Today I give my opinion on some recent signings, an update on some more Waiver news as well as a few recent Vancouver trades and some players on a couple of California teams who could be moved by the trade deadline.
Sharks willing to listen on just about anyone on their roster.
On Insider Trading Pierre LeBrun has said that the Sharks are testing the Market and are listening to just about any player on their roster to possibly be traded. Now the one name that he said probably won’t be traded is Hertl and that makes a lot of sense given that he is a really good top line Center and just signed a long term 8 year extension that began this year so I think the Sharks would want to keep him, and they have started the season this year at a 3-8 record and look no where close to being a playoff team so I would think it makes sense to move players before the Trade Deadline. Now the first players I think would be traded would be their 4 pending UFA’s as I think that bottom six forwards like Bonino and Nieto as well as 3rd pair defensemen Harrington who could all be depth additions for some playoff teams and Reimer who could easily be a backup on a playoff contender could also be moved for a decent return as they are all in the final year of their deals and would bring in a okay return as they aren’t committed long term. Some other guys I could see other teams having interest in would be Lorentz, Labanc, Kunin, Barabanov, Lindblom, Simek and Megna as I think that all of these players could be decent pickups for better teams. Megna and Simek are both decent 3rd pair defensemen and have this year and next on their contracts so I think if a team is lacking defensive depth and could use a reliable defensemen for the next year and a half then I definitely think that a team would be willing to acquire one of those two defensemen, as for Lorentz, Labanc and Lindblom they are all good bottom six forwards and can bring some offense to a contending team and I know that Labanc and Lindblom are probably overpaid for their role but I still think they could be good trade candidates as they are all 2 years away from being a UFA and a team would definitely be interested in acquiring those players for a year and a half, while I think Barabanov and Kunin could bring in the best return of those players as both are two years away from their contracts ending (Kunin a RFA and Barabanov a UFA) and both have shown that they can be great offensively and even handle middle 6 roles on the 2nd line and I think for a contending team wanting to add more scoring these two would both be pretty good acquisitions and I think these would be the two most likely trade pieces by San Jose who could bring them a nice return. Now there are also a few guys who could wind up moving but I find it hard right now and that is Kahkonen who I think is a decent tandem goalie right now and would leave the Sharks without a NHL quality goalie this year so while I do think there is a chance he moves it is more likely in the offseason, Vlasic the Sharks want to move on from but he has 4 years left at $7 Million dollars so I don’t really see anyone wanting to take him on, Karlsson and Ferraro I think won’t be moved as the Sharks really like Ferraro and it would have to take a pretty big offer to pry him out of San Jose and Erik Karlsson is playing like the guy he was in Ottawa so it makes sense to keep him in my opinion and even if they wanted to move him I don’t think anyone would acquire him with a $11.5 Million dollar cap hit, now if the Sharks retained a little bit I think they could wind up moving their captain Couture cause he hasn’t played like the $8 Million dollar man that they signed recently but I could also see them hold on to them and try to get him better wingers to unlock his skill, and lastly I think that Meier may end up being moved as I think the Sharks would rather keep the player as he has good Chemistry with Hertl and is a legit offensive force but he has a high qualifying offer of $10 Million dollars and for a cap strapped team could they really afford another expensive contract plus the return that they get for him may be quite amazing because he is such a good goal scorer and point getter so I do think that it was interesting some of these names weren’t on their no trade list and that any number of these players could wind up being dealt by the Sharks either before the trade deadline or in the offseason.
The Ducks to be sellers again this trade deadline.
The Ducks have become the worst team in the league early in the year after a few wins for in Vancouver and San Jose propelled them ahead of Anaheim for the time being but I definitely feel like this is not the Ducks season and that they will be big sellers again at this years deadline. Now I think the Ducks have a few decent pending free agents that they could move as they have some more depth pieces like Kulikov, Beaulieu and Grant who are all going to be UFA’s at the end of the season and I think would be nice pickups by a team who is looking like a playoff contender and wants to improve their team before the playoffs with some added depth, I also think that Anthony Stolarz could be a decent trade chip as he has shown he is a quality backup in the NHL and if the Ducks aren’t going to bring him back past this season it makes a lot of sense to deal him before the deadline and give prospect Dostal a late season showing, another huge possible trade chip would be Klingberg as he was signed to a one year deal this past offseason and could be a huge trade deadline piece for many teams and I think he will end up bringing in a huge return for the Ducks and there is also Shattenkirk who is at the end of his 3 year deal in Anaheim who I think could also be moved as he is a great 3rd pair defensemen and would be a very welcome addition to a contending team, and I also wonder about the future of Henrique and Silfverberg in Anaheim as both are 2 years away from being UFA’s and aren’t on too gods of deals so I would think that they could wind up being moved sometime soon to maybe chase a Stanley cup whether in the offseason or before the deadline and if Anaheim isn’t making the playoffs I wonder if Gibson trade rumours pop up again as he didn’t like when they were sellers last year and there was also some speculation in the offseason that he could be dealt and if they go down this road again I think that we could see Gibson’s name in trade rumours closer to the deadline but I think that the Ducks will definitely be sellers again this year and they could move a lot of good players before the deadline is over.
Two significant trades have happened recently which resulted in Vancouver getting Ethan Bear and Jack Studnicka.
Vancouver Carolina
Ethan Bear 2023 5RD (VAN)
Lane Pederson
Boston Vancouver
Michael DiPieteo Jack Studnicka
Jonathan Myrenberg
Analysis: these three teams were all able to make good on the trades in my opinion but I would like to go through each trade and see who had the best deal in the two trades.
Now the Bruins and Canucks made a deal that sent Studnicka to Vancouver in exchange for DiPietro and Myrenberg and I think that both theme did pretty well in this deal. For the Bruins Studnicka had been a top prospect for some time now but I think it was evident that Studnicka isn’t going to be a consistent top 6 forward in the NHL so they moved him to Vancouver as he was having trouble staying in the lineup this year and with Marchand back and healthy now they needed to move a forward body anyway so instead of risking moving a guy down on waivers they trade him to Vancouver for a few players. Now DiPietro wanted out of Vancouver as he wasn’t getting consistent minutes in the AHL but I think that he should be able to get some playing time with the Bruins AHL affiliate and while maybe not this year but in a year or two he could be a solid 3rd string goalie for Boston, as DiPietro was once viewed as maybe the Canucks future starter but is now going to have to fight to at least be a NHL backup and while I think he could he will definitely have to work at his game and I think that for now the Bruins have a decent 3rd or 4th string goalie for them. As for Myrenberg he was a recent draft selection by the Vancouver Canucks in the 5RD of the 2021 draft and he seems to be a good prospect, now he does seem to have some NHL potential for the Bruins and has done well to start this season putting up 3 points in 11 games with HockeyAllsvenskan and I think in 2-3 years he could definitely challenge for a roster spot in the NHL and his potential could be a 2nd pair defensemen but for now he is a good prospect and in time should be able to help on the Bruins blueline. As for Vancouver they get Studnicka and I think this is a really great pick up for them, as they only gave away a goalie who didn’t want to be there and a decent prospect who is a few years away from being a NHL player to get a decent bottom six forward who has middle six potential. Stud nicks first is cheap as he has a cap hit of $.763 Thousand dollars for this year and next so he is locked up for two seasons before he becomes a RFA, he has done really well in the AHL including having 35 points in 41 games last year but hasn’t been able to transition that to the NHL yet as in only 38 games in parts of the last three seasons and this year he only has 7 NHL points and one goal which isn’t to good but in Vancouver where he can play a bigger role I think he could do better and I think he could end up being a good 3rd line Center for this team and I think if he can find his stride he can still be a good middle six forward in time so while there is definitely some risk with acquiring Studnicka I think the upside outweighs that and I believe with good wingers he should start putting up points much better then he did in Boston and be a huge bottom six contributor. So for now I would say that Vancouver wins this deal as I like Studnicka’s upside especially with the possibility of playing with good wingers and that DiPietro isn’t a NHL goalie right now especially behind Boston’s duo and Myrenberg is still overseas, but I think that if DiPietro can eventually be a good backup and Myrenberg and can play good minutes and Studnicka doesn’t pan out then I could see Boston winning this deal and so for Vancouver wins this deal and I hope Studnicka and DiPietro can do good with a change of scenery.
As for the other deal it was that the Canucks were able to take Bear and Pederson from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for their 5RD a pick in this years draft and I think that the Canucks probably come out on top in this trade too. Now for the Hurricanes they really wanted to get rid of Bear as he had fallen far after last season as he started as a good top 6 defensemen last year in his first season with Carolina but then got Covid and whether he was healthy or not he ended up being scratched to end the season and to start this year he fell far on the depth charts falling to be the 8th defensemen on the depth chart and probably wanted to go somewhere where he would play consistently and the Canes wanted to get rid of his $2.2 Million dollar cap hit so it worked out for both sides. Carolina did retain $.400 Thousand so they were able to clear out $1.8 Million in cap space which they could use later in the season and they were able to get a 5RD pick in return and while I think Bear is worth more then that, with his value so low that was all they were able to get so getting a pick was definitely big for them and it does help getting them another draft pick for the upcoming season. As for the Canucks they are able to get a great defensemen in my opinion who is going to be a welcome addition on the blueline. Now they did have to give up a later round draft pick to Carolina to get Bear but they do have the Rangers 4RD pick for this season so giving up their 5th wasn’t to big of a deal for the Canucks and to get a player like Bear it just made sense. Now the Canucks also got Lane Pederson in the deal and with their depth when healthy I don’t really think he will make much of a impact this year as he has already cleared waivers and hasn’t been called up yet and even though he is on a cheap contract to me with the depth and the fact he has already cleared waivers it makes sense to me that he would be a good AHL player for the Canucks and a strong call up option but I don’t expect him to be a full time NHLer this year, while for Bear I think he will fit in well. Now he is coming in with only a $1.8 Million dollar cap hit after Carolina retained and is a RFA at the end of the season so if he plays well they won’t have to lose him for nothing, and he is also rested as I don’t think we can really take Bear’s time in Carolina well as he didn’t play the second half of last year due to the Canes either wanting to play other players or him dealing with a injury and I think that he feel out of favour this year in Carolina and with Bear not getting any playing time he might’ve wanted to go somewhere where he could play so to go to Vancouver is a big win for him, Bear is still a good puck moving defensemen in my opinion and I think will fit in well, now he hasn’t played since last year so starting him on the third pair may be a smart move for Vancouver to work him up to speed but by the end of the year I could definitely see him be on the 2nd pair and play more like he did in Edmonton then in Carolina. So I think that Vancouver definitely wins this trade as they get a potential 2nd pair defensemen who can put up some good numbers and a depth forward option if their depth is lacking for a 5RD pick and I don’t know maybe the Canes will get a great player with the 5RD pick but ouf Bear fits and sticks longer then this year I say that the Canucks would hands down win this trade.
Here is what has happened with the waiver wire over the past few days.
Cleared Waivers
Minnesota
Dakota Mermis LD/RD (1 year left $.750 Thousand dollars)
New York R
Ben Harpur LD (1 year left $.750 Thousand dollars)
Seattle
Christopher Gibson G (1 year left $.750 Thousand dollars)
Cleared unconditional Waivers
Arizona
Lukas Klok LD (1 year left $.845 Thousand dollars)
Claimed off of Waivers
Kiefer Bellows LW,RW (1 year left $1.2 Million dollars) was placed on Waivers by the Islanders and was claimed by the Flyers.
Analysis: for the players who wound up clearing I am not really surprised they did as Mermis was coming off season opening IR and needed to clear waivers to be sent to the minors and although he is a good depth defensemen I am not sure he is the best defensemen to have on a NHL roster so I am not surprised that he cleared, as for Harpur and Gibson they were depth players who just signed NHL contracts and needed waivers to go to the minors and in Gibson’s case he is at best a 3rd string goalie so no real big surprise that he ended up clearing waivers and I think that Harpur was the most intriguing name of the 3 as he can be a decent 7th defensemen in the NHL but any other team could’ve signed him and didn’t so once again I am not surprised that he cleared, as for Klok he was placed on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a mutual contract termination so with that in mind I am not surprised he cleared as I don’t think to many teams would want a player who wants to terminate his contract so no surprise there, and Bellows being claimed is definitely not a shock to me, Bellows hasn’t had the best opportunity with the Isles but I think that in the right system he could be a pretty good 3rd line forward and I thought that a team with depth issues or dealing with injuries would definitely be interested in him and Philly has both as they will get him more of a opportunity to be a good bottom six forward and Philly could use a good young body like Bellows in the lineup so no surprise that he was claimed and I can’t wait to see who will be the next waiver claim.
Here is a list of all the NHL signings that have happened between OCT 21st and OCT 27th.
Metro
Atlantic
Center Mark Kastelic and the Ottawa Senators have come to terms on a 2 year contact extension that will carry a AAV of $.835 Thousand dollars and the deal is 1 way. Kastelic has been a pretty good prospect for the Senators as he was able to get into some game action last season putting 2 goals and 4 points in 16 NHL games but also had 28 points in 64 AHL games and has been a pretty good 4th line Center for Ottawa so far this season putting up 2 goals in 7 games and with Norris injured he could be a decent 3rd line Center which I also think is he’s potential as I think he could eventually be a consistent 3rd line Center for the Senators so for the time being I think that this contract is great for both sides involved and Kastelic should continue to be a good bottom six forward for the Senators.
Pacific
Central
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