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Where the East Sits...15 teams, Buyers or Sellers (the early edition) |
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Good day kids...
Another trip to New York this morning. So I am back on the train, listening to one of my favorite bands, Trespassers William (great soundtrack for a train, and an excellent Winnie the Pooh ref...), and then shifting to Death Cab for Cutie next...
So with 98 days until the deadline, it is time to start looking at what's what team by team at this point:
First the East...Tomorrow the West....I will give my thoughts on the teams and then rank them on the Trade Watch Scale. I will also try to classify them as sellers or buyers "at this early stage." Currently the market is loaded with Buyers, this is always the case this early.
And it is early, but with Thanksgiving comes much to be thankful for and much to long for as well. Walking around a rainy New York, looking at Macy's and the window decorations, it is so beautiful, the Miracle on 34th St, 30 Rock, etc. If you can get up here, you need to get up here and bring the kids........It feels to me like the Holidays are here....and that Feb 26th is coming...
Atlanta Thrashers: All hail Waddell! When you look at the 0-6 start and we now see the thrash at 10-10, just a single point out of the playoffs it has to be a comfort that Don has stated he will remain behind the bench for the remainder of the season. The Thrashers will have one major decision to make as the season progresses. Hossa? If the Thrash are in the hunt he will go nowhere even if it means losing him for nothing at season's end. Signing Hossa would be a huge deal in Atlanta. The two issues are goaltending and special teams. Not convinced that Atlanta won't move for a goalie at some pont, even when everyone is healthy. The Thrash are a 5 ranking on the Trade Watch Scale. BUYERS
Boston Bruins: Playing better than I think anyone is noticing at 9-7-2, the Bruins must win their upcoming games at hand. The big issue that looms around the B's is depth on the back end. It is hard to imagine that they won't be hot on a defenseman as a playoff run with this group is a risk factor. Injuries could kill this team. TIm Thomas continues to shock the world as the NHL's best pinch hitter. The Bruins are a 6 ranking on the Trade Watch Scale. BUYERS
Buffalo Sabres: There are signs everywhere that the Sabres may be on the way back. Lindy Ruff, perhaps the best coach in hockey along with Ted Nolan, has had his work cut out for him as this team shifts from an attack team back to a counter attack team. It is a hard shift. There are still real holes on the defensive end. Real holes. They need a shot blocker and a stabilizing force if they are to play this counter attack style to perfection. They have some great young players, it is just a question if they can mature fast enough. Miller is still a top 5 goalie, even though he is still adjusting to the group in front of him. He is money, and will be money in the weeks to come. The Sabres are a 7 ranking on the Trade Watch Scale. BUYERS AND SELLERS
Carolina Hurricanes: Can they keep this up? We know the Hurricanes are VERY quick. Maybe as quick as any team I have seen play this year. The Hurricanes have feasted on a division that has been slow out of the gate. Cam Ward is back to Cup run form. The difference between this group and the team that won the Cup still feels greater than the difference between this group and the team that floundered last year. We all should eat what Brindy is eating. Here is a team that may find themselves on the bubble as the year goes on, and I get a sense they won't stand pat. At the first sign of slumping I wouldn't be shocked by a big move out of Carolina. Perhaps a top line forward to Edmonton or San Jose for a defenseman...(not that the current Shark's Roster has one). Will the real Hurricanes please stand up? The Canes are a 5 ranking on the Trade Watch Scale. BUYERS AND SELLERS
Florida Panthers: Like the waves on South Beach, the Panthers move slightly closer until they start to move slightly further again. Unfortunately, High Tide looks to alays be some time a few weeks after the season. Florida is NOT a hard place to get players who grew up at 5 am frozen rinks in places that get a few hours of sunlight this time of year to go and play. Ask Olli. He wants to stay and see this through. For the first time I can remember there is some inner bickering around the team, and all have to say to them is...GOOD FOR YOU!!!! It is about time that we all get a sense that this early season malaise isn't acceptable. I am OK with this kind of inner fighting. The Panthers are without many chips to move, but I do beleive that they may decide NOT to wait this year. One thing is for certain, you can get guys to waive NTC's to play here. The Panthers are a 4 ranking on the Trade Watch Scale. BUYERS
Montreal Canadiens: Any Habs Rumours? It has become a running joke in every thread on this site. The answer is "yes," always. Bob Gainey is as sly as anyone out there. The difference is that this year the Habs see the window opening again. The window goes up in the new NHL and stays up for maybe three seasons. The Habs, more than most team, NEED to build through the trade world due to the difficulty getting players to play in Montreal and pay all those taxes. That to me is a sin. This is a franchise and a city that deserves to have a team unencumbered by an x-factor like this. That being said, I could see them taking a serious shot at the deadline. The Habs are a 7 ranking on the Trade Watch Scale. BUYERS
New Jersey Devils: This is a team that clearly is in rebuilding and will be a big time seller this year. They have some key pieces that teams in the West will covet. Gionta, Elias, Langenbrunner, and Madden. These guys are winners and have been for a long time. The Devils are an 8 ranking on the Trade Watch Scale. SELLERS
New York Islanders: The team that won't go away. Ranked 6th with 2 to 4 games in hand on everyone in front of them the Islanders are making all other Eastern teams nuts right now. Only three points behind the division leading Rangers with FOUR games in hand. The Islanders have ALL kinds of room to move. And they showed at last year's deadline that they will be a team to watch at this year's deadline. Charles will go for it. You watch. The Islanders are a 7 ranking on the Trade Watch Scale. BUYERS
New York Rangers: Don't look now, but the early MVP HAS to be Lundqvist. The guy kept the team in it until they got their game together, which they have done. The Defense and backup goalie is an issue. They are too good and too close to winning a Cup to go into the playoffs without plugging up a few holes. The Rangers are an 8 ranking on the Trade Watch Scale. BUYERS
Ottawa Senators:There is no reason for them change anything--For years they have bulit from within. Very few players besides Heatley have been acquired through trades...Rumors about Emery being traded aside, look to the Sens to ride the two goalies toward a Cup. If they need anything, they could use some added toughness. The Senators are a 2 ranking on the Trade Watch Scaletrade scale 2. BUYERS
Pittsburgh Penguins: The Pens are struggling, amidst a team wide sophomore slump that you have to believe will be demolished any day now. There is talk that the team is looking at a goalie. That looks to be completely NOT the case. They are going to stick with, and should grow with MAF...The Pens are a 4 ranking on the Trade Watch Scale. BUYERS
Philadelphia Flyers: The Flyers are always looking to improve. That much you can count on, however this season is a very interesting one for the Bullies. They have made more moves than anyone else in the last twelve months. It is taking time to gel and although this team is another level from last year's team, you get the fact that they are still not done. Three key players to sign this off-season, Carter, Richards, and Umberger may push them to a move. The Flyers are a 5 ranking on the Trade Watch Scale. BUYERS AND SELLERS
Tampa Bay Lightning: The Lightning are baffling to me. Why they didn't move for Bryzgalov flies in the face of reason...at least IMO. The Lightning are not a team likely to make any moves, but one has to wonder if they will look to a UFA goalie at some point if the goaltending grows suspect. Rumours that Brad Richards could be had for the right deal are everywhere...What is the right deal? Brad has a VERY high price tag. The Lightning are a 6 ranking on the Trade Watch Scale. SELLERS
Toronto Maple Leafs: Perhaps the most interesting team right now when it comes to trade possibilities. They are absolutely trying more than they ever have to make something happen. For years now JFJ has shown a quite conservative nature. This is a make it or break it year. There is little doubt about that at this point. I for one believe there is ZERO chance that these Leafs will be the same come February. They are both buyers and sellers in the truest sense of the word. Gone could be Kubina, McCabe, Raycroft, Stajan....some suggest Sundin. I still don't see that. The Leafs are a 9 ranking on the Trade Watch Scale. BUYERS AND SELLERS
Washigton Capitals: There can be no doubt that massive changes are coming to Washington. Last night was a tough one to swallow and Semin may have to be the player to go. Too much value to hold onto. Signing AO is priority one, but I don't blame the Caps for not backing up the truck as of yet. Ovechkin is starting to get a rep that although he is one of the most incredible players and people to lace on the skates, he DOES NOT show that he can make others around him better. He is one on one the best. No question. But that can not be enough to get the Caps a return on the major play they made this summer, can it? The Caps are a 8 ranking on the Trade Watch Scale. SELLERS
More to come on the rumour front this afternoon....And tomorrow the West...
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