2015/2016 Trade Speculation and Rumors v2

[Enoch Root]

Many here are saying the Penguins will simply trade Fleury so they can keep Murray.

But to who?

Every team in the league (except for the Flames) already has at least one goalie they want/need to protect.

Why trade for another goalie that would a) be expensive, and b) would result in either him or their current guy being exposed?

Trading Fleury this year will be almost as hard as trading Wideman.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

There is a major motivating factor to consider for the Penguins: The Salary Cap.

With a flat cap next year, the Pens are already right up against it before you consider that the $3.75 M for Dupuis will go on LTIR. They only have about $2 M in salary coming off the books in UFAs Cullen and Lovejoy, but will likely want to keep Beau Bennett and Justin Schultz who are both RFAs, so you can likely consider most of that $2 M saved to be lost in re-signing players.

Tell me that the Penguins wouldn't love to move M.A. Fleury's remaining 3 years of $5.75 M in favor of Murray's ELC $628 K? At worst, they have to re-sign Murray next year as an RFA to a manageable contract, and still have a much more workable cap situation going forward. If Murray looks at least close to Fleury through this playoff stretch, I have zero doubt that they would take the risk of going with a younger and less experienced Murray over the older, more expensive, and not necessarily any better Fleury. Plus, consider that it would be unfortunate to lose such a young and promising goalie in the expansion draft, and I think the Penguins are forced to make a move in order to be able to protect him.

Of course, the one hangup is going to be Fleury's NMC. Get him to waive that and I think there's a deal to be done.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

nm

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

No reason except for that the longer they wait the more clogged up the goalie market is likely to get. They aren't the only team with a solid tandem who is going to need to move one out or risk losing the other for nothing.

But if you're a contending team like the Penguins, Lightning, or Blues, it may be better to lose that asset than to you leave your roster one injury away from flushing its chances at a Cup down the toilet. Especially if the return for that asset is going to be the equivalent of a 2nd round pick.

To put it of it another way, if you think your team has a shot at the Cup, and you have only one goalie you're really confident in, wouldn't it be prudent to spend an asset to acquire an effective backup?

Then there's cap management. If they do feel they need to move a goalie, far better for PIT or TB to move MAF or Bishop than the younger guy. And there are enough teams out there for whom MAF or Bishop would be a substantial upgrade at the position (CGY, VAN, TOR, EDM, ARI, DAL, CAR, NYI), that they'll be able to get decent value back.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Then there's cap management. If they do feel they need to move a goalie, far better for PIT or TB to move MAF or Bishop than the younger guy. And there are enough teams out there for whom MAF or Bishop would be a substantial upgrade at the position (CGY, VAN, TOR, EDM, ARI, DAL, CAR, NYI), that they'll be able to get decent value back.

Yes, then there is cap management. How many teams have $5.75M in cap space available to blow on a goaltender. Vancouver would have to move Miller's $6M salary. They're out of the running. Toronto would have to dump Bernier and his $4.1M salary. Pretty hard sell there. Edmonton would have to move Talbot's $4.1M salary. Again, a very hard sell there as the contract has term. Arizona will have a much harder time trying to move Smith's $5.6M salary, which is long term. They're completely out of the mix. Dallas has $10.4M in goaltenders signed up, with term, making them both impossible to move. Dallas is completely out of the mix. The Islanders have Halak signed at $4.5M, with term, so they would have to find a way to move him. Carolina is a possibility, having only Lack signed for $2.75M, which would make a manageable cap situation. Calgary is really the only team that can accommodate Fleury's salary without playing musical chairs around the league. That is the cap situation in a nutshell.

Moving Fleury with a NMC is going to be tough to begin with, as it limits the marketplace. Moving Fleury to a list of one or two teams, both of which are likely to be in that NMC, makes it extremely difficult. Add in Fleury's age, remember he will be 32 by Thanksgiving, and he becomes that much less attractive. A deal could be struck, but the return is going to minimal.

[Yoho]

/\ This is why I hope the talk of giving up the Dallas possible first rounder for MAF goes away. It should almost be to the point the Pens give him away.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Of course, the one hangup is going to be Fleury's NMC. Get him to waive that and I think there's a deal to be done.

It isn't that much of a hang up though as the NMC is modified. Fleury can list 12 teams he can't be traded to, that leaves 18 that the Pens can trade Fleury to that he has zero say about.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

It isn't that much of a hang up though as the NMC is modified. Fleury can list 12 teams he can't be traded to, that leaves 18 that the Pens can trade Fleury to that he has zero say about.

Are there more than 12 teams that need a starting goaltender?

That's where MAF's position of power becomes most relevant. For every Chicago, LA, Washington, etc that he leaves off his "no trade" list, he's effectively limiting the amount of teams he can actually be traded to well below the original 18.

[Roof-Daddy]

The thing with MAF is that he has an NMC to go along with his Modified NTC, so if the Pens don't trade him then they will be forced to protect him and leave Murray exposed.

If he's got Calgary, Toronto and Carolina on his NTC list, the Pens are in a tough spot.

[Strange Brew]

If BT is intent on Murray, the Flames don't have a lot of leverage IMO. Its a possibility Pittsburgh may believe they need to move him, but they can wait until the trade deadline or more likely, right before the expansion draft. Flames absolutely must land a goalie before the start of the season.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

It isn't that much of a hang up though as the NMC is modified. Fleury can list 12 teams he can't be traded to, that leaves 18 that the Pens can trade Fleury to that he has zero say about.

So Fleury's agent takes a look around, sees the three teams that need goaltenders and puts them on the list. Not that much of a hangup turns into a big problem quickly. You know, kind of like when a player can submit a list of four teams he'll be traded to, then changes his mind and limits it to one. Not much of a hang up until you're forced to deal with that reality and have to take a crap deal.

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

If BT is intent on Murray, the Flames don't have a lot of leverage IMO. Its a possibility Pittsburgh may believe they need to move him, but they can wait until the trade deadline or more likely, right before the expansion draft. Flames absolutely must land a goalie before the start of the season.

If Treliving is focused on one player to address a problem, he isn't much of a general manager. Fortunately I think Treliving has several targets, some short term and some long term, to address the goaltending issue. I don't believe for a second that 21 year old Matt Murray is the solution to the goaltending issue for any team let alone a team looking to get back to the playoffs. Murray may be part of the long term plan, but this team will need a veteran to get over the bumps that every developing player will run into.

[oldschoolcalgary]

changing gears from goalies for a sec, what would people think of trading the 6 pick plus a prospect for Druoin?

Not sure if he's retracted he trade request now that he is playing well, but just as a hypothetical...

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by oldschoolcalgary

changing gears from goalies for a sec, what would people think of trading the 6 pick plus a prospect for Druoin?

Not sure if he's retracted he trade request now that he is playing well, but just as a hypothetical...

No thanks. I think the #6 has potential to be a better player.

[Roof-Daddy]

What about #6 and McDonald for Drouin and Vasilevskiy?

[Samonadreau]

The Flames need to acquire a starting goalie before the start of next season. There's debate on whether Pittsburgh would be will to trade MAF this summer, but the pen's scenario isn't any different from Tampa, Anaheim and St. Louis other than MAF'S NTC.

If BT is interested in Murray or MAF but the Pen's are not willing to trade one or Calgary is on MAF'S no trade list than go after another goalie. . . But what makes Pittsburgh's situation any different from STL, Tampa, or Anaheim. All those teams will be contending next year so what would make any of them any different from Pittsburgh as far as not wanting to move a goalie this summer and be '1 injury away from not having a starter'?

[oldschoolcalgary]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

What about #6 and McDonald for Drouin and Vasilevskiy?

i think we'd need to put in more to be honest... that's two guys already in the NHL for two guys that may or may not even be players... i think Calgary would have to throw in another pick + a prospect... 4 for 2 basically.

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by New Era

Yes, then there is cap management. How many teams have $5.75M in cap space available to blow on a goaltender. Vancouver would have to move Miller's $6M salary. They're out of the running. Toronto would have to dump Bernier and his $4.1M salary. Pretty hard sell there. Edmonton would have to move Talbot's $4.1M salary. Again, a very hard sell there as the contract has term. Arizona will have a much harder time trying to move Smith's $5.6M salary, which is long term. They're completely out of the mix. Dallas has $10.4M in goaltenders signed up, with term, making them both impossible to move. Dallas is completely out of the mix. The Islanders have Halak signed at $4.5M, with term, so they would have to find a way to move him. Carolina is a possibility, having only Lack signed for $2.75M, which would make a manageable cap situation. Calgary is really the only team that can accommodate Fleury's salary without playing musical chairs around the league. That is the cap situation in a nutshell.

Moving Fleury with a NMC is going to be tough to begin with, as it limits the
marketplace. Moving Fleury to a list of one or two teams, both of which are likely to be in that NMC, makes it extremely difficult. Add in Fleury's age, remember he will be 32 by Thanksgiving, and he becomes that much less attractive. A deal could be struck, but the return is going to minimal.

Bahh. Been hearing about cap situation and large contracts being hard to move for years. It never really seems to have an effect. If Dion and Kessel can be moved, then there will be a market for Fleury and not a bad return either in my opinion.

As for his age he is just turning 32 and i believe will be 34 when his contract ends. For goaltenders that's nothing. Fleury's NMC won't be much of an issue. The guy is going to want to be a starter. It's not like he is going to hold out for a trade to the Rangers to be a back-up.

[Heavy Jack]

With Janko coming up I could see us adding a guy like Backlund (not advocating trading him at all though) in a package like the Drouin one. I think any deal involving Drouin would include the cost of a good, established and still young piece like Backlund.

Probably something like 6th, 36th, Macdonald, Klimchuk and Backlund and I don't think Drouin/Vasilevskiy would be worth that but they most likely will/would cost that.

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by New Era

No thanks. I think the #6 has potential to be a better player.

I get that some don't like Drouins actions this year, but i have a hard time believeing that who ever is being drafted #6 will have as much skill as Drouin can provide. The only way i see a better #6 over Droiun is if some team goes out of the consenious top 5.

[dammage79]

Drouin isn't going anywhere anymore. I think he's proven to the Lightning he's a guy they can build with, especially since the likely hood of Stamkos re-signing is low.

And Vasilevsky is like Matt Murray. They're both ready right now and TB will not be moving him any time soon.