NHL Trade Rumors: Metropolitan Division Moves and Best Trades

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The Metropolitan As It Stands

The Metropolitan Division is the best division in hockey this year. They have a +125 goal differential, while every other division is in the negatives. That means that the Metro’s good teams are great, while their bad teams are still somewhat decent. Every team in the division has more wins than regulation losses.

But every team has the capability to add something to their teams. Be it goal-tending, defense, or planning for the future, each team has the ability to get closer to their goal. So let’s look at ways to do that.

Washington Capitals

Everything that’s been good about the Capitals in the past few years remains good. Yeah, Alex Ovechkin had a slow start to the year, but he remains the preeminent goal scorer of the NHL. Braden Holtby is one of the few elite goaltenders who hasn’t false-started in 2017.

They’re not missing a lot, and it appears that they’re on their way to another President’s Cup, and another Metropolitan title.

So their best possible deal might be to just do nothing. But that’s not what I’m here for.

Washington Gives: Philipp Grubauer, G

Washington Gets: Nikita Zadorov, D; Colorado’s Second and Third Round picks

The Avalanche are a team that desperately needs to rebuild. They’re also a team with the ability to truly get Nolan Patrick, and so they must keep their first round pick.

Washington is a team that has an abundance of good goaltenders. They have Vezina winner Braden Holtby firmly in place, and will lose the young Grubauer to either the expansion draft or to an overpriced offer sheet. There’s a need for good goaltenders.

Especially in Colorado, which is why this deal works. Washington gets a young defenseman, which is exactly what they need right now, and they get to stockpile more picks, especially after trading two second rounders to Montreal for forward Lars Eller.

Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets are the surprise of the year. No one expected them to be this good, but after an 18 game win streak, they climbed to the top of the Metropolitan and have only fallen one spot since then. That’s because of the work of coach John Tortorella who changed his coaching style. It’s also because of rookie Zach Werenski and other great players like Brandon Saad.

Unfortunately, since dealing backup goaltender Curtis McElhinney to Toronto, the Blue Jackets haven’t come up with a competent replacement. This is not a team that requires much more for a playoff run.

But a suitable backup is something they will need. Especially if Sergei Bobrovsky gets injured or gets cold in the playoffs, they’ll need someone to continue to help carry the team. That’s what they have to get at the deadline. So:

Columbus Gives: Dalton Prout, D; Second Round Pick

Columbus Gets: Ryan Miller, G

Ryan Miller is a goaltender who would be the perfect rental for the Blue Jackets: He’s been good this season, and he’s on the last year of his contract. He’s also got playoff experience, and will help support the Blue Jackets well into the playoffs if Bobrovsky got hurt. Plus, the Blue Jackets have the space to accommodate Miller.

Vancouver gets something for an expiring contract, and also gets a second round pick. Plus, if they don’t want to protect their defense, they can always protect Prout.

Pittsburgh Penguins

The defending Stanley Cup champions are going to make the playoffs, and they still have that key offense that won them the Cup last year. Phil Kessel, Evgeni Malkin, and Sidney Crosby all remain part of the team, and each is the crucial part of their own line, when healthy.

The thing is, the Penguins have been decimated by injuries, and they’ve kept winning, winning 7 of their last 10. They’ve lost key pieces in Conor Sheary and Malkin, and yet they’ve continued to produce.

The Penguins are right up against the cap, which means that whatever they get they have to keep it at or below what they give up. Which means that anything they deal needs to be given back mainly with prospects and picks.

Penguins Give: Marc-Andre Fleury, G

Penguins Get: Antti Niemi, G; Esa Lindell, D; Dallas 1st

The Penguins will have to move Fleury eventually, and it just doesn’t make sense to leave him until near the expansion draft, when the Penguins could get less for him. Dealing him now would mean that the Penguins get something to help them now, and something to help them in the future.

Dallas has to be desperate for goaltending. After two years of the Kari Lehtonen-Antti Niemi experiment, it’s clear it didn’t work. That means that giving up a first for actual goaltending is feasible, and that the Stars could also give up one of their numerous young defensemen, of which the Penguins are in need.

The Penguins get a backup goaltender in Niemi who’s won a Cup himself, and avoid the less appealing Kari Lehtonen. They’ll need someone behind Matt Murray, and Niemi’s ability to win with Chicago has to be appealing to a team that resembles the early dynasty Blackhawks.

New York Rangers

The Rangers pretty much have the first wildcard spot locked up. They’ve been a very competent team all year, and they don’t lack much. But there is a very glaring hole in their team, and with Henrik Lundqvist having a down year, it becomes clearer and clearer.

The Rangers need defense. Out of every team in the Metropolitan, the Rangers lack defense the most. And there is defense available this trade deadline, the question is how the Rangers make a move for those pieces.

Here’s how.

Rangers Give Up: Dan Girardi, D; Antti Raanta, G; 2018 2nd Round Pick

Rangers Get: Michael Stone, D

The Rangers are desperate to give up Dan Girardi. At the same time, they will very probably lose Antti Raanta to the expansion draft if they don’t move him before then. Why not get the most out of your young goaltender?

Moving Raanta and Girardi together makes the aging defenseman much more feasible, and the 2nd round pick helps even

more. Next year, they have the Ottawa second round pick, which will likely be a better pick than theirs.

The Coyotes need to sell this year. Michael Stone is an expiring contract, and he remains a relatively attractive trade bait. The Coyotes also need goaltending, and Raanta provides that. Raanta has earned a starting role, and the Coyotes can give him that while holding on to a competent backup in Louis Domingue.

This trade works for both teams, fulfilling needs on both ends. The Rangers get an upgrade at defenseman, and an expiring contract, allowing them to protect the necessary defensemen on their team. The Coyotes get their goaltender of the future, a pick, and a defenseman they can simply leave open for the Vegas team to select.

Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers must be desperate for a goaltender. If they were able to make a save, it provides more confidence for the rest of the team, which remains very solid. It’s one of the best young cores in the league, and they have a great offense including Claude Giroux, Jake Voracek, and Wayne Simmonds. It’s time to invest in a goaltender, and there will be plenty available.

Like I said in the Eastern Buyers article, the Flyers should take a look at Chicago’s Scott Darling. Darling has been one of the best goaltenders in the league this year, and would be a solid investment in the future for the Flyers.

The problem is, Chicago loves Darling. He bailed them out in a playoff series in their last Cup run, and they would be extremely hesitant to make a move from him. But they have Corey Crawford, who remains the Blackhawks’ goaltender of the present and the near future, and will likely lose Darling due to cap restraints. So.

Flyers Give Up: Samuel Morin, D; 2nd Round Pick

Flyers Get: Scott Darling, G

(Thanks to Hockey’s Future for help with this decision)

The Blackhawks are going to want a lot in return to give up Darling before the playoffs. But the Flyers are losing ground, and could be caught by one of the teams trailing them. Trading for Darling effectively ends those concerns, and provides the Flyers with an early chance to negotiate a new deal with the goaltender.

Both teams are satisfied by this trade. The Blackhawks will need a surplus of defensemen in the future, and Morin looks to be a good one. At the same time, the Flyers have an abundance of good young defensemen, and need goaltending.

New York Islanders

The Islanders are on the comeback. After firing head coach Jack Capuano, they have turned the team around and look a lot better. They’re three points behind the Flyers and have three games in hand. Which means all they have to do to catch up is get to overtime once and win a different time.

With their current streak in the last 10 games of 7-1-2, it’s incredibly possible for the Islanders to get back in it.

Which means the piece they acquire will have to be very special. Or just a good depth piece, because that’s what the Islanders need. They need to be able to put Jason Chimera on the fourth line, and to have someone who can help out Andrew Ladd. They have a lot of cap space to use to make that possible.

Islanders Give Up: Scott Mayfield, D; 2nd Round Pick

Islanders Get: Thomas Vanek, LW

The Islanders could do a lot with Vanek. He could be a great veteran presence on any line, and his point-producing prowess would be crucial to the Islanders depth hopes.

And let’s face it: the Red Wings are ending the streak. They will in all certainty not be making the playoffs, barring a miraculous Blue Jackets-esque win streak. I just don’t think the Red Wings have it in them.

Mayfield is a defenseman with potential, which the Red Wings could use. The second round pick doesn’t hurt either, and they could be tossed around like pennies this year. This should be the most likely destination for Vanek, plus he’s a former Islander so there could be some chemistry left there.

The Islanders still have a chance to catch the field in the Metropolitan: acquiring Vanek is them going for it.

New Jersey Devils

The Devils are one of the more interesting teams in the NHL. They would be very good if they chose to drop out and join the Nolan Patrick sweepstakes: at the same time, their 6-3-1 in the last 10 games signals that they’re able to join the chase if they choose to.

The problem is, they have the same number of games as Philadelphia and are 3 points behind. They have less of a chance to catch up than the Islanders or even the Hurricanes. The Devils shouldn’t give up a massive piece, but at the same time, they could be sellers this year. With the knowledge they have the potential for the playoffs, the Devils should chase Patrick.

Devils Give Up: PA Parenteau, RW; Keith Kinkaid, G

Devils Get: Calgary Flames 1st

The Flames need goaltending and they need a bit more help offensively. The trade works because Calgary could be willing to gamble on a playoff spot this year.

The Devils are losing both of these players after the season anyway. Even if they extend Kinkaid, they will have to open him up to the expansion draft. This way, they get something for two expiring contracts and can start investing in the future.

Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes are another team with the potential to catch up with the Flyers, but I have the least confidence in Carolina to do so. Their 4-6 over the last 10 games is also not giving me hope.

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