from Justin Bourne of Sportsnet,

As we move towards the NHL’s trade deadline, I see GMs of teams in the playoff mix being faced with two options given the league’s parity-wracked standings. I’ll lay them out before weighing in.

Option 1: This ain’t the year to burn assets, anything could still happen

If you’re a fan of a team with a more passive GM, I can guarantee you’re going to hear some of this rhetoric. They’ll recognize a flawed team, hope their goalie gets red hot at the right time, get a few bounces, and be the next surprising Cup champ (or, let’s face it for these GMs, just a deep run buys them years of employment). They’ll spin the wheel of fortune and come up bust.

The logic will be “In a year it could be won by anyone we’ve got a chip and a chair too, and we shouldn’t throw assets at our somewhat flawed roster.”

It’s the type of losing we allow in hockey – if you’re conservative and risk-free you can call it maturity and discipline, and you’ll get another job.

Option 2: In a wide-open year, every bit of improvement gives a team a better chance to be the lucky ones

NFL teams go for it on fourth down these days far more than they used to, because they’ve learned taking that risk gives them a better chance at victory.

At this year’s NHL trade deadline, every little place teams improve in could push them to that next fresh set of downs, the next round of the playoffs.

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