The lull of the NHL Offseason continues to pull on. There are nonetheless some notable restricted free brokers which have but to signal contracts, together with Luke Hughes of the New Jersey Devils, Marco Rossi of the Minnesota Wild, and Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Geese.
There’s a sense that the longer this drags on, the optics will appear that McTavish isn’t a Pat Verbeek man. This was just like Trevor Zegras earlier than he was traded this summer season to the Philadelphia Flyers. Zegras, together with Jamie Drysdale, didn’t signal their bridge offers until right before the season. There’s a sense that might be the case as McTavish is unsure of his position inside Joel Quenneville’s system.
However there’s a number of discuss regardless of the dearth of motion that Mason McTavish might be traded. Nonetheless, Verbeek doesn’t need to transfer him until the value is correct. In case you recall, Verbeek believes his Geese staff is a playoff staff this yr. However persevering with to commerce away younger, gifted gamers in favour of veterans might not be how the Geese get again to the playoffs. Nonetheless, that’s one other matter for an additional day.
Ryan Dixon of Sportsnet checked out six potential locations for Mason McTavish and whether or not or not these groups can be matches for a participant of his ilk. Most scouts challenge McTavish to be a 2C, and half the league is in search of a 2C, so why would the Geese give him up?
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Earlier than wanting on the groups, all of them are good matches, however which groups take advantage of sense and have the potential items for a commerce truly to occur?
Detroit Purple Wings
The Detroit Red Wings make sense, as Jimmy Murphy of RG Media identified a few weeks in the past, the connection between Steve Yzerman and Pat Verbeek would play a task in a possible commerce. To not point out, the 2 golf equipment simply made a commerce that noticed John Gibson go from Anaheim to Detroit. However what does Detroit have that Anaheim would need? Marco Kasper is a non-starter, and so is Axel Sandin Pellikka. Detroit is trying to discover stability of their lineup, and Kasper can play middle on line two or with Dylan Larkin on line one. To not point out Sandin Pellikka is a future piece on the blueline for Detroit and might be able to play within the NHL subsequent yr.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are an attention-grabbing staff as a result of they want a second-line middle to play with Nikolaj Ehlers. The Hurricanes may need the items to make a commerce occur. GM Eric Tulsky may use somebody like Seth Jarvis to get the deal accomplished. He isn’t afraid to maneuver gamers. Simply take a look at what he did when he acquired Mikko Rantanen, and he turned that into Logan Stankoven. Jarvis doesn’t have commerce safety, which is why, as NHLRumors.com talked about, Jarvis might be moved in a Nazem Kadri deal.
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Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames
These two groups are lumped collectively as a result of they’re in the identical division because the Anaheim Geese. The divisional costs are excessive, ask the New Jersey Devils in terms of Rickard Rakell. The Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames each want 2Cs.
Each the Flames and Canucks need to get again to the playoffs, particularly the Flames, who missed the playoffs with 96 factors. Neither one desires to be in search of a number of facilities once they solely want one. The Canucks aren’t going to maneuver Tom Willander or Jonathan Lekkerimäki. Is there a rostered participant that will intrigue the Geese, together with an even bigger bundle to get McTavish?
As for the Flames, may Rasmus Andersson be a part of this commerce with the Geese? Although Andersson has some commerce safety, and we all know Andersson desires to go to a winner, Craig Conroy isn’t going to offer away for nothing. The Flames have been buying gamers to assist them be aggressive as they transition to a brand new constructing. Each groups should pay by means of the nostril to get McTavish.
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens continued to be linked to Mason McTavish. The fit is there for the Canadiens, however the bundle might be a excessive one for Montreal to pay. Once more, the expectations are increased for Montreal this season. Is a participant like Kirby Dach part of this deal? It isn’t going to be David Reinbacher, that’s for positive. All of it is dependent upon what the Geese are in search of in return for McTavish. Montreal has the picks and prospects to make a deal occur, but when the Geese need rostered gamers to assist with their rebuild and proceed their trajectory, Montreal may not have the choices they’re in search of. Plus, as of early July, the Canadiens and Geese had not spoken about McTavish. That would have modified during the last six weeks.
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Philadelphia Flyers
Once more, one other acquainted buying and selling companion for the Geese. Not solely did Jamie Drysdale get traded there for Cutter Gauthier, however so did Trevor Zegras. The Flyers are nonetheless rebuilding underneath GM Danny Briere. McTavish is sensible for them down the center as they’re making an attempt to get youthful. Sean Couturier isn’t the participant he as soon as was. Do the Flyers even have the gamers, prospects, and picks to get this deal accomplished?
Once more, there are groups on the market that aren’t listed and are available out of nowhere that folks don’t see coming to make a commerce. The Geese are doing their greatest to get Mason McTavish signed, however it’ll come all the way down to how he’s seen contained in the group that can decide the size of the deal he indicators.
Contemplating the choices are skinny down the center in Anaheim behind McTavish, Ryan Strome, the most effective factor to do is signal him long-term and never commerce him away to a staff that develops and performs him in the suitable spot and turns him right into a risk on each side of the ice.
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