Trade scenarios for the Oilers’, rebuilding the Bruins, the Penguins goalie status and more in today’s NHL rumor mill.
Trading the Oilers’ first-round draft pick.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson offers up some trade scenarios for the Edmonton Oilers. One is packaging center Leon Draisaitl and defenseman Oscar Klefbom with the pick to the Montreal Canadiens for defenseman P.K. Subban and the Habs first-rounder (ninth overall).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: For the umpteenth time, this move addresses one problem for the Habs (scoring depth at forward) while creating another, bigger one by blowing a huge hole into their blueline. Klefbom has promise, but on his best day, he isn’t in the same class as Subban. Despite the latter’s critics, he is considered among the NHL’s elite defensemen. Klefbom is not.
Could the Oilers pursue Islanders defenseman Travis Hamonic this summer?
Another is offering up center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins or right wing Jordan Eberle to the New York Islanders for defenseman Travis Hamonic, though such a move could also mean the Isles insisting on the Oilers taking someone off their hands (like Nikolai Kulemin and his $4.5 million per season contract) as part of the deal. The Oilers could then pursue Isles right wing Kyle Okposo via free agency.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Isles GM Garth Snow consistently insisted on getting a comparable defenseman in return, something the Oilers don’t have. Unless Snow changes his mind about the return, or another team gets involved to make this a three-way deal, or Snow finds a suitable replacement for Hamonic in a separate deal, I don’t think the Oilers are a fit here.
Another is offering up defenseman Mark Fayne and the remaining two years of his contract (at $3.5 million per season) to the Chicago Blackhawks for left wing Bryan Bickell and the remaining year of his contract ($4 million cap hit).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Now this one is an interesting suggestion. The Hawks must dump Bickell’s salary if they hope to clear some cap space to re-sign center Andrew Shaw and they need some experienced depth on their bottom defense pairing. Fayne might prosper playing for a better team in Chicago. Of course, Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman would have to believe Fayne will be a worthwhile addition.
He suggests shopping Nail Yakupov to the Carolina Hurricanes, perhaps getting promising center Nicolas Roy in return.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes do need scoring, but are they willing to gamble on a struggling winger like Yakupov? GM Ron Francis might prefer someone with a proven record. And he might not be keen to part with one of his better prospects.
Matheson wonders if the Columbus Blue Jackets would offer up their first-round pick (third overall) and a prospect to the Oilers for Nugent-Hopkins. The Jackets would have to move a couple of big contracts (Scott Hartnell and Fedor Tyutin) to make room for RNH’s $6 million annual cap hit.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The only way this might work is if the Jackets can shed the salaries of Hartnell and Tyutin first. They don’t want to acquire a high-salaried center only to find themselves stuck with two expensive contracts they can’t move.
A lot of people are suggesting the Oilers pursue Dallas Stars right-shooting blueliner Jason Demers via free agency this summer but Matheson seems lukewarm to the idea, noting Demers has difficulty against bigger opponents.
Bruins and Penguins.
CBS BOSTON: Matt Dolloff lists St. Louis Blues center/winger David Backes and winger Troy Brouwer, New York Islanders right wing Kyle Okposo and Anaheim Ducks winger Chris Stewart as four options for the Boston Bruins if they wish to “get heavier” at right wing. With the possibility of an expansion draft next year creating more trade opportunities than usual, Dolloff wondered what it would take to get Bobby Ryan from the Ottawa Senators, Wayne Simmonds from the Philadelphia Flyers or Brandon Saad from the Columbus Blue Jackets, though he acknowledges those are likely just pipe dreams.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins priority is shoring up their defense corps, so I doubt they’ll have the cap space to chase Backes or Okposo, and Brouwer could also be out of their price range. The most affordable would be Stewart, but while he still has a physical presence, his offensive game has been in steady decline for some time now. Acquiring Ryan, Simmonds or Saad will cost the Bruins far more than they can afford, but if you’re gonna dream, dream big.
ESPN.COM: Scott Burnside wonders if goalie Matt Murray’s success thus far with the Pittsburgh Penguins means Marc-Andre Fleury’s days with the Pens are numbered He also notes the dilemma the Penguins could face if there’s an expansion draft next summer, forcing them to choose which won to protect. Fleury has a no-movement clause limited to waivers and demotions and a partial no-trade, meaning he could be exposed in an expansion draft.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I noted yesterday the Penguins don’t have to rush to make a decision. They could retain the Fleury-Murray tandem for another season and then try to move Fleury before the expansion draft. If they’re keen to keep both, they could protect Murray and cut a side deal with an expansion team to ensure Fleury doesn’t get selected in the draft. However, one cannot dismiss the possibility they could attempt to trade Fleury this summer. It’s a situation that will be worth watching once the playoffs are over.
Coaching updates.
OTTAWA SUN: Former Anaheim Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau arrived in Ottawa on Thursday night for an interview with Senators management today.
SPORTSNET: The Anaheim Ducks are believed to have interest in Utica Comets coach Travis Green as a potential replacement for Boudreau.
Doloff isn’t the only one engaging in “pipe dreams.” This Matheson guy is smoking one if he thinks that deal between Edmonton and Montreal has even the remotest chance of flying. I guess he’s one of those who operates on the theory that, if you toss enough crap against the wall some of it will stick.
I wouldn’t trade P.K. but that first offer of Draistle, Klefboom and the 4th pick is a tempting offer. They could then draft a Defensmen. Then have assets in the middle of the line up they could trade for further help.
I don’t think it has a remote chance of happening as the Oilers are not likely to give up all that and the Habs are not likely to give up Subban but the whole that would be created on the back end can be filled with moves that fall out as a result of this trade.
The idea is even more remote than you outline. Edmonton is not shopping Draisaitl. Habs MIGHT make the deal if Edmonton had the 2nd or 3rd pick and offered up RNH. Montreal needs depth dpwn the middle and AT LEAST a 1/2 winger plis if another team is even dreaming of Subban.
Any thoughts on a three way for Harmonic to Edmonton involving RNH to MTL & Petry to NYI?
Don’t call it an “offer” – Edmonton has not nor will not make such an idiotic offer. That’s a “suggestion” dreamed up by some pundit spending too much time in La-La Land.
@ Habsfan1……..tell me why would the Islanders do that ?
@Yankees fan Not meaning to imply straight up but as a core of a deal. Why? Because they need to trade Harmonic, want a comprable D in return and Peytry might be the closes to where the needs of all involved are addressed. Look I get it that it is not be a Playstation deal but it might be a decent idea IF Snow really feels an honest pressure to honour Harmonic’s request….
Interesting to see that Boudreau came TO Ottawa for that interview rather than Dorion flying out to him (as Minnesota did). Maybe it was just an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone as his daughter and grandchild are living in Ottawa – but I think we’re looking at the next Sens coach. I also wonder if Dorion is thinking of Benoit Groulx of the Gatineau Olympiques as an assistant for whoever takes over the head job. Groul would follow in the footsteps of some pretty impressive former Gatineau coaches – Pat Burns, Alain Vigneault and Claude Julien.
I hope Boudreau chooses Ottawa. That would be awesome for the Senators.
Yeah that was most likely. I mean if it was me and a job came up and they wanted to come to me or me to them and I was free, recently fired and could visit my family I’d likely say I would come to you. It gives the added advantage of seeing the facilities and meeting people first hand. As Boudreau is interviewing the Sens as much as the Sens are interviewing him. I’m sure he will have his pick of where he would like to go.
Good on the Sens if he is their selection. However I will say that unless they get a big jump forward in the development of the youth and they Melnylk finally opens up his wallet for once, this team likely won’t end up much farther ahead in the standings than this season.
Leave us not forget they didn’t miss by much – and they did that without their # 1 C (Turis) for most of the season and one of their TOP LW (MacArthur) for all of the season. They also got Phaneuf late in the process.
Columbus eating part of Tyutin’s salary in a larger deal to Edmonton could work.
He is 5 years younger than Ference and they could use him as the #4
I don’t see that happening. Ference will be bought out & if Tyutin is playing in Edmonton’s top 4 they will be 1 of the worst teams in the NHL yet again next season. Tyutin is a very soft #5 Dman now, really a #6 depth guy. He is a shell of his former self & even at 1/2 his salary you can get a better Dman cheaper as a UFA.
Columbus will have to buy Tyutin out or eat 1/2 his salary & send some other asset with him to find a team to get even 1/2 his salary off their books. The worst though is he has 2 years left on his contract & it carries an NMC, meaning he would have to be protected in expansion.
Do you want to protect Tyutin in expansion? No 1 does,
Edmonton has already painted themselves into a terrible spot for expansion. If they have any hope of making the playoffs they need to add a top 2 Dman either as a UFA or in trade. That makes their protectors come expansion time brutal. Potentially having to expose Reinhart a player they just moved the 16th & 33rd picks for in the last draft. Brutal management continues.
I did not think about the expansion and Tyutin. But he looked a step better or two than Ferrence last season
That covers off almost any other Dman in the NHL as well. Ference was done before Edmonton acquired him.
So what you saying is Girardi or M Staal fit Edmonton better? ;-0
No. In no particular order, Vatanen, Brodin, Dumba, Hamonic or Savard in trade, potentially others. Goligoski as a UFA.
No harder asset to acquire than any Dman that can play top 2 minutes in the NHL for your respective team & do so playing well defensively.
Their will be some solid depth Dman, 4/5/6 guys that Edm can look at as UFA’s as well & as they will cost nothing more than cash to sign & potentially losing that player in the expansion drafty following next season wouldn’t be the end of the world. Demers, Polak, Quincey, Schenn, etc.
So what your saying is there is 30 brutal managers in the nhl trying to make there teams better and your better than all of them because you can wait a year later to point out some mistakes?
Lyle, they cannot choose to protect murray as long as Fleury is on the roster. Being exposed to the expansion draft is like being put on waivers not like being traded. Fleury’s NMC means that the Penguins HAVE to protect him over murray IF Fleury is on the roster!
The absolute only way they can protect Murray is by trading Fleury. But Fleury doesn’t want to be the goalie for an expansion team so I’m sure his list of allowable trades will include all those teams who have no need for him like MON or NYR or BOS TB LA etc.. so his partial no trade is as good as a full one.
Given Murray’s play and his age and is salary he will be the top goalie all expansion teams will want so striking a deal with BOTH of those teams not to select murray is also impossible.
As for waiting to make a decision that’s a bad idea too because there will be at least 4 other teams in a similar bind as Pittsburgh before the expansion draft and trade values for goalies will be at an all time low.
Pittsburgh should trade Murray right after the cup race for a kings ransom.
If I’m Shero I’m calling Lamorello and asking for Kapanen and my 1st rounder back in exchange for murray. Maybe another prospect to boot.
Lyle posted a link from sportsnet yesterday explaining why Fleury’s partial NMC isn’t in effect for expansion. It’s not a full NMC & he can be exposed.
It matters not. Pittsburgh will move 1 of the goalies before expansion, make a deal with 1 of the 2 possible expansion teams to keep him, or simply allow an expansion team to select him giving them the ability to retain all their other assets.
The link is not correct. Expansion draft exposure is equivalent to being put on waivers.
Unless Pittsburgh is being compensated by the other team it’s not a trade!
The presence or absence of trade protection is irrelevant!
@mst on May 6, 2016 at 1:00 pm
“The link is not correct. Expansion draft exposure is equivalent to being put on waivers”
mst-you are incorrect-Fleury is eligible to be claimed in the expansion draft. If not traded, either Fleury of Murray will have to be protected and the other exposed.
While the rules aren’t exactly set in stone yet, since there’s no guarantee expansion is even happening, Scott and Striker are correct. Waivers and being left unprotected are two totally different things. Unless mst, you can show me something that says otherwise.
mst.. why would pitt want kapenan? he is on the edge of being a bust nothing more than a 3rd liner possible 4th
So sorry. Not correct. Even I’d correct pens likely buy out maf after next season to protect Murray. He aint going nowhere
They don’t have to buy him out. Why give up that cap space. If they can’t trade him which shouldn’t be that hard he will simply be exposed & selected in expansion. No cap hit.
We may all like Murray but Fleury is 1 of the best goalies in the NHL, 32 years old in November & has a great contract in relationship to his peers, 5.75 per.
This isn’t a player being bought out. Give your head a shake!
Their are teams in the NHL with #1’s now that are decent that would take Fleury & lose what the have in expansion potentially, if he could be acquired undervalue which I would be shocked considering at least 3 teams need a #1. Cal, Car & Tor.
Fleury would be a significant upgrade for any of the following teams not the least of which is Buffalo who could easily cost justify it with Lehner only making 2.25. NYI, Ott, Phi & Van.
I see Fleury being traded this summer to 1 of 3 teams in need. I think Cal, Car & Tor will take Andersen, Reimer & Fleury. Place them on what ever teams you wish. I don’t know if it really even matters. All 3 get a decent starter but I would rank them Fleury, Andersen, Reimer. The wild card is the TB situation with Bishop & Vasilevsky & that all ties into Stamkos. I whole other post in its self.
Fleury & Andersen will cost a significant asset & Reimer can be had for free that will factor in.
So that double negative suggests you think he’s going somewhere.
Yes. I think Fleury will be traded this summer. They may possibly try to hold onto him until possibly the trade deadline but the best market exists this summer with 3 teams needing a #1 & others that might use the opportunity to upgrade exposing their current #1’s in expansion.
I’d gladly take Fleury with 3 years remaining at 5.75 & protect him. Especially if I’m 1 of the 3 teams in need, Cal, Car or Tor & also if I’m NYI, Ott, Phi & Van.
Hence the “even if correct” part. No… they will leave him exposed if they cant trade him. Then it will be up to MAF if he wants to play for LV or accept a trade to a different team. God it will suck seeing him beat ROY for wins by a goalie with another sweater on though…
And give Your head a shake for not reading thoroughly enough
actually I see the confusion,,.. I was replying to mst not you.
mst, what’s your source for this? I haven’t heard this yet. I understand the logic you’re using but the NHL and NHLPA has already ruled that NMC and NTC have no effect during expansion drafts. I am not aware of any provision that verifies what you’re attesting to.
First of all Shero is the GM of the Devils and has no involvement here whatsoever. Next Murray is not going anywhere even if the pens keep him until the expansion draft because Fleury will be the one who is not protected, it’s way too early for the great goalie controversy in Pitts, right now they are concentrated on winning the Stanley cup. Fleury will likely be traded before next season starts as a favour to him. He wants to play starter minutes and is still more than capable enough. But all the Leafs fans can stop it already with the ridiculous notion that they are going to fleece the pens out of a starting goaltender. We fleece you not the other way around.
Could see MAF for the pens first back… even when its the 30th overall. maybe get another young asset and take bernier back to back up murray. Would work salary wise with both teams and bernier is gonzo after next season.
Fleury would would in Calgary- for defence other than Brodie and Hamilton
You can add Giordano to that list. Calgary isn’t trading him more than either of the other 2.
There is a trade there but it wouldn’t include any of those Dman.
As much as I hate being wrong, I owe Jim Rutherford a serious apology. I have been slagging Rutherford for years. I hated his hiring in Pittsburgh & have pretty much slagged everything he’s done in Pittsburgh with a few minor exceptions. The acquisition of Bonino & a pick, trading for Daley & the firing of Johnson & hiring of Sullivan.
Boy was I wrong about what he built. Pittsburgh is on the cusp of slipping by Washington & will be hard for NYI or TB to beat with Murray playing lights out & Pittsburgh getting solid production right thru all 4 lines. I had Washington going to the final. Should TB get by NYI & get Stralman back they might have a chance. Should Stamkos return as well it would be a great series to watch. I don’t think NYI can beat Pittsburgh should they close out Washington.
As much as it humbles me to be so wrong, the sword swings both ways. Fa-k! Ha-ha!
Well done Mr Rutherford. Well done.
Bonino PLUS that PICK…yes. Bonino’s line with their speed creates so much out there.
That line plus the Islanders 4th line have been the most fun to watch these playoffs.
If Kessel scores a few huge goals before this run is over will make Rutherford look even better
Nice to see someone on here comment about when they were wrong, Striker. Good on you! (I did the same and publicly ate a fair bit of crow about Babcock going to to T.O. after having said “there’s no $%*#@ing way it happens!” a few times haha)
I can assure you I don’t like having to admit when I’m wrong but boy did I s–t the bed on this 1. I wasn’t just wrong but well off the mark, not even close apparently. Ha-ha! Arghhhhh.
Pittsburgh would have improved nominally under Johnson as Kessel settled in but the move to Sullivan & to some extent a great degree of luck has turned this team from floundering mess to contender in the blink of an eye.
Malkin getting injured forced the Kessel Bonino pairing. No way you break that pairing up unless it hits the wall hard & even then you would probably just ride out their dry spell for the most part. They complement each other better than Malkin or Crosby ever can. Kessel wants to carry the puck as do Crosby & Malkin & that just wasn’t working.
The 1 that’s shocked me the most is the waver acquisition of Kuhnhackl but the depth acquisitions are all paying in spades, Cullen & Fehr. Nor did I see Hagelin’s impact. The contribution of the players called up; Sheary & Rust, the development of Dumoulin into a solid top 4 if not top 3 Dman in his 1st full NHL season.
Shocking & I wouldn’t have had Pittsburgh to go from a playoff contender to cup contender in the blink of an eye. Rutheford deserves to be recognized & is certainly my choice now for GM of the year as much as it pains me.
Sorry Striker I agree with everything you said but wanted to point out that Kuhnhackle was a Penguins draft pick not a waiver wire pickup. He’s been playing in WBS for 2-3 years now and has played at the rookie tournament in London Ontario the last 3 years at least. I’ve been every year and he was there.
Yeah sorry brain fart. I always get him confused with Farnham who went from Pit to NJ on wavers. Not sure why, no real association, not sure why my brain does that some time.
Off topic but Farnham is actually a really interesting guy. We miss him on the Penguins even though his lack of skill would be keeping him from playing on this team. He has a 4 year business degree from Brown university and comes from a multi billion dollar family that owns a grocery store chain. He could easily quit hockey and make a 7-8 figure salary with his family company yet he refuses to quit on his hockey dream. He also looks like he lives under a bridge and never showers. Yet he probably gets limo rides to prActice and games.
You can also add the Neal for Hornquist trade, the Daley for Scuderi trade, the signing of Matt Cullen, Perron for Hagelen, hiring Sullivan in WBS and then in Pitts which was the real thing that changed the season for the Penguins. Had Sullivan not started in WBS he would have never trusted Sheary, Rust, Kuhnhackle, Wilson, Sundqvist and Murray like he does now. Without those guys the Penguins barely make the playoffs. Those kids changed the entire energy and character of the team. And Rutherford is the catalyst behind all the change. Just don’t mention the Despres trade or the Winnik trade. Oh and Mikr Johnston.
I wouldn’t write Washington off just yet but you are correct the Pens look pretty darn good.
Agreed. I’m not writing them off I’m just shocked by Pittsburgh. Murray stole game 3. Washington dominated that game & even in game 4 Washigton out played them but Pittsburgh found a way to win both. Luck, brilliant goaltending. At playoff time these goalies can just steal series. Rinne did it against Anh as well.
I’m writing them off. Murray has Ovie’s number big time.
Ditto. Hated the signing and would have rather seen Botterill take over. But he’s gotten results and I have to completely give him that
Pretty sure last time Pittsburgh won the cup they fired a coach mid season….you might be REALLY wrong. lol.
I don’t think Shero, given that he is the Devil’s GM, can actually trade a Penguins player.
?
Winnipeg has a good centre in Little who could be available, as well as Trouba who might be hard to sign. I wonder if Blue Jackets would trade the third pick? The two Finns would look good in Winnipeg. Selanne is like god there and it would make the Jets a power team.
I don’t trade Little. Little is 1 of those 2 way centers that can do almost everything. Seriously under appreciated. #1 penalty kill, #1 power play, #1 faceoff guy. Does all the heavy lifting defensively, 29 in November & on a great contract at 4.7 for 2 more years.
A very honest hockey player that works his ass off. Is never going to punish players with hits nor does he hit a ton or block shots but so positional sound & rides out his checks & removes them from the play.
I love this player & he’s part of my core group in Winnipeg, hell he would be part of my core group any where. At the end of next season when July 1st rolls around & Little can be resigned with 1 year left to UFA status I lock him long term for at least 6 years in or around Kesler money. Little is just in the next echelon 6 to 12 spots for 2 way C’s in the NHL. This asset is a very rare commodity & no team should trade these guys unless confronted with no choice.
I hate teams that have a revolving door for coaches. I know coaches are hired to be fired but on teams with young players this is brutal to their development. Edm & Ottawa need to stop the revolving doors as it’s seriously hampered their respective teams ability to be competitive & for the players to develop properly. Boudreau will demand at least a 5 year contract at 4 mil per. That’s exactly the stability Ottawa needs behind the bench. Both teams have had far to many coaches in to short a period of time.
Make it stop Eugene. Give Boudreau what ever he wants to sign there & don’t fire him a year or 2 in.
Exactly the reason why I suggested that good coaches should avoid Ottawa. Nothing against the Sens or their fans, but I would pass on Ottawa for the time being. Calgary is the best option if I were an available coach.
Way easier to make the playoffs in the east & all Ottawa needs to do to make the playoffs next season is add to a 4/5 & 5/6 Dmen. They add Demers & Polak & they make the playoffs in the East next season in a walk & if that happens they would make any coach look brilliant not that Boudreau isn’t already brilliant.
How is it easier to make the playoffs in the east when you have one more team to climb over than do teams battling for a playoff spot in the west?
Because the teams in the west are significantly stronger accross the board.
It’s “avoid Friday”
Teams need to stay away from Yak and Radulov. Neither player has the history to convince me they could contribute fully to a winning team. If they go somewhere and prove it, then I will change my mind. Both players remind me of Max Afinagonov – before he left BUF and went to Atlanta. Max changed his game in ATL, too bad he decided to go home.
Yak has a reasonable contract so why avoid him? It’s not like he will demand a kings ransom when it comes time to resign. I’d take a chance on Yakupov any day of the week if the asking price was right and his contract remains around 2 – 3 million
Not sure what it would take-but I think its worth the risk for the flyers to go after Yakupov. Does 2nd rounder make the deal happen?
My guess would be yes. Mid 2nd-rounder could then be traded by the Oil for a serviceable dman, which is what they need. I think that pick would get the deal done for Philluy.
It probably could but I think the Oilers will look for the D-man as a first priority and may use Yak in a package to do it.
& a B grade prospect.
So, Bowman can save .5 mil for a defender who MAYBE fits in the bottom pair? StanBo better off throwing a prospect at a team to eat Bickell’s bundle.
why about Dan Girardi for BIckell? Girardi can play 3-6 on any roster.. even though he is not longer a top 2 pairing Dman. Then Rangers can buy out Bickell and save some cap space. Chicago gets a steady Dman who will not be relied on as much for puck possession with all the great D Chicago already has.
Girardi is about a year from being Scuderi level awful and Chicago already tried that one.
First things first: I do NOT think the Habs trade P.K. Regardless of what anyone thinks about his attitude, he’s an elite player and a marketing dream. He’s not going anywhere.
That said, I think it’s erroneous to think they’d never trade him for a scoring forward because that removes one problem and creates another.
If they DON’T trade him, then they still have a problem at forward! Bergevin will have to decide which problem is worse – forward or defence – and decide about that trade. And so he *could* decide his team would be better with more scorers a problem on defence than with the current problem of lack of scoring depth at forward.
His team is not built well, so in trying to improve the team right now, there will still be some major problems with it, no matter what he does.
[Again, that’s playing devil’s advocate. I feel 99.9% sure P.K. stays. I just think the logic that he wouldn’t create a hole on defence isn’t necessarily true.]
Good points – but the bottom line is, top D are a helluva lot harder to find – and develop than scoring wingers. No one thought Pacioretty or Hoffman – just to cite two examples – would become the goal-scorers that have turned out to be when they first came up. In short, scoring F are a lot easier to develop (and trade for) than Top D.
Top Centres and Top D are tough to come buy. If you can get a top line Centre and create a problem a the top of your D which problem is worse. I remember Calgary never having a Centre for Iginla, Toronto never having one for Kessel and teams like Ottawa with out a true number one. Ottawa has that elite Defensemen and did fair much better than montreal.
sorry I can’t type a conjugation. “Ottawa didn’t fair much better than montreal”
Not for nothing, but one should consider the idea that Murray may be this year’s incarnation of Hammond (or Dubnyk, or Niemi, or Halak, or Cam Ward) or any of a dozen rookie/unsung/minor-league journeyman goalies thrust into the mad fray, by circumstance.
They all play far beyond their capabilities, receive sterling defensive (and scoring) support, and are ultimately tabbed as the next face of the franchise, between the pipes, before ever having endured the season-long grind that eventually sees every opponent compile chapter and verse on their tendencies, and systematically punish and expose them in a myriad different ways; some physical, some psychological…
By now it should be evident that Dryden and Brodeur and Roy were who they were because they displayed/maintained their excellence (and dominance) far, far beyond a single post-season “splash”.
Good point. Which is why the Pens can use next season to fully ascertain his value. Yet those other goalies didn’t win a cup. That could change the whole equation.
Cam Ward won a Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe his rookie year and hasn’t done a damn thing since
Neither have the rest of the team!
Anyway guys flying home in a little over an hour. Have been in Texas since game 1 & as much as I’m looking forward to seeing the family I can’t believe I have to miss game 5. On a positive note I got 800 bucks per ticket.
Have a great day & keep up the solid debate & conversation.
Game on.
Enjoy seeing the fam, Striker! And you can pick up a nice gift or two at the airport at $800/ticket. Wow!
Did’t collect before I left. Felt bad as I actually sold them to a client.
Travel far to often to buy gifts. Ha-ha! I only get home once a month maybe twice if I’m lucky. Rarely for more than 2 days the vast majority of the time.
All good though she’s just happy to see me & always nice to see the 3 teenage boys for at least a few minutes before they just do the stupid sh_t teenagers do. Hubbing out of Calgary this trip. Might be home by 7 if lucky & going to miss tonights game. Arghhhh
The Travis Hamonic chatter won’t go away until the player is inevitably moved but who are these defenseman that GM Garth Snow is interested in. The reports keep saying a comparable defenseman but last time I checked Travis Hamonic was a 25 year old 6’2 205lb top pairing dman who’s signed for another 4 seasons at a $3.85m cap hit. I’m having a tough time finding comparable defenseman who play at his level, age, and have such an attractive contract. Can someone help me with this, if you know of a defenseman who can be moved of comparable stats, D pairing, and contract that is or around his hometown in Manitoba (?)… enlighten me!?
“He suggests shopping Nail Yakupov to the Carolina Hurricanes, perhaps getting promising center Nicolas Roy in return”
Nicolas Roy has continued to improve in the QMJHL and had an absolute monster year this season posting 48g 42a for 90p in 63 games played (Eliteprospects.com). I highly doubt a deal like that would get done… as much as Chiarelli would love it to, I don’t think many teams in the NHL are prepared to move any prospect with the words – promising, rising, ect. Chiarelli has a better shot at moving Yakupov as a kicker in a trade, or for another struggling NHL 1st round “bust” that may or may not come around at the NHL level.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: “The Bruins priority is shoring up their defense corps, so I doubt they’ll have the cap space to chase Backes or Okposo, and Brouwer could also be out of their price range”
I agree here that the Bruins priority is on the defensive end but I think there is still going to be a need at RW and Chris Stewart, although a more affordable option WILL NOT be the answer. Loui Eriksson is going to leave via free agency and for those that think it’s because of the cap situation or lack of available salary for the B’s to sign him… it isn’t. The Bruins can sign Eriksson to market value if they so please, but the issue is that it will likely be longer than the team is interested in signing him for and at a $$$ per year that may inflict some issues on the team in a couple of seasons when RFA’s are due to be signed. The Bruins have quite a bit more cap space that I think people are realizing and there isn’t many UFA or RFA players on the roster that are going to get sizable raises besides the obvious and that’s Torey Krug who was making $3.4m
The team currently has $47,266,600m committed to 11 players (Kelly is off the books, as well as the Lucic portion that they retained). Eriksson will walk via free agency. Krug will get his raise and it’ll likely be in the $5-6m per range (estimating). Aside from that here is your list of Bruins that are up on contracts….
John Michael Liles – UFA
Lee Stempniak – UFA
Kevan Miller – UFA
Jonas Gustavsson – UFA
Jeremy Smith – UFA
Tyler Randell – RFA
Landon Ferraro – RFA
Zach Trotman – RFA
Joe Morrow – RFA
Brett Connelly – RFA
None of the players above will have significant contracts/raises, besides maybe Gustavsson and that’s if they choose to resign him. John Michael Liles is gone. Stempniak maybe resigned but won’t be that significant. Some of those other players may honestly not be resigned. Miller, Connelly, one of Trotman or Morrow… The way I look at it, if Eriksson doesn’t resign, and they give Krug a big raise, and the others partial raises… you’re still around $12m in available salary and that’s not counting the fact they may move Seidenberg. I wouldn’t count that out
Brad Marchand needs to get paid. He will be a UFA at the end of 17-18 and will receive a significant bump from his current $4.5M cap hit
Absolutely! I believe they’ll resign him this off season instead of waiting and potentially being faced with another breakout season. He’ll be looking at or around a $3-3.5m per bump from what he’s making but what other people don’t realize is that the mighty Zdeno Chara contract cap hit will also be down $3m – from $6.9m to $4m… so it’s almost a wash.
Totally agree Chad As a Bruins fan I also counted much more space than people think.
Wayne Simmonds from the Flyers? Yup, that’s a pipe dream
It would take a boat load coming back..but Simmonds is exactly what the oilers need. Character, grit, and a good offensive player. If I was the oiler brass I would offer whatever IT took.
think WPG would trade Trouba to CMB for the 3rd overall? then take Laine at #2 and Puljujarvi at #3?
it would take more that Trouba not sure all the moving parts in a deal like that would even beable to come together.
Winnipeg has enough young forwards they don’t need to add both. Add Laine as he’s a stud, keep Trouba unless his salary demands are unrealistic as rumoured.
ok guys here is a deal with subban.
in my opinion,montreal should trade subban ONLY IF they can improve dramatically their offence.
first of all,,,draisaitl ,,have better future than Hall and is better all around hocky player than hall…in 6 years nhl career,hall have only one very good seasone which is in 2013-14 having 80 points.the rest are all under 65 points or less.
subban to edmonton for ,,draisaitl,, + ,,klefbom,, and exchange their 1the rounder,is not a bad deal to consider. but in my opinion,montreal can make better deal. …how about ,,draisaitl,, + ,,eberle,,and exchange their 1th rounder for subban??
i explain you why…first of all klifbom can’t replace subban in top 4 position.he is not there yet and.he is too young and inexperience.maybe in the future but now .therfor montreal needs a stablished D with experience.
montreal can do that deal ,dras+eber and look for a top 4 D in free agant road or making a trade for D with the clubs that need to shed salary specially those RFA.. naming few:cam fowler,vatanen,truba,tyson barrie,jonas brodin ,matt Dumba ec…plus montreal has opptions in UFA as well example (keith Yandle)..
and by exchanging the 1th overal.montreal can pick an excelant D in 4the position and maybe he can already play in nhl.
anyhow,for those who say that edmonton wont do that,i must say that edmonton will be lucky if this trade goes through because subban is in top 5 best D in the league.his production is 65+points par season. for a defenceman with that kind of production(points),is the equivalent of a forward with 80+ points. another word subban’s production points are better than taylor Hall. if you don’t believe,just check
their statistics.
let me see what you think