Rivalry 2.0
There are a few things in life that you are never supposed to do. One being never trade to a team in your own division, another only folks who have seen Clerks 2 will understand. However with that being said, sometimes you have to bend the rules a little bit in order to take a step forward.
Right now the Vancouver Canucks are in the beginning stages (or even deeper) of a goaltender controversy. After trading Roberto Luongo last season for Jacob Markstrom and essentially turning the team over to Eddie Lack, it appeared that the Canucks were settled in with their goalie of the future. Enter Ryan Miller.
Tagged with a three year contract for $6 million apiece, it appears as though the Canucks feel that Lack isn’t there just yet.
This off season, Lack spent endless hours fine tuning his game and his body to prepare for what should have been his first full season of starting between the pipes.
The big question now becomes, what to do?
Right now you couldn’t trade Miller
Can you really keep Lack as your back up goalie for three more years, knowing full well that benching Miller means admitting to a huge financial mistake if he doesn’t pan out.
So the proposition is this. Where are the Canucks strengths and weaknesses? Well some might say that their biggest assets stand guarding the goal, while their short comings are filling the oppositions net.
If that is the case which teams in the NHL have an abundance of front line talent, but is lacking a man in the crease? The Edmonton Oilers are one of the first teams that come to mind.
This bring us back to the opening paragraph. While there are some things you shouldn’t do, sometimes it is OK.
Right now, well actually for the past few years, the Oilers have needed a starting goaltender. With a million dollar front line, the team has been backed by a group of ten cent goalies (Viktor Fasth and Ben Scrivens being the latest of the bunch).
Not since the days of Grant Fuhr, Andy Moog and Bill Ranford has the city of Edmonton had a legitimate starting goalie.
On the flip side, the recent editions of the Vancouver Canucks haven’t exactly been turning on the little red light. And let’s face it, although John Tortorella held them back, the Sedins are on the downside of their careers and there really isn’t anyone else stepping up to the plate.
So with that all being said, could you, would you, be willing to see the Canucks and Oilers collaborate on a deal that in the end should benefit both franchises? Right now you couldn’t trade Miller, both with his contract and coming off a bad season, the Oilers would be skeptical as to taking him on board.
But what about parting with Eddie Lack for one of the Oilers front line studs?
Adding one of Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins or Jordan Eberle would certainly give the Canucks a player to build their present and future around (Zack Kassian just isn’t gonna be that guy folks, deal with it).
Now let’s assume that the Oilers are on board for moving one of their young forwards, don’t you think that instead of trying to bandaid thier
Now call me crazy, but I can’t help but see how this deal wouldn’t work to help out both organizations.
The Canucks can use a second line middle man, who, when Henrik Sedin hangs up the skates can take over the top line. Enter Nugent-Hopkins or Eberle. If the Canucks are sure that Nick Bonino is their set up man, then adding Hall to replace or compliment Daniel Sedin or Alex Burrows isn’t a bad move.
Sure there might have to be a bit of fine tuning with salaries and a throw in player here or there, but in terms of the spotlight players, this deal makes a whole lot of sense for both teams to come away with a win-win situation.
The Oilers have tried to rebuild their franchise through the fountain of youth, but with little success, so even if there was a package deal to send a veteran Canucks with Lack for a couple of young Oilers, it again would benefit both clubs.
While everyone wants to see a winner and a loser when it comes to professional sports trades, sometimes when you win, you really lose and sometimes when you lose, you really win and sometimes when you win or lose you really tie.
