NHL Trade Rumors: Worst-Case Offseason Trade Scenarios for Every Team
With the 2010-2011 NHL season over for all but five teams in the NHL, most teams and their fans have their eyes set toward the NHL draft and free agency.
Teams like the Washington Capitals, Philadelphia Flyers and Chicago Blackhawks likely feel their teams are close to reaching the peak, but still have some tweaking to do to their rosters.
The Capitals have been looking for their shutdown defender for years and have not been able to secure that key piece. The Flyers desperately need to add a goalie if they want to win a Stanley Cup and the Blackhawks could use some help on their third lines of both offense and defense.
With the offseason creeping up, here is a breakdown of the worst-case trade scenarios for every team.
Edmonton Oilers
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There aren't many trade rumors flying around this time of year about the Edmonton Oilers since they once again hold the top pick in this year's NHL draft. However, there is a rumor that has surfaced about the Oilers possibly attempting to land Nashville Predators defenseman Shea Weber.
The Edmonton Journal had this to say about the Oilers attempting to bring in Weber:
""Would the Edmonton Oilers make an offer-sheet raid on Nashville Predators defenceman Shea Weber if Nashville can’t sign him? Why not? They’ve done it twice with Thomas Vanek and Dustin Penner, have tons of cap room and the requisite two first-round draft picks, a second and a third rounder, to give up."
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Giving up a first-round pick or more in an attempt to pull off a sign-and-trade for Weber would be a terrible decision for the Oilers. They are in the middle of a rebuilding process and bringing in a player that is going to demand the money that Weber will is going to hinder the Oilers' rebuilding process.
Colorado Avalanche
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Paul Stastny was rumored to be on the trading block earlier in the season and there is a chance his name could reemerge this offseason.
If Stastny's name emerges as a potential trade asset during the offseason, it would clearly hurt the Avalanche. He is by far one of their best players and they need him on the ice if they want any chance at returning to the Stanley Cup Playoffs next season.
The Avalanche did pick up an extra first-round pick from the St. Louis Blues in the Erik Johnson trade, so this team has the chance to change things quickly.
Florida Panthers
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Tomas Vokoun is set to hit free agency this year, so the Florida Panthers are going to need to act fast if they want him back.
The worst-case scenario for the Florida Panthers would be allowing Vokoun to hit free agency in July and not sign him to a contract. If Vokoun walks away from Florida and they get nothing in return, the offseason would easily be considered a disaster.
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New York Islanders
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The New York Islanders have a lot of needs and spent the regular season fighting the Pittsburgh Penguins to claim Evgeni Nabokov for pretty much no reason.
The best-case scenario for the Islanders this offseason is having Nabokov report to New York and then the Islanders ship him to the Philadelphia Flyers in return for some more draft picks.
The Islanders have a lot of needs and staying put this offseason would easily be their biggest mistake. They should look to make sure Michael Grabner signs a long-term contract with the team, as he is a restricted free agent this summer.
Adding some more pieces around Grabner and John Tavares is a priority this offseason, and failing to do so would be a mistake.
Ottawa Senators
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The Ottawa Senators unloaded nearly half of their team at the deadline last season and they're still looking to find their new head coach. The biggest concern for Ottawa fans would be that they are again looking to unload some other veterans for draft picks.
Ottawa is looking to reload and have plenty of draft picks to attempt to acquire a couple players before they hit the free-agent market.
The worst-case scenario for them would be passing up the chance to acquire any high-end free agent this offseason.
Atlanta Thrashers
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The Atlanta Thrashers made some moves last offseason with the Chicago Blackhawks and they greatly improved their chances of being successful in the future.
They need to continue to improve their team and could look to acquire another goal scorer this offseason. One name that has been rumored to be available for the past year is Alex Semin.
The Thrashers could use a goal-scoring winger and while the Capitals may find it difficult to trade Semin to a division rival, the Thrashers should be in the market for Semin or Maple Leafs forward Clarke MacArthur.
If either player is available, the Thrashers need to jump at the occasion. If they do not obtain a goal scorer via free agency, this offseason would be considered a failure.
Columbus Blue Jackets
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Rick Nash has been carrying this team on his back for years and it has to be stressful for the Blue Jackets star.
Columbus needs to look to help out Nash this offseason, and like the Atlanta Thrashers, they need to be interested in any goal scorer that becomes available.
The Blue Jackets should show some interest in either Clarke MacArthur or Alex Semin, and if they fail to add some sort of scoring threat, the Blue Jackets will again bring up the rear of the Western Conference.
New Jersey Devils
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The New Jersey Devils were hot at the end of last season, but it was not enough to carry this team to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Devils rumor mill is currently centered around Zach Parise, but there is no chance he is traded and he should remain a member of the New Jersey Devils next season.
However, the Devils need to land someone to help Parise in the attacking zone. Their offense struggled at times and they need some help at the center position, especially after trading away Jason Arnott.
Travis Zajac was productive for the Devils last season, but outside of Zajac, they did not get much help at the center position.
The worst-case scenario for Devils fans would be a failure to address the center position via trade prior to free agency. Trading for the rights of a player like Tim Connolly would make sense for the Devils, and failing to acquire the rights to any upcoming free agent would be a mistake.
Toronto Maple Leafs
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According to Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star, the Maple Leafs were considering parting ways with soon-to-be restricted free agent Clarke MacArthur at the trade deadline and were interested in a couple Florida Panthers players:
""Burke could be interested in Stephen Weiss, a 27-year-old from Toronto who would instantly be the top centre here, and David Booth from the Panthers. Weiss has two years left at $3.1 million a year. Booth has four years left at $4.25 million."
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Stephen Weiss makes sense for the Maple Leafs, as he would definitely be the top center in Toronto and could make an immediate impact.
The worst-case scenario for the Maple Leafs would be failing to pull this trade off if they talk about it during the offseason. It took them a long time to part ways with Tomas Kaberle, so it would likely be difficult to trade the rights to MacArthur if the Maple Leafs want to bring him back.
However, if they can get something worked out, trading the rights to MacArthur to Florida would be the best move of the offseason.
Minnesota Wild
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The Minnesota Wild are expected to let Andrew Brunette walk, but could they trade him in a conditional deal to pick up a possible draft pick?
Brunette has been a consistent player for the Wild, but is approaching 38 years of age, so he does not make much sense for a rebuilding team.
While it does not seem like much, they could look to trade the rights to sign Brunette before the July 1 free-agent period starts and acquire a mid-to-late round draft pick.
Failing to pick up anything while losing a top six forward is the worst-case scenario for the Wild this offseason.
St. Louis Blues
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Last offseason, the Blues went all out and acquired netminder Jaroslav Halak. The Blues also made a big trade at the deadline this year by sending star defenseman Erik Johnson and Jay McClement (along with a first-round pick) to the Colorado Avalance in exchange for Chris Stewart and Kevin Shattenkirk.
With the loss of Erik Johnson, the Blues could still use some help on the blue line. There may be some talented defenders available via trade that the Blues could pursue.
Mike Green is one of the defenseman that could and should become available according to Ryan Dixon of the Hockey News:
""But whether it’s because the salary cap forces its hand or just due to annual disappointment, changes, on some scale, are coming to Washington—and Green going makes the most sense."
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Mike Green would supply the Blues with one of the premier point guys to run their power play, as well as a capable defenseman. Not being involved in talks for Mike Green would demonstrate a failure on the part of the Blues front office.
Carolina Hurricanes
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The Carolina Hurricanes need to add some help on the blue line, especially considering the blowout loss that kept them out of the playoffs on the final game of the regular season.
The Hurricanes have some players in place on the offensive side of things, but they could also use some more depth by adding some third and fourth-line players.
While rumors on the Hurricanes front are pretty quiet right now, they need to make some sort of offseason moves whether it be in free agency or via trade if they want a chance to return to the playoffs.
Without any major acquisitions this offseason, the Hurricanes will likely miss the playoffs again next season.
If any big-name defenders become available, the Hurricanes need to be in the market for them.
New York Rangers
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The New York Rangers were obsessed with trying to acquire Dallas Stars center Brad Richards. They were unable to do that during the season and will likely make that their top priority this offseason.
The Rangers could guarantee they land Richards by offering some sort of compensation to the Stars for the rights to Richards.
While it may be unnecessary, the best way to guarantee they acquire Richards is to acquire the rights to the Stars center.
The worst thing that could happen to the Rangers would be Richards staying in Dallas and not heading to play at Madison Square Garden.
Calgary Flames
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The Calgary Flames have struggled to make the playoffs the past two seasons and Jarome Iginla's name continues to surface in trade speculation.
However, The Calgary Sun is reporting that the Flames GM Jay Feaster had the following to say about the chances Iginla gets shipped out of town this offseason:
""Jarome is the face of this franchise in so many ways. Jarome is a guy who, at times this season, has carried this hockey club. There's no doubt in my mind that Jarome wants to win a Stanley Cup and he wants to win it here. And we want to win a Stanley Cup, and win it with Jarome here. The captain is going nowhere."
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That is a pretty convincing statement from Feaster, but the worst-case scenario for the Flames is that Iginla returns to the Flames next season. The Flames have underachieved the past few seasons and they need to get younger.
Trading Iginla would likely bring in a lot of young talent and prospects, and it makes sense for the Flames, especially if they can acquire a quality backup goaltender in the trade. Mikka Kiprusoff has consistently had to carry the load every season in net, and he likely gets worn out by the time the playoff push comes around.
It may be tough for Flames fans to grasp trading Iginla out of town, but this team is not ready to win a Stanley Cup right now and they need to look to the future.
Dallas Stars
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Brad Richards is set to hit free agency, but the Stars will want to have him return to Dallas. However, if that does not happen, what should the Stars do?
The answer is simple: If Richards hits free agency, he will be the only premium center on the market, so he will be drawing a lot of interest from other teams. Dallas needs to decide sooner rather than later what their plans are.
If the Stars realize they are not going to be able to sign him, the Stars should do what the Nashville Predators did with Dan Hamhuis last season and trade him for whatever they can get. The Predators acquired defender Ryan Parent from the Flyers for Hamhuis, and while the value is nowhere near what they would get in the middle of the season, it is better than nothing at all.
Letting Richards part without anything in return would be a disaster for the Stars.
Buffalo Sabres
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The Buffalo Sabres had the Philadelphia Flyers on the ropes this year, but failed to seal the deal. They have a lot of talent on the ice but could use another defender, especially one that can help them run the power play more effectively.
Like the Blues, the Sabres should be interested in Capitals defenseman Mike Green if he becomes available. In reality, the Sabres should be interested in any defenseman that becomes available this offseason.
If a few defensemen are traded this offseason and the Sabres do not acquire one, that would be a clear disaster for Buffalo and Ryan Miller.
Montreal Canadiens
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Don't look for the Montreal Canadiens to make the splash that they made last season when they traded away Jaroslav Halak to the St. Louis Blues.
There have been some rumors though that the Canadiens want to part ways with Scott Gomez and that they may be forced to bury him in the AHL next season, according to the Montreal Gazette:
""It’s unlikely the Canadiens would be able to trade Gomez because of his contract. Another option would be to send him to the American Hockey League, meaning his salary wouldn’t count against the NHL cap and Gauthier could go shopping for goal scorers."
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With that in mind, it is tough to say that the worst-case scenario would be that the Canadiens cannot trade Gomez, but that he ends up stuck in the AHL next season. With the number of premier centers on the market very slim, it will be difficult for the Canadiens to send him to the AHL, even with his inflated salary.
Even so, the Canadiens should look to shop Gomez, as there are teams that have made stupid trades in the past. Failing to offer up Gomez would truly be the biggest mistake the Canadiens front office could make.
Chicago Blackhawks
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The Chicago Blackhawks unloaded a lot of their core players last year due to salary-cap concerns, thus the reason they were eliminated in the first round of this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Blackhawks still have a solid group of players and don't need much to put them back into the class of elite teams in the NHL. Corey Crawford is developing into a quality goaltender, but the Blackhawks need to play better in front of him, as their defense let them down in Game 7 against Vancouver.
The 'Hawks' biggest thing this season is to not put themselves in salary-cap trouble again. Trying to make a trendy trade to put this team over the top would be their biggest mistake.
Los Angeles Kings
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The LA Kings were in good position last year, until the injury bug bit them as they headed into their playoff series with the San Jose Sharks.
The Kings desperately missed their star player, Anze Kopitar, during that series and will be thankful to get him and Justin Williams both at 100 percent next season.
Williams was able to return, played courageously for the team and contributed a ton, but could have been much better if healthy.
The Kings need to hold the course, as they have a lot of quality young players and do not need to try to break the bank with another key offseason trade. The Kings need to continue to develop their young players and trying to make another flashy trade would be a mistake, as this is one of the young teams on the rise.
Phoenix Coyotes
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The rumor front for the Coyotes is focusing on a possible move out of Arizona and the upcoming free agency of goalie Ilya Bryzgalov.
The Coyotes need to retain Bryzgalov if they want to remain a competitor in the Western Conference, and while they were dominated in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs by the Detroit Red Wings, they would not have been there if they did not have Bryzgalov.
The worst thing that could happen to the Coyotes would be Bryzgalov leaving Phoenix and heading to join either a Russian team or another NHL team.
If that were to happen, the Coyotes will definitely be in the market for a veteran goaltender. Whether they trade for one or sign one through free agency, losing Bryzgalov and not finding a replacement has to be the biggest fear for Coyotes fans.
Nashville Predators
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The Nashville Predators' key offseason priority has to be retaining defenseman Shea Weber. Weber is hoping to remain in Nashville, but the Predators are going to have to offer him a pretty large contract.
However, in the trade market, the Predators will likely be interested in a veteran backup netminder. Pekke Rinne started 64 games this season and backup goalie Anders Lindback needs to spend some time starting for an AHL team to get more experience, not wasting his potential behind Rinne.
The Predators should look to acquire whichever veteran netminder becomes available, whether it be one of the Flyers goalies or any other veteran backup. Rinne needs some more rest during the regular season.
Anaheim Ducks
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Anaheim struggled in the playoffs with Ray Emery in net and may have performed much better if Jonas Hiller was the starting netminder for the Ducks.
The Ducks are a quality team and should not look to make any major trades this offseason. Breaking up the team would be a bad idea for the Ducks, as they should not look to ruin the team chemistry.
Adding a couple role players via free agency or trade without blowing up the roster would be the best way for the Ducks to approach this offseason. If the Ducks feel they need to make a major trade, look for them to take Clarke MacArthur from Toronto; but if any of their players are mentioned in that trade and it does not go through, the trade talk could blow up in Anaheim's face.
Tampa Bay Lightning
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Tampa Bay has put together a phenomenal run through the Stanley Cup Playoffs up to this point, but they will need to rely on Dwayne Roloson if they want to keep up the magic.
Roloson is anything but young and the Lightning need to acquire a young replacement for him this offseason. At the minimum, they will need to acquire a veteran goalie that can step in and play right away.
The Lightning could look to address the position through free agency or acquire the rights to sign Bryzgalov prior to the beginning of the free-agency period, but that may be a bit of a stretch.
The worst-case trade or free-agency scenario for the Lightning is pretty obvious: Failing to address the goaltending situation would be a mistake, as Mike Smith is not the answer for the Lightning.
Boston Bruins
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The Boston Bruins are always active in the trade and free-agent market. The Bruins are not the youngest team in the NHL, and they should look to acquire some more younger players this offseason.
There are not many rumors right now concerning the Bruins, mainly because they are still in the race for the Stanley Cup.
Boston is one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup and could end up in the Finals facing off against the Vancouver Canucks.
If they win it all, the worst-case scenario for Bruins fans would be to see them dissolve their team like the Blackhawks did last season.
Detroit Red Wings
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The Detroit Red Wings are in the same boat as the Nashville Predators, as they need to find themselves a quality backup netminder this offseason to give Jimmy Howard a rest.
Chris Osgood is ancient and his NHL career should be over after this season. He has provided quality guidance for the young Red Wings goalie, but they need to find someone that can contribute on the ice.
For the Red Wings, the worst-case scenario would be failing to address the backup goalie situation and heading into next season with just Jimmy Howard to carry the load.
The Wings could add that goalie during free agency or via trade, but trading for a backup goalie is the only way to guarantee they acquire the one they want.
San Jose Sharks
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The San Jose Sharks have a solid all-around team, but appear to be unraveling against the Red Wings.
They have struggled in their last three games and their success really relies on their goaltending. They have multiple quality goaltenders though, so addressing the netminder would be unlikely.
The Sharks have a lot of experienced, aging players and should look to acquire some youth this offseason.
Like the other playoff teams still in the race, the rumor mill is very slim on the Sharks, but if they fail to trade for some more youth this offseason, that is not a good sign for the future of the Sharks.
Pittsburgh Penguins
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The Pittsburgh Penguins clearly missed Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs, but should improve next season.
They acquired James Neal, who will be a great addition to the Penguins offense, and having Malkin, Crosby and Jordan Staal all healthy next season will be trouble for the rest of the NHL.
Pittsburgh made the trades they needed to make during the regular season and need to hold their ground. They nearly defeated the Lightning without their two best players and they have a chance to be one of the best teams in the NHL next season.
Chemistry is going to be a big deal for the Penguins next season, as Crosby and Malkin return to the lineup to join their latest acquisitions. Adding more players via trade and putting this team in salary-cap trouble would be the worst-case scenario for the Penguins this offseason.
Philadelphia Flyers
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The Flyers' biggest priority is clearly the goaltender position. However, there are not going to be very many starting goalies available for trade this offseason, so they will likely need to address that position via free agency.
The Flyers are quickly approaching salary-cap trouble though, as Ville Leino is set to hit free agency and looking to demand a pretty hefty contract.
If Philadelphia does re-sign Leino, they are not going to be able to make many moves via trade, unless they are salary-cap dumps.
The worst-case scenario for Flyers fans will be watching the team have to dump salary in order to acquire a goaltender in free agency due to the re-signing of Leino.
Washington Capitals
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The Capitals have been the biggest underachievers in the NHL the past two seasons. They have represented the Eastern Conference as the No. 1 seed the past two years and flamed out both years, getting embarrassed by the Tampa Bay Lightning this season.
Like the Flyers, the Capitals have a key free agent they need to sign that will likely put them in salary-cap trouble. Brooks Laich is set to become an unrestricted free agent and the Capitals need to keep Laich, as he is an instrumental part of this team.
However, in order to do so, the Capitals are going to have to do a salary dump. That salary-cap dump starts with defenseman Mike Green and winger Alex Semin.
Green has become the scapegoat for fans and most are ready to see Green shipped out of town. He has an inflated salary, but is still young and the Capitals could likely pick up a lot in return.
The worst-case scenario for Capitals fans would be watching Laich leave via free agency while both Green and Semin stay put.
Vancouver Canucks
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The Vancouver Canucks have no flaws. They have great goaltending, a solid backup goalie, goal scorers and a solid defense.
The Canucks don't have one specific weakness they need to work on and likely won't be in the market for many trades this offseason, unless something drastic happens in the Western Conference Finals.
Look for the Canucks to stand pat this offseason and carry a team very similar to this one into next year's Stanley Cup Playoffs.
If anything, Canucks fans should worry about Vancouver attempting to free up some salary to try to land a top free agent and then failing to do so.
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