Well I will chime in on what Sudbury should do. In fact everyone has been leaving Sudbury out of any chatter. I guess its not a bad thing to float below the radar. However with Sudbury sitting in second in the Eastern Conference tie with Niagara, Oshawa and nearing the Christmas half way point I think they could possibly make a deal in a couple of areas to provide some depth to a team that is winning by committee. Every game different players have been providing the offence and really when you look at it thats what you want from all your lines. You can't solely rely on one two lines to provide you with the offence. So when I look around the league and see what teams need to sell to restock their draft cupboard I think Sudbury can take advantage of adding some valuable mid range pieces that won't cost as much as the Robertsons or Suszki's of the league.
A team like Erie can provide a player with solid veteran experience on the backend with 19 year old Martin. As well they could swap out their import in Poddubnyi. The Wolves can make a good trading partner with Erie with a couple of picks with 2 2nds 1 3rd and a conditional 3rd along with young defence in left shooting Malik and right shooting Wawrow.
No way Kitchener will make a run this year with London and Guelph being the front runners and they have a couple of players who Sudbury could benefit by trading for. Sudbury has traded with Kitchener in the past and they need to load up on some picks and young talent. Yantsis and or Meireles would be a great add on the right side which is a weak spot for Sudbury. So maybe dealing a Nizhnikov to Kitchener who gives Kitchener that extra year player and a former first round player who hasn't fit into Sudbury's style of play. A change of scene may make it worth it for him. An additional pick could make that trade happen IMO.
All the talk around Windsor has been unloading of their biggest asset in DiPietro however Sudbury could find a home for the right shooting Purboo. I think he would fit in nicely in a Wolves forward group. Sudbury could deal Windsor native Blake McConville for him and additional picks if they can't get one of those right wingers in Kitchener. Sliding Purboo on a line with the slippery and crafty Levin would be magic IMO.
Sarnia has been known to deal with Sudbury and they could be a team that can make a bigger deal with Sudbury happen. Sarnia needs picks and players and I think Sudbury can help in that regard. Would be nice to get last year import Ruzicka and 19 year old Grima on the backend. Sudbury could send back Wawrow, Malik, a young and big Tabak or Nizhnikov along with a couple of picks. Those would be two big adds to a team that could use more scoring threat up front and stability on the backend. Grima could also be used on the PP for Sudbury on one of the units.
Kingston has made a huge deal with Niagara will they make another by getting rid of Brahaney or Neumann. Sudbury could use both players but at what cost? These two players appear to be leading candidates for overage players in Kingston along with Burnie. To pry them away might be more that what Sudbury is willing to pay. But even trying to get Neumann who's speed would fit nicely into Sudbury's attack. Not sure if this would happen but it would be neat to see Levin teamed up with his former Don Mills teammate.
Hamilton is a team desperate to recoup picks and players back as they loaded up last year. Sudbury will not even entertain an Entwhistle, Strome or Saigeon deal. That would be way too much for Sudbury to absorb but I do think the speedy and hard working Nurse along with Landry would be decent adds to the team. Landry could bring a huge help to the PP and Nurse can help that weaker right side for Sudbury. Those two players can be had and it could bring Hamilton a young Wawrow and Tabek.
No question looking over Flint's roster that a couple of players stand out that again would be huge pieces to Sudbury's balanced roster. Everyone is looking at 18 year NHL drafted Dellandrea however Sudbury should make a pitch for Durham and Gordeev. I think again Sudbury could deal a young Gihula, Wawrow, rights to Bowie and picks for those two players. Is Flint willing to move more pieces out after so much negative after the Rowe deal. They are playing better but I think Branch is going to extremely careful the rest of the way. Sudbury has those players who just want more ice time and a place to play regularly and the young players mentioned will give them that.
I won't mention players off the Soo, Mississauga or Owen Sound that may be dealt to contending teams cause I just don't think Papineau will get into that game of trying to add that big fish. When I say that I mean Phillips, Suszki, Frost, Sambrook, Tippett, or even McLeod and Hayton. Sudbury needs to make some of the smaller deals I mentioned. Having Ukko as the last line of defence and a balanced line up with some scoring, the hard working Pilons, the young players like Murray/Byfield, and vets like Levin, Carson and Bulitka I think Sudbury just needs to continue moving along with smaller pieces that will make them even more frustrating to play against.
WJ
