Trade Deadline Outlook For The Canadian Teams …
Frank Seravalli of TSN: Montreal Canadiens – They will be buying and looking for a scoring center with size. They have five 2nd round picks this year and next. Tomas Plekanec drop in production has led to their need for a center. Arizona Coyotes Martin Hanzal would be an ideal option for the Canadiens. The Canadiens would likely check in with the Colorado Avalanche about Matt Duchene, though that would likely be more of an offseason type deal.
Edmonton Oilers – The Oilers are potential buyers, with a third line right winger their biggest need. Benoit Pouliot could be traded. They were not able to get Ty Rattie or Matt Nieto off the waiver wire. They are going to give Anton Slepyshev another shot, and if he doesn’t work out, they could look for someone with some speed and moxie. They could also use a right-handed defenseman that could play on the power play.
Ottawa Senators – Are a prospective buyer that could use a top-line left winger. They could look to trade Curtis Lazar or Nick Paul. A left winger for Kyle Turris would be nice. Would they consider including their first round pick in a deal for a top-line player?
Calgary Flames – Are a potential buyer and could use a second-pairing defenseman. They could use Dennis Wideman or Deryk Engelland as trade bait, both are pending free agents. Best case scenario for the Flames would be to acquire a defenseman and lessen the load for Wideman.
Winnipeg Jets – Will stay the course and their top priority is creating some expansion draft protection. Trade bait includes Mathieu Perreault, Ondrej Pavelec and Drew Stafford. The Jets would likely lose Perreault in the expansion draft, so they may look to get something for him. Someone may look at Pavelec as a back up for the stretch run, may be the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Toronto Maple Leafs – Staying with the ‘Shanaplan,’ but could use a top-four defenseman. Potential trade bait includes James van Riemsdyk, Kasperi Kapanen, Frank Corrado and draft picks. The Leafs are in no rush to trade van Riemsdyk, who has another year left on his deal.
Vancouver Canucks – Neither a buyer nor seller. They could use a scoring winger. Trade bait could be wingers AleAx Burrows and Jannik Hansen. GM Jim Benning has wanted to add a scoring winger since the offseason. They could look to acquire a player or two as an audition for next year.
