Scouting the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild
Mark Stepneski: Scouts listed to attend last night’s Stars-Wild game: Boston Bruins, Vegas Golden Knights, New Jersey Devils, Montreal Canadiens, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Islanders, Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers and the San Jose Sharks.
Scouting the Washington Capitals and Calgary Flames
Chris Kuc: Scouts listed to attend last night’s Capitals-Flames game: Los Angeles Kings (2), Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators, New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia Flyers, and the Vancouver Canucks.
Could Calgary use more scoring?
Frank Seravalli of TSN.ca: Calgary’s top five leads the league in goals with 113 but after that there’s a problem. The bottom seven rank in the middle of the pack at best. 12th isn’t terrible but an upgrade could be had. The question becomes will that be in the form of Micheal Ferland or someone else? This Flames team poses other questions as well but for now, scoring depth is a bit of a need.
Mark Stone and the Jets?
Murat Ates of The Athletic: Many teams want Mark Stone but how many can afford him? Winnipeg contending is a selling point but the price for a player of Stone’s caliber could be scary.
Consider this, from The Athletic’s Craig Custance’s deadline primer: “Ottawa is going to sell,” said an executive. “One or both of Duchene and Stone.”
Stone performs as almost a top-5 caliber player at 5 on 5 which intrigues Winnipeg heavily. His power play numbers are nothing to sneeze at either. The words “active stick” are mentioned often. That is a big reason driving his price upward. Stone drives play better than Mark Scheifele which is why if Winnipeg wants him, they must pay heavily.
Washington on the trade market?
Chris Kuc of The Athletic: Although Brian MacLellan feels Washington is okay on defense, another forward could not hurt.
“If there is a way we thought a hockey trade could happen to make our forward group better, that might be something we’d pursue,” MacLellan acknowledged.
The Washington Capitals went on a stretch where they allowed six goals a game for six games. However, most feel this phase is just what it is. A middle-six forward seems to be a need if not a glaring one.