So around same time last year, I put up a post exploring potential markets for our excess defensemen, specifically Brett Clark, Ruslan Salei and Tom Preissing. The Avs ended up doing nothing, and all three left as FA this summer (well, one was bought out for cap floor purposes...). I would argue that we should have traded at least one of them during the season, since I believe the Wheel of D was one of the main reasons for our near-collapse after the Olympics. Lo and behold, this season the Avs have too many bodies on the blueline again, and I believe it would do us good to make a trade.

Now, I'm going to presume that there are 7 spots on the D to be filled. Considering the age of our captain and the rash of injuries we've already experienced, it is essential for the team to keep an extra D-man on the team. Unlike last year, when I could point to those that are more likely to be traded somewhat easily, this season the picture is a lot more murkier. I think Liles, who is having a Norris-worthy year, is a definite keeper. Foote is not going anywhere. Hannan, after a meh start, has played really well IMO lately (his stupid penalty vs. Dallas in OT notwithstanding). Shattenkirk has improved rapidly since getting called up, and he is a huge reason for our PP being good again recently. O'Byrne was just traded, and he offers the size that none of our other D-men have shown. That leaves senior players Quincey, Wilson, and Cumiskey as well as rookies Holos, Cohen, Liffiton (he's a rookie, yes?), and maybe Gaunce and Chouinard, all potentially competing for 2 roster spots. That's um, a lot. I have a really hard time thinking the Avs will give up on Quincey so soon. He was the centerpiece of the Ryan Smyth deal, and he has shown the abilities to become a complete defensemen. Wilson's physical play would also be difficult to part with, and given that Sacco continues to play Wilson even though his form has been poor after returning from injury, I think the gaffer agrees with me. Cumiskey, of course, has that tantalizing speed which, end-product or not, at the very least cause all sorts of havoc against opposing defense. That said, once both Kyles returned from injury (and Quincey really already did), one of them has to go.

So again, surveying all 28 other teams in the NHL that could be our potential trade partner, I will rank each team's likelihood of acquiring these 3 guys on the following scale: no chance, unlikely, below average chance, average chance, possible chance. I think we are offering much better players this year than last year. This, to me, is a good sign. It means that we will potentially get us better returns, but it also signifies that we are improving as a team.

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So right now, we have 9 guys on defense vying for spots. I think Liles, Hannan, Foote, Cumiskey and Quincey have their spots locked down, so that leaves Clark, Salei, Preissing and Wilson fighting for 1 spot. Wilson has the most upside of the four, while the other three are all on (overly) expensive contracts that'll end this year. Everybody's talking about trading one or two of them, but I want to know what the market out there for them. Of the three, Clark has the highest value, as his flashy shotblocking stats is sure to attract a few teams. Salei and Preissing haven't played much this season, so their values are significantly lower, but both are experienced players that teams could give a chance to. [EDIT: Preissing actually has another year after this left on his contract. Thanks c0nquistad0rian. That makes him that much harder to trade...Man, what a shitty contract.]

So to find what the market for Clark, Preissing and/or Salei is currently, I surveyed all 29 other teams' defensive corps in the NHL right now. Note that I've not watched every game this season, and so I could be wrong in some/many of my judgments. I've ranked each team's likelihood of acquiring these 3 guys on the following scale: no chance, unlikely, below average chance, average chance, possible chance. Only one team we have no chance of trading with; I think we all know who they are.

(I actually don't have a lot of free time on my hand, but I did this anyways. >_>)

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Everyone is talking about Forsberg these days, but I'm wondering if going after another ex-Av might make more sense. Peter at this stage of his career comes with so many ifs, and he didn't exactly light up the recent tournament he played in. Tanguay hasn't started well in Tampa either, but he's at least healthy and playing in the NHL. This is a completely hypothetical scenario that has nothing to back it up whatsoever, but I just want to know what other people think.

I believe, and I think a few people agree with me on this, that the Avs need scoring depth on 2nd line, especially a winger who can help Duchene. Right now, the 2nd line is rather, uh, chaotic for a lack of a better word. Svatos has got it going recently, but he has no chemistry with Duchene at all. Both players kinda do their own things instead of trying to find each other. McLeod, despite his occasional nose for the goal, is not an offensive player; he is much more effective on the third line, where he has done great things with O'Reilly. We are all anxious about the lack of goals for Duchene, and that's because linemates like Svatos and McLeod (or Tucker when he comes back) aren't going to give him opportunities to score. Tanguay, on the other hand, can both create and score. He is somebody who can feed Duchene the puck and take pressure away from him offensively. Right now, other teams' defense can focus their attention on Duchene; with Tanguay on the same line, they'll either have to abandon that strategy or give room to a more gifted offensive player. Duchene himself, with a proven scorer in the NHL who has won a Cup on his wing, won't feel like he has to do everything by himself and will be able to relax more. Of course, many skilled forwards in the league can do that, but Tangs has experience with the club, and you know how our top brass love bringing back ex-employees. Tangs may not bring the star power of Forsberg, but I hope some fans will still remember who scored 2 goals in a certain Game 7 of a Stanley Cup Finals (and has stellar playoff in general that year). His contract can be easily absorbed (1 year, 2.5m), and unlikely to cost more than Forsberg.

Now, I don't profess to know a lot about what's going on in Tampa. I do know that they are one of those bubble teams in the East who are not sure whether they are contenders or not. They have Stamkos, who is tearing things up offensively for them. But their defense, from what I have heard, is rather shoddy. We have a surfeit of defensemen, and a couple of them could interest the Lightning. Brett Clark's name here seems to be not that much above dirt these days, but that appears to be only apparent to those of us who follow the Avs every game. His stats are quite decent so far, especially his block shots. Tampa's goalies are not the most reliable. Nittymaki has been great so far, but he has never proven that he could keep doing it consistently (and he had plenty of chances in Philly to prove himself). Mike Smith has been rather shambolic so far, especially on the road. A player who could block lots of shots and take pressure off the goalie would have value to them. Preissing is a decent puck-moving D, another attribute that's missing from the Tampa D-corp (especially with Hedman out). Hensick could also be tacked on; he has been in the dog house all year, but Bolts have shown willingness to give young players who have lost their way a second chance (Meszaros, Carle, Wishart, Jokinen, etc.). Package two of these players together, and it might a deal that both sides would agree on.

So what do people think about bringing back Tanguay? Am I out of my mind?