While Senators winger Mark Stone is the top rental player available on the trade market, it appears that their other UFA winger of note will be on the move first. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that there is increased traction on a trade and that teams believe Ottawa is getting closer to pulling the trigger.
Dzingel has very quietly put up 22 goals and 22 assists this season, giving him a career-high 44 points while he’s one goal shy of matching his top mark set in 2017-18. While he may not play in a top-line role with a contender like he has with Ottawa for the most part this season, he’d slide in nicely on a second unit for several top teams.
The fact that he has a $1.8MM cap hit should increase his market relative to more expensive rental wingers like Mats Zuccarello ($4.5MM) or Gustav Nyquist ($4.75MM). He could very well wind up tripling that deal on the open market in July which makes a quick extension an unlikely proposition. He reportedly turned down a five-year extension with an AAV over $4MM in recent days.
TSN’s Darren Dreger adds via Twitter that the Bruins and Blue Jackets are among the teams interested in adding the 26-year-old. Boston added Charlie Coyle earlier this week but appear to be intent on deploying him at center for the time being so there is still a spot to try to fill on the wing. Meanwhile, Columbus has apparently shifted course and instead of moving out Artemi Panarin, they’ve decided to go for it this season with Friday’s acquisition of Matt Duchene and adding Dzingel would give them someone that Duchene has some chemistry with. Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch (via Twitter) links Chicago as another team with some interest. They’ve played themselves back into the race out West and could certainly use another top-six forward.
As for the asking price, it appears to be quite high. Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch reports (Twitter link) that the Sens are seeking a first-round pick plus another asset for Dzingel. Considering the Blue Jackets dealt their 2019 top pick for Duchene and encumbered their 2020 first rounder in the deal as well (conditional on Duchene re-signing), that asking price could make it tricky for them to stay in the mix.
It’s going to be a very interesting few days in Ottawa as GM Pierre Dorion is expected to dismantle a big chunk of their core with Duchene already and gone and Stone likely to be on the move as well. It now appears that Dzingel is also getting closer to having a new place to play.