NHL Trade Talk: July 3,2014

BRODEUR ODD MAN OUT?

Sometimes you feel that “enough is enough”. Martin Brodeur has had an amazing career with the New Jersey Devils. He has done it all, and will be a guarantee first time ballot hall of famer. But, is his career over, or should his career be over. Many believe that he should have just retired as a member of the New Jersey Devils, and went out as one of the greatest goalies of all time. Well Martin just wants to play! He is now an unrestricted free agent and looking for a new team to end his career with.

I am hearing that four teams are expressing interest in Brodeur. The Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks, and Boston Bruins. I just don’t see how this can be. The Boston Bruins have Tuukka Rask and have no need for him. The Blackhawks cannot afford any more salary. They are capped out the way it is. I could see the Penguins wanting him for insurance in case Marc-Andre Fleury struggles again. As for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who knows. The truth of the matter is there are only a few jobs open for goalies and I just do not see Brodeur fitting in. I actually can see him just having to retire. If he does hook up with a team it will be late in the summer, and Pittsburgh would make the most sense.

REIMER WANTS OUT!

Things went BAD.. Very bad for James Reimer in Toronto. It all came to a head when Toronto coach Randy Carlyle described Reimers solid performance, as “he was ok”. That rubbed Reimer the wrong way, and things have never been the same. I honestly do not blame him for wanting out of Toronto. He took the brunt of the game seven collapses against the Boston Bruins in round one of the 2013 playoffs. When in fact he was the reason that they made it to a game seven. The Maples Leafs then went out and traded to get Jonathan Bernier to be the starter despite Reimer posting an impressive .924 save percentage.

It all makes sense on why Reimer wants out, and it has been reported that he has asked for a trade. The question is where will he end up, and will the Leafs even trade him. The most probable spots that Reimer would fit in would be Winnipeg or Minnesota. In Winnipeg, Ondrej Pavelec has struggled, and Reimer may be a great replacement. The Jets did just sign Michael Hutchinson to a contract, so it looks like he may fill that back-up role. The Minnesota Wild may be an option. They have three quality goalies, but they do have troubles. Niklas Backstrom has been dealing with injuries, and Josh Harding has been battling MS. They do have Darcy Kuemper, who proved last season that he is a viable option, but he is very young to be a starter for a great team that has high expectations. The Wild are hoping that Harding will be healthy enough to carry most of the load, and that Kuemper will be a solid back-up. Looks like Reimer may have troubles leaving Toronto. I also doubt that Toronto will give him away for nothing. He will be a good back-up for the Leafs. I don’t see Reimer getting his wish on this one. Looks like he will have to suffer through another season in Toronto.

JOHANSEN A MUST SIGN FOR COLUMBUS

Coming off a breakout season, the 21 year old Ryan Johansen looks like he may be the next restricted free-agent contract battle for the Columbus Blue Jackets. The budding star is coming off an entry-level contract. Here is where the problem begins. Teams usually recognize the young talent and lock them up with a lucrative bridge contract or long term contract. That is exactly what the Blue Jackets want to do, but that is not happening. It is reported that the two sides are miles apart on the money, and term of the contract.

The Columbus Dispatch reports: “We’re not even close,” Johansen told The Dispatch. “They say ‘We want to sign you to a ‘bridge’ deal.’ We say ‘We don’t want to do a ‘bridge,’ and that’s the end of it.”The Blue Jackets want to sign Johansen to a two- or three-year contract, which would expire when he still was a restricted free agent.

After the great season that Johansen had last season it is hard to not see his point. It is critical that the Blue Jackets figure out a way to get him inked on a long term contract. He is a very intrical part of the Blue Jackets future. They are a young talented team now, and signing Johansen is critical to the growth of the Blue Jackets. I do think this will get done. The Blue Jackets may have to cave on this deal. They have the cap space, and they just cannot lose this young forward.