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On Friday afternoon, I got an email from a friend of mine who lives near Edmonton.
So, my buddy told me that he had read my Thursday blog regarding Pete Chiarelli being serious about trading his fourth overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft. He liked my idea of Edmonton making a deal with Colorado to exchange the 4th overall selection for a fistful of assets. He also loved my idea ofAvs righty Tyson Barrier QB'ing the Edmonton PP and 5v5 for the next decade.
In case you missed my piece, here is the excerpt:
#10 Colorado can never be ruled out with Patrick Roy and Joe Sakic in control of the team's personnel decisions. Tyson Barrie is a right shot D whom I'm sure that Chiarelli would want to get his hands on immediately to QB his team's 5v5 and PP. Roy and Sakic need to get stiffer and harder to play against up front and on their blue line. Maybe Tkachuk or Dubois check the boxes for the Avs. Perhaps they would invest #4 in one of Juolevi or Chychrun. Again, I see Colorado as a long shot because they really, really want to keep Tyson Barrie, 24, a pending RFA.
Come to find out, my friend in hockey and red wine, Elliotte Friedman, was a guest this afternoon on CHED in Edmonton.
Elliotte gave his take on Tyson Barrie and his future, or lack thereof in Denver. It sounds like Barrie may be on the move at the NHL Draft.
Said Friedman:
“You know what, I do think Tyson Barrie is going to go. I did a game there where Montreal was in Denver. Don Meehan was there at the time with Craig Oster. They’re the Newport guys who handle Barrie. I just got the impression from everybody involved that they weren’t really even in the same ballpark.
“Knowing the way they finished their year, I’ve got to think it’s very likely he moves on.…
Hmm, said I to myself.
Barrie is the EXACT perfect fit defenseman to feed Taylor Hall, Connor McDavid, RNH and the Edmonton forwards right now. In 78 games with the Avs this season, Barrie piled up 13 goals (5 GWG) and 36 assists. He scored 3 PPGs and 1 shorty. He landed 172 shots on enemy goalies, and devoured 23:11 TOI per game. At 5'10" and 190 lbs., Barrie is a graceful skater and an artful puck distributor. He plays with ice water in his veins. Very rarely do you see him make mistakes and errors with they puck. His passes are tape to tape and he skated like the prairie wind. He will turn 25 in July. He will also become RFA in July and the Avs are likely not in the mood to pay Barrie in the $5+ million AAV range.
Barrie's career has been impressive. In 264 games, he has scored 40 goals and has added 113 assists. He has scored 10 PPGs and has amassed 52 power play points. He has also scored 11 game winning goals and 4 OT game winning goals.
So why not trade him for the 4th overall selection, right?
Losing Barrie would hamper the Avs as they don't have another player, nor prospect like him in their organization right now.
The Avs would love to upgrade their overall blue line skill and toughness. They may want to grab one of two stud left shot D prospects Mikhail Sergachev or Jakob Chychrun at #4.
The Avs won't be content to trade Barrie for #4 overall, straight up. I'm thinking that Pete Chiarelli would have to sweeten the deal by adding Jordan Eberle or Nail Yakupov.
I like the Avs-Oilers idea on my computer screen, but nagging me in the back of my mind is the thought that Barrie is repped by Newport Sports. Patrick Roy and Joe Sakic experienced an impasse with the Avs and their former player Ryan O'Reilly. Moments before the 2015 NHL Draft began last June, the Avs traded O'Reilly and Jamie McGinn to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Nikita Zadorov, Mikhail Grigorenko, J.T. Compher and the 31st pick in the 2015 NHL draft.
Speaking of the Sabres, Tim Murray might be willing to dip his beak in the Tyson Barrie pool.
Murray has been patiently looking for a first pair D partner for Rasmus Ristolainen.
Ideally, Murray is looking for a lefty, however, a righty like Barrie can play on his off side with relative ease. Barrie reads the play well, is very mobile, and can act like the fourth forward in the o-zone. He also has the speed and giddy up to get back to his end of the rink to defend against odd-man rushes.
Tim Murray may want to roll the bones and go hard at Barrie. We already know that Murray has favored nation trading status with Don Meehan and Craig Oster at Newport Sports, who rep ROR, Evander Kane, David Legwand, Steven Stamkos, Erik Karlsson and the best of the NHL's best players. Murray moves in mysterious ways and he may be able to wiggle himself into position to prevent Barrie from being moved to Edmonton, or another NHL team.
Who knows, while chatting about all things Stamkos, Murray could have already spoken with Barrie's people about an opportunity to reunite with his friend Ryan O'Reilly.
The thought of Barrier and Ristolainen distributing the rock to ROR, Evander Kane, Jack Eichel, Samson Reinhart, Tyler Ennis, Zemgus Girgensons, Marcus Foligno, Matt Moulson and the Sabres forwards is intriguing.
At what price Barrie for the Sabres?
The 8th overall pick in the draft?
Or, a package that includes Tyler Ennis, Mark Pysyk and draft choices?
The Avs are not thrilled with having to pay Barrie north of $5M per season on a multi-year contract.
Like Friedman, I think that is very likely that Barrie will be moving away from Denver.
(Thanks, Nichols on Hockey)
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Look, Ma.
No Crimson "If you touch me you are dead meat" sweater for Steven Stamkos at this morning's optional game day skate ahead of Game 1 between Tampa and Pittsburgh tonight.
#TBLightning Steven Stamkos at optional skate. Never thought wearing blue would create such a buzz. pic.twitter.com/BR9QuBrhL7
— Joe Smith (@TBTimes_JSmith) May 13, 2016
Stamkos said after his skate that he WILL play in the ECF vs. Pittsburgh. He could not say exactly when. Stamkos said that he doesn't have to be "off blood thinners to play". He added that he can be on a different regiment, an option that he and the Bolts' medical and coaching staffs have discussed.
Stamkos added: "There's a chance. That's why I'm putting in the hard work. If there wasn't a chance, I'd have pom poms out and be a cheerleader".
Friday The 13th marks the first time that Stamkos has practiced without his no-contact jersey since he had surgery to remove a blood clot from near his right collarbone on April 4. The initial prognosis was that Stamkos was expected to miss 1-3 months.
Is Stamkos ready to rejoin the Bolts lineup? Has he been granted medical clearance by his vascular surgeon and team doctors? Is he weening off the blood thinner therapy?
Word out of Tampa is that Stamkos is still an indefinite injury and his status hasn't changed. At least it hasn't been changed today.
Might Stamkos be cleared to play during the Eastern Conference Finals?
Stamkos is set to become UFA on July 1.
NHL GMs not named Steve Yzerman must be salivating seeing a healthy Stamkos skate freely in his non-contact sweater. I'm sure that the iPhone of Stamkos' agent must be blowing up with texts and phone calls inquiring about the health status of Stamkos.
Stay tuned....