What to do about Tanner Pearson?
Harman Dayal and Thomas Drance of The Athletic: Tanner Pearson presents a considerable dilemma for Jim Benning come April 12th. Does one get value or attempt to sell at this point? Think of what has happened to Vancouver since early March.
Pearson pegs in as that versatile middle-six forward that can play a reasonably solid 200-foot game. He can chip in at a top-six level offensively at times. A decline is expected but not automatically guaranteed according to projections. For that reason, Pearson’s camp will likely not seek a deal for less than $2.5 million.
Vancouver would not expect to entertain that but they have replacements in mind including Vasili Podkolzin.
Also, now keep in mind with COVID, no one honestly knows what Vancouver will do come the trade deadline with Tanner Pearson or anyone.
The Seattle Kraken and those no-move clauses
Chris Johnston of Sportsnet: This will not be the Vegas Golden Knights all over again. No-move clauses have dropped in anticipation of the Seattle Kraken’s entry. Just 52 players will have the NMC attachment as opposed to 66 going into the summer. Jake Muzzin and T.J. Brodie see their NMC’s turn into NTC’s which means they can be exposed.
Columbus learned their lesson last season on the impact of NMC’s and does not have a single player on the roster with one now currently. This is the landscape we live in now. No one wants to hand Seattle a team much like the gifts Vegas received.
There is still opportunity for Ron Francis but the returns are nowhere near what George McPhee saw.
Ron Francis has time to try different forms of leverage to acquire the talent he wants. It should be a very interesting summer in Seattle. If Francis is patient enough, some deals may still happen. Just do not expect a contending team for a Stanley Cup in Year One.