NHL Trade Deadline: Francois Beauchemin, Radim Vrbata, Viktor Stalberg
NHL Trade Deadline is right around the corner and these three underrated veteran players should be on every Stanley Cup contenders’ wish list ahead of March 1st.
NHL Trade Deadline can sometimes be a bore. While everyone hopes for the big name moves, sometimes the smaller deals do the trick. This season, plenty of aging players will hit the open market come July 1, but some could find a new home with a Stanley Cup contender before the deadline.
Even with NHL veterans like Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau set for free agency, plenty of contending teams will benefit from their experienced players down the stretch. The same can be said for Jaromir Jagr and Patrick Sharp, and it will be hard for teams to part with these players as they try to qualify for the NHL playoffs.
The San Jose Sharks are coming off a tough Stanley Cup loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. They will be looking to beef up as much as possible as the NHL Trade Deadline rolls around. With the battle in both conferences heating up, there will be only a few sellers, but plenty of buyers. Here are three players who should be on every team’s list.
Francois Beauchemin, Colorado Avalanche
Salary Cap Hit: $4.5 million – Expiry: 2018
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One of the hardest commodities in the NHL is defense. Francois Beauchemin is on the worst team in the NHL but sports a minus-2 rating with 13 points in 49 games.
The 36-year old defenseman is an elite veteran and brings plenty of experience. The former Stanley Cup winner is a great offensive presence, but it is his physical play that makes him so valuable.
So far this year, Beauchemin has 48 hits and 107 blocked shots. The Avalanche are a sinking ship, and the veteran defenseman should consider a move to a contender.
The Avalanche could take prospects and picks in return, but Beauchemin will have to waive his no-movement clause to let that happen.
Radim Vrbata, Arizona Coyotes
Salary Cap Hit: $1 million – Expiry: 2017
Many expected the Arizona Coyotes to be better this year. With the lack of production from their young prospects and plenty of injuries to go around, the Coyotes have been struggling. Radim Vrbata is their leading scorer with 11 goals and 24 assists in 51 games and could perform even better with higher-level linemates. His minus-16 would improve as well.
What makes Vrbata so effective is his offensive prowess. With 155 shots on net, and 11 power play points including eight goals, Vrbata is a proven offensive talent. He comes with a $1 million price tag, and has already outplayed that value. With the Coyotes looking like a failed experiment, Vrbata becomes an interesting asset on a contending team. Hopefully the Coyotes make a splash before the NHL Trade Deadline to rid themselves of their older players.
Viktor Stalberg, Carolina Hurricanes
Salary Cap Hit: $1.5 million – Expiry: 2017
The Carolina Hurricanes are terribly inconsistent. Even with an outside chance at the NHL playoffs, the Hurricanes should focus on next year, with plenty of their young players returning.
Viktor Stalberg is a Stanley Cup champion who is just 31 years old. Plenty of teams could benefit from his services in a bottom-six role, and there should be plenty of opportunity to move him before the deadline.
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Stalberg brings a physical, two-way game. The Hurricanes will need to focus on building affordable depth and improving their defense. Trading some of their aging forwards is a good start. Stalberg is a well-groomed veteran who could help any team’s bottom-six. Since the Hurricanes have only a slight chance at the post season, trading value forwards like Stalberg could prove beneficial in the long run.