Well I had planned this to be a bit more meaty as it were, but the GM's around the NHL seem to want me to go hungry on Deadline Day. Speculation, prognostication and masturbation seem to be the tour de jour on this day. Who will be moved? Is anyone safe? Lock up your Clarkson's! Or not.
TSN and Sportsnet will air a day of celebration. A day of talking about talking. Why? Well they need to ratify their pay cheques. I don't begrudge them this move. We all love to be paid. Talking about sports and reading off a queue card is even better. Less work and more money. In that train of thought I wish to present to you my award winning Trade Deadline Blog. It won an award in my mind so it's as valid as any. If I've learned anything, belief is much more important than fact.
Grounded
Thanks to most teams making their deals before the Deadline, we don't have as many guarantees as we would like. Franson, Sekera, Winnik, Vermette and Tlusty were pretty much all the "big" known people being traded. We got some serious fun thus far with the Myers-Kane deal, let alone the Davey Clarkman trade for Backbrace Hortman (that was in poor taste, hope you can recover Nathan, for your family). So I present to you, my picks for a "grounded" trade idea...s
Arizona : Lauri Korpikoski (1mil retained) for Pittsburgh : a 3rd 2016
I don't trust Rutherford. I know the Pens faithful really love having him over Shero, but I just have no trust in him. His last bit of glory was a decade ago, what he has to his name afterwards is being able to draft reasonably well at the forward position and being the worst at drafting defenseman in the league. So, he thinks the Pens can compete, he adds Winnik. Then add his faster, more stone handed brother in Korpikoski. It seems like a Pens rental move. Korpi has another year on his deal and he's pretty cheap, hell I can already see the posts about how he replaces Dupuis on Crosby's line giving that speed back...that won't happen, but I can see it written. Much like "He's coming" was written.
Edmonton : Jeff Petry for Detroit : a 2nd round pick 2015 and Ryan Sproul
Petry is on the block. It's so unsubtle it's funny. Sitting him out before the deadline...ya he's gone. But who? Who will bid on him? Detroit. Detroit isn't a classic contender, but they are a nasty team to play against. They boast a strong offense, an on and off again elite goaltending system and a defense that is incomplete. Petry could be a big salve for them. He's a right handed shot and the Wings NEED that. They really do. Babcock still likes to make sure his young rookies are doing as little as possible like Marchenko and Ouellet. Petry would be a perfect fit for their top-4. The Oilers get a second and Sproul who is having an off year after being a top raw offensive defenseman prospect. The Wings can afford it, the Oilers can't lose him for nothing.
Insanity
San Jose : Patrick Marleau for Colorado : Jarome Iginla
What? Why? Why indeed. San Jose is on the cusp of making the playoffs yet again, but they aren't quite there. This seems to be the year they have ballsed things up. Stripping Jumbo of the captaincy then keeping him. Making your number one defenseman your previous top LW...things in Sharkland have been messed up all year. This team is a shadow of its former self.
We look at Colorado with the worst D-Core in the NHL. Worse than Edmonton if you ask me, since Johnson and Barrie are out. It's an embarrassment and not even NHL worthy. Thankfully they are benching MacKinnon for this. Iginla has been fine for the Avs. Fine. Not great, not bad, fine. He wished to Hossa his way onto a contender, but he apparently never learned that Keith-Seabrook etc. were a thing.
Both teams are in a hunt for that final playoff spot, both players are basically at the same age, rate and length of contract. Yet Marleau still has some speed, while Iginla has the grit and "leadership."
You might ask...Adam, why? This move seems so...? Well my sweet summer child, it's an insane move that makes sense for both teams. San Jose is always under the impression they need to be tougher and stronger to compete in the playoffs. Iginla would be given the C and they would be out in the first round, but at least they fought harder! Marleau brings more speed and a guy that can compliment the young core of elite skaters like Duchene and MacKinnon more than molasses man Iginla.
It's an asinine proposal, which is why I think it is the perfect hockey trade.
Arizona : Keith Yandle and Max Domi for Toronto : Phil Kessel
Why not? Toronto seems to want to sell the farm and Kessel is the prize. Kessel needs a smaller market. I really like him, I think he is demonized unfairly, but he also can't handle this spotlight. He was a star at the Olympics on the big stage, only to be wilting under the insanity that is the Toronto media. Despite that, he is an elite offensive talent. Yandle is a top offensive defender, a guy who makes Gardiner completely expendable and can help Rielly who projects as a similar defender with slightly higher defensive abilities if things work out. Domi is that prospect that is both highly overrated, highly enticing and highly asked for. His mix of grit and playmaking skill is loveable, his size...not so much. 28 isn't too young for a rebuild and neither is 27, both could potentially be the Campbell's or Sharp's of Toronto or Arizona's end game. This one is kind of testing my brain, but I never pretended to be complete in control of my faculties.
Sorry for reading.