MMarch
One Man Wolfpack, ,
Sharp is being offered as the Sharks want scoring in return for Marleau, plus the Hawks need to shed a bigger contract in the next year or two. Its a perfect deal for both sides, Sharks get two players who fit right in and possibly help them get back to a playoff run now which is what they need as their window is closing, fast.
"What is wrong with having Leddy in the 3rd pairing?" Thats all fine and good, if Leddy wanted that, which he doesn't. He wants top 3 minutes and power play time to help further his career, which means makes him more valuable, which means more $ for him. The Hawks would love to have him on the third pair, but Leddy wants better then 5 & 6 minutes, and honestly, who can blame him? He is a darn good player with scoring touch and can run a power play, but in the Hawks system, he wont get that unless there are injuries or guys are in the PB. So, given what he will want when his contract is up, it is the obvious "right move" for the Hawks and the player to move him now. He can go to a team where he can be a top 3 or 4, maybe even top 2 on some teams, the Hawks get something of value in return, and he can sign a new long term contract with the team that he goes to. With the Hawks about to extend Toews & Kane with "lifer" contracts, and Saad, Kruger, Nordstrom, Morin, Smith, Oduya, Raanta all needing new contracts, Leddy is odd man out. If they move Sharp and Leddy together, yes they take on Marleaus salary but they lose Leddy's in the process. With Rundblad in the mix on defense, and Roszy signed for one more year, I dont see them resigning Brookbank as he is a UFA. Their leading scorer in Rockford was a d-man, Clendening, who is ready to play in the NHL (he was ready to play last year) and has made it very clear he wants to be up with the big club or traded to a team that will start him in the NHL. They do not want to lose him, he has a bright future in the NHL, so Leddy is the odd man out given all the circumstances here. They move Leddy leaving Rundblad, Clendening, and Roszy to rotate in the 5 & 6 spot just like Leddy, Roszy, and Brookbank did. The main issue is the Hawks cannot or will not give Leddy the minutes and power play time he needs and wants, he will be a RFA next year and due for a raise, he wants a long term deal, so to protect themselves and not lose Clendening in the process, they have to move him now before losing him for nothing and potentially losing Clendening as well.
If the Panthers want more then Leddy and picks for the number 1 pick, would the Hawks move Sharp and Leddy together for the 1st overall? Yes, they could and I think they would. The Panthers need players who can step right into the lineup and produce now, they do not need more prospects or projects. Leddy can be a number 2 or 3 getting the minutes and contract length and $ he wants from the Panthers, Sharp is on the first line, and the Panthers get exactly what they want and need in the deal. Sharp becomes captain or assistant captain and is perfect for helping groom all the kids on their roster. The Hawks kill three or four birds with one stone; they shed contracts to give the players needing new deal the term and money they want which secures their depth, they get a pick that will land them a center ready to play in the NHL right now (Bennett, Reinhart, and Draisaitl are all centers ready to play), they open up a spot for Clendening to move up to the big club, and they open up a spot for Teravainen, Morin (who they might lose if they dont bring him up soon), or Rasmussen.
"Why tinker with a team that was one goal away from the SCF?" They don't have a choice. They cannot lose some of their players like Leddy for nothing, they dont want to lose a Clendening or Morin to a trade demand if they dont get time in the NHL, they have too many key players and depth players that need new contracts, it all boils down to money and keeping their depth in tact. This stuff happens every year to most teams in the upper tier of the standings. Depth is a double edge sword, it is good and bad at the same time. Their biggest glaring weakness is center, and has been for years. They have to do something to get a true number 2 center in there, Handzus is not the answer, neither is Shaw, and both of them were asked to serve in that role which was not best suited for their abilities. So, whether it's Marleau or a kid they take number 1, it's something they have to do. If you look at the Kings, what was their key strength? Depth at center, period. They have 3-5 guys up the middle that can play in that number 1 & 2 center position, any coach or GM will tell you, you build from the net out and center is one of the most important positions to have as a strength. After Toews, the Hawks really didn't have any depth, and they don't have a legit number 2 center. Nordstrom, Teravainen, LeBlanc, McNeill, Mills, Danault, Mullane, Gilbert, etc are not ready to be number 2 centers in the NHL. Nordstrom and Teravainen might be ready to fill in the number 3 or 4 hole, but they have to get a legit number 2 center, which is why the Marleau trade or trade with Florida make sense. If they don't make a deal for either, they will try to work a deal with Leddy to Edmonton for the number 3 pick as there will be a center still available at 3, if one of the top 3 do not make a trade and take Ekblad, one or even two of the centers might still be available at 4 and they can try to move Leddy or Sharp to Calgary for the 4th pick and get their center there. Yes Leddy is a nice "luxury" to have in the 5th spot, but its one they can no longer afford for the many reason I listed, and he doesn't want to be in that spot, thats why he is being talked about moving to another team. Sharp is the contract that opens up the door for them to sign all the other players or bring in Marleau, he is arguably the most attractive player to other teams, so he is the obvious choice to get moved along with Leddy. The Oilers or Panthers would be crazy to not bring them in, but as we have seen so many times, teams for some reason do not make the obvious decisions and fill their needs. Edmonton is a prime example of that, they "should" have taken Ryan Murray, but they took Yakupov instead, and look how that is working out. The Oilers are only a couple of key players away from being a potential dynasty, Leddy and or Sharp could certainly help them get to that next level.
