Still pretenders

[WaukeeBlues]

Crosby or Malkin being traded is NOT as crazy as it used to be.

It's been a long time since 2009 guys. In the six seasons since then they've been ousted in the first round three times, second round twice and swept in the conference finals once. Now from us as Blues fans we'd probably rejoice at that record but from a team that expected to be in cup contention every single year and with two of the best players on planet earth... bit different.

If there was a time that the Penguins traded Crosby or Malkin I think this summer might conceivably be that time. Do I think it'll happen? No. But it's within the realm of possibility where if you'd even asked if it were possible a year or two ago I'd tell you you were insane.

Backstrom will not be traded ANY time in the near future. His stock right now is the highest it's been in his entire career. That city would riot if he was dealt. When the 12 hockey fans would riot anyway.

That's a problem with our thought of trading pieces: finding good partners for deals. I don't think the Blues would get back equal value, or even close to equal value, for some of our guys that we'd move, but it's movement for the sake of movement's sake and we (thankfully) have enough depth I think we can afford it.

I'm not in favor of moving Stastny. You're judging the guy with one year on this team, the hardest adjustment time for new free agent acquisitions. And I seriously doubt when he agreed to come to St. Louis that he anticipated being on the 3rd line for a solid portion of this season/playoffs. I still don't think Backes is a true #1 center anyway. The guy needs to get more minutes and more of a role with this team than he got last season. IMHO

[glen a richter]

I was just tossing one thing out there.

I would also like the Blues to trade for Carl Hagelin, but there's little to no chance the Rangers trade him.

I would also like the Blues to trade for a lot of guys that they won't get. The most likely trade partner is probably Edmonton. Hall, RNH or Eberle could all be sent in a trade sending Oshie the other way. And while it's true Backes has a NTC, he could waive it.

[theohall]

The biggest reason I've seen why Pittsburgh might move Malkin, even though they keep saying he isn't moving, the salary cap hit.

Crosby, Malkin, and Letang are all on the Penguins. All 3 are in the top-25 in cap hits. Three of them on one team and they have no Championship in 6 years?? They are going to make some kind of change I would guess.

Their active roster has 10 free agents, only two of which are RFAs, and only 10M in cap space (barring whatever the increase is this coming season) to replace or re-sign those 10 players. Heck, their inactive roster has 13 FAs on it, which makes promoting from within dicey. Something has to give.

[glen a richter]

Stranger things have happened. For all we know, Tarasenko could say he'll take a little less to be able to play with fellow countryman Malkin.

[Portland Blues]

Stranger things have happened. For all we know, Tarasenko could say he'll take a little less to be able to play with fellow countryman Malkin.

And then sign with the Penguins.

[ecbm]

The most likely trade partner is probably Edmonton...And while it's true Backes has a NTC, he could waive it.

I don't think there's a player in the league who would waive an NTC to go to Edmonton.

[gaijin]

Backstrom will not be traded ANY time in the near future. His stock right now is the highest it's been in his entire career. That city would riot if he was dealt. When the 12 hockey fans would riot anyway.

That city is already rioting.

Well, I guess the 12 hockey fans aren't.



Too soon?

[gaijin]

Speaking of Malkin...

Penguins Need to Trade Malkin
by The Hockey Writers
http://thehockeywriters.com/penguins-ne ... de-malkin/

For years, the Pittsburgh Penguins have been at the top of the list of Stanley Cup contenders in the Eastern Conference. With the likes of Sidney Crosby, Marc-Andre Fleury and Kris Letang, the Penguins were one of the better teams for the better half of the last decade.

Unfortunately, as everyone knows, all good things come to an end, and Pittsburgh spot as one of the NHL’s elite has seemingly done just that. The team barely made it to the playoffs this season before being eliminated in five games by the New York Rangers. On top of that, the first-round elimination exposed that the holes on the team are far bigger than what simply having the best player in the world can fix.

The secondary scoring doesn’t seem to be there, and the defense, albeit deplete due to injuries and illness, just had one too many lapses to be considered a top-tier unit. The Penguins need more pieces, but the market for said pieces just isn’t deep on the free agent market. This leads to the thought of the Penguins making a trade to add around Crosby.

But who can Pittsburgh trade to add legitimate talent around their best player? What about their second best player?

The Penguins have eight forwards on the roster entering next season. Other than Crosby, who everyone knows is untouchable, Evgeni Malkin would be the only forward on the roster that could possible gain a return significant enough to drastically help the team. It’s not even worth mentioning potential defensemen who could be dealt because the only one who’d get anything back is Letang, and there is just no way Pittsburgh ships out their only top-pair blue liner under contract.

Malkin has been with the Penguins for nine seasons, and has done it all for the team in that time. From the Hart Trophy to the Stanley Cup, Malkin has performed at an incredible level while playing second fiddle to Crosby throughout his whole career. And though the two of them on the same team provide massive trouble for opposing defensemen and goaltenders, the thought of adding players could be too enticing to ignore.

Despite being the Penguins highest-paid player at $9.5-million per year and being under contract for another seven seasons, the suitor list would be a long one – about 29 teams as a matter of fact — should Malkin become available. Every team in the league would love to add a player of his caliber despite the fact that he’s been somewhat injury riddled over the last three seasons. Hell, general manager Jim Rutherford could probably demand an entire second line and some picks in exchange for the Russian superstar, and one GM would almost be certain to pay that price.

Just look at the return for Rick Nash when the Columbus Blue Jackets dealt the forward to the New York Rangers. Two of the big pieces that went back were Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky, both of whom have become cornerstones of a resurgent Blue Jackets franchise. If Nash could get that kind of return for Columbus, imagine what a player the stature of Malkin could bring Pittsburgh.

Malkin has a full no-movement clause in his contract, which would give him the right to accept or deny any potential trade. He may not want to be traded, but he also may want to finally be “the guy” for a team after being number two for so long.

Pittsburgh has already stated that they have no intention of trading Malkin. In fact, it’s come from as far up as ownership that there is “no interest” in breaking up the power duo. But if the Penguins have any Stanley Cup aspirations in the near future, it’s time for the team to pull the trigger on a blockbuster.

Well, it definitely would qualify as a "significant change" we've all been hoping for.

[WaukeeBlues]

I'd be very surprised if the Penguins traded Malkin but I wouldn't be blown away. I could see it happening, like I said in my earlier post.

It's the salary cap era, the Pens are hurting bad for depth, they don't have it, they've mostly exhausted their pipeline in recent years in bringing in prospects to fill the holes... they're just running out of cap room and players. They're also making things harder for themselves by being fleeced in trades where they're dealing first round picks. It's pretty simple.

I would GLADLY acquire Malkin. The issue would be who they want in return. I know they need offensive depth (which we have), and defensive depth (which we also have) but it would have to be quite the blockbuster to get it done and the Blues would undoubtedly have to part with yet another first round pick.

First round pick, Oshie, Berglund (if they'd even want him), Bouwmeester, maybe even Steen? Blues retain some of the salary? idonno.

Interesting article. The "trade Malkin" movement is gaining some steam.

[glen a richter]

My ideal trade would clear so much salary, the Penguins would be in the same salary cap sinking ship they're in now, worse actually. It would involve trading Stastny, Oshie, Berglund and Bouwmeester.

Let's face the facts here: Barbashev, Fabbri, Lindbohm and Parayko will all be in the NHL sooner than later. The spots for them are coming from existing roster players. Unless some members of our current underperforming squad are sent elsewhere, there won't be room for these guys. The Penguins can't take on excessive salary, the whole point of trading Malkin is to get the cap hit down. They would never take a combination of highish salaries in exchange because that would put them right back where they are. So they could either trade him for picks, prospects or lower salaried players. Doubtful they do anything like that. The most likely scenario is that guys get traded around to multiple teams who aren't in cap hell. Lest we forget, we are also in cap hell. And it's about to get a whole lot worse when negotiations with Tarasenko get going in earnest.

As much as I'd like Malkin, I don't think it's feasible for the Blues or the Pens to pull the trigger on any trade for him. I don't think the return that Pittsburgh can sustain is the return they genuinely want and they'll keep him in the end.

I do think the more likely scenario is you see Oshie get traded to one place, Bouwmeester get traded somewhere else, the return is picks, not bodies, and the replacements are Barbashev and Lindbohm. Let's not forget, this team doesn't have a pick in the 1st round this year, this is a good way to get back into it without blowing up the entire team. There's a lot of teams that have 2 picks in the 1st round, Winnipeg, Toronto, Edmonton, Buffalo, Arizona, and Philly. Surely we can trade a body for a pick from two of those teams.

[glen a richter]

A good point was made, Philly's new coach coached Oshie at North Dakota. Automatic trade partner right there.

I'd like one of their first round picks. I'd also like Giroux or Voracek. What kind of package could be put together to get any or a combination?

[Oaklandblue]

I am seriously of the mind that this team will lose every single year until Army and Co. are shown the door.

Army and Co. can assemble a team to get you TO the playoffs but that's about it. On paper this team is badass. If you sit down and think about it, the players shown the ability to win and get hungry, so there's another problem at hand and no trade can fix that, especially if there is an air of doom in the lockerroom, that comes from somewhere else and I really think it's management and how they are operating. The core does need to be dumped, but it's not one on the players end.

[glen a richter]

I don't feel like working the numbers right now, but http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nhl-salary ... --nhl.html

So not a particularly large jump in the cap.

[APOD]

I do think the more likely scenario is you see Oshie get traded to one place, Bouwmeester get traded somewhere else, the return is picks, not bodies, and the replacements are Barbashev and Lindbohm. Let's not forget, this team doesn't have a pick in the 1st round this year, this is a good way to get back into it without blowing up the entire team. There's a lot of teams that have 2 picks in the 1st round, Winnipeg, Toronto, Edmonton, Buffalo, Arizona, and Philly. Surely we can trade a body for a pick from two of those teams.

I think you hit the nail on the head here, I see oshie going for picks, one of either Bou or Gunnarsson going to edmonton would be my guess maybe in a package deal for a body, Berg goes for picks, Paajarvi goes and maybe Rattie too if bundled on a good deal. Oh sobotka's rights for a late 6th rounder too.

A 1st rounder in this years draft will be a good thing to go for, lots of talent this year.

[Kerfuffle]

A 1st rounder in this years draft will be a good thing to go for, lots of talent this year.

I heard the opposite - that after the first 2 picks the rest of the draft this year was rather weak. Dang oilers get McDavid.

[glen a richter]

I was reading the comment section on an article about goalies most likely to be traded (Ells wasn't on the list, oddly enough) and some jackass suggested Jimmy Howard for David Backes, straight up. Excuse me while I clean the vomit taste out of my mouth.

However... the article did give me something to consider. We're all talking about who stays, who goes and tossing around Oshie, Bouwmeester, etc... as most likely trade candidates but forgetting that if Hitch stays, I can't imagine a scenario where Ells would accept staying in the Note. He's gotten shafted so many times by ol' Kenny that I don't think he'll ever want to play for him again.

[APOD]

Yea he could do that, but I don't expect him too. As far as I know he doesn't have a NTC and I betting he wants to stay with a cup contender instead of risking being dealt to a shit team. I don't see Army trading him either without a solid back up plan for Allen if he shits the bed his second full year.

[glen a richter]

Yea he could do that, but I don't expect him too. As far as I know he doesn't have a NTC and I betting he wants to stay with a cup contender instead of risking being dealt to a shit team. I don't see Army trading him either without a solid back up plan for Allen if he shits the bed his second full year.

Here's a plan... Elliott + Oshie to the Rags for the RFA rights to Cam Talbot + Carl Hagelin.

[Oaklandblue]

Yea he could do that, but I don't expect him too. As far as I know he doesn't have a NTC and I betting he wants to stay with a cup contender instead of risking being dealt to a shit team. I don't see Army trading him either without a solid back up plan for Allen if he shits the bed his second full year.

Who cares what Oshie wants if he's not performing when we need him to, unless it's in a shootout for multiple times in a row, which doesn't happen in the playoffs at all.

You perform, you get to say what you want and a spot in a roster. In the old days, you had to earn a spot and it's as if we hear all sorts of talk about effort and responsibility but see absolutely none of it when it matters.

With Osh, regular season, he's fairly solid and his usually with exception posts + in the double-digits. In the playoffs, he's -12 and pots 2-3 points. And this team is filled with players like this, with exception, as if they go 'Well, season's over, I'm all done here.'

None of these guys care to win the Cup. The numbers back that. They're content to collect a check and make the playoffs. Frank wants more and it's going to get tired for him to pull a Hull or Sutter or pick a leader who pots the goals while everyone else seems to suddenly obtain the Feet And Hands Of Stone achievement.

As for trading, Army seems to have this thing about being incredibly cheap and it's concerned me that there isn't some sort of 'Boys Club' in the lockerroom where management is keeping certain people because they're well-liked and not performing or leading when necessary. For Spezza, I would have pulled the trigger and shipped off Backes and Osh back when it wasn't cool. We need elite experience, that's all there is to it. We have enough prospects to choke a horse and I'm sorry, but I really believe we suck ass at producing talent with the kind of scouts and coaches that we have. The solid players we got came in solid. We didn't train Ells when we got him, nor Frank nor some others who walked in and knocked it out the park when it was time to. The players we trained in are all mental-blocked and that's not their fault, it's the fault of the system they're in. And as long as Army and Co remain, that system does too.

What this team needs is to trade for an identity, because the one they got right now is horrible. And until they make decisions and stick to them, which seems to be impossible (Who is the #1 netminder? Is Hitch staying or going? etc.), then what we saw the last few years will be the reality of the next few.

Could it get worse, you ask? Blues ain't never won a Cup. All it can do is two things: Stay the same or get better. And staying the same keeps you from being able to actually fight for a Cup.

[Oaklandblue]

Yea he could do that, but I don't expect him too. As far as I know he doesn't have a NTC and I betting he wants to stay with a cup contender instead of risking being dealt to a shit team. I don't see Army trading him either without a solid back up plan for Allen if he shits the bed his second full year.

Here's a plan... Elliott + Oshie to the Rags for the RFA rights to Cam Talbot + Carl Hagelin.

Rangers, Cam and Carl crack up laughing and hang up the phone.