Trade Deadline Needs and Assets: Southeast Division
Michael Farkas | National Hockey League
Feb 21, 03:11 AM | Hype this story!
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| The Story | Atlanta is currently just outside of the Eastern Conference’s top eight. They cannot afford to make any more mistakes after last season’s deadline debacles. They have to milk Marian Hossa for all he’s worth and hope that someone else garners some interest from around the league. | ||
| Tradable Assets | Marian Hossa, RW, UFA, $6 mil Bobby Holik, C, UFA, $4.25 mil Alexei Zhitnik, D, 1 year left, ~$3.504 mil Steve Rucchin, C, UFA, $2.125 mil Pascal Dupuis, LW, UFA, $880,000 |
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| Areas of Need | Playmaking center, strong defensive defenseman, top-six scoring when Hossa leaves | ||
| Potential Targets | Michael Ryder, Canadiens, RW, UFA, $2.95 mil Ryan O’Byrne, Canadiens, D, RFA, $612,500 Jiri Hudler, Red Wings, C, 1 year left, $1.015 mil Valterri Filpulla, Red Wings, C, RFA, $733,333 Josh Hennessy, Senators, C, RFA, $685,000 Antoine Vermette, Senators, LW, RFA, $1 mil |
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| Prediction | The Thrashers, apparently, are still trying to make the playoffs because they reside in the horrid Southeast Division. As of right now, they are three points from the division and Waddell is trying to get a "hockey deal" done with Hossa (i.e. get players that help right now). He’ll probably get slightly less value out of him by going that route and therefore, damaging the Thrashers future once again. | ||
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| The Story | They lost Rod Brind’Amour for the season just recently and any team that had a Rod Brind’Amour all season and then lost him before the playoffs is probably not a team should make a strong push for a Cup. Currently, the Hurricanes are only in the playoffs by default. | ||
| Tradable Assets | Bret Hedican, D, UFA, $2.432 mil Frantisek Kaberle, D, 2 years left, $2.2 mil Jeff Hamilton, C, 1 year left, $800,000 Keith Aucoin, RW, UFA, $462,500 |
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| Areas of Need | Replacement center for Brind’Amour, upgrade the defense, scoring winger | ||
| Potential Targets | Aaron Ward, Bruins, D, UFA, $2.75 mil John-Michael Liles, Avalanche, D, UFA, $1.325 mil Michael Peca, Blue Jackets, C, UFA, $1.915 mil Trent Hunter, Islanders, RW, UFA, $1.55 mil Nick Schultz, Wild, D, UFA, $1.85 mil Chris Gratton, Lightning, C, UFA, $1.5 mil |
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| Prediction | Despite commentary to the contrary, the Canes would be best served to sit tight. I see no reason for them to make a big splash at the deadline and mortgage some future parts away to make a Cup run without Brind’Amour who was the rightful Conn Smythe winner in 2006. A couple minor moves to grab an extra draft pick or prospect would be best. | ||
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| The Story | Another disappointing year for the Florida Panthers. Despite getting Vokoun, adding some depth and watching their young stars turn a year more mature, they still fell short. If Tampa Bay and Toronto win their games-at-hand on Florida, the Panthers will drop to last place in the conference. It might be time for a major shake-up from the front office on down. | ||
| Tradable Assets | Olli Jokinen, C, 2 years left, $5.25 mil Ruslan Salei, D, 2 years left, $3.025 mil Mike Van Ryn, D, 2 years left, $2.9 mil Jozef Stumpel, C, 1 year left, $2.25 mil Branislav Mezei, D, UFA, $825,000 Anthony Stewart, C, RFA, $601,667 Jassen Cullimore, D, UFA, $535,000 |
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| Areas of Need | Star replacement for Jokinen if dealt, scoring wingers and generally replacing what gets dealt | ||
| Potential Targets | Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Wild, C, RFA, $2.6 mil Michael Cammalleri, Kings, C, 1 year left, $3.35 mil Michael Ryder, Canadiens, RW, UFA, $2.95 mil Steve Bernier, Sharks, RW, RFA, ~$1.183 mil Patrick Marleau, Sharks, C, 2 years left, $6.3 mil |
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| Prediction | I have a strange feeling that Olli Jokinen gets traded this time around and if he does it’ll be a huge trade, obviously. Barring my rather far-fetched prediction, look for a couple a minor moves and nothing more. If Jokinen doesn’t get moved here, the Panthers will save up the franchise-shaking moves for the summer I believe. | ||
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| The Story | The Lightning are in last because they don’t have a goalie or really anyone particularly outstanding besides three very rich forwards and Vaclav Prospal. | ||
| Tradable Assets | Brad Richards, C, 3 years left, $7.8 mil Vincent Lecavalier, C, 1 year left, $6.875 mil Dan Boyle, D, UFA, ~$3.333 mil Filip Kuba, D, 1 year left, $3 mil Vaclav Prospal, C, UFA, $1.9 mil Chris Gratton, C, UFA, $1.5 mil Michel Ouellet, RW, 1 year left, $1.25 mil |
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| Areas of Need | No.1 goaltender, better defenseman, depth scoring | ||
| Potential Targets | Depends on what’s moved, the possibilities are virtually endless | ||
| Prediction | Dan Boyle will get moved if he’s not re-signed, Vaclav Prospal will be traded. I don’t think we’ll see the "big" deal that is probably coming this summer. Moving one of the big three would require a team to plan for I would think, and that’s probably a move best left for the offseason. | ||
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| The Story | The Capitals might be the winner by default in the Southeast Division. Brind’Amour’s injury and the likely trade of Marian Hossa should be just enough for the Caps to prevail. There is a young core in place that is playing well, the Caps don’t need to mortgage any of the future to make a splash now for sure. | ||
| Tradable Assets | Steve Eminger, D, RFA, $1 mil | ||
| Areas of Need | Offensive defenseman, playoff experienced players, | ||
| Potential Targets | Jason Smith, Flyers, D, UFA, $1.976 mil John-Michael Liles, Avalanche, D, UFA, $1.325 mil Matt Carle, Sharks, D, 4 years left, ~$3.438 mil Sergei Fedorov, Blue Jackets, C, UFA, $6.08 mil Michael Peca, Blue Jackets, C, UFA, $1.915 mil Jassen Cullimore, Panthers, D, UFA, $535,000 |
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| Prediction | The Capitals will be very quiet at the deadline. Their young core is firmly in place, there are not a lot of UFA’s and most of the Capitals glaring needs are in the pipeline somewhere. If Vandermeer and Modry can be moved, so can Eminger, but that might be the extent of it for Washington. | ||
For the Atlantic Division, click
here.
For the Northeast Division, click
here.
The above information is based strictly on observation
and is not meant to be taken as documented possibilities. This is an opinion
piece. For a list of draft picks that each team has for the 2008 draft,
click here.
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