NHL Trade Speculation: 18 Teams That May Target Jarome Iginla, Miikka Kiprusoff

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As the Flames continue to fall off the face of the NHL universe, it may be time for a long overdue youth movement in Calgary.

The team’s two most valuable players may be on the wrong side of 30 and quite expensive, but nearly every team in the league would like at least one of these guys.

Since the 2003-04 season, Jarome Iginla has been the Flames captain. Even at age 35, he is still a productive player. He would be a great asset to a team looking for a veteran presence in its locker room and an impact player on the ice.

That same year, the Flames dealt a second-round pick to the San Jose Sharks for Miikka Kiprusoff, and the Finn has held down the team’s goaltending position ever since. A year older than Iginla, Kiprusoff is still a productive goaltender at the game’s highest level and would be a great addition to any team that either needs a starter or, in a shortened season, would like to have a reliable backup.

Virtually every team in the league would like to have either one of these players, but their $7 million (Iginla) and $5.833 million (Kipper) cap hits (per CapGeek.com) will dissuade many teams near the cap from picking them up. Iginla is a little easier to obtain—he’s in a contract year—but any team that acquires Kiprusoff has to pay him next year, too.

Every team that would have legitimate interest in either player is listed here, with their cap space and interest level listed under the name of the player(s) they are targeting.

1. Winnipeg Jets

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Player targeted: Iginla

Cap space: $11.5 million

Interest level: Low

The Jets are unlikely to make a playoff splash this season and probably don’t want to commit a lot of money to a player for two years knowing that they play in a small market and are going to have plenty of young players to pay in the future.

At the same time, if they go on a run and can squeeze into the playoffs this year, adding a player with Iginla’s mileage and ability wouldn’t be a bad thing.

2. Colorado Avalanche

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Player targeted: Iginla

Cap space: $18 million

Interest level: Low

The Avalanche will only pull the trigger on Iginla if they are in the playoff hunt at the end of the year.

This club has plenty of young talent and cap space piled higher than the Rocky Mountains, but it’s still yet to be determined if they are good enough to make the playoffs this year.

If this club is in playoff position at the deadline, however, adding a 35-year-old player that can still score for the right price has to be considered by management in Denver.

3. Edmonton Oilers

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Players targeted: Iginla and Kiprusoff

Cap space: $16 million

Interest level: Low

If the Oilers are in playoff position at the deadline, they should be looking to add both these players. But that’s a big “if.”

Edmonton is operating the league’s version of a daycare center, fostering the growth of little boys with a plethora of talent: Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov.

They could use Uncle Jarome to look over them as they venture into the playoffs.

This team could also use some goaltending help, too. Nikolai Khabibulin, 40, and Devan Dubnyk, 26, are on opposite sides of the age spectrum, but Khabibulin is far from a sure thing in net and Dubnyk isn’t really a budding superstar.

Uncle Kipper won’t be put on babysitting duty. He’ll be asked to watch the front door.

4. Boston Bruins

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Player targeted: Kiprusoff

Cap space: $4.1 million

Interest level: Low

The Bruins have a young, experienced and sturdy goaltender in Tuukka Rask, so they don’t really need Kiprusoff. Additionally, Anton Khudobin is not a star by any means, but he is a serviceable backup.

Boston will only pull the string on Kiprusoff if something happens to Rask this season or Khudobin begins to look overwhelmed with increased playing time in a shortened season.

5. Florida Panthers

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Player targeted: Iginla

Cap space: $12.3 million

Interest level: Moderate

It’s hard to see this team making the playoffs again this year, but let’s give last year’s Southeast Division champions the benefit of the doubt.

Jarome Iginla would be a great influence on a rising star in Jonathan Huberdeau.

6. Anaheim Ducks

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Player targeted: Kiprusoff

Cap space: $13.7 million

Interest level: Moderate

The Ducks have a solid starting goaltender in Jonas Hiller and don’t really need Kipper. Viktor Fasth is relatively unproven at the NHL level, but he provides a veteran presence.

In essence, acquiring Kiprusoff would be a luxury for the people of Anaheim. 

7. Carolina Hurricanes

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Player targeted: Iginla

Cap space: $12.5 million

Interest level: Moderate

The Hurricanes have plenty of cap space, but they are also a team in a smaller, southern market and will have young stars to pay in the near future, so they probably don’t want to lock up too much money into older players.

They also have two solid goaltenders, Cam Ward and Dan Ellis, to carry them throughout the season.

With the Jordan Staal trade and the improvement of younger players like Jeff Skinner, Justin Faulk and Jamie McBain, there are high expectations in Raleigh. However, the team shouldn’t hesitate to look for a veteran scorer at the trade deadline if they’re still in the playoff hunt.

Iginla would be a nice rental for this club if they are playoff-bound toward the end of the season.

8. Tampa Bay Lightning

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Player targeted: Iginla

Cap space: $6.9 million

Interest level: Moderate

The Lightning have plenty of talent and a blend of youth and veterans on their roster, but with high aspirations this year and some cap space, why wouldn’t you add Iginla?

After all, wouldn’t it be great to see Vincent Lecavalier and Iginla, pugilistic opponents in the 2004 Stanley Cup Final, team up to win Tampa’s second championship this year?

9. Philadelphia Flyers

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Players targeted: Kiprusoff

Cap space: $1.6 million

Interest level: Moderate

I’m not certain the Flyers can afford Iginla (even as a rental), but they will make room for Kiprusoff because of the stability he provides in net.

Sure, they’d rather have Roberto Luongo, but consider Kipper a consolation prize if that falls through.

10. New Jersey Devils

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Player targeted: Iginla

Cap space: $13 million

Interest level: High

The Devils believe that they are a Stanley Cup contender once again this season and would love to add Iginla as a rental in order to give them an edge over the Rangers, Penguins and Flyers in the Atlantic down the stretch.

11. Ottawa Senators

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Players targeted: Iginla and Kiprusoff

Cap space: $18.1

Interest level: High

The Senators would love to get a Stanley Cup before longtime captain Daniel Alfredsson retires, and both Iginla and Kiprusoff would fit the Sens' needs for this season.

Ottawa could use another veteran presence to help with the development of talented but enigmatic stars in Guillaume Latendresse. Iginla would also provide more firepower up front for a team that relies heavily on their scorers.

Craig Anderson and Ben Bishop can hold their end in net, so goaltending isn’t a large liability, but Kiprusoff is more reliable than either player and would be a great addition for the next two years.

12. Phoenix Coyotes

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Player targeted: Iginla

Cap space: $18.6 million

Interest level: High

If the Oilers are the daycare center, the Coyotes are the retirement home.

It seems as though this is the destination for players over 30 that want a last shot at the playoffs before they hang ‘em up for good. After all, Dave Tippett can get any group of players into the postseason despite the subpar working conditions in Glendale. And hey, every once and a while, they might make a playoff run like they had last year.

With plenty of cap space and few bona fide scorers on their roster, the Coyotes would love to have Iginla on their roster. And at age 35, he’d fit right in. Hell, he could purchase the house he’s going to retire in and work out of there.

13. Detroit Red Wings

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Player targeted: Iginla

Cap space: $7.4 million

Interest level: High

Detroit is expected to make the playoffs ever year and just lost two established stars in Nick Lidstrom and Tomas Holmstrom to retirement.

They are an older team anyways and have $7 million to spend, so unless Calgary targets too many of their top prospects, I don’t know why the Wings wouldn’t put Iginla in their sweater this year.

14. Toronto Maple Leafs

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Players targeted: Iginla and Kiprusoff

Cap space: $7.8 million

Interest level: High

Toronto probably will only be able to get one, and they would probably prefer Kipper over Iggy.

Kiprusoff would solve a problem they have in net, at least for the time being, and give them time to either develop a goaltender of their own or trade for one next season.

That doesn’t mean they wouldn’t want Iginla, however. Not only would he provide scoring, but he would be a positive influence on James van Riemsdyk—a talented young player that has had his fair share of trials and tribulations already in his career.

15. Washington Capitals

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Players targeted: Iginla and Kiprusoff

Cap space: $6.3 million

Interest level: High

Washington would love to nab one of these guys.

Iginla would provide experience and dovetail well with a team desperate to get its first Stanley Cup victory in franchise history.

Kipper would provide stability at the goaltending position and be a positive influence on the club’s younger goaltenders.

16. Dallas Stars

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Players targeted: Iginla and Kiprusoff

Cap space: $13.3 million

Interest level: High

It is do-or-die time for the Stars.

Their recent bankruptcy has emptied out the American Airlines Center and management in Dallas knows this team has to win now in order to start putting butts in the seats again.

By bringing in two established veterans, Ray Whitney and Jaromir Jagr, the organization has shown that they are willing to add older players if they feel it will get them into the playoffs. And what would be more fitting than to bring in Iginla, a player they originally drafted back in 1995?

17. St. Louis Blues

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Player targeted: Iginla

Cap space: $20.5 million

Interest level: High

With more cap space than any other team in the league and a history of adding older players like Jamie Langenbrunner and Jason Arnott, the Blues are on a mission to win it all this year and could really use Iginla’s scoring and experience as a supplement to their well-oiled machine.

18. Los Angeles Kings

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Players targeted: Iginla

Cap space: $7.5 million

Interest level: High

The Kings don’t necessarily need a veteran presence; this club may be young, but they certainly aren’t lacking leadership.

With $7 million to spend and a title to defend, however, adding a surefire Hall of Famer desperate to get his first ring would add that type of desperation that may have faded after L.A. won their first championship in franchise history last season.

 

Tom Schreier writes a weekly column for TheFanManifesto.com and contributes to Hockey’s Future and Stadium Journey.

Follow @tschreier3