Many people look at the Edmonton Oilers and see a surplus at the center position. A quick glance would suggest that those people are right, but a closer look raises a red flag at center. Connor McDavid is without doubt a franchise and generational talent, but he’s just 19 years old.
Leon Draisaitl is a very good young player coming off of a tremendous year, but he slowed considerably down the stretch and shouldn’t be automatically counted on for second line minutes. Yes, he’s a massive part of the future but he is still developing and shouldn’t be thrown into the fire.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is the veteran of the group, the guy who has been through this before and who has developed into one of the better young two-way centers in the NHL. RNH not only can produce offense, but he’s strong defensively and has proven he can handle battles against the big and tough centers out west.
If Edmonton moves Nugent-Hopkins this summer, which has been discussed, then they will need a quality replacement. Martin Hanzal, a 29 year old who will hit unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2017, may be the perfect solution for Edmonton.
Why Is He Out There?:
Interesting times are ahead for the Arizona Coyotes organization. The team is rebuilding on the fly, but also just underwent a massive management change. Head coach Dave Tippett, who hates losing more than anything, just received a larger role in hockey ops. John Chayka, a 26 year old analytic genius, just took over as GM as well, culminating the changes in the desert.
Arizona seems to be the team that will start what could be the ‘money puck’ era in hockey, and will likely use advanced stats and analytics more than most teams in the NHL. That could lead to a major shift in philosophy and a major shift in roster make-up. A veteran like Hanzal may be pushed out in the changes.
As mentioned earlier, Hanzal is a UFA in the summer of 2017 and will likely price himself out of the desert. Arizona will soon have to pay young stars Max Domi and Anthony Duclair, along with star defender Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Hanzal may be out of the Coyotes price range.
What Does He Do Well?:
At 6’6” and 226 pounds, Hanzal is a big boy who provides a big time physical presence on the ice. In addition to his size, he has an exceptional reach and is a very difficult player for the opposition to handle. Speed wise, Hanzal isn’t the fastest guy but footspeed isn’t really an issue here. He checks out as average.
Style wise, Hanzal plays a very strong two-way game. He’s a responsible defensive player who never rarely cheats for offense and who is strong on the backcheck. Hanzal has, for a few years now, been Arizona’s top pivot, meaning he has been tasked with handling guys like Ryan Getzlaf, Anze Kopitar, Joe Thornton and Jonathan Toews on a nightly basis. So far, he’s been able to come out of those battles with many productive seasons.
Hanzal is a responsible hockey player who, defensively, has the ability to take over the game. The Oilers currently only have RNH as a center capable of doing that while also producing enough to be in the top-six.
Offensively, Hanzal is a decent goal scorer, but makes his money as a set up man. Hanzal is a strong playmaker who, when put with a good finisher, can post strong offensive numbers. He was over a half point-per-game this year, scoring 13-28-41 in 64 tilts.
Looking at Hanzal, he clocks in as a strong two-way center who can handle a top-six role on just about any team in the NHL. He does a lot of things well and as a result is a pretty valuable piece.
Where Will He Play / Where Should He Play?:
If the Oilers were to trade for Hanzal, he would slide in as the team’s third line center. Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins would handle the top two lines, while Leon Draisaitl shifts over to the wing on one of those lines. That would give Edmonton four centers capable of playing top-six minutes, officially making them deep.
In the event that Edmonton dealt RNH, Hanzal would slide up and handle the second line center role behind McDavid. He would be the new veteran C in the top-six.
Ideally, Hanzal is a second line center, so he’ll be cut out for any position the Oilers need him for. If Edmonton keeps RNH, then Hanzal is one of the best 3C’s in the NHL. If they trade Nuge, then Hanzal ends up in the spot that is just right for him anyways.
What Will He Cost?:
The price on this player will be interesting. He’ll be a free agent in about a year’s time, so the team trading for him would be taking a pretty big risk. Arizona likely wants a big time piece back, whether that be a roster player or a prospect.
Could Edmonton swing the 4th overall pick for Hanzal? Possibly, but I think that’s a little much coming from Edmonton. Could a package built around Nail Yakupov, say Yak, a prospect and a 2nd rounder, get it done? I would think the value is pretty close there.
Closing Argument:
If Edmonton decides to trade Ryan Nugent-Hopkins this summer, then they better look for cover. Relying solely on two young centers is usually a death wish in the NHL, especially in a division that has so many elite pivots. Trading RNH means that Edmonton MUST acquire another capable veteran to help the young guys out.
Even if the Oilers choose to keep RNH, adding another center to play on the third line in place of Mark Letestu should be on the shopping list. Center depth is a huge part of the game today, and Edmonton is one piece away from finally having it.
If the Oilers go shopping for a pivot this summer, there are few options better than Martin Hanzal in my mind.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
