in NHL Articles

Will Tkachuk be moved?

With the trade deadline coming up on March 9, general managers around the National Hockey League don’t have much time to consider their post-Olympic roster options. Teams will need to decide quickly whether they’re contenders or also-rans this season, and act accordingly.

And this year there are a surprising number of goaltenders being tossed around on the hot stove. Usually postseason hopefuls are set in goal by the time March rolls around, but a mixture of injuries, disappointments, and declining play has many teams around the league scouting potential netminders.

Or simply looking to ditch an excess goalie. The Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Edmonton Oilers, and San Jose Sharks each have a net asset to deal and will be furiously working the phone lines over the next week.

The Bruins have Andrew Raycroft on the block, as Tim Thomas holds down the fort for future starter Hannu Toivonen. Buffalo is looking to drop either Martin Biron or Mika Noronen. Edmonton has a three-headed monster of Mike Morrison, Jussi Markkanen, and Ty Conklin. And San Jose seems comfortable with the idea of Nolan Schaefer displacing Vesa Toskala as Evgeni Nabokov’s backup.

Of those keepers, Martin Biron is likely to be the most sought after, although his lack of playoff experience and impending free agency could scare off some suitors. Goalies such as Anaheim’s J-S Giguere and Phoenix’s Curtis Joseph could be more attractive options if their teams are willing to part with them.

The Panthers’ Roberto Luongo has been the subject of trade rumors all year, but it would take a blockbuster to pry him out of South Florida. One of Manny Fernandez or Dwayne Roloson is very likely to leave Minnesota, with Roloson a good bet to become veteran insurance for some team. The Rangers’ Kevin Weekes has lost his starter’s job to Henrik Lundqvist, and could be available too.

The Capitals’ Olaf Kolzig and the Blue Jackets’ Marc Denis are both likely staying put, and Jose Theodore’s broken heel has effectively taken him off the Canadiens’ trade block as well. St. Louis’ Patrick Lalime could be had for cheap if any team was interested, the Thrashers have a bunch of second- and third-tier goalies knocking around in the minor leagues, and Chicago wouldn’t likely hold up any deal for expensive and injured Nikolai Khabibulin.

So those are the sellers, but who’s going to be buying at the deadline? Put the Oilers in both categories, as they haven’t been comfortable with the play of any of their goalie trio. They have been linked to Biron for a couple of months, and have a history with Joseph, but need to deal with their own logjam at the same time.

The Vancouver Canucks might not want to go into the playoffs with an untested Alexander Auld between the pipes. The Canadiens can’t be too comfortable using the duo of Cristobal Huet and Yann Danis down the stretch. The Blues have used a bunch of different goaltenders this season and could make a strike for a longer-term solution in net if the opportunity presents itself.

The Ottawa Senators have to be concerned about Dominik Hasek’s groin, and could make a move for some insurance. The Devils are set with Martin Brodeur, but could use a dependable backup to spell their star keeper here and there over the final months. Colorado (with David Aebischer) and Carolina (with Martin Gerber) might also be in the market for veterans to back up their Swiss starters.

And that’s probably it for the deadline goalie shoppers. The Toronto Maple Leafs are likely stuck with a declining Ed Belfour in net, and the Tampa Bay Lightning are looking like they’ll stay with Olympic goaltender John Grahame as they try to defend their Stanley Cup championship. The Flames, Stars, Red Wings, Kings, Predators, Islanders, and Flyers look set at the goalie position as well.

However, it remains to be seen if any or all of the buyers and sellers can find the right match - and don’t forget that the league’s salary cap comes into play here as well. A team like the Devils might want to grab someone like Roloson for a three-month stint, but their current payroll might prevent a deal from getting made. It’s something to watch as the maneuvering heats up (or doesn’t) on trade deadline day.

Comments? Email FaceOff@BetUS.com.