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Eastern Conference Thoughts: Trade Deadline Edition

February 15, 2011, 3:20 AM ET [ Comments]
Travis Yost
Ottawa Senators Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
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Ninth edition of Eastern Conference Thoughts on this Tuesday afternoon. So much to talk about with the trade deadline inching closer to closer, so let's get right into it.

Atlantic Division


New York Islanders - Listen, say what you want about the New York Islanders, but this is a team that's starting to show some team unity for the first time in a while. The past decade has just been punchline after punchline as the front office continually drove the club into the ground, and make no mistake about it, the talent on this roster is far from desirable. Still, after the brawl against Pittsburgh a few days ago, you could feel a sense of commitment to the team and one another after each game misconduct. The Islanders fan base, often playing second fiddle to their arch rival from Manhattan, has long been enraged with the way the team is handled from the top down, and quite frankly it's hard to blame them. The proverbial goons in Zenon Konopka and Trevor Gillies were very vocal in their displeasure with the way the Pittsburgh Penguins handled themselves on the ice, and even more outward about how they were going to protect guys like John Tavares no matter the cost. Can't teach that kind of commitment and team chemistry, and even for a team as bad as the Islanders are in the standings, I'd put good money on this team making real strides over the next twenty-five or so games.

New York Rangers - With 64 points in the Eastern Conference, the New York Rangers are clinging onto a playoff birth as the seventh overall seed, but optimism isn't exactly running high on Broadway. The Rangers finally put a halt to their six-game slide against the Pittsburgh Penguins, a team without their two star players in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The offense is extremely inconsistent lately, and although the team can rest their laurels on all-world goalie Henrik Lundqvist, they certainly don't appear to be as impressive as the earlier part of the season would indicate. Can't see this team being anything but buyers, but to just look at the other end of the spectrum, consider the kind of returns they could get for players that would've been complete write-offs heading into the year. Brian Boyle, long considered a poor acquisition by Glen Sather after being swapped for a third-round pick in 2009, could fetch some serious returns. His nineteen goals are no fluke - he's playing a much better brand of hockey and seems comfortable on every shift. Classic sell high, reap dividends later. Even a struggling player like Marian Gaborik would bring incredible returns - there's been murmurs about him potentially being on the trading block, and although I don't see this as a real possibility, it does make you wonder if a large enough offer could entice Slats to pull the trigger. Moving those two players alone could jump start a lightning quick and efficient rebuild, but again, the team sits inside of the top eight and would rather remain competitive.

New Jersey Devils - Ilya Kovalchuk might be a bit overpaid, but there's no denying the excitement he's bringing to one of the league's most troubled teams over the past month. New Jersey, who has made quite an impressive run to jump back into respectability, has pretty much dialed it up in every third of the ice, and looks far more comfortable with Jacques Lemaire behind the bench. Kovalchuk's just a microcosm of that - every time he touches the puck, the hair raises on the opposition's skin. No better evidence of that then his game winner against the Toronto Maple Leafs in OT last week, where he took the puck coast-to-coast and beat the seemingly bullet proof James Reimer clean. Not surprisingly, he followed up a big game winner against Toronto with another against San Jose, this one coming late in the third period against Antti Niemi. This team won't make the playoffs, but I'll pretty much guarantee that every sportsbook in America projects them to make the playoffs in 2011.

Philadelphia Flyers - First, a couple of thoughts. The local books are offering 5/1 odds on the Flyers winning the Stanley Cup. Of all the prices, I ranked that as second in terms of value, trailing the Tampa Bay Lightning at 8/1. Second, explain to me how one of the deadliest offenses deserves another top-end talent on the wings in Kris Versteeg? The blogosphere went back and forth on this deal as to who really won it, but if you're the Flyers, you have to feel like you bested Toronto here. Essentially, the Flyers gave up a early second round pick and a third round pick for a proven commodity in Versteeg. The same Versteeg who has already hoisted the cup and can play pretty much any style with ease. This move alone distances the Flyers from the rest of the pack in the Eastern Conference, and with many speculating that another move on the back end (perhaps goaltending) might be coming, you'd be out of your mind to bet against this team representing the EC in the Cup.

Pittsburgh Penguins - Life isn't grand in Pittsburgh right now. There's nothing more unfortunate than watching a good team fail because of decimating injuries, and right now, that's what's happening to the Penguins. I don't care how deep your team is, if you lose two talents the likes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin indefinitely, you're going to struggle. Yeah, they play defense and have a goalie in Marc-Andre Fleury who is capable of keeping the team afloat for the time being, but for how much longer can they hold on? Their six point lead on the next best team has them locked up as the #4 seed right now, but all signs point to this team on the rapid decline due to a lack of offensive firepower. Ray Shero's fully aware that his team is just one healthy Sid Crosby away from returning to prominence, so don't expect the usually conservative general manager to sit tight at the trade deadline. Coming to Pittsburgh should be a top-six forward that could revitalize the offense while Crosby rehabilitates, and the aforementioned move isn't just a short-term fix. Shero's looked long and hard for a complementary winger to Crosby's game, and as I've mentioned previously, Ales Hemsky of Edmonton fits the bill.

Northeast Division


Boston Bruins - Make no mistake about it, the Boston Bruins are one of the toughest and most physical teams in hockey, and that alone is a recipe for success in the playoffs. Even better, the Bruins won't have to see the Detroit Red Wings unless the two meet in the Stanley Cup Finals, a scenario which most fans in Beantown wouldn't mind in the slightest. Of course, the complete exploitation of the Bruins by the Red Wings over the weekend had to raise some eyebrows for the rabid fan base and front office, as the flashy play of Detroit made the Bruins look foolish in every zone. Outscored 10-3 in the home-and-home, the Bruins didn't have much of any success in stifling the scoring prowess of Detroit's front lines, and a lot of that had to do with the Wings refusal to back down. Todd Bertuzzi pretty much had his way in both games, tallying four goals and owning the offensive zone on every single shift. It's possible that the Wings are just a bad match-up for the Bruins, and it's also possible that the two-game sample size isn't really indicative of the two teams' respective strengths and weaknesses, but that kind of scoring outburst over 120 minutes really shouldn't ever happen against a tight-knit defense and Vezina-caliber Tim Thomas.

Buffalo Sabres - In the eighth edition of Eastern Conference Thoughts, we talked about the remote - and I mean remote - possibility of trading a guy like Ryan Miller. Now more than ever, this bit of speculation has manifested into something larger, with plenty of Sabres fans calling their all-world goalie 'overrated' after another sub-par performance against the New York Islanders. It's pretty tough to get a feel for where Miller really stands these days, but let's lay out the facts a bit. In favor of Miller: He's not playing behind the best team (and more specifically, defense) in the world, and the lack of rest he's been getting has to have taken a toll on his play. Look no further than Jonas Hiller's IR placement due to fatigue as evidence of what effect extensive play can have on a goalie that's tested so often. Against Miller: There's really no reason to ever give up seven goals to the New York Islanders, and that's just a microcosm of his play all season long. His .909 save percentage ranks behind goaltending luminaries Devan Dubnyk (.911), Michal Neuvirth (.913), and Kari Lehtonen (.915).

Montreal Canadiens - Here's a take that's almost certain to move the proverbial needle: I've pretty much had it with the constant criticism of P.K. Subban. Yeah, Subban is extremely confident in his ability, and a lot of that carries over to his play on the ice where he's taken out of his element. An extreme blue line talent, sure, but a player also easily rattled by forwards unafraid to butt heads with the 21 year-old. At any rate, he's definitely not the first (and won't be the last) player to come into the league with an almost brazen level of swagger, yet he's received 10x the criticism as anyone that's ever donned a sweater in the National Hockey League. Whether conscious or sub-conscious, I have a hard time believing his race doesn't play a part in the kind of negative attention Subban gets. Let's face it - the National Hockey League isn't exactly an assimilated league, and many of the African American stars (e.g. Jarome Iginla, Dustin Byfuglien, Grant Fuhr) have a perceived whiteness to them due to their parents. I've mentioned in the past that playing the racism card is just as annoying (and usually bogus) as the reverse-racism card, but I've yet to hear an alternative and legitimate take as to why Subban has become public enemy number one in the National Hockey League, a league that features some of the most outrageous and disturbing personalities in all of sports.

Ottawa Senators - Part 1 of the firesale is officially over, with Mike Fisher heading to the Nashville Predators. As much as it pained me to see Mike Fisher go, there's very little doubt as to who won this trade - both teams. Nashville gets the immediate return on investment with a proven centerman who can provide a serious boost in the playoffs. After that, though, the story flips, as Nashville is stuck with a #2/#3 center making a fair share of money, and Ottawa's given a nice chunk of cap relief and a first round selection. If Nashville makes it to the playoffs (or even better, advances a round or two), Ottawa will receive another pick inside of the first three rounds, which means yet another decent prospect coming through the farm system. And, for as much heat as the organization gets sometimes, let's give a little kudos where it's due. It's become public knowledge that the best offer on the table for Mike Fisher was probably from the Carolina Hurricanes, but the Ottawa Senators wanted to reward Fisher for his commitment and service to the team and sent him where he'd be a bit more comfortable. That's not to say that the two deals weren't fairly similar in return, but the organization made a quiet remark about how they treat their players, and if you think players around the league didn't notice that, you're out of your mind.

Toronto Maple Leafs - Perhaps I'm a bit confused, but the Kris Versteeg trade didn't make much sense. Allow me to elaborate. The return for Versteeg was a first round pick and a third round pick from the Philadelphia Flyers, by all accounts very respectable. Burke's intentions are to flip that third-round pick for an NHL ready player, meaning that the next stage of the rebuild on the Maple Leafs will be done with high value draft picks and through trading on the cheap, bringing in talents like Clarke MacArthur that can succeed in Ron Wilson's system. Yet, the timeliness of the move completely threw me for a loop. Versteeg was obviously one of the most coveted assets heading into the deadline, so why would Burke pull the trigger this early? Everyone from owners to the fans sitting in the nosebleeds knows that leverage and subsequently returns are maximized the closer you get to the trade deadline, as teams will panic and often overpay in order to make short-term gains. And, the argument that Burke was worried about potentially missing out on a deal for Versteeg is pretty foolish in its own right. At the absolute worst, Burke holds onto the 23 year-old winger, a player who can be extremely useful for years to come. I don't think Burke missed here at all, I'm just wondering if he cheated himself out of a value, even if it was slight.

Southeast Division

Atlanta Thrashers - Well, it's about that time for the Atlanta Thrashers to decide what the hell they want to do with the 2010-2011 club. Flying through the season, the Thrashers looked like the odds-on lock to become the surprise team of the year, but a recent swoon has forced them outside of the top eight, and now there are rumors aplenty of this team becoming sellers once again at the trade deadline. Sure, there are plenty of assets that could be moved - Tobias Enstrom, Zach Bogosian, and Niclas Bergfors have all made visits to the rumor mill, but can an already agitated and tired fan base deal with another selling season, especially after the early success? And furthermore, what kind of signal does that send to recent acquisitions in Dustin Byfuglien and Andrew Ladd, two guys who have keyed the scoring for this club all season long. When the going gets tough, quit? Whe

Carolina Hurricanes - All year, I've talked up the Hurricanes as one of the more likely teams in the middle of the pack to rise up, and they're doing just that. With that said, allow me to roast this team for its untimely and unprofitable comeback against the Tampa Bay Bolts on Saturday night. Playing the six goal under, Carolina was down 3-1 with just under a minute to play, having strung together the worst 59 minutes of puck the club has played in a long, long time. How do they respond? With two goals in the next twenty-five seconds, essentially guaranteeing themselves a point and burning my assumed winning ticket. To some fans, this is what a good team does - steal points on the road when you don't remotely deserve them. But to me, they're just another team that's scorned me at the betting window, and I'll never forget how Jeff Skinner and Erik Cole wronged my bank account in what I'm dubbing as the worst beat of the season.

Florida Panthers - The Cats are just seven points out of the eight seed in the Eastern Conference, but its fully expected that they'll start selling off some of their more valuable pieces as they continue to rebuild. Already on the block: Stephen Weiss, Bryan McCabe, and Tomas Vokoun, all three of which are UFAs. Weiss in particular seems like the most likely to go, especially since the return for his services could be quite desirable. As a centerman, Weiss is as proven as they come, and the fact that he's just 27 years-old means great things for a team looking for both short-term help and a long-term add, as he can be two rolled into one. He's due a new contract at the end of the season, but he won't be all that pricy - Weiss' isn't a player who will fluctuate far from his mean. He's a sixty point scorer through and through, and can make a measurable and realizable impact on a playoff team's second line. As for McCabe and Vokoun, the brass would like to keep both, but signing either of the two doesn't appear to be in the team's budget heading into next season. McCabe can be the PP QB that a team like the New York Rangers or Washington Capitals would love to employ, and Vokoun's the kind of 'tender that can steal you a series rather than a game or two.

Tampa Bay Lightning - Quietly, that freak Steven Stamkos has seriously distanced himself from the rest of the pack in the goal scoring race. With forty goals already on the year, Stamkos' nearest competition includes Ryan Kesler(32) and Sidney Crosby(29). Kesler's breakout season is something to behold, but the scoring is far too spread out on Vancouver for him to make a run, and Crosby's injury is going to keep him on the sidelines for quite some time, meaning another Maurice "Rocket" Richard for the ultra-talented centerman down in Tampa.

Washington Capitals - Who tuned in to Monday night hockey on Versus? If you didn't, you missed a pretty exciting game between the Washington Capitals and Phoenix Coyotes, two teams that played sixty minutes of playoff hockey down at Jobing.com Arena. Shouldn't surprise you that the better defensive/goaltending team of the two eeked out a 3-2 victory, but what was even more interesting beyond the scoreboard was Alex Ovechkin's splits during the game. Whether by choice or by Bruce Boudreau's decision, Ovechkin was taking multiple shifts upwards of two minutes as the game wore on. What I'm sure of: Ovechkin was having a tremendous game and pretty much forcing the Coyotes defense to pay twice the attention they normally would on the skilled Russian. What I'm not sure of: Whether or not taking those kinds of shifts in a regular season game (or any game for that matter) is smart in the long run. He's clearly in shape for those gruelingly long shifts, but does overplaying Ovechkin come at the expense of other fresher legs and subsequently a better product over the course of a game?

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