The Los Angeles Kings and Winnipeg Jets appeared close to a Pierre-Luc Dubois trade over the weekend, but things haven’t progressed as quickly as expected. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that there is “still work to be done” and that the Jets haven’t even given Los Angeles permission to discuss an extension with the center.
Arpon Basu of The Athletic, meanwhile, tweets that the Montreal Canadiens are still open to finding a way to make it work, if the Kings aren’t able to close the deal. Darren Dreger of TSN adds that the Canadiens have re-engaged, making it unclear where Dubois will actually end up.
- One landing spot has been ruled out for Milan Lucic, as Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV reports that the Vancouver Canucks are no longer in the mix. The Canucks had reportedly expressed interest in the pending free agent forward, who will be leaving the Calgary Flames after three seasons. Now 35, there is no longer much offensive upside in the veteran forward, but he can still be an imposing physical presence on the ice.
- Alex Galchenyuk, the player acquired by the Nashville Predators in yesterday’s Ryan Johansen deal, will not be re-signed by the team according to LeBrun. His inclusion was simply to clear a contract slot off the books for the Colorado Avalanche. The 29-year-old Galchenyuk played just 11 games in the NHL this season, failing to record a single point.
Lucic is a waste of a contract!!!
So then the predators only incentive in the trade is to give the Avs a guy they want for free? I don’t get it.
They save 4 million against the cap
It’s like a trade more commonly seen in the NBA where a guy gets moved into a trade exception, but it’s effectively a trade only as a salary dump.
Saving $4MM against the flat cap must be of more potential benefit to Trotz and Nashville than keeping him or saving less money in exchange for a better return.
The Preds are retooling and or rebuilding, Johansen is know longer in the teams future and Nashville created more cap space it was a good and predictable transaction. Who’s next? Duchene,Saros, Josi, Sissons?
Trotz should’ve at least gotten some low round pick in this deal.
Yeah for them to hold $4 mil for 2 seasons seems like a lot to get basically “nothing” in return. Guess it was cheaper than a buyout? I don’t know! Just seems odd.
Maybe but he may see 4 million as equal value to a lower round pick.
I like that Trotz (so far) hasn’t been the feared Poile 2.0 and seems (so far) to be steering in a different direction. But the hiring of Brunette after recently being arrested for drunk driving (albeit a golf cart) is worrisome. Not exactly a great role model for all these kids in the lineup.
Lucic + Yotes = only spot where his overpay won’t hurt all that badly…
B’s should resign Lucic right now because they need some damn toughness
I miss the old (young) Lucic. Loved his size, grit, and hands. Now, he’s pretty much grit with (sadly) nothing much more left in the tank. Still love him, though!
Lucic has been a fourth liner for five years now. There’s nothing he can do any more that guys like Frederic, Clifton, Greer or any number of players in Providence can’t do.