Be sure to 'like' Hockeybuzz on Facebook!
With Brandon Saad in need of a contract and the long-term extensions of Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane set to kick in the Chicago Blackhawks are in a cap crunch.
As a result they'll be forced to part with a couple players from their roster with Patrick Sharp and his $5.9 million salary seemingly the most likely part to be moved out.
In today's hotstove we'll look at who may be the best fit for Sharp's services should he be moved.
Todd Cordell: Nashville I could see Nashville making a play for Sharp.
Their offense is a lot more potent than it has been in years past but it seems like David Poile and co. would still like to add another big piece.
The Preds were rumored to be interested in Phil Kessel but there doesn't appear to be a fit as the Preds have to ensure they can afford long-term contracts for Filip Forsberg and Seth Jones after next season.
Kessel's long-term contract at $8 million per may hinder their ability to get those guys locked up since the Predators are not a cap team.
Sharp, on the other hand, could bring some immediate scoring help - albeit not as much - and only has two years left on his deal at less than $6 million per season.
He would be more affordable in terms of dollars and what it'd take to acquire him on the trade market.
I don't think it'll happen - Chicago probably won't want to trade Sharp within the division - but I think Sharp could be a good fit in Nashville.
Ryan Wilson: Florida The Florida Panthers are loaded with great young talent and are the kind of team that has assets to make a deal like this work. By adding Patrick Sharp the Panthers could roll out Jonathan Huberdeau, Jussi Jokinen, in addition to Sharp as their three left wingers. This sets up well for the team to have three scoring lines which is the direction you will start to see more teams go in.
Cap space is a non issue and Dale Tallon is never one to shy away from former Blackhawks. I think Tallon will definitely be interested in the idea of Patrick Sharp in South Beach.
Tim Chiasson: Montreal The Canadiens need to help out Carey Price by getting some more offense in the fold - and Sharp's Cup winning experience will go a long way if you're into that sort of thing.
The Habs need to start focusing on having the team give them a chance to win every night and not just the goaltender. Adding Patrick Sharp to the offense would give them a much needed boost to legitimize a deep playoff run.
He'll help in the offensive production as well as the possession game - another area of struggle for the Montreal Canadiens. It will be a tough fit in the cap for this year but they need to make it work.
**
If you want to prepare for the NHL draft I highly recommend getting a copy of HockeyProspect.com's Blackbook. It's easily the most thorough draft guide available as it has nearly 500 pages of content including scouting reports, rankings, and game reports on 2015, 2016 and 2017 draft eligibles.
Recent posts