In what was a tough weekend as far as the 2015-16 season goes, GM Ron Francis aggressively turned to the future first dealing captain Eric Staal to the Rangers and then dealing Kris Versteeg to the Kings.
The return
For Kris Versteeg, the Canes received Valentin Zykov who was a 2013 second round pick currently playing in the AHL. Zykov is a Russian right wing from the power forward mold. At least in terms of skill set, he fits nicely with adding a player from more of a power forward mold to the prospect pool without doing it at at the expense of skill and skating. After playing junior hockey in the QMJHL, Zykov made the jump to the AHL this season where he has 7 goals and 7 assists in 43 games. My evaluation/scouting of Zykov is limited to what I read, but at a basic level I like the idea of adding some players who are closer to the NHL (if not actually ready now) instead of only draft picks who could be 3-4 years away from helping at the NHL level. The Canes also received a conditional fifth round draft pick.
On Versteeg
At a basic level, I think Kris Versteeg did what was hoped when he was attained. He brought some veteran scoring/playing help of the ‘lite’ version at a reasonable price. As part of my preseason predictions, I said that he would set a new career high in assists. (His previous high was 31.) He is roughly on target to do that, but after a fast start, he has played solid hockey but with only modest production. That is the story for the duo for Eric Staal and Kris Versteeg who were hitched together when Jordan Staal’s line emerged and ironically will depart on the same day. While Versteeg does offer playmaking ability, I think the difference between him and the the Ray Whitney/Cory Stillman level that I optimistically hoped for is the ability to create passing lanes. Versteeg plays with pace and can create some, but I just do not think he has the uncanny ability to figure out how to move, handle the puck or whatever to make a passing lane that is not there like the aforementioned players did. But he brings enough all-around skill to score in the 40-50 point range and play in any situation.
The deal upon the deal
In terms of doing an under the radar smart deal of modest but positive consequence, I think Kris Versteeg’s deal could be the winner for the 2015-16 season. In September, the Canes gave up an older prospect defenseman who just did not fit because of the Canes players coming up from the college ranks, a 2015 sixth-rounder in Jake Massie and a 2017 fifth round pick. In return, the Canes received Kris Versteeg, Joakim Nordstrom (who seemed like a depth throw in at the time) and a 2017 third round pick. After about 60 games of Kris Versteeg helping the team at a very reasonable $2.3 million salary, the Canes used him to acquire a recent second round pick and a conditional 2017 fifth round pick.
If the conditional pick comes through, the Canes will have netted Joakim Nordstrom, a recent secound roun pick in Valentin Zykov and a third round pick for a veteran AHLer and a recent sixth round pick. That is obviously a significant trade up in assets and the kind of deal that helps expedite the process to build up the prospect pool.
An odd team to help
With the Canes already owning the Kings 2016 first round pick, they are ideally not a team that the Canes wanted to help. But with the Kings pretty firmly entrenched in a playoff spot and almost an impossibility to fall into the lottery mix, the difference should only be a few slots on the back half of the first round.
Go Canes!
