Ek’s Note: Rumor Chart Updates Coming….Hearing a lot of Ben Chiarot talk today. Per a team involved…Montreal STILL demanding a first, but is a bit nervous that the Ducks didn’t get one for Manson…I will have more on that…but first…on to Kevin!
NHL Trade Deadline Day has always been like Christmas because there are always high expectations. Yet no is sure what they will receive until the day unfolds.
Two years ago, a record 32 trades were completed on deadline day. Last year, only 17 deals were made.
It feels like Jim Rutherford is the league’s all-time leader in deadline day trades. But Nashville general manager David Poile holds the GM record of 38 trade deadline deals. Usually there is a surprise or two, like last season when the Detroit Red Wings moved Anthony Mantha to the Washington Capitals for Jakub Vrana, a first-round pick and a second.
More than 641 deals have been made on trade deadline day, involving more 1,200 players and 400 draft picks over the past 54 years. But even with all of that history and data available to review it’s near-impossible to guess what might happen next Monday before the 3 p.m. ET deadline. It has been quiet during the ramp up to the big event, presumably because several contenders are tight against the ceiling of the salary cap. Given that circumstance, it might be easy to suggest this year’s deadline will take us back to the 1980s when fewer than 10 trades were made every season but one.
But if you pay attention to the number of contenders mentioned in the trade rumors you can project a number just above last season’s.
Based on rumors, here are the number of deals (in parenthesis) we expect contenders or playoff aspirants to make:
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Boston Bruins (2): Would expect at least two trades, involving moving Jake DeBrusk and acquiring a defenseman and forward.
Calgary Flames (1): They shopped early and came home with Tyler Toffoli. That acquisition is paying dividends. They are mulling over their forward and defensemen options. Don’t sleep on the Flames. They are set up for the playoffs and they are not done trading.
Carolina Hurricanes (1): GM Don Waddell looking for a defenseman with a cap hit that comes in at $1.8 million. That’s how much cap room he has.
Colorado Avalanche (1): Even after acquiring defenseman Josh Manson Monday, the Avalanche are probably going to make at least one more trade. If they don’t get Claude Giroux, they will land another forward. The Ducks retained half of Manson’s salary. That tells you Colorado isn’t done.
Edmonton Oilers (1 or 2): Same old story. Oilers need a proven goalie and defensive help.
Los Angeles Kings (1): Kings have had talks about Jakob Chychrun and they are interested in adding a forward
Minnesota (1 or 2): The Wild have one of the NHL’s most dynamic offenses, but their goaltending, especially lately, has been below average. Another Marc-Andre Fleury admirer?
Nashville (1): Don’t believe they will move Filip Forsberg, but do know they are interested in adding a defensemen.
New York Rangers (2): The Rangers are talking to teams about the top available forwards and the top left-shot defenseman.
Pittsburgh Penguins (1): The Penguins have played so impressively well this season GM Ron Hextall has to bolster their middle six forward group.
St. Louis Blues (2): Look for GM Doug Armstrong to add a defenseman and a forward. This is a team that could end up playing better in the postseason than they do in the regular-season.
Tampa Bay Lightning (1): GM Julien BriseBois has said publicly that he doesn’t expect to be very active because he has no cap space and isn’t interested in trading any of his regulars. But we believe he will find a way to add a minimum wage forward.
Toronto Maple Leafs (1 or 2): Their defensive struggles are well documented and now we are hearing about the possibility of talking to Chicago about Marc-Andre Fleury
Vancouver Canucks (2): Throwing the Canucks in with the contenders because they are looking to make hockey trades with contenders and non-contenders alike.
Washington Capitals (1): GM Brian MacLellan hasn’t been pleased with how his team has been playing and has said he may not do much. But the Caps are still a factor. He will do something.