Updates on the Columbus Blue Jackets, Philadelphia Flyers and Minnesota Wild.
Changes coming for the Blue Jackets?
Changes could be coming for the struggling Blue Jackets.
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Shawn Mitchell believes the Blue Jackets 0-6-0 start to this season “has left the coach Todd Richards walking a fine line and made an early-season roster shakeup a very real possibility.” Richards told Mitchell he’s received no personal reassurances from management about his status, though before the game, GM Jarmo Kekalainen claimed he had a good working relationship with his coach. Kekalainen also declined to speculate on the future of his players or coaches.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kekalainen is probably getting plenty of calls from rival general managers keen to “help” him with some veteran players at the cost of one or two promising young players. While a trade is always possible, Kekalainen will have to get creative to get a return that helps his team and fits into his budget. The Jackets currently have $2.593 million in cap space, which doesn’t leave Kekalainen much wiggle room. That’s why I think a coaching change is more likely than a trade.
Flyers’ Simmonds attracts attention.
THE BOSTON GLOBE: Fluto Shinzawa repots “GMs went on the alert after Wayne Simmonds played only 8:41 in Philadelphia’s 1-0 win over Florida on Monday,” noting the winger skated on the Flyers’ third line. However, Simmonds played the following game on their second line and had a better performance. While the Flyers need to clear cap space, Shinzawa believes Simmonds’ contract ($3.975 million through 2019) is one GM Ron Hextall doesn’t want to move.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Little-used defenseman Luke Schenn ($3.6 million cap hit and a UFA in July) or fading forward Vincent Lecavalier ($4.5 million through 2018) are more likely trade candidates than Simmonds. He’s not going anywhere this season.
Backstrom to Buffalo not likely to happen.
STARTRIBUNE.COM: Michael Russo notes a common question from Wild fans lately is whether GM Chuck Fletcher can peddle veteran goalie Niklas Backstrom to the Buffalo Sabres, who lost starter Robin Lehner six-to-eight weeks to a high-ankle sprain. Russo doubts that’ll happen, believing the Sabres could pursue younger, more affordable options.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Backstrom would also have to waive his no-movement clause to make such a deal happen.
Simmonds only played 8 minutes that night because the Flyers were short handed like 6 or 7 times and he doesn’t play on the PK
That was certainly a factor but Simmonds played 2 mins+ less than White, Vandevelt & Bellemare at even strength in that game & he played 2 & a 1/2 mins less power play time than he’s usual linemates Giroux & Voracek. Also in the previous games his icetime had been seriously limited. Some form of message is being sent. Not playing 1 of the best power play goal scorers in the NHL seems like a stupid choice to me & certainly isn’t helping Philadelphia win games.
Not that I see Simmonds moving because I dont necessarily, but if the Flyers goal is to move some guys for cap room how are Vinny and Schenn the most likeyly to go or help with that? We see it time and time again with teams and cap trouble its not the contracts that creat the cap problems that move. Its the Boychuk Saad Hamiltons that teams end up parting with not the Bickell and Kellys to get cap space.
No team is going to Hamstring them selves by trading for Vinny unless they can get another asset in the deal or send an equally bad contract back to the Flyers. Same with Luke u less there is something else in it who is trading for an overpriced 6 D thats a ufa at the end of the year? Maybe at the deadline for some depth but at that point the Flyers only benefit is the draft pick….if the Flyers are looking to make some moves to clear some cap they are going to have a tough time trying to pedal Vinny and luke unless there are some other benifit to the dea and holding a bit of money on Schenn or Vinny isnt going to do it.
100% agreed. Players now have two values: 1. on-ice value; and 2. contractual value. Their worth in a trade is not one or the other, but a combo of both.
If these guys were playing ok but not up to their contract value, that’s one thing. When *both* these values are low for a player (as is the case with both Vinny & L Schenn), they have negative value.
No GM would take these guys unless they got a reeeeal sweetener in the deal.
its probably no surprise to anybody, but as an Oiler fan I would love it if the Oilers could obtain Simmonds. Doubt it will happen, but he is the type of top six player the Oilers lack.
They might be able to get him – but they’d also have to likely take a contract like Luke Schenn’s or Lecavalier and, in the process, relinquish someone like Nugent-Hopkins. No one is going to do Chiarelli any favours.
RNH is only 22. I would not trade him. Yes the Oilers do need a leader, a mentor someone from a winning culture to help them. Simmonds is a good player but the Flyers have not been that sucessful in recent years,
Heres a thought Bickell for Korpikoski. helps both teams. Chicago saves 1.5 in salary and both are Lws. Both are also UFAs in 17/18.
Bickel may not be a leader, etc but he does come from a winning culture.
I wait for the usual suspects to rip away.
If the Oilers wanted Bickell they would’ve taken him off waivers for free.
Thanks. Forgot he was on waivers. I still think its the type of player the Oilers need to look at.
If Chicago took Ference maybe. Bickell simply makes 1.5 to 2.25 more than he should.
Chiarelli wouldn’t trade RNH with him being the Oilers most consistent and best defensive forward, also he would only give Philly just over 1 mil in cap relief if Philly would be sending L Schen and Simmonds. Now Draisaitle would be another option, but don’t know what else Philly would want.
Wow George way to extremely weig the trade in Phillies favour. RNH won’t go cheap. He is one of the oilers best players. The only reason i suggest he may be on the trade block is the oilers depth at centre and the likely hood he’d get a fantastic return.
Do you not think if RNH came available that teams like Ottawa. Columbus, Buffalo,, Philly, Carolina, Los Angelas, Nashville, Toronto, New Jersey,, Boston, Florida, Winnipeg, Detroit, Colorado and Calgary wouldn’t look long and hard at making it happen.
I realize many of these teams need to make a hockey trade to,fit him under their cap, many are budget teams And many may have to give up a young guy to get RNH who is young himself, but to me a decent 22yr old 1rst line centre or excellent 2nd line centre is a coveted commodity and I would think if RNH became available their be plenty of suitors attempting to obtain him . Edmonton would never have to take back all that you suggest to trade him.
RNH has been Oilers most consistent player in all zones this season. His progress is on par with expectations. Oilers won’t trade him as they know what they have in him. Yakupov is a whole other story altogether. I think many hockey people has a hazy picture what Yakupov really has to offer in his overall game during times of not scoring. He’s simply not scoring enough to warrant a high profile at the moment and that could lead to a trade down the line.
Simmonds has been one of the most underrated players in the league for some time now. He could help any team and I would love to have him on my team.
I agree Simmons is underrated and would definitely help the Oilers, but You would have to be a total idiot to give up RNH and take a toxic contract back as part of the deal. Draisaitle for Simmons wouldn`t be bad for either club.
I agree I always thought Simmonds and plekanec were very underrated
L Schenn, MacDonald and Vinny LeCavalier to Bos for Chara? *dream I know*
Vinny LeCavalier, MacDonald and 3rd to TOR for Dion Phaneuf? *another dream*
If Ottawa is ISO another top 6 why not try and trade Vinny L to them to be their 2nd line center behind Turris. Move Zab to wing to fix issue. Philly takes back a bad contract in return. ? thoughts?
Hextall is on the record of basically saying his predecessor left him a rats nests of bad contracts, and he will not be taking bad contracts back. If he is trading Schenn it is to someone who needs defense immediately and he will only take a pick back. This is because Schenn has only this year on his contract and he has a much cheeper option in the AHL ready to fill in — ghost.
The other contracts like McDonald and Lecavlier he’s likely stuck with… Unless there is (a) another Arizona situation out there where salary is needed to hit the min. Or (b) he can swap for another bad contract of a shorter duration… Like umberger for hartnell.
Stranger things have happened, but I still believe Hextall may try to sell high on Simmonds to stock the cupboard with prospects with offensive upside and create space to sign Braden Schenn. The defense has a lot of depth… It’s now about the right pieces on offense in the medium term. I would not even say Giroux is untouchable here.
Lecavalier is a Flyer until Hell freezes over or his contract expires – whichever comes first!
VLC may get tired of sitting in the press box each game if this goes on long enough. At worst, I think he may void his contract at the end of the year.
would you throw away 4million? lol
When you have his kind of $ you might. Vinny is one of the wealthiest current players in the league. Receiving full buyout payment from Tampa while also simultaneously being paid by Philly. He could mutaually agree to terminate his contract this summer and sign elsewhere. He wants to play and won’t in Philly. Hextall is leaning on him. Terminate your deal and play elsewhere or sit in the press box for the next 3 years. Hardball at it’s finest.
I sincerely doubt the NHLPA would look favorably on a player walking away from his contract in order to accept less money somewhere else.