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Real Names/Targets in the Rumor Mill

February 14, 2011, 1:26 PM ET [ Comments]
Steven Hindle
Washington Capitals Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Real Names/Targets in the Rumor Mill



I will be back later with a little pre-game primer for tonight's tilt in Phoenix with the Coyotes, but for the time being I thought I would lend my opinion on the look of the current trade landscape.

The rumor mill has been a buzz for a few weeks but not until Brian Burke kicked off the festivities with his deal for Joffrey Lupul and Jake Gardiner, plus a 4th, that sent Francois Beachemin back to the Ducks did the NHL's trade market truly open for business.

Yes, there have been other deals over the course of the season, but given the timing and nature of the deals we have already seen this year, one gets the sense that it just might one of the more active trade deadlines that the NHL has seen in years.

The following is a list of players whom I feel may legitimately have a shot at moving in the next 2 weeks.(There are many more players who *may* possibly move, but these are the ones I have heard are drawing legit interest.

Center

D. Brassard, CBJ: The Jackets are being active league wide, it's not that much of a secret. Although Brassard is young and signed, the Jackets are listening and could be swayed to part with him. Cost is high though.

S. Weiss, FLA: Round and round we go, and now the Panthers say he won't go. Not buying it. He has drawn serious interest and may be Tallon's best meal-ticket in helping him rebuild the Panthers roster.

A. Steen, STL: Not much made of Steen these days, but he's putting up points and not necessarily part of the home-grown core of players the Blues are working on developing. He may not be an expensive acquisition, but he won't come cheap.

J. Arnott, NJD: The Devils are hot right now and that is only helping Uncle Lou drive up the value of the guys he's going to dish at the deadline. Arnott is definitely one of those guys and, whereas the value for Jason may have been a 3rd rounder a week or two ago, the currenty winning streak and strong play is quietly driving that value up. He is one of the few players I fully expect to move.

T. Connolly, BUF: Hot and cold, inconsistent but talented, injury prone but clutch. Who is this guy? The Sabres have never had any success in dishing this guy off but they also have not enjoyed that much success with him in the lineup. He's a guy that the Sabres want a decent return for, yet I don't see them wanting him past this season. It's in the best interest for Buffalo to move him now as they will not get anything for him when he walks as a UFA.

D. Zubrus, NJD: Another one of Lou's "guys to move," Zubrus is a big power forward type player but is overpaid. Hence he has a tough time drawing a decent value in terms of a return, but with teams getting desperate for a player like Danius, there is a good chance that he will also wind up being one of the guys the Devils move, or at least try to. Unlike Arnott, Zubrus will be much harder to move but it can be done.

B. Richards, DAL: The highest profile UFA's in all of the NHL, the consensus is that Dallas is going to need to keep him through the end of the year, but are not likely to be able to retain him this summer. It's a tough pill to swallow if your a Stars fan as landing a massive package for Richards versus losing him for nothing is certainly far more preferable yet the income ownership will accrue from having him on the team and having help with a playoff push is something the Stars are perhaps more concerned with. Things aren't rosy in Dallas and there is a strong sense that as much as Brad would like to resign now, or in the summer, he will want a fair market value and that just might not be something Dallas will be able to accommodate. I highly doubt he moves as the bottom line(in terms of playoff revenue) combined with waiting is the Stars best move. The ability and option to resign him this summer aren't completely dead in the water, it's just something they cannot speak of with certainty. I will say that a knock your socks of type of deal will pry him from Dallas, but I still am unsure of who can afford to deal up that large of a package.


Right Wingers

J. Williams, LAK: Has flown under the radar this season, posting 44 points in 56 games in LA(11th overall among RW's) but is by no means an untouchable. As a matter of fact, with the way Jason has been playing lately, one has to wonder if Dean Lombardi doesn't see him as his best bargaining chip. Teams looking to part with young talent for a vet scoring presence might do well do consider Williams, yet like with many other teams in the West, with LA fighting for a playoff spot, you have to think that the Kings aren't likely to make any deal that won't improve their chances this season. We'll see where LA goes with that, but Jason is definitely an under the radar type name who might be a more likely candidate for a trade.

A. Hemsky, EDM: Has always been underrated in my opinion, but that reputation has never translated into that much value in a GM's eyes. Otherwise Hemsky may have already moved. Injury worries are the culprit for ambiguity surrounding Ales, but if healthy, he's worth something decent and can definitely help a playoff team/contender.

D. Penner, EDM: Most mentioned name in the rumor mill? Yup. Everyone thinks he's moving, so much so that I am starting to wonder if he won't be the biggest "hype fail" of this years trade deadline. I know that the price is steep, but there's alot of upside to a guy like Penner...yet the more his name is mentioned, and the longer "possible trade scenarios" drag out, I just have to must whether or not the Oilers are using his name to attract attention from other GM's if only to wind up discussing other players that Edmonton may be more interested in moving. Penner is young. Young enough that he still makes sense as part of the Oil's young rebuilding core. We'll see, but don't be surprised if that firework fizzles.

J. Voracuk, CBJ: Basically one of the more prized young guns who could be had. The Jackets are doing some serious window shopping with their wallets open and from what many cashiers have been saying, they are noticing the Jacob Voracuk card at the top of the stack. Gotta wonder if that's true as Voracuk has massive upside so one can assume the asking price is high. I personally think that if CBJ is willing to part with him that interested GM's should be very wary. Outside of another complete roster revamp, I don't see why the Jackets wouldn't want him as part of their core. Time will tell as perhaps he is just one of those guys who needs a change of location for his true potential to blossom, but when a young player like Voracuk goes on the market, as tempting as it may be - there's likely a catch. (Another Jacket who certainly needs a change of scenery is Nikita Filatov, but like Voracuk, he draws as much skepticism as interest.)

M. Samuelsson, VAN: The Canucks are looking to tweak and he might be the guy to help them do it...but he isn't the type of player most teams are willing to go after at this stage. He is a winger who can definitely score goals, yet he isn't the bruiser/power forward type that many are looking for, nor has he been that consistent this year. Truth be told, he could likely be had but for too much of a price. Trading Samuelsson is a nice thought but clearly one of the outside possibilities as of now.

K. Versteeg, TO: The former Cup winning Hawk was seen as a centerpiece in the Leafs "new" rebuild but is now rumored to be on the move? Not sure I would like how that tasted if I was a current Leaf, especially if Burke does wind up moving him. Who would want to be a Leaf if they continue to ship out all the players they consider to be their solid pieces? Versteeg will definitely go for a decent return, but I still don't see why Toronto would want to move him when they now have Lupul, Kessel and him to build around. They are not a 1st line by any means, but that's a solid 2nd line...if they ever play together and get going.

A. Kovalev, OTT: Expensive and old, but still has talent that can leave even the best 20-year old in the game standing in his dust. The thing is that that doesn't happen all that often these days and for any team to acquire Kovy, they aren't likely going to want to give up much. He is much more risk than reward, but those rewards are what's driving the interest. His recent play is drawing interest again and, although I can't see a trade that brings in anything like the value of what Mike Fisher got the Sens, I do see a possible pick/prospect moving for L'Artiste.

P.A. Parenteau, NYI: A lot of potential in Parenteau which has quietly materialized on the Isles this year. He never got a fair shake with the Rangers and isn't exactly in a spot where he can shine in Long Island, but he could be a gem for a team in search of his precise intangibles. He has size, speed and good hands and would likely go for a reasonable price. Not sure how many Islanders will wind up moving, but if Garth Snow can move one of the younger less prominent guys on the team, PA might be the right choice.

N. Bergfors, ATL: The young gun in the Kovalchuk deal has been in and out of the rumor mill all year and has slowly shown signs of development, just not as fast as the Thrashers have liked. He would be one of the young players that would cost something significant yet like with other youngsters on this list, if they really are being tossed out in the rumor mill than GM's should approach with caution.

D. Setoguchi, SJ: Although I have been talking about Devon's eventual departure from San Jose all season long, it now seems that everyone is starting to catch on to this possibility. Logan Couture has pushed the young RFA out of his comfort zone and the sniper, who isn't known for being a 3rd line grinder(his spot on the Sharks this season for the most part), is in dire need of a new home. People worry that he is the new Jonathan Cheechoo but from all accounts, he is far from that. The hard working talent can definitely land the Sharks the defensive piece they are looking for.


Left Wingers

C. MacArthur, TO: He has been an incredible surprise offensively in Toronto, which I'm sure the Sabres would have loved to have had this season, but it's uncertain as to whether this is an anomaly or the signs of the player Clarke has become. It's only one year and that is the problem. No doubt MacArthur will look for more than one year with the Leafs this summer and I'm not so sure that Burke will be willing to commit to that. Considering the uncertainty, the best bet for the GM who is always on the lookout could be to parlay his impressive season into a strong return at the deadline.

N. Kulemin, TO: Another young Leafer that is attracting attention. He's done well for the Leafs this year, yet in a role that he likely wouldn't have on a contender. Teams may be interested but I would think that he won't be first on the list when GM's call Burke. He could make for a nice toss-in though.

R. Whitney, PHO: The tried, tested and true deadline acquisition, Ray is the perfect fit for a team looking for help on the wing. But I do have to wonder if he isn't in the place where he can help the most already. The Coyotes haven't had the same season they did last year but they've played well and are very certainly in contention. I would say that he's a maybe to go, but as is the case every year, he will absolutely draw attention.

C. Stillman, FLA: He could be Ray Whtiney's clone. He offers the same things as Whit and can be had for around the same price. That said, I expect that Stillman has much more of a chance at moving, if not a near certainty, in comparison to Whitney as the Panthers are much closer to folding up shop for the season.

R.J. Umberger, CBJ: Noted as perhaps one of the few untouchables on the Jackets roster, he is one of the most coveted by opposing GM's. It would take a very large and enticing offer for Howson to send R.J. elsewhere, but there's no doubt that with Columbus open for business, many of the calls they receive will be about him.

C. Glencross, CGY: While he was an attractive option last month, with the Flames now back in the hunt for one of those final playoff spots, there doesn't seem to be much chance that he will move. If the Flames somehow fall out of the race, he will definitely attract attention. But until then, Glencross has played his way into becoming one of the more important Flames at the moment, a trend that has seen his value increase with new GM Jay Feaster.

S. Sullivan, NSH: He is in the final year of his deal with the Preds, but is a key leader and producer for them. That said, he is getting older and is drawing interest from other teams. Preds players and fans would hate to see him go, but if Nashville can move him as a rental now and resign him in the summer, that would be huge. Then again, age and injuries will limit the interest to being a rental acquisition only and chances are he holds more value with the team than off of it.

Defensemen


T. Kaberle, TO: Hey, guess who? Yup, it's the final year of Kabs deal and it's looking like the sweeps are on again. Anyways...I don't buy it. Kaberle seems to be a fairly loyal customer and as it stands now, given the way he has been treated over the last few seasons, I could see him sticking it out for the rest of the year. Yet I can't see him resigning...so with that in mind, how can this now be the deadline we see Tomas Kaberle moves? Don't hold your breathe, but, I mean, c'mon already. Just make it happen.

B. McCabe, FLA: Hurt but back soon. Signed to a big deal but not resigning. Hello perfect trade candidate. His intangibles and past history lend signs of hope to potential buyers, but it's unlikely they will be paying anything hefty for the former Leaf. That said, a smart GM with cap space and a need for offense from the blue line, would be wise to start negotiations now and work on bringing down the price as low it can possibly go.

E. Brewer, STL: The Blues captain's name has come up recently and it has been rumored that he could be moved. The whole debate about keeping Jackman/Brewer next year has led to the inevitable talk of trading one of them and it seems like the lead candidate would be Eric. He has recovered from the knee injuries that kept him out of the lineup over the last few seasons and with people wondering whether the Blues would let him walk for nothing in the summer, chances are he could be had for an extremely reasonable return.

A. Stralman, CBJ: Hey look, another Jacket! As you can tell, it's no secret that Columbus is open for business and Anton is another one of those Jackets that are attracting attention. Young with upside, he could be a great addition for a team in need of a 3/4...though people will argue he is better suited for a 5/6 role on a contender.

A. MacDonald, NYI: A definite surprise on the struggling Isles, MacDonald has come out of nowhere to provide Garth Snow with another bargaining chip for the deadline. He might be a wise option for the future in Long Island but with the way things are going, if Snow can get picks, you know he will make the deal.

J. Pitkanen, CAR: He makes a difference on a playoff contending team and that is what the 'Canes are right now so don't expect them to move him while they're in the race. But if they fall, albeit unlikely, chances are Carolina would look to move him. He is a UFA at seasons end and it doesn't seem like a certainly that the Hurricanes will keep him. With that in mind, they are caught between keeping him for the playoffs and risking losing him for nothing in the summer, or risking losing him now for a return while perhaps compromising their chances to make the post-season. Clearly the 'Canes will choose playoffs over dishing Joni, but that's not a guarantee at this moment.

B. Allen, FLA: Like McCabe, Allen is a prime candidate to move. He is a very affordable option in terms of salary and return so GM's will probably only look at him once other options have been exhausted, but he is one of the lower end guys who makes a lot of sense to move.

Z. Bogosian, ATL: The youngster has struggled this year and has come up as trade fodder because he is so highly coveted and many feel that because Atlanta's ownership situation isn't exactly stable that he can be had. And while that is a cute thought, and perhaps one that has crossed managements mind, but he means way more to the Thrashers future, regardless of it's Atlanta or not. If he is moved, expect the deal to shock you.

M. Del Zotto, NYR: He's struggled in his 2nd year with the Rags and with the teams offensive struggles coming to the forefront, many have wondered whether DZ would fit as a nice piece of trade bait for Sather. While I can buy that he would be great trade bait, much like Bogosian, I can't imagine the Rangers improving immediately by parting with him.




These names are among the most prevalent that I have heard discussed both publicly and privately and while there are many other candidates up for grabs, I would have to think that these guys are among the most interesting of all.


Feel free to add names to this list.

I will be back with more on the Capitals, including rumors and some more insight into how opponents view them.



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