The NHL Entry Draft packs its own level of entertainment with the selection process, but the real fun is the wheeling and dealing teams engage in ahead of July’s free agency period.
Here are 10 players who could be on the move at the 2015 NHL Draft.
A Senators goaltender
Unless Bryan Murray is plotting a revolutionary move to ice an entire line of converted goaltenders, the Ottawa Senators will move one of Craig Anderson, Andrew Hammond, or Robin Lehner.
Anderson or Lehner would make the most sense, as both are locked into deals that carry them through the 2017-18 and 2016-17 seasons, respectively. The club signed Hammond to a three-year deal shortly after its exit from the post-season, and they also inked NCAA free agent Matt O’Connor to a contract.
Murray is seeking a draft pick and a young player in return for one of his netminders.
David Backes
After yet another playoff disappointment, change is a necessity for the St. Louis Blues. Could captain David Backes be the piece on the move?
General manager Doug Armstrong is open to moving core players in order to improve his club, and Backes could make for an attractive commodity coming off his most productive season since 2010-11. He has one year left on a deal that pays him $4.5 million against the cap.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman noted Backes as the type of big body centre that the Calgary Flames could eye in an effort to add some size.
Phil Kessel
Phil Kessel comes with an $8 million cap hit and a contract that doesn’t expire until 2022. He also comes with a track record as one of the league’s most consistent snipers.
The Maple Leafs are willing to take on a bloated contract, as long as it’s less term and value than Kessel’s.
There are certainly obstacles to finding a suitable deal for Kessel, such as a partner with enough cap flexibility to pull the trigger, and the matter of the Maple Leafs bringing enough back in exchange for their best player.
Ryan O’Reilly
O’Reilly’s status with the Colorado Avalanche has been a hot topic of discussion ever since he inked a two-year extension with the club following a holdout in 2013.
The versatile forward is entering the final year of the deal that sees him check in with a $6 million cap hit. He’s a fantastic player that would boost any team’s top six forward unit. A pact with the Avalanche is not out of the question, but he’s also a valuable asset on the trade market for a team that desperately needs to upgrade its defence.
T.J. Oshie
Like Backes, Oshie is a member of the Blues core that could be on the move as the talented club’s window of opportunity remains propped open for the time being.
Oshie is slightly cheaper than Backes at $4.175 million and comes with an extra year on his current deal, too.
Dion Phaneuf
Phaneuf is a player who stands to benefit from a change of scenery. The Maple Leafs captain has been in over his head, logging big time minutes with little in the way of support on a shaky blueline.
He’s probably better suited to playing Ian Turnbull to someone else’s Borje Salming, so to speak.
For what it’s worth, new head coach Mike Babcock says he’s a fan of Phaneuf’s game.
Like the situation they find themselves in with Kessel, the Maple Leafs may have to take on a cumbersome contract in order to move him.
The San Jose Sharks are in the market for a defenceman. Joe Thornton or Patrick Marleau would fit the bill as players carrying less term and value than Phaneuf, but at 35-years-old and holding no-movement clauses, they don’t really fit the Maple Leafs rebuilding plan. Never say never.
Alex Semin
Oh how the Carolina Hurricanes would love to unload the remaining three years and $21 million owed to Alex Semin.
The problem is Semin’s seemingly evaporated skill set. Potential suitors may eye the Hurricanes’ fifth overall pick, which certainly complicates things.
Patrick Sharp
Winning comes at a cost, and thus the Chicago Blackhawks may find themselves in a mini-reorganization mode of sorts this off-season as they lick their financial wounds from three Stanley Cups in six years. What a problem to have.
One casualty of all that winning could be sniper Patrick Sharp. The four-time 30-goal scorer carries a $5.9 million cap hit for two more seasons and could represent a significant upgrade on the wing for many clubs.
The asking price for Sharp is reportedly on the high side, but here’s to betting Stan Bowman gets what he wants.
Brandon Sutter
The Pittsburgh Penguins have a significant portion of their cap dollars committed to four players: Sidney Crosby, Marc-Andre Fleury, Kris Letang, and Evgeni Malkin. Management has said they have no intention of moving Malkin, so something’s gotta give in order for the Penguins to add some depth on the wing and on the blueline.
Enter: Brandon Sutter.
https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/613045199036493825
Sutter is a serviceable bottom six forward who carries a $3.3 million cap hit, and is entering the final year of his current deal. If the Penguins are desperate to clear some space, he could be had on the cheap.
Cam Talbot
Talbot made headlines with his play for the New York Rangers through February and March while Henrik Lundqvist worked his way back from a neck injury. The 27-year-old finished the season with a 2.21 goals-against average and .926 save percentage in 36 games.
https://twitter.com/stevezipay/status/611612586115756034
In limited action with the Rangers over two seasons, Talbot sports a 2.00 goals-against average and an impressive .931 save percentage in 57 appearances.
Talbot appears to be one of the most attractive goaltenders on the market, with several teams looking for an upgrade. Two things to note here… 1) as Elliotte Friedman noted in this week’s 30 Thoughts, under CBA rules, Talbot cannot be extended until Jan. 1, 2016 – and – 2) he excelled playing behind a very good Rangers team.
