2014 Trade Deadline Thread (All General Deadline Talk/Proposals/Blog Rumors in here)

[major major]

I just read on Eklund's site that the Jackets are very interested in Ryan Callahan. He says he doesn't think there's anything to it, but "sources" are telling him differently. I have dibs on bogus.

Why do people read Eklund? And if there is such a market for made up rumors that are obviously false, then why don't we all get in that business?

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

I just read on Eklund's site that the Jackets are very interested in Ryan Callahan. He says he doesn't think there's anything to it, but "sources" are telling him differently. I have dibs on bogus.

I'm very interested in him too (I own a Rangers Callahan jersey) but no way they trade their captain to a team within the division in a playoff race.

I'm certainly willing to revisit this in the summer for negotiating rights prior to the UFA period. Even still, I'd think if he's not going to resign in NY, they'd prefer to trade him outside the division.

 

[Kev22]

Why do people read Eklund? And if there is such a market for made up rumors that are obviously false, then why don't we all get in that business?

I find it entertaining to see what he'll come up with next. Obviously with the kind of site he runs, there is more of a market than you think.

 

[SuperGenius]

Why do people read Eklund? And if there is such a market for made up rumors that are obviously false, then why don't we all get in that business?

I find it entertaining to see what he'll come up with next. Obviously with the kind of site he runs, there is more of a market than you think.

Exactly. The train wreck effect. The guy is a bozo, but I can't stop reading. By the time the big boys who really know what's going on say something, it's usually down to a matter of hours before it happens. With Eklund's wheel of NHL deals, there's more entertainment and suspense.

I think this is related to why shows like Big Brother or Top Chef exist. Maybe there should be a show with these self-blogger types and whoever doesn't get at least 2 deals right by the deadline is tar and feathered.

 

[Fro]

Eklund apparently has actual sources in Philly...problem is, he thinks he has more than that...he has called many of the Flyers moves before they happened...but not much else

 

[Fro]

lots of smoke about what is gonna happen to vanek...would love to put in on the LW here...no way we part with the pieces to go get him, right??? (obviously meaning we trade Gaby first)

 

[punk_o_holic]

lots of smoke about what is gonna happen to vanek...would love to put in on the LW here...no way we part with the pieces to go get him, right??? (obviously meaning we trade Gaby first)

Don't want to trade the pieces it would take for a pending UFA. Would only do it if it's a sign and trade.

Garrioch(so basically just as bad as Eklund) said Columbus has interest in Ruutu. Claims that he's been told by his sources that Jarmo has phoned up Rutherford(but didn't say for the asking price of Ruutu but to see who's available up front so it could be someone else). I looked at ruutu's stats and contract and I pray to GOD Jarmo stays away. Evn if Carolina picks up some of the cap hit.

Everyone but Staal x2 and Skinner is available. Assuming Lindholm is untouchable as well. Any interest in Tlusty(I would pass), Malholtra for more defensive help? Rent a player and very cheap. Brings more depth and leadership. If we could get Semin for cheap, want him? To streaky? Might ruin the locker room atmosphere? Too much money/years? What if they eat some of the cap?

 

[Mayor Bee]

I'll tell you what I'd do at this point: nothing.

Any playoff team in the NHL can ride a hot goalie to a conference championship, possibly a Stanley Cup. Anaheim in 2002-03 had a +10 goal differential and the league's 23rd-ranked offense; they went 8-2 in the first two rounds (knocking off #1 and #2 seeds) with all eight wins being by a single goal, four of them in OT. They swept Minnesota in the conference final, allowing one goal in four games; the Wild were led by Marian Gaborik, who had 16 points in the first two rounds.

In 2010-11, there was Tampa Bay riding (of all people) Dwayne Roloson to Game 7 of the conference finals. In between there's been numerous teams that have made serious noise not with a balanced offense or suffocating defense rising up, but a goalie doing it.

The two big questions to answer:
1) Does this team have a goalie who can have an extended hot streak of superb play?
2) Can this team win playoff-type games, with tighter checking and less offense?

The answer to both is obviously "yes".

But that brings up the next point. This team, right now, is still young and developing. It's entirely possible that next year or two years or three years down the road, there's an unbalanced roster due to players who haven't developed. But right now, it looks like there's more firepower on the roster than we previously thought, and it should continue to develop.

It's been said that the biggest mistake that can be made with a young team is dismantling it in favor of the present. Does the team currently have enough high-end talent to win a Cup? Probably not. Does the team have a goalie and a certain style of play that could shock the world? Absolutely.

 

[bizzz*]

I'll tell you what I'd do at this point: nothing.

Same here.
And any idea of trading Tyutin which would lead to downgrading defense makes me mad.

 

[DJA]

I'm also in favor of doing absolutely nothing unless an injury issue arises.

 

[Sore Loser]

Same here.
And any idea of trading Tyutin which would lead to downgrading defense makes me mad.

Thirded.

I heard a famous analyst mention a few years back that he felt like teams who make major moves around the trade deadline are in trouble, and that they're only postponing the obvious. I certainly don't feel like we're putting ourselves in a position to do anything other than minor tweaking, if that. I could see shipping a guy like Gaborik out - let's face it, we're proving we can do it without him - maybe a player in return for him that can help us down the stretch? Other than that, we're young, and we're winning. If it isn't broke, don't fix it.

 

[EDM]

Agreed

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Doing nothing is what Im best at, so I am also on board.

 

[EspenK]

I say do nothing stupid. If a too good to pass up comes available then fine but I'd worry about what it would do to team chemistry.

 

[Roadman]

From Wiz;

“A couple years ago it was a struggle to get one or two goals,†Wisniewski said. “We’re still playing the right way. Our way. But we’ve got a room full of guys who believe right now.
“It’s on all four of our lines and all three of our pairs. We know each other. We like each other. But more than all of that we trust each other. It’s a great group.â€

http://bluejacketsxtra.dispatch.com/content/blogs/puck-rakers/2014/01/game-49-seven-with-ease.html

Another piece to support the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" position.

 

[cbjfaninmo]

Thirded.

I heard a famous analyst mention a few years back that he felt like teams who make major moves around the trade deadline are in trouble, and that they're only postponing the obvious. I certainly don't feel like we're putting ourselves in a position to do anything other than minor tweaking, if that. I could see shipping a guy like Gaborik out - let's face it, we're proving we can do it without him - maybe a player in return for him that can help us down the stretch? Other than that, we're young, and we're winning. If it isn't broke, don't fix it.

Agree.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

I could see shipping a guy like Gaborik out - let's face it, we're proving we can do it without him - maybe a player in return for him that can help us down the stretch?

Huh? We're doing it without Gaborik - we're also doing it without "player in return."

Or. Wouldn't Gaborik himself qualify as a player "that can help us down the stretch"?


I said somewhere else, I could see a small deal made for a grizzled vet d-man on an expiring contract. Just as insurance on a blueline that's damn young. (Yes, I know the team didn't bring Aucoin back, and that's the kind of player I'm talking about here. But it's not the offseason, it's deadline. I could see it happening.)

 

[blahblah]

According to CapGeek we have 1.785 of cap space at the deadline. I interpret that to mean we can add that much in salary for the rest of the season.

Assuming 20 games left does that mean we can sign a guy making 4 times that for the year? If it does it means just about anyone who will be available can be had. Of course it could affect next year but that's next year's problem.

No, it just means we can add a player with a 1.7 cap hit at the deadline. Florida isn't going to be able to add 4x65 million as an example. They did the calculations for you.

As far as Gaborik, I don't see why we would be looking to move him at the deadline unless the return in that or another move would land us a long term top six player (or some other nead). If you move Gabby, you are going to want to add in another move.

We can always move Gaborik before the draft. If we are in the playoff race and make the playoffs, you want to see how he does down the stretch and in the playoffs to see if you want to try and re-sign him - injury history aside.

I wonder what we end up doing with a guy like Boll. We have a fairly productive 4th line with Skille, Boll, and Comeau all out. I like Skille, MacKenzie, Tropp, and Letestu for those last 4 forward slots.

 

[Samkow]

I'm also in favor of doing absolutely nothing unless an injury issue arises.

I'm in this boat too.

Maybe pick up a depth forward? There's nobody in Springfield that I'd trust to be a solid contributor when it counts.

 

[cbjgirl]

I'm in this boat too.

Maybe pick up a depth forward? There's nobody in Springfield that I'd trust to be a solid contributor when it counts.

Comeau and Skille are sitting out injured at the moment. Do they count as depth forwards?

 

[Fro]

Skille sent to SPringy...

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

I'm in this boat too.

Maybe pick up a depth forward? There's nobody in Springfield that I'd trust to be a solid contributor when it counts.

Comeau and Skille are sitting out injured at the moment. Do they count as depth forwards?

Skille sent to SPringy...

Even better. Does Skille qualify for Samkow's purposes?

Johansen
Umberger
Foligno
Gaborik
Horton
Anisimov
Dubinsky
Calvert
Atkinson
There's nine --

Letestu
Mackenzie
Tropp
Jenner
Comeau
There's five more

Plus Skille

Totals 15 for 12 spots, before you get to guys like Craig, JAM, Chaput, Collins, maybe even Bass. Assuming no Boll.

Unless you're looking for a guy who does a specific thing that you'd like to add to your roster... Even if you move Gaborik...

 

[Samkow]

(Sidebar: I hope that Prout at forward experiment never gets repeated. I cringed a little seeing that you listed him)

Skille fits my definition. Consider Comeau a regular (although he may get forced out of the lineup)

The thoughts behind my "need a depth forward statement"
-Boll is out for the season. Maybe he can come back in April but assuming that the Metropolitan Division dogfight goes on the rest of the season (and that's certainly how it looks), April games aren't the time to put a tough guy who hasn't played in 5 months back in the lineup.
-I'm not sure where the idea that a team that's fighting for the playoffs would trade their most skilled forward came from but it won't happen. That being said, Gaborik isn't dependable. If he's healthy, he'll be in the lineup. That being said, if I'm Kekalainen, I'd have a hard time betting on him staying in the lineup.
-Calvert's had injury issues all season. Horton just had major surgery and his conditioning isn't up to snuff because of it. Atkinson is a good bet to have another injury if his past is any indication. Anisimov skates with his head down and is a walking concussion risk. I can go on and on.

So yeah, I think it's a good bet we'll always have 2-3 forwards out at all given time. Skille is an NHLer and Craig is okay, but a huge rash of injuries results in guys like Sean Collins playing in key games. Don't want to take that risk.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

(Sidebar: I hope that Prout at forward experiment never gets repeated. I cringed a little seeing that you listed him)

Tropp. Dammit.

Skille fits my definition. Consider Comeau a regular (although he may get forced out of the lineup)

The thoughts behind my "need a depth forward statement"
-Boll is out for the season. Maybe he can come back in April but assuming that the Metropolitan Division dogfight goes on the rest of the season (and that's certainly how it looks), April games aren't the time to put a tough guy who hasn't played in 5 months back in the lineup.
-I'm not sure where the idea that a team that's fighting for the playoffs would trade their most skilled forward came from but it won't happen. That being said, Gaborik isn't dependable. If he's healthy, he'll be in the lineup. That being said, if I'm Kekalainen, I'd have a hard time betting on him staying in the lineup.
-Calvert's had injury issues all season. Horton just had major surgery and his conditioning isn't up to snuff because of it. Atkinson is a good bet to have another injury if his past is any indication. Anisimov skates with his head down and is a walking concussion risk. I can go on and on.

So yeah, I think it's a good bet we'll always have 2-3 forwards out at all given time. Skille is an NHLer and Craig is okay, but a huge rash of injuries results in guys like Sean Collins playing in key games. Don't want to take that risk.

Your reasoning is sound. But if you're bringing in someone only to play if there are 3-4 more injuries on top of Boll and Gaborik, where does he go? You're essentially looking for Jack Skille v. 2, someone who can go to Springfield?

"I can go on and on." You mean like, Umberger could get hit by a bike messenger and tear his MCL? Horton could suffer extreme hypothermia from repeated winter visits to the zoo with his family? I'm all for contingencies, and maybe Jarmo is taking your advice and not banking on Gaborik, but that would be less of a "depth" acquisition, to my way of thinking anyway.

I listed 15 guys (not including Boll), and if you add Chaput and Craig (but not Collins or Bass) then 17. That's assuming Gaborik. I just don't think you can plan any more for a scenario where 3-5 guys all go down at once.

 

[Jive Pawnbroker]

(Sidebar: I hope that Prout at forward experiment never gets repeated. I cringed a little seeing that you listed him)

Skille fits my definition. Consider Comeau a regular (although he may get forced out of the lineup)

The thoughts behind my "need a depth forward statement"
-Boll is out for the season. Maybe he can come back in April but assuming that the Metropolitan Division dogfight goes on the rest of the season (and that's certainly how it looks), April games aren't the time to put a tough guy who hasn't played in 5 months back in the lineup.
-I'm not sure where the idea that a team that's fighting for the playoffs would trade their most skilled forward came from but it won't happen. That being said, Gaborik isn't dependable. If he's healthy, he'll be in the lineup. That being said, if I'm Kekalainen, I'd have a hard time betting on him staying in the lineup.
-Calvert's had injury issues all season. Horton just had major surgery and his conditioning isn't up to snuff because of it. Atkinson is a good bet to have another injury if his past is any indication. Anisimov skates with his head down and is a walking concussion risk. I can go on and on.

So yeah, I think it's a good bet we'll always have 2-3 forwards out at all given time. Skille is an NHLer and Craig is okay, but a huge rash of injuries results in guys like Sean Collins playing in key games. Don't want to take that risk.

I'm with you on the above. Also adding a veteran, stay at home defenseman on the cheap would IMO be a good idea as well. While we have lots of defensive depth in the org, it is young and not playoff-tested. If one or two of the top guys get hurt down the stretch, that would have been proven to have been a smart move.