Which NHL team needs to shake things up with a trade ASAP?
We’re only a few weeks away from the NHL’s U.S. Thanksgiving cutoff, which famously predicts which teams will make or miss the Stanley Cup playoffs most years.
So while it isn’t yet time for urgency or a flurry of blockbuster moves league wide, we’re inching toward the time of year when a few teams start to seek upgrades. Last season, the Vancouver Canucks snagged Nikita Zadorov to shore up their blueline in November, for instance.
Based on what has transpired so far this NHL season – Which team needs to make a trade ASAP, and why?
MATT LARKIN: I’ll kick things off by gobbling up the low-hanging fruit. The Colorado Avalanche share a division with the juggernaut Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars. The Avs are hovering below .500 because of their injuries and putrid goaltending. But the fact they have two of the top three scorers in the NHL right now reminds us of what they can still do if they get some saves. GM Chris MacFarland needs to go goalie shopping before another contender gets a long-term injury in net and becomes competition on the masked man market.
STEVEN ELLIS: On one hand, I want to be realistic and say none, because we just don’t see notable moves at this point in the year. But are the Boston Bruins going to keep going about like this with such an uninspiring offensive unit? They’ve done a good job of turning mid-level guys into decent help in recent years, but Cole Koepke, Mark Kastelic, Johnny Beecher and Justin Brazeau shouldn’t be the team’s top 5-on-5 producers. We know what David Pastrnak is capable of, and even a less-than-ideal Brad Marchand is a good hockey player. But the team’s lack of scoring depth has been a major issue, especially when the big guns aren’t doing anything themselves.
PAUL PIDUTTI: For me, it’s the New York Islanders. A mediocre team hoping to squeak into the playoffs going even further all in? With GM Lou Lamoriello’s current roster construction featuring long-term commitments to players nearing or well past 30 years old, it’s a case of “in for a penny, in for a pound.” With just three regulation wins through 14 outings and the Rangers, Hurricanes, Capitals, and Devils all off to hot starts, it won’t take much for the season to completely get away from Patrick Roy and friends. Mat Barzal and Anthony Duclair are out long-term with serious injuries and the group is scoring just over two goals per night. Some attempt at an offensive infusion or shakeup is needed or the franchise’s aging core will miss out on another year of its best hopes at a playoff spot riding Ilya Sorokin’s prime.
SCOTT MAXWELL: I definitely agree with the Avalanche and Islanders picks, and as far as competitive teams go, it’d be one of those two for me. However, I’m going to go a slightly different direction and pick the Montreal Canadiens. They certainly aren’t a likely playoff team, so they don’t need to make a move for the sake of winning. But they desperately need help defensively. They remain the worst team in the league in terms of preventing expected goals, and it’s still at a historically bad rate (although it has marginally improved in recent games). Why would I consider this to be as urgent as the Avs or Isles? Because it’s getting to the point where the team has no defensive discipline or structure, and if they continue to play like this, it may be detrimental to the long-term growth of key young players. If they continue to develop bad habits defensively, then when the team is actually looking to contend, those habits will hold them back from winning Cups. The players need some defensive insulation in order to develop better habits down the road, so it’s a trade that the Habs should look for sooner rather than later.
ANTHONY DI MARCO: No choice other than the Nashville Predators. I know Barry Trotz threatened his team with a rebuild this past week, but who is honestly buying that? They spent $100 million this summer, have Roman Josi and Filip Forsberg signed long term, and brought in veterans Luke Schenn and Ryan O’Reilly 15 months ago as UFAs. Like it or nor, Trotz’s only option is to double/triple/quadruple down on remaining competitive. Aside from firing coach Andrew Brunette, a trade is the only way to spark something with this group.
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