Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

What To Expect As The Trade Deadline Approaches

02/18/2017 at 2:42pm EST

from Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe,

The March 1 trade deadline is less than two weeks away. It’s possible that Cup chasers such as Washington, Pittsburgh, and Minnesota look into roster-finishing rentals for depth purposes.

But based on chatter around the league, the deadline is not shaping up to be a locus of activity involving first-round picks, prospects, and players with term changing teams. The refrain that executives are parroting around the league: The draft-and-develop blueprint is not negotiable.

Part of this is because of current circumstances. The $73 million salary cap is not expected to rise significantly in 2017-18, if at all. The only committed sellers are Colorado and Arizona because of the parity promoted by the cap and the points system. Teams are pursuing compliance for the expansion draft out of fear of losing a first-round pick for not meeting the league’s criteria.

But teams also are finally wising up to the fact that drafting and developing is the most effective team-building approach. If trades happen, they take place before the draft when picks are in play and budgets have yet to be filled. The deadline is more for complementary acquisitions.

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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.

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