As we are now under 24 hours from the Trade Deadline I will give my opinion on all the latest trade rumors as we enter the final day of trades.
Just a quick recap from yesterday the Ducks moved Nick Deslauriers to Minnesota for a 3RD pick, the they moved Hampus Lindholm to Boston for 3 quality picks and young D-Men Urho Vaakanainen, and the Panthers acquired Claude Giroux as well as 2 young AHL players for young top 6 forward Owen Tippett as well as a 1RD and a 3RD pick, and the Stars Andrej Sekera and the Flyers Ryan Fitzgerald have both cleared so I will get started with the latest News and Rumors.
Seattle Winnipeg
2023 4RD (WIN) Mason Appleton
Analysis: The Jets have brought back a familiar face as they reacquire Appleton. Appleton was Seattle’s selection from Winnipeg in the expansion draft and didn't fit in to well with the Kraken as he only got 6 goals and 17 points in 49 games with Seattle this year, while he is a Pending RFA that only caries a $.900 Thousand dollar cap hit so he returns to the Jets organization and could be a long term fit there. For Seattle I am surprised they only got a 4RD pick when they got a 2RD pick for Lauzon but they keep moving players for picks and I am starting to see what Seattle is trying to do.
Seattle Nashville
2022 2RD (NAS) Jeremy Lauzon
Analysis: The Predators get a underrated defensemen in my opinion for a very steep price. Lauzon was Seattle’s expansion pick from Boston and has been in and out of the lineup this year producing 1 goal and 6 points in 53 games and is a Pending RFA at only $.850 Thousand for the rest of the year and that means that the Predators got a player they could use nor only this year but for a few more years after. I would peg that Lauzon who is more a lefty but can play both sides will be on the 3RD pair for the rest of this year and maybe for future years to. As for Seattle this trade surprised me as I thought for sure Lauzon was a part of their future but obviously I was wrong. Now the return might be why Seattle traded him cause they got another 2RD pick for this years draft and are up to four now. So the Predators get a young bottom pairing D-Men for now and possibly the future, while Seattle gets a shockingly good draft pick for him.
Arizona Dallas
2023 CON 4RD (DAL) Scott Wedgewood
Analysis: The Stars get some insurance in net with the addition of Wedgewood. Wedgewood is a capable backup goalie and has showed it in Arizona after they claimed him off of Waivers as he has put up a great .911 SV5 and a 3.16 GAA in 26 games with Arizona and is on a cheap deal that ends after the year and only has $.825 Thousand dollar cap hit so a amazing pickup for Dallas and this move will help them now as Holtby has been injured the last few games so getting Wedgewood to backup until he is healthy is a very smart move by Dallas. And for Arizona they were probably not going to resign Wedgewood and given he was a Waiver claim, the fact they turned a Waiver claim into a pick is an amazing piece of work be management, and it could be better as the condition that is on the pick is that if the Stars make the playoffs this year which I would say is up in the air right now then the pick upgrades to a 3RD pick in the deep 2023 draft so amazing move from both sides and while it is debatable the Stars could be done with their moves, expect more from Arizona before tomorrow.
A couple of signings have happened today first yesterday’s reports were correct as Lindholm signed a 8 Year contract extension beginning next year with a AAV of $6.5 Million dollars per year, this is a good signing for both sides as Lindholm gets the term Anaheim wasn't willing to give him and Boston has a top pairing left side defensemen for the first time since Krug left a couple years ago and as I said yesterday Lindholm will fit nicely with McAvoy on the 1ST pair, and Pittsburgh has extended 7th defensemen Mark Friedman to a 2 year extension worth $.775 thousand per year and while he is their 7th D-Men and doesn't always get playing time he is still young and if they were to move someone on the blueline then he would fill in the gap.
Tampa Bay Ottawa
Nick Paul (44.5% retained) Mathieu Joseph
2024 4RD (TB)
Analysis: The Lightning continue to add and try to rebuild their third line as they acquire Paul from Ottawa. Paul and Ottawa tried to get a extension worked out but when they knew they weren't signing him the Sens wound up moving him. Paul has played as a great versatile forward this year in Ottawa and is a Pending UFA, but after the retention only accounts for $.749 Thousand on the cap, and has been productive putting up 11 goals and 17 points in 59 games this year and in my opinion should play on third line with Hagel and maybe Colton to try and have a new energy line in Tampa for the playoffs. And for Ottawa they will get a 4RD pick in 2 years so they get some more draft capital back in the form of a mid round pick but they also get Mathieu Joseph. Joseph has been a productive and young bottom 6 forward for Tampa for the last few years and has put up 8 goals and 18 points in 58 games played this year and has a $.758 Thousand dollar contract for this year before becoming a RFA who is arbitration eligible which might have been one of the reasons the Lightning might have traded him but in the long term I think Joseph will be a fierce middle six forward for Ottawa not just now, but in the future too.
Toronto Seattle
Mark Giordano (50% retained) 2022 2RD (TOR)
Colin Blackwell 2023 2RD (TOR)
2024 3RD (TOR)
Analysis: the Maple Leafs keep with the rhythm of the Atlantic by acquiring a top 4 D-Men in Giordano. Now Giordano isn't the best defensemen to a Atlantic team ( Lindholm and Chiarot are better in my opinion), but the former Kraken Captain is a good D-Men as the Leafs only have $3.38 Million dollar cap hit after Seattle retained 50% and has been relatively productive putting up 23 points in 55 games. Now he is from Toronto so there is a connection there and Maple Leaf D-Men Brodie used to play in Calgary with Giordano so with all of that he found it appealing and I think he will play on the 2ND pair with Brodie at least until Muzzin is healthy. The Leafs also get Blackwell who is a great energy guy for a fourth line. Blackwell is a Pending UFA just like Giordano but his cap hit is much smaller at $.725 Thousand dollars for the rest of the year and although he started the season with a injury he has put up a respectable 8 goals and 17 points in 43 games this year. I would imagine that he will play on the fourth line with Spezza for the playoff run but he is going to be a great fit in Toronto. Now for Seattle they wanted a 1RD pick for Giordano but the Maple Leafs talked them out of it. For moving two good pending UFAs the Kraken will get a 2RD pick in both 2022 and 2023, so increasing there draft capital is a must for a team like Seattle, and adding a couple of 2RD picks especially in the 2023 draft that looks really deep is great for them and Seattle now has 6 2RD picks over the next two years, and with the 3RD pick in 2024 they are definitely gaining a lot of draft capital and I see this as a win win trade with Toronto bulking up for their playoff run and Seattle collecting even more assets for there retool.
Toronto Vancouver
2022 3RD (WIN) Travis Dermott
Analysis: Gearing up for a major acquisition the Maple Leafs moved Dermott. Dermott has underperformed in Toronto especially this year where he has been their 7th defensemen. But after the Hamonic trade early Dermott is for sure in my eyes going to get more playing time in Vancouver even though he has only has 1 goal and 5 points in 43 games this year but in the right scenario he could be a very productive player and not just for the current season as he has $1.5 Million for this year next before becoming a RFA so if he plays on the left side I see him as a 3RD pair defensemen but if he plays on his off side I see him as a top 4 D-Men. For Toronto they will get draft capital in the form of a 3RD pick which was originally Winnipeg's but given hoe far down Dermott's production had gone I think that they did Nicely with the 3RD pick and I like this deal for both teams.
Los Angeles Detroit
Troy Stecher 2022 7RD (LA)
Analysis: The Kings get a depth player to help with all of the Kings injuries right now. Stecher is not the most flashy name but he is a capable defender for the time being as he is a Pending UFA and caries only a $1.7 Million dollar cap hit and the return the Kings gave up is not bad at all so I see why this deal was made. He has only played 16 games this year due to being injured for a majority of the year and only has 2 points in those 16 games but he will be able to play in a increased role for now in Los Angeles as they have a huge amount of injuries and he will be a big addition for now but when they are healthy he will most likely be on the 3RD pair. As for Detroit it isn't that much of a return in just a 7RD pick for this year but moving a player they wouldn't sign getting just a pick should make them happy and in my opinion neither team is done making moves.
Vancouver Ottawa
2022 3RD (VAN) Travis Hamonic
Analysis: The Canucks have at least cleared a bit of cap space with their moves today starting with Hamonic. For Ottawa they are getting a better veteran then the ones they have right noa and he isn't even a rental as he is signed for this year and next at $3 Million dollars per year. He started the year as one of the few unvaccinated players and when that was sorted out and he was able to play he got injured but even with all of the complications he is still a good defensemen putting up 3 goals and 7 points in 24 games this year and should be a 2nd or 3rd pairing defensemen for this year and next although he might play more this year with Chabot out, but I do like this move by Ottawa. For Vancouver they were able to clear enough space to make a move we will talk about later but they get rid of a older Defensemen who was playing on the third pair and got a solid pick for him. The 3RD pick is actually Vancouver’s going back to them, they traded it to Vegas for Schmidt, and the Knights traded it for Dadonov so the pick comes full circle and I don't believe either of these teams are done making moves.
Florida Buffalo
Robert Hagg 2022 6RD (CAL)
Analysis: With the Panthers placing Ekblad on LTIR with his injury they had and still have cap space to make more moves and this is just a depth move for the current time. Hagg is a seventh defensemen who has played a more prominent role with Buffalo this year that has lead to him producing 8 points in 48 games with Buffalo and because of the Ekblad injury Hagg should in my opinion be placed on the 3RD line and help with that last D-Pair probably until Ekblad comes back because in a fully healthy roster Hagg would be a 7TH defensemen so that’s where he would unless there are injuries. And for Buffalo they don't have many prominent players they will consider trading but Hagg as pending UFA carrying a cheap $1.6 Million dollar cap hit he was going to be moved. Now Hagg was acquired in the Ristolainen trade in the offseason so with them still getting draft capital from that trade even just a 6RD pick for this year gets Buffalo in a better place and while I would question if Florida wont make any more moves I personally think Buffalo is far from done.
7 players placed on Waivers today including Riley Nash, Brad Richardson, Kyle Turris, Christian Jaros, Derrick Pouliot, Kyle Clifford, Harri Santeri and Petr Mrazek.
All of these players will either be claimed or sent to the minors by tomorrow. Now Pouliot who recently signed with Vegas and Jaros who has been the eight D-Men in New Jersey for some time are both really depth players and I would say it is pretty likely both these players clear, and I think Turris with Edmonton and Clifford with Toronto both also clear as they are both 13th forwards and have over $1 Million dollars on their contract, so in my opinion no team will take that. Now I do believe that Nash and Richardson who are with Arizona and Calgary respectively, will possibly be claimed as they have playoff experience and are cheap 4th line centers so I think there is a chance that they could be claimed. and lastly with Toronto’s goalies I was definitely surprised that Mrazek was placed on waivers he will be a name I think could be claimed but it is far from a guarantee as he does 2 more years on his contract after this one at a high $3.4 Million per year, and newly signed Santeri needs waivers to be signed but even though he is a KHL standout I believe he will clear waivers and be the Backup for Toronto.
Cleared Waivers
Both Philippe Myers from Nashville and Philippe Desrosiers from Winnipeg have both cleared Waivers today. Desrosiers is a AHL level goalie but was on a AHL contract so the Jets signed him so he could be called up if an injury occurred but a 3RD or 4TH string goalie and I didn't think anyone was claiming him, but I am surprised that Myers wasn't claimed I know he hasn't had a good year in Nashville and his contract might scare some teams but there was a point where Philly thought he was at least a every day 3RD pairing D-Men but his stock has dropped a lot and will now be sent to the minors.
Waiver Claim
the Anaheim Ducks claimed Gerald Mayhew off of Waivers from Philly. Now Mayhew is a bottom 6 forward Who was blessed with the NHL opportunity due to the Flyers injuries but the reason for claiming him on Anaheim's part probably has something to do with the fact that Anaheim might not have Rakell past tomorrow so acquiring a depth piece to fill in for the rest of this year makes sense to me.
Comments
Post a Comment