Trade Deadline Needs and Assets: Northwest Division
Michael Farkas | National Hockey League
Feb 25, 09:53 PM | Hype this story!
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| The Story | The Calgary Flames now sit atop the Northwest Division. The goaltending they’ve gotten in years past from Miikka Kiprusoff has not been as strong, but the offense that was anemic in past years is now quite potent. Alex Tanguay is staying, and the Flames could be looking to avenge a 2004 disappointment. | ||
| Tradable Assets | Craig Conroy, C, UFA, $2.85 mil Daymond Langkow, C, UFA, $2.442 mil Rhett Warrener, D, 1 year left, $2.35 mil Kristian Huselius, LW, UFA, $1.4 mil Andrei Taratukhin, C, RFA, $825,000 David Hale, D, UFA, $590,000 |
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| Areas of Need | Gritty energy forwards, meaner, more consistent defensemen | ||
| Potential Targets | Sean Avery, Rangers, LW, UFA, $1.9 mil Sergei Fedorov, Blue Jackets, C, UFA, $6.08 mil Mark Recchi, Thrashers, RW, UFA, $1.125 mil Pascal Dupuis, Thrashers, LW, UFA, $880,000 Tuomo Ruutu, Blackhawks, C, RFA, $1.875 mil Barrett Jackman, Blues, D, UFA, $2.2 mil Adam Foote, Blue Jackets, D, UFA, $4.6 mil |
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| Prediction | The Flames have been a very inconsistent team for the past couple seasons. They have a lot of skill at their disposal, but they lack the grittiness and speed that they had in 2004. They would like to acquire a defenseman that can eat minutes (and take them away from Warrener and Eriksson). Perhaps acquiring an energy forward with one of their impending UFA’s would be good asset management. | ||
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| The Story | Colorado had high hopes for this season after gaining Ryan Smyth and Scott Hannan. However, they haven’t been consistently up to snuff in a very tough Northwest Division. Goaltending has been a real question mark throughout the year and the offense has been suffocating, mainly due to injuries. | ||
| Tradable Assets | Karlis Skrastins, D, 1 year left, $2.4 mil Tyler Arnason, C, 1 year, $1.675 mil Andrew Brunette, LW, UFA, $1.6 mil John-Michael Liles, D, UFA, $1.325 mil Marek Svatos, RW, RFA, $1.2 mil Jaroslav Hlinka, C, UFA, $600,000 |
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| Areas of Need | Two-way forwards, upgrade the defense, add competent goaltending depth | ||
| Potential Targets | Peter Forsberg, N/A, C, UFA, N/A Rob Blake, Kings, D, UFA, $6 mil Peter Schaefer, Bruins, LW, 2 years left, $2.1 mil P.J. Axelsson, Bruins, LW, 1 year left, $1.85 mil Barrett Jackman, Blues, D, UFA, $2.2 mil Adam Foote, Blue Jackets, D, UFA, $4.6 mil Scottie Upshall, Flyers, RW, 1 year left, $1.225 mil Kyle Chipchura, Canadiens, C, 1 year left, $942,800 |
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| Prediction | This should be another quiet trade deadline day for Francois Giguere. Liles is as good as gone, maybe Andrew Brunette too. Other than that, I don’t see any reason to sell the farm for rentals or to blow up the whole team. | ||
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| The Story | The Oilers are in disarray in a lot ways. There’s some good young players in the organization, but the current core of the team is very disappointing. The defense has been suspect at best, the goaltending follows suit. Mismanagement and mistakes have squashed the Oilers to the basement, and without the silver lining of a lottery pick, which adds salt to an already deep wound. | ||
| Tradable Assets | Dwayne Roloson, G, 1 year left, ~$3.667 mil Steve Staios, D, 3 years left, $2.7 mil Joni Pitkanen, D, RFA, $2.4 mil Jarret Stoll, C, RFA, $2.2 mil Geoff Sanderson, LW, UFA, $1.5 mil Marty Reasoner, C, UFA, $950,000 Marc-Andre Pouliot, C, RFA, $942,400 Robbie Schremp, C, 1 year left, $780,556 |
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| Areas of Need | Players that live up to their contracts; goalies | ||
| Potential Targets | Marcel Hossa, Rangers, LW, RFA, $780,000 Marian Hossa, Thrashers, RW, UFA, $6 mil Olli Jokinen, Panthers, C, 2 years left, $5.25 mil Michael Ryder, Canadiens, RW, UFA, $2.95 mil |
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| Prediction | The possibilities are really endless for Edmonton due to the unpredictability of Kevin Lowe. I kept the "Potential Targets" list short or else it would go on forever. The Oilers have a few sure small moves that are to be made, but the possibility of a much bigger deal exists, but it’s almost guaranteed to be a loss for Edmonton based on Kevin Lowe’s recent moves and the utter dislike for him around the league. | ||
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| The Story | The Minnesota Wild very quietly remain hovering around the top of a tight Northwest division race. The team is strong as a whole, but some tweaks may be necessary to excel in the playoffs. There never seems to be a ton of attention paid to the Wild outside their own die-hard fan base, and I think they like it that way. | ||
| Tradable Assets | Pierre-Marc Bouchard, C, RFA, $2.6 mil Brian Rolston, RW, UFA, $2.432 mil Keith Carney, D, UFA, $2.1 mil Benoit Pouliot, LW, 1 year left, $1.7 mil Petteri Nummelin, D, UFA, $1.1 mil Roman Voloshenko, LW, 1 year left, $707,222 Matt Foy, RW, RFA, $506,000 |
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| Areas of Need | Speedy playmaking center, physical defenseman | ||
| Potential Targets | Olli Jokinen, Panthers, C, 2 years left, $5.25 mil Brad Richards, Lightning, C, 3 years left, $7.8 mil Ruslan Salei, Panthers, D, 2 years left, $3.025 mil Adam Foote, Blue Jackets, D, UFA, $4.6 mil Sergei Fedorov, Blue Jackets, C, UFA, $6.08 mil Jeff Carter, Flyers, C, RFA, $942,400 |
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| Prediction | Minnesota’s management tends to sit on its collective hands at the deadline. There may be a big deal out there to be had involving Pierre-Marc Bouchard, but other than that, they’ll probably keep it short and sweet and to the point. | ||
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| The Story | The Canucks have had a tough year, defensemen have been dropping like flies and Luongo’s start to the season was quite forgettable. They’ve started to right the ship now, but they’ll need some help offensively, as usual. | ||
| Tradable Assets | Brendan Morrison, C, UFA, $3.2 mil Ryan Kesler, C, 2 years left, $1.75 mil Taylor Pyatt, LW, 1 year left, $1.575 mil Matt Cooke, LW, UFA, ~$1.508 mil Luc Bourdon, D, 2 years left, ~$1.322 mil |
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| Areas of Need | Top six scoring | ||
| Potential Targets | Olli Jokinen, Panthers, C, 2 years left, $5.25 mil Brad Richards, Lightning, C, 3 years left, $7.8 mil Jeff Carter, Flyers, C, RFA, $942,400 Michael Ryder, Canadiens, RW, UFA, $2.95 mil Patrick Marleau, Sharks, C, 2 years left, $6.3 mil Miroslav Satan, Islanders, RW, UFA, $4.255 mil |
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| Prediction | The Canucks might not have a lot of room to make a big move unless Brendan Morrison goes the other way. However, if Nonis serious about a Stanley Cup this season, a big splash is coming. It’s no secret that the Canucks need a shot in the arm offensively and they have some choice prospects to lure other GM’s into pulling the trigger. | ||
For the Atlantic Division, click
here.
For the Northeast Division, click
here.
For the Southeast Division, click
here.
For the Pacific 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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