They don’t need Määttä, which is fortunate because they can’t afford him. Chicago is set on the left side with Duncan Keith and Calvin De Haan as the top 2 and whoever they want as the 3rd pairing - Koekkoek is one example. Which they want because, again, he is costing them over $4 million. They acquired him for Dominik Kahun and a 5th round pick - this deal would represent a recapturing of that value. He played on the 2nd PK unit and never on the PP. During this season, Määttä was a 3rd pairing defender that only very occasionally saw 2nd-pairing minutes at even-strength. Why Chicago May Consider Moving Määttä: Quite frankly, they seem to not feel he’s very good. And the extra 4th now gives them 4 picks in 2 rounds for 2020 - ample opportunity for a trade up into the uber-talented upper end of the 2020 NHL Draft. Nothing is more attractive to a cap-strapped team than ELC NHLers. As far as what they’re getting in return, Janne Kuokkanen was flirting with a point-per-game pace down the stretch in the AHL and is probably due for a call-up. As of right now, Määttä is a 3rd pairing defender soaking up over $4M of cap space that the Blackhawks will need to sign their RFAs, some of whom have earned substantial pay raises (Kubalik, Strome) and a goalie. Why the Blackhawks Should Entertain Such a Deal: As John said, succinctly in Monday’s post: “the Blackhawks need cap space.” The goal to become more cap-compliant for a team that is up against the wire is to be able to avail themselves of multi-million dollar contracts without giving up much of what gives the team their identity. The Suggested Modest Trade Proposal: Olli Määttä for Janne Kuokkanen + 2020 BOS 4th rounder. The Target: Defenseman Olli Määttä of the Chicago Blackhawks ![]() He also is similarly used, but more expensive, so Chicago’s willingness to part may be even greater. My target is slightly less efficient, but has a much larger sample size despite being the same age. John chose to target Slater Koekkoek - a logical choice given that he’s a pretty efficient player, and Chicago would barely miss him. And, I think the differences between the two players are very important and warrant a separate article. However, luckily for me, John chose a different player than I did. So I looked for another cash-strapped team interested in dumping cap hit, preferably with some defenders worth pilfering and landed on Chicago, only to recognize that John did that on Monday. Nashville.Yesterday, Brian took my idea and decided to target a Erik Cernak - a very good young defender that is going underused because his team, Tampa, (who can’t pay him) has blueliners even more talented. This jersey was worn by Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta in Games 1, 2 and 5 of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final vs. ![]() With the series tied 2-2 and back in Pittsburgh for Game 5, Maatta was a team-leading +3 with Phil Kessel and assisted on Kessel's second period goal which gave the Penguins a 5-0 lead. In Game 2, Maatta registered 18:44 of ice time - third most among Pittsburgh defensemen - and two shots on goal. He also registered three hits which led all defensemen. In Game 1 of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final, Maatta logged the second-most time on ice of all Pittsburgh Penguins with 22:14 on 32 shifts. In Game 5, his game-winning goal 8:14 into the first period on a one-time blast from above the left circle started a scoring barrage en route to a 7-0 Penguins win and 3-2 series lead. In Game 4, Maatta scored with 46 seconds left in the first period to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead heading into the first intermission. He scored the team's opening goals in back-to-back games (Games 4 & 5) of the Eastern Conference Finals against Ottawa. His eight points in the Playoffs ranked eight on the team. In the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Maatta played in all 25 games and had two goals along with six assists and a +8 +/- rating. His +17 +/- rating was tied for fifth on the team with Captain Sidney Crosby. In 2016-17, Maatta scored one goal and added six assists in 55 regular season games. He has been a stalwart on the Pittsburgh blue line for four straight seasons. ![]() Maatta scored nine goals and 20 assists in 79 games during his first pro season. Drafted in the first round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins, Olli Maatta finished fifth in the voting for the Calder Memorial Trophy (National Hockey League Rookie of the Year) in 2013-14.
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