After Smyth was traded back to Edmonton and Penner was traded to the Kings it looks as if there's a good trading relationship between the two teams.
Drew Doughty and the Kings management are still playing hardball with the contract talks, which makes it easier for the Kings management to consider trading him for Ales Hemsky.
Let's be real though. Every team in the NHL would want Doughty. With that kind of bargaining chip you could expect a better trade.
The recent Kings to Flyers trades should indicate what the Kings will give up to win sooner rather than later. Not sure why Drew hasn't seen that part yet. (Hint, take a 1 to 2yr smaller contract and go for broke. Aim for the cup Drew. Your current team is.)
Thursday, September 29
Trade potential - Jordan Staal to the Leafs?
Jordan Staal is a 23 year old phenom that isn't noticed as much as he should be.
On a team that includes the likes of Sid "the kid" Crosby and Evgeni "Gino" Malkin & "Flower" and company it's been a bit easy for him to be overlooked. Even with all of this talent on the Pens Jordan has still managed to stand out. He's already been a finalist for the Selke alongside Datsuk, won gold at the worlds and has already hoisted the Stanley cup. Did I already say he's only 23?
One of the main problem I see for the Pens is being able to keep him. Also, he's yet to break the 30 goal mark. Not being on a top line will do that. When you're killing penalties the ice is a bit tilted to one side and the scoring is less.
If he was able to step out of the monster shadows of Sid and Malkin I'm sure he would be better able to reach his potential. I'd bet my paycheck that he's already thought that as well. Like all good hockey players his main motivation is probably to win and he is somewhat happy on a team that does that already.
That would be fine on its own but the Pittsburgh Penguins are fast approaching a very expensive year - 2013. This is when a lot of contracts for the Pens are up. It would greatly benefit the Pens to drop some cap and get some cheap prospects in the future.
Jordan to either the Toronto Maple leafs or Edmonton Oilers would probably work well.
Jordan Staal on either team would be their number one center. Both teams need his defense and his potential offense. Both teams have some blue (oil) or slightly blue (Leafs) chip prospects. Pieces that could be spared that would help the Pens.
To the Leafs:
Jordan Staal
To the Pens:
Keith Aulie
Tyler Bozak
and a potential pick.
The pens drop a bunch of cap space (not including the raise Jordan is due in two years.)
They also get a top D prospect in Aulie and potential solid 3rd line center. With two top centers, losing the third top center seems a bit of a given. (Plus, I'd prefer to see Sid on the PK more as it's fun to watch. Much more so than watching the cheeseburger that is Ovechkin cherry picking all the time.
There's no doubt at all what the leafs get out of the deal. Hence the need for a potential pick. Base the pick on the Pens standings for next year.
Looking at the roster the Pens need to manage cap space, to get more young d and some good wingers to play beside the pens current top two centers. This trade could work.
The reason we included the Oilers in a possible trade was due to the sheer amount of young talent they've accumulated over the past couple of years. The untouchables on the Oil should be Hall, Eberle, Cam Barker & Nugent-Hopkins. Those four should be the future of that team and will dominate if not destroy for years to come. (Sort of like Pens of the past couple of years or the Blackhawks more recently.)
To the Pens:
Sam Gagner
To the Oilers:
Jordan Staal.
My main thought behind this one was that the kids need defensive schooling. The young guns of the Oilers already know how to score. The pens could probably sign Sam cheaper than Jordan as well.
A different and cheaper Oiler/Pens trade would be:
Jordan Staal for Oscar Kiefbom, Anton Lander and a pick.
Cheaper for pens, deeper lines for Oilers who would make the playoffs much sooner.
No matter the scenario, I'm sure Jordan Staal will step into the limelight to be the face of a franchise. Just not while he's alongside Sidney Crosby. Not to draw this comparison again, but no one growing up with hockey in the 80's wanted to be Messier.
Especially when you have a modern day Lemieux and Gretzky on the same team as well.
On a team that includes the likes of Sid "the kid" Crosby and Evgeni "Gino" Malkin & "Flower" and company it's been a bit easy for him to be overlooked. Even with all of this talent on the Pens Jordan has still managed to stand out. He's already been a finalist for the Selke alongside Datsuk, won gold at the worlds and has already hoisted the Stanley cup. Did I already say he's only 23?
One of the main problem I see for the Pens is being able to keep him. Also, he's yet to break the 30 goal mark. Not being on a top line will do that. When you're killing penalties the ice is a bit tilted to one side and the scoring is less.
If he was able to step out of the monster shadows of Sid and Malkin I'm sure he would be better able to reach his potential. I'd bet my paycheck that he's already thought that as well. Like all good hockey players his main motivation is probably to win and he is somewhat happy on a team that does that already.
That would be fine on its own but the Pittsburgh Penguins are fast approaching a very expensive year - 2013. This is when a lot of contracts for the Pens are up. It would greatly benefit the Pens to drop some cap and get some cheap prospects in the future.
Jordan to either the Toronto Maple leafs or Edmonton Oilers would probably work well.
Jordan Staal on either team would be their number one center. Both teams need his defense and his potential offense. Both teams have some blue (oil) or slightly blue (Leafs) chip prospects. Pieces that could be spared that would help the Pens.
To the Leafs:
Jordan Staal
To the Pens:
Keith Aulie
Tyler Bozak
and a potential pick.
The pens drop a bunch of cap space (not including the raise Jordan is due in two years.)
They also get a top D prospect in Aulie and potential solid 3rd line center. With two top centers, losing the third top center seems a bit of a given. (Plus, I'd prefer to see Sid on the PK more as it's fun to watch. Much more so than watching the cheeseburger that is Ovechkin cherry picking all the time.
There's no doubt at all what the leafs get out of the deal. Hence the need for a potential pick. Base the pick on the Pens standings for next year.
Looking at the roster the Pens need to manage cap space, to get more young d and some good wingers to play beside the pens current top two centers. This trade could work.
The reason we included the Oilers in a possible trade was due to the sheer amount of young talent they've accumulated over the past couple of years. The untouchables on the Oil should be Hall, Eberle, Cam Barker & Nugent-Hopkins. Those four should be the future of that team and will dominate if not destroy for years to come. (Sort of like Pens of the past couple of years or the Blackhawks more recently.)
To the Pens:
Sam Gagner
To the Oilers:
Jordan Staal.
My main thought behind this one was that the kids need defensive schooling. The young guns of the Oilers already know how to score. The pens could probably sign Sam cheaper than Jordan as well.
A different and cheaper Oiler/Pens trade would be:
Jordan Staal for Oscar Kiefbom, Anton Lander and a pick.
Cheaper for pens, deeper lines for Oilers who would make the playoffs much sooner.
No matter the scenario, I'm sure Jordan Staal will step into the limelight to be the face of a franchise. Just not while he's alongside Sidney Crosby. Not to draw this comparison again, but no one growing up with hockey in the 80's wanted to be Messier.
Especially when you have a modern day Lemieux and Gretzky on the same team as well.
Wednesday, September 28
Why have so few said anything...
In Feb 2004, Marcus Naslund got his bell rung pretty good by Steve Moore. A clean or dirty hit, it didn't matter. When a teams star player gets taken down the rest of the team needs to respond, and the Canucks did.
Everyone knows that later in the March 2004 Todd Bertuzzi called Moore out to scrap, and that Moore declined. Steve Moore was taken down by a sucker punch from behind as he skated away from Todd Bertuzzi, and the rest is history.
What I've been wondering for years is why hadn't anyone asked the coaches and Gm more about the incident? I am a fan of Burkie and what he's been able to do for multiple teams, but one thing makes me a little hesitant to fully root for Brian Burke.
I suspected that the coach and possibly the GM of the 2004 Canucks might have called for blood due to the hit on Naslund.
It would go without saying that any coach in pro hockey would have condoned some sort of retaliation. Either directly or indirectly. Maybe Marc Crawford and Brian Burke might not have outright asked the team to step up and be truculent, but if no one did do anything there would have been hell to pay in the locker room.
I found it interesting that Burkie had offered Steve Moore a contract offer a year after the hit. (When Brian was GM for the ducks.) The other thing I found interesting is the picking up of Steve Moore's brother - Dominic Moore in 2008. Same Gm - Brian Burke, just a different team. Sure Dominic is a good player, but the coincidences are a bit much. It seemed more like an attempt for redemption rather than an eye for talent. Then again, Burke does pick up some decent talent for his teams.
While I don't condone the Bertuzzi on Moore hit in 2004, I fully think it's unfair to lay all of the blame on one player. There is a team, coaches & GM who were/are responsible for the play on the ice. It also makes me wonder what will happen to Sean Avery some day when he backs away from a scrap that he clearly instigated. The instigator rule and recent deaths of some awesome enforcers make me nervous. Hockey without fighting to me is like that March 2004 hit without the blame.
Everyone knows that later in the March 2004 Todd Bertuzzi called Moore out to scrap, and that Moore declined. Steve Moore was taken down by a sucker punch from behind as he skated away from Todd Bertuzzi, and the rest is history.
What I've been wondering for years is why hadn't anyone asked the coaches and Gm more about the incident? I am a fan of Burkie and what he's been able to do for multiple teams, but one thing makes me a little hesitant to fully root for Brian Burke.
I suspected that the coach and possibly the GM of the 2004 Canucks might have called for blood due to the hit on Naslund.
It would go without saying that any coach in pro hockey would have condoned some sort of retaliation. Either directly or indirectly. Maybe Marc Crawford and Brian Burke might not have outright asked the team to step up and be truculent, but if no one did do anything there would have been hell to pay in the locker room.
I found it interesting that Burkie had offered Steve Moore a contract offer a year after the hit. (When Brian was GM for the ducks.) The other thing I found interesting is the picking up of Steve Moore's brother - Dominic Moore in 2008. Same Gm - Brian Burke, just a different team. Sure Dominic is a good player, but the coincidences are a bit much. It seemed more like an attempt for redemption rather than an eye for talent. Then again, Burke does pick up some decent talent for his teams.
While I don't condone the Bertuzzi on Moore hit in 2004, I fully think it's unfair to lay all of the blame on one player. There is a team, coaches & GM who were/are responsible for the play on the ice. It also makes me wonder what will happen to Sean Avery some day when he backs away from a scrap that he clearly instigated. The instigator rule and recent deaths of some awesome enforcers make me nervous. Hockey without fighting to me is like that March 2004 hit without the blame.
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