Welcome to the first day of Major League Gaming’s 2018 season. Eight teams have an opportunity at a $1,000,000 prize pool in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive playoffs. Here are some of the big decisions they must make before heading into their series today!
The “nhl playoff predictions” are the eight teams with big decisions to make. They include the Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins, Nashville Predators, and more.
The NHL trade deadline is an opportunity for clubs to dig deep into their hearts — or, maybe, their internal budgets — to figure out who they are today and who they want to be in the future.
It’s easier said than done, however. Sure, some clubs are aware that they are in the middle of a full-fledged Stanley Cup championship run and will add talent appropriately, just as others are ready to trade veterans and take on other teams’ cap concerns in exchange for choices and prospects.
Other clubs, on the other hand, are less confident about their deadline strategy. Perhaps they’re preoccupied with the faint pulse of their playoff hopes. Perhaps they have a new leadership team that is attempting to figure out who to retain and who to let go. Maybe they have a bunch of pending free agents that other teams want but that they want to keep — and what if they can’t?
Eight NHL clubs are at a crossroads as the 2022 trade deadline approaches.
Links to deadlines: Latest trades | Tiers: Best available at each position (ESPN+) | Kaplan: Trade notes (ESPN+) | Deadline tracker: Latest deals
The Ducks have a 64-point record after 62 games, going 27-25-10. Anaheim has a 1% chance of reaching the playoffs, according to Five Thirty Eight’s forecasts. Anaheim has a 1.1 percent probability of landing in the last wild card place, according to Money Puck.
At a fork in the road: The Ducks’ surprise run as a playoff contender may be winding down, but owing to breakthrough seasons from forwards Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras, as well as a strong debut year from defender Jamie Drysdale, the future seems bright. They’ve hired Pat Verbeek as their new general manager, and he’ll have to address a few important concerns about senior players on the verge of free agency before the trade deadline.
Defenseman Hampus Lindholm ($5,205,556 AAV) is one of the most sought-after players before the deadline. He is a left-handed player with no trade protection. He averages 22:38 minutes per night and would be a valuable addition to any contender’s blue line, as well as a hefty return for the Ducks. They want to re-sign him, but the length of his contract has been a matter of contention.
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Josh Manson ($4.1 million AAV) is two years Lindholm’s senior, although he has a lesser cap cost. As a prospective UFA with some trade protection, he’s also gotten a lot of attention. According to popular belief, Manson’s future with the Ducks is inextricably linked to Lindholm’s.
Meanwhile, winger Rickard Rakell ($3,789,444 AAV), a prospective UFA, is the subject of apparently constant conjecture. This season, he has 28 points in 51 games and can play both wings.
Verbeek is said to have informed a group of Ducks season-ticket holders that the free agents would not be allowed to go away for nothing. Anaheim will be active; how active will depend on who re-ups before the deadline.
Current standings: The Stars have a 32-22-3 (67 point) record after 57 games, which is the fewest in the Western Conference. They have a 70% chance of reaching the playoffs, according to Five Thirty Eight, and a 30.4 percent chance of becoming the first wild-card team, according to Money Puck.
At a fork in the road: Center Tyler Seguin noted before the season that this version of the Stars had “a certain finality” to it. “All the men on our squad are aware that we have people whose contracts are up for renewal,” he stated. “We’re all aware that we live in a salary cap environment, and we’d want to retain everyone, and I’m certain we’ll try. However, we recognize that this is a business. It’s just the way it is.”
Dallas demonstrated their postseason peskyness and toughness in the 2020 playoffs, going through the Edmonton bubble gauntlet before losing in the Stanley Cup Final to the Tampa Bay Lightning. But are the Stars’ chances of reaching the playoffs in 2022 high enough to justify not getting the most out of some of its prospective free agents?
Players to keep an eye on: The Stars made headlines on Friday when they signed center Joe Pavelski to a one-year, $5.5 million agreement for the 2022-23 season. The Stars admire the 37-year-leadership, old’s and his family enjoys the region. But it doesn’t rule out the possibility of other UFAs returning next season.
At the trade deadline, defenseman John Klingberg ($4.25 million AAV) may be a fantastic match for a dozen clubs. Braden Holtby ($2 million AAV) is a better goaltender than the majority of the options. Alex Radulov ($6.25 million AAV) is having a bad regular season, scoring three goals in 50 games, but he’s a well-liked player on the squad.
Klingberg is the most important member of this group. “We’re in a true struggle for our playoff life right now, and he’s a key part of it,” said GM Jim Nill of the Stars’ decision to keep defender Jamie Oleksiak last season. The Stars had nothing to show after his departure to the Seattle Kraken. Klingberg and the Stars might wind up with an extension here instead, according to reports over the weekend.
Edmonton had a 32-23-4 (68 point) record in 59 games after beating Tampa Bay on Saturday, and was the third seed in the Pacific Division. The Oilers have a 65 percent chance of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs, according to Five Thirty Eight. Edmonton has a 34.7 percent probability of finishing third in the division, according to Money Puck.
At a fork in the road: The Oilers’ standing as a playoff contender shifts on a weekly basis. With a couple more defeats, they’ll be a hapless team on the verge of missing the playoffs. Connor McDavid has a pair of multi-point games, the club has beaten two Eastern Conference playoff opponents at home, and now it’s up to GM Ken Holland to take advantage of it with a trade deadline drive.
There are many elements at work here. With forwards Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jesse Puljujarvi returning at the end of the month, the Oilers are one of those teams that will benefit from the return of injured players. If the objective is to get reinforcements from other clubs, especially a goalkeeper, Holland has emphasized on several times that he is not interested in trading first-round selections or top prospects like defender Philip Broberg for temporary relief. We don’t believe that’s simply bluster.
Players to keep an eye on: If the Oilers do anything, it will have to entail money. Kyle Turris ($1.65 million AAV) is sidelined with an upper-body ailment, but his deal is about to expire. Mikko Koskinen, a pending UFA with a 15-team no-trade list, is also a pending UFA. The Oilers would undoubtedly want to retain him rather than improve Mike Smith, but the latter has no market. However, Koskinen’s recent quality starts have increased.
Then there’s Josh Archibald ($1.5 million AAV), a pending UFA forward who has just returned to the lineup after missing the most of the season due to post-COVID myocarditis. Archibald’s situation is complicated by the fact that he is still unvaccinated. He’s not allowed to fly in Canada, according to the Edmonton Sun, “so his return will be confined to home games in Edmonton and away games in Calgary until further notice.”
The Kings are currently second in the Pacific Division with a 33-20-8 record and 74 points in 61 games. Los Angeles has an 85% probability of reaching the playoffs, according to Five Thirty Eight. The Kings have a 58.6 percent chance of finishing second in the division, according to Money Puck.
At a fork in the road, the Kings must choose between long-term and short-term goals as the trade deadline approaches.
They’ve been postseason candidates throughout the season, and their underlying statistics show it wasn’t a fluke. Los Angeles, on the other hand, has been ravaged by the injury bug this month: Drew Doughty, a star defender, and Dustin Brown, a forward, were both put on injured reserve this weekend. According to coach Todd McLellan, Brown’s upper body injury would keep him out “for a lengthy time.” They’ve been added to the injured reserve list with forwards Viktor Arvidsson and Brendan Lemieux, as well as defender Mikey Anderson.
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What effect will these injuries have on GM Rob Blakes’ deadline plans? The long-term consideration is how Blake envisions this team’s development. His veterans, notably the veterans he recruited last year who suit McLellan’s system and mindset well, have stepped up to make them a contender this season. Would he tap into the team’s deep prospect pool to bring in a game-changing forward or defenseman?
Jakob Chychrun is a name to remember. For quite some time, the Kings have been sniffing about him. He’s under contract through 2025, with a hefty cap charge ($4.6 million AAV). The Arizona Coyotes have demanded more than a first and two top prospects for the 23-year-old defenceman, as I reported earlier this week. But he’s exactly the kind of guy Blake and the Kings should be pursuing with their vast resources.
Players to keep an eye on: The Kings have a slew of prospects who have yet to make an impact in the NHL, as well as a couple who have transitioned to the main team, like Gabriel Vilardi, a pending restricted free agent, and Arthur Kaliyev. Winger Andreas Athanasiou ($2.7 million AAV), who is now on IR, and defender Olli Maatta ($3,333,225 AAV) are among their unrestricted free agents. However, if Blake feels the injured players will return soon enough to put the Kings in contention for the playoffs, it’s safe to presume they won’t trade unless it’s for a money-in/money-out transaction.
The Islanders now have a 56-point record after going 24-24-8 in 56 games. They have a 2% chance of reaching the playoffs, according to Five Thirty Eight, and a 3.6 percent chance of landing in the last Eastern Conference wild card berth, according to Money Puck.
At a fork in the road: The Islanders have had a horrible season, following back-to-back visits to the conference finals with what will almost certainly be a trip to the draft lottery. In recent interviews, GM Lou Lamoriello has blamed the team’s lack of success on extenuating circumstances this season, such as COVID-19 disruptions, as well as shockingly poor performances by formerly dependable senior players. He’s also shown his support for the team’s key members. It’s Lou, however. For 30 years, we’ve been trying to figure out where he’s zigging, and then he zags.
Players to keep an eye on: Given the shallowness of the goalkeeper market at the deadline and the fact that this is now Ilya Sorokin’s squad, Semyon Varlamov ($5 million AAV) seems to be the guy with the greatest value. He’ll earn $4 million next season, his last before becoming an unrestricted free agent. Varlamov, on the other hand, has a no-trade clause that covers half of the league.
The Islanders also have a number of experienced players whose contracts are up for renewal. Defensemen Zdeno Chara and Andy Greene both have a cap hit of $750,000, but they’ll likely only leave if they want to. Zach Parise, a Lamoirello favorite, is in the same boat. Cal Clutterbuck, a prospective unrestricted free agent, would be a wonderful addition to any contender looking for a chaos-creating forechecker in their lineup.
Defenseman Scott Mayfield is one name that keeps popping up, owing to his fantastic deal ($1.45 million until 2023). However, the Islanders could be better off keeping him next season rather than trading him before the deadline.
The Penguins are at 36-15-9 (81 points) in 60 games after their win against Carolina on Sunday. Pittsburgh has a better than 99 percent probability of making the playoffs, according to Five Thirty Eight, and a 66.5 percent chance of finishing second in the Metro Division, according to Money Puck.
At a fork in the road: No team’s “window to win” has been analyzed as much as the Penguins’. This is related not just to the players’ advanced age, but also to their contract status: All three players are pending unrestricted free agents: center Evgeni Malkin (35), defender Kris Letang (34) and winger Bryan Rust (29). Is GM Ron Hextall willing to put a first-round selection or one of the Penguins’ few prospects on the line in order to go all-in for a playoff run? Or does he feel happy about where they are right now, as he has said publicly in recent weeks?
Players to keep an eye on: Hextall’s fate will be determined by the market. Particularly if a power forward like the one the Penguins lack but Hextall wants becomes available. However, if Pittsburgh makes a trade, it will almost certainly be a “money in, money out” transaction.
Forward Kasperi Kapanen ($3.2 million), a potential RFA who just had a 13-game scoreless run and had his ice time reduced as a result, is the most probable “money out” candidate. Former GM Jim Rutherford and assistant GM Patrik Allvin, both now with Vancouver, have been linked to a move for 24-year-old defender John Marino, who signed a six-year contract for $4.4 million against the cap in January 2021.
Current standings: The Canucks have a 65-point record after 60 games with a 29-24-7 record. They’re in third place in the Pacific Division, barely outside the wild card. They have a 25% probability of reaching the playoffs, according to Five Thirty Eight, and an 8.9% chance of finishing third in the division, according to Money Puck.
At a fork in the road: Jim Rutherford, President of Hockey Operations, and Patrik Allvin, General Manager, were recruited mid-season to help convert the Canucks into Stanley Cup contenders. Their real job will begin at the trade deadline, when Vancouver will have a plethora of intriguing options that other clubs will be examining. But there’s another thing at play: under coach Bruce Boudreau, the Canucks might very well wind up being a playoff club, which certainly affects short-term plans and adds some noise to long-term ones.
Players to keep an eye on: Forward J.T. Miller ($5.25 million) is one of the most sought-after players at the trade deadline, and rightfully so. In 57 games, he has 69 points. He can play all three forward positions as well as any other position in the squad. His offensive game’s north-south split is ideal for playoff hockey. Again, desired does not imply availability: Miller is the polar opposite of a playoff push. If it becomes evident that he will not re-sign with Vancouver when he becomes a free agent in 2023, he will still have a lot of value as a summer trade.
The upcoming restricted free agent Brock Boeser ($5.875 million) is a more immediate issue. This summer, he’ll get a $7.5 million qualifying offer. In 53 games, Boeser has 17 goals and 17 assists. He’s just 24, but there’s a sneaking suspicion that he’d be better off as a trade chip than someone who would sign a long-term contract for millions of dollars.
Defenseman Tyler Myers, who is committed through 2024 with a $6 million budget cost and averages 22:17 minutes per game, was one candidate mentioned lately by insider Nick Kypreos. That would be one of the new leadership’s “roster restructuring” measures.
The squad has a few unrestricted free agents on the books. Alex Chiasson ($750,000 AAV) is a forward who might be a depth selection for another club. Jaroslav Halak ($1.5 million) would have lots of suitors if he didn’t have a complete no-movement provision in his contract. Forward Tyler Motte ($1.225 AAV), whose game would assist numerous contenders, is the most likely to move. However, there’s still a possibility the Canucks may keep him beyond this season.
Current standings: The Jets have a 27-23-10 record in 60 games, good for 64 points. They are four points off of the last wild card slot in the Western Conference. The Jets have a 12 percent chance of reaching the playoffs, according to Five Thirty Eight, and a 5.4 percent chance of landing in the last wild card place, according to Money Puck.
At a fork in the road, GM Kevin Cheveldayoff is faced with a true problem. The Jets are on the verge of missing the playoffs, but they aren’t gone yet. For the remainder of the season, they’ll play the bulk of their games at home, where they rank eighth in offense compared to 25th on the road. Sure, it may all end up with a cameo appearance against the Colorado Avalanche in the first round, but you never know.
Players to keep an eye on: Regardless of the team’s closeness to the playoffs, Cheveldayoff is under pressure to obtain a return on his prospective free agents.
Forward Paul Stastny ($3.75 million AAV) is one of them, which is comical. Stastny was acquired by the Jets in 2018 when the St. Louis Blues were in a position similar to Winnipeg’s now: vying for a playoff slot but maybe not good enough to earn one or accomplish anything with it if they do. With 30 points in 48 games and lots of playoff experience, he’s a valuable player.
Andrew Copp ($3.64 million AAV) is the other imminent UFA, and he’s the most likely to depart. Copp has 32 points in 53 games and would fit in well at the bottom of a contender’s lineup. On the penalty kill, he’s also a valuable asset. The Jets have shown interest in keeping him for a postseason run, but he’s expected to become a free agency following the season.
Would the Jets look beyond their expiring contracts to bring in someone like veteran defender Brenden Dillon, whose AAV of $3.9 million and contract duration (through 2024) may be very tempting to a contender? It’s not out of the question.
