Updates on Tyson Barrie, Matt Read and Jake Gardiner, plus the Minnesota Wild are getting calls about defensemen.
Latest Avalanche speculation.
SPORTSNET 960 (via TODAY’S SLAPSHOT): Elliotte Friedman reports a lot of teams have interest in Colorado Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie, who’s a restricted free agent next summer with arbitration rights. If contract negotiations don’t go well, interest in Barrie could increase.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avs aren’t in any hurry to move Barrie. Indeed, if it appears he’ll be too expensive to re-sign, they could shop him at the 2016 NHL Draft next June. There’s no reason to move him this season and I doubt management is considering that possibility.
Could the Avalanche revisit their previous interest in Leafs defenseman Jake Gardiner?
Friedman also reported the Avalanche had discussions with the Toronto Maple Leafs regarding a swap of Ryan O’Reilly for Jake Gardiner (with other parts) but they could never get it done. O’Reilly was ultimately dealt to Buffalo. He doesn’t know if the Avs will revisit their interest in Gardiner or if the Leafs will revisit the Avs prior interest in the blueliner.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: They could, but I think the Leafs are keen to see how Gardiner performs under coach Mike Babcock. So far, he’s shown considerable improvement compared to when he was seemingly Randy Carlyle’s whipping boy. While that could bolster Gardiner’s trade value, it could also improve his chances of sticking with the Leafs beyond this season.
Could the Wild move a defenseman?
Friedman claims he’s keeping an eye on the Minnesota Wild, noting they’ve got a couple of young defenseman (notably Mike Reilly) in the minors who are close to NHL ready. Given the Wild’s blueline depth, and with several teams in the market for a defenseman, Friedman speculates they could move one. He claims the Wild are getting calls about their blueliners.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The guy most often mentioned in Wild trade rumors is Jared Spurgeon, a puck-moving defenseman carrying a $2.66 million cap hit who’s a restricted free agent next summer. If the Wild decide to move a blueliner to address another roster need (and to free up cap space this season to do so), Spurgeon could be the one who goes. They won’t be moving Ryan Suter, Jonas Brodin, Marco Scandella or Matt Dumba.
Could the Flyers trade Matt Read?
NJ.COM’s Randy Miller recently tweeted the following: “I see a deal coming soon. My guess is Read is first to go.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Read’s signed for two more years at $3.625 million per season. He’s on pace for 23 points, the lowest in his career. Though he plays a decent defensive game, Read hasn’t turned into the reliable second-line scoring winger he was envisioned to become. Moving him, however, won’t be easy at this time in the season. Not a lot of teams willing to take on that contract right now.
I think another team looking for a Dman should be going after Spurgeon & or Ryan Ellis in Nashville both for contract reasons. Minnesota will be hard pressed to make Spurgeon’s contract fit the current cap world & Ellis although signed to an unbelievable cap hit he isn’t really required in Nashville with so many other great Dman & could be part of a package to get a legitimate #1 C. With Jones, Forsberg & Jarnkrok all RFA’s as well as several lesser lights Ellis may be the player to go.
Both Spurgeon & ellis play 2nd, 3rd or 4th fiddle depending upon which player & how you wish to perceive it to other Dman on their respective teams & both have the ability to be solid #2’s if not #1’s in a few years & if given 1st line PP & icetime would be significantly better than they already are & their both very good now.
Morgan Reily is far from ready for the NHL. His start in Iowa has been very rocky to date. 5 points in 17 games & a whopping minus 17.
Unless it was for a big upgrade to their top 6 I dont see the Preds moving a guy like Ellis, or him being the odd man out as you say. Jackman is on a 2 mill deal for 2 years wouldnt be all that hard to move if it was for cap reasons.
I agree striker ellis and ekholm both on the 3rd pairing could be moved up to the 2nd pairing on most teams that don’t have weber josi jones and jackman in front of them! man they are deep on D!
Morgan Reilly? I think you mean Mike Reilly.
Yes. Thank you George.
Hmm Gardiner seems to have value despite what some here say…funny.
There’s no deal to be done between COL and TOR… and that’s assuming they still have interest in Gardiner. Any players TOR would want would cost much more than just the defenseman, unless TOR was interested in unloading Gardiner for draft picks (good luck getting a 1st rounder though).
As Lyle said not so sure the Leafs would want to move him anyway, hehas looked very good. Both Defensively and offensively while playing a pretty significant amount of time….kinda confused about why you only think he he would be worth so little?
I think that because, yes he may be improving this year, but he has a much larger history of shoddy defensive play and doesn’t really have the offensive numbers to put the thought of “his offensive totals make up for his defensive errors” in GMs/coaches. Personally I’d love to see him improve and be a 40 pt two-way rearguard in TOR. Was just saying we wouldn’t get that much for him if we did trade him.
gardiner has improved this year offensively has been solid but defensively he still has brain cramps not being in the right position as the play unfolds
Plus, a lot of that “improvement” by him – and others – is due in large part to paying attention to a specific system installed by Babcock to overcome the lack of top-end talent throughout the line-up. It’s getting the most out a mediocre lot and as long as they play within the system they will be a handful for any opponent. But what happens if Gardiner goes to a team that doesn’t play anywhere near the system he’s learning in TO? Nor wants to especially? That also has to be kept in mind.
Perhaps George maybe some of the improvements come from being coached properly…I like what the Leafs are doing but maybe just maybe it has more to do with how poorly they were coached previously as much as anything.
More likely a healthy combination of both factors. Clearly Babcock is head and shoulders above the pack with perhaps Vigneault and Queneville out of the other 29 on a par.
Laviolete Trotz Julien Sutter…I dont think he is all that much better than some others, and I definitely dont think it’s anywhere near 29 others.
What about flipping gardiner for rantenan? More pieces going back and forth. I don’t have a problem keeping gardiner but if a deal comes along then why not? Try to pry zadorov from Colorado (don’t know how difficult that would be). Just a thought.
I doubt that Colorado trades zadorov after he was the centrepiece to the O’rieley deal to Buffalo, better chance of getting Barrie due to his contract status, but still gonna cost a lot.
They shouldn’t trade Zadorov, too much potential. in a few seasons, Tanguay and Iginla will be off the books and they should have some money to play with. If they are to keep up with other western conference defences they will want to have at least Johnson, Barrie and Zadorov as core defencemen.
Ellis may be part of a deal that helps Nashville add a top 6 forward, maybe Eric Staal. Preds won’t get too far in the playoffs unless they upgrade their forwards.
I always thought that Malkin would be a perfect fit for Nashville. I don’t know if he’s even on the block, but anyhow. They need that center workhorse. It would slot the rest of the forwards in better positions to succeed. Maybe that would also eventually let the bat shit insane Mike Ribeiro go (read his “nanny stories”…my god). A guy like that just can’t be positive for a team to rely upon.
Any trade ridding yourself of a very good d-man like Ellis, they should package players for something higher in a trade than E. Staal IMO. Nashville needs that 1st C. They don’t need another expensive 2nd C.
Still waiting for something to happen in Anaheim.
Boudreau has to be hanging by a thread – although a lot of the blame for the sharp drop in talent after Perry, Getzlaf and Lindholm has to r est on Murray’s shoulders. It’s clear opponents are following the “check the hell out of those 3 and the rest will take care of itself” philosophy.
Shticky why throw your little Toronto remarks around..
Gardiner seems to have value despite what some here say..
Obviously your trying to provoke people.. Then you call them trolls.. I see your game.
Gardiner’s value is roughly a 2nd rounder and mid level prospect.
TO would obviously just hold him at that price and that’s what’s happening.
I know you will say I am undervaluing Gardiner.. But you can’t make a realistic evaluation on TO players.
You think Bozak is worth a 2nd round pick.. Enough said
lol you hit the nail on the head K
Crickets.. Ya that’s what I expected
If it was a troll trap I guess it worked.
Oh you’re so witty..
Its not my fault you don’t like hearing the truth about your precious Leafs
My precious Leafs? lol you’re starting to sound like a villian from Scooby doo there K .
LOL.
ahahahahahaa