Eberle deal aims to appease Tavares
ISLANDERS: Team captain would like to stay, but only under ideal circumstances, which trade may create
CHICAGO — By acquiring Jordan Eberle from the Edmonton Oilers Thursday, beleaguered New York Islanders general manager Garth Snow is sending a loud message.
He only hopes dearly that John Tavares is hearing it.
By landing Eberle, Snow is telling Tavares that the wheels are in motion to improve the talent base around the Islanders captain to get him to re-sign with New York.
Tavares has one year left on his deal with the Islanders and would be the biggest unrestricted free agent to hit the market in years if that’s what he chooses to do.
But Tavares has maintained that he would like to stay with the Islanders under ideal circumstances. By making the team more competitive, especially up front, Snow is trying to create that very environment.
There continues to be chatter that Snow has been kicking tires on Colorado’s Matt Duchene, who has two years left on a deal that has an annual cap hit of US$6.25 million.
At the 2009 World Juniors, Tavares and Eberle showed outstanding chemistry as linemates with Team Canada, something they’ll look to rekindle with the Islanders.
“Obviously, John is a generational player and a guy who thinks the game at a very high level and he’s obviously the leader of that team,” Eberle said. “I’m excited to hopefully get an opportunity to get a chance to play with him and hopefully bring some success to the Islanders.”
These kittys have claws
During his reign as Maple Leafs owner, Conn Smythe was alleged to have once coined the phrase: “If you can’t beat them in the alley, you can’t beat them on the ice.”
The Florida Panthers have taken that saying one step further — all the way to the boardroom.
By announcing Thursday that towering Hall of Famer Chris Pronger had left the NHL’s department of playersafety to work as an adviser under general manager Dale Tallon, the Panthers front office features some tough hombres.
At 6-foot-6, Pronger accrued 1,590 penalty minutes during his illustrious NHL career.
Bryan McCabe, who recently was promoted to the position of director of player personnel after spending five years in player development, was known for his controversial “can-opener” checks during his playing days.
And Shawn Thornton, one of the league’s most notorious pugilists of the past decade, was appointed the team’s vice-president of business operations on June 1.
Pronger. McCabe. Thornton. That’s a heavyweight brain trust if ever there was one.
Pronger has aspirations to be an NHL general manager one day. As such, learning under Tallon is the perfect fit. “Dale had a very nice sales pitch and I like the pieces in place here with the Panthers,” Pronger told reporters. “There’s a very solid nucleus of players, a great foundation to build on.
“Our goal here is to win a Stanley Cup. It’s not going to happen overnight. You have to be patient, make the right moves. Hopefully I help with that.”
Pronger is working with Tallon to prepare for the draft. The Panthers hold the 10th overall pick.
First overall pick revealed
In closing, it’s time to come clean. I know who the New Jersey Devils will pick first overall Friday night.
In April, just hours after the Devils had won the draft lottery, New Jersey general manager Ray Shero, enjoying a leisurely beverage in celebration, pushed a folded piece of paper to a couple of reporters including yours truly.
“The identity of the guy I’m taking No. 1 is written on that,” he said.
We quickly grabbed it to see what name was scribbled on there. Was it Nico Hischier? Nolan Patrick? Maybe a shocker in Cody Glass or Gabe Vilardi?
The name on the paper: Vontae Mack, the fictional linebacker from Ohio State who is picked first overall by the Cleveland Browns GM, played by Kevin Costner, in the movie Draft Day.
Well played, Mr. Shero. Of course, we know this: If you call out the name Vontae Mack at the United Center podium Friday night, there will be 30 other giddy NHL GMs who will be euphoric that you did.