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Poll: Which Club Is Most Likely To Bounce Back?

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The 2017-18 season has not been good to preseason prognosticators. No one saw the Vegas Golden Knights going from expansion to excellence, and few could predict the disappointing seasons in Edmonton, Ottawa and Montreal. Many even had the Oilers as a Western Conference favorite before the season began, thanks in large part (or entirely) to Connor McDavid’s ascent to the top of the league.

Now, as we head into the last few weeks of the regular season, it’s becoming clear who will finish the year at the very bottom. Amazingly, the Colorado Avalanche are not among the worst teams in the league despite having a historically-bad season in 2016-17. That bounce back is exactly what every non-playoff club will attempt next season, hoping that a few tweaks and some natural progression will get them right back into the hunt.

Of those teams already considered out of the running, which one is most likely to make the playoffs next season? Is it Edmonton, thanks once again to McDavid’s skill? Or a team like Vancouver who have their own young talents to build around? Will success ever come to Arizona or Buffalo?

Vote below, and make sure to list your reasons in the comments.

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Submit Your Questions For The Post-Deadline #PHRMailbag

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The trade deadline has come and gone, and while we saw Ryan McDonagh head to a new team in his quest for the Stanley Cup, other high-priced trade bait stayed put. Who will be moved this summer? Where does Erik Karlsson play in 2018-19? Which teams made out the best on deadline day?

All of your questions will be answered this weekend in our post-deadline mailbag, so make sure to submit them using #PHRMailbag on Twitter or by leaving a comment down below!

You can read our last mailbag right here, where Brian La Rose explains why he believed McDonagh was the best non-rental option truly on the market.

Late To The Party: The Post-Deadline Trade

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When people think of the trade deadline in the NHL, it often conjures the impression of the last chance to improve your team before the end of the season. If you don’t make a deal on February 26th (or whenever the deadline falls in a given year) you’ll have to wait until the draft to make a big splash.

The thing is, that’s not true.

The NHL trade deadline is poorly named, as it is actually not a deadline to make trades at all. Instead, that is the last day in which a traded player is eligible to suit up for his new team in the playoffs. It is not a beginning of a transaction freeze at all. Any team can make any trade today, though those players won’t be eligible for any postseason games.

Since 2005-06, the first year of the modern cap era of the NHL, there have been nine trades after the playoff eligibility deadline. They are as follows:

2007 –  Trade Deadline February 27:

March 1:

Minnesota Wild receive Aaron Voros
New Jersey Devils receive 2008 seventh-round pick

2008 – Trade Deadline February 26:

February 28:

Columbus Blue Jackets receive Nate DiCasmirro
Arizona Coyotes receive Steven Goertzen

April 7:

Arizona Coyotes receive Cory Urquhart
Montreal Canadiens receive Olivier Latendresse

2009 – Trade Deadline March 4:

March 6:

San Jose Sharks receive Kyle McLaren
Philadelphia Flyers receive 2009 sixth-round pick

March 10:

Toronto Maple Leafs receive Jay Rosehill
Tampa Bay Lightning receive future considerations

2011 – Trade Deadline February 28:

March 1:

Columbus Blue Jackets receive Petr Kalus
Minnesota Wild receive future considerations

2012 – Trade Deadline February 27:

March 20:

New York Islanders receive Yuri Alexandrov
Boston Bruins receive future considerations

2016 – Trade Deadline February 29:

March 7:

Carolina Hurricanes receive Dane Fox
Vancouver Canucks receive future considerations

2017 – Trade Deadline March 1:

March 6:

Ottawa Senators receive Brandon Gormley
New Jersey Devils receive future considerations

Definitely not the most impactful moves of the last decade. That makes sense, because teams looking to buy are all trying to get to the playoffs and want their full team available to them if they do make it. Sellers aren’t looking to swap around contracts until they have a clearer picture of what their team looks like next season.

Interestingly though, there may be some incentive for post-deadline trades this year.

Take Edmonton for instance, who have been looking for a running mate for Connor McDavid and need to inject some speed into the lineup. If Ottawa takes your call, why not continue discussions over Mike Hoffman down the stretch to see if something can be worked out? Though the Senators know that they’d have several teams interested if the put Hoffman on the market at the draft, if the Oilers meet the asking price right now why not pull the trigger?

There is also an argument for some teams that are still in a playoff race to make a move. The Pittsburgh Penguins just lost their starting goaltender to a concussion, an injury that rarely comes with a definitive recovery timetable. Though Tristan Jarry and Casey DeSmith have been impressive in their rookie campaigns, perhaps Pittsburgh would be interested in adding a veteran goaltender just to help them over the next 20 games. After all, the Penguins aren’t even guaranteed a playoff spot at this point, and could drastically change their seeding with a poor stretch.

Even Boston, who are battling with Toronto and Tampa Bay for seeding in the Atlantic Division just lost arguably their best player for a few weeks. If the Bruins are set on a run at the Presidents’ Trophy and a top seed in the East, some more center depth could help even if it is only for 22 games.

All of these moves are long-shots, but there is an argument to be made for each of them. Post-deadline trades are rare, but they could have a huge impact if teams would be more open to them. Sure, they can’t suit up for the playoffs. But if you don’t make it without them, neither can the rest of your squad.

Submit Your Questions For The #PHRMailbag

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Just a couple of weeks remain until the NHL trade deadline, when teams are forced to finally make a decision on their future. Will they push their chips to the middle and try to take home the ultimate prize, or sit back and fold this season to try again another day? The trade market hasn’t opened up just yet, but now is your chance to ask our own Brian La Rose when he thinks it will.

Is Ryan McDonagh really going to be moved? What additions will the Boston Bruins make? How many Norris wins is Rasmus Dahlin guaranteed? He has all the answers.

Brian will be answering the mailbag this weekend, but be sure to submit your questions now! Leave a comment below or tweet at @prohockeyrumors using the #PHRMailbag.

PHR Originals: 1/22/18 – 1/28/18

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With the trade deadline now less than a month away, the focus around the league is starting to shift more towards the trade talk and the same can be said for our original content here at PHR over the past week.

Our Trade Candidates series kicked off with a look at five players that could potentially be on the move in the weeks to come.  Four of them are rental players while one has three years remaining but still could be of use on the back end of a contending team.

Tomas Plekanec – Montreal (link)
Derek Ryan – Carolina (link)
Mike Green – Detroit (link)
James Neal – Vegas (link)
Jason Demers – Arizona (link)

One rental player that many expect to be on the move is Edmonton’s Mark Letestu.  Zach took a closer look at his situation, noting that the Oilers may have already missed out on their best chance to move him for maximum value.

William Karlsson has been one of the biggest surprises for the Golden Knights this season as he leads Vegas in goals while sitting tied for second overall league-wide.  He certainly has positioned himself well for a new contract this summer as a restricted free agent with arbitration eligibility.  Gavin examined how his shooting percentage could be a significant discussion point on his next deal as a rate of 26.7% will be very difficult to maintain.

We also had a poll for who the best available trade chip is.  Montreal’s Max Pacioretty currently leads the way but there’s still time to cast your vote.

Submit Your Questions For The #PHRMailbag

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2018 is upon us and the NHL is less than two months away from the trade deadline. With that in mind, we’ll run another edition of our #PHRMailbag, with our very own Brian La Rose answering all your questions. Interested in his thoughts on the top rental options? What about the players with several years left on their contracts? Who will be the biggest sellers, and who will add for a postseason run?

Brian will be answering the mailbag on the weekend, but be sure to submit your questions now! Leave a comment below or tweet at @prohockeyrumors using the #PHRMailbag.

Make sure to check out our last mailbag, where Brian answered some questions about various superstars that may be on the market in the coming months. He sure didn’t make any new Bruins fans when he wrote “I don’t think [John] Tavares is a great fit in Boston,” but perhaps you can change his mind.

Poll: What Is The Best Division In Hockey?

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The NHL is at an interesting place as we start the New Year, with four divisions split cleanly into two categories. Neither the Metropolitan nor the Central division has a single team below .500, while the Atlantic and Pacific hold the two best teams in the league.

The Metro is led once again by the Washington Capitals despite many believing they’d take a step backwards this year, and then contains seven more legitimate playoff contenders. Elliotte Friedman was on Sportsnet radio recently, and mentioned that there could be three teams in the Metro who miss the playoffs despite records that would earn them a spot anywhere else. It looks like both Eastern wildcard spots will come out of this division, and it will be a dogfight right until the end.

The Atlantic though houses the league’s best team overall, which could be interpreted as a qualification for being the toughest group in the league. Tampa Bay leads the entire NHL with 60 points through their first 39 games, and have gone 8-2 in their last ten. Steven Stamkos looks like he’ll be named an All-Star captain later today, while Nikita Kucherov is perhaps the league’s best offensive player currently.

In the West, the Pacific takes on the mantle of having the top team. The Vegas Golden Knights, a surprise to all, now have 56 points through 38 games and have shown they’re more than just a flash in the pan. The Golden Knights have been on a tear recently, beating those same league-leading Lightning, along with the Capitals, Ducks, Kings, Maple Leafs and Predators, all of whom sit in playoff spots at the moment.

The Central though is the West’s version of the Metro, with seven teams above .500 that all carry positive goal differentials. While the Winnipeg Jets currently lead the group with 53 points in 41 games, the last place Chicago Blackhawks trail the final wildcard spot (Anaheim) by only four points with three games in hand. Any one of the Central teams could be in a playoff position by the end of next week, and could be Stanley Cup contenders—yes, even the Colorado Avalanche—before long.

So what makes the toughest division? Is it the powerful, almost unbeatable juggernauts at the top? Or is it the division-wide depth and uncertainty on any given night? Vote below and explain what you think makes up the strength of a division.

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PHR Originals: 12/18/17 – 12/24/17

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Here’s a rundown of the original content at PHR over the past week:

Columns

Holger looked at the big decision that the Golden Knights will soon have to make with James Neal.  He was selected in expansion with the idea that he’d be a top rental player at the deadline so should they stick with their original plan or hold on to him for a playoff run?  And if they go with the latter, should they look into a contract extension and how long is too long of a deal?

Our latest mailbag is now available.  I tackled questions regarding trade scenarios for Erik Karlsson and John Tavares, Philadelphia’s streakiness, and what might be on tap for the Blues and Bruins.

Zach evaluated the success (or lack thereof) of some of the veteran contracts handed out in free agency over the summer.  Based on how several of those deals are going so far, it’s likely that the recent trend of teams eschewing marginal veterans in favor of younger players will be continuing next offseason.

Thankful Series

Our What Your Team Should Be Thankful Series wrapped up with a closer look at the following teams:

Dallas Stars
Tampa Bay Lightning
Winnipeg Jets

Polls

While there are several strong candidates for who is the frontrunner for the Jack Adams award as Coach of the Year, it appears that there is one that stands out amongst the crowd.  Make your pick for who should be leading the race here.

Every team should have a Christmas wish list, regardless of where they find themselves in the standings.  What does your team need?  Make your pick here.

The World Junior Hockey Championships are about to get underway.  Analysts are predicting a rather open field and your votes reflect a similar mindset with close to a three-way tie so far.  Make your prediction for who will take home the gold here.

Year In Review

Our look back at what was a busy year around not only the NHL but the hockey world is underway with a look at the following months:

January
February
March

Veteran Free Agent Contracts Not Working Out Well In 2017-18

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There is no doubt that the game of hockey is getting faster and, as a result, younger. Yet, in 2016-17 that didn’t stop 44-year-old ageless wonder Jaromir Jagr from outscoring his age, 40-year-old Matt Cullen and 37-year-old Chris Kunitz from contributing to a second straight Pittsburgh Penguins Stanley Cup title, 39-year-old Zdeno Chara from skating in more than 23 minutes per game, or 36-year-old Henrik Zetterberg and 37-year-old Joe Thornton from finishing among the league’s best in assists. Several teams who witnessed the impact that older players had on their teams last year went out and signed older free agents this summer in hopes of a repeat performance. It hasn’t happened for most of those teams. The majority of players age 36 and older who signed with new teams this off-season have struggled to meet expectations.

Jagr, of course, is the poster boy of the anti-youth movement. The 28-year NHL veteran has somehow remained consistent throughout his career even into his mid-40’s, but despite a 46-point campaign last year, got little attention this summer and it looked like his illustrious career was over. However, the Calgary Flames swooped in at the last minute, signing Jagr to a one-year deal in early October. At $2MM for the year, it was a low-risk, high-upside singing. Yet, through 36 games, that upside has not shown up. Jagr has only been healthy for 19 games, in which he has only one goal and six assists. Even if Jagr was magically healthy for each of the Flames remaining games this season, he would be on pace for a career-worst 24 points. It seems that Jagr’s days are finally done.

He’s not alone though. The Penguins aging role players also decided to leave Pittsburgh this off-season, with Cullen heading home to Minnesota to join the Wild and Kunitz chasing a fourth Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Both players have been nothing short of a disappointment so far. Cullen, who was a major contributor to the Pens’ success last year as a dependable checking center and 30-point scorer. So far with the Wild, Cullen has been a non-factor offensively (7 points) and defensively (team worst -11) through 35 games and was even a healthy scratch earlier this month. Despite the incredible talent around him, Kunitz has just 10 points this season, a pace which is a far cry from his recent back-to-back 40-point seasons.

Who else is on the list? Defenseman Mark Streit was a complete disaster in Montreal, released by the Canadiens after just two games. Journeyman goalie Michael Leighton hasn’t done much better, already on his third team in 2017-18 and without an NHL appearance thus far. Despite the time-tested theory that Radim Vrbata always performs his best in Arizona, the aging scorer bolted the Coyotes for the Florida Panthers, who so far have only received 12 points and 29 games from the signing.

The jury is still out on a few veterans. Francois Beauchemin returned home to Anaheim this summer and many expected him to improve his game back on a familiar roster. While Beauchemin’s 7 points through 30 games pale in comparison to the better seasons of his career, it’s similar to the production he showed last year with the Colorado Avalanche. With the Ducks struggling as a team, it seems fair that Beauchemin’s play has also been a bit lacking. That hasn’t been the case for Ryan Miller, another aging addition in Anaheim. His .928 save percentage and 2.23 GAA has been very good. However, Miller has only gotten the win in four of his ten appearances and missed much of the early season due to injury. Miller has performed better than the rest of his team, but had he been healthy it may have reversed the Ducks’ fortunes early on. Matt Hendricks has already matched his point total with the Edmonton Oilers last season now with the Winnipeg Jets last season. He’s playing a valued energy role and the Jets likely don’t have many gripes. With that said, Hendricks needed only seven points to match that total from a down year in 2016-17 and has a been playing a less-physical game than he has in the past. Hendricks hasn’t been bad, but Winnipeg would undoubtedly rather see 2014-15 Hendricks, who posted 16 points and 220 hits.

The one team who has had great success with veteran signings in 2017-18 is the Toronto Maple Leafs. San Jose Sharks legend Patrick Marleau chose to sign in Toronto, leaving the only team he had ever played for, but the Leafs had to give him three years and $18.75MM to get it done. So far, it hasn’t been a bad investment. Marleau has 19 points in all 36 games, including 12 goals, and the 38-year-old should easily reach 40 points for the 18th time in his career. However, the real breakout veteran performance has been from the 36-year-old Ron Hainsey, whose signing was initially panned by many. Yet, Hainsey is on pace for one of, if not the best offensive campaigns of his career with 15 points so far. Forming a dynamic duo with Morgan Rielly, Hainsey seems rejuvenated late in his career and it has shown in an improvement on Toronto’s back end. But even the Leafs weren’t perfect though; the signing of Dominic Moore has been a disappointment. Moore has only nine points and has been a frequent scratch after a season with the division rival Boston Bruins in which he put up 25 points and played in all 82 games.

The NHL has been an increasingly difficult place for mediocre older players to find work. There has been a movement toward younger rosters, with veterans settling for minimum contracts, tryouts, or simply heading to Europe. Yet, exceptions continue to be made, especially for some talented older players. After the results this elderly free agent group has shown, veteran signings – especially those demanding big money and term – will surely become even less frequent.

Submit Your Questions For The #PHRMailbag

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2018 is almost here and with it will be the countdown to the NHL trade deadline. With teams starting to distance themselves at either end of the playoff race, more and more rumors will surface about rental players and rebuilds. Here’s your chance to ask our very own Brian La Rose about whatever you think your team should do!

Brian will be answering the mailbag on the weekend, but be sure to submit your questions now! Leave a comment below or tweet at @prohockeyrumors using the #PHRMailbag.

Make sure to read our last mailbag, where Brian went in depth on the Kyle Turris–Matt Duchene deal—he knew right away it wasn’t the greatest trade for the Ottawa Senators.

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