General managers around the National Hockey League will be answering phone calls and checking their fax machines frantically until next Tuesday. With the trade deadline looming at 3 p.m. on Feb. 26, every front office is evaluating what course of action will be best for their hockey club.
Should a general manager add a key player or two in order to make a serious run for the Stanley Cup Playoffs? Or will the date mark the time when some teams wave the white flag and begin rebuilding, moving players out to help the future of the franchise?
ESPN hockey analyst Barry Melrose, who credits his world-famous mullet to "good genes," believes that a few teams will look to swing deals that will either get them over the hump or give them the building blocks to become contenders in a few years.
"It's going to be a great, great deadline," Melrose said in an interview with The Spectrum. "I think it's going to be interesting. There's going to be some teams really changing themselves at the deadline. I'm not sure there's going to be a ton of trades but I think there's going to be a couple deals that you'll sit back and say, 'Wow.'"
One of the marquis names rumored to be on the trading block is Buffalo Sabres defenseman Brian Campbell, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 if he cannot agree on a contract extension with Sabres management and general manager Darcy Regier. The Sabres lost two key players, co-captains Chris Drury and Daniel Briere to unrestricted free agency last summer.
"I think they'll trade him. I don't think they'll sign him, or they'd have had him signed by now. They can't risk losing him for nothing like Briere and Drury, and even if they're in the playoff hunt, I think you'll see Brian Campbell traded," Melrose said. "I would think that Darcy would want young players, preferably [in return for Campbell]. Someone that can come in right now, or draft picks...He doesn't want an older player back. That doesn't make much sense...He's going to want young players."
On Tuesday, The Ottawa Sun reported that Campbell and the Sabres were close to reaching a deal that would keep him in Buffalo. Campbell has denied that report as of Tuesday afternoon, according to The Buffalo News.
Toronto Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin has been the subject of heavy trade speculation, especially with the Leafs sitting near the bottom of the standings.
"I think he should [be traded]. I think that if Toronto doesn't trade him that shows why Toronto's terrible," Melrose said. "Move Sundin. You'll get a lot for him. He's probably the premier player out there [on the market] now. Trade him, get draft picks and prospects for him, and then re-sign him if you want next season."
Florida Panthers captain Olli Jokinen and Atlanta Thrashers forward Marian Hossa have also been rumored to be on the trading block. Hossa, like Campbell, is in his final contract year. Melrose believes that the Detroit Red Wings, Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks and Ottawa Senators will be teams looking to add Jokinen or Hossa's services at the deadline. Hossa played with Ottawa before being traded to Atlanta prior to the 2005-06 season.
As the regular season winds down, Melrose also offered some insight as to which teams he believes will make deep postseason runs. Melrose likes the San Jose Sharks out west and the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference.
"Montreal is for real," Melrose said. "To me, right now, they're the best team in the East."
As for the Sharks, they currently sit just three points behind Anaheim for first place in the Pacific Division. San Jose's exemplary road record of 17-7-3 has made up for their struggles on home ice. Also, their captain Patrick Marleau, the subject of trade rumors himself because of his disappointing season, has been sidelined indefinitely with a groin injury.
"I like San Jose...They haven't played well this year, but as bad as they are, they're still one of the six best teams in the NHL," Melrose said. "I think they'll make a deal. But this team is good. This team's got everything if they just pull it together. It's one of those teams that, if they can play the last 15 games, and play well, and be ready for the playoffs, I think this is a heck of a hockey team."
Melrose believes that the Western Conference, top to bottom, is superior to the East; teams that miss the playoffs in the West may very well be better than the ones sneaking in on the opposite coast. In addition to San Jose, Melrose considers that Anaheim and Detroit as the cream of the crop in the Western Conference. He also thinks the Minnesota Wild will make some noise come playoff time as a "dark horse."
While the East may seem like the inferior conference with more mediocre teams, two of the last three Stanley Cup champions have been come from the Eastern Conference. Those two, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes, also came from the Southeast Division, statistically one of the weakest divisions in the league this year.
"Teams that look like they might be taking a run at the Stanley Cup and teams that are trying to get in the playoffs, those are the ones that are the most exciting (to watch)," Melrose said. "Five or six teams think they can win the Stanley Cup and there are five or six teams that are playing their hearts out just to get into the playoffs."
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Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
