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PHR Panel: Trade Deadline Predictions

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With just 24 hours remaining before the 2021 NHL trade deadline, things are heating up around the league. Several big moves have already been made, with David Savard, Kyle Palmieri, and Brandon Montour all traded to contenders. There’s more coming before 3pm EST tomorrow, with Taylor Hall still drawing plenty of attention among many others.

With the deadline approaching, we thought we’d unearth one of our former features: The PHR Panel. This time it’ll come with a bit of a twist, as instead of answering questions, we’re going to be having some fun. Each of us will give one prediction for a deadline move, and we encouraged each other to go a bit outside the box if necessary. These deals are completely speculative and just done for fun–but make sure you tell us why we’re out of our minds in the comments!

Q: Predict one trade that will happen before the deadline

Brian La Rose: Luke Glendening to EDM

The Edmonton Oilers are known to be looking for a right-shot center that can help kill penalties and win faceoffs. Detroit happens to have one available in Luke Glendening, a player that GM Ken Holland is quite familiar with; he gave the forward the four-year, $7.2MM contract that is set to expire this summer, a clear sign that he was a fan of what the 31-year-old can provide.

Edmonton has been very quietly creating salary cap flexibility with the recent placements of Kyle Turris, Tyler Ennis, and Joakim Nygard on waivers, giving them the ability to send any of them to the taxi squad to free up cap space. If the Red Wings are willing to retain up to 50% on Glendening’s contract, they could acquire him and have Turris go to the taxi squad in a move that would actually free up a bit more room for Edmonton to work with. With the Oilers missing their second and third-round picks this year already, they’re more likely to part with a 2022 selection to do a deal like this.

Is Glendening going to be a secondary scorer which is something that Edmonton also needs? No, but if he can just provide the two elements that he has with Detroit, he will check off a pair of important boxes for the Oilers. Holland showed faith in giving Glendening what was an above-market extension at the time and he’ll show more faith in him by bringing him to Edmonton.

Holger Stolzenberg: Conor Garland to VGK

With Vegas relatively tight up against the salary cap, the Golden Knights now more than ever will be looking for a cheap forward. They are set in net and seem pretty strong defensively. Where they are lacking is on offense—especially in scoring. The team is hopeful for another Stanley Cup run like they had in their inaugural season and while they are 11th in goals/game, they have struggled more recently to score and could really use one more top-six forward. Enter Garland, who would be quite an upgrade and a player the team could hold onto since he’s expected to hit restricted free agency next season. He would be an excellent fit in Vegas after a breakout season in 2018-19 and an even better year last season. His numbers look to be close to on par this year once again. At $775K, he’s the perfect fit.

Normally, the Coyotes would want to hang onto Garland, but the team is known to be struggling financially, has expressed interest in cutting salary, and might be open to moving Garland for the right price. Things are a little more complicated for Arizona as they are still battling for fourth place in the Central Division, which could stop general manager Bill Armstrong from selling. However, could Vegas move its first-rounder (something they ordinarily don’t do) and a top prospect (Lucas Elvenes might make sense here, although there are other solid prospects the team could offer) to pry him away? Stranger things have happened.

Zach Leach: Sam Bennett to COL

What happened to all of the Sam Bennett rumors? Earlier this season, a Bennett trade seemed imminent on multiple occasions and it was a foregone conclusion that he would be traded before the deadline at the latest. Yet, for over a month now there has been nothing but silence out of Calgary on Bennett’s status and there are just hours left until the deadline passes. Are the Flames just too good to be trading roster players? Nope. In fact, the team’s 2-8-0 record in their past ten games is the worst mark in the NHL. Calgary has fallen to fifth place in the North Division and are well outside of a playoff spot. They’re sellers. So has Bennett just played so well that he can’t be traded? No, it’s not that either. Bennett recorded just three points in the month of March and has one goal in his past 19 games. By all accounts, the situation surrounding the Flames and Bennett has not changed, but the hype surrounding a potential deal has cooled nonetheless.

Flames GM Brad Treliving has repeatedly said that he did not want to rush into a Bennett trade. However, that was months ago and nothing has changed. The 24-year-old forward has shown flashes of upside, but it simply hasn’t been a good fit in Calgary. Even with the coaching change to Darryl Sutter, whose style should favor a player like Bennett, there has been little improvement from the 2014 fourth overall pick. Both sides just need to move on. If Bennett remains in Calgary beyond the deadline, he will very likely be exposed in the Expansion Draft and could be lost for nothing to the Seattle Kraken. Even if that doesn’t happen, the Flames may seriously consider not offering the restricted free agent a qualifying offer at his $2.55MM mark. In either scenario, Calgary comes away with nothing. In a trade, they come away with something, even if Bennett’s trade value is at its lowest point. Unless Treliving and company still quietly believe in the long-term potential of Bennett and plan to protect him in expansion and then re-sign him, they need to make this move.

Colorado may not immediately come to mind as a suitor for forward help. Their public pursuit of a backup goalie and rumors that they are eyeing a defenseman as well would seemingly make forward their third-highest priority. However, the Avalanche are one of the very best teams in the NHL this season and a top contender for the Stanley Cup. They also have ample salary cap room, unlike many of the other buyers scouring the market. GM Joe Sakic is going to do his best to check off every single box that he can because that is what you do when you have a real chance at a championship. Bennett makes a lot of sense for what the Avalanche need. As good as their forward corps has been this year, with a dominant top line and good secondary scoring, there is a major drop-off after their top eight forwards. J.T. Compher has had a down year, Tyson Jost has again failed to take a step forward, and Matt Calvert has been all but written out of the lineup. The team needs a boost in the bottom six and Bennett fits the bill, especially since he could be a solution beyond just 2020-21 as well.

While his career offensive profile is similar to Jost’s, Bennett has a slightly better goal-scoring touch and, importantly, has an excellent track record in the playoffs. Yet, offense may not even be Bennett’s most important contribution to Colorado. The Avalanche desperately need to add physicality to their lineup. The team ranks dead last in the NHL with just 15.06 hits per 60 minutes and the biggest threat to their postseason success is the potential of getting pushed around by a bigger, tougher opponent. Enter Bennett. For a player who couldn’t do even one pull-up at the NHL Combine, Bennett has developed into a heavy, aggressive player. His physicality has been the one element of his game that has never wavered and the Avalanche could desperately use a player who can improve their checking game and make them more difficult to play against.

As for the return, the Flames are more likely to land a prospect than a pick if dealing with the Avalanche. Colorado is already missing their 2021 and 2022 second-round picks, as well their 2021 fourth- and sixth-rounders. Bennett is certainly not worthy of a first-round pick, but even asking the Avs for a third-round pick in either of the next two years could be a tall task. Fortunately, Colorado has a solid pipeline, especially down the middle, and Calgary has a long-term need at center. While Alex Newhook and Shane Bowers are not on the table in a Bennett deal, their presence in the system could make a nice piece like Jean-Luc Foudy expendable. The 2020 third-round pick plays with speed and vision and has the makings of an NHL play-maker down the road. He would be a nice project for the Flames with the upside to be the top-nine center that Calgary had hoped Bennett would be. It seems like a fair swap all things considered.

Gavin Lee: Jamie Oleksiak to TOR

I know what you’re thinking, Maple Leafs fans. Oleksiak? That’s it? Don’t be so dismissive of the 6’7″ defenseman just because he’s played in Dallas for most of his career. Toronto may have publicly stated that they need forwards, but adding some defensive depth should also be in the plan for GM Kyle Dubas. After trading Mikko Lehtonen earlier in the season, the team doesn’t have a ton of reliable options to plug in should any of their starters go down.

Martin Marincin currently looks like the team’s seventh defenseman, with Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren behind him. That’s one player who has never been able to secure an NHL job and two young prospects without much experience. Oleksiak would be a perfect complement to the group, able to move into the lineup in case of injury or even perhaps unseat Travis Dermott on the third pairing.

The fact that he’s from Toronto—his younger sister Penny is an Olympic swimmer from the city—and a pending free agent makes him a realistic fit, given the team’s insistence that rentals are the target this season. Toronto has a little bit of added cap flexibility after acquiring the LTIR-bound Riley Nash, and if Dallas (or a go-between) retained some of Oleskiak’s $2.14MM cap hit he wouldn’t cost much more than the league minimum.

This is a unique opportunity for the Maple Leafs to go deep in the playoffs without facing Tampa Bay or Boston. Adding depth is a crucial part of those long runs, and Oleksiak shouldn’t come at a prohibitive cost.

Trade Deadline Primer: Washington Capitals

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We are now just days away from the NHL Trade Deadline and a few moves have already been made with more to come. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the Washington Capitals.

Washington has been solid all year long and as their window for a second Stanley Cup is beginning to close, the team is expected to be active adding more veteran talent to their team to give Alex Ovechkin and company another shot. The real question is what the team has left in reserve to trade for any talent and how they might be able to squeeze anyone into their cap situation.

Record

26-11-4, tied for 1st in East Division

Deadline Status

Buyer (if they can create the cap space to do so)

Deadline Cap Space

$0MM in regular cap space, $375K in LTIR space, 0/3 retention slots used, 49/50 contracts used per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2021: WAS 1st, WAS 2nd, WAS 4th, WAS 5th, VGK 5th, WAS 6th
2022: WAS 1st, WAS 2nd, WAS 3rd, WAS 4th, WAS 5th, WAS 6th, WAS 7th

Trade Chips

The team’s greatest assets are likely their draft picks. The team has both their first and second-round picks over the next two years and are only short a third and seventh-rounders in 2021. So, the team could conceivably move a top draft pick to bolster their roster for the stretch run. Of course, it should be noted that the team’s prospect system is pretty weak and could use all those picks. Washington has not moved a first-round pick since 2017 as they are acutely aware of a lack of young talent. So, it might be more conceivable the team would be more willing to move a second-round draft pick for slight upgrades. Of course, with little to no cap space, the team might have to move some picks to fit anyone into it.

The team’s one strength in their system is quite a bit of young defensemen as the Capitals have several blueliners sitting in wait for spots to open up in Washington, some with NHL experience already, including Jonas Siegenthaler, Martin Fehervary and Alexander Alexeyev, who recently returned to the organization after playing on loan in the KHL. The team would prefer to keep all three, but could one be made expendable?

Others to Watch For: D Paul Ladue; F Brett Leason; F Daniel Sprong

Team Needs

1) Veteran Goaltender – While the combination of Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek has been solid this season, the one issue that many have brought up is that the pair of young netminders have zero playoff experience. Samsonov was hurt during last year’s playoffs, while Vanecek is a rookie, so no is is sure how either goaltender will perform under the tremendous pressure of the playoffs. That leads many to suggest the team should add a veteran third goaltender, someone who can step in and hold their own during those tough times.

2) Forward Depth – While the Capitals have fared reasonably well with their forward group, the team could always use a veteran forward to add their bottom-six. The team could use some extra depth in case of injuries during their playoff run.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

PHR Mailbag: Schwartz, Maple Leafs, Laine, Predictions, Rangers, Hughes, Fired Personnel, Bruins

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Topics in this edition of the PHR Mailbag include Jaden Schwartz’s future in St. Louis, what’s next for Toronto, Patrik Laine’s struggles in Columbus, some player predictions for next season, the next step for the Rangers’ rebuild, Quinn Hughes’ defensive struggles in Vancouver, what happens to NHL staff who are fired before the end of their deal, and what Boston could be up to in the coming days.  If your question doesn’t appear here, check back for it in last weekend’s mailbag.

vincent k. mcmahon: Considering Jaden Schwartz is going to be a UFA this offseason, do the Blues hold on to him and try for an extension or try and trade him at the deadline?

It has been an odd few days for St. Louis who have gone from a potential seller to one that may be looking to buy by Monday’s trade deadline.  But even having said that, I don’t think they’ll look to move Schwartz even if they opt to sell.  Instead, I expect their plans are going to be to keep him regardless and it’s worth noting that he can block a trade to half the league.

That doesn’t mean that an extension will happen by Monday.  I’d be surprised if it did.  There’s a comfort level between the two sides and what appears to be a mutual desire to get a deal done.  They have cap space opening up this summer with Tyler Bozak and Mike Hoffman off the books; between those and Schwartz’s $5.35MM expiring deal, there’s plenty of financial wiggle room to get a deal done.  I expect they will eventually get an extension worked out although it may need to come in a bit cheaper than his current rate for it to happen.

@nelson_fran_: Who do the Leafs pick up? Winger or d-man?

Even after adding Riley Nash yesterday – a tidy piece of business for GM Kyle Dubas – to give them a capable center for the playoffs, I expect Toronto to keep their sights focused on adding forward depth.

They’ve been linked to Alex Iafallo for a while now and that’s who I think they’ll ultimately end up with as long as he doesn’t sign a last-minute extension with Los Angeles.  He’d fit nicely into their top six alongside John Tavares and William Nylander and if the Kings retain half the money as Toronto would likely require them to, he’d only cost just over $1.2MM into their LTIR room which they should be able to afford even when Frederik Andersen returns.

It’s also worth noting that Dubas and Kings GM Rob Blake have a clear history of making moves with the Jake Muzzin and Jack Campbell trades in recent years.  That type of trust and familiarity certainly comes in handy and in such a strange season, that could be even more important as player agent Allan Walsh suggested on Twitter last night.  They’ve combined on a move the last two years and I think they’ll do it again.

MoneyBallJustWorks: Is Laine the problem or did CBJ just try and fit a square peg into a round hole and it backfired?

It’s some of each.  Let’s look at the second half first and talk about Columbus.  When Laine was successful in Winnipeg, he had other quality offensive players on his line that were above average at playmaking.  The Blue Jackets don’t really have that, especially down the middle.  John Tortorella’s rapid line change frequency also makes it hard to develop any sort of chemistry.  Laine was moved around a bit with the Jets but nowhere near as frequently as he has with Columbus.  That’s not the best type of environment for him to succeed in.

As for Laine, the same criticisms that existed during his time with Winnipeg are showing here.  He can score but when he’s not doing that, he’s not bringing much else to the table.  He has been rightly criticized for a lack of engagement at times and an infrequent willingness to try to play in the defensive zone.  No one is saying he needs to become an elite two-way presence or anything but a scorer that isn’t scoring isn’t worth playing much.  A scorer that can do some other things earns a much longer leash and better opportunities to play his way out of a slump.  That’s what he needs to realize.

When this deal was made, it felt like Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen was effectively kicking the can down the road, so to speak.  He received good short-term value on paper for Pierre-Luc Dubois (Jack Roslovic has impressed since joining the Blue Jackets as well) but Laine didn’t feel like the best fit in terms of helping them win now.  Accordingly, the fact that it hasn’t worked out all that well so far isn’t all that surprisingly.

The Duke: Crystal Ball visions for Seth Jarvis vs Alex Newhook (goals/assists only); Top-2 D-men in 2021 draft, scoring-wise; short- and long-term futures of Adin Hill and Laurent Brossoit (chosen by Seattle?); and does Laine get it straightened out, either in Columbus or elsewhere?

Jarvis/Newhook: Jarvis looks like the better goal scorer of the two and Carolina has to be extremely encouraged with what he was able to do in limited action in the AHL this season before returning to the WHL where he has lit it up again.  Newhook has been more of a playmaker throughout his career and should beat Jarvis in that regard in the NHL.  Both profile as good second-liners; give me a 25 goal, 20 assist average for Jarvis and a 20 goal, 25 assist one for Newhook.  Those would be nice returns for players selected in the middle of the first round.

2021 Defensemen: Picking the top two is tricky as there are three that are really ahead of the rest of the group.  Owen Power is one of the contenders to go first overall so let’s put him in there.  That puts it between Brandt Clarke and Luke Hughes, brother of Jack and Quinn.  I can see family bloodlines giving Hughes a boost that could make him the second one off the board although I believe Clarke will have the better career of the two as more of a two-way player but still contributes enough offensively to possibly fit on a top pairing.

Goalies: I don’t see Hill being particularly attractive to Seattle unless they want him as the third-string goalie.  There will be more proven netminders available to give the Kraken a quality one-two punch and I don’t think Hill’s viewed favorably enough around the league to draft him and then flip him elsewhere.  Brossoit is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and again, isn’t at the level of some of the veterans that are going to be made available.  I don’t think he’d be good enough to be their backup and he’d be too expensive to serve as their third goalie.

Laine: I touched on him in the last question but while I do believe he’ll get things turned around, I don’t believe his long-term future is with Columbus.  He needs to be in a situation where he’s playing with a dynamic playmaker to set up his shot and the Blue Jackets aren’t that team.  I wouldn’t be shocked if there was a quiet trade request this offseason but even if not, I don’t think either side wants to do a long-term contract.  That means probably a one-year pact before a final call has to be made by the 2022 summer.

pitmanrich: As the season has provided more questions than answers what realistically do the Rangers need to do to take the next step in their rebuild? Trade for a top centre like Eichel if available? Change coach? And what do they do with Strome who continues to put points up, trade him or keep him?

For them to take the next step forward, they need that elite center.  Mika Zibanejad can be a number one but him behind a better one would greatly bolster their fortunes.  They have considerable depth on the wing that they can consolidate to try to make a move and with several of them being recent first-round picks – Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko, and Vitali Kravtsov – they will carry considerable value.  If Jack Eichel is available, of course he’d fit the bill although making the money work in terms of trying to keep Zibanejad after may be a bit tricky.

Failing that, they need to upgrade on Strome.  I know he’s arguably having a better season than 2019-20 when he had a career year.  He fits with Artemi Panarin but the problem is that he hasn’t fit particularly well with anyone else on the Rangers for any extended period of time.  Having a top-six pivot that’s reliant on a certain winger to have success is far from ideal.  The challenge GM Jeff Gorton has is that every other team knows that too which makes getting fair value in a trade tricky.  As a result, he’s either salary ballast in a trade for an upgrade down the middle or he sticks around for the final year of his deal.

I am not a big proponent of changing coaches in general as more often than not, the warts of the roster will come back to bite whoever is behind the bench.  We’ve seen it with the changes made in Montreal and Calgary, in particular, as their records are no better than what they were before the moves.

David Quinn was brought in to bring the team through the rebuild and I’m not sure they’re there yet.  I think expectations were too high, too quick coming into the year which doesn’t help things.  But at the same time, Kakko and Lafreniere have underachieved in the early going.  If I’m Gorton, the question I’m asking myself is does Kris Knoblauch or someone else bring out more from those two?  If yes, make the change but if not, stick with Quinn.

bigguccisosa300: What do you think about Quinn Hughes going forward? He puts up points and is great on the power play but his plus/minus is kinda disturbing. Also, do you think Travis Green and/or Benning will be back next year?

I think he has basically been as advertised.  Coming out of college, the book on him was that he can certainly drive the play offensively and he has certainly done that.  However, he was also not viewed as a strong player in his own end and that has also come true, contributing to the -17 mark you referenced.  I think Vancouver was comfortable with the style of player they were getting when they picked him but I’m sure they’d like him to be a bit more conscientious in his own end.

I don’t see them having any reservations about committing to him on a long-term basis; someone that is capable of driving the offense as much as he can is going to get paid and there’s no denying that he is a key part of their future plans.

As for who will sign them to that contract, I wrote a couple of months back in a previous mailbag that Benning’s future will basically be tied to whether or not he gets permission to work on extensions for Hughes and Elias Pettersson.  If ownership has concerns about Benning’s performance, he wouldn’t be allowed to work on deals for his two key cogs.  The fact that he’s discussing those deals tells me he’s safe for next season and in that case, Green should be back as well.

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Trade Deadline Primer: Vegas Golden Knights

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We are now just days away from the NHL Trade Deadline and a few moves have already been made with more to come. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the Vegas Golden Knights.

Vegas was expected to be a contender this season and despite some key players missing time due to injury and salary cap constraints forcing them to play below the minimum number of skaters on multiple occasions, they’ve done just that.  They will also be tap-dancing around the salary cap for the rest of the season so while GM Kelly McCrimmon would certainly like to try to add to his roster, they will be hard-pressed to try to do so.  Nevertheless, here is a closer look at their situation.

Record

25-11-2, 2nd in West Division

Deadline Status

Buyer (if they can create the cap space to do so)

Deadline Cap Space

$160K in regular cap space, $184K on deadline day, 1/3 retention slots used, 47/50 contracts used per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2021: VGK 1st, NJ 2nd, VGK 2nd, WPG 4th, CAR 5th, VGK 6th, VGK 7th
2022: VGK 1st, VGK 2nd, VAN 3rd, VGK 3rd, WPG 4th, BUF 5th, VGK 5th, VGK 6th, VGK 7th

Trade Chips

McCrimmon likely doesn’t want to deal away from the core of his roster but Tomas Nosek is a player whose role can be filled by a lower-price player if they need to add some space.  His $1.25MM price tag is hardly overly expensive for his role as their fourth-line pivot but filling his spot with someone making the league minimum could then free up enough room to bring in another league-minimum veteran.  That’s hardly exciting but for a team whose depth is being tested, there is some value in simply having an extra option available.  There’s also definitely some risk to moving a veteran center from a team that doesn’t have a ton of depth down the middle already but if they want to open up a little bit of wiggle room, that’s certainly a route they can go.

Defenseman Nick Holden cleared waivers last week in a move that was designed to give Vegas a bit of short-term cap flexibility by moving him on and off the roster.  He’s also someone that could be replaced by a cheaper player or could serve as a salary offset in a move to bring in another defenseman, one that could be counted on to play more than the 15:47 per night that he has logged so far this season.  Holden has another left on his deal after this one with a $1.7MM price tag.

In terms of some minor leaguers that may draw interest, Jimmy Schuldt is a name some may be familiar with.  It was just two years ago that the defenseman was viewed as the top college free agent available, drawing plenty of suitors.  While the 25-year-old made his NHL debut that season, he hasn’t seen any action at the top level since then and is heading for unrestricted free agency again this summer.  If a team wants to get a closer look at him before then, he could draw some interest.  Jack Dugan, the top scorer in college hockey last season, is having a nice first season with AHL Henderson and will be someone that selling teams will ask about.  It’s unlikely that McCrimmon will want to move him but if there is a low-cost player that can make an impact beyond this season on the table, the asking price will be high and the 23-year-old will be coveted.

Others to Watch For: F Mason Primeau (unsigned, draft rights expire June 1), F Dylan Sikura ($750K, UFA)

Team Needs

1) Depth Defenseman – Which contending team isn’t looking for extra depth on the back end.  Their cap situation has forced them to go with five at times this year and they’re going to be dancing around the Upper Limit the rest of the way as well.  A league-minimum option – preferably one that can play the right side – would be a useful acquisition.

2) Depth Center – Basically, it’s the same idea as above.  The departure of Paul Stastny has left them thin down the middle and center depth is something that all contending squads covet.  Again, having someone at the league-minimum salary of $700K (or less, if the trading team retains money) would be a wise pickup for McCrimmon.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trade Deadline Primer: Vancouver Canucks

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We are now just a few days away from the NHL Trade Deadline and talks are heating up. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the Vancouver Canucks.

The Vancouver Canucks’ season was over well before this ongoing team-wide battle with the Coronavirus. Their current extended stoppage is just the final nail in the coffin of a disappointing campaign. At least the team can move some expiring contracts, add some futures, and get ready for next year, right? Well, there are a few different factors working against the Cancuks making much of an impact as a seller at the trade deadline.

The first is that they lack any of the top available rentals and the seconds is that their best trade assets are not really available. The Canucks opted to re-sign Tanner Pearson rather than trade him, removing arguably their top rental from the market. Additionally, veteran defensemen Alexander Edler and Travis Hamonic have No-Movement Clauses and have expressed no inclination to waive them. If Vancouver had any chance of landing a substantial return at the deadline, it would have been by dealing these three players.

Beyond that, the COVID status of nearly the entire roster also does not help. While there is no rule against trading a player on the NHL’s COVID Protocol list, it isn’t exactly an attractive attribute for buyers. While there has been recent progress in Vancouver that suggests the team could be healthy, perhaps even by the deadline, their current status is not encouraging.

So what is there to expect from the Canucks in the coming days? The team still has a few pieces that they may be able to move for moderate returns, but don’t be surprised if it is a relatively quiet deadline in Vancouver.

Record

16-18-3, .473, 5th in North Division

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$0 in full-season space ($5.13MM in LTIR space), 0/3 retention slots used, 48/50 contracts used per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2021: VAN 1st, VAN 2nd, VAN 3rd, VAN 4th, VAN 5th, VAN 6th, VAN 7th
2022: VAN 1st, VAN 2nd, VAN 4th, VAN 5th, VAN 6th, VAN 7th

Trade Chips

With Pearson, Edler, and Hamonic off the table, veteran two-way center Brandon Sutter is the Canucks’ top trade chip. The impending UFA is a shadow of his former self, but is still a valuable depth piece due to his experience, versatility, and defensive ability. An ideal fit for a contender as a bottom-six forward, face-off asset, and penalty kill specialist, Sutter is the type of player who ends up being an invaluable acquisition to a team that makes a Cup run. His value isn’t what it used to be, but Sutter could still net a nice return, especially if he has a clean bill of health. The Canucks could boost his value by retaining part of his $4.375MM cap hit as well.

Another intriguing rental will be defensemen Jordie Benn. The veteran has plenty of experience, plays a sound defensive game, and is quietly enjoying the best per-game scoring season of his NHL career despite playing career-low minutes. Benn, who is also one of the few Canucks not currently sidelined by COVID, should be healthy and fresh and ready for a new challenge with a contender. An affordable addition at just $2MM, many buyers could do far worse than adding Benn as blue line depth.

While waiver claims are not usually considered trade assets, the Canucks were pretty high in the waiver order when they snagged forward Jimmy Vesey and Travis Boyd recently and they could shop their pair around to see if they can turn a claim into a draft pick. Could the buried Sven Baertschi also draw interest as a depth piece?

While there are not expected to be many term players dealt at the deadline, the Brett Connolly trade has already shattered the perception that they won’t happen at all. The Canucks stand out as a team that could trade away some players under contract next season and beyond. They have already been shopping forward Jake Virtanen for much of the season and there is no reason to believe that they will not still field offers, if any interest exists. A more interesting move would be if Vancouver decided to make underrated forward Tyler Motte available. Motte has been steadily improving over the past few years, but truly broke out in the playoffs last season and continued to perform at a high level this season, though he has missed time due to injury. At a minimal cap hit through next season, Motte is solid, two-way forward who could provide bottom-six value to a contender beyond just this year. Motte could be this season’s Barclay Goodrow if the Canucks make him available.

One major trade that wouldn’t be much of a surprise if it wasn’t for the fact that his name has not even been whispered on the rumor mill: the Canucks moving Braden Holtby. The veteran goaltender has one season remaining on his contract, but his future is not in Vancouver given the strong play and subsequent long-term extension of Thatcher Demko. Holtby has not performed this season, but was a top goalie in the NHL not long ago and could still draw interest, especially with numerous teams seeking help in net this season and beyond. Holtby might be an attractive pick for the Seattle Kraken in the Expansion Draft, but if Vancouver can instead get something in exchange for the capable keeper, they should do so. As long as they can figure out the expansion ramifications of the move, a Holtby trade would make sense for the Canucks if interest exists.

Others to watch for: D Jalen Chatfield ($700K, Group 6 UFA), D Ashton Sautner ($700K, UFA), D Brogan Rafferty ($700K, UFA), F Tyler Graovac ($700K, UFA), F Zack MacEwen ($825K, 2022 RFA)

Team Needs

1) Picks and Prospects – The Canucks are not your typical seller. The team made a playoff run just last year, have a number of talented young pieces, and are looking to reset for next year rather than rebuild for the future. With that said, Vancouver is not exactly boasting an elite pipeline either. They have some truly great young players on the NHL rosters and several players in the AHL and overseas who will be pushing for NHL roles as early as next year. However, their lack of first- and second-round picks last season and no mid- or late-round surprises in recent years have thinned the pipeline among younger prospects. Especially at center, the Canucks have a major need for some future talent. Adding picks or targeting young prospects is the best way for Vancouver to maximize their rentals.

2) Term Defenseman – The Canucks are looking to reload for next year though and with a whopping seven defensemen in the organization headed for unrestricted free agency this summer, it wouldn’t hurt to look for a blue liner with term on his contract. The addition would also solve an Expansion Draft exposure issue that the team currently has no obvious solution for.

Trade Deadline Primer: Toronto Maple Leafs

at CDT | by 19 Comments

We are now just a few days away from the NHL Trade Deadline and talks are heating up. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

After bringing in some experience and character in the offseason, the Toronto Maple Leafs have been the unquestioned leader of the North Division for most of the season. They now sit seven points clear of the second place Winnipeg Jets, meaning if there was ever a year for GM Kyle Dubas to push his chips to the middle, this might be it. Dubas himself has admitted that the team’s cap situation may lend itself to going after a rental instead of a player with term this year, meaning nearly everyone on an expiring contract could be a target for the Maple Leafs. A complicated cap situation will make the deadline difficult to navigate though, as will a mysterious injury to goaltender Frederik Andersen.

Record

27-10-3, .713, 1st in North Division

Deadline Status

Buyers

Deadline Cap Space

$140K in full-season space ($626K at the deadline), 1/3 retention slots used, 44/50 contracts used per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2021: TOR 1st, TOR 2nd, TOR 4th, TOR 5th, TOR 6th*
2022: TOR 1st, TOR 2nd, TOR 3rd, TOR 4th, TOR 5th, TOR 6th, TOR 7th

Trade Chips

If you go by TSN’s Trade Bait board, the player most likely dealt by the Maple Leafs is “Toronto’s Top Prospect.” This idea comes from a press conference Dubas held last month, at which he admitted that they would be willing to move a top prospect to improve this season. While there has been no real clarity on who that top prospect would be, the group of Rasmus Sandin, Nicholas Robertson, Timothy Liljegren, and Rodion Amirov seem the most likely candidates. Are one of those names worth moving for a rental? With the market establishing for top rentals following the Kyle Palmieri trade, it may not actually end up requiring one of Toronto’s best to add a middle-six name. If they go after a bigger fish, all options are on the table.

There’s a good chance that Toronto’s first-round pick will also end up being pretty late this year thanks to the divisional competition, perhaps meaning the team would be willing to part with it to make a run. Dubas hasn’t hesitated in moving picks out before, trading a first for Jake Muzzin and another to rid himself of Patrick Marleau’s contract.

In terms of roster players, if a forward is coming in, someone else may have to be going out in order to stay under the cap ceiling. Alexander Kerfoot is the player who might find himself on the outside given the $3.5MM cap hit he carries, though names like Ilya Mikheyev or Pierre Engvall could also fit the bill. All three players are well-liked by the coaching staff and provide desirable attributes, but thanks to the addition of Alex Galchenyuk in the top-six, may be expendable.

Travis Dermott is the other name that usually dominates Maple Leafs speculation, though it appears as though Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe is comfortable with the six defensemen he has. Dermott is an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent in the offseason and will likely have to be exposed to Seattle in the expansion draft, meaning there’s at least a chance that the Maple Leafs could flip him for a rental at the deadline. Sandin is expected to challenge for a full-time spot next season and could fill that bottom-pairing role, meaning Dermott’s time in Toronto could be coming to an end soon enough, even if he makes it through Monday.

Others to watch for: F Filip Hallander, F Joey Anderson, D Calle Rosen

Team Needs

1) Top-six forward: Even though Galchenyuk has found a home next to John Tavares on the second line, he still has just four points in ten games with the Maple Leafs and could be upgraded. If Dubas and company truly believe they have a chance to go for the Stanley Cup this season, adding another winger that is more than just a role player is the easiest way to improve. Zach Hyman, who is currently skating on the top line next to Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, is a utility knife that can move anywhere in the lineup and still have an impact. Bringing in a real difference-maker could push this group over the edge.

2) Depth: They probably have enough of it on the fringes of the forward group, but Toronto is playing a dangerous game in goal. Jack Campbell is carrying the load and has been outstanding, but has a long history of injuries. If he were to go out before Andersen returns—which still doesn’t have a definitive timeline—the team would be left with some combination of Michael Hutchinson, Veini Vehvilainen and Joseph Woll in the crease. On defense it’s much of the same story, given how inexperienced the options are beyond the top six. If someone like T.J. Brodie or Justin Holl were to go down, the Maple Leafs would be hard-pressed to fill that role on the right side. Adding some more flexibility and experience is always a positive when expecting a long playoff run.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Trade Deadline Primer: Tampa Bay Lightning

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We are now less than a week away from the NHL Trade Deadline and talks are heating up. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning needed to look for a new challenge this season after stomping the competition in the 2020 postseason. They decided that if the league’s teams weren’t good enough to beat them, they would just take on the league itself. This season, the Lightning have stretched the NHL’s hard salary cap to it’s limit. Some might even throw the word “circumvention” out there. Tampa has managed to hold on to it’s extremely talented and fairly compensated roster due almost entirely due to the timely injury of Nikita Kucherov and the acquisitions of other injured players Marian Gaborik and Anders Nilsson. The Bolts have over $17MM in salary on Long-Term Injured Reserve – and they’ve used up all but $370,500 of it. There is zero space for the Lightning to do anything at the trade deadline beyond a minor depth addition, but they will get a major boost in the postseason with the return of Kucherov. Barring another opportunistic injury or a hockey trade that no one sees coming, the Bolts may have to settle for that this season.

Record

26-11-2, .692, 3rd in Central Division

Deadline Status

Stand Pat

Deadline Cap Space

$0MM in full-season space ($371K in LTIR space), 0/3 retention slots used, 45/50 contracts used per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2021: TBL 1st, TBL 3rd, TBL 4th, TBL 5th, TBL 6th, NJD 7th, NSH 7th, TBL 7th
2022: TBL 1st, TBL 3rd, TBL 4th, TBL 5th, TBL 6th, TBL 7th

Trade Chips

There is a difference between what the Lightning could offer and what they will offer, given that they are in no position to make much of a trade. It is unlikely that the team is going to move any of their roster players to open up space, so even though pieces like Tyler Johnson and Alex Killorn may seem expendable, it is hard to imagine the team trading them in-season as opposed to waiting for the off-season.

As a result, Tampa has little space to work with and that means their targets will not be high-priced pieces. The most likely result for the Bolts is that they add a cheap depth piece in exchange for a late pick or low-end prospect. Those are the “chips” that will probably move, if there is any move at all.

In the event that Tampa tries to make a bigger move, using the very limit of their salary cap potential despite the risks, they will still be looking at a picks-and-prospects scenario in this buyer’s market. Without a second-round pick for the next two years, the Lightning’s first-rounders are probably off the table unless they are asking a team to give up one of the top rentals on the market and retain the maximum 50% of his salary in order to make the deal work under the cap. The likelihood of such a deal is low. Expect for them instead to dangle multiple mid-round picks and prospects like Jack Finley or Jack Thompson if they really want to make a splash.

Others to Watch For: F Taylor Raddysh ($833K, RFA), F Boris Katchouk ($833K, RFA), F Alex Barre-Boulet ($759K, RFA), F Sam Walker (Draft Rights), D Eamon Powell (Draft Rights)

Team Needs

1) Defense – If, and it’s a big if, the Lightning are able to find a way to clear enough cap space to add a player of note at the deadline, it has to be on the blue line. The forward corps is deep and talented and will only get better once the postseason arrives and Kucherov can return. The net is well-manned, with Andrei Vasilevskiy enjoying another Vezina-caliber season. Both of those units remain largely unchanged from last season’s title-winning lineup. However, the defense has taken a hit. The top four is still stout, but the bottom pair and depth options range from young and inexperienced to old and ineffective. Tampa could really use a stabilizing force on the back end, especially with Jan Rutta sidelined and Erik Cernak dealing with a nagging injury. Of course, cost will be a factor. Without making a trade to move out salary, the Bolts can only open up another $1.5MM max and still be able to ice a full lineup, demoting the likes of Luke Schenn and Ben Thomas. That leaves the Bolts with a maximum $1.9MM or so to acquire a defenseman, but adding that much salary is a risk should another injury occur. The need is there, but the means to address it are problematic. The team likely thinks small with a value addition.

Trade Deadline Primer: St. Louis Blues

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We are now less than a week away from the NHL Trade Deadline and talks are heating up. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the St. Louis Blues.

It has been a disappointing season in St. Louis, to put it lightly.  They were comfortably in the playoff mix until a month ago when things went completely off the rails as they’ve won just twice since then, falling out of the postseason picture in the process.  All of a sudden, a team that looked like they were poised to be potential buyers may very well be changing course and moving some players out over the next few days.

Record

16-16-6, T-5th in West Division

Deadline Status

Potential Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$0 in regular cap space, $1.2MM in LTIR space, 0/3 retention slots used, 48/50 contracts used per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2021: STL 1st, STL 3rd, STL 5th, STL 6th, DET 7th
2022: STL 1st, STL 2nd, STL 3rd, STL 4th, STL 5th, STL 6th

Trade Chips

Vince Dunn has been in trade speculation dating back to last season and the Blues were involved in trade talks involving him earlier in the year.  Though he’s only two years removed from a 35-point sophomore campaign, his production has tapered off since then and he has just a dozen points (5-7-12) in 36 games this season despite averaging more than 19 minutes a night, the most of his career.  With Torey Krug and Colton Parayko serving as two sure-fire protectees in expansion, there’s only one slot remaining and Justin Faulk could be staking a claim to that spot.  It feels like a matter of when, not if, Dunn gets moved and as he’s rather cheap now ($1.875MM), his market may be stronger now than this summer when he’ll be arbitration-eligible for the first time and in need of protection by whoever makes a move for him.

Mike Hoffman was brought in to help offset the loss of Vladimir Tarasenko who started the season on LTIR with recurring shoulder troubles.  21 points (9-12-21) in 36 isn’t bad but it’s safe to say he has underperformed relative to expectations.  It was extremely unlikely he’d be back next year regardless of how he played due to their cap situation so if they believe they’re going to miss the playoffs, it would make sense for GM Doug Armstrong to try to flip him.  With a $4MM price tag, they may need to retain to facilitate a move though.  Tyler Bozak ($5MM) is in a similar situation but with declining production, his market will be more limited.  Jaden Schwartz ($5.35MM) is another pending UFA but if there is mutual interest in an extension, they may not move him.

Veteran defensemen are always in demand at this time of year and while he’s not a rental, Robert Bortuzzo could generate some interest.  He’s a third-pairing or seventh option at this stage of his career but he can still play with physicality and kill penalties, elements that are often coveted at this time of year.  He has another year left at $1.375MM, a rate that isn’t all that high for someone in that role but St. Louis would ideally likely to fill that spot with someone making a bit less to try to give themselves some more cap flexibility for next year.

Others to Watch For: Ivan Barbashev ($1.475MM, RFA), F Kyle Clifford ($1MM through 2021-22), D Steven Santini ($700K, RFA)

Team Needs

1) Draft Picks – With only two picks in the first four rounds, there’s a clear need to restock the cupboard.  They didn’t have their second-round selection last year and their first rounder the year before that as well.  Hoffman and Dunn give them two options that may be able to yield a high pick or impact prospect and there is going to be a definite need to supplement that core with cost-controlled entry-level deals.  It’s hard to get those with only two picks in the first 130 selections.

2) Backup Goalie Upgrade – For a few years, Ville Husso was seen as a goalie of the future for St. Louis.  That future came this season with Jake Allen moved to Montreal, giving Husso a path to NHL action.  The initial returns haven’t been great as he has a save percentage of just .883 this season.  If the Blues think they’re still in the mix, a better backup helps.  If they’re thinking about next season, a better backup may be needed in the offseason but if they can get that player now, they may as well go ahead and do so.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trade Deadline Primer: San Jose Sharks

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We are now less than a week away from the NHL Trade Deadline and talks are heating up. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the San Jose Sharks.

Earlier this season, it appeared as if the San Jose Sharks were in for another disappointing year. The club wanted to use the shortened 2020-21 campaign to evaluate their core and the early returns were not encouraging. However, the past few weeks have changed everything. The Sharks are 6-3-1 in their past ten games, including four straight wins. In the meantime, the St. Louis Blues have continued to slump while four of the Sharks’ recent wins have come against the Los Angeles Kings. Suddenly, San Jose finds themselves in contention for a playoff spot in the West Division, just three points back with a game in hand on the fourth-place Arizona Coyotes.

With that said, some recent luck is not going to change the Sharks’ plans for the season. The team is not going to give up major assets for short-term help just on the off-chance that they can sneak into the playoffs where the West’s daunting top three teams await. The core is still in the process of proving themselves and San Jose likely wants to see if they have the pieces in place to be a playoff team once again, knowing that rentals will not put themselves over the top this season. This does not mean that the Sharks will sit back at the deadline though; the club has some fringe pieces on expiring contracts that they could look to deal away and there are some needs beyond this season that they may discover a chance to address. In short, San Jose is unlikely to stand pat, but don’t expect them to sell off anything more than rental pieces or to acquire any major rental help of their own.

Record

17-16-4, .514, T-5th in East Division

Deadline Status

Light Seller/Opportunistic Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$2.41MM in full-season space ($10.74MM at the deadline), 0/3 retention slots used, 48/50 contracts used per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2021: SJS 1st, SJS 3rd, SJS 4th, SJS 5th, SJS 6th, SJS 7th
2022: SJS 1st, SJS 2nd, SJS 3rd, SJS 4th, SJS 6th, MIN 7th

Trade Chips

In terms of rentals, the Sharks do not have much to offer other buyers. However, for that same reason they will probably not hesitate to move any of their expiring contracts if there is interest. None of the Sharks’ impending UFA’s are anything more than depth pieces, in San Jose or elsewhere. The Sharks’ ability to retain salary if need be could result in some better trade returns, but there isn’t much to get excited about.

Among the rental group, veteran goaltender Devan Dubnyk is likely their most valuable trade chip, if only because he is one of a small number of available net minders with postseason experience. The Sharks’ plan to combine Dubnyk and Martin Jones and hope one will rediscover their starter status has not really worked out. Jones has improved marginally this year, but Dubnyk has been a bust. The 34-year-old has an .898 save percentage and 3.18 GAA thus far, resulting in just three wins on the year. Dubnyk will not command much of a return unless the scarcity of goalies creates a bidding war. There are certainly those in San Jose who would like to see Jones traded, but that move won’t happen at the deadline, if it ever happens at all.

Up front, Patrick Marleau is the biggest name, but not likely to be the most valuable. Sure, Marleau brings more experience and leadership than most in the game, but he did not work out as a rental for the Pittsburgh Penguins last year and that was even after finding decent success with the Sharks pre-trade. The 41-year-old has been a non-factor this season with just six points 37 games and may not even have any suitors. Making the playoffs one last time with the Sharks would probably mean more than another go-round as a rental for the respected veteran. The real name to watch among San Jose’s expiring forwards is Marcus Sorensen. Although his production has been poor this season, Sorenson is a good two-way forward and notched 17 goals and 30 points just two years ago. Contenders looking for fourth line options could do worse than Sorenson. Matthew Nieto and Kurtis Gabriel are other bottom-six forwards who could have value, but Nieto is currently injured and Gabriel has become a well-liked locker room presence for the Sharks this year, so neither is a lock to leave.

Others to Watch For: D Fredrik Claesson ($700K, UFA), F Fredrik Handemark ($925K, UFA), F Stefan Noesen ($925K, UFA), F Antti Suomela ($700K, UFA), D Nick DeSimone ($700K, Group 6 UFA)

Team Needs

1) Term Forward – Even if the Sharks don’t venture into true “buyer” territory, they still need to keep their eyes open for possible forward additions for next season – or more accurately, for the Expansion Draft. San Jose is in a tough situation when it comes to meeting the exposure requirements of the impending draft. Currently, they have just five forwards who meet the games played and term criteria and all five will almost certainly be protected: Logan Couture, Evander Kane, Timo Meier, Tomas Hertl, and Kevin Labanc. They have zero forwards who can meet the exposure requirements simply by playing more games this season. This means that the Sharks must add two forward before the draft, either by re-signing or acquisition. Their extension candidates, who would qualify by only signing on for another year, include Sorenson, Marleau, and Nieto – any of whom could be traded and none of whom appear to be part of the Sharks’ future – and Dylan Gambrell and Rudolfs Balcers, who would seemingly be competing for the seventh and final protection spot. As a result, it seems more likely than not that San Jose will need to make an addition before June and they may as well add some additional help before the deadline, especially if the likes of Sorenson, Marleau, or Nieto head out of town. The Sharks could honestly use another long-term top-six forward, especially with the futures of Kane and Hertl in doubt, if they do decide to take a bigger swing at the deadline.

2) Goaltender – If the Sharks do trade Dubnyk, they won’t have much choice but to add another goaltender. The club likes young keepers Alexei Melnichuk and Josef Korenar, but the duo’s AHL numbers show that they are not ready for NHL backup duty this year and probably not next year either. San Jose could look for a cheaper rental to replace Dubnyk or they could look for a goalie with term or an impending free agent that would warrant an extension. The Sharks have previously been linked to the Florida Panthers’ Chris Driedger.

3) Prospect Defensemen – If the Sharks are not successful in landing valuable draft picks in exchange for their rentals, they should target defensive prospects. While San Jose has some nice young defensemen at the NHL level, the pipeline is all but bare behind polarizing Ryan Merkley. The team desperately needs to add bodies on the blue line, especially with an aging core in the NHL and the potential to lose a roster defenseman in the Expansion Draft.

Trade Deadline Primer: Pittsburgh Penguins

at CDT | by 13 Comments

We are now just over a week away from the NHL Trade Deadline and talks are heating up. 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.

It has been an eventful year for the Penguins, to put it lightly.  They’ve been hit hard by injuries, have had inconsistent goaltending at times, and had to deal with a sudden GM resignation as well when Jim Rutherford abruptly left.  In spite of all of that, they are comfortably in a top-three spot in the East Division and are within striking distance of the number one seed.  GM Ron Hextall will undoubtedly be looking to buy but he doesn’t appear to have the trade chips to be overly active.

Record

24-12-2, 3rd in East Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$833K in full-season space ($1.12MM at the trade deadline), 1/3 retention slots used, 48/50 contracts used per CapFriendly.

Pittsburgh also currently has some LTIR spending room with Evgeni Malkin on there at the moment.  However, he is expected to return before the end of the season so that space can’t be used to trade for an impact replacement and thus is not factored into the above numbers.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2021: PIT 2nd, PIT 5th, ANA 7th, PIT 7th, WSH 7th
2022: PIT 1st, PIT 2nd, PIT 3rd, PIT 4th, PIT 5th, PIT 6th, PIT 7th

Trade Chips

When you don’t have a surplus of picks or prospects to deal from nor the cap space to take on a pricey contract, it’s tricky to find possible fits to intrigue other teams.  One possible option is defenseman Juuso Riikola.  He has been limited to just two games this season but has been a sixth or seventh option for a couple of years now.  Their long list of injuries on defense (which included him for roughly six weeks) forced them to bring some other players in and as a result, the 27-year-old hasn’t played since being activated off LTIR nearly a month ago.  With another year left on his deal at $1.15MM, Riikola’s salary is one that could be thrown into a move to try to match money for cap purposes.

Prospect winger Radim Zohorna has impressed in the minors and even chipped in with a goal in two games with Pittsburgh.  At 6’6, his size will be intriguing to quite a few teams and if the Pens don’t want to part with a draft pick and instead want to move a prospect under contract instead, the 24-year-old pending restricted free agent will be asked about fairly quickly.

If Hextall wants to shake things up more drastically, Jason Zucker stands out as a longshot candidate to move.  They paid a fairly high price to get him and with how he has performed, they’d be hard-pressed to recoup that now.  However, with a $5.5MM price tag for two more years after this, moving him would allow them to potentially free up some wiggle room to make an impact addition now and depending on the term of the contract, possibly give them some extra space over the next two years when they’ll still be tight to the cap.  Zucker may make more sense as an offseason trade candidate if they could find the right fit (there is a 10-team no-trade clause to contend with) but without many viable options to move now, he’s worth a mention here.

Others to Watch For: F Sam Miletic ($700K, RFA), F Valtteri Puustinen (prospect whose rights expire June 1st), Colton Sceviour ($1.2MM, UFA)

Team Needs

1) Center Depth – The long-term injuries to Malkin and Jared McCann (even Teddy Blueger has missed time) has emphasized how thin they are up the middle.  Sam Lafferty and now Frederick Gaudreau have held their own but someone that’s an upgrade on those two that can serve a purpose on the fourth line but move up to anchor the third line if injuries strike would be nice.  They were able to add some defensive depth when the injuries hit but that didn’t happen with their middlemen.

2) Goaltending Insurance – Casey DeSmith is having a fine season but only has 65 career games under his belt.  Tristan Jarry has been up and down but has been okay overall.  He too hasn’t played in 100 career NHL contests, sitting at 87.  Their taxi squad option is Maxime Lagace who has a GAA near 4.00 in his limited NHL action.  A more proven third option in case the injury bug bites yet again or one of the two netminders struggle would be a low-cost acquisition that could wind up being useful later on.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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