So who is the next best Defenseman on the trade block?
 

Now that the big names have been traded, who is left, and how much would they cost?

Carney? Pronger? Zhitnik? Brewer? Witt? DeVries? Berard? Ward?

There is no evidence to suggest that Brewer will be shopped.

Teams claim they will not trade Carney, Pronger, Berard. Zhitnik in contract talks with Sabres (though if that fails might be on the market). Oilers making run at last playoff spot so will keep brewing.

Witt is likely the best of the rest.

From that list, I think Witt, Berard, DeVries and Zhitnik are the only ones going anywhere. As a Columbus fan, I'd add Spacek to that list. Doug MacLean said yesterday he's been getting a lot of calls about Jaroslav.

See: Berard relieved to be in Blackhawks' plans

Quote:

Berard was worried because he wanted to stay. Finally, on Tuesday night, he got the answer he hoped to hear when general manager Bob Pulford stated publicly for the first time that the defenseman was not going anywhere. "Teams are calling, but the answer is no," Pulford said. "It does ease my mind because I want to be here," Berard said Wednesday. "I'm very happy. I like it here in Chicago and I like what's going on. I want to be a big part of this team."

Of course Hawks ownership can change their 'mind' at any time.

I can't see DeVries going anywhere. He's been exceptional for the Rangers.

Brendon Witt
Derek Morris (if COL wants to trade)
Sean Hill
Bret Hedican (maybe)
Luke Richardson
Scott Lachance
Jason Smith
Alexei Zhitnik
Tom Poti

It just depends on whether the GM's want to sell. :dunno:

Brendon Witt - available
Derek Morris - no, can't obtain anything better.
Sean Hill - NTC, wife from area, but willing to be a playoff rental to real contender
Bret Hedican - big long (2008) contract
Luke Richardson - in discussions with CBJ fans, they say Richardson is not available
Scott Lachance - available
Jason Smith - Oils making run at last playoff spot
Alexei Zhitnik - in contract talks
Tom Poti - yes

Also don't forget: Lyle Odelein

deVries, Poti, Malakhov and Mironov are all available. I can't see deVries being dealt as he has been excellent as a Ranger but still has a lot of time and decent money left on his contract.

Lachance is easily available.
Richardson and Spacek would take an overpayment to get either.

I have a feeling the Caps are going to get very good value for Witt when he goes.

Brewer is not available my friend .... now Smith on the other hand ....

Make an offer.

therien can be had for a puck and any other players bobblehead. :joker:

The best Dman available might be Dick Tarnstrom.

But is he really "available"? It would be foolish for Patrick to let him go for anything less than a first or a lower first-tier prospect.

S L

notthat he's the "best", but aaron ward can be had for sure. he signed a contract extension, so he's not ufa. solid 4th/7th d man on a contender, depending on injuries.

Sean Hill would be a good fit on a contender , Tampa & Vancouver comes to mind .

Pronger is NOT on the trading block. So Leaf fans,stop creaming your pants;it's not going to happen. :teach:

Sure its his eye that's ****ed and not his head? How can he like what's going on? They are almost as pathetic as the pens, except they don't have an excuse. They have the money, and they had the talent. They could have ponied up and kept guys like Roenick, Amonte, Chelios, but no, they let them all go. This is the poorest run team in the league. Blacking out home games to increase ticket sales? Who in their right mind would pay to see this car wreck?

A first rounder would be more than he got for Jagr, Kovalev, Lang, Straka, Hrdina and Kasperitis COMBINED. What makes you think Tarnstrom could score something so high? We are talking 5th rounder stuff here, maybe a prospect like Ferland.

Huh?

S L

Long story short. You get crap for some of the best players in the game, you get even crappier crap for an average defenceman.

Long story short, you're terribly misinformed. Hrdina netted Focht, Lefabvre, and Abid. Granted, those players aren't great, but people raved about them at the time. Hrdina is a marginal player at best.

Jagr got 4 million dollars and 3 former first rounders? What's wrong with that?

Kovalev got 4 million dollars and Fata? What's wrong with that?

We couldn't afford Lang @ 5 million a year, especially when he was a decent 2nd line center coming off a mediocre season. We got a second rounder for him, what's wrong with that? Incidentally, your Caps couldn't afford him either, so they dealt him off to Detriot. Difference is he's leading the league in scoring now, for some Twilight Zone reason.

The KASPARAITIS trade didn't work out that well. Who cares? Kaspar is a decent top 5 d-man but he hasn't done anything since he left the Burgh. It's starting to look like he was overrated.

Straka got us Anshankov, and then he went to LA and promptly went out for the season. How was that a bad deal?

As a Caps fan, I can't take anything you post seriously. The bias against the Pens is obvious. Then you start saing that the net sum of all those trades COMBINED is less than a first rounder? If that's the case, I think we have some dealing to do.

Regarding Tarnstrom's value: he's a better player than Hrdina and Kasparaitis, and he's younger and makes far less than Kovalev, Lang, Straka, and Jagr. If he were to go in a trade, I would expect it to be for value. Patrick doesn't have a gun to his head like he did in the other deals, so it'll take a tempting offer to lure him away.

If that offer doesn't come, oh well. If I were a contender that needed help on the PP, I'd certainly give him some consideration. He's a player that can step in and make a difference, and then stick with the team for the long haul at an affordable rate.

And about a first pick: this is a weak draft year, it's worse less than you think. Have fun re-building your team with the next Beeches, Siveks, and Lupachuks.

S L

Could the fact that Pittsburgh was desperate to dump those players salaries have any affect on their low returns? You also can't deny the fact that Pittsburgh received $4 mil in the Kovalev deal, that's a big chunk of change.

:lol: A 5th round pick! Every GM would jump on that. Tarnstrom would bring a good return.