The common refrain emanating after last weekend’s Draft Combine around the NHL rumor mill is that the Arizona Coyotes with the third overall selection and Toronto Maple Leafs selecting fourth would entertain trading out of their current spot if a team with a lower pick offered a deal they couldn’t refuse.
This willingness may have as much to do with the quality depth of the upcoming NHL Draft in Sunrise, FL as it does with where the Coyotes and Leafs are currently situated.
Both franchises are early in a rebuilding stage and looking to accumulate as many young assets as possible. If Arizona GM Don Maloney and Toronto Director of Player Personnel Mark Hunter believe there is not a great deal separating Erie’s Dylan Strome, Boston College defenseman Noah Hanifin or London’s Mitch Marner from Pavel Zacha, Ivan Provorov, Matthew Barzal or Zach Werenski, then trading down may be an option depending on how extra picks or prospects they can get.
The Carolina Hurricanes(5th overall), Philadelphia Flyers(#7 overall) and Columbus Blue Jackets(8th overall)have needs and the extra draft picks necessary to move up.
Carolina is thin on the blueline after Justin Faulk and first rounders Ryan Murphy and Haydn Fleury and is on unsure footing regarding the future of center Eric Staal, who has one year left before becoming an unrestricted free agent. At #5, it is unlikely that Hanifin or Strome will be available and GM Ron Francis could use the first round pick obtained from Los Angeles for Andrej Sekera or his second round pick this year to trade up one or two slots.
The Flyers are rumored to be interested in Provorov, as some believe the hard-hitting defenseman is NHL ready as an 18-year-old. Philadelphia has an extra first from the trade with Tampa Bay for defenseman Braydon Coburn and the Hawks 2015 and 2016 second round picks from the Kimmo Timonen deal.
Columbus may have designs on Hanifin or Provorov to reinforce their defensive corps with the injury difficulties of 2012 second overall pick Ryan Murray, veteran James Wisniewski gone to Anaheim and losing unsigned college prospect Mike Reilly to free agency and have three second round picks(Toronto’s, their own and Anaheim’s) and two thirds(their own and Philadelphia’s).
It is also conceivable that Toronto would have interest in moving up to #3 if they clearly favor one of Strome, Marner or Hanifin ahead of the others, but Arizona would likely want young assets or draft picks that Toronto would be hesitant to move.
*******
An interesting tidbit from
Mike Chambers of the Denver Post earlier in the week regarding the Avalanche search for defensemen.
Colorado’s blueline has long been their Achilles heel and they appear poised to make moves this summer to address that problem. Free agents Andrej Sekera, Mike Green, Cody Franson and Matt Irwin were mentioned as possible targets, but the report indicates that the club covets Leafs defenseman Jake Gardiner.
The Avs may be looking to extend former first overall pick Erik Johnson and young blueliner Tyson Barrie(who are both under contract for one more year), but the price tag could be costly based on recent contract extensions of Jeff Petry and Nick Leddy.
Gardiner scored four goals and 20 assists last season and is under contract for another four seasons at increasingly economical $4.025 Million cap hit.
Recent reports indicate that Colorado and center Ryan O’Reilly are nowhere close to a contract extension with one year to go before O’Reilly becomes an unrestricted free agent. The 24-year-old former Lady Byng Trophy nominee scored 55 points last season and is looking for a long term deal in the neighborhood of $7 Million per season.
Toronto has been linked to the Clinton,ON native since his holdout in 2013, but with the Leafs recent management and coaching changes, it is unknown whether their level of interest remains. Leafs head coach Mike Babcock is said to like defensemen who can skate and that is Gardiner’s strongest asset, but his continuing defensive zone problems make him a risky proposition.
Gardiner’s contract gives the Avs cost certainty they are looking for, while O’Reilly would give the Leafs a two-way 24-year-old center to build around.
Food for thought.
*******If you are interested in sponsorship or advertising your business in the Greater Toronto / Southern Ontario area on this column, please send a message for more information by clicking on the “Contact” button at the top of the page.*******
Note : Continue to check back to my column on Hockeybuzz throughout the day for the latest Leafs updates or on Twitter
KINDLE USERS: Please sign up for Maple Leafs Buzz, which includes a free-of-charge 14-day trial and is just 99 cents per month afterwards. For more information
click here.
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»