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Trade Candidate: Phil Kessel

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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.

Over the summer, the Coyotes moved out several veterans and really dove into their long-term rebuilding project.  However, one veteran that wasn’t moved out at that time was winger Phil Kessel.  With playoff-bound teams looking to add some scoring depth between now and the trade deadline, it stands to reason that there’s a good chance that Kessel will be on the move in the coming weeks.

Contract

Kessel is in the final season of his deal that carries a $8MM cap hit.  $5MM of his money owing for this season was paid out in a signing bonus while his base salary is only $1MM.  Toronto is retaining 15% of that amount so Arizona’s cap hit is $6.8MM.  The contract also contains an eight-team no-trade clause.

2021-22

It has been a tough year for many Coyotes as Arizona sits in the basement of the Western Conference.  It wouldn’t necessarily be fair to lump Kessel in with that majority, however.  His goal total is down but his assist numbers are the best they’ve been in the desert.  As a result, he sits second on the team in scoring behind Clayton Keller.

Despite several of their top players moving, it hasn’t really resulted in an increase in ice time for the 34-year-old which is in contrast to their other higher-scoring forwards.  Keller is averaging more than three minutes a game more, so is Lawson Crouse, and Travis Boyd (who wasn’t with Arizona last year) is logging over four minutes a night higher as he has gotten the type of opportunity that eluded him in the past.  Kessel, meanwhile, is averaging 13 seconds per game more than last year.

Unsurprisingly, his utilization is the same as usual – lots of power play time and the rest at five on five.  Wherever he winds up going, that should stay intact as he’s never going to be the type of player that kills penalties and plays in key defensive situations but in offensive areas, he can still contribute.

Season Stats

51 GP, 6 goals, 27 assists, 33 points, -11 rating, 18 PIMS, 109 shots, 17:18 TOI, 48.0 CF%

Potential Suitors

Most contenders don’t have the ability to take on $6.8MM in a trade but Arizona has one retention slot left (Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Darcy Kuemper are the two they’ve used) and with his salary being as low as it is, it’s likely that the Coyotes will be open to using that last slot to retain half of the cap hit to help facilitate a move.  Worth noting, Toronto’s retention means that Kessel isn’t eligible for the double-retention move we’ve seen some teams make the last couple of seasons but there should still be some interest.

In the East, the Rangers have the cap space to go after Kessel.  While shoring up their bottom six is a priority, adding Kessel would allow them to push someone else down into that lower group which would still serve as an upgrade and he’d be an interesting shooter with Artemi Panarin on the opposite wing.  The Panthers seem to be thinking big but Kessel would work as a fallback option, bolstering what is an already very strong offensive squad.  If the Bruins strike out on some of their targets, a reunion with Kessel would make sense in terms of shoring up their production on the wing but would both sides be open to that?

There are more fits out West.  Like the Rangers, the Predators have ample cap space and someone like Kessel would bolster what has been a middle-of-the-pack attack.  The Wild are basically stuck looking at rentals with their buyout penalties looming large for next season and while they’re already one of the highest-scoring teams in the league, they could double down on their strengths and deepen their attack.  The Pacific Division also has some reasonable options.  If Anaheim looks to add, they have ample cap space and could certainly use some extra offensive depth.  The Sharks are currently out but if they can win a few games to get back into the race, they’d be a good fit as well.  The Kings currently have the space right now with their LTIR situation and would benefit from more firepower but their ability to add largely hinges on Alexander Edler’s situation.

Likelihood Of A Trade

There probably isn’t going to be a significant market for Kessel with the contract and as he is someone that’s going to be more of a secondary option than a primary target, it may take a while for it to materialize.  But assuming the acquisition cost winds up in the mid-round pick range, the veteran should be on the move at some point before the deadline.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trade Deadline Primer: Buffalo Sabres

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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 Buffalo Sabres.

The trade deadline has been known as a selling time for the Sabres as they’ve missed the playoffs for ten straight years and are now embarking on a new rebuild as their postseason drought will be extended once again.  While there is hope that some of their younger players will help them out of this playoff drought (they have performed better under Don Granato this season), Buffalo will be in an all too familiar position over the next few weeks.

Record

16-28-8, 7th in the Atlantic

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$41.49MM today, $66.38MM in full-season space, 0/3 retention slots used, 46/50 contracts used per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2022: BUF 1st, FLA 1st*, VGK 1st^, BUF 2nd, BUF 3rd, BUF 4th, NJ 5th, BUF 6th, BUF 7th
2023: BUF 1st, BUF 2nd, PHI 2nd, VGK 2nd^, BUF 4th, BUF 5th, BUF 6th, BUF 7th

*-If Florida’s pick is in the top ten, the Panthers will instead transfer their 2023 first-rounder (unprotected).

^-If Vegas’ 2022 first-round pick is in the top ten, the Golden Knights will instead transfer their 2023 first-rounder (unprotected).  If that happens, the 2023 second-round pick will become a 2024 second-rounder while Buffalo would keep their 2023 third-rounder and instead transfer their 2024 third-round pick.

Trade Chips

Cody Eakin has moved at the trade deadline before and checks off two boxes that contending teams often look to fill on the fourth line.  The center can win faceoffs (56.5% success rate this season, a career high) and kill penalties.  At $2.25MM, the pending unrestricted free agent is overpaid for that role but if Buffalo is willing to pay that down by up to the maximum of 50%, there should be some teams interested in his services.

Robert Hagg isn’t going to light up the scoresheet but he hits, blocks shots, and can hold his own on the third pairing as he’s logging a little over 17 minutes a game.  That’s not a particularly exciting profile on the surface but as teams look to add some grit and depth, the 27-year-old pending UFA should intrigue some playoff-bound teams.  At $1.6MM, his deal shouldn’t need to be paid down.  Colin Miller is another pending UFA blueliner that could attract some interest although an upper-body injury will keep him out for a few more weeks which won’t help his value.  His price tag is higher at $3.875MM and will need some retention but he’s a right-shot defender which is an area that several teams will be looking to fill.

Victor Olofsson remains a restricted free agent to keep an eye on.  The 26-year-old has gone cold in recent weeks but is a capable shooter, especially on the power play.  For teams interested in adding some firepower on that front, he can help and unlike the others listed so far, he has another year of team control.  But at $3.25MM, the qualifying offer could scare some teams off, especially with his eligibility for arbitration where his 20-goal season in 2019-20 could help him earn a raise.  He’s not a guarantee to move but he could be someone to watch for.

For teams looking for less expensive forward depth, rental winger Vinnie Hinostroza may be of interest.  He should be able to return from his lower-body injury in the next little while and with 17 points in 36 games, he’d be an offensive upgrade in the bottom six for some playoff-bound squads.  He won’t be a primary target but as a depth addition closer to the deadline, there could be some interest, especially with him having an affordable $1.05MM AAV.

Johnny Boychuk’s playing career is already over but he’s an LTIR-eligible contract.  Buffalo hasn’t put him on there – it’s not as if they need the cap space – but a team that could fit him under their cap and then place him on LTIR to expand their pool could come calling.  Such a move is rare but there is precedent for it happening.

Others To Watch For: G Craig Anderson ($750K, UFA), F Anders Bjork ($1.6MM through 2022-23), D Will Butcher ($2.823MM, UFA)

Team Needs

1) Bang For Their Buck – The Sabres have more cap space than anyone, putting them in a position to be willing to accept bad contracts or be a third-party facilitator with retention to add some draft picks.  If ownership is willing to give them the okay to do so from a budgetary perspective, it’s something GM Kevyn Adams should be looking to utilize.

2) Future Goaltending – It’s easy to say they need picks and prospects (they’ll get more of the former than the latter with their rentals) but let’s look beyond that for a moment.  Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is getting close to being ready for the NHL but he’s going to need a quality veteran to work with and the collection of goalies they have making the league minimum (or slightly more) isn’t going to cut it.  This doesn’t have to be a need they fill now but if they’re willing to take on a contract now, getting a goalie wouldn’t be a bad idea.  The same idea could be applied to bringing in a veteran defender or even a forward as Buffalo could basically use longer-term upgrades everywhere.

Trade Deadline Primer: Ottawa Senators

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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 Ottawa Senators.

Things haven’t gone completely according to plan for Ottawa this season.  This was supposed to be the end of the rebuilding phase with GM Pierre Dorion going as far as saying before training camp that “The rebuild is done. Now we’re stepping into another zone”.  As it turns out, the rebuild isn’t done and they’re in the same zone they have been as they’re set to miss the playoffs for the fifth straight season.  While brighter days are certainly on the horizon with the depth of their prospect pool, they will be doing what they’ve been accustomed to in recent years at the deadline.

Record

19-26-5, 6th in the Atlantic

Deadline Status

Short-Term Seller, Long-Term Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$33.94MM today, $55.15MM in full-season space, 0/3 retention slots used, 45/50 contracts used per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2022: OTT 1st, OTT 2nd, TB 2nd, BOS 3rd, OTT 3rd, VAN 3rd, OTT 5th, OTT 6th, NYR 7th, OTT 7th
2023: OTT 1st, OTT 2nd, OTT 3rd, OTT 4th, OTT 5th, OTT 6th, OTT 7th, NSH 7th

Trade Chips

Ottawa’s biggest trade chip is one they’re hoping not to trade at all in forward Nick Paul.  The 26-year-old has gone from the wing to playing down the middle in recent years while being a capable depth scorer.  He has improved on that front a bit this season, matching his previous career high in goals with nine while playing a sound defensive game with a bit of physicality.  This is the type of profile that many playoff-bound teams would want to add to their bottom six.  The Senators would also like to retain the pending unrestricted free agent and Paul recently expressed some confidence that they’ll be able to reach an agreement.  He’s heading for a sizable raise from his current $1.35MM AAV and we’ll find out over the next few weeks if it’ll be Ottawa giving it to him or if he’ll be on the move.

Anton Forsberg has done a nice job of re-establishing some value since joining Ottawa last season.  He bounced around on waivers for the first half of 2020-21 but has basically been the starter for the Sens this year with Matt Murray struggling early on.  His .917 SV% is certainly appealing to contenders but his $900K cap hit will be even more attractive.  He could fit on some playoff-bound squads as a backup and others as third-string insurance and both of those options could apply to the Senators as well.  If they can’t work out an extension, the pending UFA could be one of the goalies on the move.

Center depth is always something that’s in demand at this time of year and Chris Tierney fits the definition of a depth center.  In the past, he has been capable of playing in the top six although that’s not the most ideal role for him now.  He can still kill penalties and while he has been a bit below average on faceoffs this season, he’s not too far removed from being a little above the league average on that front.  He could fit on the third line for some teams but he’d certainly boost the fourth line for many playoff-bound squads.  The pending UFA has a $3.5MM AAV that Ottawa will need to pay down but assuming they’re willing to do so, they should be able to add to their stable of draft picks.

Another element that playoff-bound teams like to add is grit and that’s where Zach Sanford should draw some interest.  Included as a cap dump in the Logan Brown trade, the 27-year-old has had a decent season for Ottawa with 15 points in 50 games but it’s the 104 hits that he has that will catch the eye of contenders.  Again, some retention may be necessary here with a $2MM AAV before he hits the open market in the summer but Sanford would fit on the fourth line for quite a few playoff teams.

Others To Watch For: D Josh Brown ($1.2MM, UFA), D Michael Del Zotto ($2MM through 2022-23), F Tyler Ennis ($900K, UFA), D Victor Mete ($1.2MM, RFA)

Team Needs

1) Draft Picks: While none of the above names are going to yield significant draft picks, Ottawa has several players that could fetch a mid-round selection.  With ten selections already for the 2022 draft, this may be an opportunity for Dorion to add picks in future years.

2) Center Help: This isn’t as big of a need for this season since they’re not in the playoff hunt but this year has exposed some holes in their depth down the middle.  Josh Norris and Shane Pinto will be part of the future plans and oft-injured Colin White is still signed for three more years but most of their remaining options are pending free agents (RFA or UFA).  A capable middle-six center would go a long way towards shoring up their depth, especially as they hope to be in the playoff mix next season.

3) Bridge Veterans: This is something that Dorion could look to in free agency but Ottawa’s cap space could make them a buyer for assets signed beyond this season.  Every young team needs quality veterans to help them take that next step forward and right now, there simply aren’t that many in the organization.  If there’s a chance to get one or two in the next few weeks by helping to facilitate a trade for a cap-strapped contender, it’d be one worth looking into.

Trade Deadline Primer: Florida Panthers

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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 Florida Panthers.

After an impressive first season at the helm of the Florida Panthers, GM Bill Zito made moves in the offseason to shore up the Panthers’ roster, adding Sam Reinhart from Buffalo and extending his previous additions in Sam Bennett, Carter Verhaeghe, and Anthony Duclair. Despite some early-season upheaval with the resignation of head coach Joel Quenneville, interim head coach Andrew Brunette has steadied the ship and has the Panthers surging to the top of the league’s standings. This is a very well-constructed team, and their success this season has certainly earned their players the right to expect some reinforcements from the trade market, which is why Zito is expected to be among the buyers during this trade deadline.

Record

35-11-5, 1st in the Atlantic

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$3.845MM today, $3.845MM in full-season space, 0/3 retention slots used, 41/50 contracts used per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2022: FLA 3rd, FLA 4th, FLA 5th, FLA 6th, CGY 6th, FLA 7th
2023: FLA 1st, FLA 2nd, FLA 3rd, FLA 4th, FLA 5th, FLA 6th, FLA 7th, ARZ 7th

Trade Chips

Given their results this season, the Panthers are not likely to make moves that would send away key components of their NHL lineup. Expecting Zito to trade a player like Anton Lundell, for example, who is currently playing a major role as the team’s third-line center, would be a mistake. Instead, most expect the Panthers to deal from their stable of prospects and draft picks in order to make upgrades. One player attracting attention is winger Owen Tippett. Tippett, 23, was the tenth-overall pick in the 2017 NHL draft and has been so far unable to establish himself as a legitimate NHL-caliber scoring option. After a stretch of 42 games where Tippett registered six goals and 14 points, he found himself a frequent healthy scratch and was recently sent down to the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers, where he now has four assists in two games. Tippett plays an offensive style of hockey that is best suited for one of his team’s scoring lines, but he has not been able to stay on a scoring line in Florida given the team’s significant pre-existing depth at each winger position. Tippett represents a sort of asset that has depreciated in value since his draft season and could be ideal for a team seeking to unlock the upside that made him a top prospect in the first place.

The Panthers’ next first-round choice after Tippett was Russian winger Grigori Denisenko, who they drafted 15th overall in 2018. Denisenko is in a similar position to Tippett, in that he’s a scoring winger who has been so far unable to establish himself in the NHL and is therefore mentioned in trade rumors regarding the Panthers. Denisenko, stylistically speaking, is a bit different from Tippett. Tippett plays an honest, relatively straightforward offensively-oriented game. Denisenko, on the other hand, has a rambunctious, swashbuckling offensive style that can be both endearing and frustrating for fans and coaches alike. He is a genuinely interesting prospect, but one has to question his trajectory given that he has tallied in the fifth-lowest NHL games played of the entire 2018 first round, which plays into why he is listed as a “trade chip” rather than considered an untouchable core prospect.

If a team trading with Florida wants to acquire someone with more NHL experience than either of those prospects, they could opt for winger Frank Vatrano, who has fallen out of his normal place as a regular in the Panthers lineup. Vatrano, 27, is an undrafted player who broke out in the 2018-19 season, when he scored 24 goals and 39 points playing next to Aleksander Barkov. Vatrano followed up that campaign with two seasons where he scored 16 and 18 goals, respectively, and seemed to have solidified his place as a reliable top-nine goal-scorer. But this season has not gone as planned for Vatrano, and he has been a healthy scratch as of recent weeks. He has only eight goals and 14 points in 40 games played, a reduction in his normal offensive production. He is a pending unrestricted free agent with a cap hit of $2.53MM, so it is definitely possible that he is included in trades in order to balance the cap going each way, especially as it seems that he is no longer part of the Panthers’ long-term plans.

Other Potential Trade Chips: F Serron Noel (894k through 2022-23), D Markus Nutivaara ($2.7MM through 2021-2022), F Mackie Samoskevich (unsigned prospect)

Team Needs

1) Top-Four Defenseman (preferably left-handed): The Panthers currently run a top pairing of MacKenzie Weegar and Aaron Ekblad, who are elite together, but they likely would prefer to get Ekblad a different (but still capable) partner so that Weegar could return to playing with Gustav Forsling as he did last season. Being paired with Weegar helped Forsling reach new heights in his career, and while he has been solid this season with a different regular partner it is clear that the team could be best off reuniting the two. Additionally, the Panthers’ sixth defensive spot has rotated between Olli Juolevi and Lucas Carlsson this season. A team would ideally have three solidified defensive pairings going into the playoffs, and adding a proven defenseman would allow the Panthers to have that. In terms of who they may target, the Panthers seem to be interested in shopping for a significant addition to fill their defensive need, as Jeff Marek of Sportsnet has linked the Panthers to Arizona Coyotes star defenseman Jakob Chychrun.

2) Additional Forward Help: As things currently stand, the Panthers are set to play Maxim Mamin as the first-line right winger next to Barkov. Mamin is a player who has scored at decent levels in the KHL (35 points in 55 games for CSKA Moscow in 2020-2021) but has yet to translate that into consistent NHL production. He has only 13 points in his 57 career NHL games, for reference. For a team that rightfully considers itself a legitimate contender to win the Stanley Cup, it is reasonable to expect them to pursue some sort of upgrade along the wings to bolster that section of their lineup.

3) Backup Goaltender: If the Panthers are steadfast in their intent to let Spencer Knight develop with the Checkers in the AHL, backup goaltender could be a need the Panthers address at the trade deadline. Their current backup to Sergei Bobrovsky is Jonas Johansson, who has yet to make an appearance for the team this season. Johansson had a .885 save percentage in 9 games for the Avalanche in 2020-2021 and is unlikely to be someone the Panthers feel confident in, should Bobrovsky become suddenly unavailable down the stretch. Injuries are commonplace given the physical nature of playoff hockey, so in order to prevent one injury from wiping away their playoff dreams, the Panthers could look to upgrade their insurance policy behind Bobrovsky.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Trade Deadline Primer: New York Rangers

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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