Gaining momentum
The NHL trade deadline sparking teams to make moves
The approaching March 1 NHL trade deadline will provide a much-needed boost to this season’s slow trade market. Since October leading up to last Monday (Feb. 20), only 21 trades took place. None involved any star players.
With the trade deadline fast approaching, business has picked up. Between Feb. 20 to 26, there were six transactions involving NHL players. The most notable saw the Tampa Bay Lightning ship goaltender Ben Bishop, a 2016 Vezina Trophy finalist, to the Los Angeles Kings.
The salary cap is a significant reason behind the low activity in this season’s trade market. Since its implementation in 2005-06, NHL general managers have found it difficult to make substantial in-season player moves.
With the decline in the value of the Canadian dollar since 2014, the cap ceiling has only marginally increased in recent seasons. As a result, most teams lack the cap space to take on expensive talent during the regular season.
Parity is another issue. For most of this season, only bottom feeders such as the Arizona Coyotes and Colorado Avalanche were considered sellers. Many clubs sitting outside the playoff frame were still within striking distance of wild-card berths.
It’s only been within the last two weeks that more teams fell out of post-season contention. With the deadline drawing near, their general managers bowed to the inevitable and went into sell mode.
The June expansion draft was an unexpected factor this season. With teams allowed to protect no more than 11 players, general managers are leery of making roster additions that might complicate their draft plans.
Breathing down their necks
Boston Bruins legend Bobby Orr was the last defenceman to win the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s leading scorer. This season, however, Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks has a good chance of becoming the first blue-liner in 42 years to take the scoring title.
As of Sunday, Burns was the Sharks’ leading scorer with 65 points in 61 games. Those numbers also put him just behind Edmonton Oilers centre Connor McDavid (71) and Pittsburgh Penguins centre Sidney Crosby (67).
Burns will find it challenging to overtake those two. However, it’s not an insurmountable task.
Should Burns fail to win the Art Ross, his performance makes him the favourite to win the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenceman. He was a finalist for the award last season and currently leads all NHL blueliners in scoring.
Don’t doubt Dubnyk
McDavid, Crosby and Burns are also strong candidates to win the Hart Memorial Trophy as most valuable player. A good case can also be made for Minnesota Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk.
Through Sunday, the 30-yearold Dubnyk led all starters in wins (32) and save percentage (.933). He was also second in goals-against average (2.01) and fourth in shutouts (five). He’s the leading contender for the Vezina Trophy as the top goaltender.
Thanks to Dubnyk’s stellar play, the Minnesota Wild sit atop the Western Conference standings. That should be worthy of consideration for the Hart. Lyle Richardson is a freelance writer with The Hockey News and runs the website Spector’s Hockey. His column will appear in The Guardian throughout the NHL hockey season.