Trade talk may spark a free-for-all
GOALIES GALORE: Massive amount of talent — and some big contracts — available in NHL this summer
This surely has to be one of the more interesting summers in terms of trade rumours around the NHL for many a year.
They are so thick and fast with so many solid players said to be available it would most certainly appear that if a GM can make the best use of all the abilities a man (or woman) must have to do this job, there is a tremendous opportunity to move his team forward a long way.
If even half the players who are said to be available are actually moved, Gary Bettman should have a field day at the microphone in Florida with his “We have a trade to announce,” as the league loves to save these things for the first draft day on TV.
And a few announcements have been postponed a little to make this happen over the years.
There are goaltenders galore available on the market and if the names which have been mentioned are not topped by Eddie Lack, people are simply not paying attention. When Lack fixes the technical problem he had in the late stages of the season and in the playoffs with some work this summer, he is going to be a very, very good, experienced goaltender, one the Canucks should probably not be moving at all.
But when so many teams have indicated Lack is or could be in play for the right draft pick, you have to believe there’s a distinct possibility he’ll be moved given he’ll bring so much more to the Canucks than Jacob Markstrom could on the market. But there’s also Craig Anderson or Robin Lehner, Cam Talbot, and to a lesser degree of attractiveness, Jonas Hiller, who appears to have fallen out of favour in Calgary.
And with the possibility of Devan Dubnyk reaching free agency if Minnesota cannot sign him (he’s said to be in search of nearly $5 million US), there could be as many as five teams that will definitely make a move on a goaltender, including Philadelphia (as always, although just a backup this time) San Jose, Edmonton, Dallas and of course possibly Minnesota. And really, other than perhaps Anderson and Dubnyk, who is asking too much, none of these guys are huge money investments while possibly bringing a very high upside.
There are some big names with big contracts that could move too. The fact the NHLPA triggered the escalator clause once again (as they should every year) in the CBA puts the salary cap at $71.4 million, and that should bring one or two more teams into the picture for the salary the Leafs, in particular, are trying to dump by moving the likes of Phil Kessel and Dion Phaneuf.
While you may not like what you’ve seen from these two, there’s also the possibility of Erik Staal and Rick Nash taking a hike and everyone knows Chicago has to move some players from its championship team.
At the moment, the Hawks are asking the world for Patrick Sharp, who was pushed into something of a more defensive role this season. But the fact he had just 16 goals and has a $5.9-million cap with two more years of $10.5 million in real money coming, combined with the fact everyone knows Chicago would like to move him, this price will go down considerably.
There’s Keith Yandle and Mike Green, both said to be available if you want to add a little experienced, high-end push to your blueline corps. There’s Brandon Sutter or Tyler Bozak if you need a third-line centre, or Milan Lucic if you’d like to add some snarl and think he still has a good deal left in his career.
Now, not all these guys are going to change teams. It’s probably a long shot the Leafs will be able to move the onerous contracts of Kessel and Phaneuf, even though both can still play, and probably a lot better in a different city.
But the money and term, particularly on Kessel, are enough to deter anyone even if they’re moving some ugly contracts back to Toronto.
No GM is going to be able to tell his owner there were no opportunities to get better. There is plenty of room to move about, but you will need the ability to negotiate.