Here we are, days away from the trade deadline, and at the peak of speculation. As the names are named the bigger picture reveals itself, each team looking to chart their course. Teams can vastly alter their fortunes in an instant, for better or worse, through action or inaction. The high stakes call for a self awareness, one strong enough to take the chance, and wise enough to choose correctly.
Of course, life cannot be scripted, and the future cannot be known. On the outset opinions on trade value or teambuilding philosophies can be debated, but time alone will reveal the outcomes. Some teams will be selling, others buying. These require different expectations, but at least the answer is clear on which is which. For now, let’s take a look at the teams facing the most curious decisions in the hours ahead.
Utah Hockey Club fighting for a playoff spot
The Utah Hockey Club is stocked with toolsy, high end prospects, which has clearly been the priority for the final seasons as the Arizona Coyotes. While the management team is still in place, there is a greater appetite for the here and now under new ownership. One of four Western Conference teams fighting for a single playoff spot, there is still a chance for this season. Some early success would do wonders for the new market, no doubt.
We should not expect the team to lose sight of the future by splurging on the rental market, but they can still be bold. A longer term upgrade, on the other hand, seems well within possibility. Whether it is through trade or free agency, Utah has rhetorical means and the motive to make a drastic move. Utah should be considered a legitimate landing spot for some of the biggest names on the market.
Are the St. Louis Blues looking to rebuild?
Another playoff bubble team, the St. Louis Blues have had many of their players involved in trade rumours. The team has started playing well as of late, and both Colton Parayko and Jordan Binnington increased their stock at the 4 Nations Face-off. Earlier in the season the Blues were expected to sell, yet as the hour draws near the team is coming together.
There is a planned passing of the torch at GM ahead, as Alex Steen will take up the mantle from Doug Armstrong. Still, throughout this tenure there has been a measured approach, the Blues never committing to a full rebuild. Their Stanley Cup victory mints the validity of this approach, though one that is rare.
Through some down seasons, the Blues have at least built out a nice prospect pool. Taking chances on Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg seems to be paying off as well. Adding Cam Fowler this season was a gamble as well. More than anything, the Blues have been happy to make decisions on a case by case basis. This makes it impossible to say what the team could do, and what exactly the team will be targeting in return.
Calgary Flames facing crossroads
The Calgary Flames appear to be running out of steam, a hot start now faltering in the heat of a playoff race. GM Craig Conroy has had to chart a perilous path in his short time at the helm. So far he has been able to get younger on the main roster, significantly upgrading the future of the blueline in the process. Many of their prospects are having fantastic seasons in general.
The question is whether or not the Flames should go further in their rebuilding efforts. Selling early on Rasmus Andersson, for example, could yield a huge return. On the other hand, trading away important pieces would make life more difficult for the young players already on the roster. With a top 10 protected 2025 pick in the balance the equation becomes more complex.
No doubt the Flames will have a tough choice to make in how to proceed. Some recent rumours even suggest that the Flames are thinking of doing some modest buying. One way or another, the consequences will be significant to the league-wide picture, not to mention hotly debated by fans in favour or against.
The New Jersey Devils are in trouble
Just as starting goalie Jacob Markstrom returned from injury, the New Jersey Devils have recently lost Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton to injuries. Expected to be among the league’s foremost contenders, the Devils instead find themselves in trouble. The team’s playoff spot is no guarantee at this point as they have been sliding closer to the peloton of wild card hopefuls in the Eastern Conference.
It might be a stretch to think that the Devils might sell, but with Hughes out for the season their team is fundamentally diminished. Perhaps they might decide to buy, thanks in part to the cap space opened up by the Hughes injury, but no player on the market could make up for the loss of their star centre. There does not appear to be a good answer either way, but the Devils plans will have changed regardless.
Where are Boston Bruins headed?
Missing their top two defencemen due to injury and fading from the playoff race, the Boston Bruins are at a crossroads. To an extent they made their intentions clear by trading Trent Frederic and Max Jones to the Oilers earlier this week. Still, just how far the Bruins go remains to be seen.
Some of the Bruins more established players have been involved in trade rumours. Brad Marchand and Brandon Carlo are among those most speculated about. A big part of the issue here is that the Bruins have very few high end prospects, and so a full scale rebuild would be a long process.
New York Islanders with a maturing team
Much further from the playoff race than most of these teams, the New York Islanders still seem undecided on their next steps. The roster is already on the older side, with four veterans with a year or two left on their deals who could easily help jumpstart a retool. Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri are pending UFAs, while Anders Lee and Jean-Gabriel Pageau have another year left after this one. All four are over 30, Pageau the youngest at 32 years old.
As of now it does not appear that the Isles have any intentions of retooling, yet the prospect should be tempting. No doubt their decision to sell would shake up the market, and their players might fetch some of the highest returns of the week. The playoffs seem all but out of reach, and both Palmieri and Nelson might leave in free agency either way.
Pittsburgh Penguins struggling in the league
Finally, even further from the playoffs are the Pittsburgh Penguins. The complications emerge because of Sidney Crosby, still one of the elite players in the NHL. With structural flaws throughout the organization and a less impressive prospect pool, the Pens seem to be lost. Crosby clearly values staying with the team, perhaps even committed to finishing his career as a one-team player.
Selling off into a scorched earth rebuild might seem disrespectful to Crosby, yet the Pens find themselves toiling near the bottom of the league regardless. There are certainly players that can be moved off of which could bolster the future, even if Crosby is intent on staying put. Any aspirations of playoff relevance seem to be years away, and jump starting the process now is the fastest route to doing so. The Pens could easily honour Crosby’s wishes to stay, but they should be looking to alter their course.
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