Hawks willing to take on bad contracts, Yotes to be 3rd party brokers, and Panthers willing to move Reinhart/Bennett, plus some more waiver updates.

Here is my latest blog post as today I give my opinion on some recent Waiver news, and a few recent trade rumours involving the Panthers and Bennett/Reinhart, as well as the Coyotes and Blackhawks. 

Sam Navarro USA Today Sports

Reinhart and/or Bennett could be moved by the Florida Panthers.

Now the Panthers are not in a good position right now as they are 5 points out of a playoff spot and aren’t doing as well as last year when they were one of the best teams in the NHL and some are speculating that they could move some players before the deadline or in the offseason and Bennett and Reinhart are two names to watch. Now Frank Seravalli suggested that the Panthers who have no done overly well this year especially compared to last year when the won the presidents trophy and thinks that their goal for the trade deadline might be to give them as much space as they can for the summer and he does wonder if they may be willing to move one or both of Reinhart or Bennett. Now the Panthers are not in a playoff spot right now and are actually a couple points back of one and haven’t looked good and did lose a lot in the offseason and even though they may have gotten better up front with Tkachuk, they did lose a key piece on the backend in Mackenzie Weegar and his loss has really hurt the team so re-working this roster should be a top priority for the Panthers in the offseason and already have a lot of cap coming off the book (Hornqvist’s $5.3 and Radko Gudas $2.5 Million dollar cap hits expire in the offseason and they get $5.3 Million in space with some of the dead cap coming off the book) and will give them for now just over 13 million in cap space and maybe moving a Reinhart or Bennett will help them get even more cap space. We know they may still need to send someone away with Duclair nearing a return and Hornqvist still possibly being back before the season ends and we already talked about the Panthers possibly moving Bennett to offset the cap, now Bennet has this year plus 2 more seasons at a cap hit of $4.43 Million and has been a huge offensive weapon since coming over from Calgary for Florida as he even had a career season last year putting up a career high 28 goals and a career high 49 points in 71 games and this year is doing well again putting up 9 goals and 27 points in 44 games and I think there would definitely be interest in Bennett as he has shown he can be a really good 2nd line Center for the Panthers and as much he has for in really well with the Panthers they do have a young center in Anton Lundell who I think could easily step into the 2nd line Center role and they have enough depth to make do without Bennett so I definitely feel like Bennett could be a guy who is move in the not to distance future and if I was Florida I would definitely consider moving him if they can get a good enough return as they don’t have much draft capital (no 1RD pick for the next 3 seasons thanks to the Chiarot, Giroux and Tkachuk trades) and increasing their draft capital would be a huge win, as for Reinhart I think it would be a little more surprising if he was traded but I could also see them doing it, Reinhart has this year and next on his contract at a $6.5 Million dollar cap hit and he will be a UFA next offseason but after showing how good of a top 6 forward he is in Buffalo he upped his production in his first year with the Panthers as he was able to put up over a point per game last year smashing his previous career high of 65 points as he got 33 goals and 82 points in 78 games playing a majority of the games on the 3rd line but this year playing mostly in the top six he has only put up 13 goals and 29 points in 44 games and hasn’t looked as good as last year and I think his cap would make a trade hard but given how well he did last year I think there would definitely be some teams interested and I think if they were to consider trading him they could get a good package in return but for now I think that possibility is less likely and I think Bennett has a strong possibility to be moved before the deadline especially if Florida can’t find ways to win and I think Reinhart could be moved but more likely in the offseason as get some more cap space could help Florida re-work their atrocious blueline and make them a more complete team next year so I think both players but especially Bennett are going to be interesting names to watch over the next couple weeks.

Arizona could look to take on salary cap as a third party broker.

Arizona is looking to move a lot of players over the next month and a half but they are right against the cap floor and may need to take some salary in to balance the outgoing money and that has made them also willing to be third party brokers if a team needs it. Now Frank Seravalli was discussing a couple of teams who could wind up being third party brokers before the deadline and said that Arizona may have to get in on the action given their tight cap situation. Now unlike most teams in the NHL right now the Coyotes aren’t close to the max cap and actually have a lot of cap space but could actually have too much cap space right now as they currently have $64.27 Million dollars in cap space and the cap floor is $61 Million so they are only $3.27 above the cap floor right now and they have some significant contracts that they are looking to move before the deadline this year as Chychrun alone who is speculated to be a big possible trade chip for Arizona prior to the deadline has a cap hit of $4.6 Million so just moving him out would put them $1.33 Million under the cap floor and then there has also been talk about them possibly moving Vejmelka who has a $2.73 Million dollar cap hit, and even if they were to retain 50% of Gostisbehere and Ritchie’s contracts before they move them those two would still take a combined $3.5 off of the cap for Arizona so if they were to move just these guys they would go about $7.56 Million dollars under the cap floor so being a third party broker may allow them to make some of these trades without having to go under the salary cap and retaining some salary could get them a 3rd or 4th round pick for their services as well which would help the Coyotes future and some players who have really high cap hits who could be moved like maybe Kane or Toews in Chicago or maybe even Karlsson in San Jose could be players the Coyotes target to retain salary and as we have seen before the Coyotes are also open to getting some bad contracts for some picks and prospects to make the team better for the future so I definitely think the Coyotes are a interesting team to keep our eye on for the next few weeks as if there is a team out there that needs some cap space they may be willing to make a move with Arizona to free up cap space for some picks and prospects.

 Chicago willing to take on bad contracts. 

Chicago is in the first year of their rebuild and following Arizona’s example to sell off as much prices as they can but on top of that they may also be willing to take on some bad contracts from other teams. Now the Blackhawks are another team to add to the list of teams willing to take on bad contracts as Frank Seravalli has said that the Hawks have told other teams they are willing to take on some bad contracts that other teams don’t want in exchange for some picks and prospects. Now Chicago is currently well above the cap floor and are just starting their rebuild but the Hawks are most likely going to try to move on from Kane and Toews and Athanasiou before the deadline as those three are all on expiring deals and the Hawks would most likely want to get what they can and even though the Hawks are currently $15.68 Million above the cap, trading Kane and Toews even as 50% retained and Athanasiou would combined get $13.5 Million dollars off their books and make the team only $2.1 above the cap floor and they are also willing to trade guys like Jake McCabe and Max Domi, although Domi does want to remain with the Hawks beyond this season but if those two are moved that’s another $7 Million dollars coming off their books and would put them under the salary cap floor so to stay above the cap floor they could take on a bad contract or two to keep themselves in a good position cap wise and I think the Coyotes showed how to do this best as a couple offseasons ago they got Gostisbehere, Ladd and Stralman as well as 4 2RD picks, a 3RD, a 7RD and V.Kolyachonok in exchange for 1 7RD pick and since have got a 2RD pick for taking on Ritchie’s contract, we’re given a 2RD and 3RD pick as well as moving up 4 spots in the 2022 draft to take on Kassian’s contract from Edmonton and we’re given a 2RD and 3RD pick from NYR to take on Nemeth’s contract and the Coyotes are now stockpiled with picks and prospects and should continue to get more, so if Chicago can start doing something like that they should be doing good and they already started earlier in the year getting a 2RD pick from Vancouver to take on Jason Dickinson’s contract so I think it would be smart for Chicago to utilize the cap in such a way that they can improve this team for the future and some bad contracts they could look to take on could maybe be, Josh Bailey from the Islanders who has this year and next at $5 Million, Kasperi Kapanen in Pittsburgh who has a $3.2 Million dollar cap hit for this year and next, Foegele or Puljujarvi in Edmonton as Puljujarvi has this year at $3 Million and Foegele has this and next year at $2.7 Million, Zaitsev in Ottawa who has $4 Million dollars for this year and next, Smith or Foligno in Boston as both are in the final year of their deals, Smith making $3.1 while Foligno is making $3.8 and maybe OEL in Vancouver if they can convince Chicago as he has this year and 4 more seasons at $7.26 and I know OEL is a bit out there but if Vancouver sweetens the deal then maybe Chicago would consider but I definitely think the Hawks picking up a bad contract or two in the near future would help them get players for possibly next year and keep them above the cap floor while getting some picks and prospects for the future so I definitely think the Blackhawks should pursue taking on bad contracts to get them some more really good quality assets. 

Here is what has happened with the waiver wire from DEC 20th to JAN 4th.

Cleared Waivers 

New Jersey 

Andreas Johnsson LW, RW (1 year left $3.4 Million dollars)

Philadelphia

Max Willman LW (1 year left $.750 Thousand dollars)

Buffalo

Lawrence Pilut LD (1 year left $.750 Thousand dollars)

Winnipeg 

Jansen Harkins LW,C (2 years left $.850 Thousand dollars)

Detroit 

Jakub Vrana LW (2 years left $5.25 Million dollars)

Analysis: so there was definitely a couple of big significant names that were placed on waivers just after the holiday break and while all of them did clear I am a bit surprised that a couple names weren’t claimed. Now to start with is the Sabres Lawrence Pilut and while he is a okay depth defender I didn’t really believe he was going to generate enough interest to be claimed. Now Pilut was a undrafted free agent who signed with the Sabres back a few years ago and played 2 seasons with Buffalo splitting time between the NHL and AHL those two years getting into 46 NHL games and putting up 1 goal and 6 points and was really productive in the AHL putting up 10 goals and 49 points in 67 AHL games but didn’t feel he was getting enough opportunity so he went overseas to play in the KHL and did pretty well in his 2 seasons in the KHL and finally this past offseason he decided to make a return to NHL action and signed a 1 year league minimum deal to return with Buffalo this year and he’s done well so far having a goal and 3 points in 17 NHL games this season but the Sabres do have a very deep defence this year and while he is a okay defender he has only been called up when the Sabres have had injury trouble so him being placed on waivers wasn’t too surprising and I think there was a small chance that if a team who has weak blueline depth or was dealing with some injuries could’ve maybe taken him I thought he would’ve probably cleared and he did, so now he will probably go to the minors and try to improve his stock and try to get another chance in the NHL. Now with Willman he is a okay depth player who was up with the team when they had some injury trouble and I don’t think it is too much of a surprise that Willman was placed on waivers or even too much of a surprise that he cleared. Now Willman has gotten some NHL action over the past two seasons as he made his NHL debut last year and got into 41 games in the NHL putting up 4 goals and 6 points and did pretty well as a depth call up and was also a pretty good AHL player as well putting up 11 goals and 19 points in 34 games and this year he once again started in the minors but after the Flyers ran into some injury troubles he was called back up and he got into 9 NHL games and didn’t record a point before being sent back down after he was placed on waivers and I didn’t think he was going to be claimed as he is a good depth forward especially as a call up option if there are injuries but I still think he is more of a AHL forward right now and I didn’t see many teams taking a chance on him so he has been sent back to the minors and will have to continue to play well in the AHL to hopefully get called back up soon by Philly. 

Now for Harkins it isn’t the first time he has been placed on waivers this year and I don’t think it is too surprising given the fact that the Jets have recently got a whole bunch more healthy then they have been all year. Now Harkins has been a really good bottom six forward over the past few seasons for the Jets as he got into a few games a couple of years ago but really took some great steps last year when he played in 77 games (mostly on the 4th line) and had a career year putting up 7 goals and 13 points and it really did seem like he could maybe take another step this year but the Jets got a couple of good bottom six forwards like Gagner and Maenalanen and Harkins started the year in the minors but really excelled there and with the Jets becoming banged up he was called back to the NHL and was able to get into 22 games putting up 3 goals and 5 points  and has seemed to do really good in the Jets bottom six but with the team becoming a lot more healthier then any point earlier in the year they placed him on waivers and I thought that a team might wind up claiming him as he has showed how good of a bottom six forward he is but he also has next year on his contract which I think would be the reason some teams didn’t claim him and in the end he did clear so he will be in the minors and should try to continue to show he should get another NHL opportunity. Now for Johnsson it was also the second time he was placed on waivers and I don’t really think that many teams would want to take him on with the way he is playing right now. Now Johnsson started out his career quite well as in his first full season with the Maple Leafs he had 43 points in 73 games and look like he could be a solid top 9 forward for the Maple Leafs but then the next year he didn’t do too well putting up 21 points in 43 games and then due to their cap problems the Maple Leafs moved him to the Devils and in his first year with New Jersey he didn’t do much having less points in more games then the year prior but last year he really showed how good of a middle six forward he could be by putting up 13 goals and 35 points just shy of his career high in 71 games so he rebounded quite nicely last year, but after a good offseason of adding some good piece to their forward group Johnsson fell down the deapth charts and was placed on waivers before the season started and has been called up a couple times but at that point needed waivers to go back down so he was placed on waivers for the second time this season and I think that even though he has had a up and down last few seasons and he is still a pretty bottom six forward, he hasn’t been producing to well and he has a pretty high cap hit at $3.4 which would be quite high for a bottom six forward so I can see why he cleared waivers and no one claimed him and I think that he will go to the minors where he is a point per game right now and try to build up his confidence for possibly another chance later in the year to get back to the NHL. And as for Vrana he was probably the most surprising person on waivers over this time frame as he is a big name and it was absolutely shocking to see him on waivers. Now Vrana is a good middle six forward and he came into the league with the Capitals and showed his great potential early on with the Caps but it was the 18-19 and 19-20 seasons where he finally broke out as he was able to get 47 points in 82 games in 18-19 and 52 points in 69 games in the 19-20 season and after that year the Capitals would use him as part of a trade package to get Mantha from Washington and he had a good season that year putting up 25 points in 39 games and then went to Detroit where he put up a point per game pace having 11 points in 11 games and looked like he fit in well but last year he was riddled with injuries and only got into 26 games but did great in those games putting up 13 goals and 19 points but also ran into injuries this year only getting into two NHL games putting up 2 points and it seems hat even though he has dealt with a lot of injuries over the past few years he didn’t look to well in his short AHL stint and the Red Wings didn’t want to take a roster spot from one of the good young players on that team so they placed him on waivers and I think there were definitely at least a handful of teams to have some interest in Vrana on waivers especially with his lethal goal scoring abilities but I believe there were two reasons that he wound up clearing, 1 was that he still has this year plus one more season on his contract and 2 is that his cap hit is pretty high at $5.25 Million dollars and given the fact that almost no team has that much cap space and they probably couldn’t clear that much before the next day and they would be stuck with him next year as well and I know that some teams are probably not to fond of that so when one thinks of all these factors I don’t think it is too surprising that Vrana wound up clearing and I think it may be the end for Vrana in Detroit if he can’t get his game up but for the time being Vrana will go to the AHL and try to show he still has what it takes to be a very good and productive middle six forward in the NHL.