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Examining The Vancouver Canucks’ Salary Cap Situation

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After one of the most eventful trade deadlines in the last decade, there became a strong line contrasting buyers and sellers. Many of the top teams in the league added more talent to their roster, and some teams outside the playoff picture went down a clear direction of selling. However, one of the most popular questions arising from the deadline was: ’What exactly are the Vancouver Canucks doing?’.

Since their trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2011, the Canucks haven’t been a serious playoff threat in over a decade. After acquiring Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Conor Garland during the 2021 NHL Draft, there was legitimate hope that this team could return to the playoffs and make some noise. Instead, the team finished with a 40-30-12 record, fifth place in the Pacific Division, and 10th in the Western Conference, falling short of the playoffs again. They did sell off a few pieces at last year’s deadline but also chose to sign forward J.T. Miller to an 8-year, $64MM contract extension, thus indicating that they were still hoping to compete with this core.

This year, it’s been much of the same. Currently standing at 25-32-5, the Canucks are once again well outside the playoff picture. Many believed that the fire sale had begun after dishing longtime captain Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders for Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Raty, and a first-round pick in 2023. This deal was made four days after signing pending unrestricted free agent Andrei Kuzmenko to a 2-year, $11MM contract extension. Kuzmenko was thought to be a trade chip available before the deadline, but an argument can be made that Kuzmenko, 27, could fit around the timeline of building blocks Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes.

About a month later, the Canucks continued to look toward the future. Acquiring young forward Vitali Kravtsov from the New York Rangers, and also selling off pieces such as Riley Stillman, Luke Schenn, and Curtis Lazar. However, in one of the more stunning moves from deadline week, they sent the first-round pick acquired from the Islanders for Horvat as well as their own second-round pick from this season to the Detroit Red Wings for defenseman Filip Hronek. Similarly to Kuzmenko, an argument can be made that Hronek fits into the timeline as he is only 25 years old. He has two years remaining on his contract, he will be a restricted free agent at the end of his deal, and Tyler Myers’ contract will be up at the same time if he is not moved beforehand.

Although it is reasonable to suggest that Hronek and Kuzmenko fit the supposed timeline, this has quickly become a team that just can’t get it done. Their head coaching situation has been a carousel for some time, and the front office is investing a lot of money and assets into players that are not good enough to help this team go on a run in the playoffs. It’s not all doom and gloom in Vancouver, they have two of the best young talents in the league in Pettersson and Hughes, but the supporting staff must be changed quickly. There were rumors swirling around on the deadline day that the Canucks had a deal in place with the Pittsburgh Penguins to unload Miller, but it was nixed at the goal line by the Canucks because they were not receiving a young center in return. With the team in the position that they are, not receiving a young center in return is not a defensible excuse to not make that trade.

Included in the Miller extension, he will have a complete no-movement clause until the 2027-28 season. Ekman-Larsson is the only other Canuck on the roster with that same attachment included in his contract. Aside from that, Myers, Ilya Mikheyev, Micheal Ferland, and Tanner Pearson all have modified no-trade clauses in their respective contracts. They will receive salary relief at the end of this year as Ferland’s contract is up, but he has not factored much into their in-season movement due to his stay on the LTIR. Although it will be hard for many teams to acquire such high-priced contracts from the Canucks’, the Nashville Predators showed exactly how to get it done. After trading away Mattias Ekholm, Mikael Granlund, and Nino Niederreiter, the Predators were able to clear a total of $10.5MM, as well as pick up a total of four draft picks, along with prospects. Sticking with their core of Roman Josi, Filip Forsberg, and Juuse Saros, the Predators cleared cap space, acquired future assets, and are now able to retool around their core players.

This isn’t to say that every draft pick is going to work out wonderfully for the Predators, but at the very least they are now a team with options. If the Canucks continue to shy away from a full-on teardown, the most important pieces of their roster that need to be addressed are defense and goaltending. As they have a GF/G of 3.32, and a team powerplay percentage of 23.1%, the Canucks offense seems to be manageable as they rank higher than some playoff teams in those respective categories. Despite the above-average offense, this team can’t stop letting the puck go into their net. Ranking 31st in the NHL, the Canucks sport a GA/G of 3.89, and a league-worst save percentage of 87.6%.

With their top defenseman Hughes taking a much more offensive approach to the game, it would make more sense to acquire defensemen that play a similar style to Brandon Carlo from the Boston Bruins and Erik Cernak of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Although they do not score the highlight reel goals, they are some of the very best defensive defensemen in the NHL. Back in November, it was reported that the Canucks and Ottawa Senators held discussions involving Myers, meaning talks could be revisited at the conclusion of the season.

The defense has also impacted the goaltending in Vancouver as well. Many fans have soured on the idea of Thatcher Demko being the long-term answer in the net, but injuries aside, he has been above average throughout his young career. With a cumulative stat line of 91.0% save percentage, 2.93 goals against average, and 6.4 goals saved above average, those numbers show that there should still be hope for Demko.

Once the offseason rolls around, Vancouver needs to be shopping high-price veterans such as Miller, Garland, Myers, and Brock Boeser. Instead of trading away draft capital in hopes of still competing, the Canucks should be stockpiling it. Because of the dollar value of these contracts, they may not receive much in return, but having the luxury of cap space in today’s NHL is an asset in and of itself. Residing in a Canadian market is always going to include added pressure, but with the ability to build around Pettersson and Hughes, the Canucks shouldn’t be as far away as they currently are. Vancouver shouldn’t entertain moving those two, but they need a much harder reset than what they are attempting now.

As they still retain their first-round selection in the upcoming draft, Canucks currently are projected to have the sixth overall pick. Although that is a good draft ranking for a team in this position, because of previous moves, they only have five picks in the first three rounds of the next two drafts. If they are able to acquire more, as they should, the Canucks will now have more options at their disposal. Mismanagement has governed this team for too long, and the Canucks need to pick a more sensible direction.

Big Hype Prospects: Sykora, Michkov, Huuhtanen, Poirier, Merilainen

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Welcome to PHR’s Big Hype Prospects series. Like the MLB Trade Rumors series of the same name, we’re taking a look at the performances of top prospects from across the hockey world. We’ll look at drafted prospects who are rising, others who are struggling, and prospects for the upcoming draft who are notable.

Five Big Hype Prospects

Adam Sykora, LW, New York Rangers (HK Nitra, Tipos Extraliga)
37 GP 8G 12A 20pts

Despite not having a first-round pick at the 2022 NHL draft thanks to their in-season acquisition of Andrew Copp from the Winnipeg Jets, it seems as though the Rangers still managed to nab a quality prospect with their highest pick in the draft, all the way down at 63rd overall.

While fast-rising Montreal Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson has attracted most of the attention for the way he’s laid waste to college hockey in his first season since being drafted, Sykora, the player selected immediately after Huston has had among the most impressive and attention-worthy seasons of the 2022 second-round as well.

With 20 points in 37 games played, Sykora has upped his point-per-game scoring rate from .37 to .54.

That scoring rate puts him third in U21 scoring in Slovakia’s top professional league, and the two players in front of him are aged 21 and 20, respectively. Sykora, on the other hand, is just 18 years old and will have to wait until September to turn 19.

In other words, Sykora is just over a month older than top 2023 draft prospect Adam Fantilli, and is already reaching triple-digit career games played in a solid professional league.

And beyond just his scoring rate, Sykora is one of Nitra’s most relied-upon players, often skating in more than 20 minutes a night and regularly contributing on both special teams units.

Sykora’s best asset is his motor, which is always running to the max on every shift. He’s extremely hard-working and has more skill than one might expect. While he may not end up an overwhelming points producer, it’s easy to see his game being quickly transferrable to North American ice. He was even drafted number-one overall at the 2022 CHL Import Draft, suggesting Canadian junior teams were similarly optimistic about his game’s translatability to the other side of the Atlantic, and he’s already signed to an entry-level deal with the Rangers.

While Nitra hasn’t been a great team as a whole this year, they play HK Poprad in a playoff series later this week and Sykora’s performance there will definitely be something for the Rangers and their fans to pay attention to.

Matvei Michkov, LW, 2023 Draft Prospect (HK Sochi, KHL)
27 GP 9G 11A 2opts (for Sochi)

With Connor Bedard routinely torching competition in the WHL and Fantilli piling up impressive scoring numbers in college hockey, it’s easy to see why they’re regularly viewed as the two main can’t-miss prospects eligible to be selected at the draft in Nashville. But tucked away in the KHL (and under contract there through 2025-26) is Matvei Michkov, who has all the talent to be in the conversation with those other two prospects but is highly unlikely to be a consideration for the top-two picks in the draft.

Michkov’s season began somewhat unevenly. He was playing well, especially at the second-tier VHL level where he scored 14 points in 12 games, but opportunities in the KHL were scarce. His club, SKA St. Petersburg, is regularly among the KHL’s juggernaut teams and could not afford him any sort of regular role. In fact, when he managed to get into the ice for two KHL games, he finished with less than eight total minutes played across both games.

A December loan to HK Sochi, a team that would be able to give him ample ice time, ignited Michkov’s game and gave him a chance to show what he could do in one of the most talent-rich leagues outside the NHL. Michkov ended up playing 27 games for Sochi, and he finished with 20 points in 27 games. While one might note that eight of those points game in two games against the Kunlun Red Star, the KHL’s Chinese club and one of the worst teams in their league, it’s also worth noting that Kunlun won 10 more games this season than Sochi did.

Michkov is a fantastically skilled offensive player and his scoring numbers in the KHL are extremely rare for someone his age to accomplish. Kirill Kaprizov managed just eight points in 31 games in his own draft year, while Alex Ovechkin scored 23 points (more than Michkov) but in 53 games, not the 27 Michkov played for Sochi.

That’s not to say that Michkov is going to have the type of NHL success either of those two players have had — one is an all-time great and the other is looking increasingly like a franchise-defining star — but it does indicate the type of rare talent we’re dealing with here.

While the uncertain timeline of when Michkov would be available to NHL teams will likely hurt him on draft day, as NHL GMs weigh the risks and rewards of investing such high picks in different players, Michkov’s form in Sochi has underscored just how much he belongs in the conversation for the most talented player available at the 2023 draft not named Bedard.

Niko Huuhtanen, RW, Tampa Bay Lightning (Jukurit, Liiga)
45 GP 16G 13A 29pts

While Huuhtanen, 19, was the 2021 NHL draft’s “Mr. Irrelevant” as the last player selected, to borrow from an NFL tradition, he’s quickly reached a point of relevance in the two seasons since earning the moniker. The Lightning saw something in Huuhtanen, a six-foot-two 210-pound winger, and used their last pick on him after he scored 20 goals and 34 points at the Finnish junior level.

He was selected second overall at the 2021 CHL Import Draft, and headed to the WHL to play for the Everett Silvertips the following year. As a later birthdate for the 2021 draft, suspicions that Huuhtanen might be a late-bloomer seemed to be confirmed after his WHL performance, as he became an instant-impact contributor for the Silvertips, and finished with 37 goals and 77 points in 65 games.

This season, Huuhtanen has taken his game even further and is now one of the top scorers for Jukurit, a team in one of the best professional leagues in the world. At just 19 years old, Huuhtanen manged to score 16 goals and 29 points for Jukurit, a total that led all teenage players in Liiga. Huuhtanen plays the type of game that is highly coveted among NHL teams, combining the prototypical power forward’s physical game with goal-scoring ability and some sneaky skill.

According to CapFriendly, the Lightning have all the way until June 1st, 2025 to give Huuhtanen his entry-level deal before losing his exclusive rights. But given the way he’s played the past two years and how pro-ready his game looks, it’s likely that he’ll enter their organization well before that runway ends.

Jeremie Poirier, LHD, Calgary Flames (Calgary, AHL)
53 GP 7G 29A 36pts

Oftentimes it can be a bit of a challenge for skaters (and especially defensemen) who score at the junior level to translate their impressive numbers to the professional level. There’s often the pressure for defensemen to become deferential in their game, to play with a lot more safety and lose the type of risk-taking offensive flair that made them successful at those lower levels. Those challenges can be even more greatly magnified by higher competition level, as the time and space with the puck players are often more easily able to generate at the junior level can quickly evaporate against pros.

For Poirier, a Flames 2020 third-round pick, those challenges have been more than capably met. Fresh off of a Memorial Cup victory with the Saint John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL, Poirier has stepped into the lineup with the Calgary Wranglers and become their most productive defenseman in his rookie professional season. With 36 points in 53 games, Poirier is not only Calgary’s most productive defenseman, he’s also the most productive defenseman aged 20 or under in the American League.

While the Flames have seemingly deemed him best served playing a full first pro season in the AHL without the potential interruption an NHL call-up would bring, Poirier has quickly played his way into the Flames’ medium-to-long-term blueline plans.

Flames head coach Darryl Sutter is notoriously demanding of his players, and it’s likely that Poirier will need to further refine his defensive game to have success under Sutter. But as far as adjustments from the CHL to NHL go, Poirier’s has been as smooth as one could reasonably have hoped it would be.

Leevi Merilainen, G, Ottawa Senators (Karpat, Liiga)

39 GP 1.94 GAA .920 SV%

While the Ottawa Senators got strong goaltending from Anton Forsberg last season and gave him a $2.75MM AAV contract extension through 2025, the team’s “goalie of the future” remains relatively unclear. Big 2019 second-round pick Mads Sogaard has done quite well in six NHL games, with a 4-0-1 record, 2.33 GAA, and .922 save percentage, but he has just an .898 save percentage in 21 AHL games this season. 22-year-old Kevin Mandolese is a big netminder, but his AHL numbers have been similarly shaky.

While 2020 third-round pick Leevi Merilainen’s uneven play last season in the OHL with the Kingston Frontenacs was far from the resounding step towards “goalie of the future” status many were hoping he’d take, his form this season in the Finnish Liiga has been exactly that.

Merilainen has played in 39 games for Karpat this season and currently ranks third among all league netminders with a .920 save percentage. He’s helped Karpat rise to the upper end of Liiga’s standings and has handily outperformed 2020 Pittsburgh Penguins second-rounder Joel Blomqvist. At six-foot-two, 180 pounds Merilainen doesn’t have the imposing size many NHL teams covet in their goalies, but he’s also big enough where size isn’t the sort of underlying concern it is for other prospect goalies.

The Senators signed Merilainen to an entry-level deal in 2021, and could be looking to have him cross the Atlantic and continue his development in their organization next season.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Poll: Who Won The 2023 Trade Deadline Week?

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The 2023 NHL Trade Deadline has come and gone, with most of the action spread among the days leading up to last Friday. Playoff contenders were as active as ever, with an eyebrow-raising 13 first-round picks dealt in the weeks leading up to the deadline. With so much activity, though, it’s difficult to immediately say which team (and which general manager) came out on top.

First off, the world-beating Boston Bruins made a pair of significant deals with conference rivals. Their biggest acquisition came in the form of Dmitry Orlov from the Washington Capitals, who had been quietly one of the best defensive defenders in the league over the past few years. His two-way play has made an immediate impact, recording three goals and nine points in just five games with the Bruins since the trade, already doubling his goal total on the season. The team also acquired a pair of aggressive forwards, Tyler Bertuzzi and Garnet Hathaway, who seem to fit seamlessly into the tapestry of a quintessential Bruins lineup.

However, their Atlantic Division rivals were some of the most active teams on the market too. No team made more additions to their roster than the Toronto Maple Leafs, who added a significant complement of defensive-minded skaters in Ryan O’Reilly, Noel Acciari, Jake McCabe, Sam Lafferty, and Luke Schenn while also adding some power-play depth in the form of defenseman Erik Gustafsson. Like Boston, they were able to avoid parting with a top prospect in the process, although young NHLer Rasmus Sandin, already off to a strong start with his new team, the Washington Capitals, was a casualty of the roster crunch.

The Tampa Bay Lightning, looking to make a fourth straight Stanley Cup Final, made one of the most controversial moves of the deadline by parting with five draft picks in exchange for depth winger Tanner Jeannot. They also made some salary cap flexibility by swapping Vladislav Namestnikov for Michael Eyssimont, who’s provided some quiet upside in his first extended NHL opportunities with the Winnipeg Jets and San Jose Sharks.

The best forward on the market on the market was undoubtedly Timo Meier, who the New Jersey Devils landed to complete a formidable top-six forward group alongside Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, Dawson Mercer, and Tomas Tatar. The 26-year-old is amidst his second consecutive 30-goal season and is a powerful two-way force. They also acquired Curtis Lazar in a minor deal with the Vancouver Canucks to improve their fourth line.

No team made more star-studded acquisitions than the New York Rangers, not unexpected from one of the most aggressive front offices in the league. A pair of veteran stars headed their way in the form of Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane, who the Rangers hope will enjoy some revitalization alongside a more robust core on Broadway. It looks like that’s happened so far for Tarasenko, who’s scored four goals and nine points in 12 games as a Ranger. Kane is still looking for his first point and has a -4 rating in two contests since the trade.

It was one team out of the playoff picture, though, that may have made the most effective roster improvement. The Ottawa Senators acquired defenseman Jakob Chychrun from the Arizona Coyotes for a trio of draft picks, filling a gigantic hole in their defensive makeup. Now 7-2-1 in their past 10 games, the acquisition of Chychrun (under contract through 2025) gives the Senators a fighting chance at making the playoffs for the first time since advancing to the Eastern Conference Final in 2017.

It’s up to you, PHR readers, to decide who they think had the best overall haul at this year’s deadline. Cast your vote and let us know who you think came out on top.

PHR Mailbag: Orlov, Predictions, Atlantic Division, Karlsson, Hextall, Officiating

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After two mailbags last weekend that focused on the trade deadline last weekend, we turn our focus to the non-deadline questions with including Ron Hextall’s future with Pittsburgh, officiating, and more.

2012orioles: Do the Caps sell? And if so, is Orlov a trade candidate? Could they still bring him back in the offseason if he’s traded?

Well, we know the answer to the first two questions as yes, they sold and yes, Dmitry Orlov was traded.  So, let’s focus on the possibility of him returning next season.

Generally speaking, players that are traded at the deadline rarely go back to the team that dealt them.  That’s not to say it doesn’t happen but off the top of my head, I can only think of a handful of pricey veterans that ultimately went back to the team that moved them.  I expect that Orlov won’t be in that minority.

Prior to being dealt to Boston, the Capitals and Orlov’s camp took a real run at trying to get an extension done but reports at the time suggested the two sides weren’t exactly close with term being the sticking point; Washington wanted a shorter-term deal than Orlov.

I can certainly understand why Orlov is looking for a long-term pact.  He’ll be entering his age-32 season in 2023-24.  This is his last shot at a long-term agreement, one that likely would take him close to retirement.  He should have a good shot at getting it too.  But at the same time, I understand why Washington was hesitant to give him a long-term deal as those last couple of seasons might not age well given the hard minutes Orlov has played over the years.

Is it possible that one side has a change of heart in July?  Sure.  But I don’t think much is going to change over the next few months that definitively makes someone change their mind.  If he doesn’t re-sign with Boston, he’ll be one of the top free agent blueliners on the open market and someone will give Orlov a long-term deal.

The Duke: OK, Crystal Ball, let’s hear some wiley wisdom: 1. Which teams meet in the Stanley Cup Final – and who wins it? 2. Which 3 or 4 players currently in the minors make a scoring impact in the NHL next season? 3. Who are your Top-5 forwards, Top-3 offensive D-men, and Top-3 goaltenders in the upcoming NHL draft? As, always, thanks in advance!

1) Boston has been the favorite in the East basically all season long and bolstered their lineup at the deadline.  It’s hard not to go with them coming out of their conference.  In the West, Colorado is the trendy pick with the expectation that they’ll find their stride down the stretch.  But that’s too easy of a pick for this.  I’ll go off the board a bit and say Dallas to come out of the West.  They have strong goaltending, are good defensively, and have impressive scoring depth.  As for who wins in this too early to predict Final, I’ll go with Boston.

2) When this question came out, William Eklund was still in the minors so let’s go with him.  The Sharks wisely have slow-played his development and he’ll be ready to play a bigger role next year because of it.  Alexander Holtz is finally in the minors but I expect he’ll be back in the NHL next season and he has too much offensive upside to have another year like this one.  I think we’ll see some turnover coming in Calgary next year which could pave the way for Connor Zary to get an extended look.  Ridly Greig might not put up a lot of points right away in Ottawa but I think he’ll make an impact at least.

3) The ball hasn’t dug too deep into this year’s class of prospects yet so this could certainly change closer to the draft but here goes:

Forwards: Connor Bedard, Adam Fantilli, Matvei Michkov, Leo Carlsson, Zach Benson

Defense: David Reinbacher, Mikhail Gulyayev, Axel Sandin-Pellikka

Goalies: Carson Bjarnason, Jacob Fowler, Scott Ratzlaff

W H Twittle: This was the year that the Sens, Sabres, and Wings were expected to take the next step in their respective claims to a playoff spot. What happened?

Boy, things have changed in the couple of weeks since this question came up.  Generally speaking, I think things have gone somewhat as expected for two of the three at least.

Ottawa: They’re the big underachiever out of the group.  I thought they’d have been legitimately in the Wild Card battle at least.  Now, they’re on a nice little run and just added Jakob Chychrun so they’re definitely staying in the battle for a Wild Card spot.  While they certainly won’t be favored if they get to the playoffs, just getting there and playing meaningful games in April is an important step to take for that franchise.

Buffalo: With due respect to Craig Anderson (who’s having a nice year) and Eric Comrie, is that really a playoff-caliber goalie tandem?  I think the expectations for the Sabres this season were to be more competitive while assessing the improvement of their young core.  I think they’re about where they figured to be, a non-playoff team but considerably more competitive.

Detroit: I had them a bit like Buffalo, more competitive but still on the outside looking in.  I think they could have made enough of a run to get into a Wild Card spot had they been buyers at the deadline but they pivoted to selling after seeing other teams load up.  They haven’t made their big splash yet that really signifies they’re in the mix so them still being on the outside looking in doesn’t surprise me.

jdgoat: Do the Senators make sense for an Erik Karlsson reunion?

Technically, this was a trade deadline question but I wasn’t expecting Karlsson to move so I pushed it to this column.  I think it would have been neat to see him go back and there certainly would have been a role for him to fill but I don’t think it was a realistic option (and this is before they went and added Chychrun).

Very quickly, Ottawa’s core group has gotten more expensive.  Joshua Norris, Brady Tkachuk, and Thomas Chabot are all around the $8MM mark.  Alex DeBrincat will join that group when he signs his next deal this summer which is going to check in around his $9MM qualifying offer.  Even with San Jose hypothetically retaining 25% of the contract, Karlsson would still be in that group.  That’s five players making what would be close to 50% of the Upper Limit next season.  Let’s not forget Claude Giroux at $6.5MM while we’re at it.  They can’t really afford any more big-ticket contracts.  That’s why getting Chychrun on a below-market contract is such a nice pickup for them.

It’s also worth noting the Nikita Zaitsev deal which saw them send Chicago a pair of draft picks to take on his contract.  If they don’t make that move, they don’t get Chychrun.  Not for cap reasons but for budgetary reasons; with an ownership situation that’s clearly in flux, they don’t have the green light to add significant payroll right now.  That alone takes the idea of Karlsson going there off the table until a new ownership group steps in.  It would have been neat to see but Karlsson returning to the Senators probably isn’t a viable option anytime soon.

@TheeDavidDoonan: Why won’t the Penguins fire Hextall?

I was hesitant about pushing this question here in case Pittsburgh GM Ron Hextall went out and had, let’s call it, a redemptive deadline.  I don’t think he did.  Without digging into what happened too much, willingly taking on two more years of Mikael Granlund after this one at $5MM per season was not the type of upgrade many were hoping for or expecting to see.

However, that upgrade falls within the parameters of their expectations as a team that’s trying to win now.  With the veteran core group they have, a full-scale rebuild isn’t happening.  Being as close to the playoffs as they are, merely selling off their free agents wasn’t going to drop them far enough in the standings to be in the mix for a high draft pick in June.  So, even though it could be an exercise in futility in the end with the way several other Eastern teams loaded up, he went and added to his roster.

Barring a new directive from ownership, one that is more amenable to at least a short-term retooling, I don’t see a change coming.  Hextall is barely two years into his tenure which is on the short side for general managers who typically get longer leashes than head coaches.  As long as Pittsburgh stays in the playoff mix, I expect them to stay on their current trajectory and continue to operate as they did this week as a team that’s going to try to hang around the playoff picture.

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Trade Deadline Primer: Tampa Bay Lightning

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The trade deadline looms and is now just a few days away. 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 Tampa Bay Lightning have become the class of the NHL in the last decade. With two Stanley Cup championships and a third trip to the finals in the previous three years, the Lightning are poised to make another deep run. But first, they will likely have to battle the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round.

The Maple Leafs have made some big adds in the past few weeks, which prompted Tampa Bay to make a splash this past Sunday with the expensive addition of Tanner Jeannot. While Tampa Bay may have spent big on the rugged forward, GM Julien BriseBois boasted that he had no issues dealing future draft capital for a team firmly entrenched in win-now mode.

After the Maple Leafs made another addition yesterday, could BriseBois feel the need to make another move?

Record

37-18-4, 3rd in the Atlantic

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

Deadline cap space $769,967, 0/3 retention slots used, 49/50 contracts used, per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2023: TB 6th, TB 7th

2024: CHI 4th, TB 5th, TB 6th, TB 7th

Trade Chips

Tampa Bay has very little in the way of draft capital in the next three entry drafts. They have already dealt their next three first-round picks and don’t have a second-round pick until 2025. Should they stand pat, the Lightning wouldn’t pick until the sixth round this season.

Tampa Bay also don’t have much flexibility for another trade deadline addition, as they have less than $1MM in cap space available for the deadline. This would mean any potential deal would need a third party to facilitate the move or be a dollar-for-dollar trade.

On the prospects side, Tampa has emptied the cupboard during their three runs to the finals, but it is not without good young players. Despite dealing picks seemingly every year, BriseBois and company have found value in the later draft rounds. Nick Perbix is a former sixth-round pick in 2017 who has established himself on Tampa’s backend, and Ross Colton was a fourth-round pick who scored a Stanley Cup-winning goal just three years ago.

Team Needs

BriseBois has stated publicly that he would like his team to be harder to play against; this was an area he addressed with the Jeannot addition. It could be a development to keep an eye on as Tampa is staring down two tough series in Toronto and potentially the Boston Bruins. BriseBois may want to add further toughness to his lineup like an Austin Watson-type player. Watson is a pending UFA in Ottawa and could be the type of addition BriseBois would look at.

The Lightning would also do well to add to their defense core. The back end is the only glaring weakness on the club, and is something BriseBois would do well to address. His ideal target would likely be a right-shot defenseman, as Zach Bogosian currently occupies the top right-side spot next to Victor Hedman. Bogosian is a battle-tested warrior but probably isn’t equipped for those hard minutes at this stage of his career. The cost to acquire this type of player is likely out of Tampa’s price range, but never count out the creativity of Julien BriseBois.

Trade Deadline Primer: Pittsburgh Penguins

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The trade deadline looms and is now less than two weeks 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.

Being one of the game’s most recent dynasties, and housing one of the greatest players in NHL history, expectations are always high for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Not reaching the Conference Finals since their Stanley Cup victory in 2017, the Penguins are looking to squeeze out the last few seasons of their generational talents such as captain Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang. Dealing with the ramifications of contending for so long, the Penguins no longer have the pipeline of young players they can bring into the lineup. Surviving mostly on the supplementation of college signings, the Penguins have only drafted in the first round three times in the last decade.

With a tight cap situation, and a lack of young assets to dangle, GM Ron Hextall will have quite a lot of work to do in the coming days in Pittsburgh. Serving at the helm since 2021, many of Hextall’s trades have come with mixed reviews. Acquiring players such as Jeff Carter, Jeff Petry, and Rickard Rakell, many of these trades were well received at the onset. However, through injuries or simply underperformance, these players have not been the game-changers that the Penguins may have expected them to be. As things currently sit, the Penguins sit in fifth place in the Metropolitan Division, barely hanging on to the last wild card spot in the East. As their playoff hopes are hanging by a thread, and several holes to fill in the lineup, the Penguins will have some hard decisions to make over the next few days.

Record

29-21-9, 5th in Metropolitan

Deadline Status

Conservative Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$1.9MM in full-season cap space today,  $2.1MM at the deadline, 0/3 retention slots used, 44/50 contracts used, per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2023: PIT 1st, PIT 2nd, NJ 3rd, PIT 5th, PIT 6th, PIT 7th, FLA 7th, TOR 7th

2024: PIT 1st, PIT 2nd, PIT 3rd, PIT 4th, PIT 5th, PIT 6th, PIT 7th

Trade Chips

Taking a page out of their rival, the Washington Capitals, the Penguins should look to deal expiring contracts and any player that is not performing to their cap hit. Although trading underperforming veterans such as Carter and Brock McGinn could prove to be difficult even at their relatively modest cap hits, these are the players that the Penguins must look to move from their roster. Former Penguin Kasperi Kapanen was in a similar situation to these two. In the first year of a 2-year, $6.4MM contract, Kapanen wasn’t able to put it together in Pittsburgh once again this season. After being put on waivers, the St.Louis Blues claimed the forward, absorbing the rest of the contract. Although they didn’t receive anything in return, removing a player that isn’t producing in line with his contract is exactly what this team needs at the moment.

Because their cap hits are relatively modest compared to other underperforming stars, Jeff Carter and Brock McGinn shouldn’t need a world-changing offer to move. A former top-line center for the Philadelphia Flyers and Los Angeles Kings, Carter was acquired from the Kings during the trade deadline of 2021. Already having Crosby and Malkin in the mix, Carter was acquired at the time to provide depth in the Penguins’ bottom six. However, only scoring 21 points this season paired with a dismal -11 +/-, Carter just isn’t living up to the 2-year, $6.25MM contract he signed prior to this year. Being a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Kings, there could be a team willing to acquire Carter as well as his salary to mentor some of their young centers of the future.

Additionally, since it doesn’t appear that they are going to run to the Cup Final, the Penguins should be looking to move any player not named Tristan Jarry set to hit unrestricted free agency. After several down years, Jason Zucker has had a revitalization of sorts. Scoring 16 goals and 18 assists in 55 games, he has shown this season that he can still be a top-six forward in the NHL. Interestingly enough, after not throwing over 100 hits in any season prior to this one, Zucker has already racked up more than 150. Being able to score goals and throw the body are invaluable to many teams for the playoffs, and the Penguins should net a decent return for the forward if they sell.

Other Potential Trade Chips: F Teddy Blueger, F Danton Heinen, F Josh Archibald, D Brian Dumoulin

Team Needs

1)  Top-2 Defenseman: Already a franchise legend, Kris Letang has still been tasked with leading the Penguins from the back end. After acquiring defenseman Jeff Petry from the Montreal Canadiens over the summer, the Penguins were hoping to take some of the stress off of Letang’s shoulders. Unfortunately, even after the addition of Petry, and the signing of Jan Rutta, the Penguins’ defense has continued to look lackluster. The goaltending tandem of Casey DeSmith and Jarry has allowed the Penguins to maintain a respectable 3.20 GA/G over the course of this year, however; the team is also 29th in shots allowed, giving up a total of 2007.

Although Erik Karlsson is a name that many fans would like to see donning the Penguins black-and-gold, his age and contract should be a major hindrance to the Penguins’ brass. Scoring 77 points already this year, Karlsson is still -2 +/-, showing that he is not the complete defenseman that the Penguins need at the moment. A much better alternative resides in Arizona. On a similarly situated team as Karlsson, Jakob Chychrun could be a perfect fit for the Penguins. Only 24, and signed to a relatively low $4.6MM over the next three seasons, Chychrun could benefit tremendously from being paired with Petry or Letang, and also benefit from being on the same power play as Crosby and Malkin.

2) Youth Movement: According to EliteProspects, the Penguins are the second oldest team this season with an average age of 29.9. As their franchise icons grow older, the Penguins must look to fill this team with the next generation. There is a lot of value to be had in draft capital, however; the Penguins should be putting an emphasis on acquiring young players instead of draft picks this trade deadline. Fortunately for the Penguins, Crosby still has the Midas touch. Any player the coaching staff puts around him instantaneously becomes better. Instead of stockpiling picks for players just exiting the college or junior levels, the Penguins should instead look to acquire players that are just on the verge of cracking the NHL. The league is designed in a way that it is hard to make the moves necessary to win three Stanley Cups in a decade and still be sustainable, but if the Penguins are able to re-tool and acquire young players this deadline, they might still have an open window with Crosby on their roster.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Trade Deadline Primer: Arizona Coyotes

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The trade deadline looms and is now less than a week away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Arizona Coyotes.

After a disastrous-by-design campaign that saw the Arizona Coyotes finish 25-50-7, the only expectation entering this year was to be in contention for the No. 1 overall pick. But just like last season when Arizona failed to fail enough, landing the No. 3 overall pick, the Coyotes find themselves toward the back of the line again this season, although maybe not as far back as they would prefer.

The Coyotes’ improved record has been the result of some unexpectedly strong play, including a 10-game point streak once the calendar flipped to 2023. With multiple players sitting on the trade block, the Coyotes are poised to add more young players and draft selections as March 3 approaches.

Record

20-29-9, 7th in the Central

Deadline status

Seller

Deadline Cap space

70,653,619MM, 1/3 retention slots used, 44/50 contracts used, per CapFriendly.

Upcoming draft picks

2023: ARI 1st, ARI 2nd, WAS 3rd, ARI 3rd, ARI 4th, ARI 5th, VGK 5th, ARI 6th,

2024: ARI 1st, ARI 2nd, FLA 2nd, MTL 2nd, ARI 3rd, COL 3rd, EDM 3rd, ARI 4th, SJS 4th, ARI 5th, ARI 6th, ARI 7th, BOS 7th

Trade chips

The Coyotes are in a strong position of being able to utilize both players on their roster and their abundance of cap space to make deals for futures. Taking on inflated contracts from other teams in exchange for draft picks is something Arizona has done in recent years and they could take on a rather sizable contract for a high draft pick as teams get pinched by their cap situations. The Coyotes are willing to take on a player, knowing they won’t suit up for the franchise. That willingness has allowed them to take advantage of teams in salary cap crunches in exchange for draft picks.

Jakob Chychrun has had his name in trade talks for over a year. Due to the term on his deal, the Coyotes have held onto him, awaiting the right offer. With two years remaining on his contract at a cap hit of 4.6MM, Chychrun could be counted on to provide quality two-way play for the foreseeable future for a contending team. He is only two years removed from potting 18 goals in 56 games, but has just 14 in the past 83 games.

A contender would offer more talent to be on the receiving end of Chychrun’s breakout passes, and his offensive output could see an uptick once he is dealt. An interesting player, Chychrun’s value on a new team could depend on who else is on that team’s blue line. He could serve as a No. 1 option for a club looking to add depth at the very top of their blue line, or he could be a dangerous secondary option.

The beneficiary of an abundance of ice time in Arizona, Shayne Gostisbehere was acquired for essentially nothing from the Philadelphia Flyers a few seasons ago. He posted 51 points (14G, 37A) in 82 games last season, his highest output since 65 points with the Flyers in 2017-18. He has 29 points in 50 games this season and will be a UFA this summer.

Assuming his play doesn’t level off with a change of scenery, Gostisbehere will provide a spark as a puck-moving, offensive-minded rearguard to any team with Cup aspirations. He is the classic deadline rental type of player who could see his free agent prospects rise with a strong showing on a team making a deep playoff run.

Another player likely to be moved at some point is forward Nick Schmaltz. Schmaltz has term left on his deal, meaning the Coyotes could hold onto him into the summer or ask a higher price for at the deadline. With a cap hit of 5.8MM for three more seasons, an acquiring team could pencil him in for a few more years as a top-six option at forward.

Schmaltz had his strongest offensive performance last season, with 23 goals and 36 assists for 59 points in 63 games. With 39 points in 43 games, Schmaltz has elevated his play to point-per-game status.

The Coyotes should be looking to unload anything that isn’t bolted down as they rebuild their organization from the ground up. Moving even fringe pieces for draft picks or young players will only add to the Coyotes’ coffers.

Other potential trade chips: Nick Bjugstad, Travis Boyd, Christian Fischer, Zack Kassian

Team Needs

The short answer here is the Coyotes need anything and everything. The more high draft picks and young players the Coyotes can gather, the more likely they will find their way out of the wilderness of rebuilding.

With three first-round picks made by the Coyotes last year and a chance to add additional picks in the first three rounds this year, the Coyotes will end up making more draft selections than most teams would in just a two-year span, as well as holding four picks in the top two rounds in 2024.

The Coyotes are aiming to have a competitive team by the time their new arena opens, which is set to be voted on by the City of Tempe, Arizona, on May 16. The new arena is not a guarantee, but Arizona could potentially have a team driven by a talented young core by that point.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

PHR Mailbag: Penguins, Avalanche, Wild, Bad Contracts, Sandstrom, Deadline Struggle

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With the trade deadline now less than a week away, the focus of the mailbag this weekend will be questions pertaining to trades and the upcoming deadline.  With so many deadline questions submitted, we’ve split this weekend’s mailbag in two so be sure to check back in yesterday’s column if you don’t see yours submitted here.  Next week, the focus will primarily be on the non-deadline queries (with a couple of trade ones in there as well).

One More JAGR: Do the Pens finally realize they aren’t gonna crack the playoffs this year with how competitive the Metro is, how uncompetitive the Pens are, and how they have pretty much no cap to address any of the multiple issues plaguing the team? Do they instead look towards the offseason and will the plan be to let the UFA’s walk and try to trade some cap out in hopes that the closing window on the big three can be better next season? Also is it finally Sully’s time to be out and try to go get Trotz?

I think it’s too early to say the Penguins aren’t going to make it.  A divisional seed isn’t happening but they can catch and pass the Islanders in the Wild Card race if they win their games in hand.  Granted, their recent performances aren’t exactly inspiring much hope that they can win those games, tonight being a notable exception.

I touched on this earlier this month but there is no good option here.  They can’t truly rebuild with their veteran core locked up long-term.  They can’t fall far enough down to really tank for a high draft pick.  But they’re not good enough to contend either.  I still think that if there’s a low-risk upgrade they can make (clearing Kasperi Kapanen’s cap hit off the books gives them some flexibility), they’ll do it over the next few days even though there’s a case to make that doing so defies logic.

Among their pending UFAs, I suspect that they want to re-sign Tristan Jarry.  Brian Dumoulin’s value isn’t great at this point so they wouldn’t get much for him.  There might be some interest in Jason Zucker but it’s not going to be a top return.  And their other expirings are depth guys where the interest is going to be limited at best.  There’s not enough to really restock the cupboard.

As for the coaching situation, I think we can rule out Trotz taking over behind the bench in Pittsburgh with him poised to become the next GM in Nashville.  (Obviously, this question came well before the Trotz news broke.)

@iwtfwc: WHAT are @Avalanche going 2 do? Many “LINKED” players off the board & still injured, also Landeskog’s return timeline unsure, your thoughts? And, at this point in time, thoughts on this list?

M.Domi
N. Bjugstad
J. Puljujarvi
J. McCabe
L. Schenn

Chris MacFarland’s hands are tied right now until he has a better understanding of when (or if) Gabriel Landeskog and Erik Johnson can return.  If both can’t come back, they’ll have a ton of cap space to work with and can shop at the high end of the market.  If one can’t come back, they’ll still be able to add a smaller piece or two.  If both are likely to be back though, then they’re looking at more or less having to match money.  Right now, they’re going to wait as a few more days might give them the clarity they need to know which way they’re going to proceed.  I expect them to try to be a buyer either way, it’s just a matter of knowing which part of the market they’ll be shopping in.

As for your list, I’d take off Jake McCabe.  With two years left and Chicago wanting a first-round pick if they’re going to retain money, that one doesn’t work.  I’m not sure Jesse Puljujarvi is worth getting either unless it’s a deal right before the buzzer sounds and they have extra room to burn.  Luke Schenn makes a lot of sense on paper but without a second-rounder or a third-rounder in the next two seasons, will they be able to be the top bidder?  Would they move a 2025 second-rounder to get him?  If other teams are offering thirds this season or next, they’ll have to go up a round to cover the longer wait.

I like Max Domi as a secondary option.  He can play center and the wing and while I’m not sure he’d be able to produce at a similar rate as he is with Chicago (46 points in 57 games), he’d give them some more options in their middle six.  But again, without seconds and thirds in the next two years, that move might be tricky to make as I assume their first-rounder isn’t in play.  Nick Bjugstad could help in the bottom six and if Arizona is okay with a 2024 fourth-round pick for him, sure, that would make sense.  I think they might get more than that though with his contract and the year he’s having.

If they do have LTIR money to spend, I could see them being interested in a player like Gustav Nyquist who’s out for the season but should be back for the playoffs.  Sean Monahan, if he’s in that situation, would be another option on that front.  Lars Eller is another possible target with Washington now selling.  If Johnson is going to be out for a while, Nick Jensen might be a target for a replacement on the right side of the back end as well.

Zakis: With the Wild in NHL purgatory and having a solid set of prospects, would it be better to sell or buy at the trade deadline? What direction do you see them going?

Follow-up question: what would Hartman get in a trade?

I’ve flip-flopped on this one a few times in recent weeks.  Considering they’re in a playoff spot at the moment, it’s hard to make a case to sell, especially as their dead cap costs go up next year from the increases to the Ryan Suter and Zach Parise buyouts.  This might be their best shot for a little bit.  On the other hand, they’re pretty much certain that they won’t be able to re-sign Matt Dumba and the idea of losing him for nothing isn’t ideal.

I keep coming back to them doing a bit of both.  In a perfect world, they find a spot for Dumba and then turn around and get a capable replacement, perhaps using part of the return for Dumba with the net gain being an upgraded draft pick or something like that.  His performance this season makes that a challenge though so admittedly, I don’t expect that to happen; I think he stays put.  I think they’d like to open up money for next season so if there’s a move to be made to do that, it’d be hard not to but that also potentially qualifies as a seller move.

However, with them having plenty of cap space, they can absorb some pricey expiring contracts and add to their depth.  I could see them sniffing around in the final hour before the deadline looking to simply relieve some teams of a player for a late-round pick or equivalent return that ultimately sees them upgrade a depth spot or two without really giving up much value.  Doing both is a tough needle to thread though but I think it’s what they should do if they can.  I don’t think they’re good enough to truly contend but when you’re a handful of points out of the division lead, it’s hard to only subtract from your roster.

Moving Ryan Hartman is an interesting idea.  His value isn’t as high as it was last year when he had a career season but he’s still a pretty good bargain at $1.7MM through next season.  I could see that being worth a first-round pick but in doing so, they’d be taking a key piece off their roster, one that would be pretty difficult to replace, even with more financial flexibility than other teams have.  Unless they’re a straight seller, I don’t expect them to consider that.

Pawtucket: Who is the worst player on an expiring deal on a playoff team?  And then who should they trade him to for what return?

My immediate thought was Milan Lucic but Calgary isn’t in the postseason.  Let’s call them playoff-adjacent so they’re out.  My second thought was Jonathan Quick of the Kings.  $5.8MM for a save percentage of .879 isn’t good value at all.  Clearing that contract would give them plenty of flexibility.  It’d also open up a hole between the pipes and I’m not sure the optics are great for trading a 16-year King who seems like a candidate to retire at the year.  He’s probably out as well as a result.

My next (and last) thought was to look to the minors for the negative-value deals there.  That would be Anton Khudobin, a player that legitimately is an NHLer but his contract was easy to bury.  I don’t think he’s likely to be dealt with an incentive (which is what I assume you were expecting to see) but would rather be a throw-in in a deal like Craig Smith was to match money.

I will say this, however.  If you’re looking for teams that a buyer might need to dump money onto, I’d go with Minnesota, Anaheim, and Chicago.  The Wild could do a move like that to add a depth piece, The Ducks have indicated before that they’re open to such a move, and the Blackhawks have done it enough times already that there’s no reason to think they wouldn’t again.

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Trade Deadline Primer: New York Rangers

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The trade deadline is inching closer and is now less than a week 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 New York Rangers went through a roster re-tool for four seasons before launching back into contender status last season. A Vezina Trophy campaign from goaltender Igor Shesterkin, a near Norris Trophy winning season from Adam Fox and a career high in points from Artemi Panarin carried the team all the way to the Eastern Conference Final. They pulled ahead in that series 2-0 before losing four consecutive low-scoring close games to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Rangers headed into this season with high expectations, and are among a pack of six Eastern Conference teams that appear to be the league’s best. They will continue to fight with the Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils for the Metropolitan Division crown down the stretch and whoever emerges from that battle in the first two playoff rounds will likely face either the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs or Lightning in the Eastern Conference Final.

It is going to be a battle of wills to get to the Stanley Cup Final from the eastern side and the Rangers have already begun to load up. They acquired Vladimir Tarasenko and Niko Mikkola from the St. Louis Blues for a conditional 2023 first-round pick, Sammy Blais, Hunter Skinner and a 2024 fourth-round pick.

They also moved Vitali Kravtsov to the Vancouver Canucks for Will Lockwood and a seveth-round pick in 2026. Jake Leschyshyn was also put on waivers earlier today. Both of these moves seem to be made to maximize the team’s cap space for an upcoming trade.

Record

33-17-9

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$1.67MM, 0/3 retention slots used, 47/50 contracts used, per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2023: DAL 1st, NYR 2nd, COL 3rd, NYR 6th, WIN 6th

2024: NYR 1st, NYR 2nd, NYR 3rd, NYR 5th, NYR 6th, NYR 7th

Trade Chips

The Rangers 2023 first-round pick is tied up in a conditional trade for Tarasenko. The Blues will get the later of the Rangers pick or the Dallas Stars first-round pick that was acquired for Nils Lundkvist. Either way, they still have a 2023 first-round pick and their own 2024 first-round pick as well as their second-round picks in 2023 and 2024.

Brennan Othmann was the Rangers first-round pick in 2021. He is having a great season in the Ontario Hockey League, where he has scored 24 goals and 55 points in 44 games for the Peterborough Petes. He was solid at the past two World Junior Championships, scoring a combined 12 points in 13 games for Canada and winning a pair of gold medals. If the Rangers are going to add another big name, Othmann would allow them to add just about anyone on the market.

Will Cuylle is a 21-year-old left winger who is playing his first AHL season. He has scored 17 goals and 26 points in 48 games for the Hartford Wolf Pack after a tremendous Junior career. He was taken in the second round of the 2020 NHL Draft and with all the wingers likely to be with the Rangers long term, like Panarin, Chris Kreider, Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko, the Rangers could afford to move Cuylle.

Matthew Robertson is a promising young defenceman who is going to have a hard time finding a full-time role with the Rangers. The 21-year-old has a nice mix of size and skill, but the Rangers already have a deep crop of blueliners. At 6-foot-3 and 211 pounds, Robertson is tough enough to defend his own zone and has 20 points in 48 AHL games, showing a bit of an offensive side as well. Rebuilding teams love young NHL-ready defenders and Robertson fits that description.

Other Potential Trade Chips: Zac Jones, Adam Sykora, Bryce McConnell-Barker

Team Needs

1) Top-six winger: The Rangers have already added Tarasenko and he is playing on a line with Panarin and Mika Zibanejad. They also have a tremendous “kid line” as their third line with Filip Chytil between Lafreniere and Kakko. Vincent Trocheck is playing on a line with Chris Kreider and Jimmy Vesey. The odd-man out here would be Vesey who has 21 points in 58 games. The Rangers are heavily rumored to be in on Patrick Kane, and he would round out the team’s top six perfectly.

2) Left Defenceman: The Rangers have a big question mark hovering over them now as defenceman Ryan Lindgren was injured in today’s game. If he is out long term, the team could place him on LTIR and add a player matching his cap hit of $3MM. Even if he is not out long term, the team could add a depth piece on defence, as any contender likes to do at this time of year. They are certainly not lacking on the back end with Lindgren, Fox, Jacob Trouba, K’Andre Miller, Mikkola and Braden Schneider, but picking up a veteran who can fill in for injuries would be helpful.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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