Colorado Avalanche General Manager, Joe Sakic, and Anaheim Ducks rookie GM, Pat Verbeek, set the market today for rental top four defensemen this deadline.
Essentially two second round picks will get it done. Here is the trade.
Anaheim Ducks
D Josh Manson — 50% retained of his 4.1 million annual average value
for
Colorado Avalanche
D Drew Helleson
2023 2nd round pick
Helleson is a defenseman producing around a point-per-game for Boston College this season in the NCAA. He was selected 47th overall at the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.
This trade adds a degree of physicality to the Avalanche that has been sorely missed ever since Ian Cole became a cap casualty in January of the 20-21 season.
When thinking of major players involved in the Flames’ 4-1 series loss to the Avalanche in 19-20, Ian Cole isn’t the first guy to pop into your head. Flames leading scorer, Johnny Gaudreau might give you a different answer though. The 33 year old product of Ann Arbor, Michigan made life absolutely miserable for the diminutive Flames left wing as his team dropped four straight from games two to five.
Should the Avalanche and Flames meet in the playoffs this post-season: expect Manson to take on a similar role. He ranks third on the Ducks in hits with 116.
He will also take pressure off an area of weakness for the Avalanche: their 20th ranked 77.3% penalty kill. Manson has averaged over two minutes a game of PK time this season.
If only he could take faceoffs too. The NHL’s 1st place team ranks 31st in team faceoff percentage at 46.8% over 60 games.
So.
Do the Flames match the Avalanche in an arms race?
Would you rather the Flames had been the ones trading two second round picks for Manson today? One can’t help but worry about the severity of Oliver Kylington’s lower body injury. One can’t help but fantasize about a pairing of Tanev-Manson.
What about a pairing of Tanev-Lindholm?
Would you prefer the Flames had traded last year’s second round pick, William Stromgren, and next year’s second round pick instead of the two this year?
Let’s talk another theoretical.
You wake up tomorrow and you’re General Manager of the Calgary Flames. You see that two cap strapped teams are desperate in need of a decent goalie.
That being the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Edmonton Oilers.
What return would you need to start entertaining offers? Would a late first be enough for you to help out not only a divisional rival— but the Flames’ archrival?
Provided the Flames don’t at all need to trade a a backup playing at a much higher quality than his 750k cap hit would indicate— and given Vladar is signed for another year at such a low hit; a trade may start being entertained at:
2022 or 2023 1st round pick
for
G Daniel Vladar
While his .903 save percentage isn’t blowing anyone off of their feet, the case is in the tape. Vladar has had to accept some unfair starts and is still holding up. Earlier in the season and carrying the momentum of frequent play in the preseason: Vladar proved he can steal games.
You wouldn’t even need to send game footage to Toronto’s Kyle Dubas. Vladar had possibly the Flames’ best single game goaltending performance November 12 against the Leafs. A 2-1 overtime loss where Vladar absolutely stood on his head to keep the Flames in it.
Stockton starting goalie Dustin Wolf is already running out of things to prove at the AHL level. Promoting him to backup for the remainder of the season would be maybe taking him out if the oven early, but would it be too much of a risk to the success of this season?
Goalies signed through next season on a 750k cap hit that can steal games don’t grow on trees. General Managers Ken Holland and Kyle Dubas are losing sleep over it.
Why not gauge how high the return would be? Say you can get a 1st; even in 2023. What’s to stop you from flipping that first for an even juicier upgrade? For example, a hard drive of the acquired first and Florida’s second round pick for a 50% retained Claude Giroux? Want a defenseman instead? Hampus Lindholm is likely more available today than he was yesterday now that Verbeek has sold off
one impending UFA defenseman.
Maybe that first turns into the key to getting the Flames out of cap trouble this offseason. Something along the lines of.
Calgary Flames
Acquired 2022 or 2023 1st round pick
F Sean Monahan
for
Arizona Coyotes
2022 3rd round round pick (ARI)
Given the Coyotes’ need to reach the floor next season, Monahan’s need for powerplay time in a contract year, and Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong’s current strategy of stockpiling picks; maybe that’s a trade that works out for all parties involved.
Fun to think about.
@Trevor_Neufeld
Statistics courtesy of nhl.com and eliteprospects.com.
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