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Pittsburgh Penguins Looking For Forward

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Even though they seem ready to welcome back captain Sidney Crosby in the next few days, the Pittsburgh Penguins will still be without one of their most potent offensive weapons for the rest of the season. Jake Guentzel is facing a four to six month recovery time after his recent shoulder surgery, which according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, has the Penguins looking for help up front.

Earlier today, Craig Custance of The Athletic (subscription required) also wrote that Penguins’ GM Jim Rutherford is “ready to deal,” though suggested a bit of a different take. Custance listed Alex Galchenyuk and Nick Bjugstad—noted forwards—as players to watch on the trade market. If Rutherford is looking for a swap upfront, it wouldn’t be the first time. Just last year the Penguins traded away Carl Hagelin for Tanner Pearson when they needed a different look. Derick Brassard and Riley Sheahan followed out the door when they were looking for a bit more punch up front, landing Bjugstad and Jared McCann in return. The following summer they traded Phil Kessel for Galchenyuk (after attempting to pry Jason Zucker out of Minnesota), and while that deal had a ton of factors, it still showed the willingness to try something different at the forward group around Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

That may be exactly what is happening now, especially with Guentzel—one of the only forwards on the team to find instant chemistry with basically anyone you put him with—on the sideline. The Penguins do have other assets, but it’s hard to know exactly what would be available in any trade to acquire real impact forwards. A lot has been written about the fact that Casey DeSmith is sitting in the minor leagues while Tristan Jarry runs away with an NHL job, but there is also little certainty in the goaltending position given Jarry and Matt Murray’s contract status past this season (both are restricted free agents at season’s end).

At the very least, you can bet that Rutherford will be willing to take a swing at the fences and go for another Stanley Cup. The team has managed to stay in a divisional playoff spot even with their countless injuries and are now getting closer to having their superstar back at center ice. If there’s a GM to watch over the next few weeks—or really at any time during the year—it’s the one sitting in the Pittsburgh front office.

Trade Rumors: Calgary, Baertschi, Sandin

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The Calgary Flames recently opened up significant salary cap space by trading away veteran forward Michael Frolik and his $4.3MM cap hit. The move occurred on Thursday and by Saturday the word was out that Calgary GM Brad Treliving was already on the hunt to fill that space. The Flames would like help up front and now have nearly $5MM to make and addition or perhaps even two. However, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Treliving and company are not interested in the rental market. The team’s preference is to add a player with term as opposed to using up their newfound cap space on a short-term commitment, especially as they continue to sit outside the playoff picture in the Western Conference. Friedman feels that, if the Flames are comfortable with Elias Lindholm remaining at center, their trade focus will be on adding a right wing. While it is often hard to predict which term players may be available, some top-six right wing options that Calgary can afford and may be available could include New Jersey’s Kyle Palmieri, Montreal’s Joel Armia, Anaheim’s Ondrej Kase, or the Rangers’ Pavel Buchnevich. Of course, the team could also look into negotiating an extension with an available rental prior to making a deal, which would open up options like L.A.’s Tyler Toffoli or Florida’s Mike Hoffman or Evgenii Dadonov.

  • While one might assume that the Montreal Canadiens, currently in 13th in the Eastern Conference, would be sellers this season, the team proved otherwise this week by acquiring defenseman Marco Scandella and signing forward Ilya Kovalchuk. Friedman reports that the team was also considering Vancouver Canucks forward Sven Baertschi before pulling the trigger on Kovalchuk, although continued interest cannot be completely ruled out. It’s easy to forget about Baertschi’s availability, as the Canucks have kept him buried in the AHL for all but six games this season and have performed fine without him, currently riding the league’s longest winning streak in fact. Baertschi, who recorded 106 points in 216 games with the Canucks over the past four seasons, has been slowed by injuries in his career but productive when healthy. He has shown as much this year, scoring at an elite pace in the AHL. The risk-reward winger cleared waivers earlier this season, but as he continues to stay healthy and score in the minors, the Canadiens will not be the only team with interest. If Vancouver is willing to retain part of Baerstschi’s $3.367 cap hit through next season, that will only increase the likelihood that another team opts to take a chance on him.
  • While there has been some speculation that the red-hot Toronto Maple Leafs could turn to the trade market to add depth on the blue line, especially in light of recent injuries, Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston believes that the team may opt to fill the void internally instead. With Rasmus Sandin excelling overseas at the World Junior Championship, Johnston believes that Toronto’s opinion on playing the young defenseman this season has changed. Johnston does not believe that keeping Sandin under ten games of NHL action, so as to allow his entry-level contract to slide one more year, is a priority anymore for the team. He believes that when Sandin returns to Toronto, he will become a viable option for the remainder of the season. Sanin has already played in four games this season, so it would not take much time for him to burn the first year of his contract, but it may be worth it if the Leafs can solidify their back end.

Dalton Smith Clears Waivers

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Friday: Smith has cleared waivers, but was still at practice with the Sabres today.

Thursday: After 86 seconds of ice time and two penalty minutes, Dalton Smith has been placed on waivers according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The Buffalo Sabres forward earned himself an NHL contract recently and played in one game for the team, but could now be on his way back to the minor leagues.

Smith, 27, was actually selected 34th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2010 but failed to bring any sort of offensive game to the professional level. The physical forward has 54 points in 340 career AHL regular season contests, but still earned a deal with the Sabres and a chance to finally make his NHL debut.

Though he didn’t play much, Smith was an obvious message to other players including Evan Rodrigues, who was made a healthy scratch and asked for a trade out of the organization.

There is almost no chance that Smith gets claimed at this point, given he didn’t even have an NHL contract at this point last week. He will be a recall option for Ralph Krueger and Jason Botterill down the road however, if they ever need a little extra toughness in the lineup.

Maple Leafs’ Depth Players Looking For More Opportunity

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The Toronto Maple Leafs are dealing with several injuries at the moment, with Trevor Moore, Andreas Johnsson and Ilya Mikheyev all out up front. None of the trio have a clear return date at this point, which has led to the team bringing up several of their minor league forwards over the last few weeks. Mason Marchment was the latest recall, following Pierre Engvall and Adam Brooks who have now worked their way into the lineup.

One player who many may have thought would be among the first recalls is Jeremy Bracco, who finished the 2018-19 season as the second-highest scorer in the AHL. Bracco’s 79 points in 75 games trailed only Carter Verhaeghe, who is now a regular for the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 22-year old Maple Leafs’ prospect hasn’t been given a look in the NHL yet however, partly because of the position his plays. Bracco is a right winger, the same side where Toronto already has Mitch Marner, William Nylander and Kasperi Kapanen locked into the top three lines.

That’s a tough group to crack, something that Bracco obviously understands. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet wrote yesterday in his 31 Thoughts column that the young forward has asked the organization to see if there is a better opportunity elsewhere. Friedman suggests that Dmytro Timashov and Ben Harpur have both also asked Toronto the same thing.

For Timashov especially, that may come as some surprise. The 23-year old made the Maple Leafs out of camp in surprise fashion and has played in 29 games this season for them. While he isn’t getting a ton of ice time playing on the fourth line, the fifth-round pick is at least in the NHL.

Harpur meanwhile is in a different situation. Included in the trade that sent Nikita Zaitsev and Connor Brown to the Ottawa Senators in the offseason, the 24-year old defenseman has played the entire year in the minor leagues with the Toronto Marlies. That demotion comes after seeing regular NHL minutes the last two seasons, playing 92 games for the Senators since the start of 2017-18.

Obviously, these three names don’t come with a ton of recognition around the league, but the Maple Leafs may not be willing to just give them away. Friedman ponders whether they could be part of a bigger deal, though Toronto will still have to deal with cap implications should they try to add anything to their NHL roster at the moment.

Metropolitan Notes: New Jersey, Andersson, Fines

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The New Jersey Devils have played better under new head coach Alain Nasreddine, going 5-6-2 after today’s shootout win against the Boston Bruins. Even if the playoffs are an unlikely goal at this point, they may still be looking at upgrades on the trade market. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet writes in his latest 31 Thoughts column that he believes New Jersey is “considering” some of the excess defensemen that the Buffalo Sabres have been trying to trade.

Rasmus Ristolainen, Marco Scandella and Zach Bogosian are the names that have been speculated on most over the last few months, though it’s not clear exactly who the Devils would be after. The Sabres have eight legitimate NHL options, not even including names like Lawrence Pilut and John Gilmour who are currently in the minor leagues.

  • Friedman also writes that New York Rangers prospect Lias Andersson is back in Sweden again after recent reports that he was in North America after the holidays. The young forward left the Hartford Wolf Pack earlier this month and was subsequently suspended, after requesting a trade out of the organization. Friedman suggests that the Rangers are treating Andersson just like the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars with their own discontented players, still valuing them as “young former first-rounders”—whatever that exactly means—in trade talks.
  • Evgeni Malkin earned himself a $5,000 fine for high-sticking Jean-Gabriel Pageau last night, not the first time he’s been disciplined for hitting someone in the head/neck area with his stick. Pageau earned his own $2,500 fine for roughing during the incident.

Prospect Notes: Exceptional Status, Jenik, Sandin

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In 2005 John Tavares became the first player to be granted exceptional status by the OHL to start playing junior hockey a year early. Since then, five other young men have been granted the distinction: Aaron Ekblad, Connor McDavid, Sean Day, Joe Veleno and Shane Wright. None of those players have come from the WHL, though that may change next season.

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that three prospective WHL players have applied for the status: Connor Bedard, Riley Heidt and Brayden Yager. There’s no guarantee that any of the three will receive it, but they are obviously names to keep in mind down the road. All three will be eligible for the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.

  • The Czech Republic team at the World Juniors lost badly to the Canadians today, partly perhaps because they didn’t have alternate captain Jan Jenik in the lineup. Jenik has been one of the Czech’s best players in the tournament, but Frank Seravalli and Gord Miller of TSN report that his season is likely over thanks to the knee injury he suffered. That’s terrible news for the home fans at the tournament, but also for the Hamilton Bulldogs and Arizona Coyotes. Jenik was dominating in the OHL this season with 56 points in 27 games after being a third round pick in 2018.
  • Another scare went through Toronto Maple Leafs fans watching the tournament today when Rasmus Sandin skated off clutching his wrist during the Sweden game. Sandin was slashed hard and left the game, but x-rays were negative according to Henrik Sjoberg of hockeynews.se. Sandin of course may be needed by the Maple Leafs this season now that Jake Muzzin is out with a broken foot.

Edmonton Oilers Interested In Chicago’s Brandon Saad

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The Edmonton Oilers are not getting much offense from their other lines and desperately need help. Almost all of the team’s offense has come from their top line of Connor McDavid (22-41-63), Leon Draisaitl (22-39-61) and Zack Kassian (13-13-26). James Neal has chipped in 16 goals, but after that, the Oilers just don’t have the top-six players they need. However, the team is trying to rectify that by the trade deadline as Edmonton has shown interest in Chicago Blackhawks forward Brandon Saad, according to Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins.

The Oilers and Blackhawks might be a good match as Chicago is looking for defensive prospects, something that Edmonton is loaded with. The Oilers’ top two prospects are blueliners in Evan Bouchard and Philip Broberg, although neither are likely to be included in a trade for Saad. However, the team has a number of secondary prospects that could interest Chicago, including William Lagesson, Caleb Jones and Dmitri Samorukov to name a few. Saad might make a good fit as well for Edmonton as he would slot onto the team’s second line and could shift Neal back to the right side, where he has been more successful. The only problems for Edmonton is Saad’s salary, which is at $6MM for the next two years. While the Oilers might be able to make Saad’s salary work for this year, next year’s salary could prove more challenging for the team.

Chicago, meanwhile, has $72.5MM invested in just 15 players next season with several significant free agents, including goaltenders Robin Lehner and Corey Crawford as well as forward Dylan Strome and defenseman Erik Gustafsson. The team might be willing to unload Saad in a cost-cutting effort for next season. Saad is currently out for three weeks due to an ankle injury, but should have been back on the ice for a month by the time the trade deadline rolls around.

Edmonton hopes that prospects might be enough to persuade Chicago to trade Saad as Edmonton general manager Ken Holland has shown an unwillingness to move draft picks, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

“I’ve been told the Oilers internally feel that they have given up way too many draft picks,” Friedman said on 630 CHED radio in Edmonton on Friday. “And as you look back in (their) last five drafts, in four of them, (they’ve) had holes in how many players they could take. So, I think two picks for (Taylor) Hall, that was one of the reasons why (they) didn’t want to do it.”

Friedman also suggests that the Oilers have expressed interest in Tyler Toffoli of the Kings, but Los Angeles would be looking for picks, which could be a stumbling block for the Oilers.

Latest On Rangers’ Chris Kreider

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The New York Rangers are suddenly getting impressive results from forward and potential trade chip Chris Kreider, who has been one of the team’s better players recently, which includes a nine-game stretch in which Kreider has posted five goals and five assists, giving the 28-year-old 11 goals and 23 points on the season so far through 37 games.

The recent hot streak should increase the forward’s trade value as he has become one of the top trade chips at the trade deadline with Taylor Hall already having been moved to Arizona. However, The Athletic’s Rick Carpieniello (subscription required) points out how uniquely talented the forward really is and how the Rangers will miss the top-six forward, especially with their young forward prospects struggling.

However, Carpiniello writes that while it would be extremely unlikely anyway that the team would offer Kreider a six or seven-year contract for $6.5-7MM per year. Kreider’s response when asked about whether he’s had any discussions with the Rangers wasn’t a positive one either. “I’m worried about Toronto tomorrow,” he said. “Not worth the energy, big dog.”

On a radio show, 630 CHED in Edmonton, Friday with Elliotte Friedman, the Sportsnet insider suggested that several teams are in play for Kreider, the Boston Bruins and Colorado Avalanche are the two leading candidates that have shown interest in acquiring the forward.

“Boston does. I think Colorado does,” said Friedman. “I think those two teams really make a lot of sense. Now for Kreider, I’m sure there’s more. I don’t know if St. Louis would ever do it. To me that fits 100 percent with what they like, but I know Boston does too and I know that Colorado has dipped their toe in on Kreider a couple of times here and there.”

Boston makes sense as the Rangers and Bruins have made several trades with one another over the years. Back at the trade deadline in 2018, the Bruins acquired forward Rick Nash, while the Bruins also have unloaded the contract of Adam McQuaid and acquired Nick Holden in separate deals over the past three years. However, the Bruins, who really need help from their secondary lines after the trio of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak, would be an impressive addition.

The Avalanche and Rangers don’t have as significant a history of trading with each other, although they did swap a pair of minor leaguers, including Ryan Graves for Chris Bigras back in 2018. However, Colorado has the young talent and significant draft picks to trade for a player like Kreider, who could make their already solid second line even more impressive as he could mix in with Nazem Kadri, Andre Burakovsky and Joonas Donskoi.

Snapshots: Kapanen, Canucks, Holtby

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The Toronto Maple Leafs roared back to take an afternoon tilt against the Carolina Hurricanes today, scoring eight goals in total (while giving up six against). That kind of offensive firepower is because of the team’s depth up front, even with lineup regulars Trevor Moore and Andreas Johnsson still out with injury. That depth, along with a tough cap situation and defense corps that has struggled has led many to speculate on the future of Kasperi Kapanen, who recently signed a three-year, $9.6MM deal with the team. Pierre LeBrun spoke on TSN radio before the game about Kapanen’s future with the team:

I still talk to some teams that value him and like him. If he were to be made available I don’t think the Leafs would have a hard time gaining value in a trade involving him. In fact, it wouldn’t shock me if they did deal him. I think it’s probably in the offseason that it is before February 24th.

But again, because of the pressure of the cap and the pressure of having to figure out the defense moving forward next year, I think he’ll be one of the expendable parts. Not because I think the Leafs’ front office thinks any different of him, I think it’s just he’s at a certain number and I think they can get cheaper players to play those roles. It wouldn’t shock me if he was involved in a trade in the offseason.

Kapanen, 23, has eight goals and 19 points in 38 games this season. This is the second time recently a major hockey insider has spoken about the ease in which Toronto could trade the young winger, after Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet included a note about Kapanen’s value in his 31 Thoughts column earlier this month. Though there has been no indication that the Maple Leafs are leaning that way at this point, he’ll obviously be a player to watch in the summer.

  • The Vancouver Canucks have gotten standout performances from several young players this season, but as Chris Johnston of Sportsnet points out that may actually have a consequence moving forward. Johnston notes that the performance bonuses of players like Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes and Adam Gaudette could add up to more than $4MM this season, a total that would be carried over against next year’s cap if they don’t have the room on this year’s books. The Canucks already have buyout hits and cap recapture penalties that add up to more than $4MM as well, meaning they could be playing with a much diminished pocket book in 2020-21.
  • Friedman also noted over the weekend that negotiations with Braden Holtby of the Washington Capitals have been put off until after the season is over, something that makes his future with the team even more interesting. Holtby has been a rock for the Capitals for nearly a decade now, winning a Vezina Trophy in 2016 and earning all 16 wins in their Stanley Cup championship in 2018. That said, the team now has young netminder Ilya Samsonov showing what he can do at the NHL level (9-2-1 with a .916 save percentage in 12 appearances) and cap issues to solve with Nicklas Backstrom due for a new deal in 2020 and Alex Ovechkin in 2021. Friedman was clear to point out that the Capitals have extended other players like John Carlson and T.J. Oshie after the season previously, but Holtby may be a different situation entirely.

Sebastian Repo Placed On Unconditional Waivers

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Friday: Repo has cleared waivers and will be joining Lukko back in Finland.

Thursday: The Florida Panthers have placed Sebastian Repo on unconditional waivers according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. This designation usually precedes a mutual contract termination.

Repo, 23, signed his entry-level contract with the Panthers in 2017 after being selected in the sixth round, but hasn’t made it out of the AHL. In fact, he has played just 17 games for the Springfield Thunderbirds this season.

Though this makes him an unrestricted free agent allowed to sign with anyone in the league, Repo will likely return to Europe for the time being. The winger had 26 points in 71 games for his AHL career, but was a much more efficient offensive weapon playing in Finland.

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