Latest on the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vancouver Canucks, St. Louis Blues, Ottawa Senators and Nashville Predators.
Offseason keys for Penguins, Canucks, Blues, Senators and Predators.
ESPN.COM: Craig Custance believes the Pittsburgh Penguins should enter the Mike Babcock sweepstakes, go young on defense and trade Rob Scuderi to free up cap space.
Have Kevin Bieksa and Dan Hamhuis played their final seasons with the Canucks?
He feels the Vancouver Canucks should rebuild their defense (including shopping either Kevin Bieksa or Dan Hamhuis), trade a goalie (likely Jacob Markstrom) and add promising youngsters like Jake Virtanen and Sven Baertschi, even if it means trading a veteran like Chris Higgins to make room on the roster and create cap space.
Custance thinks the St. Louis Blues must take a hard look at their core players (like David Backes, who’s a UFA next summer) and decide if they’ll re-sign or replace coach Ken Hitchcock.
He suggests the Ottawa Senators should let Andrew Hammond walk if Robin Lehner has fully recovered from his concussion.
Custance believes the Nashville Predators should re-sign center Mike Ribeiro to a short-term contract, extend Mike Fisher and let Cody Franson walk.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Expect more speculation over the off-season plans of most of these teams in the coming days. The Penguins stated Mike Johnston will return as head coach so that rules out their getting into the Babcock sweepstakes. They have little choice but to go young on defense as I doubt they can afford to re-sign Paul Martin and Christian Ehrhoff. Trading the declining Scuderi, who has two more years at $3.375 million per season, is easier said than done.
The Canucks could shop Bieksa or Hamhuis this summer. Markstrom is likely a goner too. It makes sense to move Higgins to clear cap space and bring up younger talent. After all, the Canucks are supposedly still in the midst of a rebuild…I’ll be shocked if the Blues don’t move out a vetera core player or two this summer. They need to do something as they’ve made no progress toward becoming legitimate Stanley Cup contenders.
Craig Anderson has definitely regained the starter’s job in Ottawa. As for The Hamburglar, he was a great short-term story but we don’t know if he’s capable of playing at that high level for an entire season… I think Ribeiro and Fisher return with the Predators, but Franson is definitely not coming back. He was a significant disappointment for the Predators after they acquired him from Toronto.
More on the Penguins and Canucks.
ESPN.COM: Scott Burnside believes we should “expect discussion about whether a Phil Kessel or Dion Phaneuf or any number of skilled but expensive and/or problematic wingers would cure what ails the Pens.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kessel or Phaneuf to the Penguins? Only if the Leafs agree to pick up a big chunk of salary, or agree to take a toxic contract or two in return. The Penguins lack the cap space to take on their respective contracts, and I daresay the Leafs will want one of the Penguins’ top young defensemen in return.
THE PROVINCE: Ed Willes and Jim Jamieson agree the Canucks priority this summer is to overhaul their defense corps. Willes also believes they must integrate more young players like Jake Virtanen and Hunter Shinkaruk into their forward lines plus bolster their size and grit. Jamieson suggests adding young rearguards like Frank Corrado and Adam Clendening to the blueline next season. He notes Kevin Bieksa and Dan Hamhuis both have a year left on their contracts with no-trade clauses but pointing out GM Jim Benning was able to convince Jason Garrison to waive his last summer.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Despite the Canucks reaching the playoffs this season, this was supposed year one of their roster rebuild. They exceeded expectations but there’s still improvement to be made. Their defense was shredded by the speedy Calgary Flames. Bieksa or Hamhuis could hit the trade block this summer as the Canucks bring in more youth.
penguins need to stop trading away their young talent. But if they do make a move with a leaf player it’d be jvr before kessel.
Being a west coaster, I doubt that vancouver asks Bieksa or Bieksa asks to be traded.
The guy is the fan favourite, been only with this organisation and is one of the only personalities on a very boring Canucks team.
I could even see Bieksa resigning at an affordable deal for the club and acceptihg a depth role going forward.
Be interesting to see what happens with the blues. Kinda the second coming of San Jose….
The salary cap is really goinf to suck this summer if you are a pens, boston, Chicago, LA fan.
peace
Bieksa’s skills have eroded considerably and he will be 34 at the start of the next season. I can guarantee he won’t be extended … the question is will he be with the Canucks to finish his contract. Calgary exposed the Canucks D as slow and Bieksa’s the slowest of the lot.
So you are saying that Bieksa retires after next season or goes and plays in Europe?
If he is that bad who would want to trade for him? Or sign him t a new contract?
Some more defense are rumoured to be traded. I guess the Oilers will really have to give up their core players to upgrade their D. Pfff
I would not sign Hammond to a NHL contract at the expense of Lehner or Anderson. Although I realize Lehner season was dreadful, I also never thought he was ready for the starter roll. I still do not think he is but he has the potential and I still believe he will reach that level. How great a number 1 I do not know.
Another team can offer Hammond a back up roll if they want. I am not sure I would offer him a starter roll. Perhaps St. Louis. I am not sure who would open their pockets for him either.
I still think Ottawa can sign Hammond to a two way deal. But time will tell if another team wants to take a chance on him.
Kessel or Phaneuf to the Pens is laughable on many levels salary and lack of return would be among the biggest, even if the Leafs held salary and took a guy like Scuderri back in the deal what does that leave them with? a D prospect? not like the Pens have much else in the way of picks available over the next couple years with Winnik and Perron deals.
From a Pens point of view trying to build some depth by trimming salary by sending a guy like Orpik away and then add 4 mill on top of the salary that he had? It makes no sense for them either.. The Leafs wont give away Kessel or Phaneuf and that’s pretty much what a deal would be between these 2 teams would have to be.
**Scuderri not Orpik
3 weeks ago Hammond was number one now he’s out the door? I agree Anderson is the true number one but unless the asking price is ridiculous resign him and then figure out which 2 guys you go with.
StLouis is an enigma , big, talented, tough team, one of the best defensive corps in the league on paper, Tarasenko a star in the making ….sub par goaltending , Stastny 7 mil a year cap hit to play 3rd line ? I think the team would benefit from a new voice behind the bench too.
I dont agree with ship Oshie out as has been oft mentioned , Backes sure. Plus they have Sobotka’s rights to trade as well.
Backes is not a number 1 center on a Stanley Cup contending team. I think the Blues finally realize this, at least I hope they do.
I have to agree with the general consensus here, the Pens getting either of Kessel of Phaneuf seems highly unlikely. the Pens have so much cap space dedicated to so few, it makes no sense for them to take on huge contracts.
That being said what if they can move or buy out Scuderi and Letang doesn’t play again? That’s 10M each year for the next two years. That would allow them Phaneuf plus 3M in space there….
How quick we forget. Hammond’s play was instrumental in getting the Sens to the playoffs. It wasn’t as if the Sens could have started Anderson, had Hammond faltered. Both Anderson and Lehner were injured. I think Lehner’s the odd man out and will be dealt to a team like the Blues. If the Sens should offer Hammond a $4 million deal over two years, I bet he stays in Ottawa, as Anderson’s backup.
It could just be the classic case that he was hot for 20+ games, but won’t do much at all
I can see room for doubt if a goalie in that situation was “hot” for half a dozen games – maybe 10 – but not over that stretch and in the heat of a desperate playoff run. At the very least, he’s a credible back-up to a guy like Anderson if that’s the road they take.
Lalime had a similar start but is career was far from stellar. Do you give up on a guy like Lehner as he struggles while young and go with a Lalime.
See the thing I don’t understand about some Sense fans is this…so sure about Hammond will be great with a microscopic sample size, Lehners struggles this year really were for less games than Hammond played and it seems lots would see him shipped out of town…If you look over their career Lehners has been the better goalie and is just 23 years old, to me it doesn’t make sense to ship out a 23 year old former 1st round pick who has success everywhere he has been because of a bit of a stumble in his development in order to keep a guy who has no real success anywhere except for a relatively small string of games…I understand what it meant for the team and it would be exciting but sometimes I think some kinda lose sight of the big picture…23 year old player learning a pretty tough position goalies take time to develop (look at Hammonds age)I personally. Can see this developing in to a bit of a side show…not sure what I’d do if I was the Sense but, not sure I’d be wanting to give up on 2 relatively inexpensive good goalies, to save a couple hundred K on a guy who is still unproven at best.
I love Hamburglar to death but his run was of the shorter kind. To be honest, there are quite a few holes in his basic technique to be able to trust him long term as a no1. His ceiling is met. And it’s very hard to judge him as a backup goalie. That’s a whole other ballgame. Does he have the mental makeup for that?
I think that Hammonds agent won’t satisfy with other than a one-way contract. All the same, I don’t think anyone will sign him as a starter. We’ll see where he lands.
Lehner has shown he has the top performance in him. But his performances over time has not been stable enough to be considered a true no1. If he figures it out he will be a no1 somewhere and it might be sooner than anyone expected.
One more thing – Yes, $2 million a year, is a lot to pay for a backup goaltender. However, Lehner’s making more than that – I believe $2.5 million a year.
Exactly, The only fly in the ointment where Lehner is concerned is that no one is going to risk giving up anything in a deal until they are convinced he’s over that concussion – and that isn’t going to happen until training camp.
I think the Pens will be the most interesting off season story this year. They have 11 million in cap space to sign 11 roster players and a backup goalie. Regardless of performance or the chance to play with Sid and Geno, it will be tough to find 11 decent players willing to play for 1 million a piece. Their best option, with Crosby and Malkin on long term deals might be to go for a rebuild. Stating their Head Coach will return, as opposed to chasing Babcock or another high profile coach suggests this is possible. However Rutherford was supposedly brought in to finish building a cup contender, not starting to build one. All that said, I think their best option is to find a trade for Malkin to a team with a relatively solid D that requires a dominant offensive player that brings back a few very good enough prospects and then they can add some affordable free agents. Malkin might be more motivated to play on another team where it will be his, and he is not playing second fiddle to Sid all the time. Nashville, Florida, St. Louis?
From an outsider looking in, it looks to me that Penguins has wrongly assessed their team, the last two years at least. Case of overvaluing your “core” veteran players and their impact value. It’s not uncommon to get too in love with the veteran leadership (Oilers, Maple Leafs, Blues and so on). IMHO there is also pressure from ownership to strongly “go for” the cup every year, regardless of GM. Therefore I can’t fault Rutherford or Shero fully for the veteran direction and traded picks over the last 5 years, even if I don’t agree with it. It doesn’t help that drafting have been so-so (comparatively to the league) the last 5 years. Their cupboard is running a little empty at a time where they need several new nhl level call ups. Both to amend quality and cap concerns. Does Penguins owners have the patience for this retooling?
Pittsburgh has 14 players signed for next season at 58.502. Even if the cap is only 70 million, essentially what it is now, that is still 11.5 million but the NHL is implying 71.5. At 71.5 that’s 13 million.
The entire core is signed at forward. Crosby, Malkin, Hornqvist, Kunitz, Perron, Dupuis, Sutter & Spaling. Bennett & Cole Are RFA’s & will only get nominal raises. In our around a mil. 5 Dman are signed. Letang, Scuderi, Maata, Lovejoy & Pouliot & in net Fleury.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Winnik & Comeau return as UFA’s & neither is getting more than a million.
Pittsburgh needs a 3rd line LW, depending upon Spalings role. I like him as the 4th line C & ideal a #4 Dman but they may have to let those 3 young D play fairly regular minutes. Cole makes 6 regardless & Dumolin & Harrington are ready to take on some role.
If all those things happen they get in comfortably under the cap & if not they bring in other cheap options. There aren’t allot of needs, just healthy roster & Crosby to be Crosby.
Well argued. Yet the core will be another year older plus you’re banking on a healthy roster which isn’t happening to any team, much less the Penguins. Health is pot gold. We’ll see, but unless the current veterans are healthy and producing, this team goes nowhere. IMHO they could very well be decimated by injuries next year as well.
The Pens should either trade Gina or Cindy….too much money invested in 2 players.
Why so they need a center?
Both their top contracts are perfectly ok. But they must perform like top players also. There has to be value there. They can’t flounder like they have.
It’s more a case of Penguins now must find younger (lower priced) talent to inject speed and scoring the next couple of years. Solving their cap problems while being competitive.
AS a blues fan I would gladly take Malkin. That’s of course if the pens would take any of our players. Malkin and tarasenko would be great.
St Louis is a tough fix. They are sold upfront-I would argue their top 3 lines match or exceed anyones and have a very good top 4 Defence. Yet another early exit. They tried Miller at Goal last year-and that didn’t work. They may have to make a trade just to shke things up. SHattenkurk, Berglund, Backes, Steen are all good pieces that should bring a lot back
I think a lot of the Blues problems in the playoffs stems directly from Hitchcock who seems hell bent on reining in offensive studs and making them play HIS system whether or not they are suited to that style. A couple of years back I thought Pietrangelo and Shattenkirk were going to be offensive catalysts from the back end and instead he has turned both into stay-at-home D. I think Hitch is soon to be joining the ranks of the unemployed.
Yes! It would be very interesting to see the Blues with other coaching. I think that Julien could get this team further. They need to find that capable goalie too. It doesn’t cut it with Elliott. Sorry.
I agree. A few years back when hitch was hired the word was he had changed his approach and was adapting to the new nhl. I feel he is still to old school. To many times you see coaches adapt the team to their style not their style to the team.
St Louis has good defensive players and could do very well opening things up offensively. Would be interesting if a guy Boudreau went in there.
Imagine what a Peter Laviolette could do with that St. Louis Blues lineup. His type of coach could definitely get them over the hump.
JBO to Edmonton for picks, St.Louis needs to clear some cap room Edmonton needs to get some defense. I would do this trade for Pitts 1st.
Edmonton should also look at what the cost would be for Hamhuis.
Let some other team over pay Hammond, dont see him being a star.
Move Scuderi and Bennett to Edmonton for picks. Bennett is a injury prone player, Scuderi would be a good presence on edmontons back end. Try and move Kunitz to get rid of his salary. Look at expiring contracts ah la pupal (just as an example). Do not trade first to third round picks and draft.
Here is an idea, please hammer it though, it’s just off the top of my head. Bennett, Scuderi and Kunitz for yaks, yakimov and another roster player. Pitt will not get a first back in their dealings with Edmonton unless it’s a massive deal.
Malkin and Scuderi for hall, yaks and a first.
Please hammer this, this is one of those posts I’m not really thinking about it, just spouting off. M
No,
Marty, take off those penguins coloured glasses. The Oilers have lots of 4, 5 and 6 defensemen, they need a 1 or 2 so no to and older Scuderi. What do the Oilers do with Kunitz when they have McDavid, RNH, Draisaitl and Gordon as their centres. Again, no thanks.
Agree with Dino about Oilers trading Pens 1st and possibly a decent young player/prosepct like Marincin for JBo.
Before anyone gets started,forget about the big name prospects. McDavid, Nurse & Draisaitl are going nowhere. They are the top 3 players in the entire CHL. Keep dreaming.
Matty I’ll be the first to hammer you. Please give me one reason the Oilers would not hang up 30 seconds into that conversation. They have zero need for any of those players. Letang if healthy would be intriguing, but he’s not so try again.
How about I trade you some pocket lint for a brand new Ferrari.