Penguins/NHL
Every year and we’re seeing it again, General Managers go on or off the record in stating ‘prices are too high’, ‘it’s so difficult to make trades’, ‘I don’t plan to mortgage the future’!
90% of the buyers, though, normally can’t help themselves and give up high draft picks and top prospects like it doesn’t matter.
This trade deadline will be no different.
Last week the trade market was still in the cat and mouse stage between sellers and buyers. With less than a week to go the market has now been established in the past 48 hours.
Forwards
Market Price: Combination of First Round Pick/Top Prospect
The usual suspects (Chicago, Los Angeles, Florida, among the group) are all going after the same 2-3 top end forwards available, while teams like the Penguins, Islanders, Ducks are in the forward market but not believed to be as motivated as some others on the big names.
1. Loui Eriksson, Boston Bruins – Significant interest around the league where Eriksson will certainly go for a first round pick and another piece where it could an an NHL roster player to help off-set the loss of Eriksson or a prospect. Big interest out West where many believe Boston would prefer to move Eriksson. Boston is in a tough position as the East is wide open after the Washington Capitals but this season continues to setup as a win-win for Boston. They tore things down a bit by moving the likes of Milan Lucic for futures but remain a competitive and a likely playoff team that could win a round. With their eye on the future, many executives expect Boston to move Eriksson. Boston surely will be looking for that perfect deal of a future asset + a player who can help them for now. Boston currently has two first round picks in 2016.
Best Fit: Chicago Blackhawks
2. Andrew Ladd, Many contenders have made their interest known, Chicago, Florida, Los Angeles among the three teams going hard after Ladd, and while there’s a sense among interested teams Winnipeg is going to hold out for the best offer until just before the deadline, things are reaching the stage where the Jets are targeting the teams they want to do business with. Ladd’s going to go for a first round pick + another significant piece. The Penguins have not crossed Ladd off their list but the reality of the Penguins prospect system is they have two legitimate high end prospects in Daniel Sprong, Matt Murray, + a player in Derrick Pouliot who teams like but don’t love and then nothing else of significant trade value. Every team has an Oskar Sundqvist, Dominik Simon, ect. Without a first rounder to trade until 2018, it would cost one of the big boys in the system to land Ladd.
Best Fit: Florida Panthers
3. Mikkel Boedker, Arizona Coyotes – NHL sources say Coyotes GM Don Maloney began informing interested teams in the past 24 hours that he’s prepared to trade Boedker. General Manager’s are obsessed with players who can skate like Boedker and it has made Boedker the most overhyped played on the market. Indications are Arizona is certain they’re going to land an Antoine Vermette type package for Boedker.
Best Fit: New York Islanders
Side Dish
4. Eric Staal, Carolina Hurricanes – If the Hurricanes pick up most of the tab on Staal’s remaining salary, expectations are they could come away with a second round pick + a high end prospect or young NHL ready player to join their lineup for next season. Maybe a contender even out there to offer a first rounder under that scenario. With a full no-movement clause, Staal drives the bus.
Best Fit: New York Rangers
Market Price: Second Round Pick
Jiri Hudler, Calgary Flames
Kris Versteeg, Carolina Hurricanes
Lee Stempniak, New Jersey Devils
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