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Deadline Primer: Vancouver Canucks

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With the trade deadline now just days away, we continue to take a closer look at each team. Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?

It has been a strange season for the Vancouver Canucks.  Early on, they were a popular pick to finish near the bottom of the standings but were hovering near a postseason spot for a good chunk of the year.  Now, they have several players potentially dealing with the mumps.  They’ve fallen back recently and as a result, are likely to make a handful of moves over the next few days.

Record

26-29-6, 6th in Pacific Division

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$0 ($2.4MM with LTIR) – full-season cap hit, 46/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Draft Picks

2017: VAN 1st, VAN 2nd, VAN 3rd, VAN 4th, VAN 7th
2018: VAN 1st, VAN 2nd, VAN 3rd, VAN 4th, VAN 5th, VAN 6th, VAN 7th

Trade Chips

Jan 23, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Vancouver Canucks right wing Jannik Hansen (36) skates with the puck against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period at the CONSOL Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY SportsFor starters, GM Jim Benning will be looking to get something in return for his pending unrestricted free agents and has approached his players with no-trade clauses to see where they may be willing to go.  Unfortunately for them, they’re only likely to receive interest in two or three rental players; their other expiring UFAs are mostly depth players that contending teams already have in their system.

Many expect that right winger Jannik Hansen will draw some interest even though he’s not eligible for free agency until 2018.  He’s someone that’s right on the borderline of being protected for June’s expansion draft and as a result, the Canucks could move him now.  He has an eight team trade list that was submitted to the team earlier this week and is affordable with a cap hit of just $2.5MM.  Defenseman Ben Hutton has also been thought of as a possibility to move and his exemption from the expansion draft (plus a reasonable bridge deal starting next season) should result in some trade suitors although he has now been isolated from the team due to potential mumps symptoms.

2014 first round pick Jake Virtanen could also be one to watch.  He has struggled at both the NHL and AHL levels this season and is someone that could potentially use a change of scenery.  However, Vancouver would be selling low on the 20 year old and there’s no indication that the team has completely given up on him yet.

Five Players To Watch For: W Alexandre Burrows, RW Jannik Hansen, D Ben Hutton, D Philip Larsen, G Ryan Miller

Team Needs

1) Scoring Help – Vancouver is the second lowest scoring team in the conference in terms of goals per game and the same thing can be said for their AHL affiliate in Utica.  (To make matters worse, several of their top scorers in the minors are minor league veterans instead of prospects.)  While the Canucks aren’t going to be in the market for established players who will help them until the offseason, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them target some AHL forwards that they could give an NHL look to down the stretch (or at the very least bolster the playoff hopes of the Comets in the minors).

2) Draft Picks – As things stand, the Canucks just have five draft picks as a result of deals for Larsen and Emerson Etem made last year.  This comes on the heels of a draft where they had just two selections in the first four rounds.  It’s widely believed that the team needs to rebuild but in order to do that, they need to replenish their draft picks.  Vancouver doesn’t have the trade pieces to bring in a first rounder over the next few days but they should be able to add at least two or three more selections in the upcoming draft which is at least a good start.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Atlantic Notes: Sheahan, Ullmark, Lightning, Galchenyuk

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While many are keeping an eye on Detroit’s pending unrestricted free agents as potential players to be moved as rentals by Wednesday’s trade deadline, center Riley Sheahan is drawing some interest from Toronto, reports Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos (video link).  It’s not entirely surprising that the Leafs have some interest as head coach Mike Babcock is certainly familiar with Sheahan from his days behind Detroit’s bench.

To say that Sheahan has underachieved this season would be a big understatement.  Through 58 games, the 25 year old is still looking for his first goal while he has collected just nine assists.  Needless to say, the Wings would be selling low if they were to move Sheahan and there’s no indication they’re willing to do so just yet.  The center has one year left on his contract after this one with a cap hit of $2.075MM.

More from the Atlantic Division:

  • The Sabres announced that they have recalled goaltender Linus Ullmark from Rochester of the AHL. It’s the fifth time this season that Buffalo has summoned him but he has yet to see NHL action so far.  At the minor league level, he has a 20-20-2 record with a 2.90 GAA and a .910 SV% in 42 appearances.  It’s believed he’ll dress as the backup in place of Robin Lehner who was shaken up against the Avalanche on Saturday.
  • A trio of young Tampa Bay forwards in Vladislav Namestnikov, J.T. Brown, and Cedric Paquette are all wild cards heading into the deadline for the Lightning, suggests Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. He notes that all three are unlikely to be protected for June’s expansion draft as things stand and as a result, GM Steve Yzerman could elect to move one to avoid the possibility of losing that player for nothing to Vegas.  Doing so would also free up a bit more money for next season as each player is already under contract for 2017-18 and every dollar will count for Tampa in the offseason with key players such as forwards Jonathan Drouin, Tyler Johnson, and Ondrej Palat all needing new deals.
  • One player who is likely to benefit from Montreal’s recent coaching change is center Alex Galchenyuk, Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe opines. The scribe notes how new head coach Claude Julien was able to improve the defensive game of several Bruins forwards and if he can do the same here, the youngster should have a chance to play more down the stretch.  Despite being second on the Canadiens in points per game, Galchenyuk has actually seen his ice time cut compared to the last two seasons, in part due to his struggles at the defensive end.  The 23 year old is slated to be a restricted free agent with arbitration eligibility in the offseason and will likely seek a long-term deal, a strong finish to the year would go a long way towards landing that contract.

Latest From Garrioch: Hanzal, Bishop, Shattenkirk, Defensemen

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There remain five or six teams in the hunt for Arizona center Martin Hanzal, reports Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun.  Among the teams that are still interested are Minnesota, Montreal, Nashville, Ottawa, and San Jose.  Because there are still this many suitors for him, GM John Chayka’s asking price remains quite high with a package that still includes a first round pick, a prospect, and potentially a third piece as well.  Unless someone blinks in the next day or two, this situation could be one that goes right down to the wire.

As always, Garrioch has plenty of other tidbits for trade talk around the league.  The full column is worth a look but here are a few other highlights:

  • Although Tampa Bay goalie Ben Bishop is believed to be in play, several league executives believe he won’t be dealt by the deadline as they would prefer to just go after him in the summer in free agency and not have to give up any assets that way. Something that will also likely present a challenge is his $5.95MM cap hit which is something that many teams aren’t able to absorb in its entirety.  If the Lightning have to retain to get a deal done, they could conceivably hold on to him and hope for a late season run; Tampa Bay is six points out of the last Wild Card spot with a game in hand on Boston.
  • A pair of top teams in the East have expressed an interest in St. Louis blueliner Kevin Shattenkirk as the Penguins and Capitals have both held talks with Blues GM Doug Armstrong. It’s not likely that either team would view him as more than a rental player but given the report earlier this week that three teams have had deals fall through after being unable to come to terms on a contract extension, it’s looking more and more likely that Shattenkirk will be moved as a rental.  He’ll be a big help offensively wherever he goes as he sits fourth in the league in points by a defenseman.
  • Still on the blueline, the Sabres have moved into sell mode despite also being six points out of the final playoff spot. As a result, a pair of blueliners are likely to garner considerable interest in Dmitry Kulikov and Cody Franson.  There’s also a belief that Dallas defender Johnny Oduya, who is slated to return to the lineup, could wind up going back to Chicago although Garrioch notes that Montreal could also be a possibility.  Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin is quite familiar with Oduya from his days with the Blackhawks and the team continues to look for defensive help.

Snapshots: Big Read, Miller, Suspensions

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If you’ve ever wondered how deadline deals come together now that front offices have to go through so many obstacles to make a trade, you’re in luck. Salary caps, international scouting and forced parity are all discussed in Sportsnet’s latest “Big Read” by Gare Joyce. In a piece that goes in detail with two GMs, a scout, an agent and NHL lawyer, fans are brought into a world that is usually closed off to the general public.

I’ve never made or even tried to make a deal face-to-face with another GM. The idea that it’s something that we’ve kicked around at GMs’ meetings or talked about at games—it just doesn’t happen…when you’re making the call, just by making it, you’re telling another GM, ‘I don’t think your team is going to make the playoffs.’

The story reveals some interesting tidbits, like how many deadline deals are actually agreed to in principal weeks prior, only to not be put through to give the buyer some time to make sure his team is still in the hunt come March 1st. All these people will be extremely busy over the next few days, as teams finalize their rosters for the stretch run.

  • Larry Brooks of the New York Post reveals that almost every discussion the New York Rangers are in start with some mention of J.T. Miller—which is a non-starter unless a superstar is involved. At just 23-years old, Miller is already the leading scorer on a very deep New York Rangers team and is on the cusp of becoming a household name in the NHL. Playing on both special teams and dominating at even strength, the Rangers would be crazy to deal him.
  • The AHL has handed down a pair of suspensions, to Greger Hanson and Kurtis Gabriel. Binghamton Senators forward Hanson sent Toronto Marlies player Brett Findlay head first into the boards on Friday, resulting in a boarding penalty and a two-game suspension. Hanson has spent most of the season in the ECHL, and is actually on his fourth minor league team of the year. Gabriel has been suspended indefinitely pending a review of the brawl that continued off the ice on Saturday between the Iowa Wild and Chicago Wolves. Gabriel—who ended up knocked out from a devastating punch—was the one who incited the fight as both players were heading to their respective dressing rooms.

Sunday Waivers: Dalpe, Pulkkinen, Carter, McKegg

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As we get ready for the final few days before the March 1st trade deadline, the Minnesota Wild have waived several players according to Renaud Levoie of TVA Sports. Today they placed Zac Dalpe, Teemu Pulkkinen and the newly signed Ryan Carter on waivers. Florida also placed forward Greg McKegg on waivers, after 31 fairly ineffective games this season.

Dalpe is on his way to Minnesota after returning from a meniscus injury suffered earlier this year, and has been placed on waivers to reset his clock as Michael Russo of the Star Tribune explains. The 27-year old forward is a former second round pick that has never quite found his way in the NHL despite performing well in the minor leagues. Recalled mostly as insurance for the next three games, he’ll provide some center depth over the next few days.

Russo also opines that Pulkkinen was placed on waivers as a type of memo to the league that he is available, though after playing just nine games in the NHL the league probably already knew that. The elite AHL scorer has never been able to make an impact at the NHL, mostly because of his skating ability. That quarter-step behind that is the difference between the two leagues often puts Pulkkinen behind the play, though he has been given very few chances to adapt, shuffled between the two leagues often throughout his career. Perhaps a rebuilding team will take a look at him before the deadline and let him play the rest of the season in the NHL to try and make the adjustments necessary.

McKegg has been a disappointment since being acquired for Zach Hyman in 2015. While the Maple Leafs have installed Hyman on their top line riding shotgun with Auston Matthews, the Panthers have been less enthralled with their player, giving him very little icetime and even sending him to the minors at times. The Leafs also received a seventh-round pick in that trade, making it even more painful for Panthers fans every time they see Hyman’s name on a scoresheet. McKegg will likely have to find his game again at the AHL level before getting another shot with the NHL club.

Deadline Primer: Pittsburgh Penguins

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With the trade deadline now just weeks away, we’re going to start taking a closer look at each team.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?

The defending Stanley Cup champions are aiming to be the first team to win two in a row since the Red Wings did so in the late 1990s. However, their quest to repeat will be hampered by injuries and a severe lack of cap space. Captain Sidney Crosby is dominating, leading the NHL in goals with 34 and second only to Connor McDavid in points, despite playing in eight fewer games. GM Jim Rutherford has a goaltending controversy on his hands, but appears comfortable waiting until the summer to deal with it.

Record

38-14-8, 2nd in the Metropolitan Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

Current cap space: $0
Deadline cap space: $0
LTIR: $4.495MM
45/50 contracts, via CapFriendly

Draft Picks

2017: PIT 1st, PIT 3rd, PIT4th, OTT 5th*, PIT 5th, PIT 6th, PIT 7th
2018: PIT 1st, PIT 2nd, PIT 3rd, PIT 4th, PIT 5th, PIT 6th, PIT 7th

* The Penguins acquired Ottawa’s fifth round pick back in November for Mike Condon. Condon played just one game for the Penguins after they claimed him off waivers from the Canadiens to cover for an injury to Matt Murray.

Trade Chips

The Penguins have already traded their second round pick to acquire Ron Hainsey from the Hurricanes. They could also be willing to move their first round pick in a weak draft to bolster their lineup, but they would need to send money out in almost any deal made. In addition to draft picks, the Penguins could trade someone like Derrick Pouliot. The young defenseman has struggled to earn a permanent slot in the Penguins lineup, and would be of interest to building teams.

Of course, Rutherford could take the nuclear option and trade Marc-Andre Fleury. It would clear $5.75MM off their cap, in addition to the player(s) coming back. While Rutherford has said he would prefer to wait until the summer to make a goaltending move, he has also said what he does will depend on how Fleury feels.

Player To Watch

G Marc-Andre Fleury, D Derrick Pouliot

Team Needs

1) Goaltending clarity – The Penguins will need to make some kind of move in the blue paint before the expansion draft. Because Fleury has a no-move clause (NMC), he must be protected; that would leave Murray vulnerable, and Vegas would need to be heavily bribed not to select him. Instead, expect the Penguins to either convince Fleury to agree to a trade now or before the expansion draft, or at worst to waive his NMC and head to Vegas. The Penguins could make a move now and acquire a goaltender in return for Fleury to maintain their depth, but improve their roster elsewhere. Despite below-average numbers this season, Fleury still has value. What Rutherford needs to determine is whether Fleury has more value on the bench during the playoffs or in a trade.

2) Good health – The Penguins have a solid defensive core and three of the best offensive players in the game. While they can’t acquire “health” at the deadline, they can improve their overall depth to fight back against injuries. Look for a few minor additions from Rutherford to boost the depth of their roster as they prepare for another long playoff run.

Snapshots: Carter, Crawford, Faulk

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The Minnesota Wild have signed forward Ryan Carter to a one-year, two-way contract, according to Michael Russo of the Star Tribune. The deal is worth a pro-rated $575K at the NHL level and $250K in the AHL.

Carter had major shoulder surgery in October to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Many believed this was it for the 33-year-old left winger due to his age and the seriousness of  his injury. Carter has been skating with the Wild for the better part of a month, and told Dane Mizutani of TwinCities.com that he couldn’t give up his career without at least trying to come back.

“I wanted to be a part of it, and for awhile it hurt a little bit that I wasn’t a part of it. It’s good to be here now.”

Carter was reportedly in talks with the Wild for the past month, and last week signed a Professional Try-Out (PTO) with the Iowa Wild of the AHL. He is without a point in three appearances with the AHL club.

In a related news item, the Wild have recalled center Zac Dalpe from Iowa. The big forward has three points in nine games with the Wild this season, and two goals in 12 games with their AHL affiliate.

  • The Chicago Blackhawks will be without starting goaltender Corey Crawford when they take on the St. Louis Blues this afternoon, according to Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune. Crawford is battling an illness and won’t be able to dress. Coach Joel Quenneville told the media that Crawford does not have the mumps. Chris Hine, also from the Tribune, quoted Quenneville as saying that Lars Johansson will likely get the emergency call up from Rockford to backup Scott Darling.
  • The venerable Postmedia reporter Jim Matheson reported that Hurricanes defenseman Justin Faulk is in play at the trade deadline. Faulk is having a poor year with 25 points (just one assist in his last six games), but has a history of being a point-producing defenseman. Matheson cites the play of Jaccob Slavin, Brett Pesce, and Noah Hanifin as the reason that Faulk is on the market. The Hurricanes would be need a young center in return, Matheson believes. Despite the fact that plenty of teams would be interested in Faulk even though he’s having a poor season, any potential deal may have to wait until after the season; Faulk makes $4.83MM and has three years left on his contract after this season.

Brandon Manning To Meet With Player Safety

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The Philadelphia Flyers lost to their biggest rivals in the latest outdoor game, and now may be without one of their top-six defensemen after a late hit in Saturday night’s game.

NHL Player Safety announced that Brandon Manning will have a hearing on Monday morning for his hit on Penguins rookie Jake Guentzel. Early in the second period, Manning hit Guentzel high and late after the young Penguin used his skate to deflect a pass up ice to Sidney Crosby (link to video on Sportsnet’s YouTube page). Guentzel did not see Manning coming, as he was watching the play move up the ice. The hit came approximately two seconds after Guentzel was no longer in possession of the puck. It appeared that Manning had stepped up to throw an open-ice hit, but the puck was moved faster than he anticipated, making his hit interference. Guentzel was not injured on the play.

There was no penalty called on the play, however NHL Player Safety referred to the play as interference in their tweet. Manning has no prior history of supplemental discipline, so while this will probably lead to a suspension, it likely won’t be very long.

The Penguins defeated the Flyers 4-2 at Heinz Field. Guentzel finished the game with a pair of assists, giving him 14 points in 23 games played this season. Manning was held off the scoresheet, save for a holding penalty late in the second.

Stars Activate Johnny Oduya From IR

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After missing 15 straight games, it looks like Stars defenseman Johnny Oduya is set to rejoin his team. Mark Stepneski of the Stars official website tweeted that the team has activated their alternate captain from the injured reserve.

Oct 13, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Stars defenseman Johnny Oduya (47) in action during the game against the Anaheim Ducks at the American Airlines Center. The Stars defeat the Ducks 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Oduya was originally placed on the injured reserve with a lower-body injury in mid-January. The 35-year-old has battled ailments throughout his second season in Dallas, and those injuries have clearly played a role in his production. In 36 games, Oduya has only recorded one goal and six assists, as a well as an underwhelming 20 hits. Still, as our own Zach Leach pointed out, the veteran is a very useful piece for the youthful Stars defense, and they’ve clearly struggled without their leader on the ice. In the 15 games that Oduya has missed, the Stars have limped to a 5-10 record.

With the trade deadline approaching, the defender could actually be on the move, as our own Brian La Rose wrote earlier this month. The player is in the final year of a two-year, $7.5MM deal, and his $3.75MM cap hit certainly isn’t impossible to trade. Oduya could provide some veteran leadership to a team seeking defensive reinforcement. On the flip side, Dallas is still within striking distance of that second Western Conference wild card spot.

Morning Transactions: Panthers, Islanders, Capitals

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Assorted transactions from around the league this morning…

  • The Panthers have recalled forward Denis Malgin from the AHL, tweets Harvey Fialkov of the Sun Sentinel. The 2015 fourth-round pick made his NHL debut earlier this season. The 20-year-old ultimately played in 39 games for the Panthers, collecting four goals and four assists. In 15 games with Springfield, Malgin compiled three goals and nine assists.
  • Islanders winger Bracken Kearns has been returned on loan to the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the team announced (via Twitter). The veteran was called up to the NHL last week, and he didn’t collect a single point in two games. In 51 games with Bridgeport this season, the 35-year-old has 18 goals and 22 assists. Kearns joined the organization last season following several years with San Jose and Florida.
  • The Capitals have re-assigned forward Riley Barber and defenseman Aaron Ness to the Hershey Bears of the AHL, the team announced. Barber made his NHL debut the other night, and he finished with zero points in two games. In 18 games with the Bears, the 23-year-old collected seven goals and four assists. Meanwhile, Ness has played 10 career games for the Capitals, registering a pair of assists. The 2008 second-round pick has five career points in 39 games with the Islanders and Capitals.

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