Plan B: Alex Tanguay?

The frantic pace of the first two days of free agency has slowed down to a trickle. With so few free agents still available, the folks who cover hockey rumours have focused in on the remaining stars, and among forwards there isn’t a bigger name on the market than Alex Tanguay.

David Pagnotta of the Fourth Period reports that the Phoenix Coyotes have had multiple conversations with Tanguay’s agent, and adds the following:

Tanguay is a responsible two-way player who has hovered near the point-per-game mark for the majority of his career, but he has two weaknesses which make him less than ideal for the Oilers:

It’s too bad really, since for the right price Tanguay is an excellent player. Year after year, he and his linemates score more than the opposition. In Calgary two years ago, he was derided for his lack of offensive production although that certainly wasn’t the case at even-strength; he just wasn’t putting up powerplay numbers.

Regardless, despite the fact that I like this player he isn’t a fit in Edmonton – and not just for the two reasons listed above. The fact of the matter is that Edmonton doesn’t have the cap space to absorb Tanguay’s contract without sending away someone like Dustin Penner, or a combination of Steve Staios and Robert Nilsson. I imagine that Steve Tambellini was kicking the tires (as he should) and hoping for a bargain, but it’s difficult to picture a scenario where he brings Tanguay in as the solution to the Oilers’ top-line woes, unless he can find someone to take on a contract without taking money in return.