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Blues Notes: Ribeiro, Hitchcock, Johnson, Armstrong

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The Blues may be one of the more interesting teams leading up to the trade deadline. The team has talent, but has underachieved this year and is battling just to make the postseason as a wild card. St. Louis took the surprising step of firing highly-respected head coach Ken Hitchcock, who had already announced he was retiring following the 2016-17 season, but more changes could be on the way.

Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch hosted his weekly chat with Blues fans today and tackled several queries regarding what steps the team might take next. It goes without saying but the whole post is well worth your time. Regardless, here’s a compilation of a few of the highlights:

  • Rutherford has long suggested the Blues need help at the center position and with Mike Ribeiro hitting the waiver wire today, one reader wondered whether St. Louis would take a chance on the talented pivot. While Ribeiro has a solid track record of offensive production, Rutherford just doesn’t see the soon-to-be-37-year-old as a fit for the Blues, citing the fact he has been a healthy scratch in Nashville on several occasions this season. Ribeiro does have 25 points in 46 games this season but only four goals. It’s likely the Predators sought potential trade partners prior to waiving Ribeiro and it would seem there wasn’t much interest. It’s possible someone besides St. Louis in need of center help will take a chance given the pivot is in the final season of his contract and wouldn’t come with much risk as a result. He did register a 50-point campaign in 2015-16 and tallied 62 the season before, suggesting he might still be able to help a team offensively.
  • The scribe also addressed whether Hitchcock’s name might come up in connection with the Las Vegas head coaching job. Rutherford is of the impression the veteran bench boss wouldn’t be “keen” on the idea and while he doesn’t specify as to why, it’s possible that the 65-year-old is simply at a point in his career where he wouldn’t want to take on the challenge of building an expansion franchise from the ground up. However, despite the fact he was set to retire after the 2016-17 season, many in the industry have said they wouldn’t be surprised to see Hitch back in the league at some point.
  • The Blues and Lightning have been linked as potential trading partners, given St. Louis’ issues in goal and the possible availability of pending free agent netminder Ben Bishop. However, Rutherford has heard that the Blues have interest in another Tampa Bay player: center Tyler Johnson. Johnson would make a ton of sense for the Blues. The team likely still fancies themselves as Stanley Cup contenders – if not necessarily this year – and a hypothetical deal for Johnson not only addresses a weakness now but would add a talented player who can be controlled as a RFA beyond the current campaign. Rutherford doesn’t specify what Tampa Bay would want in return but it’s safe to say a top-four defenseman would have to be part of the discussion.
  • Lastly, Rutherford’s colleague with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Jesus Ortiz, argues that the Blues “fired the wrong guy” when they dismissed Hitchcock. Ortiz is of the belief the team should instead have given GM Doug Armstrong his walking papers. He points to the hiring of Mike Yeo as “head-coach-in-waiting” as potentially undermining the authority of the veteran bench boss. In the press conference following the firing, Armstrong made a reference to “independent contractors,” when describing some of the players on the team and it’s fair to wonder if that condition is related to the team’s overall approach to the handling of the coaching situation. Ortiz also suggests that allowing Troy Brouwer and David Backes to depart as free agents hurt the team both on the ice and from a leadership perspective. Additionally, the team’s decision to trade goalie Brian Elliott and install Jake Allen as the undisputed #1 seems to have backfired. Hitchcock has long been able to coax above-average play between the pipes due in large part to his strong defensive structure. That hasn’t been the case this season as each of the team’s goalies, Allen and Carter Hutton, has a S% below 0.900. However, it should be noted that Elliott is also struggling in Calgary, and there is no guarantee he would have duplicated his success from last season had he remained with the Blues.

Friedman’s Latest: Bishop, Kulikov, Dadonov, Shipachev

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Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman posted the latest installment of his “30 Thoughts” feature and as usual, it’s replete with interesting tidbits. The whole piece is well worth a read in full but here are a few of the highlights:

  • With Ben Bishop nearing free agency and with the presence of Andrei Vasilevskiy as the team’s future in goal, rumors have circulated since this past summer that the Tampa Bay Lightning might attempt to deal the former rather than losing him for nothing in July. Friedman indicates that word is the Lightning are willing to move the 30-year-old netminder but that the offers Tampa GM Steve Yzerman have so far received are not good enough for serious consideration. Yzerman is in a tough spot. His team has underachieved and may well miss the playoffs altogether unless they go on a run soon. Barring a surprising Stanley Cup run fueled by strong play in goal from Bishop, there is essentially no chance the team re-signs the veteran goalie. With three key RFA’s – Jonathan Drouin, Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat – to extend this summer the cap savings the Lightning will receive with Bishop leaving is simply too valuable. At some point Yzerman will have to make a decision and the best bet might be to deal Bishop now and try to add assets in return. Those assets can either turn into young NHL-ready talent to help the Lightning on the ice next year or can be used to help entice other clubs to take a burdensome contract off their hands to improve their cap situation.
  • Another pending UFA, Buffalo Sabres defenseman Dmitry Kulikov, is also said to be available via trade and Friedman considers the 26-year-old blue liner a player “worth watching.” Kulikov was acquired from Florida along with a second-round pick just prior to the draft in exchange for Mark Pysyk, and second and third-rounders in 2016. The Sabres were hoping Kulikov would fill a need in the team’s top-four but injuries have derailed his season so far. All told, the Russian defender has played in just 23 games this season, compiling two points along the way. However, Kulikov seems to be getting his game back in order just in time for the trade deadline. Over the past three games, he has averaged around 24 1/2 minutes of ice time and has netted both of his points in the last four appearances. Defensemen are always in demand at the deadline and Kulikov should be no different. Unless Buffalo puts on a full court press to ink him to an extension, it seems likely the Sabres will move Kulikov in the coming weeks.
  • Friedman notes that NHL clubs have been scouting the KHL more than usual and adds that the league is considering contraction, meaning there will be fewer jobs overseas next season. This could prompt some KHL stars to consider plying their trade in North America in 2017-18. Friedman specifically mentions Evgeni Dadonov and Vadim Shipachev, both of whom play for St. Petersburg SKA, as two of the bigger names who could draw a lot of attention if teams believe there is a chance they will come over. Front offices are always looking for talent and expect clubs to look to exploit the opportunity if the KHL does scale back on the number of teams in the league.

Lightning Willing To Trade Ben Bishop

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While it remains to be seen if the Tampa Bay Lightning decide to buy, sell, or stand pat between now and the March 1st trade deadline, the team could be planning to move goaltender Ben Bishop regardless of what route they choose to go.  Speaking with Sportsnet 960 in Calgary (audio link), Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman suggests that they are ready to move him but haven’t received the right offer yet (transcription via Fan Rag’s Chris Nichols):

“The name I’m hearing the most now is Ben Bishop. I don’t know what’s going to happen there, but I have a feeling that Tampa is ready to send him somewhere else and give Vasilevskiy the net. I think there are teams out there thinking that Ben Bishop rejuvenated can make a difference. I think the biggest issue is going to be what’s the price. I think Tampa would like to get better offers than they’re getting.”

It has long been expected that this would be Bishop’s final year with the Lightning after the team gave Andrei Vasilevskiy a three year extension back in July.  Considering that they have forwards Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat, and Jonathan Drouin (among others) to re-sign, they wouldn’t be able to afford to have both goaltenders making big money.

The thought was that GM Steve Yzerman would be content with keeping both goalies this season to ensure they’d have high-level goaltending on a nightly basis but the play of both netminders appears to have thrown a wrench into that plan.  Bishop has posted a 2.78 GAA and a .905 SV% this season, well below his career numbers.  As Friedman noted though, some teams believe a new environment will get him playing more like his usual self.

In his latest column, ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun also believes that Yzerman would be willing to move Bishop but that the goalie market is quite slow at the moment.  This isn’t a typical year for shopping starter-quality netminders as Marc-Andre Fleury is likely available out of Pittsburgh given their expansion draft situation while Jaroslav Halak is readily available as well.  It’s also quite likely that the Stars would be willing to part with at least one of Antti Niemi or Kari Lehtonen in the right situation.

It’s worth noting that unlike all of those other goaltenders, Bishop is a pending unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.  If a team is just looking for some short-term help without any sort of long-term commitment, that would push Bishop to the front of the line.  However, with a $5.95MM cap hit, the Lightning would most likely have to take back some salary as well in the deal, either by acquiring a sizable contract or by retaining salary.

LeBrun adds that while some have suggested a swap of pending UFAs that would see Kevin Shattenkirk go from St. Louis to Tampa Bay, the Blues still have confidence in Jake Allen and haven’t indicated yet that they’re looking for an upgrade between the pipes.

Lots can change in the next month but it appears that Bishop will be a player to keep a close eye on as the trade deadline approaches.

Lightning Notes: Koekkoek, Callahan, Bishop

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After trading Nikita Nesterov the other day to the Montreal Canadiens for a relatively small return, some thought that it would open the door for Slater Koekkoek’s return to the team. Don’t count on it, as Steve Yzerman told Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times yesterday.

He’s an important part of our future, and I see a very bright future for him still. So if we need a left shot or we feel Slater will come up and play a lot, then I’ll bring him back up.

That’s a good point when it comes to the former 10th-overall pick. If he’s not going to play big minutes with the club, it may be better for his development to stay in the AHL. With Victor Hedman, Jason Garrison and Braydon Coburn locked into the left-side, it doesn’t seem like there would be a lot of time for him.

  • The team is looking to pull off more moves in the near future, but one player that hasn’t been approached yet is Ryan Callahan. The injured alternate captain has just four points this season and holds a full no-movement clause in his contract. That means he’ll force protection in the upcoming expansion draft, a spot that the Lightning could really use for a different player. Players can opt to waive their NMC in order to be exposed at the draft, but since they’ve earned the right to have it in their contracts it’s hard to ask them.
  • Smith says that the team does want to move Ben Bishop if possible before losing him for nothing this summer. The upcoming free agent has had a season troubled by injuries and inconsistency but still represents a potential upgrade in net for many contenders. A two-time finalist for the Vezina trophy, Bishop holds a career .919 save percentage.
  • One of the reasons for the Nesterov trade apparently was Luke Witkowski, who the team didn’t want to lose on waivers. Instead they dealt Nesterov, who would have been a restricted free agent this summer for a team that will have a real cap crunch. Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat and Jonathan Drouin will all need new deals this summer.

Blues Notes: Allen, Bishop, Shattenkirk, Hunt

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Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch conducted his weekly chat and understandably touched on several trade-related topics. It’s well worth a full read but here are the highlights.

  • The Blues dealt goaltender Brian Elliott this past summer under the belief that Jake Allen was ready to be a full-time starter. It made sense in theory as the former second-round draft pick won 26 of his 44 starts and posted a GAA of 2.35 with a S% of 0.920. Unfortunately, Allen has struggled as the #1, allowing nearly 0.50 goals-per-60 more than he did in 2015-16 and stopping fewer than nine of every 10 shots on net. Rutherford feels that while Allen is certainly to blame for the soft goals he has allowed at times this season, the team in front of him simply isn’t good enough this year.
  • Because of Allen’s struggles, some have suggested the team should look to acquire a proven starter with Ben Bishop’s name surfacing as one possibility. In fact, one reader speculated on a possible Kevin Shattenkirk-for-Bishop swap since on the surface it addresses issues each team has. Rutherford pours cold water on that hypothetical scenario, however, citing uncertainty regarding whether Tampa Bay will be a buyer, seller or choose to stand pat at the deadline. Additionally, he questions whether the Lightning would be willing to pay a hefty price for a rental, assuming they remain either on the outside looking in or on the fringes of a playoff berth. It should also be noted that with several key RFA’s to re-sign next summer, it’s not likely that the Lightning would target a pending UFA with any notion of extending him beyond his current term, further diminishing the possibility GM Steve Yzerman engages the Blues in discussions for Shattenkirk.
  • Speaking of Shattenkirk, Rutherford calculates the potential returns the Blues can expect if moving the skilled blue liner both as a rental and a sign-and-trade scenario where the acquiring team is allowed to negotiate an extension with the player. As a rental the scribe feels he can net the Blues a “pretty good prospect.” Even as part of a sign-and-trade, Rutherford is unsure whether the Blues would be able to attract offers including more than a “good player.” He reasons that teams would simply prefer to wait until Shattenkirk hits free agency as opposed to sacrificing valuable assets now. Either way, Shattenkirk is going to get paid and it might behoove teams to wait until the summer to make their move. Based on what significant rental players have cost acquiring teams in the past, Rutherford might be undervaluing Shattenkirk. Last year Carolina received a prospect and two draft choices for a couple months of Eric Staal. Winnipeg dealt Andrew Ladd and received a prospect (Marko Dano) and a first-round pick in return. Teams will pay steep prices for premium rentals. The real question, in my estimation at least, is whether St. Louis would be willing to move Shattenkirk for futures or if they will insist on receiving an NHL or NHL-ready contributor. If they have designs on competing for a Stanley Cup in the near future it’s more likely they’d prefer someone who can step in and play right away.
  • Lastly, readers wanted to know why the Blues couldn’t find a trade partner for defenseman Brad Hunt rather than losing him for nothing on waivers. The undersized Hunt has been excellent in the AHL, netting 29 points in 23 games for the Chicago Wolves but as Rutherford points out, he has yet to see any game action since joining Nashville. Hunt also spent three years in the Edmonton organization, a team lacking NHL-quality defenders, yet saw nothing more than a cup of coffee with the Oilers. Could Hunt be an example of a player overlooked? Perhaps, but more likely he is what they refer to in baseball circles as a “4A” player; too good for the minors but not quite good enough to secure a permanent role in the big leagues.

Snapshots: Duchene, Fleury, Philadelphia, Wisniewski

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After Matt Duchene set the hockey hot-stove on fire this morning when he reportedly told media he was open to the idea of a trade, Darren Dreger confirmed as much on TSN’s Insider Trading. Dreger reports that though Duchene is open to a deal, he hasn’t formally asked for one and GM Joe Sakic may wait until the summer to move the talented forward. Though he would likely command a hefty sum right now, the team might be able to pry an even greater package away in the summer when teams have a little more cap flexibility.

While it’s not guaranteed that this season will be Duchene’s last in Colorado, it is certainly seeming more likely. The former third-overall pick has had an up-and-down career in the NHL but certainly has the offensive talent to be a contributor for any team.

  • In the same TSN segment, Bob McKenzie spoke about the growing frustration for Marc-Andre Fleury in Pittsburgh. The former first-overall pick hasn’t played in the last seven games for the Penguins and is starting to be considered the back up. With a no-movement clause in his contract, Fleury currently has control of his future. If he doesn’t waive it, the Penguins would be forced to protect him instead of Matt Murray in the expansion draft. If Murray was available, Las Vegas would surely select him (unless a deal was made behind the scenes) making Fleury the starter again. But since the team clearly doesn’t want him as the full-time starter any more, perhaps he’ll agree to a trade in-season or before the draft to move somewhere else around the league.
  • McKenzie also reported on the Philadelphia goaltender situation, which is currently unresolved long-term. While the team has Anthony Stolarz looking closer and closer to providing NHL netminding, they have had talks about extending one of Steve Mason or Michal Neuvirth at some point before the expansion draft. The team is likely to wait until they have to though, with neither netminder really showing they deserve a long-term deal. If the Penguins weren’t bitter rivals of the Flyers, one might suggest that the two could be trading partners for the frustrated Fleury. The summer looks like it will have a handful of starting goaltender candidates available however, with Ben Bishop leading the way as an unrestricted free agent. If Philadelphia wants to move on from the Mason-Neuvirth combo, they could wait to see what is available after the season.
  • Dreger added in a separate tweet that James Wisniewski has signed a 25-game tryout with the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. “The Wiz” was playing in the KHL after not being able to secure and NHL deal this summer. The former Blackhaws, Ducks, Canadiens, Islanders, Blue Jackets and Hurricanes defenseman was once a premiere right-handed puck mover in the NHL but injuries have limited his thirties to less than a full season of games. Chicago is the AHL squad of the St. Louis Blues, who may lose a right-handed defensemen in the next month in Kevin Shattenkirk. While Wisniewski is by no means a replacement for Shattenkirk, he does add some depth on the right side should he be able to find even a sliver of his former NHL talent.

Friedman On Lightning: Candidate To Stand Pat At Trade Deadline

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While Lightning GM Steve Yzerman is believed to be active in trade discussions as they look to get themselves back into the playoff race, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman suggested to Sportsnet 960 in Calgary (audio link) that there’s a chance that they won’t be as big a participant on the trade market as some expect (transcription courtesy of Fan Rag’s Chris Nichols):

“One guy told me on the weekend that Tampa may not be as active as everyone thinks because Steve Yzerman could just say, ‘You know what? Our team isn’t good enough. Why would I start to make moves and trade stuff away when our team isn’t good enough.’ So I’m kind of wondering what Yzerman is thinking here.”

A popular pick to be a top threat in the Eastern Conference, Tampa Bay surprisingly finds themselves tied for dead last in the conference with Buffalo (although they’re only five points out of the final Atlantic playoff spot).

Injuries have a lot to do with their struggles.  Top scorer Steven Stamkos remains out long-term as he recovers from meniscus surgery while forwards Ryan Callahan and Brayden Point are hurt now and have missed extended time this season.  On top of that, goalie Ben Bishop as well as forwards Jonathan Drouin, Nikita Kucherov, J.T. Brown, and Ondrej Palat (among several others) have all missed at least five games at some point which has really put their depth to the test.

[Related: Lightning Depth Chart]

Goaltending, which was thought of as a strength for the Lightning heading into the season, has surprisingly been a concern for them.  Bishop, the starter for the past few years, is expected to be gone as an unrestricted free agent next season in order to save some money on the cap while handing youngster Andrei Vasilevskiy a three year, $10.5MM extension in the summer with the expectation that he would take over as the starter.  Bishop has posted a mediocre 2.78 GAA and a .905 SV%, his worst numbers as a number one while Vasilevskiy hasn’t fared much better, coming in with a 2.85 GAA and a .907 SV%.

While it’s fair to wonder if the uncertainty surrounding his future is playing a role in Bishop’s struggles, he has never really had long-term contract security wherever he has played as the longest deal he has had since his entry-level pact lasted just two years.  However, this is the first time he has been slated to become a UFA so that extra pressure hasn’t been there before.

All of a sudden, Yzerman faces a situation where there are multiple holes that need to be filled.  The goaltending hasn’t been good enough, the defense needs to be improved (and Tampa has been active in discussions to shore up that situation) while they’re routinely missing several forwards out of their lineup.  Perhaps this just isn’t their year and that has Friedman wondering if they may be more inclined to stand pat at the deadline:

“I wonder if Yzerman is looking at all of this and saying, ‘This is not the year for me to start making trades that sacrifice the future because we just don’t have the team that’s good enough to win.’”

The Lightning have a strong core to work with (although they’ll have to re-sign the likes of Palat, Drouin, and Tyler Johnson to name a few this offseason).  Yzerman has stated that he doesn’t want to take away from that core but rather add to it which would result in a less-than-typical non-selling situation for a non-playoff team.

As they’re only a handful of points out of the playoff race, a decision on whether to go for it or stand pat is still likely several weeks away.  All of a sudden though, the Lightning are becoming a team to watch for in the weeks ahead.

Tampa Bay Lightning Deadline, Expansion Notes

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The Tampa Bay Lightning have had a ton of success the past few seasons, winning at least 46 games three straight seasons and making a Stanley Cup final in 2015. Today, they find themselves in last place in the Atlantic division and one point out of the bottom of the conference. They’re 2-7-1 in their last 10, and haven’t been able to find any consistency at either end of the ice.

When looking at the rest of their season, it’s not all bad. Despite being close to the bottom of the conference, they’re also just four points back of the Maple Leafs for the last wildcard spot (though they’ve played 48 games, four more than the Leafs). They should get Steven Stamkos back at some point, though depending on when he returns (likely mid-March) it may be too late.

When looking at their roster, they have very few expiring deals to sell off at the deadline. Ben Bishop would be a big chip, though most Cup contenders already have a #1 installed firmly in net. He’s also struggled through inconsistency and injury this season, making him a hard player to value for the back half of the season. Brian Boyle is a UFA this summer, and while he’s have a nice season he likely isn’t the 20 goal scorer he once was for New York. He’d be attractive to some teams to plug into a bottom-six, but wouldn’t bring much back.

The biggest problem for the Lightning though may be the upcoming expansion draft, where they will have a tough time protecting their current assets up front.  Since Stamkos, Victor Hedman, Ryan Callahan and Valtteri Filppula all have no-movement clauses and come with automatic protection, the team has just four forward spots left to protect.

Nikita Kucherov and Jonathan Drouin are locks to be protected, meaning there are two slots left for the crop of forwards including Alex Killorn, Ondrej Palat, Tyler Johnson, and Vladislav Namestnikov among others (many, many others). Losing one of those players for nothing would be a questionable move, meaning GM Steve Yzerman may be busy in the next month positioning his team better for the draft.

Adding a defenseman is a big need for the Bolts, and if they could find one that is exempt from the draft (meaning a young, first or second year player) it would be advantageous. Johnson could likely have fetched a huge price two years ago coming off his 29-goal, 72 point 2014-15, but after the struggles last year and a perceived step backwards defensively it may be selling low on him. He’s an RFA again this summer meaning he’ll be looking for a big-money deal, but perhaps the team could get a better price after letting him play out the rest of the regular season and (hopefully) topping the 50 point mark once again.

Killorn just signed a new deal this summer that locked him up for seven years, which may scare some teams off after a sluggish first half. Palat, though also not having a huge year probably has a bigger upside than Killorn and is two years younger. Though he’s also up for a new deal this summer as an RFA, the Lightning would likely need a big offer to pry him away.

If the team still thinks that it can compete in the Eastern Conference playoffs once Stamkos is back, perhaps they don’t need to sell one of their forwards for help down the line but with the draft looming and this season slipping away they may end up shipping out a well-known name.

(Mobile users click here to vote in the poll)

Garrioch’s Latest: Coyotes, Snow, Devils, Bishop, Van Riemsdyk

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Things aren’t going so rosy in Arizona right now.  Not only do they find themselves miles out of a playoff spot, the frustration is spreading to within the dressing room as well, reports Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun in his latest Insider Trading column.  The decision to go to a more analytics-based decision making process hasn’t worked (so far, at least) and Garrioch adds that it’s not yet known what the fate of head coach Dave Tippett will be when the season comes to an end.

In the meantime, the focus will shift to who they can move prior to the trade deadline, particularly where it comes to the rental players.  We took a closer look at their situation earlier today.  The recent mention that Shane Doan could be willing to consider a trade in the right situation is drawing some attention; Garrioch notes that San Jose is a team that has shown some interest in the 40 year old over the last couple of years but obviously nothing came to fruition.

Garrioch also tackles several other topics from around the league.  Here are some of the highlights, though the full column is worth a read:

  • With the New York Islanders scuffling through the first half, he suggests that GM Garth Snow’s job may be in jeopardy. His decision to allow right winger Kyle Okposo and center Frans Nielsen to depart in free agency hasn’t exactly panned out with both players being named All-Stars earlier this week.  Left winger Andrew Ladd (signed to replace Okposo) hasn’t panned out and with six more years left on his contract with a cap hit of $5.5MM, that’s a near-impossible contract to move right now while John Tavares heading into his walk year is something that will need to be addressed sooner than later as well.  Accordingly, the team will have to make a decision as to whether he’s the right manager to try to fix things up and get Tavares locked up.
  • The Devils haven’t thrown in the towel on trying to make the playoffs yet but if they do, they could be a team to watch for. Only two teams have more cap space than New Jersey does which sets up the possibility of them becoming a clearinghouse for contending teams to free up some cap space.  GM Ray Shero could be open to doing so, provided he picks up some quality draft picks and/or prospects for doing so.
  • Dallas has inquired about the availability of pending UFA goalie Ben Bishop. Bishop, who ranked fifth in our UFA Power Rankings this week, isn’t expected to return to Tampa Bay next season with Andrei Vasilevskiy expected to take over as the starter.  The Stars already have the highest goalie cap hit in the league but have not received much bang for their buck so far.  However, GM Steve Yzerman’s asking price is quite high as it’s certainly quite possible that the Lightning will want to keep him around for their postseason push as well.
  • Toronto’s recent success may make their decision regarding left winger James van Riemsdyk that much more difficult. Garrioch reports that the team is fielding inquiries on him but he is a key piece in the Leafs’ lineup and if they plan to make a run at a playoff spot, they’ll likely want to keep him in their lineup.  The 27 year old has one year left after this season at a manageable cap hit of $4.25MM so it’s not a typical rental player situation while it’s also worth noting that van Riemsdyk has a modified no-trade clause.

2017 Midseason UFA Power Rankings: 1-10

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With many teams having hit the halfway point of the season and the trade deadline fast approaching, it’s time to take a preliminary look at the UFA Class of 2017.  Here is the second half of our top-20 rankings, based on votes from our writers.

For rankings 11-20, click here.

  1. Kevin Shattenkirk, D, St. Louis – Shattenkirk has been no stranger to speculation about where he will wind up next year. He was part of trade discussions dating back to the draft and isn’t expected to be back with the Blues next season; some have wondered if they’d even consider trading him by the trade deadline to avoid losing him for free in July. He’s a premier offensive blueliner who should have numerous suitors if he makes it to the open market and was the only player to be ranked first or second by every writer.
  2. Alexander Radulov, RW, Montreal – One of the more controversial signings last summer, Radulov has had a very strong return to the NHL this season. Not only are the questions about his attitude going away, he has been a legitimate front line player for the Canadiens. He was forced to take a one year, ‘show me’ contract last July – he certainly has been showing teams that he can be a core player and should have more luck landing a long-term contract this summer.
  3. Joe Thornton, C, San Jose – Although he’s not playing at a point-per-game pace like he did last year, Thornton has been a high end playmaker once again this season. It’s believed that he’s seeking another three year contract despite the fact he’ll turn 38 in July. One thing to keep an eye on in the second half will be his goal scoring or lack thereof.  He has struggled considerably in that regard so far (both of his goals have been empty netters) and a repeat of that in the second half and the postseason will likely have him dropping in the rankings come the summer.
  4. T.J. Oshie, RW, Washington – Oshie continues to be a model of consistency when it comes to his production. He has picked up at least 50 points in four of the last five seasons and he’s on track for yet another 20+ goal campaign for the Capitals again this year. He will be one of the younger high-end wingers to hit the market and could be in line for one of the longer contracts to be handed out this summer.
  5. Ben Bishop, G, Tampa Bay – Although Bishop’s numbers are down this year, we saw how important he is to the Lightning when he missed nine games and the team fell out of a playoff spot. Bishop has been one of the top netminders in the league since joining Tampa Bay and given their salary cap situation, he’s all but guaranteed to be going elsewhere for next season. One thing that could hurt Bishop is the number of goalies that are slated to hit the market – although he is the best one, there will be more cap-friendly options for teams to choose from.
  6. Karl Alzner, D, Washington – The open market hasn’t been too kind to stay-at-home defensemen in recent years but Alzner is likely to buck that trend. He’s a key part of the Caps’ back end and there’s a chance he’ll be back with them next year. If he does get to the open market, Alzner is the type of player that a shutdown pairing can be built around.  Considering how many teams are looking for blueline help, he should be in line for a strong payday.
  7. Sam Gagner, RW, Columbus – When he signed with the Blue Jackets, some speculated the deal could prove to be one of the better bargains of the past offseason but no one expected the breakout year he’s currently having. Gagner is being used in an offensive exploitation role and is making the most of it as he is on pace for a career year. Some teams may be wary that his resurgence is a one-time thing but he still should have more suitors if he makes it to the open market in July.
  8. Thomas Vanek, RW, Detroit – There have been quite a few underachievers in Detroit this season but Vanek isn’t one of them. He sits second on the team in scoring despite missing 11 games due to injury. While his days of being a high end front line player have come and gone after struggling in that role with Montreal and Minnesota (who bought him out in June), he’s still set to be one of the better pure goal scorers on the market this summer.
  9. Martin Hanzal, C, Arizona – Hanzal’s name has been involved in trade rumors all season long and that’s likely to continue through to the trade deadline. Moving past that into free agency, he projects to be one of the top centers available and at 6’6, his size will certainly be appealing to many teams. He’s not a top line player but would slot in as a strong middle six forward pretty much anywhere.  He’ll be 30 in July and should be able to secure another long-term contract.
  10. Andrei Markov, D, Montreal – Despite being 38, Markov is still going strong for the Canadiens. He’s still an above average point producer that can help run a power play and while he is slowing down, he is still capable of playing 20 minutes a night in a second pairing role. Markov has eschewed free agency to re-sign with Montreal twice before so if there’s mutual interest in him sticking around past this season, history could wind up repeating itself here.

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