When will teams start selling pieces?
Jim Biringer of NHLRumors.com, Full Press NHL and RG Media joined TSN Radio in Montreal on Monday and we were asked when we could see general managers around the league start taking advantage of the season and selling their stuff as we approach the Olympic Break and the NHL Trade Deadline.
NHLRumors.com Transcripts
NHL Rumors: Calgary Flames and Tampa Bay Lightning
Host: “Jim, OK, so a few things in and around the National Hockey League. Look at the Eastern standings. In particular, the standings that the Canadiens are in is as crowded and ridiculous as you can imagine. The Atlantic Division, the top five teams in the Atlantic Division, play like .800 hockey. It’s just ridiculous.”
And I’m wondering, from your perspective here, when we get to that ever-popular NHL trade deadline, how many teams are going to be in selling mode? For example, how many teams will have general managers who would have said, “We’re going to end the season and we’re going to move on.”
Jim Biringer: “I mean, that’s a great question. I think that’s the million dollar question, right? Like, when is everything going to hit the fan? When are teams going to realize, hey, we’re not going to make the playoffs this year? I think we have to put the brakes on everything. And I think that activity is starting to pick up. You’re kind of seeing it now, after the I guess I could use the word pounding that the Boston Bruins gave to the fans. New York Rangers on Saturday.
NHL Rumors: New Jersey Devils and Vancouver Canucks
I tend to think the Rangers are starting to decide, hey, wait a minute. As much as their owner comes out and says, “Hey, I’m going to support the GM. Don’t count out my team.’ Everyone knew coming into this season that this team is not a playoff team, and they have some pieces that teams want. I think you’re going to see it in the East, I mean it’s so tight because I think this month is so crucial for so many teams, and we’ve talked about it, the Bruins, right?
Did anyone really expect Boston to be this good this year and have a chance at a playoff spot? We thought maybe they would sell off pieces again like last year and just be constantly rebuilding and retooling. But no, they made the Washington change on the fly, very quickly.
And I wonder more in the West, when it comes to, okay, these eastern teams, they’re looking at, oh, okay, what does Calgary have? What does Vancouver have? Such teams? That’s where I start looking. Because I think in the East we’ll wait until we get to the break to find out who’s really not into it.
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