Futures watch

Time for GMs to decide what they have and what they need

Buy. Sell. Hold.

These are the decisions made daily on the floor of the Board of Trade in Chicago where they deal in commodity futures. The differences being that NHL GM’s aren’t dealing with pork bellies or orange juice. Instead, they are dealing with their own daunting dilemmas. Should we unload our soon-to-be-unrestricted free agent for a pick and a prospect?

Or, maybe the situation dictates renting one of those proven players for the short-term -- looking no further than a postseason run. Then, of course, it could be that this time around warrants steady nerves embracing the status quo. Lots to consider -- plenty of scenarios -- and the obvious is not always so.

Consider the plight of the Pittsburgh Penguins. They lose the on-ice services of Mario Lemieux and the assumption is that even they will not chase a playoff pipe dream.

Translation: a free agent fire sale in the Steel City long before the March 19 trade deadline. See ya, Darius Kasparaitis. Adios, Robert Lang. Goodbye, postseason. Hello, rebuilding.

Except, GM Craig Patrick is competitive and committed. The Penguins are a mere five points behind the eighth-place N.Y. Rangers -- too close for Patrick to concede, especially since the Pens have never missed the playoffs on his watch. Besides, the Pens have plenty of young talent in their midst -- they don’t need a full-scale restocking. Battling to the bitter end will serve those young players better and make the organization stronger for it.

The team they are chasing, however, has an entirely different situation. The N.Y. Rangers have few prospects, yet possess a highly sought after asset -- one that could remedy their dearth of youth. But, trading goaltender Mike Richter would take major brass on the part of GM Glenn Sather.

It would take self-analysis of the most honest variety -- namely that the Rangers are least likely to make the playoffs of any team hovering around hockey’s hog line. Why? Because they give up way too many goals against. Any team that porous isn’t likely to see the postseason.

Peddling Richter would add much-needed prospects to a depleted cache. Granted, the New York media would no doubt skewer Sather. But, his current courage would lead to accolades later because of what Richer might fetch in return. However, this is a one-time opportunity for Sather and the Rangers. Forego and remember what might have been.

Conversely, the aging Caps need to get younger, but not quite yet. They have hung around all season and now have a chance at making the spring tournament. They are only three points back of the Rangers and seem to be coming together -- Jaromir Jagr is suddenly fab and hard-working Steve Konowalchuk is back from injury. Plus, netminder Olaf Kolzig looks focused since the Olympics. Do they need to get younger? Absolutely. Still, that was true five years ago and if it wasn’t a priority then, it shouldn’t be now. Play on for the playoffs should be the rallying cry in D.C.

Then there are the cries from Big D pronouncing Marty Turco as No. 1 -- supplanting Eddie the Eagle in net. True, Turco has again performed admirably, delivering when his team needed him most, guiding them thorough a rough patch in the schedule. For his efforts, Turco earned NHL Player of the Week honors -- an appropriate accolade for his 3-0 run.

Certainly, though, it does not warrant defacto No. 1 status. Granted, he is no doubt the goalie of the future for the Stars. But, why must that future start now? What’s the rush? Belfour is a proven playoff performer and Turco is not. Let the stretch drive play itself out and make your long-term goaltending decision during the off-season -- with the playoff results being your the indicators of the most prudent course of action.

Of course, without much in the way of young talent themselves, Dallas might be persuaded to part with Belfour if an eager suitor from the East came calling. That would be the Toronto Maple Leafs -- a team ready to win now, but suddenly without top-notch netminding since Curtis Joseph broke his hand. A move of that magnitude makes short-term sense for the Leafs -- especially since both Joseph and Belfour are not committed contractually beyond this season. The Leafs could hedge in the short term, while reassessing their position come July. Still, I think they would have to put together a substantial proposal to secure Belfour’s services.

Ultimately, the one commodity required in the NHL is quality goaltending. That folks, is just the long and the short of it.

Darren Eliot, a former NHL goaltender, is a hockey analyst for CNN/Sports Illustrated and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com.

 

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