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Welcoming Kevin Allen, with his Trade Deadline Preview

February 8, 2020, 12:56 PM ET [8 Comments]
Guest Writer
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Ek’s Note: Today I am extremely thrilled and humbled to welcome Kevin Allen as a guest contributor to HockeyBuzz. I am sure you all know Kevin from his many years covering hockey for The USA Today. He has covered countless Stanley Cups and Olympic Games. In 2014 he was named by the Hockey Hall of Fame as the Elmer Ferguson award winner. Prior to that accomplishment he served for many years as the president of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

Beyond all that, I also feel incredibly fortunate to be able to call Kevin a great friend. In my opinion, there is not a more interesting person in this sport today and over the years I have enjoyed many great conversations with Kevin about everything under the sun.

For his first guest article today, Kevin shares some of his well-connected thoughts on many of the key players going into this trade deadline. Please join us in welcoming Kevin Allen.
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By Kevin Allen

February is for groundhog watching, Mardi Gras, spring training baseball and Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford making a memorable trade.

You know it will happen. Rutherford is among the most aggressive traders in NHL history. And the Penguins have a lengthy history of important in-season acquisitions. A new forward is coming to Pittsburgh. It’s only a matter of when.

The Penguins are more formidable than anticipated this season. They rank seventh in both scoring (3.30 goals per game) and goals-against average (2.75). They are 11th in team Corsi. Anyone who watched the Penguins defeat the Capitals last Sunday saw a team capable of winning it all.

However, the Penguins are one of several teams capable of winning it all, and Rutherford knows they must add goals to make up for the injury loss of scorer Jake Guentzel. The Penguins have been linked to possible trades for Chris Kreider, Tyler Toffoli and Jason Zucker. But other teams are pursuing those players as well, and Zucker may not even be traded. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun has reported the Rangers and Kreider will even talk one more time about a new contract.

With all of that in mind, here are trading marriages I would like to see before the Feb. 25 NHL trade deadline:

Penguins (Joe Thornton): Not once have I heard, or read, a rumor linking the Pens to Thornton. He is a set-up man, not a scorer. But Thornton is a wise, gifted offensive player who might have enough left in the tank to be a significant contributor in the Penguins’ offensive attack. Would love to see him play with Evgeni Malkin to see if there’s magic there. He has a no-trade clause, but this will be the year he waives to make a run at the Cup. Can’t imagine Thornton being uninterested in playing with the Penguins. Thornton’s $2 million salary would probably allow the Penguins to add him and another forward.

Boston Bruins (Kreider): This fit is too natural not to move mountains to get it done. He’s a big winger who can skate and score. He is a consistent 25-goal scorer. Kreider would add some oomph to the Bruins’ second line. Plus, he’s from Massachusetts. He went to Boston College. Guessing it would be incredibly meaningful to him to play in front of friends and family.

Nashville Predators (Alec Martinez): While the Predators were happy to move P.K. Subban’s salary, his absence has created a hole on the Nashville defense. Dante Fabbro has been rushed, and it shows on some nights. Veteran Martinez could bring stability back to the Predators’ defensive corps. Former Los Angeles Kings player Rob Scuderi is now a Nashville assistant coach. He knows Martinez well.

Tyler Toffoli (Calgary Flames): Toffoli seems like the perfect fit to be the scoring right winger on a line with Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan. Because Toffoli has played in the Pacific Division his entire career, the Flames know him well. His addition would make that line even more dangerous than it already is.

New York Islanders (Jean-Gabriel Pageau): The Islanders are fourth in the NHL in goals-against average and 22nd in scoring. Pageau is a checking center who can score. He would fit comfortably into coach Barry Trotz’s system. Would also like to see the Islanders put in a call to the Canadiens about Ilya Kovalchuk. The Islanders need a scoring push. The Kovalchuk contract is so low that several teams will be interested.

Edmonton Oilers (Luke Glendening): While everyone in Edmonton would prefer to land Pageau, Glendening offers more than you think. He can skate and plays with grit and passion. He’s essentially a 12-goal scorer, but he’s the kind of player who can score in an important game. He can play the No. 3 center role and be effective on both sides of the puck. His cap hit is only $1.8 million and he has one season remaining. Speculation has centered on Edmonton acquiring speedy Andreas Athanasiou from Detroit as well. Edmonton general manager Ken Holland knows him well. But Detroit’s Steve Yzerman will want a strong return for him. It’s possible, but not an easy trade to make in-season.

Florida Panthers (Brenden Dillon): GM Dale Tallon has said publicly he wants to add a veteran defenseman to play with Aaron Ekblad. Ekblad is a right shot defenseman and Dillon is a left shot defenseman. Dillon is 6-4, hard to play against and more than willing to play a defensive role. He’s comfortable playing 20-plus minutes against top players.

Winnipeg Jets (Sami Vatanen) If the Jets want to make the playoffs, they must upgrade their defense. Vatanen’s 434 games of NHL experience could help the Jets considerably. The Jets should also talk to New Jersey about Andy Greene as well. The Carolina Hurricanes could also be interested in Vatanen.

Toronto Maple Leafs (Josh Manson): This may fall under the category of wishful thinking because I’m told the only way the Ducks would move Manson would be if they receive an offer they can’t refuse. In other words, to land Manson the Leafs would have to give up Kasperi Kapanen and a quality prospect and maybe a draft pick. When you consider the state of the Maple Leafs’ defense, it might be worth it. You get Manson two more seasons at $4.1 million per season. The Maple Leafs are third in goal scoring and 26th in goals-against, despite the presence of plucky Fredrik Andersen. If the ask for Manson borders on ridiculous, my plan B would be to enter the Vatanen sweepstakes. He has poise and experience as a defensive player and the know-how to contribute to the Maple Leafs’ dynamic offense.

Vancouver Canucks (Wayne Simmonds): Simmonds could give the Canucks more muscle and toughness, a role player who has been a goal scorer in the past.
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