Might commerce season be kicking off sooner moderately than later? The Nikita Zadorov deal might be a flash within the pan till the deadline nears, however contemplating what number of groups need assistance on the blue line, it may be the beginning of extra commerce motion.
There’s a handful of promoting groups with defenders to spare, and perhaps much more consumers this yr. That’s what pumps up the worth of somebody like Sean Walker.
Walker is probably not the sexiest title on the commerce board, but when the Philadelphia Flyers choose to maneuver him, there needs to be a variety of groups trying so as to add him. Whereas the Los Angeles Kings’ depth knocked him out of the rotation, he’s carved out a top-four function with the Flyers. A few of his worth stems from the sheer truth he’s right-handed, a coveted place on this league. Then there’s the two-way impression he’s made this season, which is the most effective of his profession. Walker is rocking a 58 p.c anticipated objectives price at five-on-five and is a standout on each ends of the ice relative to his teammates. The defenseman has clicked in several combos and roles in Philadelphia and tends to be the one driving the ends in his pairing — due to his means to play aggressively with the puck on his persist with generate offense, and with out the puck on his stick again in his personal zone.
Why would the Flyers transfer him? They don’t have to — and in the event that they wish to experience the wave of their early season success and see the place it takes them, it’s of their greatest curiosity to maintain the defenseman of their high 4. He’s been every little thing they might have requested for to open the season and extra. However realistically, Philadelphia appears to be preserving the large image in focus and which means furthering the rebuild. There could also be a number of NHL-caliber gamers stored round to take care of the locker room tradition and assist contribute on the ice to assist younger expertise. However administration can solely afford to maintain so a lot of these forms of gamers round — and a pending unrestricted free-agent defenseman is probably not one in all them.
That’s actually the one purpose the Flyers would take into account transferring somebody who has been such a robust presence on their blue line this season. The 29-year-old is on an expiring contract and might be a rental to a contending crew in want of a lift on protection. The truth that he’s so cheap, at simply $2.65 million on the cap, ought to solely make him all of the extra intriguing to groups seeking one other defenseman.
Which groups may or needs to be ?
The Leafs are more likely to be a fixture in any conversations involving defensemen available on the market as they’ve wanted assist all season. The Timothy Liljegren harm strained the crew’s blue line early on and John Klingberg’s disastrous begin solely emphasised the necessity for assistance on protection. Klingberg occurring LTIR opened up cap area for the Leafs to make a obligatory transfer, which appeared essential to alleviate Mark Giordano’s workload. Then Giordano additionally obtained injured, making this all of the extra urgent.
A number of focus has been on Flames defenders, together with Zadorov earlier than he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks. Whereas the crew may nonetheless be in on the likes of Chris Tanev and Noah Hanifin, particularly with Brad Treliving’s connection to Calgary and familiarity with these gamers, Walker might be a low-key choice. His two-way affect at even power, dependable penalty killing and skating means match an up-tempo crew just like the Leafs. And there’s the monetary factor to it: His cheap cap hit is a large plus to Toronto since this crew might be available on the market for a couple of defenseman or reinforcements elsewhere. Whereas the Leafs had curiosity in a lefty like Zadorov, there’s positively extra of a necessity for righties like Walker.
Just like the Leafs, the Devils confirmed curiosity in Zadorov as effectively. And now there’s much more room for participant motion with Dougie Hamilton sidelined.
New Jersey wanted one other defenseman earlier than shedding Hamilton — a penalty-killing defenseman, particularly. Brief-handed play is a key purpose why Brendan Smith is dressed on a nightly foundation, however he’s a unfavourable at five-on-five and has a propensity to take penalties. Discovering a substitute appeared like a precedence earlier than Hamilton was injured. Now, it makes much more sense. Whereas Simon Nemec has a ton of upside, it most likely would assist to have extra certainty round a few of their younger defenders.
Somebody like Tanev would match that mould contemplating his shutdown means and short-handed upside. However given the Devils’ tempo and tempo and that they’ve misplaced a participant who’s a plus on offense, somebody with slightly extra dimension wouldn’t damage.
The Stars have been available on the market for assistance on protection, too. If the crew feels Nils Lundkvist isn’t able to be an NHL common simply but, there could also be extra emphasis on right-handed defensemen.
Including one other defenseman would take somebody like Joel Hanley out of the rotation, who has had a unfavourable affect on the crew’s anticipated purpose suppression and era relative to his teammates. Walker may both step proper into the third pair and deepen the blue line or push for a few of Jani Hakanpää’s minutes and add extra two-way pop to the second pair than the veteran.
Walker’s cheaper wage relative to a few of the different choices available on the market would click on for Dallas, too, contemplating how little wage flexibility the Western Convention contender has proper now.
The Jets have dedicated to their core and are going for it as soon as once more this yr. They’ve been sitting in playoff positioning for a while, and the chances of reaching the postseason are very a lot of their favor. However that shouldn’t cease administration from actively making an attempt to enhance because the yr rolls on.
Beneath Josh Morrissey, there isn’t a real No. 2 defenseman. Underneath their No. 1, it’s a blue line by committee. And that method might be superb so long as there aren’t too many weak hyperlinks, however Nate Schmidt could also be one at this level, particularly with prices in thoughts. The defenseman is okay in a sheltered function however struggles when his deployment is more difficult. That limits how the protection as a complete can be utilized, which is why he’s not a mainstay within the lineup and finds himself as a wholesome scratch right here and there. So perhaps the Jets may use an improve on the correct aspect. Walker may step right into a third-pair function, however he’d extra seemingly be capable to transfer into the highest 4 and knock down others into extra becoming positions. His play-driving would seemingly be a welcome addition since Winnipeg may use some extra five-on-five offense.
With a number of gamers on long-term injured reserve, Colorado ought to have the capability so as to add and deal with areas of wants — and proper now, the blue line seems to be one in all them.
Assuming the Cale Makar harm isn’t something long-term, the Avalanche may use a lift in the midst of their protection. Walker might be a match on Bowen Byram’s proper, knocking Josh Manson to the third pair, or an improve over one in all Jack Johnson or Caleb Jones on the third pair. This crew has managed to get by with defensemen who would most likely be thought-about subpar elsewhere — whether or not it’s Johnson or Kurtis MacDermid. The coaches and administration know tips on how to maximize their roster and put gamers able to succeed, which is why they don’t all the time should go as daring on the commerce market. However Walker, in comparison with a few of the different obtainable defensemen, might be a extra under-the-radar choose who would match with the Avalanche’s tendencies. Colorado has championship aspirations, so it received’t be a shock to see administration make a extra significant transfer to raised its possibilities of success over the subsequent few months.
Goaltending needs to be the No. 1 focus for the Oilers, however contemplating how a lot is driving on the subsequent couple of seasons, it wouldn’t damage to take a look at protection as effectively. An improve to the highest 4 can be helpful for Edmonton. It might assist the coaches cease over-leveraging Cody Ceci in conditions which are above his depths. Plus, it could permit for Evan Bouchard to be a bit extra sheltered contemplating a few of his defensive strengths this season. Walker may be a part of the Oilers and soar proper into their high 4, and Ceci may transfer to a extra acceptable function. Then the crew may assess who can be a extra becoming seventh between Philip Broberg and Vincent Desharnais (seemingly Desharnais proper now, contemplating Broberg’s an enormous minus on the crew’s anticipated purpose suppression). If the Oilers may restrict the variety of defensive breakdowns per sport, as a result of this isn’t a crew that’s simply bleeding pictures and scoring possibilities within the grand scheme of issues, perhaps their goaltenders wouldn’t be as uncovered.
The hurdle for Edmonton is discovering cap area, even for somebody with as cheap of a contract as Walker. So administration must discover a option to trim prices to make this work, particularly if the plan is to improve goaltending as effectively.
— Knowledge through Evolving-Hockey, HockeyViz, HockeyStatCards, AllThreeZones and NaturalStatTrick. This story depends on shot-based metrics; here’s a primer on these numbers.
(Prime photograph: Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Photos)
