit nine points behind Boston heading into Friday’s action.  Even with that in mind, it seems unlikely that GM Jarmo Kekalainen would part with future assets in an attempt to sneak into the final playoff spot but the season they’re having suggests they’re closer to battling for a consistent playoff position than it seemed back in October.

Record

24-23-1, 5th in the Metropolitan

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$29.248MM today, $51.915MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention slots used, 40/50 contracts used per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2022: CHI 1st*, CBJ 1st, CBJ 2nd, TB 3rd, CBJ 4th, TOR 4th, TOR 6th, ANA 7th
2023: CBJ 1st, CBJ 2nd, CBJ 3rd, CBJ 4th, CBJ 5th, CBJ 6th, CBJ 7th

*-Chicago’s pick is top-two protected.  If the Blackhawks wind up with the first or second selection in 2022, the pick will be conveyed unprotected in 2023.

Trade Chips

After a tough first year in Columbus, Max Domi was viewed as someone who would likely be moved at some point.  Seattle decided to pass on him in expansion and in the end, that has worked out quite well for the Blue Jackets.  The 26-year-old has rebounded nicely, notching 23 points in 38 games this season, providing them with some capable secondary scoring.  He’s a pending unrestricted free agent with a $5.3MM AAV, a price tag they’ll almost certainly need to pay down to maximize their return but Domi would fit in on a few playoff-bound squads as a third liner that can move up if needed and also can play on the wing and down the middle.  He won’t be the primary target for teams in the coming weeks but as the top options get moved, interest in him should pick up.

Joonas Korpisalo has had some good seasons in his seven-year NHL career but he started to struggle last season and unfortunately for them, it has carried over this year with the highest GAA of his career (3.82) and the lowest save percentage (.887).  Those aren’t ideal numbers to have in the season before your first crack at unrestricted free agency as at this point, it seems unlikely he’ll surpass his current $2.8MM AAV.  Despite his struggles, his track record is good enough for teams looking to add some goaltending depth for the stretch run but earlier reports had the Blue Jackets seeking multiple fairly high draft picks.  That price will need to come down over the next few weeks.

While I have doubts Patrik Laine will be moved, his situation will be one to monitor.  He’s having a nice season when he has been healthy and is averaging over a point per game.  But he’s about to enter his final season of RFA eligibility and if he simply takes his $7.5MM qualifying offer again, he could hit the open market in July 2023.  If the team senses Laine isn’t willing to sign a long-term deal, his name is bound to come up in trade speculation again.  That’s a big price tag for any contender to add which is why I think such a move – if it was to happen – would make more sense in the summer.  However, as the deadline gets closer, his name is bound to come up in the rumor mill.

Other Potential Trade Chips: D Scott Harrington ($1.633MM, UFA), D Dean Kukan ($1.65MM, UFA), F Kevin Stenlund ($1.05MM, RFA)

Team Needs

1) Defensive Depth: Columbus only has two defensemen on their NHL roster that are signed beyond the end of next season in Zach Werenski and Jake Bean.  Players like Adam Boqvist and Andrew Peeke should be part of the longer-term picture but the depth starts to thin out after that.  Another young core blueliner would be nice but even a capable short-term veteran will be needed at some point with Kukan and Harrington set to leave at the end of the season.

2) Draft Picks: Even though Columbus had three first-round picks last year, their prospect pool isn’t the deepest as the Blue Jackets had just eight selections in the previous two years combined, a ripple effect of the Blue Jackets making their push two seasons ago.  Simply restocking the pipeline is something they need to do.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trade Deadline Primer: New York Islanders

at CDT | by 1 Comment

With the All-Star break now behind us, the trade deadline looms large and is just over a month away.  Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the New York Islanders.

If you were looking for the hockey version of Murphy’s Law, perhaps it is the New York Islanders, because everything that could have gone wrong, has gone wrong. The team began with 13 straight games on the road as they waited for their new arena to be finished, and while they started okay, it finished with a tired group losing the last four. Just when home cooking was finally calling their name, captain Anders Lee kicked was placed in COVID protocol and the team eventually needed to pause their season. Seven straight losses followed that season-opening road trip, and in many eyes, the Islanders were already out of the race. Things haven’t really gotten back on track and even with games in hand, it will be a tough task to climb all the way back to a postseason position.

Record

17-20-6, 6th in the Metropolitan

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$12.67MM in projected deadline cap space, 0/3 retention slots used, 44/50 contracts used per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

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

Trade Chips

For a team that thought they would be contending for not just the playoffs but the Stanley Cup, it’s hard to know just how far the Islanders would go in terms of selling at the deadline. Cal Clutterbuck is the name most recently added to the rumor mill because of his expiring contract and his bottom-six experience. The 34-year-old has played over 900 games in the NHL and has been a key part of the team’s “Identity Line” for years, joining Casey Cizikas and Matt Martin as a bang-and-crash group that was trusted defensively.

But in terms of pure rentals, it doesn’t end with Clutterbuck. The Islanders also have Zach Parise, Zdeno Chara, and Andy Greene on expiring low-cost deals, with each bringing a ton of experience to the table for any playoff contender. While none of them represent much upside–for the acquiring team or the Islanders–the 35+ group could be shipped off to recoup some late-round picks, if they’re up for it.

Beyond that, there are some interesting names on the Islanders roster though. Scott Mayfield is an inexpensive right-handed defenseman with one more year on his deal. He could be among the most sought-after deadline targets for teams looking to improve their defense on a budget. Mayfield has averaged exactly 20 minutes per game this season, the most of his career, and brings a ton of size and physical play to the table.

Team Needs

1) Young NHL players: There’s no way the Islanders are going to pull the plug on this group and rebuild, so for next season they’re going to need some young talent to support their veteran core. Lee, Cizikas, Martin, Brock Nelson, Kyle Palmieri, Josh Bailey are all on the wrong side of 30 and signed for at least two more seasons, meaning someone is going to have to start providing some value on entry-level or bridge contracts if the Islanders want to get back to the top.

2) Draft picks: That of course can also be done with draft picks, but like Philadelphia yesterday, the Islanders also may need some assets this summer to add to their group or get rid of some bad contracts. With picks already sent out of town for 2022, getting a couple more bullets in the chamber could help Lamoriello in the offseason.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Trade Deadline Primer: Philadelphia Flyers

at CDT | by 3 Comments

With the All-Star break now behind us, the trade deadline looms large and is just over a month away.  Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the Philadelphia Flyers.

It’s been an incredibly disappointing season for general manager Chuck Fletcher and the Flyers, who pushed in their chips during the offseason to acquire names like Cam Atkinson, Ryan Ellis, and Rasmus Ristolainen, only to be hit with sweeping injuries, inconsistent play, and fewer wins than anyone in the Metropolitan Division to this point. Fletcher has all but admitted that the playoffs are completely out of the question at this point, meaning the focus now turns to trade talks and more offseason changes. The captain is at the center of it all, though he controls his fate.

Record

15-24-9, 7th in the Metropolitan

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

No base cap room, $2.89MM in full-season space with LTIR, 0/3 retention slots used, 49/50 contracts used per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

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

Trade Chips

It all starts with Claude Giroux, who has been in the rumor mill for weeks (if not months or years) at this point. The 34-year-old is on the last season of his eight-year, $66.2MM contract and carries a full-season cap hit of $8.275MM. He also holds a full no-movement clause though, meaning if he’s going somewhere other than Philadelphia for the first time in his career, he’s the one that’s going to approve it. A somber Giroux spoke to the media today about his future:

To be honest I haven’t talked to Chuck yet about any of this. I’m sure we will at one point but right now I’m committed to this team.

The organization here has been great to me for the last 14 years. They’ve treated me the right way. I’ve had a chance to play with a lot of great players, had great coaches. I feel it is an honor to have been a Flyer this long. 

Giroux is just 12 games away from reaching 1,000 regular season contests in his career, a number that has been accomplished entirely with Philadelphia. He sits second all-time in games played for the Flyers, only trailing Bobby Clarke, and will reach 900 points with five more. As currently scheduled, Giroux would play his 1,000th game on March 17, just a few days before the trade deadline.

Beyond the captain though, there are some other interesting trade chips. Ristolainen and Keith Yandle both represent defensemen with offensive upside, though the former is injured at the moment and comes with a much higher cap hit. The Flyers have indicated they hoped to re-sign Ristolainen when they acquired him from Buffalo last summer, though obviously if that can’t get done before the deadline he becomes a prime rental candidate.

Other veterans like Derick Brassard, Kevin Connauton, Martin Jones, or Justin Braun could also be on the move, if the team decides to sell everyone on expiring deals. There’s also someone like James van Riemsdyk who has just one year left on his deal and could possibly bring back an asset if the Flyers decided to eat some money. In all, there are plenty of options for contenders to go shopping in Philadelphia, even if Giroux’s price ends up being too high.

Team Needs

1) NHL-ready prospects: Despite it being a brutal season and the Flyers being obvious sellers, this isn’t a roster that will suddenly enter a rebuild unless Fletcher completely strips it back in the summer. Atkinson, Ellis, Sean Couturier, Kevin Hayes, Ivan Provorov, Travis Konecny, and Joel Farabee are all signed to long-term, big-money contracts and are all still good enough (when healthy) to be difference-makers at the NHL level. It feels as though the team will try to reload in the offseason more than rebuild, meaning adding talent that is close to breaking through should be the first option. The fact that they have several young prospects on the brink (pun intended) of already making an impact means any addition in that age group could lead to a wave of success in the years to come.

2) Draft picks: And yet, draft picks could still be of a lot of use to the Flyers for a few reasons. Their prospect system doesn’t need to be flooded with 18-year-olds but Fletcher and company could use some picks in the offseason to either a) get rid of a bigger contract or b) bring in NHL talent. When team chairman Dave Scott said he was handing the front office a “blank check” to fix things in the offseason, it suggested that they’re not looking at a long rebuild. If you want to add, you need assets to do it. Those can be collected in the coming weeks, only to go back out the door in the coming months.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Trade Deadline Primer: Carolina Hurricanes

at CDT | by 4 Comments

With the All-Star break now behind us, the trade deadline looms large and is just over a month away.  Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We begin our look around the league with the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Hurricanes have made the playoffs in three straight seasons, being eliminated in each of the first three rounds over that span meaning there’s one more hurdle to reach – the Stanley Cup Final.  While they’re in a tight Metropolitan Division, they sit at the top of it heading into Saturday’s action with multiple games in hand so they’re poised to make a splash.  And with several veterans slated to become unrestricted free agents this summer and a situation where they probably won’t be able to keep them all, this may be their best opportunity to push their chips to the table and try to make a serious run.

Record

32-10-3, 1st in the Metropolitan

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

No base cap room, $1.801MM in full-season space with LTIR, 0/3 retention slots used, 49/50 contracts used per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2022: CAR 2nd, CHI 3rd, CAR 4th, CAR 5th, ANA 6th, CAR 6th, CAR 7th, CBJ 7th
2023: CAR 1st, CAR 2nd, CAR 3rd, CAR 4th, CAR 5th, CAR 6th, CAR 7th

Trade Chips

It’s hard to see Carolina willingly taking a regular off of their roster unless that’s required to match salaries which could put someone like Ian Cole ($2.9MM, pending UFA) on the radar, particularly if they make a move to upgrade their third pairing.  Beyond that, their prospects are where the trade options will be.

One player that stands out as a potential trade option is center Ryan Suzuki.  The 20-year-old was a first-rounder (28th overall) back in 2019 but hasn’t had much luck since then, particularly when it comes to staying healthy; he has been limited to just ten games this season with AHL Chicago.  His final major junior season was lost last year when the OHL didn’t play and while he got into 26 games with the Wolves, it was in a limited role.  In the meantime, others are getting to play ahead of him in the minors and his spot on the organizational depth chart has likely dipped.  Still, with recent first-round pedigree, Suzuki is someone that teams will likely be asking about.

Jack Drury is one of those prospects that has slipped ahead of Suzuki on their depth chart.  He didn’t look out of place in a two-game stint with Carolina this season and he’s one of the leading scorers for their farm team.  He’s someone that could very well push for a roster spot next season in an effort to save a bit of cap space but these are precisely the types of players that teams looking to sell but not get into an expedited rebuild will be looking for.

Defenseman Joey Keane has fared a little better this season, the last one of his entry-level contract.  He’s someone that’s going to be eligible for waivers next year and could be in the mix for a seventh defender spot in Carolina as a result.  But there should be some teams that would be interested in getting him into their system now for evaluating, either with their own farm team or at the NHL level down the stretch.

Other Potential Trade Chips: D Anttoni Honka (unsigned draft pick), F Andrew Poturalski ($750K, UFA – AHL’s leading scorer), F Patrik Puistola (unsigned draft pick)

Team Needs

1) Middle-Six Two-Way Winger: Carolina finds themselves pretty deep down the middle but they’re not quite as strong on the wing.  Another player like Jesper Fast that can play up and down the lineup while providing some defensive value would certainly help give them a deeper lineup with more versatility.

2) Third Pairing Upgrade: Ethan Bear hasn’t been able to have the impact Carolina hoped when they picked him up from Edmonton while Cole is a role player, a shutdown, stay-at-home piece.  The same can be said for Brendan Smith.  That’s not a bad group of fifth to seventh defenders behind their strong top four but it can be improved upon.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Anaheim Ducks

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM.  Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful.  Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation for the 2021-22 season and beyond with contract statuses as of the beginning of the year.  This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL.  All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Anaheim Ducks

Current Cap Hit: $70,352,981 (under the $81.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

D Simon Benoit ($809K this season)
D Jamie Drysdale ($925K through 2022-23)
F Trevor Zegras ($925K through 2022-23)

Potential Bonuses:
Benoit: $82.5K
Drysdale: $850K
Zegras: $850K
Total: $1.7825MM

Zegras has certainly outperformed his entry-level deal.  While they’re still sheltering him a little, he’s effectively Anaheim’s top offensive center now and a centerpiece to build around for the future.  We’ve seen teams move quickly to try to sign these players to max-term contracts and it stands to reason that new GM Pat Verbeek will be doing so here.  Montreal’s recent extension for Nick Suzuki (eight years at just under $8MM per season) is one that will inevitably come up in those discussions.  As for the incentives, he has a chance at reaching all four of his ‘A’ bonuses but other than time on ice, the other ones should come down to the wire.

Drysdale’s first full NHL season has had some ups and downs but more of the former than the latter which is good for a 19-year-old blueliner.  He’s another player Verbeek may want to sign to a long-term contract but unless Drysdale takes a big step forward next season, it may be difficult to find a price point where both sides are content with the risk (paying too much too soon for Anaheim and giving up on potentially higher earnings for Drysdale).  A short-term bridge deal could fall in the $4MM range while a long-term pact could be double that.  The youngster has a chance of getting two or three of his ‘A’ bonuses.  As for Benoit, he’s logging light minutes in a depth role and players like that often sign their second contract for a fairly low AAV in exchange for one-way money.  He’s a strong candidate for that type of deal.

Signed Through 2021-22, Non-Entry-Level

F Sam Carrick ($750K, UFA)
F Nicolas Deslauriers ($1MM, UFA)
F Ryan Getzlaf ($3MM, UFA)
F Ryan Kesler ($6.875MM, UFA)
D Jacob Larsson ($1.2MM, RFA)
D Hampus Lindholm ($5.206MM, UFA)
F Isac Lundestrom ($874K, RFA)
D Josh Manson ($4.1MM, UFA)
F Sonny Milano ($1.7MM, RFA)
F Rickard Rakell ($3.789MM, UFA)
F Buddy Robinson ($750K, UFA)
F Sam Steel ($874K, RFA)

Potential Bonuses:
Getzlaf: $1.5MM

Let’s get Kesler out of the way first.  He’s on injured reserve but is eligible for LTIR since he isn’t coming back and his playing days are over.  They don’t need to make that placement unless they’re in need of cap space and they’re not going to need that.  There has been some talk that a team already in LTIR may be interested in him to expand their LTIR pool so that’s something to keep an eye on.

Getzlaf has had a nice bounce-back season.  He still isn’t scoring much but his playmaking is still making him one of their better offensive contributors.  He’ll be 37 in the spring and will likely be going year-to-year from here on out which will keep him eligible for incentives as he has now.  A similar contract for him in the summer is certainly reasonable.  Rakell is an interesting pending UFA when it comes to the trade deadline.  He has two 30-goal seasons under his belt but 2017-18 was the last time he scored that many times; it’s also the last time he scored 20.  That makes his value a little difficult to pin down.  His career numbers say he’s a scoring winger that’s owed a nice raise but his more recent ones have him more of a second-line player in line for a smaller raise to around $4.5MM or so.

Despite suffering an upper-body injury that has kept him out for nearly a month, Milano already is having a career year despite his role not changing all that much.  He’s eligible for salary arbitration with a $1.8MM qualifying offer.  His track record isn’t the best which should limit an award but an extra million or so should be achievable.  Deslauriers is one of the last true enforcers in the league.  The need for them is dying down but he plays well enough to log a regular shift which should allow him to get a similar contract this summer.  Robinson and Carrick are serviceable role players but neither have done enough to command much more than the minimum at the NHL level.

Steel and Lundestrom both signed their qualifying offers as bridge contracts to try to prove themselves.  It has worked well for Lundestrom as he has become a regular in the middle six while playing full-time down the middle.  He isn’t producing a lot so he’s not going to want a long-term contract this summer but with arbitration eligibility, doubling his AAV is a realistic goal.  It hasn’t worked well for Steel, however.  He hasn’t produced enough to move into a more prominent role and he’s not the type of player that thrives in a limited role.  He’ll get a small raise but probably not much more than that.

Lindholm remains an under the radar number two defender.  His offensive numbers rarely stand out but he’s no slouch at that end while being very strong defensively.   At 28, he’s still young enough to command a max-term deal and with the role he plays, he can add a couple of million on his current price tag.  Manson is another significant rental on the back end.  However, he hasn’t been able to duplicate the offensive output he had in 2017-18; he basically has as many points in parts of four seasons combined since then.  That will limit his market somewhat.  He’s still physical, strong in his own end, and a right-shot defender so there will be plenty of interest but it would be surprising to see his price tag go much larger than $5MM.  Larsson has spent most of the season in the minors but gets a mention here as Anaheim can’t clear his full contract off the books when he’s with San Diego.  They may attempt to get him to sign for less than his qualifying offer to keep him around but otherwise, he’s a non-tender candidate.

Signed Through 2022-23

F Max Comtois ($2.0375MM, RFA)
F Derek Grant ($1.5MM, UFA)
D Josh Mahura ($750K, RFA)
D Kevin Shattenkirk ($3.9MM, UFA)
G Anthony Stolarz ($950K, UFA)
F Troy Terry ($1.45MM, RFA)

A year ago, Comtois was in the middle of a career year and led the Ducks in scoring.  It looked like he had established himself as a capable top-six power forward but the bridge deal showed some uncertainty as to whether he could play like that on a long-term basis.  That hesitance proved to be accurate as Comtois has struggled mightily this season and has gone back to more of a reserve role.  Lots can change but for now, a long-term contract in 2023 seems unlikely.  Instead, a one-year deal or a medium-term pact that buys out one or two UFA years may make more sense.  Grant is a serviceable depth center that’s making too much for the role he fills.  He should be able to get another contract after this one but it should be closer to the $1MM mark.  As for Terry, he has clearly impressed this season and is Anaheim’s leading scorer by a considerable margin.  All of a sudden, he has gone from a role player to a top liner and if he can keep this up, a long-term contract in the $6MM to $7MM range would become a serious option.

Shattenkirk has had a much better second season in Anaheim than his first, leading their defensemen in points while logging his usual 20 minutes per game.  He’ll be 34 at the end of this deal and will be able to sign a multi-year deal without any 35+ risk.  Another three-year pact could be done around this price point with the expectation that he will need to play a bit of a lesser role by the end of it.  Mahura is a low-cost depth piece and will need to play his way into a regular spot in the lineup to have a chance to earn a bigger deal even with salary arbitration rights at that time.

Stolarz had been more of a depth goalie in the past which made it understandable that he took a low-cost two-year deal to give him some stability.  However, he has done pretty well this season and should have himself positioned for a bigger deal in 2023.  His path is somewhat similar to Laurent Brossoit who inked a contract with a $2.325MM AAV last summer.

Signed Through 2023-24

F Adam Henrique ($5.85MM, UFA)
F Max Jones ($1.295MM, RFA)
F Jakob Silfverberg ($5.25MM, UFA)

Henrique has had a nice bounce-back year after clearing waivers at one point last season.  He has adapted well to playing on the wing and has become a quality part of Anaheim’s top six.  He’s still not providing a great return on his cap hit and his next contract will undoubtedly be considerably less than this one but compared to how things looked last season, this is a nice step in the right direction.  The same can’t be said for Silfverberg.  He’s struggling to score despite heavy minutes and even his possession numbers aren’t pretty.  The 31-year-old is better off as a bottom-six piece at this point and that’s a pretty high price tag for someone that is best suited now to be a checker.  Jones is in the first season of a three-year bridge deal but has played just twice due to a torn pectoral muscle.  That makes this season a write-off but there’s still enough time for him to outperform this deal.  He’ll be owed a $1.5MM qualifier in 2024.

Read more

Rangers Have An Opportunity To Strike Early In Trade Market

at CDT | by 25 Comments

The concept of the time value of money is a very common one in investing.  Your money is worth a certain amount today but ideally grows over time.  A similar philosophy applies in the NHL when it comes to cap space – $1MM at the start of the season can be worth around $4MM at the trade deadline so teams wisely try to save what they have, hope for minimal injuries, and that would put them in a position to add a useful piece or two for the stretch run.

The end result of such a philosophy is a trade market that has basically resembled that of Major League Baseball since the start of December, notwithstanding a couple of minor AHL swaps last week.  (If you don’t follow MLB, they’ve been in a lockout since then with no trades allowed.)  For the most part, that’s probably not going to change over the next few weeks as many contenders have cap space ranging from none to minimal with a hope that between now and the deadline, it could improve to a level that could be considered as slightly better than nothing.  Such is life in a league where half the teams are technically over the cap and are using LTIR to get into compliance.

That provides an opportunity for a contender that’s fortunate to have cap space to make a move now to get a leg up on their competition.  Only one such team in the top seven in the NHL standings heading into Monday’s games is in that situation and that’s the New York Rangers.

So far, they’ve been linked to many different players with former Ranger J.T. Miller being the headliner.  Some of the others are on expiring contracts and there needs to at least be a mixture as new contracts for Mika Zibanejad and Adam Fox add $11.725MM to next season’s payroll compared to what they’re making now.  With nearly $71MM in commitments to 16 players per CapFriendly, there is some room for a longer-term addition but some of their pickups will need to be rentals as well.

Right now, they’re pegged to finish the season with $7.056MM in cap space, an amount that’s equivalent to $17.2MM today and $35.2M at the trade deadline.  Yes, they have some bonuses to factor in but the struggles of Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko limit that somewhat.  Fox will reach his $850K but his bonuses should be the only ones of any sort of consequence.  So if you’re working backward, New York needs to have at least $850K in room at the end of the season.  Even if you add a few hundred thousand as a safety net for some of their other youngsters and factor in that they’re just carrying the minimum-sized roster due to the All-Star break, we’re only looking at holding back around 15-20% of their end-of-season cap room and a few million off the present value of contracts they can acquire right now.

That means that New York could add comfortably more than $10MM in salaries today to their roster.  That’s enough to add an impact player up front and some depth in the bottom six which is an area of concern for the Rangers at the moment with even perhaps having enough left over to shore up their back end.  There’s a reasonable chance that will be about all of the spending they’re going to do between now and the deadline; no one should be expecting GM Chris Drury to bring in five or six new players between now and March 21st.  That would be asking a lot of any team.

In that sense, there isn’t much of a need for them to wait.  While many contenders will have to wait until more time elapses resulting in less salary to take on, the Rangers can go after their targets aggressively now.  Waiting until closer to the deadline will bring in more contenders for their desired players which could drive the price tag higher.  With that in mind, there’s a case to make that paying a little more now to get the player is worth doing, ensuring they get their targets and getting several weeks of extra games out of them in the process.

Patience is often a good characteristic but for New York, the time may be right to be aggressive and strike early on the trade front.  With their cap situation, they’ll be a team to keep an eye on in the coming weeks.

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