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2019 Trade Deadline Day Recap

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The trade deadline for the 2018-19 season has come and gone, with teams all around the league loading up for a Stanley Cup run. This year saw a nearly unprecedented level of skill available, though things got started quite early. Before deadline day, names like Matt Duchene, Brandon Montour, Mats Zuccarello, Charlie Coyle, Ryan Dzingel, Gustav Nyquist and Nick Jensen all switched teams. However, the day was no disappointment; a slow pace early on ended in fireworks right before the deadline and as deal trickled in right after. Below is a complete list of the 21 trades featuring all but seven of the NHL’s teams made on February 25th alone (chronologically):

To Anaheim Ducks:
D Patrick Sieloff

To Ottawa Senators:
F Brian Gibbons

 

To New Jersey Devils:
2022 fifth-round pick

To Columbus Blue Jackets:
G Keith Kinkaid

 

To Winnipeg Jets:
F Kevin Hayes

To New York Rangers:
F Brendan Lemieux
2019 first-round pick (top-3 protected)
2022 conditional fourth-round pick (if Winnipeg wins Stanley Cup)

 

To Montreal Canadiens:
F Jordan Weal

To Arizona Coyotes:
F Michael Chaput

 

To Florida Panthers:
F Cliff Pu
Future Considerations

To Carolina Hurricanes:
F Tomas Jurco (AHL contract)
Future Considerations

 

To Colorado Avalanche:
F Derick Brassard
2020 conditional sixth-round pick (no pick if Brassard re-signs)

To Florida Panthers:
2020 third-round pick

 

To Columbus Blue Jackets:
D Adam McQuaid

To New York Rangers:
D Julius Bergman
2019 fourth-round pick
2019 seventh-round pick

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Boston Bruins Add Marcus Johansson

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The Boston Bruins have been in search of a top-six winger even after acquiring Charlie Coyle and have found their man in Marcus Johansson. The Athletic’s Joe McDonald was the first to report that the team had acquired Johansson from the New Jersey Devils. TSN’s Bob McKenzie adds that the return is a 2019 second-round pick and 2020 fourth-round pick. The Devils will also retain 40% of the impending UFA’s salary – approximately $1.833MM – so as to allow the Bruins room to allow room for bonuses in their year-end cap accounting.

The Bruins had been linked to nearly every major rental forward available at the deadline, but seemingly balked at the high prices. While Johansson isn’t exactly the right-shot goal-scoring forward that would have been the ideal fit, he will certainly help with the team’s lack of secondary scoring. While injury issues have limited Johansson’s offensive totals in New Jersey, his per-game production has been back at his regular career levels this season. His shooting percentage is also down, but could improve on a superior team. A creative offensive player, Johansson should add to Boston’s potent power play and could slot in on a line with David Krejci or the newly-acquired Coyle. Bruins GM Don Sweeney opted for the safe play at the deadline, but Johansson has the upside to fit in well in Boston (so long as he can put his past with Brad Marchand behind him).

Meanwhile, New Jersey GM Ray Shero deserves credit for the haul he has been able to bring in at the deadline for Brian Boyle, Ben Lovejoy, Keith Kinkaid, and now Johansson. The Devils picked up two seconds, a third, a fourth, and a fifth, as well as young defenseman Connor Carrick in exchange for expiring pieces that haven’t exactly been world-beaters this season. It’s been a nice deadline for New Jersey in an otherwise disappointing season.

Trade Rumors: Ho-Sang, Simmonds, Bruins

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While the trade deadline generally centers around the teams and the general managers making the big decisions, the players are usually well aware of what is going on and where they stand as well. New York Islanders prospect Josh Ho-Sang has been the odd man out this season and knows his time with the club could be be up. He spoke honestly with The Athletic’s Arthur Staple today, saying that he is open to being traded:

I don’t know what’s going to happen, I don’t know what they want to do with me. I’m not opposed to (being traded) if it helps the Islanders get better. For me, obviously I want to play in the NHL, that’s my main focus. For them, if they need to trade me for pieces to go further in the playoffs, improve the great team they have, then I’m all for it.

It’s a well-put statement by Ho-Sang, but one easily interpreted as being from a player ready for a change of scenery. The 2014 first-round pick has only played in ten games with the Islanders this season, after skating in 20+ in each of the past two years. Meanwhile, this has been his best AHL season, as he has scored at a near point-per-game clip through 39 games. Ho-Sang’s game can be streaky and frustrating at times, but his ability is undeniable. As the Islanders move toward adding a top rental ahead of the deadline, a seller will likely be interested in taking a waiver on Ho-Sang’s upside if his time in New York is truly over.

  • It’s been pretty quiet around Philadelphia Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds of late, but TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that “interest has intensified” over the last couple of days. LeBrun speculates that the Flyers’ recent streak of success may have quelled the Simmonds market as the team became re-focused on a playoff push, but he feels the results of their next few games will ultimately determine if and when Simmonds is dealt. More likely than not, the impending free agent power forward will be playing elsewhere by Monday.
  • Even after the Charlie Coyle acquisition, many believe that the Boston Bruins are not done. TSN’s Darren Dreger applauded the trade, but noted that the Bruins did not have to give up much and are likely still in the market for another scoring forward. The Bruins announced this evening that center Trent Frederic has been assigned to the AHL and winger Peter Cehlarik has been recalled, further enforcing the idea that Boston prefers to play Coyle at third-line center. That would still leave a hole on the second line next to David Krejci. Dreger names New York Rangers Mats Zuccarello and Kevin Hayes as among those the Bruins are targeting to further help out their secondary scoring.

Minnesota Wild Trade Charlie Coyle

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Though their head coach made a playoff guarantee just six days ago, the Minnesota Wild have traded away another one of their key forwards. Charlie Coyle has been traded to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Ryan Donato and a conditional 2019 fifth-round pick. The pick would become a fourth-round selection if the Bruins advance past the first round of the playoffs this season.

Coyle, 26, has been involved in trade rumors every time the Wild have hit a rough patch over the last few years thanks to his positional flexibility and consistent production, but this move comes after a particularly defeating loss to the Anaheim Ducks. Minnesota is still technically in a playoff spot at the moment but after losing 4-0 to the Ducks they are now 1-6-3 in their last ten and just a point ahead of four different teams in the Western Conference race. Having already sent Nino Niederreiter to the Carolina Hurricanes, Coyle’s departure may be just the start of a culture change in Minnesota in which they try to start again with a different core group.

Versatility has become Coyle’s calling card over the years as the Wild regularly move him around the lineup, including long stretches at both right wing and center. He hit his offensive peak in 2016-17 when he recorded 56 points, but has just 28 this year through 60 games and has struggled to find the consistency that previously stood out through his career. Still, the big-bodied forward can play in a variety of situations and comes with just a $3.2MM cap hit this year and next. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent after the 2019-20 season.

One of the biggest questions regarding Coyle is where his offense has gone in the playoffs each year. The Wild have faced perennial first-round exits thanks to a struggling postseason offense, and Coyle has been part of those failures. The forward has scored just 15 points in 44 career playoff games, and just six in his last 28.

For the Bruins, Coyle represents an upgrade for their middle-six down the stretch and through next season. Boston has had trouble finding any sort of secondary scoring outside of their top four forwards, and will now add a relatively young option that does have a history of success. It doesn’t hurt that Coyle is a Massachusetts-born Boston University alum and plays a perfect style of game for how head coach Bruce Cassidy likes to run his teams.

Still, giving up on Donato is a somewhat surprising move for the Bruins given his outstanding start just last season. After scoring 43 points in 29 games during his junior season at Harvard and being named a finalist for the Hobey Baker as one of the country’s best collegiate players, Donato burst onto the NHL scene with three points and almost 20 minutes of ice time in his debut. Things haven’t gone quite as well for him since, with just 15 points in his next 45 games but there is still a lot to be excited about with the 22-year old forward.

The Wild are obviously trying to get younger this season and change their core, but on first blush the returns for both Niederreiter and Coyle may seem underwhelming. They’ll hope for more success for Donato than Victor Rask has experienced since his journey from Carolina, which has resulted in two points in ten games and a trip to injured reserve.

Focus now turns to the next moves for both of these teams, as it seems unlikely either is finished. The Wild still have pending free agent Eric Staal and others to deal if they want to blow things up, while the Bruins could still use some more scoring for the middle part of their lineup. Boston has been expected to be involved in the trade market as the deadline approaches, but after this deal it is not clear if they will want to give up the excessive assets required to land some of the bigger names. At least if they do go after the likes of Artemi Panarin, Matt Duchene or Mark Stone they are still holding their first-round pick, something that wasn’t needed to land their newest forward.

Michael Russo of The Athletic was first to report that Coyle had been traded.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Five Key Stories: 2/11/19 – 2/17/19

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With the trade deadline now just over a week away, activity has started to pick up around the NHL.  Rumors of major trades continue, but so far just a few deals have been completed.

Lafreniere To Stay In CHL: Potential 2020 first-overall pick Alexis Lafreniere set the record straight after rumors were circulating that the 17-year-old may opt to sign a contract overseas and follow the footsteps of Auston Matthews who played his draft year in the Swiss NLA. Lafreniere’s agent, Momentum Hockey Agency, released a statement making it clear that while the young talent did look into playing overseas, he and his family decided to stay in the CHL with Rimouski Oceanic of the QMJHL where he’s played the last two years, having totaled 74 goals and 172 points in 110 games. At 6-foot-1, he already has the size and proven ability to play in a professional league, but he will stay put for one more year.

Pastrnak, Maatta Injured: The Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins each took a hit to their team when each team lost a significant player to injury. The Boston Bruins lost David Pastrnak for a minimum of two weeks after he underwent thumb surgery on Feb. 12 after he fell at a team function. The Bruins, who are fighting with the Toronto Maple Leafs for the second spot in the Atlantic Division won’t be helped even if its for a few weeks without Pastrnak, who is the team’s leading scorer with 31 goals as well as 66 points, second on the team. The Penguins also took a hit on their blueline when they placed Olli Maatta on injured reserve with an upper-body injury that would sideline him indefinitely. The team was getting back Justin Schultz from injury at the time, but the team was looking forward to getting back a fully healthy defense, which now they won’t have for some time. To make matters worse, the team had recently dealt away Jamie Oleksiak to make room for Schultz, leaving the team with a lack of depth all of the sudden.

Wild Owner Approves Selling: Just hours after Minnesota Wild head coach Bruce Boudreau guaranteed that the Wild would make the playoffs, Wild owner Craig Leipold announced that he has given general manager Paul Fenton the green light to sell off some of the team’s players in advance of the upcoming trade deadline. With the team dropping four straight and having a 2-5-3 record in their last 10 games, it might be time for Fenton to make his mark on this team after being hired this summer to fix the team’s inability to advance deep into the playoffs. Among the numerous players who could be shipped off include pending unrestricted free agent Eric Staal as well as Charlie Coyle, who still has one more year on his deal. There are also a number of bottom six players who could be moved as well, including Eric Fehr, Matt Hendricks, Brad Hunt, Matt Bartkowski and Anthony Bitetto.

Philadelphia’s Hart Gets A Mentor: The Philadelphia Flyers finally consummated a rumored trade in which it acquired Edmonton Oilers goaltender Cam Talbot for Anthony Stolarz. While Edmonton freed themselves some much needed cap room as Talbot was making $4.17MM, the Flyers got themselves what they hope will be a long-term veteran who can mentor their prized rookie Carter Hart for the next few years. Talbot, who was already familiar with Hart before, waived his no-movement clause to come to Philadelphia and made it clear that he was open to signing a new contract before July 1 to remain with the team.

Ottawa Intends To Trade Duchene: The Ottawa Senators have stopped in their attempts to sign Matt Duchene to an extension and have indicated to all teams that they intend to trade the 26-year-old center. According to reports, the Senators have shifted their focus of signing Duchene to making a full effort to locking up Mark Stone to an extension. Stone may have a day or two to make up his mind on whether he is willing to sign an extension or he too, will be made available to the league with the intention of selling them off at the trade deadline. Already there has been rumors that the Nashville Predators, the Columbus Blue Jackets and the New York Islanders have expressed serious interest in acquiring the center with more suitors likely to join in before the upcoming trade deadline on Feb. 25.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trade Candidate: Charlie Coyle

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With the trade deadline quickly approaching, we will be profiling several players in the weeks ahead that have a good chance to be dealt by February 25th.

Minnesota forward Charlie Coyle has been in trade speculation for several years now and every time it looks like a deal could be close, it doesn’t come to fruition.  However, now that ownership has given the green light to make some bigger moves even if it results in the team taking a step back short-term, Coyle’s name will once again be at the forefront of talks with several teams.

Contract

Coyle is signed through 2019-20 with an AAV of $3.2MM.  However, the actual dollar cost is higher in both years.  He’s making $3.75MM in salary this season and $4.25MM next year.  Coyle will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the deal which does not hold any trade protection.

2018-19

Coyle’s season has been a lot like his 2017-18 which is a bit of a mixed bag.  There are times where he has been an impact producer but there have been long stretches where he has been quiet as well.  He has primarily been used in a top-six role and has shifted between playing the right wing and center depending on Minnesota’s injury situation.  That versatility will be intriguing to teams but at the same time, going back and forth between the two likely hasn’t helped Coyle either.  Coming into the season, the 26-year-old was looked at as a potential bounce-back candidate but the way it has gone so far, he may need a change of scenery for that to actually come to fruition.

Season Stats

58 GP, 10 goals, 18 assists, 28 points, +2 rating, 16 PIMS, 110 shots, 17:06 ATOI, 50.7 CF%

Potential Suitors

Unlike the many players with expiring contracts that will be limited to just playoff-contending teams as suitors, the fact that Coyle is still fairly young and locked up for another year really opens up more options for Minnesota to pursue.

In the East, Boston was linked to him back in November and they still haven’t addressed their vacancies up front so it’s quite probable that they remain in the mix.  They also have several young forwards that could be of interest to Wild GM Paul Fenton in return.  Montreal has been tossed around as a potential suitor for Coyle for years so it wouldn’t be surprising to see them involved as well.  Buffalo has three first-round picks at their disposal and while they may not want to deal one for a rental, they may be willing to do so given that he’s signed for another year at a pretty good rate.  Carolina and Minnesota discussed other players at the time of their Nino Niederreiter–Victor Rask swap and with the Hurricanes still looking for forward help, Coyle was likely in those talks back then and the two sides could circle back to those now.  Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher opted to hold onto Coyle when he was GM in Minnesota which is a sign that he is a fan so he may try to work out a deal for him as well.

Out West, Nashville and Calgary have been looking for forward upgrades and have the long-term salary cap space to fit in his salary for next season.  (Winnipeg doesn’t so they’re not likely a fit here.)  Colorado is a team that appears to be hesitant to make a move for a rental but having Coyle for another year should pique their interest.  Edmonton could use all sorts of help on the wing but they’d need to find a way to move out some salary the other way in order to get a deal done while Anaheim, who could also use some new blood on the wing, is in a similar situation.  Dallas is in dire need of offensive help so they will undoubtedly inquire as well.  Between the two conferences, there are plenty of potential fits for a trade.

Likelihood Of A Trade

Considering the number of times that a Coyle trade looked likely but didn’t actually happen, a deal is far from a guarantee.  However, the odds are probably higher now than they’ve been for quite some time.  Fenton has the green light to shake things up and with Coyle’s cheap cap hit and the extra year of control, he’ll be one of the more sought after players in the coming days.  If the Wild can get a bidding war going, they could wind up with a very strong return.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Minnesota Wild Owner Approves Of Seller Status At Deadline

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In direct opposition to comments made earlier today by head coach Bruce Boudreau, who guaranteed his team would make the playoffs, the owner and general manager of the Minnesota Wild have made other plans. The Athletic’s Michael Russo reports that owner Craig Leipold has given first-year GM Paul Fenton the “green light” to move roster players before the trade deadline given the team’s current slump.

Russo writes that Leipold and Fenton met yesterday to discuss the state of the team. Minnesota has just one win in it’s past seven games since losing captain Mikko Koivu to season-ending injury and has slipped into the thick of the “turtle derby” for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Wild have fallen significantly behind the Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues in the division and now hold on to the second wild card slot by a mere two points over the Vancouver Canucks with a game in hand. Behind Vancouver at 57 points sit the Arizona Coyotes, who are working toward full health, and the Colorado Avalanche, with their potent top line, both at 55 points and a game in hand on Minnesota. There’s also the Chicago Blackhawks at 55 points and even games and the Edmonton Oilers at 53 with a game in hand and a determination to make the postseason. The Wild are by no means guaranteed a playoff spot, even if they keep their current roster together or even make a minor addition or two, as an onslaught of other teams are within striking distance. In light of this situation, Leipold has given Fenton his approval to improve the Wild for the future if he can, even if that means hurting the team’s playoff odds.

So what exactly does this mean for Minnesota? Russo does not expect sweeping changes. He feels that Leipold and the Wild brass still feel that their Stanley Cup window is open, but without Koivu and Matt Dumba, the team’s odds of even making it to the postseason and through the first round are slim, never mind finally winning a title. The core players are likely safe, but Fenton will use his newly-granted flexibility to test the trade waters on his impending free agents and some other expendable pieces. Eric Staal is the player that will jump out to most; the respected veteran is in the final year of his contract and could help many contenders down the middle. Bottom-six forwards Eric Fehr, Matt Hendricks, and Matt Read and depth defenders Brad Hunt, Anthony Bitetto, Nate Prosser, and Matt Bartkowski are all impending UFA’s and should all be up for grabs as well. Among signed players, rumor mill regular Charlie Coyle and buried bruiser J.T. Brown are also obvious names to watch. Russo quickly examines the trade status of much of the roster and settles on Greg Pateryn and Marcus Foligno as possible outside-the-box casualties as well.

There isn’t going to be a fire sale in Minnesota, but no longer are the Wild going to be considered buyers. Perhaps a strong showing by the team in the six games between now and the deadline – four of which are against non-playoff teams – will even convince Fenton to stand pat and hope they can hold on to a wild card spot. However, if Minnesota cannot shake this slump, then Staal and any of the other marketable players mentioned are likely to be gone ahead of the deadline. Perhaps that causes the Wild to miss the playoffs, perhaps it doesn’t, but when the odds are 50/50 as is, the team may as well get what they can for expiring and expendable pieces.

Deadline Primer: Minnesota Wild

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With the trade deadline fast approaching, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs? As we continue with the Central Division, here is a look at the Minnesota Wild.

First-year GM Paul Fenton said it himself today that the Wild “can’t trade draft picks” this year due to their lack of depth in the pipeline. Yet, did they not just trade a fifth-round pick for defenseman Brad Hunt a few days ago? Fenton’s message is clear that the team is worried about their lack of youth on the NHL roster and few elite prospects in the system. He surely does not intend for Minnesota to be a “buyer” in the traditional sense this year. However, there is no reason to think that all of the Wild’s draft picks and prospects are off the table.

Minnesota has quietly won eight of their past twelve games and, while the myriad other teams competing for the final spot in the Central Division or a wild card berth continue to struggle to make up ground, the Wild have pulled away with a three-point lead over the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche. There are still many games left, but Minnesota is starting to differentiate themselves as a legitimate playoff team. With that status comes a need to strengthen the roster and address problem areas – especially the 24th-ranked offense – to make the most of a postseason opportunity. Perhaps Fenton and company can succeed in those goals with pure hockey trades, but odds are the team will warm up to moving more late picks or middling prospects if that’s what it takes.

Record

26-21-3, third in the Central Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$11.87MM of full-season cap hit, 0/3 used salary cap retention slots, 47/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2019: MIN 1st, MIN 2nd, MIN 3rd, MIN or WAS 5th*, MIN 6th, MIN 7th
2020: MIN 1st, MIN 2nd, MIN 3rd, MIN 4th, MIN 5th, MIN 6th, MIN 7th
* – Wild owe the Vegas Golden Knights the better of their two 2019 fifth-round picks in return for Brad Hunt

Trade Chips

If you believe what Fenton says, then the Wild will be unwilling to move their best trade capital this deadline season. While he namely is talking about high draft picks, that likely also includes top prospects like forwards Kirill Kaprizov, Luke Kunin, and Ivan Lodnia, defenseman Filip Johansson, and goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen. The recent emergence of Jordan Greenway at the NHL level also makes him untouchable. If a team is looking to land a top young player for their rental at the deadline, they likely won’t find one from Minnesota.

However, Fenton’s willingness to make hockey trades – one-for-one player swaps – opens up many other possibilities. 26-year-old forward Charlie Coyle has long been a fixture on the trade block and this could be the year that the Wild finally move the two-way contributor and his team-friendly contract. The other roster forward that could garner considerable attention is 22-year-old Joel Eriksson Ek, who just can’t seem to find his way at the NHL level and could use a change of scenery. With defenseman Mathew Dumba potentially sidelined for the season, Minnesota would be hard-pressed to remain a factor in the Western Conference playoff race while also trading away any of their blue line regulars. However, AHLers Louie Belpedio and Carson Soucy could be intriguing options for rebuilding teams.

Outside of the pro ranks, some other prospects who could be on the move include Providence College forward Brandon Duhaime or London Knights defenseman Jacob Golden, but the Wild will likely be hesitant to move younger prospects if they don’t have to.

With every win, the Wild become less and less likely to entertain any offers for their own impending free agents. In what is already a buyer’s market, Minnesota is unlikely to get great value for their UFA’s and would be better served to hold on to them, whether that’s star veteran Eric Staal or valued depth like forward Eric Fehr, defenseman Nate Prosser, and goaltender Alex Stalock. One piece that could move is current third-string goaltender Andrew Hammond, if a contending team is willing to pay for depth in net.

Five Players To Watch For: F Charlie Coyle, F Joel Eriksson Ek, D Carson Soucy, F Mason Shaw, G Andrew Hammond

Team Needs

1) Scoring Winger: To Fenton’s credit, he has addressed many of Minnesota’s needs already, adding Hunt to improve defensive depth, trading for Victor Rask to add another capable center, and even grabbing Pontus Aberg to help improve scoring. However, the slumping Rask and unproven Aberg alone are not going to turn around one the league’s least impressive offenses, especially with Nino Niederreiter now gone. Outside of Zach Parise and Mikael Granlund, no Wild forward has wowed offensively this season. The team needs to add another goal-scoring forward, preferably a winger, and they need to do it this year if they want to compete with other contenders in the postseason. If Fenton wants to make long-term hockey trades, he could look at adding someone like the Los Angeles Kings’ Tyler Toffoli or the New York Rangers’ Chris Kreider in a deal for a player like Eriksson Ek. If he comes around to the idea of an affordable rental, the Rangers’ Mats Zuccarello may be a better option, while the Ottawa Senators’ Ryan Dzingel or the Detroit Red Wings’ Gustav Nyquist could also be fits. It will all depend on the asking price. If they can add two scoring wingers, even better.

2) Draft Picks: One thing is certain – Fenton’s assessment of the team’s pipeline is not wrong. The Wild lack almost any prospects who realistically project to be top NHL players and desperately need to reload the system with some talent. When it comes to moving pieces around, especially if they do opt to trade away impending free agents, Minnesota would be wise to continue to protect their own high draft picks while trying to add more valuable picks along the way.

Atlantic Notes: Lightning, Trocheck, Backes, Schenn

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The Tampa Bay Lightning had two chances to acquire superstar defenseman Erik Karlsson to their lineup and while many still feel that they should have gone out and paid the price to bring one more superstar into their lineup, The Athletic’s Joe Smith (subscription required) looks back and feels the team should be thankful it didn’t do that when it had the chance.

While the Lightning seriously considered trading with Ottawa at the trade deadline and then again in the offseason, the team opted to go a cheaper route and bring in defenseman Ryan McDonagh. That trade was critical, according to Smith, who writes has been crucial to the team’s penalty kill, which was 28th in the league at the time of the trade last season. While he doesn’t contribute as much offensively, that’s one area of the game that Tampa Bay doesn’t need help on.

The scribe also points out that the team would have been forced to move Mikhail Sergachev in any deal to acquire Karlsson, and while the youngster has had an up-and-down season so far this year, the team still views Sergachev as a top-four defenseman and a key piece to the Lightning’s long-term future.

  • Wells Dusenbury of the South Florida Sun Sentinel writes that Florida Panthers forward Vincent Trocheck is ahead of schedule in his rehab on his fractured right ankle that he suffered on Nov. 11. The 25-year-0ld returned to the ice both Friday and Saturday. “It was encouraging,” Panthers coach Bob Boughner said. “I talked to him and asked him how it was to be on the ice [Friday] and he said he was a little sore during the day, but he woke up real good today, so that’s a good sign after his first skate.” Boughner said that Trocheck definitely won’t be back until after the all-star break, but much will depend on how he feels with each step in his recovery.
  • Despite never having any success next to David Krejci, Boston Bruins forward David Backes filled in on the team’s second line alongside Krejci and Jake Debrusk and showed that he might be the answer to their team’s hole there, according to NHL.com’s Joe Haggerty. Backes scored the game-winning goal against Buffalo Saturday and looked like the perfect linemate after the team has cycled through Ryan Donato, Anders Bjork and Danton Heinen all failed to succeed there. The 34-year-old has seen his offense decline over the years from a 30-goal threat to a 14-goal season a year ago. With just four goals this season, the team would be thrilled if Backes could contribute in a top-six role in the future.
  • That report comes a day after Haggerty’s report that the Bruins have expressed interest in acquiring Brayden Schenn from St. Louis. While Haggerty writes that the team has shown considerable interest in Minnesota’s Charlie Coyle, the scribe writes that Schenn would be a much more intriguing option to fill the hole on the second line. While the 27-year-old center’s numbers have been down this year with just eight goals and 23 points, he is coming off a 28-goal, 70-point season last year and could be a big addition to a Bruins team if they opt to go out and get him.

Kings’ Jeff Carter Linked To Boston Bruins

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When one national writer connects a contending team with a trade candidate, it’s simply speculation. When three link the two in the span of a few days, there is usually something to it. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman suggested that the Boston Bruins could be a possible destination for Los Angeles Kings veteran center Jeff Carter in his latest “31 Thoughts” segment. The same day, The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa published an entire piece on Carter’s ideal fit in Boston. His colleague, Craig Custance, also wrote about how the best blueprint for a rebuild in L.A. could be to emulate the Bruins, who recouped picks and young players in 2015 by trading away Milan Lucic and Dougie Hamilton, but largely leaving their core intact. This time around, could Carter be in Lucic’s shoes with the Bruins and Kings swapping roles? It’s looking like a real possibility.

The logic behind a Carter deal is obvious for the Kings. L.A. sits in last place in the NHL, with just 24 points through 33 games. The team is far older than they would like to be given their struggles and, as Custance suggests, would benefit greatly from moving out a handful of veterans to inject youth and potential into the roster along with a solid core of Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty, and Jonathan Quick. It is no surprise that TSN’s most recent Trade Bait list features Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin at No. 2, Carter at No. 5, and Alec Martinez at No. 16. Although Carter, still a capable offensive player, has three years remaining on his contract beyond this season at a remarkably reasonable $5.27MM cap hit and even lower salary, he is also 33 years old and is unlikely to improve in the years it could take for L.A. to return to the postseason. The Kings would be able to add some impressive young pieces in exchange for Carter, kick-starting their rebuild. TSN’s Frank Servalli warns that Carter could use the threat of retirement to decide on his destination, but he would be unlikely to turn down the opportunity to end his career with a contender like Boston.

However, does the deal make sense for the Bruins? Obviously, the first aspect worth noting is Boston’s depth down the middle. Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, while aging themselves, are still playing at an elite level and are both signed long-term. Adding Carter would give the Bruins three centers age 32 or older signed through at least the 2020-21 season. The Bruins would have the gauge the asking price on Carter against the fact that he would most likely be their third-line center. Yet, this alone doesn’t rule out a Carter trade. Shinzawa notes that Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, while improving, is not yet ready for prime time match-ups as the anchor of his own line. Carter would be a very helpful addition in the short-term, especially as the Bruins square off against the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning and their equally impressive depth down the middle. Carter playing alongside a young winger like Ryan Donato or Danton Heinen could be a dangerous combo this season and beyond. If and when Forsbacka Karlsson – or Trent Frederic, Jack Studnicka, or Jakub Lauko – looks ready to take on a regular role over the next few years, the right-shooting Carter could also slide to the wing, where the Bruins have yet to identify a long-term option next to Krejci and Jake DeBrusk. 

The Bruins could find a way to make a talent like Carter’s work, but the cost will likely dictate whether or not a deal gets done. If Carter is playing the Lucic role in Custance’s proposed role reversal, the Kings would likely land a strong if unspectacular return. Lucic had just one year remaining on his contract as opposed to Carter’s three, but was younger and healthier and expected to play a top-line role in L.A. The Bruins received a first-round pick, established backup goaltender Martin Jones (who they flipped to San Jose), and standout AHL defenseman Colin Miller in exchange for Lucic. The Kings don’t need a young goaltender, nor do the Bruins have much to offer in that department. Boston will also be hesitant to move a first-round pick after forfeiting that pick last year in the Rick Nash trade. However, the Kings need scoring and the Bruins have a plethora of young forwards. Heinen could fill the Jones role of an established young NHLer, although the Kings could instead ask for Donato or Anders Bjork, while one of the team’s prospect centers could be substituted for the first-rounder and Jeremy Lauzon or Jakub Zboril could play the part of Miller. Anything more than that package of three talented young players would probably be a deal-breaker for GM Don Sweeney and company, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the combination gets a deal done.

With a seemingly sensible fit on both sides and several major pundits pedaling the rumor, this isn’t the last of Carter-to-Boston speculation. However, the Bruins have also been linked to Carter’s teammate Tyler Toffoli, the Minnesota Wild’s Charlie Coyle, and the New York Rangers’ Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello, yet no move has been made. There is no guarantee that Boston is looking to make a move right now, but as the season wears on these names will only continue to pop up until the Bruins inevitably make a move in pursuit of the Stanley Cup.

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