Haas: Trade Deadline Talk – Brewer And Bugsy?

A battle must be raging in the mind of Steve Yzerman right now.

The stats are so conflicting.  On one hand, the team probably needs to win 14 of its last 20 games to make the playoffs and that’s just not going to happen.  On the other hand, the Bolts are seven points behind division-leading Winnipeg with a game in hand.  The Bolts and Jets play two more times this season, both in Winnipeg.  The Southeast crown will probably go down to the wire as no one seems to play consistently enough to pull away from the pack.  What is a general manager to do? Sell assets and look to next year or hold on and hope for a run? (Photo/Susan Ferlita)

There is a way to do both.  Here are a couple of “addition by subtraction” possibilities:

Eric Brewer: Though his veteran presence stabilized the team en route to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2011, it is clear that his advancing age is playing against him in a Lightning gameplan that demands speed and puck possession. Teams like Pittsburgh and Los Angeles could certainly stand to bolster their blueline, especially since the Kings are without Matt Greene for the rest of this season.  With Radko Gudas already playing big minutes in Tampa and the team’s stated desire to give Mark Barberio a look, the Bolts would probably not be any worse off if Brewer was dealt.  He does have a modified no-trade clause.

Ryan Malone: Another old soul whose value to the Lightning may be in presence only.  Everyone talks about his size and his style of play as assets that the Bolts need…but the trouble is, Malone gets hurt every year and the team has to play without him anyway.  Malone has a full no-movement clause this season and can submit a 12 team trade list the last two years of his deal. Malone has not seemed eager to move in the past, but if a team like the Penguins (his hometown and former team) comes knocking it’s hard to imagine Malone turning it down.  His size would be tough to replace, but a player like Richard Panik or J.T. Brown could certainly fill the forechecking void that would be left behind.  Unfortunately, with his recent injury at the hands of Zac Rinaldo, his trade value has likely been erased.

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