Updates on Antoine Vermette, Jiri Tlusty and John Moore, assessing the return the Oilers received in the David Perron trade and the latest on the Senators.
Could the Hurricanes trade Jiri Tlusty?
NICHOLS ON HOCKEY: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes it’s a “virtual lock” the Arizona Coyotes trade center Antoine Vermette. He’s also not so sure the Edmonton Oilers have a lot of interest in St. Louis Blues forward Patrik Berglund and suggests they could use the first-round pick received from the Pittsburgh Penguins in the David Perron trade as a trade chip. He also claims the Oilers weren’t going to get Derrick Pouliot or Scott Harrington from the Penguins in the Perron trade. “They just weren’t.”…TSN’s Bob McKenzie believes the Carolina Hurricanes could trade winger Jiri Tlusty if unable to re-sign the pending UFA.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: McKenzie also believed the Penguins could have interest in Tlusty but that was before they acquired Perron. I’ve read some criticism by Oilers fans regarding the return for Perron, but Friedman is correct in his assessment that the winger wasn’t going to fetch a top-six center and they weren’t going to land one of the Pens top prospects. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Oilers use that first-round pick from the Penguins as a trade chip by the March deadline or leading up to the opening day of the 2015 NHL Draft…I expect Tlusty hits the trade block in the coming weeks.
OTTAWA CITIZEN: Ken Warren notes the Senators will have some tough decisions to make regarding their free agents this summer. Regarding most of their restricted free agents, they’ll have to decide if they’ll sign them to short-term bridge deals or contracts with longer term. The exception is Mike Hoffman, who holds arbitration rights this summer and is tied for the team lead in goals. UFA defenseman Marc Methot could become a trade candidate by the March deadline if the Senators are out of playoff contention by then.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given the Senators’ penny-pinching reputation, RFAs Mika Zibanejad, Alex Chiasson, Mark Stone and JG Pageau will probably receive two-year bridge deals. They’re all coming off entry-level contracts and carry little leverage. Hoffman could get himself a good raise over the $75oK he’s currently earning, but it won’t be ridiculously expensive. If the Sens offer up a two-year deal between $1.5 -$1.75 million annually it could keep Hoffman from arbitration. Unless Methot is willing to lower his asking price (he was rumored seeking $5 million annually), this could be his last season with the Senators. He’s missed most of this season to injury and that hurts his value.
NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks speculates the New York Rangers could consider trading under-performing defenseman John Moore this summer rather than get hit with an arbitration award that will reach $1.75 million for next season.
Re the Sens, I do think there is a distinct difference between “penny-pinching” and “responsibly managing your resources” where they are concerned. If the cap remains at $69 mil (and indications are it could with the Canadian $ where it is) and with the kicking in of the Ryan and MacArthur deals, they will have $52,606,000 accounted for by 17 players. That leaves them with $16,394,000 to spend on 5 contracts. I doubt Condra and his $1,250,000 will be back (hes a UFA), and Methot – unless he proves the rest of the way this year that his injury problems are not chronic – and his $3,00,000 deal are likely gone as well. Some of that – maybe the same amount – will go towards suitable replacements for Condra and Methot from the crop of UFAs. RFAs Zibanejad, Chiasson, Hoffman, Stone and maybe Pageau currently account for $3,727,500 off the cap. All will receive considerably more than their existing deals which are all under $1 mil each. Even if bridging deals bring them up to an average of $2 mil each, that $10 mil expenditure leaves them with just over $6 mil wiggle room. Again, that’s not “cheap” – that’s managing responsibly, unlike some teams that find themselves in a real bind.
Interesting George. I get your point and think it’s a bit off both being fruggle and cheap. The Sens due to their cheapness will not take many risk with dollars making them responsible.
As for the Ryan Deal that had a lot to do with showing the fan base they weren’t going to let Stars continue to leave, the reason I argued the Sens were going to sign him while most were saying the opposit. Yes he is only a fifty-Sixty point player on this team, the Sens need to get a bonfire top Centre to up his production. Winning some face offs would help to. Ryan’s production will be stunted until the Sens improve. I expect Perron’s totals will increase dramatically now that Malkin or Crosby will be his centre, compared to Arcobello he must be Dancing.
I really like Hoffman, I think this would be a player the Sens will gamble on as they have been known to do. Aka Greening. I would not be surprised if the offer him 2.5 million for 5-6 years to attempt to bypass the bridge and keep his dollars below 3 mil for some time.
Schlocky, the Goalie deal makes perfect sense. Lehner isn’t quite ready for the Starter roll. The Deal allows them to keep to good goalies as Lehner continues to develope. Ottawa also has difficulty attracting free agents so they build the team through the draft. Perhaps that is a bad direction but what else can they do? There will always be bad contracts, they will have some good ones but overall the direction of the team is fine.
Biggest problem is the woeful ability to win a face off, there lack of a top end D to play along side Karlsson.
Sorry, I tried but have I typo, in the first sentence off was suppose to be of.
And the majority of the post isn’t directed at you George I apologize for the confusion. Sorry for spelling your name wrong Schticky.
Just my opinion but, maybe we should wait to see how some of these guys perform next year before making such a statement. Dependimg on if they improve or not it could prove to be just the opposite of that. Am I the only one with questions about some 8f the deals and direction this team has taken o er the past year? I realize there has been some change but that Ryan contract if he turns out to be a 20-25 goal guy for just over 50 points I am not sure would be a “responsible” deal or the signing of Legwand the kind of odd way of the way the goalie contracts worked out…not that either has been bad, quite the opposite in fact, but do you really need both? Would it not have been more responsible to use the fu ds so ewhere else…like I said its way too early to tell one way pr another but I am not sure Id be patting management on the back quite yet.
Also I think the cap does rise, not much but there will be a rise in revenue so..I think if you actually look at the numbers there are a couple to a few teams that are drawing a bit more of a crowd than they have in the past, plus tv deals…probably looking at around 72 mill.
The purpose of my comment – the ONLY purpose – was to dispel the contention that they are “cheap” or “penny-pinching.”
I have come up with the perfect trade. J. Moore to Toronto for….nothing!
No you will take Holzer or Robidas or Polak and like it! (or as I am fond of calling them Holdozer Robidozer or Poldozer) There is no more room on the blueline for 6 and 7 dmen we have enough of our own!
Tempting tho, tall D men with intangibles are hard to find and I am sure Nonis would like to corner the market.
Perron has set the market. What is Stewart (or Stafford for that matter ) worth now ? A 3-4 line Roster player and a second or late first rounder
Stafford’s numbers are near identical to Perron’s, so why he couldn’t fetch a 1st rounder as well near the deadline? Would be interesting to hear why.
As for Stewart, he’s worth a second or a prospect at best, no matter what Murray asks for, but considering what he stole for Miller last year in addition to what people have paid for Gaustad and Vanek, I won’t be surprised to get more.
Murray is going to have to take some of Stewart or Stafford’s contract to make a deal anytime soon. I expect the Buffalo fire sale to commence any day now.
Just kinda thinking out loud spit balling more or less but something that could make sense…
Now that MacT has a very late first round pick in his pocket and has said all along his team needs more size and well D, what about something along the lines of that pick and Yaks for Stewart and one of the Sabres D prospects? Gives the Sabres potentially some offense and the pick they were looking for for Stewart in the first place, and gives the Oilers a good look at Stewart to see if he is potentially worth a cotract going forward, and helps stock the cupboards with Nurse Klefbolm of decent potential D going down the road.
I would not be surprised if the Sabres/Oilers make a deal, but I do not believe Yak will be going to Buffalo. Both Stafford and Stewart have landed in Nolan’s doghouse for their inconsistent play which would probably be an issue with Yak. I was thinking more like Grigorenko to Edmonton so Yak and Grigo would be able to possibly bond and play together. Buf and Edmonton don’t have salary cap issues to deal with, so they are free to make a deal that is more player-based and salary restricted. Could be interesting.
than salary restricted
I am not certain thhe Oilers dont have a bit 8f a cap issue, especially if they took on a guy like Stewart with out moving a mill or so back the otherway, currently they only have just over 5 mill in space, Stewart would be a chunk of that, and I am not sure where Griegerenko makes any sense with Draisatil, already there….could be right but I think Stewart to the Oil could make some sense, or rather could make some sense to MacT at anyrate. I agree could be good trade partners.
I don’t know that the Oilers have given up on Yakapov yet. He has the right attitude and work ethic, and his defensive game is improving. And he’s so full of passion for the game. I am hoping he is just a late bloomer. In his first season he was shooting around 20%. Pretty tough to repeat that percentage every season. And even though Eakins spent lots of time with Yak, I am not convinced they were a good match. Hopefully Nelson can bring him and the rest of the Oilers around into a better team.
And the oilers don’t need another D prospect at the moment. We need a legitimate top pairing D man IMO.
Not sure there is ome a ailable tho, and short of moving, one of the big 3 cant see 8meneing abailable this summer unless you would consider an Oduya (just an example) or a guy off a cap strapped team that has some depth on D as a number 1. Then I could see it, and it may still cost more than a late first round pick.
Heard Seabrook might be available this off season for that very reason. If true, I hope MacT can land that one. But you are right. Not an easy task to fill.
“Stafford’s numbers are near identical to Perron’s, so why he couldn’t fetch a 1st rounder as well near the deadline? Would be interesting to hear why.”
Stafford is an enigma wrapped in a riddle. By his 6th season in the league I thought he had established himself as a solid two-way F with plenty more upside to come after postings seasons of 13, 16, 20, 14, 31 and 20 goals (114 total in 397 games) and a cumulative +33.. But in his past 3 seasons, including this one so far, his declining totals of 6, 16 and 5 (27 goals in 152 games)and cumulative -52 suggests he’s hit a brick wall. Is it all related to bad teams/lousy linemates/coaching philosophy?
That’s a bit easy to say though, Lupal has near identical numbers as Perron in less games….is he worth a first? The oilers got a sweet deal from Pitt. Perron was worth maybe worth a second and a forth liner. Pitt sweetened the deal. Edmonton should hold onto that pick unless it’s to trade up in the draft
I really thought the Canes would try hard to keep Jiri Tlusty. It is obvious that his camp has given Carolina $$$ numbers and the Canes aren’t interested in paying the price. Might as well try and get something for him while Jiri has decent value.
Pens better hope they get good production out of Perron, that’s a sizeable salary to carry next season on a salary-strapped team.
Regarding Yak being traded; I have been to many Oiler gams in the last 2 years and have determined he won’t go anywhere.
The reason is because he is quickly becoming a bust. Small, slow, no hockey sense, bad attitude, can’t score because he is a perimeter player. Oh yeah he can also bolt to the KHL where he can parlay his first overall status into some dollars which no one will pay him in the NHL.
My guess is the Oil continue to ask too much or face admitting they made a huge mistake taking him first overall, rumored that Katz made the call. 2012 was not a great draft class but there aren’t many players in the top 30 that they could get in return today for Yak.
I would trade him for a first rounder in a heartbeat, but I wouldn’t trade one for him.
No more big dollars in the KHL. Teams are having a hard time meeting payroll. The decline in the Rubal hurts the players cheques as well. There is talk of a couple of teams folding. With the the KHL not being able to attract FA players from the NHL, it could be a better year for a deal on a UFA signing. And yak is not slow, lol.
agreed could start seeing some of them coming back kovalchuck,radulov! ya no slow in yakupov lol
Kovi went because of family. We will see where his priorities are now!!
ya that’s what every sports player says when they leave somewhere! lol
As long as Putin’s scrotum is being squeezed by the international community and his economy spirals down the proverbial drain, I don’t expect too many will be bolting to the KHL which is already having trouble meeting payrolls and have apparently started asking its players to take pay cuts.
Stafford & Stewart are both UFAs at the end of the season. Perron has an additional year. If Perron fetches a low first round draft pick and a muck and grinder, then Stafford & stewart should get a high-mid level 2nd rounder and prospect for a playoff rental. However, the market could change if there are few forwards left available at the deadline. Also, the Penguins still need another top 6 forward.
The Pens DO in fact, need at least 1 more winger. I think Tlusty could be that winger,(or maybe Kassian with a little luck.) Plus, the beauty of the Perron deal is that the Pens didn’t give up any young talent. Now they can use someone like Dumoulin or Harrington as trade bait to acquire that next winger.
They also have the option of trading Paul Martin. The young D men have had a chance to show what they can do, and they have all impressed. I could see GMJR moving Martin to a contender for either a winger, or more likely, assets he can flip for a winger.
Either way, Old man Rutherford isn’t finished, its going to be an interesting second half of the season in Pittsburgh.
Agreed the Russian economy stinks. The oligarchs that are the owners, were set up by Putin. They are not happy with him as invading Ukraine is costing them plenty because the US has cut access to capital and hurt there ability to travel. But he takes personal pride in the KHL and still wields tremendous power, so he won’t want to let it fold. So not sure the big name Russians will be taking a pay cut any time soon. The lesser FA’s will be the first to go, time will tell on the rest.
The Oilers would be crazy to pay him any real dollars, so it is as much about what he won’t get in the NHL as to how much he can get in the KHL.
How much would you pay Yak? He has 9 pts and is a minus 22 after 39 games. Last year 24 pts and minus 33. So not a small sample size anymore.
League minimum is what he is worth and hope he gets his head out of his …….. What does he and his agent, Larionov, do when he gets an offer for what he is worth?
Sorry guys, Yak is not fast. Many commentators here in Edmonton have discussed the same thing. Sure he darts around and goal sucks while his line mates battle but he is not a fast skater. Has some quickness and lateral movement, I’ll give you that. Next time you guys are at an Oiler game, watch him with and without the puck and let me know if you still think that way.
I didn’t say he wasn’t lazy! when he has the puck he is nowhere near slow anyone can see that!
Poor wording on my part. How about not fast!
Not even top 5 on the Oil. You would expect more of a number 1.
quick might be the best word for him
It’s safe to say the pens are not done and are still looking for another too six winger. Also it’s safe to say with the play of our young d-men that they are ready for the next move. I would say Martin getting traded might happen sooner instead of later, especially with a new contract for ehrhoff in the near future. The question is who is looking for a top 2 d-man and willing to part with a affordable top 4 sniper of a winger.
yaks is still young. leave him alone until the team gets better. get rid of lowe and mactavish and let messier take over. grigenko would be a good pickup. let nurse, klefbom, drisiatl, Schultz, yaks and the other young guys develop. they have already invested a few years in this so a couple more won’t hurt.
Here’s the deal I am being told: kadri, gardiner and Percy to the Avalanche for oreilly and a conditional pick.
Sad news….no more capgeek, all the best to its founder.
Ditto