Just a couple quick trade hitters for you:
This from ESPN's Lebrun:
Nearly every buyer you talk to lists a top-six forward as an item on their wish list before the Feb. 27 trade deadline.
What the trade market needs is more teams to declare themselves sellers and out of the playoff race. But it’s still too early for that. That’s what happens with so much parity in the standings.
Potential top-six forwards available? Again, it doesn’t mean all these players will move, but these are names we’ve heard that could be in play: Derek Roy, Brad Boyes and Drew Stafford in Buffalo; Vaclav Prospal, Antoine Vermette and Kristian Huselius in Columbus; Ales Hemsky in Edmonton; Tuomo Ruutu in Carolina; and the suddenly hot Jason Blake in Anaheim.
If there is one thing the Jackets do have available it's top 6 forwards. Goaltenders? Who would want those guys? Defense? Won't trade the ones they want and nobody wants the ones we'd trade.
So back to the forwards. Prospal, Phalsson and Juice are all unrestricted free agents. That's like gold at the trade deadline b/c nobody wants the baggage/complications that players with long term deals bring. Rentals allow teams to add to their rosters without giving anything up (other than futures) and keep that financial flexibility for offseason moves.
That doesn't mean guys with longer terms deals can't be moved. Afterall, we moved Klelsa at last year's deadline. Vermette (3yrs @ 3.75mil); Carter (10yrs @ 5.27); Nash (7yrs @ 7.8); Umberger (5yrs @ 4.6), despite lackluster years, would all draw interest on the open market. But moving those guys to playoff teams (ie buyers) who often do not want to subtract from their rosters, just add, is more complex b/c the majority do not have the available cap space.
If I was betting man here is what I'll guess will go down by the deadline. And remember -- there are not a lot of sellers. In fact, I count only 8 of 30 teams realistically out of the playoff hunt at this stage. That is only 26% of the league who are selling granted there is still more than a month to go before the deadline. Plenty of time for other teams to put up the for sale sign. Anyhow -- here it is:
Prospal - late first to 2nd.
Pahlsson - 3rd to 4th rounder.
Juice - 3rd rounder (assuming healthy).
Those guys are all definitely gone. The biggest question is when? The longer we wait the higher the price. However, the longer we wait the higher the risk of injury.
I just can't see any Jackets with long term contracts moved until the leadership of this organization is addressed first. The one exception IMO may be Jeff Carter. I have a feeling both sides may jump on the first exit ramp that is a good offer. Toronto is my guess -- especially if deals for heavily rumored guys like Bobby Ryan and JVR fall through. Would have to be a similar deal to what we gave up though -- young blue chipper plus high draft pick. Example. Luke Schenn plus a 1st? Schenn plus Kadri?
This from Darren Dreger's latest mailbag:
The contenders and pretenders are being filtered out by the day! Which teams do you feel are on the verge of doing a complete rebuilding (as opposed to re-tooling on the fly) after this season?
Steve
Hillsborough, NB
A: Steve - while there will be teams who clearly fall in to the category of "seller" between now and the NHL Trade Deadline, it's unlikely any team will fully embrace a full rebuild. The Columbus Blue Jackets may come close as this organization's annual quest for an identity and winning combination has yet again fallen short. Jeff Carter, Antoine Vermette and Derick Brassard will likely be among those dangled and despite the constant denials from the player, agent and management, I'm sure Rick Nash's name will surface in discussions leading up to the deadline. There will be many teams who may move key players, such as Buffalo, Carolina, Montreal and Tampa Bay in the East. While in the West, Minnesota's free-fall will soon have to be addressed to keep the Wild in the mix. Anaheim and Calgary may also be active in the coming weeks. Calgary will do everything it can to make the playoffs this season and with nine players scheduled to become unrestricted free agents on July 1, Jay Feaster and the Flames are facing a natural rebuild in the offseason. As we identified Thursday on the NHL on TSN, there are at least eight teams in the market for a Top 6 forward. It's a seller's market right now and prices are high for all players which is why the the trading game appears to be on hold.
Sounds like reality has finally slapped Derger in the face regarding Rick Nash. Of course everyone is going to deny it publicly - it's how the game is played.
I've said it a 1000 times on this blog, but when there is this kind of long term systemic failure within an organization every option should be explored and that certainly includes a possible trade of Rick Nash. If this organization isn't listening to offers for RicK Nash then they aren't doing their jobs. But again, no trade of this magnitude should be consummated until the leadership problems are addressed first.
-LTL
