Tonight 30 young men will have their dreams come true when they hear their name called by an NHL team. It is NHL Draft Day, and the rumors are swirling around the streets of Philadelphia. There are teams who are looking to build their team at the draft, sacrifice the future for the present, and other teams that just want to stockpile as many young players as they can with a hope for future Championships. Many names are in play, and the first round pick seems as though it could be on the move.
Falling Dominoes
The First Overall Pick
The Florida Panthers are apparently mulling over a very significant offer for the first overall pick. The team involved is rumored to be the Vancouver Canucks, and the rumored pieces are 6th overall, Hunter Shinkaruk, and a roster player (believed to be a defenseman) for the first overall pick. There is some history here, as the Panthers were the team to finally take Roberto Luongo off the hands of the Canucks at this most recent NHL trade deadline. The Canucks would love to jump up and find either a future top 2 defender in Aaron Ekblad, or a potential replacement for Ryan Kesler as the 2C.
The first overall pick is completely up in the air, in the past three days alone all of Bennett, Draisaitl, Ekblad and Reinhart have been the “guy” that will have his name called first. One thing is for certain, whichever player is picked first won’t be a reach. These four young men are the class of the group, and a team can’t go wrong with any of them.
Oilers Could Be Active
There are certain scenarios at the top of the draft that would likely cause some dominoes to start falling. For example, should Aaron Ekblad and Leon Draisaitl go first and second overall, do the Edmonton Oilers (a team blessed with small skilled players) become a team that looks to trade out of that number 3 spot? They would be wise to at least have a potential deal in place to consider should the first two picks fall that way. They could move down, and simultaneously add a piece to their team for the present. Despite signing Nikita Nikitin earlier this week, the Oilers lack a 2C, a Top 6 winger, and a Top Pairing Defender. The holes are many in this current version of the Oilers, and they may look to jump start the revival at the draft.
Speaking of the Oilers, they are looking to be active in costless agency. The Oilers GM Craig Mactavish believes the “window shopping” period that has been implemented for the first time this season will give the Oilers a great opportunity to sell costless agents on Edmonton. The Oilers often strike out in costless agency due to a negative reputation surrounding the city of Edmonton itself (specifically the weather) and the direction of the team. Craig Mactavish is a very smart man, and very well-spoken, and he hopes to use these strengths during costless agency.
Islanders Need to Improve Now
Another team that could move their first round pick today is the New York Islanders. The Islanders are in a sticky situation; they traded their 2015 First Round Pick to the Sabres for Thomas Vanek earlier this season, and as a result the pressure is on for the 2014-15 season in New York. The Islanders don’t want to gift the Sabres McDavid or Reichel. Both those young men are potential generational talents. The Islanders need to improve now, they have no choice, and they are going to be very active in the trade market and costless agency as they look to improve enough to stay out of the Draft Lottery next season.
A team that may make a play for that Islander 5th overall pick is Philadelphia (the host of this year’s draft), especially if they strike out in their quest for the Panthers 1st overall pick. The host of the draft often likes to make a splash on draft day to thrill the hometown crowd, and Philadelphia is not afraid to make big moves. With a plethora of defenders Braydon Cobourn’s name is once again in the rumor mill.
Pull up Gate Is Over
The Sam Bennett pull-up gate is officially a non-issue. TSN’s James Duthie sat down with Aaron Ekblad and Sam Bennett last night in a great pre-draft interview, and of course the pull-up “issue” came up. Bennett silenced the entire thing when he demonstrated his ability on a playground pull-up bar, it was a great piece and really fun to look. It can be found here.
Lecavalier on the Market
Vincent Lecavalier is another Flyer who could be making his way out of town. The Flyers have granted Lecavalier’s agent permission to seek out potential trade partner for the center. Lecavalier is coming off a disappointing season; recurring back issues and an inflated contract have diminished his value. Lecavalier still managed to score 20 goals and 17 assists this past season, but saw his role diminished to fourth line centre. He is due $4.5M for the next four seasons, and is also due a $2M bonus on July 1st. That bonus is going to keep many teams from even consider trading for Lecavalier before July 1st. A team is looking for a potential third line centre capable of scoring twenty goals, and the Flyers are willing to eat some of his salary, Lecavalier could be a decent pick up.
Leafs Talking to Brodeur
The Toronto Maple Leafs are reportedly interested in costless agent goaltender Martin Brodeur. They like the idea of bringing in one of the best goaltenders of all time to backup/mentor Jonathan Bernier. The problem with Brodeur is that he is getting much older, and is nowhere near the goaltender he was just five years ago. However he is a winner, and he understands the dedication of being an elite goaltender in the NHL for a long long time and could be a perfect fit in a mentor role.
Kesler Not Moving On?
Vancouver Canucks GM Benning stated that he is not willing to pull the trigger on a Kesler deal that doesn’t make sense for Vancouver. This would mean bringing back yet another player looking to leave Vancouver, and would be a poor start as GM for Benning. He is in a precarious situation as he needs to avoid another Luongo situation, while simultaneously maximizing the value of Kesler in a trade.
"We're talking to teams, but at the end of the day we're going to do what makes sense to us and to try to help Ryan out," Benning said.
"If we don't think we can get a fair deal for him, then we're going to keep him and he's a Vancouver Canuck. And we're happy to have him back because he's a great player." (tsn.ca)
Matt Niskanen Hitting the Market
Matt Niskanen will be hitting the open market when costless agency gets underway. The defenseman has decided to move on from Pittsburgh after a season that has seen his value skyrocket. Niskanen will be a highly sought after defender in costless agency, as the class of costless agent defenseman is not elite. He is undoubtedly one of the best options out there, and as a result a bidding war could ensue which sends his contract through the roof. Niskanen was an integral piece of the Penguins defense core this past season, and saw his role transform when Letang was forced to the sidelines.
Kane and Toews Seeking Big Money
The Chicago Blackhawks are in an unfortunate situation as both Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane have one year remaining on their current contracts. The Blackhawks have begun negotiations with both players, and are hoping to have extensions completed before the start of the next season. Unfortunately for the Blackhawks both Kane and Toews have reportedly started the negotiations asking for base salaries of $12M per season. This is not the number they will get, however they will be in the $10-12M range. The Blackhawks cannot afford to not resign both players, and as a result they will likely be looking to move other pieces from their lineup. Patrick Sharp`s name has come up recently as he could be a valuable trading asset for the Hawks.
Gino Odjick Releases Statement
Former NHLer Gino Odjick has released a letter to the public outlining an terminal illness he has been diagnosed with. Odjick was diagnosed with AL (Primary) Amyloidosis, which is a terminal disease.
"It's causing abnormal protein to be produced and deposits are being formed on my heart," said Odjick. "It's hardening my heart and my doctors aren't sure how long I have to live."
"This isn't goodbye, but I wanted you to know what is happening. I'm going to stay strong and I hope to spend as much time with my kids as possible."
"I understand the media will likely want to learn more, but I hope you can respect my request for privacy as I focus my time on my children and family." (canucks.nhl.com)
This is unfortunate and sad news, prayers and hope for the best of a terrible situation go out to Gino Odjick and his family in this terrible time.
Wrap Up
There will be excitement and rumours and falsities flying heavily throughout the day as the draft draws near. Teams, fans, media and potential draftees will be buzzing with excitement hoping for the best case scenario at this evening’s draft. One thing we should see is at least one big trade, the draft this year is weaker than most and as a result there will be teams more willing to move up, and more teams more willing to trade their pick. There are so many names in play, and the biggest value may be the player you trade for as opposed to the potential player you could draft. It will be an exciting day!
Good luck to all the young men who will have their name called, today the journey begins for real as they take their next big step towards their NHL dreams!