The trade rumours started with Vincent Lecavalier, and now they've hit Chris Pronger and Daniel Briere.
It's funny, I keep hearing how the salary cap and the fact many NHL teams are up against it will lead to fewer trades this season at the deadline.
Yet with each passing day I hear about a star player that is being shopped by his team.
First it was Vinny Lecavalier, then Chris Pronger and now it is Daniel Briere.
And when all is said and done, it won't be about who gets traded, but why?
Why would the Tampa Bay Lightning sign Lecavalier to an 11-year contract extension worth $85 million and then move him? The answer is obvious - new owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie aren't as wealthy as they presented themselves and this team is skating on thin financial ice. The new owners, called cowboys by former Tampa Bay coach John Tortorella, fell in love with the media attention they received by signing Barry Melrose to coach the team, signing Lecavalier to what was supposed to be a lifetime deal with the team and over-selling top draft pick Steven Stamkos.
If the Lightning is in as deep financial trouble as many suspect, then it makes sense to move Lecavalier before his no-trade clause kicks in July 1. Trading Lecavalier gives the Lightning an opportunity to both get younger if they get back prospects and draft picks and also revamp their salary structure so not as much money will be going out to player salaries next season. If Lecavalier's contract is going to cripple the organization, and possibly cause the new owners to lose the team, then he will be traded. End of story.
Why would the Anaheim Ducks trade Pronger?
This one is not a money issue. Pronger, who remains one of the best defenders in the game, earns $6.25 million a season and has one more year left on his deal. The problem is, the Ducks are not convinced they have what it takes to win a second Stanley Cup in three years and as the trade deadline gets close, they may decide to be sellers rather than buyers, in an attempt to get younger moving forward.
It is looking like Scott Niedermayer may be interested in extending his career after temporarily retiring last season and he is a favorite of coach Randy Carlyle. So that means Pronger, who is 34 years old, could be sacrificed. And there are any number of teams that would be interested in acquiring him.
The Florida Panthers, for example, may find they are unable to re-sign impending unrestricted free agent Jay Bouwmeester and could inquire if the Ducks would be interested in swapping the blueliners. The St. Louis Blues would love to have their former captain back if only to increase the value of the franchise in case it is put up for sale. The neighboring Los Angeles Kings are being nicely built up from scratch by GM Dean Lombardi who may decided to accelerate the process by bringing in a savvy veteran to help tutor his young defencemen.
The Chris Pronger situation bears watching.
Why would the Flyers deal Briere?
Simple, they realize they can live without him and his eight-year, $52 million contract is not nearly as attractive to the Flyers as it was when he joined the team as a UFA in the summer of 2007. At the time of the trade, the Flyers were coming off a season in which they failed to make the playoffs. Also, the team's best two players now - Mike Richards and Jeff Carter - were both coming off lousy years. The Flyers were not convinced they would develop into the stars they are today and decided to add Briere to the mix - just in case.
Now Richards and Carter are stars and Briere is suddenly expendable. Problem is, Briere's contract could make him unmovable. He has been limited to just nine NHL games this season during which he scored five goals and nine points. In three games with the American League Philadelphia Phantoms on a conditioning stint, Briere score a goal and five points. Clearly he still knows where the net is, but unlike Lecavalier and Pronger, he has never played on a Stanley Cup champion. In fact, he has never played on a team that made it to the final.
So while it is true the salary cap could prevent some contending teams from making the moves they would like to make to give them an edge over their opponents, don't be surprised if a few big names trade teams before the March 4 trade deadline. And they won't necessarily be rental players. If Lecavalier, Pronger and/or Briere are dealt, it could be for the long run.
