SUMMER OF CHANGE AHEAD FOR SOME NHL FRANCHISES
Trade Deadline Passes With Many Teams Still Facing Huge, Club-altering Decisions
The trade deadline has passed, but for the Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens and any other team that still has holes and question marks in their roster, the focus turns to the summer, where most of the heavy lifting will occur.
WHERE WILL KARLSSON PLAY NEXT YEAR?
It wasn’t surprising the Senators were unable to move captain Erik Karlsson at the deadline, considering trades like these usually occur at the draft. But now that Tampa Bay has Ryan McDonagh, which team is likely to make a push for Karlsson?
The answer is the team that just lost their No. 1 defenceman.
The Rangers shed US$4.7 million in trading McDonagh and have Mats Zuccarello’s US$4.5million salary coming off the books in 2019, when Karlsson’s next contract kicks in. Plus, with three first-round picks and a ton of newly acquired prospects, they can offer Ottawa the kind of package few other teams can. WILL MONTREAL FLIP PACIORETTY FOR PICKS?
Like Karlsson, Max Pacioretty wasn’t moved at the deadline.
But unlike Karlsson, whose time in Ottawa appears over, it doesn’t necessarily mean he will be moved in the summer.
The first thing the Canadiens have to do is decide what direction they are heading in.
Is the team rebuilding ?
Or with Carey Price and Shea Weber both signed to long-term contracts, does it try to re-tool on the fly?
If it’s the former, Pacioretty could be gone for picks or prospects. If it’s the latter, you keep Pacioretty as the captain and hope Price and Co. can rebound. WHO WILL GET THE NO. 1 OVERALL PICK?
As of Tuesday, the Arizona Coyotes had an 18 per cent chance of winning the draft lottery and picking first overall, followed by Buffalo (12.5 per cent), Ottawa (10.5 per cent) and Vancouver (9.5 per cent).
Of course, as Edmonton Oilers fans know by now, anything can happen in a lottery. A year ago, New Jersey won the No. 1 pick and moved up four spots.
According to scouts, Swedish defenceman Rasmus Dahlin highlights a top-heavy draft that also includes NHL-ready wingers in Andrei Svechnikov, Brady Tkachuk and Filip Zadina. HOW MANY CHANGES DO THE OILERS NEED?
Here’s the problem for the Oilers: they are probably not as bad as they showed this season and yet they are probably not as good as they were a year ago.
Based on that simplistic evaluation, GM Peter Chiarelli has his hands full this summer. He cannot afford to miss out on the playoffs again.
SHOULD THE CANUCKS BRING BACK THE SEDINS?
While the Rangers and Red Wings were busy acquiring picks and prospects, GM Jim Benning ’s hands were tied at the trade deadline. He was unable to get anything of value for Thomas Vanek and didn’t move the Sedin twins, who said they want to end their careers in Vancouver.
But when exactly is that? No question, there’s value in having Henrik and Daniel around to help Bo Horvat, Brock Boeser and prospects such as
Olli Juolevi, Elias Pettersson and Jonathan Dahlen. And because they will likely cost half of the combined US$14-million they earned this season, Vancouver could still have the cap space to sign James van Riemsdyk or another free agent.
WILL ANYONE TAKE A CHANCE ON KOVALCHUK?
It was shortly after winning gold at the Olympics that Ilya Kovalchuk told reporters he planned on ending a six-year absence and returning to the NHL.
Despite his age — he turns 35 in April — the former Rocket Richard Trophy winner could be the most sought-after free agent. After all, it’s not like he forgot how to score.
Kovalchuk had five goals and seven points in six games at the Olympics and is leading the KHL in scoring this season with 31 goals and 63 points in 53 games.
If I’m the San Jose Sharks, I’m finding a way to sign him. WILL TORONTO SHOP FOR RIGHT-SHOT DEFENDER?
The Maple Leafs had hoped to land a right-shot defenceman at the deadline, but the best options either played on the wrong side (Ryan McDonagh and Jack Johnson) or were too expensive (Mike Green). For now, the team will continue with Ron Hainsey, Jake Gardiner and Polak.
Consider the latter to be a stopgap while 18-year-old Timothy Liljegren continues to develop in the minors. That is, unless Toronto uses the US$11.4 million saved by not re-signing James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak and Leo Komarov on a potential free agent such as Washington’s John Carlson or New Jersey’s John Moore. DOES CHICAGO NEED TO BREAK UP THE BAND?
The Blackhawks traded 23-year-old Ryan Hartman to Nashville at the deadline for a package of draft picks, but that didn’t solve the team’s ongoing problem concerning an aging core becoming more overpaid every year.
Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane are both earning US$10.5 million, but only one of them is deserving of that kind of money.
Meanwhile, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook are not looking like the top pairing defence they were a year or two ago. With little room under the cap, one of them has to go.