With the season reaching the halfway mark, NHL general managers have a general idea of what areas need to be addressed on their respective clubs.
Trades have started to pick up in the last week, with the Seth Jones-for-Ryan Johansen deal between Columbus and Nashville being the most significant. More deals will shake loose as the trade deadline approaches and sellers peddle their pending unrestricted free agents as rentals and buyers look for that one piece that will improve their chances of making the playoffs or becoming a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
Here is a look at what the posture of each of the 30 NHL clubs will be looking to do prior to February 29th – Trade Deadline Outlook – Pacific Division.
Los Angeles Kings
Status – Buyer
Available Cap Space – $1.39 Million (per General Fanager)
Need – Defense
Analysis – The LA Kings lead the Pacific Division and after missing the playoffs last season, appear to be well positioned to contend for their third Stanley Cup in five years.
GM Dean Lombardi made an interesting move in acquiring veteran forward Vincent Lecavalier and defenseman Luke Schenn from Philadelphia for a draft pick and prospect Jordan Weal. The Kings get the Flyers to pick up 50% of both salaries and the promise that Lecavalier will retire at the end of the season, thus relieving them of the final two years of his contract.
With LA one of the favorites in the West, it is not likely they will trade pending UFA Milan Lucic and with only $1.4 Million in cap space remaining, any more reinforcements would require moving salary out or another team retaining salary.
Drew Doughty, Jake Muzzin and Alec Martinez make up the top level of the Kings blueline, with Schenn, veteran Christian Ehrhoff, journeyman Jamie McBain and Brayden McNabb. It is likely that Lombardi will concentrate on adding one more experienced defenseman.
Arizona Coyotes
Status – Buyer/Potential Seller
Available Cap Space – $10.5 Million
Need – Defense
Analysis – Most observers expected the Arizona Coyotes to be angling for Auston Matthews instead of being in the mix for a playoff spot, but at the halfway point the Coyotes are in 2nd place in the Pacific Division with 49 points and appear to be limited buyers on the trade market at the moment, but could turn into sellers if they fall out of the race.
GM Don Maloney added former Canadiens first rounder Jarred Tinordi to the blueline as part of a three-way deal with Nashville and Montreal on Friday and may be interested in adding more defensive help, since the club is 28th in goals allowed and most of the club’s top prospects being forwards.
Arizona is a budget team and will not use most of the $10.5 Million available cap space, but with many teams looking to jettison salary, it is possible that they will take on a contract or two if the players can help the club get into the post-season.
Team captain Shane Doan, forwards Mikkel Boedker, Boyd Gordon, Steve Downie, Viktor Tikhonov, Kyle Chipchura and defenseman Niklas Grossman are unrestricted free agents and if the clubs falls out of the race in the second half, you could see most of those players being shopped.
San Jose Sharks
Status – Potential Seller
Available Cap Space – $367,503
Need – Defense
Analysis – The Sharks continue to underachieve with the veteran core group of Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski. After missing the playoffs last season, GM Doug Wilson added forward Joel Ward and defenseman Paul Martin as free agents and traded for goalie Martin Jones, but the club has continued teeter between one of the top three spots in the Pacific and the bottom of the NHL standings.
Wilson made his moves in the offseason and has little flexibility to acquire additional help unless he can jettison a big salary. Rumors of Marleau wanting out earlier in the season have not resulted in any deal. Pending UFA’s Raffi Torres, Mike Brown or Ben Smith might garner interest if other clubs are looking for energy and sandpaper on a fourth line.
Vancouver Canucks
Status – Potential Seller
Available Cap Space – $1.24 Million
Need – Forward/Defense
Analysis – The Canucks have a core of 30-somethings in the Sedin twins, Alex Burrows, Dan Hamhuis and Ryan Miller, and a young group of forwards in Jake Virtanen, Jared McCann and Bo Horvat being added to the fold.
GM Jim Benning is attempting to pull off the difficult task of remaining competitive in the midst of a transition. Benning faces a dilemma of whether to trade pending UFA’s in Radim Vrbata, Brandon Prust or Hamhuis for futures if Vancouver is still in the playoff mix at the deadline and retaining salary on a couple of those contracts to improve the return in potential deals.
The Canucks attempted to open up cap space by trying to trade 32-year-old winger Chris Higgins, but found no takers and demoted him to the AHL this week. With just over $1 Million of cap room, adding players at the deadline would be a money-in, money-out scenario and
Anaheim Ducks
Status – Buyer
Available Cap Space – $7.89 Million
Need – Scoring
(before the Ducks traded Carl Hagelin to the Penguins for David Perron and Adam Clendening)
Analysis – It is stunning that the Anaheim Ducks, who went to Game 7 of the 2015 Western Conference Final and have Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler on their roster and are averaging under two goals per game at the halfway mark.
The departure of forwards Matt Beleskey and Kyle Palmieri have hampered the Ducks offense and veterans Chris Stewart, Mike Santorelli and Carl Hagelin have failed to pick up the slack.
GM Bob Murray could lose his job if Anaheim fails to make the post-season and may be willing to mortgage future assets like restricted free agent defensemen Sami Vatanen and Hampus Lindholm to get in. The Ducks are reportedly interested in Tampa Bay’s Jonathan Drouin and have almost $8 Million in cap room to add rentals.
Calgary Flames
Status – Buyer/Seller
Available Cap Space – $2.2 Million
Need – Goaltending
Analysis – The Flames first half struggles were mostly due to their inability to keep the puck out of the net and some growing pains of their young core group, but the club is still in the playoff race with everyone but Los Angeles struggling in the Pacific Division.
GM Brad Treliving is unlikely to re-sign pending UFA’s David Jones and Jiri Hudler with Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan needing new deals this summer and the veteran forwards might bring back a decent return if Calgary retains some of their salary.
Jonas Hiller and Karri Ramo have been unable to repeat their success as a tandem last season and Treliving may be willing to explore potential deadline options like James Reimer or Cam Ward if the price is right.
Edmonton Oilers
Status – Buyer
Available Cap Space – $3.6 Million
Need – Defense
Analysis – The focus of the Oilers is on developing their overflowing group of offensive weapons that includes Connor McDavid, Taylor Hall and Leon Draisaitl and not short-term fixex that enable them to make the playoffs.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Nail Yakupov and Jordan Eberle have all been rumored to be potential trade pieces to bring in an established top pairing defensemen, but that would require a fit similar to the Columbus-Nashville deal and that is not likely before February 29th.
GM Peter Chiarelli has defenseman Erik Gryba and forward Ted Purcell on expiring contracts and has to make a decision on whether to re-sign goalie Cam Talbot to a long-term extension.
Previous Trade Deadline Outlook – Metropolitan Division