Catching up on some post-trade deadline rumors involving the Canucks, Coyotes, Blackhawks and Kings.
What next for the Canucks?
Could the Canucks shop Kevin Bieksa this summer?
THE PROVINCE: Jason Botchford speculated over the futures of Canucks veterans Kevin Bieksa and Chris Higgins. He points out the club’s depth would’ve allowed management to shop a veteran or two without missing a beat. Though both have no-trade clause, Botchford notes this Canucks management has asked a player before (Jason Garrison) to waive a no-trade clause and could do so again. Canucks GM Jim Benning said he will try to replace the second-round pick he gave up to Calgary for Sven Baertschi, leading Botchford to wonder how he’ll do that.
THE VANCOUVER SUN: Elliott Pap reports Benning admitted that he had trade discussions with rival GMs regarding Zack Kassian but was reluctant to move the big winger.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Botchford also pointed out how well the Canucks have played in the past month, during which time Bieksa’s been sidelined with a hand injury. It’s possible Bieksa (who has more trade value than Higgins) could be shopped leading up to the NHL Draft weekend in June. Kassian’s improve performance of late likely played a big part in Benning’s unwillingness to give up on him.
Could Shane Doan want out of Arizona?
NBC SPORTS: Jason Brough reported on a comment made by Arizona Coyotes captain Shane Doan to Sarah McLellan of The Arizona Republic regarding management’s recent decision to rebuild by shipping out several veterans for draft picks and prospects. “It was not my idea, not my ideal situation,” Doan told McLellan. “There’s no one that’s 38 years old that thinks it’s a good idea, ‘Let’s rebuild.” Doan also said he’s only thinking about this season and not his future, leading Brough to wonder if Doan might consider a trade in the off-season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Doan has repeatedly stated his intent to remain with the Coyotes. Next season, however, is the final one on his contract. He has a full no-movement clause so he still controls the situation. Will he seek one last shot at a Stanley Cup elsewhere, or finish next season with the Coyotes and consider his options after that? Could we be seeing another summer of endless speculation over Doan’s plans? Only time will tell.
Notes on the Blackhawks and Kings.
CHICAGO TRIBUNE: Chris Kuc reports Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman placed precedence upon putting together a roster which will contend for the Stanley Cup this spring over what will happen in the days leading up to this year’s NHL draft. “With the Hawks expected to be in a salary-cap crunch during the summer, players are likely to be exchanged for picks when the draft rolls around June 26-27 in Sunrise, Fla,” writes Kuc.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The guessing game will begin in earnest soon after the Blackhawks have completed the playoffs.
LAINSIDER.COM: Jon Rosen reports there was no trade deadline chatter involving Mike Richards “that differentiated from the types of conversations that the team had prior to his assignment to Manchester.” Tough decisions still lie ahead regarding their free agents, notably Justin Williams, Tyler Toffoli, Tanner Pearson, Jarret Stoll, Andrej Sekera and Martin Jones. Rosen cites the club’s hockey operations saying Pearson and Jones “are likely to be the next two to fall, and that Toffoli’s next contract is expected to take a bit longer to be finalized.”.
Thanks for the updates Lyle, not much for me to say. Guess we just have to wait and see. Interesting though there was zero talk for Richards.
No, what was said was there was no talk that differentiated from earlier trade discussions. So my guess is teams wanted to unload another bad contract or wanted Lombardi to eat a bunch of Richards. Which is something Lombardi isn’t ready to do, which I’m fine with, cause come playoff time Richards will be a nice asset to call up cause he always performs in the playoffs.
Always wondered why Doan re-upped in Arizona.
They never had a chance. Half the league wanted him when he was UFA. I hope he gets moved next deadline day to a place where he has a shot.
maybe Colorado will catch fire and him and Iggy can go for it together.
Wow, i am already talking about stanley cup playoffs 2016….that’s weird.
Doan, like Thornton and Marleau in San Jose, put the “comfort zone” ahead of any desire to realistically compete for a Cup.
And for that reason they dont deserve to have their names on it.
San Jose’s biggest mistake was resigning both players with NMCs. They should outlaw no movement-no trade clauses. Getting dealt is part of the game, live with it. Just my opinion I could be wrong.
I am not one who is favour of restricting Gm’s from certain tools. But what I would say is that GM’s in the league should be better held responsible for handcuffing their teams to lousy contracts with NMC’s and the fan’s for continuing to support these teams. Doug Wilson has been in SJ since 2003 and signed these contracts – contracts which we all agree at this point are bad for the team. Yet he hasn’t been fired?
Frankly, it’s not the league’s responsibility to step in an mandate away this sort of incompetence, it is 100% the owner’s responsibility.
You would never get outlawing these clauses past the union. I just think in a perfect world, a player wouldn’t need a NMC.
As I’ve mentioned before I’d like to see the league/NHLPA adopt a variation of the baseball 5-10 rule which stated that a player could only have a NT/NM clause written in once he’s been in the league for 10 years and played the last 5 for the same team. Not necessarily 5-10 perhaps, but some variation of that provision.
the league can not continue to put things in place to protect teams from themselves? Wilson could have dealt their rights last year after the season and he did not have to give them NMC when he resigned them.
You wanna see GM stupidity just want the idiots spend on July 1.
you’re being kind of ridiculous – or worse, simply repeating what a few nay-sayers have said about the Sharks after their collapse in last year’s playoffs. every player should begin and end his/her career with one team. unfortunately, it’s not realistic to expect one market to pay the same as another. enter: free agency. trust me, every player would love to sign with a team and compete throughout their career in one sweater, even if it meant never winning the cup. it’s called pride. jumping ship at the latter stage of a career to win a championship is kinda cheap, sort of a sellout to the fans. now, it’s management’s job to make sure they have absolutely the best team to compete every year, and here is where the Sharks have failed recently. to blame a player because he was smart enough to demand a NMC is too easy. start with the top of the organization and work your way down. then maybe you’ll find the real reason why certain teams are not competing at the same level as previous years.
Well, there’s “ridiculous” and then there’s asinine!
I have no sympathy for Doan. Last season he chose life style ( family ranching) before hockey. Now it would seem like he wants hockey before life style. Hey Shane you made your bed now sleep in it.
Aside from the Hawks shopping Sharp in the off season I see the Hawks taking inquiries on Seabrook. I can’t see them affording to resign him to a new deal in 2016. I also see them possibly moving Crawford as they have two affordable options in Darling and Raanta, a bit of a risk as they don’t have allot of experience but it would help the bottom line. Bickell is overpriced and will tough to move but if someone came calling I am sure he could be had on the cheap.
I’d say Raanta gets moved. Crawford is signed long term and Darling is a hometown boy. At 6’6 I doubt they move Darling anywhere. Maybe Edmonton can swing a deal for Raanta.
Does anyone else thing that Doan is past the point of really helping a team? I have respect for the player, but wonder why he woulkd want to stay in an outpost vs being in meaningful games.
Thanks for not talking about “the tank” today.
Yeah he definitely is, to me there was no honor staying in Arizona t was more of a cop out.
He’s just collecting a check in the desert with his toes in the sand. How much of an impact could he have had to a team 2 seasons ago in a real Cup chase?
I disagree. Arizona has/had some good pieces there. OEL, Vermette, Yandle, Boedker, Gagner, Gormley, Vrbata, Ribeiro, Hanzal and even Smith had had some decent years in Arizona. Plus an older guy like Doan with 4 school age children had 2 choices, Uproot his family and move, or leave them behind while he played elsewhere. You really can’t blame him for wanting to stay put.
I can appreciate that. As with most of the family related decisions in the NHL, this likely is one of those decisions that we all don’t have the luxury of seeing the real reason why it was made.
I think he still has value to a contending team, but obviously not in a top 6 capacity. For his leadership and PK abilities, I think he easily gets a look as bottom 6 depth.
They have never been close to competing for the cup, they made it to the second round once and have missed the playoffs how many years?
I get the kids argument for sure would be hard to take them from school at start again.
They actually made it to the western conference finals before losing to the Kings. Smith was playing like a mad man. Too bad they really couldn’t build from that. Looks like a real rebuild will be the only way to get there again.
Its called loyalty n tenure.
Phoenix does more with less money n all the issues they have faced. Cannot be said of many other teams.
None of that stacks up to a Stanley Cup contender. A player like Doan should want to take at least one stab at the Cup on a real contender. This the Hawks, LA or others would not jump on the chance to get Doan on a rental a few years back when he really could have made a differnce? Just a couple months with a contender could have brought him a Cup. That’s a few mos away from the family. H eowuldn’t be the frist person that had to move, ask Leopold (though Jordan isn’t Doan). .
I’m not sure had he accepted a trade that he had a legitimate chance of winning a cup either. Obviously I’m not a pro hockey player but I can relate to the situation of relocating. I have relocated 2 times (before my kids were school age or even born), and when I was asked a 3rd time to relocate I walked away from a 15 year career (10 with the same company)and the industry I was in forever. If you think these kind of decisions come easy you must not have school aged kids. And don’t get me wrong, If I didn’t have kids in school or kids at all, the place I live today would probably be one the end of my list of desirable places to live. Personal sacrifice isn’t an optional part of being a parent. It is an everyday normal occurrence.
Of course no one can blame Doan for wanting to stay put out of consideration for his family. That wasn’t the issue. It’s the fact that, as a hockey player, he’s put that ahead of any realistic – and I stress realistic – desire to win the Cup. You can toss out all the names you want – and some were pretty decent players – but at NO time in their existence was the Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes ever a realistic threat to win the ultimate prize
I guess you could put a bunch of players that re-signed with a team that didn’t have a legitimate chance for at a cup. Or even signed with a team as a FA that didn’t have a chance either. So I find it a little strange that Doan is under fire for wanting to stay with the only team he has ever played for in his NHL career, and the added bonus of not having to uproot his family.
Those other players weren’t mentioned in today’s rumors that’s all but you are right it’s more common then just Doan.
Arizona wasn’t even mentioned at all yesterday and they were still getting kicked around on the comment section all day. Oddly as bad as people make Arizona out to be I think they have made the playoffs more than Edmonton, Toronto, Florida, Buffalo, Calgary, Colorado etc the last 4-5 years. I think there is a general dislike for the organization. I don’t see people bashing Jagr for signing with the devils. Smyth finishing his career with Edmonton, Phaneuf re-signing with Toronto, Iginla signing in Colorado etc. I’m Far from a Yotes fan…..but lets be somewhat fair here. Arizona for 2 days is getting unfairly killed here imo.
not to mention his 100+ horse ranch.
To me he is disappointed in the way everything had played out for the Coyotes. He has currently lost his passion for hockey and has to make a decision this off-season. It must be hard on him knowing that the best option for the franchise is to tank and re-build after watching some of the Coyote’s best players/his friends get traded recently. It must be hard to get up for a game under those conditions. He’ll wait and see what the roster will look like next season and talk it over with his family before making any rash decisions.
A passionate Doan is still very effective on the ice.
Doan is not copping out. He owns a ranch with over a hundred horses and his wife is from Phoenix. He has several kids who go to school there. Excuse him for a bit while he doesn’t fit your narrow view of what it means to be a human being before a hockey player.
Ill try to adjust my narrow view, but I believe I did clearly state the family situation made sense.
Boston Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli announced today, March 6, that the club has signed defenseman Torey Krug to a one-year contract extension through the 2015-16 season worth a cap figure of $3,400,000 and forward Reilly Smith to a two-year contract extension through the 2016-17 season worth an annual cap figure of $3,425,000.