IMPORTANT EDIT:
It seems like I was wrong in this article. See the tweet below by Capfriendly.
Everyone in the hockey world is dragged into this trade deadline frenzy and it is understandable. Teams trying to load up for a playoffs’ push have until March 21st to do so. So it puts pressure on all teams trying to load up and those wanting to unload, particularly pending UFAs. Those are usually the types of trades we are seeing at this time of year.
Because it’s not something that happens very often, teams are allowed by rule, to trade past trade deadline. The difference is that while they can play in regular season’s games, the players involved in those trades cannot play in the Stanley Cup playoffs that year. Why don’t we see it often? For one thing, it’s difficult to trade in a cap world. Also, there is no rush after the deadline so teams can usually afford to wait until the summer months. It is also preferable, if draft picks are involved, to know exactly where that pick will be, after the lottery draft.
Jeff Petry
In the case of Jeff Petry, a team wanting him for a playoffs’ run would have to trade for him by Monday, 3:00 PM ET at the latest. That being said, we keep hearing that he is more likely to be traded this summer as it’s easier to trade players with money and term to their contracts. That is one hundred percent true.
However, the Canadiens are trying to accommodate the veteran defenseman due to family reasons. With his family in the United States, he wants to be with them and Kent Hughes is trying to make that happen. But he’s not willing to get a dime on the dollar for a quality player just to help him out. He is better than what he’s shown. He knows it, Hughes knows it and teams around the NHL also know it.
Trade possibility
Most teams are trying (or willing to trade) players under contract, particularly after a disappointing season. General Managers want to make some changes to their roster, change the leadership, unload contracts or address glaring needs, particularly when their team missed the playoffs.
The Philadelphia Flyers were rumoured to be interested in Petry, although we don’t know if it’s still the case after they’ve re-signed Rasmus Ristolainen, granted. But say they still want him, for the sake of discussions and example. They will likely trade Claude Giroux and obtain assets by trade deadline and this is their top priority. By Tuesday, with the deadline gone, they could theoretically negotiate with the Canadiens on Petry. As neither team will be in the playoffs, it wouldn’t affect the teams or players involved.
Another example is the Detroit Red Wings. We know that Jeff’s father played baseball for the Tigers and the Petry’s have family there in Michigan. It has been rumoured that Tyler Bertuzzi is on the trade block. If Steve Yzerman cannot find a trade partner by trade deadline, discussions could continue with Hughes and the Canadiens after Monday.
The Wings will trade Nick Leddy ($5.5M) and we know that Danny DeKeyser ($5M), Marc Staal ($2M) and Troy Stetcher ($1.7M) are pending UFAs on defense at the end of the season. They not only have the cap space, but a need for veteran leadership on defense. So what’s to say that a trade couldn’t be worked out past Monday? Nothing would prevent it.
What’s in it for the Canadiens? Getting rid of an unhappy player whose personal life is affecting his play on the ice. For the Red Wings? A no-pressure trade negotiation, a window to work out a trade without the risk of having another team sweeping the player under their feet.
So to say that Petry will be traded by trade deadline or else it will have to wait to the summer is not totally true. It can happen during the season, post trade deadline. It just has to be with the right team.
More reading…
What Hughes Said And Didn’t Say Speaks Volume
3 thoughts on “Petry Could Be Traded Post Trade Deadline”
Comments are closed.