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So a guy who has never been a starter until this year, at age 27, and was traded twice in the last few years because he was 4th and 3rd on the depth chart respectively in St. Louis' (behind Halak, Elliott, and Allen) and Ottawa's (behind Anderson and Lehner) goaltending systems is going to be a superstar for the next 10 years but a guy who won WJC gold at age 17 with a .953 SV%, was playing in the KHL at age 18, and is a starter in the KHL with a .920 SV% at age 19 is worthy ... ?
lol... was your entire post just ONE sentence?
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__________________ __________________________________________________ Last edited by AzNightmare; Today at 10:09 AM
So a guy who has never been a starter until this year, at age 27, and was traded twice in the last few years because he was 4th and 3rd on the depth chart respectively in St. Louis' (behind Halak, Elliott, and Allen) and Ottawa's (behind Anderson and Lehner) goaltending systems is going to be a superstar for the next 10 years but a guy who won WJC gold at age 17 with a .953 SV%, was playing in the KHL at age 18, and is a starter in the KHL with a .920 SV% at age 19 is worthy ... ?
Both would be valuable to a team. The kid has proven himself in the KHL. Bishop in the NHL. Pretty big difference, regardless of age difference. If the kid wants to come to the NHL and work on his NA game, then he has the potential to be better.
Quote:
Originally Posted by darthchilli
I still think Kesler is good as gone when his contract is up. That is all
Exactly, I would trade Kesler if the Canucks don't see him in their future. They'll get a decent player back but than again we're dealing with the Canucks here who haven't made a decent trade in years.
the guy handing out the medals in the woman's game, his name is Dick Pound
Guy is the d-bag who used to be the president of the World Anti-Doping Agency, who blindly accused every other athlete of using performance enhancing drugs.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by skyxx
Sonick is a genius. I won't go into detail what's so great about his post. But it's damn good!
2010 Toyota Rav4 Limited V6 - Wifey's Daily Driver
2009 BMW 128i - Daily Driver
2007 Toyota Rav4 Sport V6 - Sold
1999 Mazda Miata - Sold
2003 Mazda Protege5 - Sold
1987 BMW 325is - Sold
1990 Mazda Miata - Sold
Exactly, I would trade Kesler if the Canucks don't see him in their future. They'll get a decent player back but than again we're dealing with the Canucks here who haven't made a decent trade in years.
What does a decent player do for the Canucks? Posted via RS Mobile
There is a lot of uncertainty in the Eastern Conference playoff race, as the March 5th trade deadline approaches, which means a lot can change in a short period of time before the March 5th trade deadline. Scott Cullen presents the 2014 Trade Deadline Playbook for the Eastern Conference.
It's been accepted that the Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins are clearly the top teams in the Eastern Conference, but there are so many teams still involved in the playoff race that buyers and sellers can't be
Buffalo, Florida and the New York Islanders are the three teams that can be considered sellers, but there are six teams between 61 and 64 points, with Detroit (64 points in 58 games) currently holding the final playoff spot. If a few more of those teams fall further behind than their current two or three-point deficits, that could help initiate more trade activity.
A couple of notes about the following chart:
Restricted Free Agents (RFA) have contracts that expire this summer, barring a contract extension in the meantime, but their current team retains the right to match a contract offer so long as they make the requisite qualifying offer. While restricted free agents haven't moved a lot, it's worth noting when decision time is coming on a young player's contract.
Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA) have contracts that will expire this summer and, without a contract extension, they will be free to sign with whatever team they choose on July 1. These are the players that often move in "rental"-type deals, ideally providing a short-term fix with minimal commitment required.
Top prospects are the top five players in each organization, but other top prospects may be listed among other players of interest. Contending teams may be more likely to dangle a prospect or two as they try to find that final piece for their playoff mix, while it's safe to assume that young and rebuilding teams aren't going to move top prospects unless they get a significant long-term piece in return.
Other players of interest will include prospects who have spent some time in the NHL this season as well as players under contract for future seasons that may have some level of attractiveness on the trade market.
IMPORTANT: Just because a player is listed as being of interest, it doesn't mean he will be traded or should be traded. Some may just be of interest for teams looking to hit a home run when trying to swing a deal or they are players that may be considered to be underachieving for the money they are due over the rest of their contract.
Generally, then, here's a rough guide for which players each Eastern Conference team might have at their disposal in order to make a trade leading up to the deadline.
The Western Conference Playbook can be viewed here.
BOSTON BRUINS
UFA in 2014: Jarome Iginla, Shawn Thornton, Chad Johnson.
RFA in 2014: Reilly Smith, Jordan Caron, Torey Krug, Matt Bartkowski.
Top Prospects:
Malcolm Subban, G, Providence (AHL)
Ryan Spooner, C, Providence (AHL)
Alexander Khokhlachev, C, Providence (AHL)
Joe Morrow, D, Providence (AHL)
Seth Griffith, RW, Providence (AHL)
Others of Interest: Adam McQuaid, Anthony Camara, Ryan Fitzgerald, Matt Fraser, Zach Trotman.
No-Trade Clauses: Milan Lucic (modified), David Krejci (modified), Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, Loui Eriksson, Chris Kelly, Zdeno Chara, Johnny Boychuk (modified), Dennis Seidenberg (limited).
The Plan: The Bruins have been getting by just fine since D Dennis Seidenberg suffered his season-ending knee injury, but finding a veteran defenceman to eat up some of those minutes has to be a priority for a team that is expected to challenge for a title.
It's one thing to get quality minutes from Matt Bartkowski and Kevan Miller, it's another to go into the playoffs with them taking prominent roles and Bartkowski has been playing about 21 minutes per game since the start of January.
The Bruins made some moves in the offseason, notably shaking up their right wing, but there is a lot of continuity on this roster, with a stable core that has enjoyed playoff success in recent seasons.
BUFFALO SABRES
UFA in 2014: Matt Moulson, Steve Ott, Cody McCormick, Zenon Konopka, John Scott, Matt D'Agostini, Kevin Porter, Henrik Tallinder, Alexander Sulzer, Ryan Miller.
RFA in 2014: Tyler Ennis, Marcus Foligno, Jamie McBain, Brayden McNabb.
Top Prospects:
Rasmus Ristolainen, D, Rochester (AHL)
Nikita Zadorov, D, Rochester (AHL)
Joel Armia, RW, Rochester (AHL)
Jake McCabe, D, Wisconsin (Big 10)
Mark Pysyk, D, Rochester (AHL)
Others of Interest: Drew Stafford, Mikhail Grigorenko, Johan Larsson, J.T. Compher, Matt Hackett.
No-Trade Clauses: Christian Ehrhoff (modified), Ryan Miller (limited).
The Plan: New GM Tim Murray gets to put his stamp on the organization and has a challenging position to take right off the bat if he's going to deal G Ryan Miller, who has clearly been the Sabres' best player this season. But, Miller will be an unrestricted free agent and is attractive enough that he should bring a quality package in return.
There are several other Sabres veterans that could be moved, including LW Matt Moulson, C Steve Ott and D Henrik Tallinder, and it's easy enough to look at the Sabres and shed all veterans as they build for the future -- expecting that they are still a few years away from icing a competitive team -- but Buffalo will have to keep a certain number of vets around if only to reach the salary floor next season.
CAROLINA HURRICANES
UFA in 2014: Manny Malhotra, Radek Dvorak, Joni Pitkanen, Ron Hainsey, Mike Komisarek, Anton Khudobin, Justin Peters.
Top Prospects:
Ryan Murphy, D, Charlotte (AHL)
Victor Rask, C, Charlotte (AHL)
Brock McGinn, LW, Guelph (OHL)
Phil Di Giuseppe, LW, Michigan (Big 10)
Danny Biega, D, Charlotte (AHL)
Others of Interest: Alexander Semin, Riley Nash, Jay Harrison, Justin Shugg.
No-Trade Clauses: Eric Staal, Jordan Staal, Tuomo Ruutu, John-Michael Liles, Mike Komisarek, Cam Ward.
The Plan: Right on the edge of the playoff picture, the Hurricanes are too close to sell, so they could make a move to upgrade in the short-term while not surrendering future value because their crop of prospects isn't great.
The 'Canes have an excess in goal, carrying three on their NHL roster now that Cam Ward is healthy, and that could lead to a minor deal, shipping out Justin Peters. If G Anton Khudobin continues to hold the crease, it's also feasible that the Hurricanes might consider a new home for Ward, though that deal might be easier to orchestrate in the offseason.
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
UFA in 2014: Marian Gaborik, Derek MacKenzie, Blake Comeau, Nikita Nikitin, Curtis McElhinney.
RFA in 2014: Ryan Johansen, Corey Tropp, David Savard..
Top Prospects:
Tim Erixon, D, Springfield (AHL)
Alexander Wennberg, LW, Frolunda (SEL)
Kerby Rychel, LW, Guelph (OHL)
Oscar Dansk, G, Erie (OHL)
Oliver Bjorkstrand, RW, Portland (WHL)
Others of Interest: Artem Anisimov, Mark Letestu, Cam Atkinson, Matt Calvert, Jack Johnson, Mike Reilly, Marko Dano.
No-Trade Clauses: Marian Gaborik, Nathan Horton, R.J. Umberger, James Wisniewski (modified), Fedor Tyutin (modified).
The Plan: The Blue Jackets are in the playoff picture and have been there largely without much contribution from RW Marian Gaborik, so they could use Gaborik -- a pending UFA -- as a trade chip, or simply add him back into the lineup for a scoring boost.
The challenge, and it's an enviable one, with adding Gaborik to the lineup is that the Blue Jackets have a relatively deep and balanced group up front. Ryan Johansen is their one emerging star, but the rest of their forwards can be moved up and down the depth chart and it's worked well enough that maybe the Blue Jackets would be willing to part with Gaborik, but they're also a team that doesn't have game-breaking scorers and, while that hasn't been Gaborik's effect this season (scoring five goals and 12 points in 18 games), he has that pedigree.
Otherwise, there may be some interest in D Jack Johnson and, as some have noted, the Blue Jackets would do well to listen to any teams expressing serious interest.
DETROIT RED WINGS
UFA in 2014: Daniel Alfredsson, Mikael Samuelsson, Todd Bertuzzi, Dan Cleary, Patrick Eaves, Kyle Quincey, Jonas Gustavsson.
RFA in 2014: Tomas Tatar, Luke Glendening, Danny DeKeyser.
Top Prospects:
Anthony Mantha, RW, Val d'Or (QMJHL)
Tomas Jurco, RW, Grand Rapids (AHL)
Riley Sheahan, C, Grand Rapids (AHL)
Teemu Pulkkinen, RW, Grand Rapids (AHL)
Petr Mrazek, G, Grand Rapids (AHL)
Others of Interest: Johan Franzen, Drew Miller, Jakub Kindl, Brendan Smith, Brian Lashoff, Calle Jarnkrok, Ryan Sproul, Xavier Ouellet.
No-Trade Clauses: Pavel Datsyuk (partial), Stephen Weiss (modified), Daniel Alfredsson, Mikael Samuelsson, Todd Bertuzzi (modified), Danny Cleary, Niklas Kronwall, Jonathan Ericsson (modified), Jimmy Howard, Jonas Gustavsson (modified).
The Plan: In a tough spot as it pertains to the playoff chase because leading scorer Henrik Zetterberg left the Olympics with a back injury and it's been tough sledding through injuries for Detroit this season already.
While injuries have contributed to the Red Wings' struggles this year, they have also allowed the next generation of Red Wings forwards -- including Gustav Nyquist, Tomas Tatar, Tomas Jurco, Riley Sheahan -- to play. If they're pushing for a playoff spot, the Wings always have assets that they can move for immediate help.
FLORIDA PANTHERS
UFA in 2014: Marcel Goc, Brad Boyes, Scott Gomez, Krystofer Barch, Jesse Winchester, Mike Weaver, Tom Gilbert, Mike Mottau, Ryan Whitney, Matt Gilroy, Tim Thomas, Scott Clemmensen.
RFA in 2014: Jimmy Hayes, Dmitry Kulikov, Erik Gudbranson, Dylan Olsen.
Top Prospects:
Drew Shore, C, San Antonio (AHL)
Alex Petrovic, D, San Antonio (AHL)
Mike Matheson, D, Boston College (HE)
Vincent Trocheck, C, San Antonio (AHL)
Rocco Grimaldi, RW, North Dakota (WCHA)
Others of Interest: Tomas Kopecky, Sean Bergenheim, Shawn Matthias, Jacob Markstrom, Kyle Rau, Quinton Howden, Colby Robak.
No-Trade Clauses: Tomas Fleischmann (modified), Scottie Upshall (modified), Brian Campbell (limited), Tim Thomas.
The Plan: There was a bit of a competitive stint after their terrible start, but the Panthers have fallen back again and are playing for next season.
There are several veterans to shop heading towards the deadline and young players should get ample opportunity to play big minutes in the final quarter of the season.
Perhaps the most interesting decision involves veteran D Tom Gilbert, a bargain free agent signing after he was bought out by Minnesota last year, who has had a fine year on the Panthers' top pair, which would figure to make him appealing as a trade chip, but maybe he's been good enough that the Panthers would rather have Gilbert as part of their defensive core for the next few seasons too.
MONTREAL CANADIENS
UFA in 2014: Brian Gionta, George Parros, Andrei Markov, Francis Bouillon, Douglas Murray.
RFA in 2014: Lars Eller, Dale Weise, Ryan White, P.K. Subban.
Top Prospects:
Nathan Beaulieu, D, Hamilton (AHL)
Jarred Tinordi, D, Hamilton (AHL)
Sven Andrighetto, RW, Hamilton (AHL)
Sebastian Collberg, RW, Frolunda (SEL)
Dalton Thrower, D, Vancouver (WHL)
Others of Interest: David Desharnais, Michael Bournival, Michael McCarron, Christian Thomas, Jacob De La Rose.
No-Trade Clauses: Tomas Plekanec (modified), Brian Gionta, Daniel Briere, Rene Bourque (modified), Travis Moen (modified), Andrei Markov (modified), Josh Gorges (limited).
The Plan: The Canadiens are in playoff position, so they're theoretically in the market to add, rather than subtract, but they're also saddled with the likes of Daniel Briere and Rene Bourque who aren't producing nearly enough to match their contracts.
If the Canadiens are going to make noise this season, though, it may be a result of players like LW Alex Galchenyuk and D Alexei Emelin performing better as they come back from injuries.
Emelin endured a rough start to the year, but was making progress prior to joining Team Russia for the Olympics and Galchenyuk, the second-year forward, has been productive enough, though he could get a few more minutes if the Habs are going to take advantage of his high-end skill.
NEW JERSEY DEVILS
UFA in 2014: Jaromir Jagr, Ryan Carter, Steve Bernier, Stephen Gionta, Marek Zidlicky, Mark Fayne, Martin Brodeur.
RFA in 2014: Andrei Loktionov, Jacob Josefson.
Top Prospects:
Jon Merrill, D, Albany (AHL)
Eric Gelinas, D, Albany (AHL)
Damon Severson, D, Kelowna (WHL)
Reid Boucher, LW, Albany (AHL)
Stefan Matteau, RW, Albany (AHL)
Others of Interest: Michael Ryder, Damien Brunner, Reece Scarlett, Raman Hrabarenka.
No-Trade Clauses: Travis Zajac, Patrik Elias, Ryane Clowe, Dainius Zubrus, Anton Volchenkov, Marek Zidlicky, Martin Brodeur.
The Plan: On the fringe of playoff contention, the Devils have some bodies to move if they decide to go that way. Jagr has resisted trade talk, which is fair enough since he's been a bit of nomad since returning to the league, but he's had such a strong season that a team seeking an offensive upgrade would have to consider him (how about finally joining Tomas Plekanec in Montreal?).
Martin Brodeur says he hasn't contemplated a trade yet, but if the Devils are going to look ahead to the future, the guys on the north side of 40 don't have to be part of the plans. At the same time, if the Devils are going to move them, anything to upgrade the forward talent in the organization should be a priority.
NEW YORK ISLANDERS
UFA in 2014: Thomas Vanek, Eric Boulton, Radek Martinek, Andrew MacDonald, Evgeni Nabokov.
RFA in 2014: Casey Cizikas, Calvin de Haan, Kevin Poulin.
Top Prospects:
Ryan Strome, C, Niagara (OHL)
Griffin Reinhart, D, Edmonton (WHL)
Ville Pokka, D, Karpat (SML)
Ryan Pulock, D, Brandon (WHL)
Matt Donovan, D, Bridgeport (AHL)
Others of Interest: Josh Bailey, Michael Grabner, Matt Carkner, Brian Strait, Anders Lee, Johan Sundstrom, Scott Mayfield, Adam Pelech, Anders Nilsson.
No-Trade Clauses: Lubomir Visnovsky.
The Plan: The Islanders were already out of the playoff race before C John Tavares suffered a season-ending knee injury at the Olympics, but that makes their next moves all the more important as they try to ice a more competitive club in 2014-2015.
Since the Islanders couldn't get LW Thomas Vanek to sign an extension, GM Garth Snow needs to attempt to recoup some of the value he sacrificed in acquiring Vanek from Buffalo early in the season.
If D Andrew MacDonald isn't prepared to sign a team-friendly deal (and advanced stats suggest he should), then the Isles might as well deal him and add more assets for the future -- same as it ever was.
NEW YORK RANGERS
UFA in 2014: Ryan Callahan, Brian Boyle, Benoit Pouliot, Dominic Moore, Daniel Carcillo, Dan Girardi, Anton Stralman, Darroll Powe, Arron Asham.
RFA in 2014: Derick Brassard, Mats Zuccarello, Chris Kreider, Justin Falk, John Moore.
Top Prospects:
J.T. Miller, RW, Hartford (AHL)
Danny Kristo, RW, Hartford (AHL)
Jesper Fast, RW, Hartford (AHL)
Anthony Duclair, LW, Quebec (QMJHL)
Dylan McIlrath, D, Hartford (AHL)
Others of Interest: Derek Dorsett, Kevin Klein, Pavel Buchnevich.
No-Trade Clauses: Rick Nash, Brad Richards.
The Plan: The Rangers have gained ground after a slow start and have a team that can contend in the East.
While RW Ryan Callahan and D Dan Girardi are notable unrestricted free agents, the Rangers are would have to get roster players in return since a playoff team can't justify dealing prominent players for no immediate help.
OTTAWA SENATORS
UFA in 2014: Milan Michalek, Matt Kassian, Chris Phillips, Joe Corvo.
RFA in 2014: Cory Conacher, Stephane Da Costa, Eric Gryba, Robin Lehner.
Top Prospects:
Curtis Lazar, C, Edmonton (WHL)
Mark Stone, RW, Binghamton (AHL)
Matt Puempel, LW, Binghamton (AHL)
Shane Prince, LW, Binghamton (AHL)
Jean-Gabriel Pageau, C, Binghamton (AHL)
Others of Interest: Erik Condra, Colin Greening, Jared Cowen, Patrick Wiercioch, Mark Borowiecki.
No-Trade Clauses: Jason Spezza, Clarke MacArthur, Chris Neil (modified), Chris Phillips (limited).
The Plan: On the outside looking in at the playoffs, the Senators might have the talent to push for a berth, and while they are open to adding a power forward to play alongside Jason Spezza, it appears that the Senators wouldn't take on significant money in any deal. That shouldn't preclude a rental, but it also may not preclude the Senators selling if they lose a couple coming out of the break.
If the Senators are buyers, they have a solid farm team in Binghamton from which they could offer a prospect or two in order to find a winger that can improve their attack.
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
UFA in 2014: Steve Downie, Adam Hall, Kimmo Timonen, Andrej Meszaros, Ray Emery.
RFA in 2014: Brayden Schenn, Michael Raffl, Erik Gustafsson.
Top Prospects:
Scott Laughton, C, Oshawa (OHL)
Mark Alt, D, Adirondack (AHL)
Shayne Gostisbehere, D, Union (ECAC)
Samuel Morin, D, Rimouski (QMJHL)
Tye McGinn, LW, Adirondack (AHL)
Others of Interest: Sean Couturier, Matt Read, Luke Schenn, Nick Cousins, Robert Hagg.
No-Trade Clauses: Scott Hartnell, Vincent Lecavalier, Wayne Simmonds (modified), Kimmo Timonen, Braydon Coburn (modified), Nicklas Grossman (modified)
The Plan: Like the Rangers, the Flyers are playing much better after a slow start; they have enough talent to make some noise, though blueline improvements wouldn't hurt.
Philadelphia made their bed in goal with Steve Mason, and could live to regret it, but signing him to an extension likely precludes a notable change in that spot.
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
UFA in 2014: Jussi Jokinen, Taylor Pyatt, Tanner Glass, Chuck Kobasew, Joe Vitale, Chris Conner, Brooks Orpik, Matt Niskanen, Deryk Engelland.
RFA in 2014: Brandon Sutter, Jayson Megna.
Top Prospects:
Derrick Pouliot, D, Portland (WHL)
Simon Despres, D, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL)
Scott Harrington, D, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL)
Brian Dumoulin, D, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL)
Brian Gibbons, RW, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL)
Others of Interest: Beau Bennett, Brian Gibbons, Robert Bortuzzo, Josh Archibald.
No-Trade Clauses: Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, Pascal Dupuis (limited), Chris Kunitz (modified), Paul Martin (limited), Brooks Orpik (limited), Rob Scuderi (modified).
The Plan: For a Stanley Cup contender, the Penguins do have some notable needs.
The search for Sidney Crosby's right winger (in the absence of injured Pascal Dupuis) continues and Pittsburgh might want to add immediate help on the blueline as insurance for D Kris Letang, who recently suffered a stroke.
Finding a winger to complement Crosby shouldn't be that difficult, but it's become bit of meme that Crosby is so difficult to play with. Drop in someone like Matt Moulson and see if he likes pulling the trigger on Crosby's setups.
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
UFA in 2014: Tom Pyatt, Sami Salo, Brian Lee.
RFA in 2014: Alex Killorn, J.T. Brown, Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat, Keith Aulie, Mark Barberio, Anders Lindback.
Others of Interest: Nate Thompson, B.J. Crombeen, Richard Panik, Adam Erne, Andrej Sustr.
The Plan: Tampa Bay's big addition will be the return of C Steven Stamkos, but Lightning could go for help on defence if they are looking to capitalize on this season -- it's not every year that you get the goaltending they are getting from Ben Bishop.
One advantage that the Lightning have is that they have a well-stocked system, cultivated over the past few seasons, so they have some attractive assets to move, including forwards that haven't been able to crack the Lightning lineup, if they go looking for immediate help.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
UFA in 2014: David Bolland, Nikolai Kulemin, Jay McClement, Mason Raymond, Troy Bodie, Trevor Smith, Jerred Smithson, Paul Ranger.
RFA in 2014: Peter Holland, Carter Ashton, Cody Franson, Jake Gardiner, James Reimer.
Top Prospects:
Matthew Finn, D, Guelph (OHL)
Stuart Percy, D, Toronto (AHL)
Josh Leivo, LW, Toronto (AHL)
Andreas Johnson, C, Frolunda (SEL)
Frederik Gauthier, C, Rimouski (QMJHL)
Others of Interest: Frazer McLaren, Carl Gunnarsson, Tyler Biggs, Jerry D'Amigo, Greg McKegg.
No-Trade Clauses: Phil Kessel (limited), Joffrey Lupul (limited), David Clarkson (modified), Tyler Bozak (modified), Tim Gleason, Paul Ranger.
The Plan: Sitting in a playoff spot after a great run leading up to the break (but also due, in part, to nine shootout wins) the Leafs anticipate getting David Bolland back from injury, and while they are surely happy with the results they've been getting, the Leafs should never turn down the opportunity to improve their defence.
For all the progress the Leafs have made in the standings, their possession numbers haven't shown improvement, which means the team, as currently constructed, is going to need continued excellence from G Jonathan Bernier if they're going to hold their playoff position.
WASHINGTON CAPITALS
UFA in 2014: Mikhail Grabovski, Tyson Strachan.
RFA in 2014: Dmitry Orlov.
Top Prospects:
Evgeny Kuznetsov, RW, Chelyabinsk Traktor (KHL)
Riley Barber, RW, Miami-Ohio (NCHC)
Andre Burakovsky, LW, Erie (OHL)
Philipp Grubauer, G, Hershey (AHL)
Madison Bowey, D, Kelowna (WHL)
Others of Interest: Joel Ward, Marcus Johansson, Jason Chimera, Eric Fehr, Jay Beagle, John Erskine, Connor Carrick, Nate Schmidt, Michal Neuvirth.
No-Trade Clauses: Brooks Laich (limited), Martin Erat, Troy Brouwer (modified), Mikhail Grabovski, Mike Green (modified).
The Plan: The Capitals haven't played all that well this year, yet are still in the playoff mix if they can finish strong (thanks, in part, to a league-high 15 shootout results).
Basically, they need someone other than Alexander Ovechkin to score and a goaltender that is able to take the reins and that could be enough to get into the postseason, but this isn't a good enough team to mortgage the future, either, so adding a veteran or two at minimal cost may be the plan of attack.
As the March 5th trade deadline nears, there are only a couple of Western Conference teams (both based in Alberta) out of the playoff race, which means a lot can change before the deadline actually arrives. Scott Cullen presents the 2014 Trade Deadline Playbook for the Western Conference.
There is greater depth at the top of the Western Conference, however, which could lead to something of an arms race as St. Louis, Chicago, Anaheim and San Jose each have at least 80 points, Colorado is at 79 and even Los Angeles, well back with 68, has been a contender in recent seasons, so they're not likely to go quietly without doing something either.
Dallas is clinging to the final playoff spot at the moment, with 64 points, but there are still four others within four points, so there is some sorting to do before teams make their final call whether they are pushing their chips into the middle to go all-in, or folding for another season.
A couple of notes about the following chart:
Restricted Free Agents (RFA) have contracts that expire this summer, barring a contract extension in the meantime, but their current team retains the right to match a contract offer so long as they make the requisite qualifying offer. While restricted free agents haven't moved a lot, it's worth noting when decision time is coming on a young player's contract.
Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA) have contracts that will expire this summer and, without a contract extension, they will be free to sign with whatever team they choose on July 1. These are the players that often move in "rental"-type deals, ideally providing a short-term fix with minimal commitment required.
Top prospects are the top five players in each organization. Other top prospects or those that are now with the NHL team may be listed among other players of interest. Contending teams may be more likely to dangle a top prospect or two as they try to find that final piece for their playoff mix, while it's safe to assume that young and rebuilding teams aren't going to move top prospects unless they get a significant long-term piece in return.
Other players of interest will include additional prospects as well as players under contract for future seasons that may have some level of attractiveness on the trade market.
IMPORTANT: Just because a player is listed as being of interest, it doesn't mean he will be traded or should be traded. Some may just be of interest for teams looking to hit a home run when trying to swing a deal or they are players that may be considered to be underachieving for the money they are due over the rest of their contract.
Generally, then, here's a rough guide for which players each Western Conference team might have at their disposal in order to make a trade leading up to the deadline.
The Eastern Conference Playbook can be viewed here.
ANAHEIM DUCKS
UFA in 2014: Saku Koivu, Dustin Penner, Teemu Selanne, Daniel Winnik, Tim Jackman, Jonas Hiller.
RFA in 2014: Mathieu Perreault, Jakob Silfverberg, Sami Vatanen.
Top Prospects:
John Gibson, G, Norfolk (AHL)
Emerson Etem, LW, Norfolk (AHL)
Rickard Rakell, C, Norfolk (AHL)
Shea Theodore, D, Seattle (WHL)
Nicolas Kerdiles, C, Wisconsin (WCHA)
Others of Interest: Kyle Palmieri, Matt Beleskey, Patrick Maroon, Bryan Allen, Luca Sbisa, Devante Smith-Pelly, William Karlsson, Jesse Blacker, Kevin Roy.
No-Trade Clauses: Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, Saku Koivu, Teemu Selanne, Sheldon Souray (modified), Francois Beauchemin (modified).
The Plan: It's been a tremendous year to this point, but Ducks have relied quite a bit on their supporting cast so it would be entirely understandable if they might want to raise the bar by adding a left winger to play with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry on the top line.
If the Ducks are bona fide Cup contenders, and with more points than any other team in the league that's the position they pretty much have to take, they could bolster their blueline with another top-four calibre defenceman too.
Working in the Ducks' favour, if they are prepared to add before the deadline, is that they have enough prospects and young pros that can be included to make those kinds of deals happen.
G Jonas Hiller has been mentioned at various times this season as a trade candidate, but with Viktor Fasth injured for most of the year, that hasn't been a viable option, yet this is a team that has so much depth that they haven''t been able to find regular playing time for Emerson Etem and Devante Smith-Pelly, so there should be some flexibility up front.
CALGARY FLAMES
UFA in 2014: Mike Cammalleri, Lee Stempniak, Kevin Westgarth, Chris Butler, Reto Berra.
RFA in 2014: T.J. Galiardi, Paul Byron, Joe Colborne, Lance Bouma.
Top Prospects:
John Gaudreau, LW, Boston College (HE)
Jon Gillies, G, Providence (HE)
Sven Baertschi, LW, Abbotsford (AHL)
Markus Granlund, LW, Abbotsford (AHL)
Emile Poirier, LW, Gatineau (QMJHL)
Others of Interest: David Jones, Ladislav Smid, Joni Ortio, Max Reinhart, Corban Knight, Morgan Klimchuk, Tyler Wotherspoon.
No-Trade Clauses: Mike Cammalleri (limited), Matt Stajan (modified), Curtis Glencross, Dennis Wideman, Mark Giordano.
The Plan: It's been a tough year for the Flames, but that makes it easy enough to set sights on next season. Building for the future is the priority so at least a couple veterans should be moved out so that Calgary can acquire assets that will be part of the long-term solution.
Without a new GM to replace the fired Jay Feaster, team president Brian Burke will be making the calls leading up to the deadline, a day that he has decried as the source for many GM mistakes. Of course, if one GM makes a mistake, then that would be another general manager's good fortune, right?
In any case, once the Flames move out a couple of pending free agents, there should be opportunities for some late-season auditions and the Flames have some prospects that are ready for a look.
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
UFA in 2014: Michal Handzus, Brandon Bollig, Peter Regin, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Sheldon Brookbank, Mike Kostka, Nikolai Khabibulin, Jason LaBarbera.
RFA in 2014: Ben Smith, Antti Raanta
Top Prospects:
Teuvo Teravainen, C, Jokerit (SML)
Kevin Hayes, C, Boston College (HE)
Jeremy Morin, LW, Rockford (AHL)
Brandon Pirri, C, Rockford (AHL)
Mark McNeill, C, Rockford (AHL)
Others of Interest: Kris Versteeg, Marcus Kruger, Ryan Hartman, Adam Clendening.
No-Trade Clauses: Patrick Sharp (modified), Bryan Bickell (modified), Michal Handzus, Brent Seabrook (limited), Duncan Keith, Johnny Oduya (modified), Michal Rozsival.
The Plan: The Blackhawks already added to their forward depth, at virtually no cost, getting Regin and Bouchard from Islanders and don't have to make dramatic moves to have a legitimate chance to defend their title.
There's still a reasonable argument to be made that the Blackhawks could use a better second-line centre, but they won with Michal Handzus logging those minutes last year, so it's not as though they can't press forward with what they already have in-house.
COLORADO AVALANCHE
UFA in 2014: Paul Stastny, John Mitchell, Marc-Andre Cliche, Cory Sarich, Andre Benoit, Matt Hunwick, Jean-Sebastien Giguere.
RFA in 2014: Ryan O'Reilly, Jamie McGinn, Tyson Barrie.
Top Prospects:
Joey Hishon, C, Lake Erie (AHL)
Duncan Siemens, D, Lake Erie (AHL)
Chris Bigras, D, Owen Sound (OHL)
Calvin Pickard, G, Lake Erie (AHL)
Michael Sgarbossa, C, Lake Erie (AHL)
Others of Interest: PA Parenteau, Ryan Wilson, Nick Holden, Nate Guenin, Stefan Elliott.
No-Trade Clauses: Alex Tanguay (modified).
The Plan: It's been a great turnaround season for the Avs, but if they are seriously going to compete with the best in the West, they could really use a top-tier defenceman, which is never easy to acquire, let alone trying to do it in-season.
RW PA Parenteau has found his name in trade rumours recently, and he could be used to help upgrade the blueline. With rookie Nathan MacKinnon emerging to take on a bigger role offensively, the Avalanche appear to have enough weapons that they could deal from that position of relative strength in order to bolster a blueline that lacks established talent behind workhorses Erik Johnson and Jan Hejda. Of course, with news that winger Alex Tanguay is done for the season, maybe the Avs would be better off holding Parenteau for the stretch run.
DALLAS STARS
UFA in 2014: Ray Whitney, Vernon Fiddler, Stephane Robidas.
RFA in 2014: Antoine Roussel, Cody Eakin, Brenden Dillon.
Top Prospects:
Jamie Oleksiak, D, Texas (AHL)
Brett Ritchie, RW, Texas (AHL)
Devin Shore, C, Maine (HE)
Jason Dickinson, LW, Guelph (OHL)
Radek Faksa, C, Sudbury (OHL)
Others of Interest: Alex Chiasson, Sergei Gonchar, Aaron Rome, Matej Stransky, Patrik Nemeth, Jack Campbell.
No-Trade Clauses: Shawn Horcoff (modified), Ray Whitney (modified), Erik Cole, Rich Peverley (modified), Alex Goligoski (limited), Stephane Robidas, Trevor Daley (limited), Kari Lehtonen.
The Plan: Hanging around the playoff race, the Stars could still consider sending out a couple of older veterans in order to build for the long-term.
In the short-term, getting some more scoring help up front would be nice and, ideally another defenceman would offer some insurance in case Stephane Robidas doesn't recover soon enough from a broken leg to help a playoff push.
The Stars may be stuck in between being buyers and sellers, which could open up opportunities to do a bit of both. It's a new opportunity for first-time general manager Jim Nill and it will be interesting to see how he approaches the trading game.
EDMONTON OILERS
UFA in 2014: Ales Hemsky, Ryan Smyth, Ryan Jones, Ben Eager, Nick Schultz, Mark Fraser, Anton Belov, Denis Grebeshkov, Ilya Bryzgalov, Ben Scrivens.
RFA in 2014: Luke Gazdic, Jeff Petry, Philip Larsen, Justin Schultz.
Top Prospects:
Darnell Nurse, D, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
Oscar Klefbom, D, Oklahoma City (AHL)
Anton Lander, C, Oklahoma City (AHL)
David Musil, D, Oklahoma City (AHL)
Martin Gernat, D, Oklahoma City (AHL)
Others of Interest: Sam Gagner, Jesse Joensuu, Martin Marincin, Roman Horak, Mitch Moroz, Taylor Fedun.
No-Trade Clauses: Andrew Ference.
The Plan: It seems fait accompli that the Oilers will finally deal RW Ales Hemsky and, given his strong play in the Olympics, they may want to up the asking price because more than a few contending teams ought to be interested in adding Hemsky's offensive creativity.
Otherwise, anything that could provide long-term value on the back end -- ideally a top pair defenceman -- remains a worthwhile objective, if not necessarily an easy acquisition. The emergence of rookie D Martin Marincin and the possibility of adding top prospect Darnell Nurse next season provides some promise, but if the Oilers are going to take advantage of the prime years for their skilled young forwards, they need defence that can handle the tough minutes ASAP.
Sam Gagner's name has popped up as potential trade bait, but Edmonton's first-round pick this year could be the difference-maker, either at the deadline or at the draft, if they increase their efforts to land a top-pair defenceman.
LOS ANGELES KINGS
UFA in 2014: Trevor Lewis, Colin Fraser, Willie Mitchell, Matt Greene, Jeff Schultz.
RFA in 2014: Dwight King, Matt Frattin.
Top Prospects:
Tyler Toffoli, RW, Manchester (AHL)
Derek Forbort, D, Manchester (AHL)
Tanner Pearson, LW, Manchester (AHL)
Linden Vey, C, Manchester (AHL)
Nick Shore, C, Manchester (AHL)
Others of Interest: Jarret Stoll, Kyle Clifford, Jordan Nolan, Robyn Regehr, Alec Martinez, Nikolay Prokhorkin, Valentin Zykov, Jonny Brodzinski.
No-Trade Clauses: None.
The Plan: While Los Angeles remains a dominant puck possession team, they need goals. Everything else about the Kings' wear-'em-down style of play can work in the playoffs, but they need more offensive production to provide a little wiggle room.
Prospect Tyler Toffoli can be one improvement in that respect, and he was playing a significant role prior to the Olympic break, but if the Kings are going to challenge for the Stanley Cup, they can dip into a pool of young guys on the way up, move one or two, along with picks, to land a premier finisher.
Whether that means Thomas Vanek, or former Kings Matt Moulson or Mike Cammalleri, there are some options out there that should help alleviate the Kings' recent offensive woes.
MINNESOTA WILD
UFA in 2014: Dany Heatley, Mike Rupp, Clayton Stoner, Nate Prosser.
RFA in 2014: Nino Niederreiter, Jason Zucker, Justin Fontaine, Darcy Kuemper.
Top Prospects:
Mathew Dumba, D, Portland (WHL)
Erik Haula, LW, Iowa (AHL)
Mario Lucia, RW, Notre Dame (HE)
Brett Bulmer, LW, Iowa (AHL)
Zack Phillips, C, Iowa (AHL)
Others of Interest: Kyle Brodziak, Torrey Mitchell, Marco Scandella.
No-Trade Clauses: Zach Parise, Dany Heatley, Mikko Koivu, Jason Pominville (modified), Matt cooke (modified), Ryan Suter, Keith Ballard (modified).
The Plan: The Wild are hanging in playoff position, though as long as they are without C Mikko Koivu and G Josh Harding that hold on a playoff spot could be tenuous.
Rookie G Darcy Kuemper has played well but, if Harding isn't back, are the Wild prepared to head into the playoffs with Kuemper and underperforming veteran Niklas Backstrom between the pipes?
Additionally, and perhaps as companion to the idea of questionable options in goal, the Wild could improve their defence corps. Ryan Suter, Jonas Brodin and Jared Spurgeon take on big minutes and Marco Scandella has played well too, but if an established top-four defenceman is available, the Wild should be interested.
NASHVILLE PREDATORS
UFA in 2014: David Legwand, Devan Dubnyk, Carter Hutton.
RFA in 2014: Nick Spaling, Michael Del Zotto, Mattias Ekholm, Ryan Ellis.
Top Prospects:
Filip Forsberg, LW, Milwaukee (AHL)
Miikka Salomaki, LW, Milwaukee (AHL)
Taylor Beck, RW, Milwaukee (AHL)
Pontus Aberg, LW, Farjestads (SEL)
Austin Watson, C, Milwaukee (AHL)
Others of Interest: Matt Cullen, Victor Bartley, Jimmy Vesey, Brendan Leipsic, Colton Sissons.
No-Trade Clauses: David Legwand, Patric Hornqvist (modified), Mike Fisher, Paul Gaustad (modified), Viktor Stalberg (modified), Eric Nystrom (modified), Pekka Rinne (modified).
The Plan: Though they are in last place in the Central, the Predators are but four points out of a crossover playoff spot. There are too many teams in the mix to go all-in on playoff pursuit, but the gap is close enough to not throw in the towel completely (especially if G Pekka Rinne can get healthy enough to play a part in the stretch drive).
Nashville has a terrific nucleus on defence, but need to upgrade their forward talent and it's not necessarily easy to land young forwards with scoring potential, but the Predators did it last season when they picked up Filip Forsberg from Washington.
At the same time, long-time Predators C David Legwand, who has a no-trade clause, figures to be an attractive commodity for contending teams that might want a second or third-line centre that can play both ends of the rink.
PHOENIX COYOTES
UFA in 2014: Radim Vrbata, David Moss, Paul Bissonnette, Jeff Halpern, Tim Kennedy, Derek Morris, Rostislav Klesla, Thomas Greiss.
RFA in 2014: Jordan Szwarz.
Top Prospects:
Connor Murphy, D, Portland (AHL)
Max Domi, C, London (OHL)
Brandon Gormley, D, Portland (AHL)
Henrik Samuelsson, C, Edmonton (WHL)
Lucas Lessio, LW, Portland (AHL)
Others of Interest: Keith Yandle, Michael Stone, David Rundblad, Tobias Rieder, Chris Brown.
No-Trade Clauses: Mike Ribeiro (modified), Shane Doan, David Moss (modified), Zbynek Michalek (limited), Derek Morris (limited), Mike Smith.
The Plan: Since the Coyotes are currently in a playoff spot, they probably have to look at adding something before the deadline, a scorer most likely, though they don't appear to be ready to match the teams at the top of the conference.
But, this is also a team with new ownership and new owners tend to be more aggressive when it comes time to make decisions on player acquisition -- make a move, let 'em know you're there! Even if it means targeting second-tier additions, that's still the wise approach for a Coyotes club that has made its business around finding value year after year.
ST. LOUIS BLUES
UFA in 2014: Derek Roy, Brenden Morrow, Carlo Colaiacovo, Jaroslav Halak, Brian Elliott.
RFA in 2014: Patrik Berglund, Vladimir Sobotka, Jaden Schwartz.
Top Prospects:
Dmitrij Jaskin, RW, Chicago (AHL)
Ty Rattie, RW, Chicago (AHL)
Thomas Vannelli, D, Medicine Hat (WHL)
Jordan Schmaltz, D, North Dakota (WCHA)
Jake Allen, G, Chicago (AHL)
Others of Interest: Chris Stewart, Magnus Paajarvi, Ian Cole, Jani Hakanpaa.
No-Trade Clauses: David Backes, Brenden Morrow, Jay Bouwmeester, Alex Pietrangelo, Barret Jackman, Jordan Leopold (modified).
The Plan: The Blues could probably contend for the Cup with the roster as is, but if St. Louis is indeed that close, why not upgrade?
Are they satisfied with their goaltending? Could they add another forward? Surely, if you're in the championship discussion, those are additions that have to be considered.
Last season's leading scorer, RW Chris Stewart, has been mentioned in trade talks and it makes some sense, considering his reduced role this season, it's not easy to make big changes to a team that has the league's best points percentage and goal differential.
SAN JOSE SHARKS
UFA in 2014: Mike Brown, Bracken Kearns, John McCarthy, Dan Boyle, Scott Hannan.
RFA in 2014: James Sheppard, Tommy Wingels, Jason Demers, Alex Stalock.
Top Prospects:
Mirco Mueller, D, Everett (WHL)
Chris Tierney, C, London (OHL)
Matt Tennyson, D, Worcester (AHL)
Freddie Hamilton, RW, Worcester (AHL)
Daniil Tarasov, RW, Worcester (AHL)
Others of Interest: Tyler Kennedy, Adam Burish, Matt Nieto, Justin Braun, Matt Irwin, Dylan DeMelo, Konrad Abeltshauser.
No-Trade Clauses: Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Brent Burns (modified), Martin Havlat, Dan Boyle (modified), Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Brad Stuart (limited).
The Plan: A contending team that hasn't been quite the same once injuries hit, so their forward group could use some help, whether that's coming from Martin Havlat, a returning Raffi Torres or a new acquisition. A skilled winger, to effectively make up for the loss of Tomas Hertl, would be ideal.
The Sharks seemingly could always use help on the blueline, where longtime standout Dan Boyle has declined and there aren't any real stars. Marc-Edouard Vlasic is as reliable as they come and Jason Demers, Matt Irwin and Justin Braun have improved, but an upgrade wouldn't hurt the cause.
VANCOUVER CANUCKS
UFA in 2014: Mike Santorelli, Raphael Diaz, Andrew Alberts.
RFA in 2014: Zack Kassian, Jordan Schroeder, Zac Dalpe, Chris Tanev, Yannick Weber.
Top Prospects:
Bo Horvat, C, London (OHL)
Brendan Gaunce, C, Erie (OHL)
Hunter Shinkaruk, C, Medicine Hat (WHL)
Nicklas Jensen, RW, Utica (AHL)
Frank Corrado, D, Utica (AHL)
Others of Interest: David Booth, Jannik Hansen, Cole Cassels.
No-Trade Clauses: Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, Ryan Kesler, Alex Burrows, Chris Higgins (limited), Alexander Edler, Kevin Bieksa, Jason Garrison, Dan Hamhuis, Roberto Luongo.
The Plan: Careening over a cliff before the break, the Canucks went from solidly in the playoffs to the outside looking in and have several injuries to deal with.
If number one C Henrik Sedin isn't healthy soon -- and he was unable to play in the Olympics -- the nthe Canucks might as well start selling because they could use offensive upgrades even with a healthy roster. Minus Sedin, that would be a pointless exercise.
Should the Canucks become sellers, perhaps their most attractive asset to trade would be a legitimate top four defenceman, though the quartet of Kevin Bieksa, Alexander Edler, Jason Garrison and Dan Hamhuis all have no-trade contracts.
WINNIPEG JETS
UFA in 2014: Olli Jokinen, Devin Setoguchi, Chris Thorburn, Mark Stuart, Adam Pardy, Al Montoya.
RFA in 2014: Michael Frolik, Matt Halischuk, James Wright, Keaton Ellerby.
Top Prospects:
Josh Morrissey, D, Prince Albert (WHL)
Nicolas Petan, C, Portland (WHL)
Adam Lowry, LW, St. John's (AHL)
Scott Kosmachuk, RW, Guelph (OHL)
Eric Comrie, G, Tri-City (WHL)
Others of Interest: Evander Kane, Ondrej Pavelec, Eric O'Dell, Brenden Kichton, Connor Hellebuyck.
No-Trade Clauses: Blake Wheeler (modified), Bryan Little (limited), Olli Jokinen (modified), Andrew Ladd (modified), Tobias Enstrom, Dustin Byfuglien (modified), Zach Bogosian.
The Plan: On the edge of the playoff race, the Jets might be a legitimate playoff team with improved goaltending, but if they remain committed to Ondrej Pavelec as their starter for the rest of the year, they ought to move out some of their non-essential veterans, including Olli Jokinen and Devin Setoguchi.
If the Jets are of the mind to go for a blockbuster, and that doesn't seem likely given better results under new coach Paul Maurice, there are often rumours about the availability of LW Evander Kane or RW/D Dustin Byfuglien, both of whom would have many suitors, if made available.
Why all the Kesler trade talk. He's been a work horse for us for many moons. I believe Kesler play has been Beast Mode- to Sub par. That's because his line mates are inconsistant at best.
When Horvat and Shinkaruk come up to the big club, their going to need Kesler to guide and help mentor them as the grow into NHLer's. I think Shinkaruk would sync up nicely with Kelser. Kesler is a hard nose grinder with speed and skill like Toews on Chicago. And Shinkaruk has been compared to Pat Kane. If you think about these 3 players on one line. Kesler at Center for the first year or two, then Horvat at center, Kesler and Shinkaruk on wings. This line is going to be sick.
I think everyone is entitled to their opinions, but if love Kesler one day and hate him the next. Your not a fan of hockey.
Why all the Kesler trade talk. He's been a work horse for us for many moons. I believe Kesler play has been Beast Mode- to Sub par. That's because his line mates are inconsistant at best.
When Horvat and Shinkaruk come up to the big club, their going to need Kesler to guide and help mentor them as the grow into NHLer's. I think Shinkaruk would sync up nicely with Kelser. Kesler is a hard nose grinder with speed and skill like Toews on Chicago. And Shinkaruk has been compared to Pat Kane. If you think about these 3 players on one line. Kesler at Center for the first year or two, then Horvat at center, Kesler and Shinkaruk on wings. This line is going to be sick.
I think everyone is entitled to their opinions, but if love Kesler one day and hate him the next. Your not a fan of hockey.
Why all the Kesler trade talk. He's been a work horse for us for many moons. I believe Kesler play has been Beast Mode- to Sub par. That's because his line mates are inconsistant at best.
When Horvat and Shinkaruk come up to the big club, their going to need Kesler to guide and help mentor them as the grow into NHLer's. I think Shinkaruk would sync up nicely with Kelser. Kesler is a hard nose grinder with speed and skill like Toews on Chicago. And Shinkaruk has been compared to Pat Kane. If you think about these 3 players on one line. Kesler at Center for the first year or two, then Horvat at center, Kesler and Shinkaruk on wings. This line is going to be sick.
I think everyone is entitled to their opinions, but if love Kesler one day and hate him the next. Your not a fan of hockey.
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