Let the hot stove talk begin!

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This is still a little weird.  I know it’s coming back, hell it’s now only 11 days max until the puck drops on the season.  But it’s one of those things that I won’t believe until it actually happens.  But since I know it’s happening and I love talking NHL trade rumors and discussing who might be going where, what better time to get that going then this morning?!  Before I start I will state, this is a Luongo free article.  He will be dealt eventually and it will be either to the Leafs or Panthers so there is really no point in talking about it.

Why not start with the 2 biggest names that could be discussed, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry.  I’m guessing this one will go down to the wire.  I don’t see them as guys that would want out of Anaheim.  They were drafted by the franchise, they’re dominant together, it’s Southern California, they’ve won there before, it’s just a great situation for both of them at least from the outside looking in.  But they’ll want their money and that’s where it gets real tricky.

The Ducks don’t have a lot of money to spend, and perfect storm of a year out of the playoffs and the lockout could mean lean times for Ducks management.  Now, perhaps they choose to re-sign 1 and move the other.  Not sure how that would go over with the guy they choose to stay, but let’s just say that happens.  If they’re ANYTHING smart, the guy they’ll choose to keep is Getzlaf.  This team not only on the main roster but throughout the organization is disgusting down the middle and as I always harp on you need to be great down the middle to win in this league.  Add to that, they’re solid on the wings moving forward even if they lose both Perry and Selanne after this season.

Devante Smith-Pelly, Emerson Etem, Richard Rackell, Kyle Palmeri and Max Friberg are all candidates to step into a top 6 role for the this team down the line.  Up the middle they have Peter Holland coming and that is it and for the record I don’t believe Peter Holland has the drive to become a legit top 2 centre on an NHL team.  Getzlaf HAS to be the guy if they only pick one.

As for where they could go, I would bet big money Burke would be trying to do everything he could to land both.  Getzlaf is the guy he needs, but I’m not sure IF Getzlaf became available that he would have what the Ducks need.  I’m sure the Ducks would want a d-man which the Leafs could do.  Maybe Cody Franson, maybe Stuart Percy.  But I can’t see either Nazem Kadri or Joe Colborne getting Bob Murray tickled.

If I were Bob Murray, I would trade them seperately.  For Getzlaf I would target the Sabres.  You could probably get a package  (f he signs an extension) built around Grigorenko (the centre they need), Mark Pysyk (the RH shot d-man they need), a 1st round pick and likely a roster player going back as well.  A 4 for 1 package might seem steep for a guy coming off one of his worst seasons, but a 6’3, 221 pound, RH shot 1st line centre that play a 200 foot game, has a Stanley Cup ring and is only 27 years old is impossible to come by and Darcy Reiger has made a tremendous effort of late to vastly improve his team down the middle.  He dealt for Cody Hodgson, and drafted both Grigorenko and Zemgus Girgensons in the 1st round last June.

For Perry I believe the best target for the Ducks would be the Ottawa Senators and I would demand Mika Zibanejad.  Now I’m certain that Bryan Murray would do his best not to have him in the deal, but it makes sense for both teams.  The Sens are set with Spezza and Turris as their top 2 centres, and while Zibanejad would be an amazing 3rd line centre, Corey Perry would give them that power forward that the organization has lacked forever.  It wouldn’t shock me at all if the Sens go hard after Perry with Zibanejad being the carrot they dangle.  They reportedly had a deal for Rick Nash done last summer until Nash envoked his NTC to kill it.  An added bonus with both these deals would be that the Ducks would be trading both guys out of conference.  An added piss off to Burke getting neither of his guys would be that they would be seeing him 6 times a season.

Oh and in case any of you have forgotten Jerome Iginla trade rumors will be firing up as for the 2013 season soon as well.  It’s a great tradition now in the league to have all the fans and media well aware of the fact that it’s time for the Flames to deal him, but Jay Feaster keeps fighting it.  His value now won’t be anything near what it would have been 2 years ago when they should have dealt him, or last year for that matter.  Now he hasn’t been playing, is 35 and is a UFA after this season.

However he still has value.  Last year I wrote a whole piece on how the Blackhawks were the best fit because they could afford to pay a steep price.  Like Getzlaf and Perry, many teams will be interested in Iginla but will many teams have what the Flames will want.  But the Hawks should want that big power forward as they’ve lacked size and grit up front since dealing Andrew Ladd and Dustin Byfuglien after the Cup run in 2010.  I would guess it would still be a lot of the same names in play that I mentioned last year (Mark McNeill, Dylan Olsen), but it won’t be the big package that they likely could have got last season.

1 more quick one that I would watch for is Vincent Lecavalier.  Now I might be out to lunch on this, but I have a theory working.  Most people would say it’s stupid to suggest because he won’t waive his NTC.  And if I’m Vinny I wouldn’t because what I’m proposing is really a way to re-structure his contract.  Now maybe Tampa owner Jeff Vinnik will pony up and buy out Lecavalier who is not anywhere close to an 8 million dollar a year player these days.  But if he can’t stomach the buy out and I’m Steve Yzerman I’m looking for a team that won’t need to use both of their amnesty’s.

It could be Brian Burke and the Leafs who obviously don’t mind spending the money.  Burke has stated in the past that he was willing to burry other teams problems for compensation.  This would be similar.  Tampa sends Burke a 1st round pick and Lecavalier for something meaningless like a 7th round pick.  Then Burke buys out Lecavalier who can then re-sign in Tampa (where he still wants to be) at a price that is a lot more affordable for the Lightning.  But again, Vinny would have to be a HELL of a team guy to do something like that.  And this is something that would happen in the summer time, not during the season but I thought it was an interesting enough idea to float out there.

There will be plenty of potential UFA’s who will be in a lot of trade talks this shortened season.  Brendan Morrow, Travis Zajac, Mike Smith, and David Clarkson among others who’s names I’m certain will be mentioned in trade talks a few times before the trade deadline.  So nice to talk actual NHL hockey again, this will be the first of MANY this season.

 

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