Atlantic Notes: Schenn, Senators, Roest

In last week’s rendition of 32 Thoughts, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman alluded to the idea that St. Louis Blues captain Brayden Schenn was willing to waive his no-trade clause to join the Toronto Maple Leafs under one condition: that the team also acquire his brother, Luke Schenn.

Specifically, Friedman said, “I heard…Brayden Schenn wasn’t going to waive to Toronto unless the Leafs also got Luke; when all that was going on about teams uniting the Schenn brothers, that’s what I think Toronto was trying to do.” Since he used the past tense and suggested that the team was trying to unite the brothers, it seems likely that this was something the Maple Leafs attempted last year rather than at the present moment.

However, it’s certainly something Toronto could revisit this season. Brayden has less trade protection than he did last year, seeing his full no-trade clause drop to a 15-team no-trade list this season, while Luke is a pending unrestricted free agent playing on a disappointing Winnipeg Jets team. The Maple Leafs have decent depth on the right side of their defensive core, but could use additional insurance should Brandon Carlo go down with injury again.

Additional notes from the Atlantic Division:

• Recently, there has been significant discussion surrounding the Ottawa Senators, particularly regarding the team’s strong statement refuting rumors that circulated online about goaltender Linus Ullmark and the reasons for his personal leave. In a recent interview with Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, General Manager Steve Staios said he wouldn’t change his timing, saying, “So I felt strongly that we had to be there for him, (that) I had to make a statement. And whatever comes with that, I can live with. I’m not going to apologize for standing up for my players when they need it.”
• Jarmo Kekäläinen has made another significant addition to the Buffalo Sabres front office. Earlier today, the Sabres announced that they’ve hired Stacy Roest as a professional scout. It’s technically a step backward for Roest in his professional career, as he was the longtime Director of Player Development and Assistant General Manager for the Tampa Bay Lightning from 2013-14 to 2024-25.