Would you trade Kasperi Kapenen for a backup goalie?
They say the worst time to trade a player is when he is underperforming. Well, the second-worst time to make a trade is when you’re desperate.
The Toronto Maple Leafs, who are without goaltender Frederik Andersen for the foreseeable future, are in the latter category — and every other general manager in the league knows it.
You want Alexander Georgiev of the New York Rangers? It’s going to cost you. You want Pittsburgh’s Casey DeSmith or San Jose’s Aaron Dell or Minnesota’s Alex Stalock? Guess what, the price just went up.
This is the situation that GM Kyle Dubas finds himself in. He knows that in order to make the playoffs, the Leafs need to find a capable goaltender to stop the bleeding until Andersen returns.
Lucky for him, there are plenty of options out there that can help. The problem is now that others can smell blood in the water, it’s going to cost more than the Leafs might have had to spend at this time last week.
The question is why did Dubas wait so long to make this move. Even before Andersen hurt his neck in a game on Monday, it wasn’t a secret that the Leafs needed help in net. They’ve needed help ever since losing Curtis McElhinney on waivers before the 2018-19 season.
Since that time, the Leafs have managed a 14-21-2 combined record from their backup goalies. That’s just 30 out of a possible 74 points, which equates to a 66-point season.
A year ago, those missed points could have been the difference between playing Game 7 against the Bruins on home ice. This year, it could be the difference between making the playoffs altogether.
If that’s the case, maybe losing Kapanen for a backup goalie is well worth it. That is, unless another team decides they don’t just want Kapanen, but also a prospect and a pick to go along with him.
The Leafs better decide if that’s a fair deal, because the longer they wait the higher the prices keep going.
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TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT
Given the choice between Alex Ovechkin or the field, I’ll take Ovechkin to win the Rocket Richard Trophy this year for the simple fact that he’s able to score in bunches. The Washington captain, who leads with 40 goals, has a hat trick in three of his past six games — and has four on the season. Auston Matthews has just two in his career … Oddest thing about Ovechkin’s offensive season is that he is a minus player (-8) for the first time in six years and only has 17 assists. At this rate, he will finish with fewer than 30 for the first time in four seasons. In each of the four years where he reached the 100-point mark, he had at least 47 helpers … When it comes to provincial hate, the Battle of Ontario could learn a lot from the Battle of Alberta. The last time Edmonton and Calgary played there were three fights and a combined 102 penalty minutes. On the same night, Toronto and Ottawa combined for 12 PIMs, all of which were minor penalties …
HERE’S ONE FOR YOU
First impressions don’t always mean much with goalies. Columbus rookie Elvis Merzlikins began his NHL career this season with no wins in his first eight games. Since then, he’s gone 11-2-0 with four shutouts and a .951 save percentage … The Flyers received some optimistic news on Wednesday, when Nolan Patrick, who hasn’t played this season because of a migraine disorder, joined the team for practice. No word on when the 21-year-old centre will return to the lineup, but if it comes in the next month it could better than any type of deadline acquisition for a team trying to stay in the hunt … The busiest team at last year’s deadline was Winnipeg. With the team on the bubble and plenty of cap space to spare now that Dustin Byfuglien is gone for good, don’t expect that to change this year … The top seeds in each conference both fell in the first round last year. Considering how tight the races will be for a wild card spot, I’d be shocked if we don’t see more first round upsets this time around.
FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH
How weak is the West this year? Consider that the Montreal Canadiens are ranked 11th in the Eastern Conference standings with 57 points. If they were in the West, they would have the same number of points as the ninth-place Predators … if you were to rank the best teams in the league 1 through 16, the Flames and Coyotes wouldn’t be in the playoffs, but the Leafs and Hurricanes would be. Also, Toronto would still face Boston in the first round. They just can’t seem to avoid one another … Don’t be surprised if the Canadiens take a page out of the Blue Jackets’ playbook and become buyers at the deadline. In the past 10 games since adding Ilya Kovalchuk, the team is 7-3-0. A couple more of those deals and they could sneak into the playoffs … If they had to do it all over again, do you think the Leafs would rather have Nazem Kadri, Connor Brown and Nikita Zaitsev, who have combined for 29 goals and 76 points, or Alex Kerfoot, Tyson Barrie and Cody Ceci (14 goals and 60 points)? I know who’d I’d pick.
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SELLERS MARKET FOR DEFENCEMEN
With Dustin Byfuglien not returning to Winnipeg, the trade demands for rental defencemen just received a boost. The problem is that the Jets are far from the only team looking for reinforcements in what is looking like a sellers’ market.
Here are six names that could end up in Winnipeg, Toronto, Florida or anywhere else with a thin blue line:
Matt Dumba, Minnesota Wild
Cap hit: $6-million, expires in 2023
This has been an uncharacteristically quiet season from the offensive defenceman, who has just four goals and 18 points in 52 games. Whatever team gets him better hope it’s nothing that a change in scenery can’t fix.
Shayne Gostisbehere, Philadelphia Flyers
Cap hit: $4.5-million, expires in 2023
The Flyers are in a playoff spot, which makes trading Gostisbehere problematic. Then again, he’s been out for the past 10 games, so it’s not like they’ve been missing him. But when he’s healthy, he can still quarterback a power play like few others.
Josh Manson, Anaheim Ducks
Cap hit: $4.1-million, expires in 2022
The 28-year-old is a younger version of Jake Muzzin. He won’t produce much in the way of offence, but if it’s size and stability that you need, Manson is what you’re looking for.
Rasmus Ristolainen, Buffalo Sabres
Cap hit: $5.4-million, expires in 2022
The 6-foot-4 and 220-pound defenceman is leading the Sabres in playing time and doing it with a far better plus-minus rating (-3) than a year ago (-41). With two years remaining, he is also more than just a rental.
Alec Martinez, Los Angeles Kings
Cap hit: $4-million, expires in 2021
If playoff pedigree is what you’re after, the stay-at-home defenceman, who has another year remaining on his deal, certainly fits the bill. He’s won two Stanley Cups and has played in 64 playoff games during a career that is reaching the 600-game mark.
Brenden Dillon, San Jose
Cap hit: $3.27-million, expires in 2020
As a pure rental, you really can’t go wrong with Dillon. That is, as long as you’re not looking for anything more than a defenceman who can clear space in front of his net and kill penalties. Anything more and Dillon, who has one goal and 13 points, is out of his element.
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EICHEL SHOULD BE A HART TROPHY CANDIDATE
Has Jack Eichel become the new Connor McDavid?
With 31 goals and 66 points in 52 games, Eichel is having an MVP-worthy season. The only problem is he is having it on a team that is 12 points back of a playoff spot and looking like they will once again miss out on the post-season for the ninth straight year.
For the Buffalo Sabres captain, who’s never finished higher than 13 out of the 16 teams in the Eastern Conference standings, this is nothing new. But for the fans, who booed the team off the ice for reportedly the third time in four games following a 6-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday, the patience is wearing thin.
“What is going? What are we doing” Duane Alan Steinel told WGR 550 radio in a now-infamous rant last week. “Have they ever sucked the passion out of you like they have me? I’ve dedicated my life to hockey because of this team? Like, I can’t do it anymore, man I’m seriously considering for the first time not being a season-ticket holder this year.”
This was supposed to be the year when Buffalo took a step towards playoff contention. After an 8-1-1 start to the season, when the Ralph Krueger-led Sabres had the best record in the NHL, it looked like they just might do it. But injuries and inconsistent play have once again plagued a team that is on its third head coach and second general manager since drafting Eichel with the No. 2 overall pick in 2015.
While Rasmus Dahlin and Victor Olofsson have both missed time, the bigger concerns are the contracts that GM Jason Botterill has handed out in the past couple of years.
Jeff Skinner, who was rewarded with an eight-year deal worth $9-million annually, has no goals in his past 15 games and just 11 goals and 19 points on the season.
Marcus Johansson, who signed a two-year deal worth $9-million after helping the Bruins reach the final, has one goal in his past 22 games and only six goals and 22 points this year.
With the deadline approaching, Botterill should be getting calls on forwards Conor Sheary and Michael Frolik, as well as defenceman Rasmus Ristolainen. The question is whether Botterill, who’s job might be in jeopardy after three years of being unable to right the ship, should be the one in charge of pulling the trigger.
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POWER RANKINGS
- Washington Capitals (1)
Ovechkin has 14 goals in his past seven games.
- Tampa Bay Lightning (2)
Outscored opponents 15-7 in the last four games.
- Pittsburgh Penguins (3)
Crosby has 12 points in seven games since returning.
- Boston Bruins (5)
Rask has allowed one goal in two games since returning from injury.
- St. Louis Blues (4)
Went 1-4-0 on Western road trip.
- Columbus Blue Jackets (12)
Can we start calling Elvis the King of Columbus?
- Vancouver Canucks (11)
7-2-1 run has them still atop the Pacific Division.
- Dallas Stars (8)
Goal leader Hintz has gone seven games without scoring.
- Colorado Avalanche (6)
Burakovsky has four goals and 11 points during five-game scoring streak.
- Edmonton Oilers (10)
Nugent-Hopkins and Yamamoto are providing secondary scoring.
- Florida Panthers (7)
Is this the Bobrovsky Florida has been waiting for?
- Philadelphia Flyers (18)
Elliott has shutouts in two of his past three games.
- New York Islanders (9)
Been a month since last multi-game winning streak.
- Carolina Hurricanes (13)
3-2-1 since losing Hamilton for the season.
- Toronto Maple Leafs (14)
Andersen’s absence could cause playoff implications.
- Arizona Coyotes (15)
2-5-3 run represents first big slide of the season.
- Chicago Blackhawks (19)
Whether it’s Crawford or Lehner, the wins keep piling up.
- Calgary Flames (16)
Injury to Giordano comes at the worst time.
- Nashville Predators (20)
6-5-0 since John Hynes replaced Peter Laviolette.
- Winnipeg Jets (17)
Just two wins in the past 10 games.
- Vegas Golden Knights (21)
Have gone 3-3-1 so far during eight-game road swing.
- Montreal Canadiens (23)
Should have traded for Kovalchuk months ago.
- New York Rangers (22)
Playoff berth only thing preventing Panarin from the Hart.
- Minnesota Wild (25)
Paddling through the waters of mediocrity.
- Buffalo Sabres (24)
6-1 loss to Colorado another low point to the season.
- San Jose Sharks (26)
Aaron Dell helping his trade value with 3-1 win over Flames.
- Ottawa Senators (27)
Two wins in the past 15 games.
- New Jersey Devils (29)
Four straight overtimes is a sign of not giving up.
- Anaheim Ducks (28)
All eyes will be on Manson when Ducks come to Toronto on Friday.
- Los Angeles Kings (30)
Toffoli writing his ticket out of LA with two goals in five games.
- Detroit Red Wings (31)
Nine straight losses is three off their season-high.
