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Trade Deadline Notes: Marchand, Leafs, Nelson, Devils

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The Trade Deadline is mere hours away, and despite a quiet build up, multiple major headlines have started to boil to the surface – all captured by TSN’s latest Insider Trading. The deadline could be headlined by the Boston Bruins parting ways with team captain Brad Marchand, per Chris Johnston of The Athletic during the Insider Trading segment.

A Marchand trade would be era-defining for the Bruins. He has been in Boston for the entirety of his 16-year, 1,090-game NHL career. Cracking franchise record books is a tough feat on an Original Six club but Marchand nonetheless ranks fourth in Boston history in career goals (422), games played (1,090), and penalty minutes (1,113). He also ranks fifth on Boston’s all-time points leaderboard.

Nearly two decades after his first introduction to the team, Marchand now stands as Boston’s last connection to days past. Where Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, Tuukka Rask, and David Krejci have retired – Marchand has continued on. He took on the Bruins captaincy last season and has continued strong production into his age-36 season. Marchand ranks second on the Bruins with 21 goals and 47 points in 61 games this season – only behind David Pastrnak’s dazzling 32 goals and 77 points. Getting Boston to part ways with their captain, their rink rat, and their second-ranked scorer would take a monumental effort, but the right mix of future structure could convince the middling Bruins. Marchand has emphasized his preference to stay in Boston.

More from TSN’s Insider Trading:

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs will continue to seek out centermen and defensemen on the trade market per TSN’s Darren Dreger. They’re exploring multiple options, including Philadelphia’s Rasmus Ristolainen and St. Louis’ Brayden Schenn. Both players are entering the golden years of their careers. Schenn is in his age-33 season. He’s captained the Blues since Ryan O’Reilly left in 2023. Like fellow captain Marchand, Schenn has held to his typical style in recent years. He has 12 goals and 38 points in 63 games this season, while offering stout two-way play and a 50.3 percent faceoff win-rate. Ristolainen, 30, has seen his scoring dwindle as he’s entered his 30s. He has just 19 points in 59 games this season, but does boast a plus-five – the first positive plus-minus of his 12-year NHL career. He’s rounded out his defense and offers a hardy physical presence. On a Leafs team looking for the additions to match big moves by the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning, either veteran could bring impactful depth.
  • The New York Islanders will likely wait until the last minute before they make a decision on extending or trading veteran forward Brock Nelson, per Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. Buzz around Nelson’s deadline availability has ebbed and flowed over the last few months, mixed between reports of total availability and looming extension. The 33-year-old Nelson has 20 goals and 43 points in 61 games this season. He’s one of three players, alongside Anders Lee and Bo Horvat, tied for New York’s lead in scoring. Nelson is set to enter unrestricted free agency this summer and carries a 16-team no-trade clause, which will limit the places the career-Islander is able to go. The New Jersey Devils are among interested teams as they look to bank on accrued cap space after Jack Hughes’ season-ending injury.

Central Notes: Jets, Maroon, Bichsel, Carcone

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The Winnipeg Jets are entering the Trade Deadline with little bargaining pieces but plenty of cap space. That’s the set up for some low-cost lineup tinkering, with left-defense the most glaring issue on the roster. That hole could draw the Jets towards open market options like Boston’s Brandon Carlo or Seattle’s Jamie Oleksiak, per Ken Wiebe and Mike McIntyre of The Winnipeg Free Press. Both players carry a cap hit below $5MM. Oleksiak’s deal expires at the end of next season, while Carlo has two years left and a modified no-trade clause.

The added security and movement protection could make Carlo a tough fish to catch. Oleksiak will likely be much more expendable for the right price. The 32-year-old defensive-defenseman has been a focal point of the Kraken blue-line over the last four seasons. He’s averaging 19 minutes of ice time through 60 games this year, while posting 13 points, 14 penalty minutes, and a minus-eight. That stat line is largely in-line with what Oleksiak has managed in three prior years in Seattle – routinely floating between 15 and 20 points and negative plus-minuses, all while serving from a carved out role on the second pair. Oleksiak is six-foot-seven, 250-pounds and patrols the defensive end with a long reach and heavy physical presence. Winnipeg has tried to net the same impact from players like Logan Stanley – one of the only NHLers as tall as Oleksiak – but to little avail. Stanley has just nine points, 72 penalty minutes, and a plus-10 in 47 games on Winnipeg’s bottom-pair. Any upgrade they make will be solely focused on improving that third-pair’s standing as the Jets plan for a very late season.

Other notes from the Midwest:

  • The Chicago Blackhawks have kicked the door to the Trade Deadline wide open by swapping defender Seth Jones for goaltender Spencer Knight and a first-round pick. All signs point towards the Hawks continuing to sell as the deadline draws closer – with pieces like Ryan Donato, Alec Martinez, and Petr Mrazek all on the block. But of their aged veterans, winger Pat Maroon doesn’t seem likely to join in on the relocation. He told Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times that he’d prefer to stay with Chicago rather than experience yet another deadline trade. Maroon has been moved in February or March three different times in his career, including at last year’s deadline. He signed his first open market contract since 2020 this summer – choosing the Windy City as his landing spot. 54 games later, Maroon must clearly be enjoying the role of veteran leader and Stanley Cup expert in front of Chicago’s young core. He has 14 points, 71 penalty minutes, and a minus-11 on the year, while serving a minimal role in Chicago’s bottom-six. While opening up that spot would certainly open minutes for more top prospects, it’d be tough to see Chicago go against Maroon’s wishes for anything less than a golden offer.
  • Top rookie defenseman Lian Bichsel is progressing in his return from an upper-body injury. He is doubtful for the Dallas Stars’ game against St. Louis on Sunday, but could return when they face New Jersey on Tuesday, per Dallas News’ Lia Assimakopoulos. Bichsel was injured on a high hit from New York Islanders grinder Casey Cizikas on February 23rd. He’s missed two games since. Bichsel has played the first 18 games of his NHL career this season. He has five points, 14 penalty minutes, and a plus-six in that span – and has looked the part of a projectable first-round pick. News of his return on Tuesday will also suggest that Bichsel will continue to hold a role on the NHL roster, though it will be shaky ground as Dallas looks to buy improvements at the deadline. In an aforementioned fun fact, Bichsel is one of the few other six-foot-seven defenders.
  •  The Utah Hockey Club were without depth forward Michael Carcone on Saturday evening. He was listed as a game-time decision due to a lower-body injury, per Belle Fraser of the Salt Lake Tribune. Carcone has filled a minimal lineup role in Utah, with 13 points, 29 penalty minutes, and a minus-seven in 41 games this year. Utah turned towards Kevin Stenlund to fill-in during the losing effort. Stenlund recorded one assist in 11 minutes of ice time. It was his 14th point of the year through 61 appearances. Jack McBain also saw a boost in Carcone’s absence, stepping onto the second-unit power-play. He did not manage any scoring in the fill-in role.

Pacific Notes: Flames, Thrun, Gibson

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The Calgary Flames have defined the last two Trade Deadlines by selling a suite of impactful veterans, but they’re set up to take much more of a back seat this year. General manager Craig Conroy told Sportsnet’s Eric Francis that their focus continues to be adding young players to round out their existing core – not to bring in any major additions. Conroy went on to add that the Flames would be interested in adding a left-shot defender, but that any deal would need to make sense for the club.

Calgary won’t have a ton of trade chips to move at the deadline, with veterans Nazem Kadri, Blake Coleman, Rasmus Andersson, and MacKenzie Weegar all on the untouchables list. Conroy told Francis that their lack of assets has limited the calls the Flames are receiving – but that the market is also quieter than in years past. He went on to praise the efforts of players like Joel Hanley, Ilya Solovyov, and Jake Bean – who would stand in direct competition of any defenders acquired via trade.

The expressed interest could connect Calgary to a scant defender market at the deadline. Vancouver’s Carson Soucy, San Jose’s Mario Ferraro, and Pittsburgh’s Matt Grzelcyk headline a market full of middling left-defenders. The market price has already been set, after New York Rangers defender Ryan Lindgren was traded to the Colorado Avalanche alongside Jimmy Vesey in exchange for Juuso Parssinen, Calvin de Haan, and two draft picks.

Other notes from out West:

  • Speaking of left-defense, the San Jose Sharks will be without youngster Henry Thrun in Saturday’s game against the Ottawa Senators per Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now. Thrun has one goal and 10 points in 51 games this season – one fewer than he scored in just as many games last year. The former Harvard Crimson captain is still very early in his career, but has improved his standing in San Jose’s lineup seemingly every night. He played a career-high 24 minutes in San Jose’s Monday loss to the Winnipeg Jets, and averaged 17 minutes per night on the year. San Jose will turn Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Jack Thompson – who have been exchanging minutes of their own – to fill in for Thrun’s absence.
  • Netminder John Gibson will draw back in for the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday per Derek Lee of The Hockey News. Gibson has missed Anaheim’s last three games after sustaining an upper-body injury on February 22nd. The Ducks recalled Oscar Dansk to serve as the backup behind Lukas Dostal in Gibson’s absence. Dansk has posted an .886 save percentage and 10-10-3 record in 27 AHL games this season. He’s been reassigned to the minor leagues per Mathieu Sheridan of The Hockey News. Meanwhile Gibson will return to platooning in the starter’s role, looking to build on his .916 save percentage and 9-9-2 record amid a resurging season.

Wild Acquire Tyler Madden From Kings

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The Minnesota Wild and Los Angeles Kings have made a minor league swap, with forward Tyler Madden headed to Minnesota for defenseman Joseph Cecconi. Both players are career AHL fixtures.

The Vancouver Canucks originally drafted Madden in the third round of the 2018 NHL Draft.  He spent the next two seasons in a top role at Northeastern University, where he potted 65 points across 63 games. With his eyes on a pro turn, Madden was traded to Los Angeles in a 2020 deal that sent Tyler Toffoli to Vancouver. Madden turned pro in the shortened 2020-21 AHL season and scored just five points in his first 14 career games. He grew to 31 points in 48 games the next year – but has stayed close to the 30-point mark through 71 games in each of the last two seasons. He’s on track to repeat his performance this year – with 25 points in 47 games – but a timely move to the Minnesota organization could give him the spark needed to break 35 points for the first time in his career.

In return, Los Angeles acquired full-frame defender Cecconi to fill the hole left when the Nashville Predators claimed Andreas Englund on waivers. Cecconi was in his first season with the Iowa Wild after two years with the Rochester Americans and five years with the Texas Stars. His 14 points and 41 penalty minutes in 51 games this season continue his tendency for low-scoring and hard-hitting defense through yet another move. Should the Kings face any more blue-line injuries, that style could be enough to earn Cecconi his NHL debut on a lineup that isn’t afraid to ice seven defenders.

Predators Looking To The Future As Trade Deadline Approaches

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It certainly wouldn’t be an overstatement to say the Nashville Predators overplayed their hand last summer. General manager Barry Trotz used free agency to lock up $20.5MM per season in Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei through at least 2028. The moves were transformative. In one fell swoop, Nashville landed Stamkos in his first trip to unrestricted free agency and locked up the top of their lineup. It gave the Predators a roster that, on paper, seemed guaranteed to challenge playoff contention. But the new band started the year with a dismal 5-10-3 record that they haven’t recovered from since.

Nashville now ranks second-to-last in the Central Division with the Trade Deadline just around the corner. That standing will inevitably affect their deadline approach. Trotz told Nick Kieser of Nashville’s 102.5 The Game that he’s met with the Predators’ top players and shared a clear sentiment – either you’re in for the long haul, or he’ll look for a move. That includes potentially asking players with no movement clauses to consider waiving – a group that includes Stamkos, Skjei, Roman Josi, and Filip Forsberg. When asked about his feelings about the failed project, Trotz added that Nashville is already onto the next stage of their long-term plan, and told Kieser, “I’m okay with it. We took our swing, okay? We still need guys to play against top players.”

The Predators haven’t earned much for their high spending this summer. The team is, once again, led in scoring by Forsberg – who has 21 goals and 53 points in 56 games despite Nashville ranking second-to-last in total goals. Marchessault has done enough to earn the second place spot with 45 points – but Stamkos has only recorded 33, and Skjei only 21. Those are far from the top-of-the-lineup stats that Nashville was hoping for, and they could make parting with any failed additions a tall order.

Any of Nashville’s deadline moves will be solely focused on leaning into their future. Their top prospects have been the silver lining this season. Zachary L’Heureux has earned a routine spot in the lineup with his sharp-edged physicality, and each of Joakim Kemell, Fedor Svechkov, and Reid Schaefer seem close to making the jump themselves. But finding space in a loaded veteran lineup has been challenging, especially with bottom-six options like Colton Sissons and Thomas Novak standing as the team’s last line of defense at points this season. Each of L’Heureux, Kemell, and Schaefer are currently listed as left-wingers, and thus compete with Gustav Nyquist, Cole Smith, and Marchesseault for space on the depth chart. Moving one of the three veterans, or even parting ways with a low-stakes centerman, could go a long way towards giving Nashville’s top youngsters some more room to breathe.

Nashville also has six picks in the first three rounds of this year’s draft, which could be enough to land some of the deadline’s top young options with a blockbuster swap. 23-year-olds Bowen Byram and Dylan Cozens have both been rumored to be on the Buffalo Sabres’ chopping block for the right price, and could bring the spark needed to lead Nashville into their next step. Nashville could also make a swing for high-skill, high-upside winger Trevor Zegras, who has slowly drifted away from the Anaheim Ducks in the last two seasons. All three players seem like long shots to head to Tennessee – and it’s not clear how they’d fit into a confused Predators lineup – but landing a big splash could help Nashville turn towards the future without jeopardizing Trotz’s hope for top-line competitors.

Nashville will need to be ready to pay big for any of those young options – especially with Buffalo and Anaheim well outside of their own playoff race. The Predators may instead need to paint Stamkos and Marchesseault as reclamation projects who could make big marks of a playoff hopeful. Both stars are enticing options, even in a down year. They each scored 40 goals last season, and now find themselves pushing to score 20 this year. That speaks to certain upside, should a different team rediscover their offense. Even then, cap concerns will quickly come into the conversation – which could push a cheaper option like Ryan O’Reilly into the forefront. O’Reilly carries a $4.5MM cap hit through the 2026-27 season, and could entice deadline buyers with his two-way play.

A smooth tongue, or the right mix of draft picks, could land Nashville a hefty return for their aging veterans – but it will take a major effort. It seems more likely that the team will clear out their depth chart through moving vets like Nyquist, Smith, Sissons, or Michael McCarron. Those dump offs would certainly open space for top prospects, but Nashville will have to make sure their pricey stars are open to supporting a lengthy retool or rebuild. If not, Trotz may need to find yet another blockbuster to try and push his team onto the right track.

Flames Expected To Activate Connor Zary, Kevin Bahl

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The Calgary Flames are expected to activate forward Connor Zary and defenseman Kevin Bahl off of injured reserve ahead of Sunday night’s game, per Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet 960. Zary has sat out of Calgary’s last 15 games with a knee injury, while Bahl missed the last eight games. Both players have served impactful roles this season, making their returns a notable addition to a Flames lineup just three points back from a Western Conference Wild Card.

Of the pair, Bahl has been the more utilized Flame so far this year. The 24-year-old defender joined Calgary in the trade that sent Jacob Markstrom to New Jersey this summer, and quickly claimed a top-four role in his new setting. He’s posted a tame stat line, with 14 points, a plus-one, 29 penalty minutes, 67 hits, and 79 blocked shots through 47 games this season – while spending much of it lined up next to top Flames defender Rasmus Andersson. That premier partnership has helped Bahl’s average ice time jump north of 21 minutes, nearly four minutes more than he averaged in New Jersey last season. While he still has improvement to go, this season has been Bahl’s first making a top-of-the-lineup claim, after last season marked his first full season in the NHL. He should quickly return to that top-pair role when he’s able to return, likely bumping Ilya Solovyov out of the lineup.

Zary’s bid back into the lineup will be a bit tougher to anticipate. The Flames added Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost and parted ways with Andrei Kuzmenko via trade during Zary’s absence. That’s sparked a lineup shakeup that Zary will now have to find his footing within. Farabee and Frost have filled a third-line role alongside Yegor Sharangovich, which should leave a top-six role next to Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman open for Zary. But the young forward will need to earn his footing. He has 10 goals and 22 points in 40 games this season, a slight uptick to the 14 goals and 34 points he scored as a rookie last year. If Zary can continue to grow that scoring upside, and his knack for making big plays – his return could be the piece that solidifies Calgary’s top-nine as a group to envy. But tepid offense could be the piece that necessitates further changes.

The pair of returns will give Calgary their first chance to see their roster at full-strength after their trade with Philadelphia. Zary and Bahl are two young, impactful pieces of the Flames lineup – and stood as two of the biggest bright spots on the year before they fell to injury. How the lineup performs amid their return will be closely scrutinized, as Calgary hones in on a potentially lucrative Trade Deadline.

Teams Exploring Uniting Brayden Schenn, Luke Schenn Via Trade

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The Trade Deadline is right around the corner and the list of difference-makers on the open market is few and far between. Of the list of names circulating trade rumors, only two players offer the experience of being a 1,000 game veteran, former Stanley Cup champion, and wearing a letter for their team – Nashville Predators defenseman Luke Schenn, and St. Louis Blues forward Brayden Schenn. With both players seemingly expendable options on teams that aren’t headed for the playoffs, other teams are beginning to wonder what it’d take to acquire both brothers at the deadline, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman shared on the latest Saturday Headlines.

The Schenn brothers have each continued their consistent, impactful play through their mid-30s. Brayden has served as St. Louis’ captain for the last two seasons, while supporting the team’s middle lines with center and wing flexibility. He has 11 goals and 32 points in 56 games on the year, while adding 48 penalty minutes, a minus-seven, and a 50.1 faceoff percentage. St. Louis acquired Brayden ahead of the 2017-18 season, and quickly pushed him into a top-six role. He embraced the opportunity out of the gates, netting a career-high 28 goals and 70 points in his first year in St. Louis. He’s leveled out as a routine mid-50s scorer in the years since, ultimately averaging 52 points a year with the Blues – though he did reach 65 in the 2022-23 campaign.

Brayden also been a stout playoff performer in the Blue-note, with 26 points in 51 games over four postseason appearances with the Blues. He has found his groove as an impactful, two-way centerman with the versatility to fill a wide variety of roles, even at 33 years old. Those traits, and his Cup-winning precedent, will make him a desirable deadline option.

But as is natural, the older brother can boast the better numbers. Luke has played in 55 more games, and won one more Stanley Cup, than Brayden while serving as a journeyman defensive-defenseman for the last 17 seasons. Luke’s career started when Toronto drafted him fifth-overall in the 2008 NHL Draft. He joined the Leafs in the following year, and quickly jumped out as a heavy-hitting, low-scoring shutdown option – stamped by his 206 hits in 70 games as an NHL rookie, an NHL record for rookie defenders at the time. Luke tamped down his hitting and penalty minutes in the name of more scoring through the first seven years of his career, but it became apparent as he entered his prime years that his best impact came in his own end.

Through trips to Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Arizona, and more – Schenn built up his propensity for winning the title of heavy-hitter everywhere he went. He averaged 15 points, 53 penalty minutes, and a staggering 245 hits each season through his 20s – stout enough to land with the golden age of the Tampa Bay Lightning when he turned 30 in 2019. Schenn only played in 63 regular season games across two years in Tampa Bay, but his bottom-pair role was enough to earn a name on both Stanley Cups when the Bolts accomplished their back-to-back wins in 2020 and 2021. Luke has continued his wandering career in the years since, leaving Tampa for Vancouver following the second Cup win, then returning to Toronto, and now spending the last two seasons in Nashville.

Brayden has been granted long-term stability, while Luke has moved seemingly every other year – but one more move could await the Saskatchewan brothers. Luke carries a manageable, $2.5MM cap hit through the end of next season, while Brayden’s $6.5MM cap hit through 2027-28 might be a bit tougher to bring in. St. Louis has all of their retention spots available, and could support the finances of a Schenn deal with the right sweeteners – though they’d have to carry the dead cap through the next three seasons. Logistics aside, the on-ice impact of the Schenn brothers likely wouldn’t command too rich of a return. Brayden has settled in as a capable third-line forward with second-line upside, while Luke seems more comfortable serving from the depths of his team’s blue-line. Both are important roles to fill when planning out a long playoff run – and finding a way to land both brothers could be a quick way for postseason hopefuls to shore up their front and back ends.

Jets’ Nikolaj Ehlers Chance Of Re-Signing Will Fuel Trade Rumors

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With the 4-Nations Face-Off out of the way, fan attention is starting to turn towards the looming NHL Trade Deadline on March 7th. The Winnipeg Jets are among the teams still figuring out their deadline approach, with popular winger Nikolaj Ehlers at the top of their docket. Ehlers has provided a decade of serviceable hockey to the Jets franchise – but is set to land in unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career this summer. Winnipeg’s confidence in their ability to re-sign him could directly influence if they shop him at the deadline, shares Murat Ates of The Athletic.

Ehlers is coming off a seven-year, $42MM contract with a manageable $6MM cap hit. He’s seemed to improve in every year of the deal, working his way up to a proud 48 points in 47 games this season. That’s a pace of 74 points in 73 games on the year – which would confidently pass his current career-high of 64 points set in 2016-17. That scoring burst comes after Ehlers broke 60 points for the first time in five seasons last year. At 29-years-old, the winger seems firmly in the midst of his prime – making now a golden opportunity for Winnipeg to sell high. Ates points out that Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has made a point to capitalize on outgoing players in the past – moving each of Jacob Trouba, Andrew Copp, Patrik Laine, Jack Roslovic, and Pierre-Luc Dubois at optimal times to receive a hefty return.

If Ehlers is looking to test his chance at a bigger lineup role before he’s in his golden years, moving as a rental with the freedom of choice this summer could be ideal for both sides. Ehlers has been the subject of trade rumors for many years – largely thanks to just how sequestered his offense seems on Winnipeg’s second-line. The Jets reportedly made Ehlers available for the right return at the 2024 NHL Draft, but weren’t able to find a suitor to take on the final year of his contract. Ehlers faced a routine injury bug from 2019 to 2023 – but found his footing and played all 82 games of the 2023-24 campaign, with great results. It was hard to imagine Winnipeg not asking for a first-round draft pick to start negotiations after that uptick – and Ehlers has only improved his standing this season.

That could make a trade pretty rich for the rest of the league. But Winnipeg do have motivation to clear up minutes in their offense. 2022 first-round pick Brad Lambert is leading the AHL’s Manitoba Moose in scoring this season with a stout 19 assists and 22 points in 38 games. He earned the lead-scorer title last year as well, with 21 goals and 55 points in 64 games. Lambert is still just 21 years old, but he’s already seemed to grow out of the AHL mold. Adjusting to an NHL role will take time but – with an offense firing on all cylinders – the Jets could be poised to find a cushy role for the versatile forward, who can play all three positions. Fellow right-shot, top prospect Nikita Chibrikov has also been performing well in the minors – with 18 points in 30 games suggesting a trial run in the NHL could be in order. Chibrikov scored three points in four NHL games earlier this season.

Cheveldayoff likened the process of seeing Ehlers grow into his own as watching one’s child grow up. But he also told Ates that business is business – and that the Jets would be diligent to put themselves in the best position they can. Winnipeg currently leads the Western Conference by a stride, with 81 points putting them nine points ahead of the three-way tie for second between Edmonton, Vegas, and Dallas. Even better, Winnipeg is entering the deadline with a thriving trade chip who, with a hefty return, could push the Jets in one of many directions. A swap of roster players or a return of draft capital could each go a long way towards shaping Winnipeg’s short and long-term future, while opening roles up for emerging youngsters. The looming question will be if Winnipeg is willing to reach for those benefits at the expense of a tenured pro.

Oilers Expected To Recall Matthew Savoie, Derek Ryan

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The Edmonton Oilers are expected to recall forwards Matthew Savoie and Derek Ryan after the pair joined Edmonton for their Tuesday practice, per Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic. Nugent-Bowman added that Savoie is also expected to join Edmonton on their upcoming five-game road trip to the East coast.

Savoie has yet to make his Oilers debut, but he’s been red hot in the AHL as of late. The Oilers top prospect has 10 points in his last 10 games and 37 points in 43 games on the year. His scoring ranks second on the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors and leads all U21 players in the AHL. The Oilers have to be excited about Savoie’s early showings, after acquiring him for Ryan McLeod last summer. It was a shocking trade, moving Savoie on from the Buffalo Sabres just over two years after they drafted him ninth overall in the 2022 NHL Draft. Savoie played in seven pro games with the Sabres organization. He didn’t score in his sole NHL appearance, but did manage five points in six AHL games.

Savoie returned to the WHL after his short stint with the Buffalo organization, but his hot AHL scoring has carried into his formal rookie season this year. He’ll be a high upside bet for an Oilers offense with all of the firepower to lift him up – though there have been concerns about how his five-foot-nine, 180-pound frame will translate to the top flight.

Edmonton could get a chance to test those concerns this weekend. If Savoie struggles, they’ll turn quickly towards veteran depth forward Derek Ryan. Ryan played in 33 games with the Oilers earlier this year, recording one goal, five points, and 12 penalty minutes. He’s also scored two points in three AHL games – the first minor-league appearances Ryan has made since the 2016-17 campaign. He’s been a perennial fourth-line forward ever since, spanning tenures with the Carolina Hurricanes, Calgary Flames, and now Edmonton. Now 38, Ryan won’t rival the upside and energy that Savoie could bring to the lineup – but he will bring hardy veteran depth behind a shifting Oilers’ bottom-six.

NHL Announces 2028 World Cup Of Hockey

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With the start of the 4 Nations Face-Off just hours away, it seems the NHL is already establishing plans to deepen its international footprint. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA Executive Director Marty Walsh have plans to announce the 2028 World Cup of Hockey tournament that’d split games between North America and Europe, per Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. The World Cup will be a mid-season tournament scheduled over the usual All-Star Break, like the 4 Nations Face-Off. LeBrun adds that this news sets up international, best-on-best hockey every two years until 2036 – with hope for a timeline that includes the Winter Olympics in 2026, 2030, and 2034 and the World Cup in 2028, 2032, and 2036.

Perhaps more exciting is the return to the name ’World Cup,’ suggesting that more countries will be involved than the four represented at the 4 Nations tournament. This would inevitably require the involvement of professional leagues around the world, as neither Czechia nor Slovakia have enough NHL players to staff an NHL-exclusive roster.

The naming of a worldwide tournament will also lead to the eventual question of Russia’s involvement. The country has been expelled from international play since the 2021 World Championship, where they fell to Team Canada in the quarterfinals. The IIHF recently reviewed Russia and Belarus’ eligibility for international competition but chose to maintain the expulsion through the 2025-26 season due to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Hall-of-Famer Pavel Bure was chosen to represent Russia in recent conversations with the IIHF and, citing concerns over player safety, shared that Russia would be willing to finance additional security if it meant allowing “fans across the planet to watch one of the world’s best teams in action again.”

The IIHF’s decision will only apply to events they sanction – that decision only applies to IIHF-sanctioned events, and both the NHL and International Olympic Committee will still need to make their own decisions on whether Russia should play in their events. The NHL moving towards potentially biannual meetings between national clubs sets up an inevitable, and potentially precarious decision on Russia’s eligibility.

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