Trade Candidates: Dennis Seidenberg
With the trade deadline quickly approaching, we will be profiling several players in the weeks ahead that are likely to be dealt by March 1st.
The Islanders may be 8-3-2 since they replaced head coach Jack Capuano with Doug Weight, but their early season struggles still have them in a hole in the pursuit of a playoff spot. The Islanders trail the Toronto Maple Leafs by three points for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, still sit a point back of the Philadelphia Flyers as well and must make the most of their games in hand to catch the Boston Bruins. Their 7-1 loss to the Leafs last night doesn’t help the cause. The Islanders will surely take the rest of the month to decide if they are sellers, but if they do, Dennis Seidenberg is clearly a prime target. Seidenberg signed late in the off-season, September 28th to be exact, to an affordable, one-year deal and has provided the Islanders with more value than anyone could’ve anticipated. Should they swap him for a pick or prospect at the deadline, it would only make the deal that much better.
Contract
Seidenberg is on a one-year, $1MM deal and will become an unrestricted free agent this summer. His cap hit will have been accumulated to around only $250K by the March 1st Trade Deadline.
2016-17
Though a fan favorite with the Boston Bruins, Seidenberg struggled in his final three seasons with the team. Between battling injuries and struggling to put up points, it seemed as though Seidenberg had hit a wall in his early 30s. When the Bruins decided to re-sign John-Michael Liles and not bring back Seidenberg, many felt it would be the end of his career. However after an impressive performance at the World Cup of Hockey for Team Europe, the New York Islanders decided to give the veteran blue liner a shot. Their decision has paid off; Seidenberg is in the middle of his best season since the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign and has been a key component in the Isles’ turnaround. At 34 years old, the German defender is on pace for what could be his best offensive year since the 2010-11 Cup-winning season in Boston. He also leads the Islanders with a whopping +18 rating, twice what the next man up, Casey Cizikas, has on the year. Seidenberg appears to be back to his old self, and his old self was one of the premiere shutdown defensemen in the NHL over the last decade.
Season Stats
48 GP: 4 goals, 13 assists, 17 points, +18 rating, 87 hits, 100 blocks, 19:34 ATOI
Suitors
If the Islanders choose to trade Seidenberg, that likely means that either they are struggling or the Boston Bruins are continuing their strong play under new head coach Bruce Cassidy. What better story for Seidenberg than a return to Boston for yet another playoff run. Many said this summer that Seidenberg felt he would either play for the Bruins or retire, as he wanted to remain in the city of Boston. While the Bruins have Zdeno Chara and Torey Krug on the left side, as well as the veteran Liles, they have been using right-shot defenseman Kevan Miller as the pair-mate of young Colin Miller, also a right-handed shot, and could stand to upgrade that slot. The Bruins have made it known that they are looking for another left-handed defenseman, and while their search may be more for a long-term replacement for Chara, they likely would not turn their back on a deal to bring back one of the most successful players in recent memory of Bruins hockey. That is, if it’s at the right price. With Liles likely a goner after this season, the Bruins may be more willing to acquire Seidenberg if they plan to give him another year as a veteran safety net on a defense that could lose a contributor in the Expansion Draft.
There certainly are teams with a greater need on defense though, and willing to pay higher prices as well. Atlantic contenders like the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, Columbus Blue Jackets, and New York Rangers are all in need of defensive depth. However there’s always the possibility that the Islanders refrain from trading Seidenberg within the division on the off chance that they keep pace in the postseason race following March 1st. The last thing that GM Garth Snow wants is for his diamond in the rough off-season addition to be a cause of the Islanders playoff elimination.
Out west, one team in desperate need of a veteran top six defenseman is the Los Angeles Kings. While the Kings would likely rather add a right-shot defenseman, those can be hard to find and Seidenberg presents a great option for the team regardless. Seidenberg has a history of playing on the right side, and would be a significant upgrade to Kevin Gravel on the bottom pair. Also, don’t be surprised if the Nashville Predators start sniffing around for a stay at home defensive defenseman like Seidenberg prior to the trade deadline. Although they have tremendous blue line depth, the Predators could use a player with Seidenberg’s two-way tendencies and defensive instincts. Seidenberg would fill out what would likely be the best six-man blue line group in hockey.
Likelihood Of A Trade
Seidenberg’s trade fate is obviously tied to the success of the Islanders. New York is battling just for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference and assuming they have that space locked up on March 1st, even if they are currently in position then, is a precarious situation. If the Islanders want to hedge their bet on a postseason run, they may choose to trade Seidenberg, who could potentially earn them a good return. Meanwhile, Seidenberg is an ideal trade candidate for a contenders due to his extensive postseason experience and performance history, his checking ability and strong two-way game, and of course a cap hit that will hardly make a dent. For all those reasons though, the Islanders could also choose to simply retain the big veteran. They don’t have a readily available option to step in as a replacement and they too face a very strong chance of losing a defenseman in the Expansion Draft and could seek to extend Seidenberg. For those reasons the probability of this deal will remain uncertain unless the next couple of weeks really paint a clear picture of the Eastern Conference playoff race.
Snapshots: Hanzal, Capitals, Gallant, Vanek
While the Coyotes and center Martin Hanzal had engaged in contract extension discussions earlier this season (and remains open to re-signing), he has yet to receive an offer from the team, he told Sarah McLellan of the Arizona Republic.
“When I get an offer, I’ll see. I haven’t got an offer yet from the Coyotes. We haven’t talked.”
“Obviously, we’re getting closer and closer (to the trade deadline). So it’s going to be interesting, and I don’t know if they want to move me or not. I have no expectations. I’ll focus on the hockey games and see what happens.”
Hanzal is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July and with Arizona well out of the playoff picture, they’re likely to either sign him or trade him by the March 1st deadline. GM John Chayka’s asking price is known to be quite high with a first round pick plus a quality NHL-ready younger among the elements he’s seeking in a trade.
Elsewhere around the league:
- One team that is likely to be quiet at the deadline is the Washington Capitals, suggests Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post. The offseason additions of Lars Eller and Brett Connolly have deepened their forward group so there’s no pressing need to add some depth there like they did last season with Daniel Winnik. Khurshudyan notes that the team could add some more depth on the back end, which we also identified as their top need heading into March in our Deadline Primer.
- The Panthers are granting teams permission to speak with former bench boss Gerard Gallant, reports Harvey Fialkov of the Sun-Sentinel (Twitter link). Gallant has two years left on his contract with the team after being surprisingly let go back in late November. With Claude Julien now off the market, it will be interesting to see if interest picks up in Gallant. If another team does hire him, they won’t owe Florida any compensation as the rule that permitted draft pick compensation was scrapped back in January of 2016.
- After missing Sunday’s game against Minnesota with an ankle injury, Detroit winger Thomas Vanek returned to practice today and is hopeful he’ll be ready to play tomorrow night against St. Louis, notes MLive’s Ansar Khan. Vanek is having a solid bounce back season after being bought out by the Wild in the summer with 14 goals and 22 assists in 43 games and is widely expected to be one of the more sought after rental players in the coming weeks. However, he suggested that he’s open to sticking around as well: “Could I see myself staying here? Yeah, that would be great but again, it’s a business.”
Deadline Primer: Washington Capitals
With the trade deadline now just weeks away, we’re taking a closer look at each team. Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?
The Washington Capitals are in a very similar situation. The 2015-16 Capitals team ran away with the President’s Trophy as the NHL’s best regular season team, and this year are on pace to do so again. Last year’s squad had so much depth and talent at every position that they made only two minor deadline moves, acquiring forward Daniel Winnik from the Toronto Maple Leafs and defenseman Mike Weber from the Buffalo Sabres. This year’s team is almost identical to last year’s. Weber is gone, as is Jason Chimera and Michael Latta. However, those absences have largely gone unnoticed, and the 2016-17 version is possibly more talented with the likes of Lars Eller and Brett Connolly in the fold. However, with Andre Burakovsky sidelined by injury until after the Trade Deadline and with over $4MM in cap space just waiting to be used up, Washington should look to make a couple more depth additions again this season. After all, this same roster lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round last year, and will likely have to go up against them again this year. If they want to finally take home that elusive Stanley Cup championship for the first time in franchise history, they need to do all they can to bolster the roster for a postseason run.
Record
39-11-6, 1st in the Metropolitan Division/Eastern Conference/NHL
Deadline Status
Buyer
Deadline Cap Space
Draft Picks
2017: WAS 1st, WAS 4th, WAS 5th, WAS 6th, WAS 7th
2018: WAS 1st, WAS 3rd, WAS 4th, WAS 5th, WAS 6th, WAS 7th
Trade Chips
Frankly, the Capitals are short on capital. Last deadline season, Winnik cost them young defenseman Connor Carrick and the price for Weber was a 2017 third-round pick. This summer, they paid the hefty price of 2017 and 2018 second-round picks to the Montreal Canadiens for Eller. What’s left for selections of value, especially in a seller’s market, is their 2017 first-rounder, which is virtually untouchable since it would leave Washington without a pick this year until the fourth round, and their first-round and third-round picks next year. Desperate for a championship with one of the most talented rosters they have ever had, don’t be shocked if the Capitals move that 2018 top pick if they have to. Outside of draft selections, the prospect cupboard is awfully empty. With so many impending unrestricted free agents on the roster, the team will be hesitant to move rookies who have seen NHL action this year like Zach Sanford and Jakub Vrana. They may not have a choice, but given one, the Capitals will likely move unproven prospects instead
Players To Watch
D Madison Bowey, D Jonas Siegenthaler, F Stanislav Galiev , F Zach Sanford , F Jakub Vrana
Team Needs
1) Depth Defenseman – Just like Weber last year, the Capitals top need is definitely another body on the blue line. Nate Schmidt has stepped up and had a strong season as the team’s #6 defenseman, but behind him there are no good options. A veteran defenseman on an expiring contract who can give starters a rest down the stretch and be relied on in the postseason if need be is at the top of Washington’s wish list.
2) Depth Forward – Again, just like Winnik at the 2016 deadline, the Capitals could use another forward. Although Burakovsky’s absence shouldn’t extend into the playoffs, that uncertainty might provoke the Capitals into going after one of the scorers on the market, like Arizona’s Radim Vrbata. If they feel certain that Burakovsky will be back, the team could still use a veteran bottom-six skater so that any injury in the playoffs would not leave Sanford and Vrana on the hook in a high-pressure situation. A depth forward with term on his contract would be ideal, providing a safety net for the Caps’ forward corps this year and next and also alleviating some expansion concerns.
3) Backup Goaltender – On the off chance that GM Brian MacLellan decides that he doesn’t want to risk losing impressive young backup Philipp Grubauer for nothing in the expansion draft to former Capitals GM George McPhee and the Vegas Golden Knights, he may accept a strong offer from a net-needy team and trade away Braden Holtby‘s understudy. As good as Holtby is, Washington would be foolish to go into the playoffs with only inexperienced Joe Cannata as the backup. They would likely have a deal for a good veteran goalie lined up before parting ways with Grubauer.
Minor Transactions: 2/12/2017
The Washington Capitals rewarded rookie Zach Sanford for scoring his first NHL goal, the game-winner in their 6-4 defeat of the Anaheim Ducks yesterday, by sending him back down to the AHL. The Capitals announced this morning that they have reassigned Sanford to the Hershey Bears. Of course, the team is entering its bye week, so his demotion is not so much a reflection of his performance, as it is an effort to get him some more ice time while the NHL squad takes a break. The first-year pro has just two points in 21 games with Washington this season, but has 14 points in Hershey.
Sanford was nearly a point-per-game player for the Boston College Eagles last year, scoring 39 points in 41 games as a sophomore. A 2013 second-round pick of the Capitals, he chose to leave BC early this summer and get an early start on his pro career. The Eagles have felt the effect of his and others decisions to depart the team, leaving BC without a single junior on the squad. Sanford joined defenseman Steven Santini and forward Miles Wood of the New Jersey Devils, forwards Alex Tuch and Adam Gilmour of the Minnesota Wild, Vancouver Canucks goalie prospect Thatcher Demko, and Florida Panthers defenseman Ian McCoshen as former Eagles who skipped out on the 2016-17 NCAA season. While Boston College still sits atop the Hockey East Conference with a 13-4-1 record so far, their overall record of 18-9-2 going into this week had them ranked 7th overall, behind local rivals like Boston University and Harvard, and following losses to BU and Merrimack, they should fall even farther down the ranks.
Elsewhere around the league:
- As expected, Ottawa Senators goalie Andrew Hammond cleared waivers and has been reassigned to the AHL’s Binghamton Senators, according to the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch. It’s been a monumental career collapse for Hammond, who is just two years removed from posting an unreal .941 save percentage and 1.79 goals against average in 24 games in his rookie season with the Senators. Hammond’s numbers tailed off some last year, but he was still impressive. No one could have predicted that through six games in 2016-17, the young keeper would have an abysmal .837 goals against average and 4.08 goals against average. Whether it’s due to injury or mechanical problems or even just the stress of the fluid state of Craig Anderson‘s availability and the competition with newcomer Mike Condon, Hammond has not performed like himself at all this year and no team was willing to take a chance on him at this time. It’s unfortunate for Hammond, who likely needs a change of scenery, but has never played well in the AHL and would be better served to sit on the bench with another NHL team for a while.
- The Montreal Canadiens announced last night that they have demoted forward Daniel Carr to the St. John’s Ice Caps of the AHL. Carr has two goals and seven assists in 33 games with the Habs this season, but is still trying to carve out a permanent role for himself on the team. The move opens up a roster spot for them to activate right winger Brendan Gallagher off IR.
- The Los Angeles Kings also made a move late last night, reassigning defenseman Paul LaDue to the AHL’s Ontario Reign. LaDue made his NHL debut last Tuesday and recorded his first NHL point on Thursday, but will head back to the minors with just those two games under his belt. A member of the NCAA champion University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux last year, LaDue capped off a third straight season of about 20 points in 41 games, and has maintained that pace in the AHL with 18 points through 36 games with Ontario in 2016-17.
- The Edmonton Oilers have again sent down forward Anton Lander to the AHL. Once considered to be surefire NHL regular, Lander has struggled all season long in Edmonton, scoring just one goal and three assists in 22 games. When Lander has spent time with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors, scoring has been no problem, but he has not been able to translate that success to the next level. In his stead, the Oilers have recalled Iiro Pakarinen. Like Lander, Pakarinen was expected to be a contributor in Edmonton after playing in 63 games last season. However, he managed to score just 13 points in that time, and in response has seen no NHL action yet in 2016-17. With Lander not capitalizing on his chances, it seems likely that GM Peter Chiarelli has decided to give Pakarinen another shot.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning announced that they’ve sent winger Erik Condra and center Gabriel Dumont to Syracuse of the AHL. Condra has been held off the scoresheet in 13 NHL games this season but has been better in the minors with 26 points in 29 contests. As for Dumont, he has ten points in 19 games with the Crunch plus a pair of points in 14 contests with Tampa Bay. With the team off on their bye week until Saturday, this will give them a chance to stay in game shape before likely being recalled later in the week.
More to come.
Expansion Draft Issues At The Trade Deadline: Forwards
This trade season is one like never before. The addition of the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017-18 and the Expansion Draft that goes along with it add a whole other layer to trade-making this year. With each and every transaction, the expansion draft protection formula can change. Even in 2000, when the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets were welcomed into the league, the expansion rules were not a strict and general managers did not have to be as paranoid about their moves. This time around, everything is different. What does it all mean? For fans, there is a real possibility that this could be the quietest Trade Deadline in recent memory. Buyers interested in impending free agent rentals may not have to worry about the draft implications, but the sellers potentially taking back roster players with term certainly do. Trading is hard enough, especially in a season with very few teams significantly out of the playoff race, and expansion will only increase those barriers. Luckily, there are several teams that need to make moves prior to the deadline or they could risk being in very sticky situations when the Knights get ready to make their selections. With teams like the Minnesota Wild, Pittsburgh Penguins, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Anaheim Ducks, who have so much talented, veteran depth at multiple positions, there is really not much that they can do; they’re going to lose a good player. For others, a sensible contract extension can solve all of their problems. However, for these teams, making a trade before it’s too late may be exactly what they need. We’ve looked at the defense conundrums of the Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes and the goaltending scenario of the Philadelphia Flyers, but there a quite a few more teams with problems up front that need solving:
Chicago Blackhawks
Luckily for the Blackhawks, it’s hard to remember a deadline where GM Stan Bowman didn’t add a veteran forward. This year they may really need one though, regardless of their Cup run condition, to protect young scorer Ryan Hartman. The 22-year-old winger has 13 goals and 10 assists in his first full season with Chicago, and if nothing changes it would likely be his last season in Chicago. In setting their protected list for the Expansion Draft, the Blackhawks must protect Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa, and Artem Anisimov due to their no-movement clauses. They would, of course, have protected those four anyway, but other than that group, the team has only two other players that meet the draft criteria of having two unprotected forwards that have played in 40 games this season or 70 games over the past two seasons and have term remaining on their contract: Marcus Kruger and Hartman. Kruger is not a great loss, but retaining Hartman is a major priority as the deadline approaches. The ‘Hawks could simply re-sign 30-year-old Andrew Desjardins or 34-year-old Jordin Tootoo, who both hit the 40/70 benchmark, but are impending free agents. However, the pair have combined for one point in 63 man-games this season and may not strike Bowman as players worth keeping, since they are nearly guaranteed to not be selected by Vegas. Richard Panik and Dennis Rasmussen are both restricted free agents who would also qualify if given an extension, but the team might think twice about exposing either player when they don’t have to. If push comes to shove, Chicago would surely rather lose Rasmussen or have to re-sign Desjardins if it means that Hartman is safe, but acquiring an affordable, serviceable forward with years remaining on his contract prior to the deadline may be the easier move for Bowman and company.
Dallas Stars
Despite their performance this season, the Stars are very much built like a team trying to make one last run at a Stanley Cup. Only five players on Dallas and on the AHL’s Texas Stars have both two years of professional play under their belt and term remaining on those contracts. The rest of the team is composed of impending unrestricted free agents and the AHL squad is mostly restricted free agents. Jamie Benn and Jason Spezza have no-movement clauses and are obviously safe, as is All-Star Tyler Seguin. However, without any further moves, Dallas would have to leave 25-year-old center Cody Eakin and team enforcer Antoine Roussel exposed in the draft. With the likes of Radek Faksa, Brett Ritchie and (probably) Valeri Nichushkin needing to be protected as well, the Star’s may have to leave one or the other on the table, but certainly not both. Roussel is having a career year, on pace to beat his career-high 29 points while also skating a career-best 15 minutes per game. Eakin, who missed time earlier this year and has been held to just six points in 33 games, is regardless coming off of three straight seasons of 35+ points and is just entering his prime. If they want to protect one or both, moves need to be made. Dallas is not short on extension options, with UFA’s Patrick Sharp, Patrick Eaves, Jiri Hudler, Lauri Korpikoski, Adam Cracknell and even the injured Ales Hemsky meeting the 40/70 criterion. However, if the Stars want to make up for their disappointing season, trading several of those players for picks and prospects at the deadline seems likely may eliminate some choices. In the process of moving out that trade capital, it may simply be easier for GM Jim Nill to add one or two qualifying forwards along the way.
Red Wings Notes: Mike Ilitch, Playoff Odds
When Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers owner Mike Ilitch passed away yesterday at the age of 87, those who knew him believe his legacy will be one of a successful, ultra competitor writes the Detroit News’ Bob Wojnowski. Colleague John Niyo reports that Ilitch stopped at nothing to win, and recounts Ilitch’s rebuilding of the Red Wings. Niyo gives a fascinating look at how the Red Wings, bought for just $8MM in 1982 by Ilitch, had so few season ticket holders, that it only took 10 minutes to look them all up. The Red Wings would become synonymous with the words “Hockeytown,” thanks in large part to the dedication that Ilitch put in as an owner.
- With Ilitch’s passing, his son Christopher will take over the entire family fortune. JC Rendl of the Detroit Free press writes that Chris Ilitch will oversee the Red Wings, Tigers, and Little Caesars business, While rumors abound that the Tigers could be sold, no such rumor surrounds the Red Wings. The Detroit News’ Louis Aguilar wrote last May that Ilitch had been in charge of the day-to-day operations of the Ilitch empire, and wrote that at the press conference announcing the family succession plan that Christopher would assume duty of the business as well as the sports teams.
- According to the website Money Puck, the Red Wings have a 5.1% chance of making the playoffs. Earlier in the week, the Red Wings were feeling “bullish” about a playoff appearance, but the hope was dashed after a 6-3 throttling at the hands of the Washington Capitals. The Detroit News’ Ted Kulfan quoted several players, who feel that with many games left to play, nothing is off the table. Though Detroit is hovering in and out of the Eastern Conference basement, they sit only six points back of the final Wild Card spot and seven points out of third place in the Atlantic.
Capitals Notes: Burakovsky, Depth, Connolly
Winger Andre Burakovsky will be out until mid-to-late March with a hand injury, notes Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post (Twitter link). Rookie winger Zachary Sanford is expected to take Burakovsky’s spot in the lineup on Saturday against the Ducks but the team hasn’t decided if he or rookie winger Jakub Vrana will be in that spot beyond the weekend.
The injury, which was sustained last night in a victory over the Red Wings, will not require surgery, adds NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti. The 22 year old has 11 goals and 18 assists in 51 games this season but has been on a hot streak as of late, picking up 19 points (9-10-19) in his last 25 outings.
The Capitals have been healthy for the most part this season as they’ve missed only 19 man-games due to injury (the fewest in the league) but that total is set to grow as a result of this issue.
More from Washington:
- While the Capitals have often been known as a top regular season team, they’ve taken it to another level this year and as a result, Neil Greenberg, also of the Washington Post, believes this is the most dominating squad in their 42 year history. He notes a pair of key differences from previous versions of the team that have strong regular seasons only to fall short in the playoffs. The Caps have a strong third line that is controlling the play while deepening their lineup that much further. They also have ten different players with at least ten goals, a balanced attack that all teams covet especially as the playoffs hit. Washington finds themselves atop the NHL standings with 82 points through 55 games and it looks like they’ll once again be pushing for the Presidents’ Trophy for the second straight season. Though they fell short last year after losing in the second round, this roster may be better poised to push through the postseason.
- After a slow start to the season, winger Brett Connolly has found his niche with the Caps, suggests Tommy Chalk of the Washington Times. He spent time as a healthy scratch in the early going this season but has settled in nicely on their third line in recent weeks. Connolly is also starting to pick up the pace offensively as he matched his career high in goals with a marker last night while he also has a shot at besting his 25 point output with the Bruins last year. After failing to receive a qualifying offer from Tampa Bay and Boston over the past two summers, the 24 year old has a decent chance of ending that streak if he can keep up his play down the stretch.
Injury Notes: Burakovsky, Ericsson, Hanzal
Injury updates around the NHL during tonight’s busy slate of games:
- Washington Capitals forward Andre Burakovsky will miss the rest of tonight’s game against the Detroit Red Wings, reports the NHL’s Tom Gulitti. The Capitals’ young forward went down with an upper body injury after blocking a Detroit slapshot around the midsection that may have injured his hand. Burakovsky has 11G and 18A in 51 games this season, and is on pace for a career-high in points.
- Tom Gulitti also reports that Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jonathan Ericsson will also miss the rest of that Washington-Detroit game. Ericsson suffered an upper body injury during a hit by Washington’s Niklas Backstrom. Ericsson has 1G and 8A in 50 games this season and averages 19:29 minutes a night on Detroit’s second defensive pairing.
- AZCentral’s Sarah McLellan reports that pending unrestricted free agent Martin Hanzal did not participate in the Arizona Coyotes‘ pregame skate this evening, meaning that Hanzal will miss tonight’s game against the Montreal Canadiens. Scouts attending the game will surely be disappointed as Hanzal is a hot commodity for teams looking for a playoff-run rental. Hanzal has 10G and 9A in 43 games so far this season.
Western Conference Snapshots: Russell, Davidson, Coyotes, Stars
Like many teams, the Edmonton Oilers will face some difficult choices when choosing whom to protect in the expansion draft. The recent emergence of Brandon Davidson and the team’s reported desire to re-sign Kris Russell beyond the current campaign has created a surprising logjam on the blue line. Assuming the team elects to protect seven forwards and three defensemen, it’s a near certainty that the Oil will keep Adam Larsson, Oscar Klefbom and Andrej Sekera, which means the team will have to expose Davidson. But David Staples of the Edmonton Journal offers up a solution for Edmonton: protect four defenders, including Davidson, and make Jordan Eberle available to Vegas to select.
While acknowledging that Russell has been a solid, if unspectacular addition to the team’s defense corps and probably would be worth a modest extension, Staples argues that Davidson, four years the former’s junior, is a better long-term option due to his cost and similar on-ice performance. As a pending free agent, Russell won’t have to be protected from the expansion draft unless he inks an extension prior, but Davidson will or the club risks losing him for nothing. One way to make the numbers work would be to leave Eberle unprotected. Eberle, who has two more years on a deal with a $6MM annual cap charge, has underachieved this season, registering just 11 goals in 55 games. If Vegas took a chance on the gifted offensive winger, it would solve two problems for Edmonton: one, it allows the team to keep Davidson and two, the team would save a sizable chunk of cap space which can then be allocated to long-term extensions for Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who will reach restriced free agency following the 2017-18 and 2016-17 seasons, respectively.
Elsewhere in the Western Conference:
- The Arizona Coyotes are one of only a small handful of teams known to consider themselves sellers ahead of the trade deadline and they have several marketable assets that will draw interest in the coming weeks. Sarah McLellan of AZ Central lists the players she believes could be moved at the deadline. Martin Hanzal headlines the list as she notes his size and two-way acumen would appeal to practically any playoff contender. Right-shot defender Michael Stone, in the final year of his contract, could be an attractive piece since most teams are looking for blue line depth, particularly on the right side, at this time of year. McLellan includes Shane Doan but writes that it may be next to impossible to find the right fit; a serious Stanley Cup contender in need of a player of his ilk. Perhaps the most interesting name to make the cut was that of Anthony Duclair. The 21-year-old winger was considered a foundation building block coming into the season but with just nine points in 41 games earning him a demotion to the minors, it’s clear he has fallen out of favor in the desert.
- Mike Heika recently fielded questions from readers in a mailbag feature on SportsDayDFW.com and offered insight into a wide array of Stars-related topics. The biggest concern readers seem to share is the club’s struggles in the goal-prevention department. Heika points out that goaltending is a huge problem, with the team’s netminders registering a Save % of 0.904 compared to the Washington Capitals league-leading rate of 0.928. The Stars have committed more than $10MM of cap space to Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen, a figure more than any other team has allocated toward their top two goalies. If the Stars want to salvage their season they may need to strongly consider an upgrade between the pipes and as we learned yesterday, the team has apparently shown interest in Marc-Andre Fleury already. While the Penguins are likely going to deal Fleury before the upcoming expansion draft, it’s unclear how much they would get in return.
Snapshots: Stars, Oilers, Bruins, Capitals
After winning the Central Division in 2015-16, the Dallas Stars were expected to once again lead the way this season. Unfortunately for the Stars, that has not been the case.
Stars GM Jim Nill told ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun that “it’s been a frustrating season.”
The Stars have been playing catchup all season, as Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin missed all or most of the World Cup, then Mattias Janmark and Ales Hemsky were lost for the year before the season was two weeks old, and then the team couldn’t outscore poor goaltending to make up the ground.
After a 109-point season last year, the Stars are now 21-23-10 for 52 points in 54 games. They’re seven points behind Calgary for the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference. The team’s play isn’t exactly helping their cause, either. The Stars have lost three in a row, and could be sellers at the upcoming trade deadline.
Nill hasn’t officially decided whether or not to go for it this year, saying they’re “taking it game-by-game.” The Stars could do themselves a big favor by acquiring a big-name goaltender like Ben Bishop or Marc-Andre Fleury before the deadline and hoping for a hot streak. But if the losing streak continues, then pending UFAs like Patrick Sharp, Jiri Hudler, and Patrick Eaves could find themselves in new jerseys next month.
- One team that could have interest in Sharp is the Edmonton Oilers. TSN’s Darren Dreger spoke about the Oilers’ deadline plans on That’s Hockey, and said while there’s no desperation, GM Peter Chiarelli would like to add a depth center for the playoff run. Sharp is a skilled veteran who has three Stanley Cups, who has played center before and is right-handed. That would fill two needs for Edmonton.
- For the time being, Dreger believes the Oilers are comfortable with their defense. They’ll get Darnell Nurse back from injury in early March, which will serve as a solid addition to their defensive depth. However, a move could be made with either expansion draft-eligible Brandon Davidson or pending-UFA Kris Russell.
- The fallout continues in Boston. The Bruins were criticized, not only for firing Claude Julien, but for the timing. Firing a coach while the Super Bowl parade happens across town is the sports equivalent of the Friday night news dump in politics. After the move was announced, the Boston Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy called the firing disgraceful, among other adjectives, and questioned if the Bruins management thinks their fans and media are stupid. Now, Bruins reporter Jimmy Murphy tweeted that the timing of the press conference was not the work of the team’s PR department; it was ordered from “above.” Murphy also reported that the struggling Bruins are in danger of losing two major sponsors, and that the press conference timing did not help.
- The Washington Capitals are currently five points ahead of anyone else in the NHL, and their 22-5-1 home record is clearly one of the big reasons. Rob Carlin of CSN reported a ridiculous stat; in their last eight home games, the Capitals have outscored their opponents by a combined score of 42-6. That includes a 6-0 victory and four 5-0 wins.