2015/2016 Trade Speculation and Rumors

[PepsiFree]

Position in the bottom half of the league is irrelevant this year based on parity. If you're talking about it, you're not looking or you're using bad data to make a bad point. The only thing that matters is how close you are to the playoffs and how many games in hand the guys above you have.

Colorado might be 9 positions ahead of us but tell me that's relevant when we're 5 points back with two games in hand.

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Position in the bottom half of the league is irrelevant this year based on parity. If you're talking about it, you're not looking or you're using bad data to make a bad point. The only thing that matters is how close you are to the playoffs and how many games in hand the guys above you have.

Colorado might be 9 positions ahead of us but tell me that's relevant when we're 5 points back with two games in hand.

Its relevant to draft picks and their value.

This trade is about trades. And picks involved in trades have varying levels of value.

[Poe969]

My god, the season is only at the halfway point. Any team. Luke go on a huge win streak or losing streak. The flames have just as good of a chance at making the playoffs as they do at getting a top 3 pick. The team isn't tanking and they're not selling the future to win now.

I'll say that I think if the flames make the playoffs they'd likely lose in the first round. The team just isn't good enough yet. I think a top 3 pick would help the franchise more than a first round loss moving forward. I'm not saying they should trade everyone and lose on purpose but considering where they are in the standings, I think they're more likely to get the good pick over the playoffs.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

Its relevant to draft picks and their value.

This trade is about trades. And picks involved in trades have varying levels of value.

The value of draft picks is determined by the standings at the end of the season, not in January. If I'm a GM, and Brad Treliving calls me up to offer his first-round pick, I'm not going to say, ‘Oh, look, the Flames are in 26th place! I'm getting a top-five pick!’ What I will say is, ‘Hmm. A pick that could turn out to be anywhere in the top 15.’ And I'll be inclined to bet that it's not a top-5 pick, if I am trading back anything that might help the Flames this season.

[Psytic]

Honestly its a recipe to be a perennial 9th place team. If we hang onto or resign depreciating assets. We should use the Hawks model. Identify the core and if you're not in that core you will be moved for cheaper younger options. The Hawks do it every year. Guys like Wideman Hudler and Russel need to be moved. Give it another year or two I would even move Gio like how the Hawks moved Campbell once he got a boat contract.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by jschick88

From Canucks Twitter:

Vancouver Canucks ‏@VanCanucks
#Canucks confirm the club is exploring trade options for Chris Higgins.

Vancouver Canucks General Manager Jim Benning confirmed today that the club is exploring trade options for forward Chris Higgins.



http://canucks.nhl.com/club/news.htm...70ba565d62085f

Weird way to announce that he's available. Good luck trying to move him. Under contract for this year and next year for $2.5m.

Linden spilled the beans on this at a freakin' fan forum this summer:

Trevor Linden has shut down rumors that he may have been responsible for starting.

The Vancouver Canucks president reportedly told a select group of the team's fans at a Summer Summit in early July that forward Chris Higgins was on the trading block.

From Jason Botchford of The Province:

What he did do, when it was over, was call over the biggest critics of the night for a 10-minute session.

It was a nice gesture, but may have been ill-advised.

In it, Linden revealed several tidbits, including his pitch that the Canucks have been trying to trade Chris Higgins but have found they cannot move his contract.

But Ben Kuzma of The Province reported Monday that Linden denied the reports about the 32-year-old Higgins in a statement.

"Chris Higgins is an important player on our team," Linden said. "We have not talked to any clubs about trading him. We value Chris both for his on-ice abilities and his leadership in the locker-room."

[heep223]

I repeat - the Canucks are lost in the woods.

[jg13]

Elliote Frideman on HNIC just talked about the possibility of Stamkos going to Vancouver in the summer.

Edit:

[Enoch Root]

And his point was valid: they will have lots of cap room because several players are coming off the books. And it was during a Canucks game, so he was simply talking to the current audience.

But that's all he said - he never claimed they should, or that he felt they would.

And yet people freak out on him.

[Vinny01]

Canucks are hurting on the back end. I wonder if they would have interest in a Higgins+Bartkowski for Raymond/Bollig+Wideman swap? They get the best player in the deal but Calgary frees up the cap space for the summer where they need to re-sign their 2 young stars and try and improve the team.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Canucks are hurting on the back end. I wonder if they would have interest in a Higgins+Bartkowski for Raymond/Bollig+Wideman swap? They get the best player in the deal but Calgary frees up the cap space for the summer where they need to re-sign their 2 young stars and try and improve the team.

I guess Wideman is the best player in that scenario? IDK - he is the #5 defenseman on a team close to the bottom of the standings. I just don't think he's that good. Even without the salary. The guy puts up points but its not like its reflected in the team's play. Our PP is horrible.

Would Vancouver want to give up some of their cap flexibility next year for Dennis Wideman? I wouldn't think so.

I suppose Higgins for Raymond is a possibility. Flames save about $600K. Both guys are lousy. Vancouver would have to believe Raymond is better.

[Bourque's Twin]

Higgins didn't want to stay in Calgary when he was here. Why would we want him back. I also doubt any trade occurs with Van unless it's for less impactful players like Baertschi.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

I guess Wideman is the best player in that scenario? IDK - he is the #5 defenseman on a team close to the bottom of the standings. I just don't think he's that good. Even without the salary. The guy puts up points but its not like its reflected in the team's play. Our PP is horrible.

Would Vancouver want to give up some of their cap flexibility next year for Dennis Wideman? I wouldn't think so.

I suppose Higgins for Raymond is a possibility. Flames save about $600K. Both guys are lousy. Vancouver would have to believe Raymond is better.

Wideman has 56pts last year and is on pace for nearly 40 this year playing third pair. Wideman got bumped down because the Flames acquired Hamilton and he and Brodie also play the right side.

Van has one of the worst bluelines in the league and a mandate to make the playoffs. They get a proven point producer and a member from the top pair they lost to in the playoffs last year. They only have to take him on for a year and a half while they are still trying to win with the Sedins and give up nothing more than a 6/7 Dman. When do teams put on Twitter they are trying to trade someone? Something is up with Higgins. They know Raymond and both players suck. Higgins clears waivers so they might have to take back a bad contract.

They go into the summer with cap space and chase guys like Coburn and have to give 5 years or they get a short term fix in Wideman for dirt cheap.

[Jacks]

Wideman has a NMC, why would he want to downgrade?

Edit: Actually, he would probably be guaranteed 2nd pairing minutes and get re-upped to a stupid contract. He might be happy to go there.

[Da_Chief]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Wideman has 56pts last year and is on pace for nearly 40 this year playing third pair. Wideman got bumped down because the Flames acquired Hamilton and he and Brodie also play the right side.

Van has one of the worst bluelines in the league and a mandate to make the playoffs. They get a proven point producer and a member from the top pair they lost to in the playoffs last year. They only have to take him on for a year and a half while they are still trying to win with the Sedins and give up nothing more than a 6/7 Dman. When do teams put on Twitter they are trying to trade someone? Something is up with Higgins. They know Raymond and both players suck. Higgins clears waivers so they might have to take back a bad contract.

They go into the summer with cap space and chase guys like Coburn and have to give 5 years or they get a short term fix in Wideman for dirt cheap.

Wideman didn't get bumped down. He still wastes a lot of opportunities on the first PP unit.

[The Original FFIV]

@TSNBobMcKenzie: With cap hit of $2.5M this season and next, VAN knows it must retain salary to get deal done. A handful of teams contacted VAN yesterday.

Be interesting to know what teams contacted Vancouver and what the offers were. Probably money coming back, we will find out shortly if. A deal is there.

If Vancouver would take Clitsome (who is on ir) and Jay Harrison (who is in minors), probably a deal gets done and they can get a pick which is Bennings mo.

Colorado is another possibility as they are at contract max. If Benning can get two b/c/d prospects back, could see that going down. And maybe a deal with Ottawa with Cowen on the block and signed through to next season at a slightly higher cap hit than Higgins but a much higher salary.

These budget teams are vancouvers best bet to get a deal done as money talks with these teams and showing cost savings (Ottawa), getting dead cap space off books (Winnipeg) or contract flexibility (Colorado) gives Benning some trade partners.

[sureLoss]

TSN reporting Higgins expected to be on waivers today:

http://www.tsn.ca/canucks-expected-t...vers-1.421705?

[Poe969]

"Higgins is extremely valuable to the organization and we love having him as part of the team...that's why we're willing to trade him and if no one wants to give anything up for him, we'll give him away for free!"

I'm loving Benning as a GM

[Erick Estrada]

If anyone has followed the Canucks this season they would know that Higgins has been one of their worst players. Either his foot is giving him issues or he's one of those those guys that's just struggling in his 30's and career is nearing the end. I just can't see why any team would be interested in him if they actually scouted him as he's been pretty bad this season.

[killer_carlson]

I think Benning is taking the heat off of Linden on this one.