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Flyers To Become Fascinating Team at Deadline. Montreal Buying "Big" |
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Every year there is a weekend that starts to define the trade deadline. Not in a big and bold way but in a subtle shift in the conversation. Up until now this year there has been (with the exception of Landeskog rumors) a lot of that I call "contingency" talk. This is when teams discuss "what ifs' with each other and feelers are put out. And those kinds of talk often leak out because people want them to.
Essentially consider this scenario...
You are a team on the bubble and you begin getting calls on a player but you don't want to move that player unless you know your team is indeed out of it...but you will listen and you wouldn't mind if more teams tipped their hand a bit and you could get something more...so rumors leak out...from one side or another...
Consider the Flyers...Ten wins in a row was remarkable, but now they have hit a bit of the kind of wall that comes with a very young and inexperienced group. Making the playoffs is possible, but only if they get remarkable goaltending and a little help...But "a little help" is more and more rare in an NHL with many teams who are in a playoff race and legitimate...
Mark Streit is a pending UFA and while he is 39 he is a young 39 who can lead the power play and has shown how he can still be a force in high pressure situations...like he did for Team Europe. Michael Del Zotto is also a UFA and has really re-invented himself and turned into a solid top 4. The Flyers would like to keep MDZ but at the same time the Flyers have something very much needed: a slew of solid young D. In a market where several teams are dying for D that puts MDZ in the crosshairs.
Also, the Flyers have two very capable goalies in Mason and Neuvirth... both of whom are pending UFAs and with Ben Bishop potentially out there and Connor Hart coming fast....
Meanwhile in Montreal....
One team who may look at Mark Streit is Montreal. Streit, a one time Hab, could look really solid in a playoff run in Montreal.
But Montreal may be looking bigger...
According to one well placed source at least, the Habs have been discussing a "Big buy that would rival the newsworthiness of the PK Subban trade. A deal that would be aimed at separating them from the rest of the pack in the East."
I expect to discuss more with this source in the next day or two and was promised some more details...but for now, Montreal is definitely on my radar.
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