With the trade deadline behind us and teams pushing toward the Stanley Cup playoffs, I figured now was as good a time as ever to conduct an email interview with the great Adam Proteau of The Hockey News.
Adam was kind enough to take time out of his busy writing schedule to give us his thoughts on the trade deadline, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Washington Capitals, Connor Hellebuyck, and much more. I hope you enjoy reading his thoughts below!
PH: The trade deadline has come and gone. Which team (s) came out on top and why?
AP: I liked what Toronto did. We knew Brad Treliving was going to spend his first-round picks to bring in help, and he did not spend those picks just on rentals, as he got Brandon Carlo and Scott Laughton not just for a year, but for next year as well. So that was impressive.
I also liked Colorado’s trades leading up to and at the deadline. The Ryan Lindgren and Erik Johnson moves improved an already-deep defense corps and getting Brock Nelson was a big win for them as well.
Dallas getting Mikko Rantanen was huge, especially for a team that was already one of the best in the league. So those teams stand out for me.
PH: Which team (s) was/were the biggest disappointment at the deadline? Why?
AP: For me, the Red Wings were the biggest disappointment. This is a team that desperately needs to make the playoffs — and all that they get is Petr Mrazek? That is it?!?! Talk about a letdown.
And I do not think it is any coincidence that the Wings have fizzled out since the deadline. When your GM does not give you the help you need, you cannot help but struggle as a group.
Steve Yzerman can talk about high prices in trade talks, but there is a reason why other teams found ways to pay those prices — it is because you need to keep up with the Joneses on the talent front. And Yzerman should have figured out a way to help his team.
PH: Just how much have the Washington Capitals surprised you this season?
AP: Very much so. I own my skepticism about the Capitals heading into this season.
I was absolutely wrong. Just about every off-season move they made has paid off for them — especially their goaltending and moves on defense.
Now, I still reserve my right to wonder whether they are going to be a good playoff team. But full marks to Brian MacLellan and his staff — they identified where they needed to improve, went out and made those changes, and became one of the best teams in the league.
PH: It is well known at this point that Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyckhas struggled in the Stanley Cup playoffs. After the way he performed at the 4 Nations Face-Off, do you think he can write a different script this spring? Why or why not?
AP: I do think Hellebuyck can write his own script. There are plenty of examples of top players who took a while to be in the right situation, in the right year, and I think the Jets are one of the deepest teams in the league. So I think this Winnipeg team can take that next step.
That said, they are going to have to go through Dallas or Colorado, and those are two excellent teams as well. So if the Jets do lose in the first or second round, I will not be completely shocked.
This is a tough league, and there are always going to be very good teams that go out early. Hellebuyck has been the best goalie in the league, so I have to expect he will eventually be at the top of the competitive podium. But you never know — sometimes, there’s not the right combination of good luck and good play that decides whether you’re able to move on and win four rounds.
PH: Of course, we cannot talk about the postseason without mentioning the Toronto Maple Leafs. What do you think is in store for them this spring? Is this the year they shock the hockey world and win it all?
AP: I see the Leafs as a top-10 team in the league, maybe a top-five team when they are at their best. I think we are in show-us, do not tell-us mode with this Toronto team.
So, depending on whether they finish first in the Atlantic, I can see them winning a couple of rounds, especially if they draw Ottawa or Montreal in the first round, and Florida and Tampa beat the stuffing out of each other in the opening round. I think their defense corps is as good as it’s ever been, and if they do fail again early on, management will have no choice but to tear the forwards group up this summer.
The stakes have never been higher in Toronto, and the way their core responds to the pressure will dictate whether they get to stay together.
PH: I write a lot about the Rangers in this space. Why do you think they have been such a perplexing team this season?
AP: That is a good question. I wonder about some of the choices Chris Drury has made, especially how they managed to go from a pretty good defensive team to…well, to the not-so-good defensive group they are right now. In retrospect, they probably have leaned on Igor Shesterkin too much, and they are paying the price for it now.
I will say this — the current Rangers management’s performance sure beats the Glen Sather Era. That man just threw money at the free agent du jour, and I always felt like Rangers fans deserved a better long-term management plan than that.
After this season, I think Drury is going to come under much more scrutiny, and deservedly so. You do not go from the best regular-season team in the NHL to a playoff fringe team unless you have made many mistakes, and I think Drury has to be called on the carpet for that.
PH: Is there anything else you would like to share with hockey fans?
AP: Nothing jumps to mind. I am always very thankful for the many kind people I have met in this business, and you are one of those people, Patrick.
Thanks for thinking of me for this interview.
ITR 35: Round One – Inside The Rink
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