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Vegas Golden Knights Looking To Move Out Salary

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The Vegas Golden Knights have gone from an empty expansion team roster to a cap crunch sooner than anyone could have expected. The defending Western Conference champs are enjoying another strong season and made a major splash at the trade deadline, acquiring Mark Stone and subsequently signing him to an eight-year, $76MM extension. GM George McPhee made the move knowing that the majority of the roster was locked up through next season and beyond and he would not be forcing anyone out by adding a $9.5MM cap hit to the payroll; or so he hopes. The other side of that coin is the lack of free agents who could depart Vegas naturally this off-season leaves little cap flexibility for the one major extension the team needs to make: top line center and impending restricted free agent William Karlsson. 

Karlsson, 26, bet on himself this past year when he signed a one-year, $5.25MM deal with Vegas following a breakout 78-point campaign. He hasn’t quite replicated those numbers this season, but with 44 points through 71 games, Karlsson is on a 51-point pace and has at least proven that he is a reliable contributor and will almost certainly be able to command a raise in his next deal, which is likely to be a long-term pact.

The only problem is that CapFriendly currently projects Vegas to have negative cap space next season. Of course, this does not take into account a likely bump in the cap ceiling nor does it exclude the cap hit of the injured David Clarkson, but the Knights have joined the select few teams who are in a legitimate cap crunch, where the salary they need to add to complete their roster does not match up with the space they expect to work with. For now, McPhee is waiting to see what his options are before moving forward in talks with Karlsson. The Athletic’s Jesse Granger reports that the two sides have not talked contract yet and do not plan to until after the season. Even if early discussions go smoothly, that timeline almost assures that Karlsson will again file for arbitration and bad decision for the team side could cause major problems.

As a result, Granger expects the team to work quickly to move out salary this off-season. In addition to Karlsson, Tomas Nosek and Malcolm Subban are also restricted free agents, while veteran leader Deryk Engelland and goal scorer Brandon Pirri are among the UFA’s they might be interested in re-signing. It’s a group of players that each made no more than $1.5MM this season, but new deals even at those same values add up in addition to Karlsson’s demands. Granger expects the Knights to have $5.75MM in cap space, which is likely not enough to re-sign Karlsson, nevertheless these supporting pieces as well. The team could also use an upgrade at backup goalie, moving on from Subban for a more established piece.

So who could be on the move to help clear up space? Granger points to bottom-six forwards Ryan Reaves and Cody Eakin as the most likely trade casualties. Although Reaves is valued more for his checking game and willingness to defend his teammates, his nearly $3MM salary is hard to swallow given his paltry offensive contributions. Vegas could find a much cheaper option to fill Reaves’ role. Eakin is sixth in scoring for the Golden Knights this season, but is seemingly locked into a fourth-line center slot moving forward which doesn’t match up nicely with his contract of just under $4MM. Granger points out that both Reaves’ and Eakin’s contract expires after next season, so moving them may not be hard. However, McPhee could opt to deal from a greater position of strength: Vegas’ surplus of defensemen. The team could try to trade Colin Miller, who costs slightly more than Eakin against the cap and has taken a step back in his development this year. The 26-year-old is signed for three more years, but there are surely teams out there who would still be willing to take a chance on his upside. Other possibilities to clear cap space, albeit smaller amounts, are defenseman Jon Merrill and forward William Carrier.

Whatever McPhee decides to do, it is clear that he must move some salary out and the sooner the better once the off-season gets underway. The Golden Knights’ focus is elsewhere right now, but if this promising team is to keep their core together and continue their impressive start to the franchise, they need to do what it takes to keep Karlsson around long-term, even if it costs them in the short-term to do so.

Panthers, Islanders Expected To Be Active This Off-Season

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With the New York Islanders sitting in second place in the Metropolitan Division and the Florida Panthers not yet out of postseason contention, eight points back of the final wild card slot with a game in hand, fans are not yet looking toward next season with plenty of meaningful games left this season. Yet, the two Eastern Conference teams are expected by many to be some of the most active players in the upcoming off-season. The Islanders could have more cap space entering the summer than just about any other team, while the Panthers have not won a playoff series since 1996 and are desperate to take a step forward. Both teams have needs and could look to fill them in explosive fashion this off-season.

Things have gone as well as they possibly could have this season for the Islanders. Despite losing John Tavares and entering the year with an unproven goalie tandem, the team is not only playoff-bound, but also the league leader in goals against average. Robin Lehner and Thomas Greiss have been stellar in net, the team’s young defensemen have taken a major step forward under new head coach Barry Trotz, and the offense has picked up the seemingly insurmountable slack that Tavares left behind. Yet, much of their success could be undone by free agency, which would leave the team in need of making several big additions. Lehner is an impending free agent and the Isles must decide whether or not to commit to the young reclamation project or else seek a long-term replacement, with 33-year-old Greiss only signed for one more year. Yet, the net is not even the greatest of their concerns. Captain Anders Lee and fellow top forwards Brock Nelson and Jordan Eberle are approaching free agency without new contracts. After losing Tavares last summer, it seems almost impossible that New York could also let Lee slip away. But can the same be said for Nelson and Eberle, who are also top-five scoring forwards for the Isles. The team may be in a position where they need to add considerable talent up front, as well as replenish depth.

Currently projected to have the fourth-most cap space of any team this summer, the Islanders could hypothetically re-sign Lehner and their trio of forwards without issue or else find free agents on the market. However, if spending power is not enough to bring in top free agents – like say Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky – GM Lou Lamoriello could explore the trade market. The Athletic’s Arthur Staple writes that the Islanders’ newfound depth on the blue line could help to facilitate a major trade. He believes that the team wants to move forward with a young core of Ryan Pulock, Adam Pelech, Scott Mayfield, and Devon Toews on the blue line. He also mentions AHL All-Star Sebastian Aho as another key piece, while recent high draft picks Noah Dobson and Bode Wilde also deserve consideration. This youth movement has made top defenseman Nick Leddy expendable and Staple believes that he is a talent that could bring back an established top-six forward. The Islanders could also look to move veterans Johnny Boychuk and Thomas Hickey instead of or in addition to Leddy. That trade flexibility paired with ample cap space make the Isles a dangerous player on the trade market this summer, if not all of their problems can be fixed via free agency.

In fact, the Panthers could wind up being an ideal trade partner for the Islanders. Florida leads the NHL this season with five 20-goal scorers and has an offensive game and potent power play that few in the league can rival. However, their defense and their goaltending both leave a lot to be desired. The Panthers don’t have the cap space that the Islanders do, but The Athletic’s George Richards believes that the team plans to make trades to free up cap space in order to hit the free agent market with more bargaining power. Florida is another team that has been linked to the Panarin/Bobrovksy package, while they are also a team that could greatly benefit from adding Erik Karlsson. Richards writes that the team will be “aggressive” in pursuing top free agents, but that doesn’t mean they will succeed in drawing targets to a non-traditional hockey market.

As such, Florida could also wind up making noise on the trade market and a name like Leddy would be the caliber of player they would like to add. Mike Hoffman and Evgenii Dadonov have enjoyed strong seasons with the Panthers this year, but both have just one season remaining and could be on the trade block this summer. There were also rumors that Jonathan Huberdeau was a player that GM Dale Tallon listened to offers for at the trade deadline again and he could do so again for the team’s highest-paid forward. These are names that will move the needle for other NHL clubs. Veteran goaltenders Roberto Luongo and James Reimer? Not so much. However, the team needs to improve on its poor goaltending and to do so would need to move one (or both) of the tandem costing them a combined $7.933MM. This may involve Florida moving picks or prospects as well. There are many layers to the trade possibilities for the Panthers this off-season, making them a fascinating team to watch.

With weeks remaining in the regular season and the unknown of the postseason yet to come, the status quo could change for either one of these teams. As things stand though, there are major question marks for both squads that at this point don’t look like they can be answered until after the playoffs have ended. As soon as that happens, the Islanders and Panthers will become must-watch teams in how they approach the NHL Draft, the start of free agency, and the summer trade market. Both clubs could look drastically different in 2019-20 by way of an active off-season.

Trade Rumors: Hart, Elliott, Tolvanen, Rangers, Senators

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Some bad news on one player could turn out to be a blessing in disguise in regards to another. The Philadelphia Flyers have announced that rookie sensation Carter Hart will be out at least ten days with a lower-body injury. Hart has been playing phenomenally this season and his absence could end what little hope the Flyers had of reaching the postseason this year. However, it will force the team to start Brian Elliott tonight in their Stadium Series game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Philly’s final game before the deadline. Recent acquisition Cam Talbot is still new to the team and unable to jump in net just yet. However, Talbot’s presence makes Elliott expendable and the Flyers are known to be shopping him. The team tried to move Elliott to the Edmonton Oilers as part of the Talbot return, but ended up trading away the younger Anthony Stolarz. However, with playoff-bound teams like the San Jose Sharks and Vegas Golden Knights in need of reinforcements in net, Elliott is very much still in play. A strong performance on a grand stage tonight could be enough to convince those kicking the tires to take a shot on Elliott. Moreso, the injury news on Hart could be the final straw for new GM Chuck Fletcher, as he is still allegedly unsure of whether to sell or not at the deadline. With Elliott, Wayne Simmonds, Michael Raffl, and several others drawing interest, Fletcher should be more encouraged to part with those pieces now that his stud goaltender is out for what could be weeks.

  • The New York Rangers are one of the most talked-about teams as the deadline approaches, as rentals Kevin Hayes, Mats Zuccarello, and Adam McQuaid and even term players like Chris Kreider and Vladislav Namestnikov are drawing considerable interest. The New York Post’s Larry Brooks writes that the Nashville Predators are one of the teams in talks with the Rangers, but it appears that one of their best assets may be off the table. Brooks reports that the Predators will not trade 2017 first-round pick Eeli Tolvanen for a rental this season. Nashville does not have interest in Hayes, but has looked into Zuccarello, however they won’t offer up Tolvanen to land him. Brooks believes Tolvanen would only be available to the Rangers in a deal for Kreider. The talented Finnish forward has only seen limited NHL action thus far, but is still coveted by sellers – not only the Rangers – for his potential. In this scenario, it’s the sellers who may have to ante up with a signed player to get the prized prospect. As for the Rangers, they may have better luck getting a top return for Zuccarello elsewhere. Brooks states that the Calgary Flames and Pittsburgh Penguins are among the teams pursuing the veteran winger, while a report yesterday stated some contenders are willing to pay the price to package Zucarello and Hayes together.
  • Meanwhile, the price for McQuaid has gone up significantly today following the trade of Ben Lovejoy to the Dallas Stars. McQuaid is arguably the top rental defenseman left on the market, currently ranked No. 21 overall on TSN’s Trade Bait List. With the trade statuses of Alex Edler, Niklas Kronwall, Cody Ceci, and others still unclear, McQuaid looks like the top target for defense-needy teams versus the likes of Michael Del Zotto and Bogdan Kiselevich. McQuaid is by no means a star or season-changing acquisition, but he is likely the best available defenseman even as just a physical, stay-at-home defender. If the New Jersey Devils can draw a third-round pick and young roster player for Lovejoy, the Rangers are suddenly looking at second-round territory with McQuaid. To protect their top trade assets, New York will not play McQuaid, Zuccarello, or Hayes today, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
  • Many have felt that the allure of the free agent market for Matt Duchene and Mark Stone and the caliber of return the Ottawa Senators could get for trading them left Ryan Dzingel as the most likely of the trio to re-sign with the team. That certainly isn’t going to be the case. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports that Dzingel recently turned down a five-year extension offer worth more than $20MM, a significant pay raise over his current $1.8MM cap hit. After that, the team made the definitive decision to trade him before the deadline. Garrioch adds that Stone also rejected the Senators’ last offer, and eight-year pact of unknown value, but the team has not yet completely closed the door on a new deal. They continue to take offers on the star winger though, as Garrioch writes that the Winnipeg Jets, Calgary Flames, Boston Bruins, and Tampa Bay Lightning are the team’s most involved in Stone talks. He believes the Bruins are also interested in Dzingel. It remains to be seen who ends up with Stone or Dzingel and how the returns compare to that of Duchene, but one way or another the Senators are walking away from the deadline with a complete lack of star power on the roster, but a massive influx of picks and prospects to show for it.

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.

Senators, Devils Hold Top Trade Candidates Out Of Lineup

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The match-up between the Ottawa Senators and New Jersey Devils tonight could have somewhat of a preseason feel. When two of the NHL’s three worst teams face off, they will do so without many of their top players. Matt Duchene, Mark Stone, and Ryan Dzingel will not dress for Ottawa and neither will Marcus Johansson and Ben Lovejoy for New Jersey.

Both teams have confirmed that the scratches are “precautionary”, but seeing as all five are impending unrestricted free agents rumored to be on the trade block with the NHL Trade Deadline just four days away, it is easy to read between the lines. While the likes of Duchene and Johansson have been confirmed as on the market and likely to be traded, speculation is set to soar about Stone and Dzingel, as well as Lovejoy. Case in point: TSN’s Frank Seravalli has moved Stone up to No. 1 on the TSN Trade Bait List following this news, stating that “sitting out signals his apparent decision to forego a contract extension with the Senators in favour of testing the open market.” Stone and Duchene are now occupying the top two spots on the list, with Dzingel at No. 9. For New Jersey, Johansson comes in at No. 14 and Lovejoy at No. 41. Tonight’s lineup decisions indicate all five could be headed elsewhere in the coming days.

Fans in attendance tonight will likely be disappointed by the lack of star power, but not as much as the scouts in attendance. TSN’s Gord Miller notes that the many scouts still evaluating Ottawa’s big three – who make up 41% of their scoring this season – will likely be frustrated by the absence of not just Duchene, who sat out last game, but also Stone and Dzingel. This includes the Winnipeg Jets, who have been frequently linked to the Senators’ stars. NJ.com’s Chris Ryan reports that the Jets have three scouts in attendance, yet no Ottawa stars to observe. Ryan states that ten teams have scouts in attendance and some were likely there to see Johansson and/or Lovejoy as well, but instead will only see sellers protecting their assets.

Trade Rumors: Johansson, Canucks, Sharks, McQuaid

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The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun writes that New Jersey Devils center Marcus Johansson could prove to be one of the best bargains at the trade deadline. LeBrun notes that Johansson’s stock has dropped due to his recent injury history, but has been back on the rise due to his recent production. Johansson has seven points in his past six games and buyers have taken notice. LeBrun reports that Johansson’s five-team no-trade list should not hinder a deal and Devils GM Ray Shero will pull the trigger, sooner rather than later, if he gets a fair offer. However, LeBrun believes there is a chance Shero will keep Johansson and try to re-sign him if he receives only low-ball offers. Sportsnet’s Elliott Friedman echoes that Johansson is for sale, but that Shero will be aggressive in the sale as he was with Brian Boyle. Friedman names the Columbus Blue Jackets, Edmonton Oilers, San Jose Sharks, and Vancouver Canucks as teams that have already checked in on Johansson, but that will hardly be the extent of the interest by the time the deadline rolls around.

  • Friedman believes that the Canucks, who seem like an outlier among the buyers interested in Johansson, are looking to replace the production of the injured Sven Baertschi as they try to keep pace in the Western Conference playoff race. Although few expect Vancouver to be major buyers, they are still just one point out of the final wild card spot and could make some minor tweaks to stay involved. Friedman adds that Washington Capitals forward Andre Burakovsky is another forward that the Canucks have looked into. Burakovsky makes for an interesting fit in Vancouver, as the Capitals seek a replacement forward in return and the Canucks have their own talented, but underwhelming young forward on the block in Nikolay Goldobin. A deal centered around the duo seems like a possibility.
  • As for the Sharks, Friedman believes that they intend to add forward depth before the deadline. While Johansson seems to be of interest, Friedman notes that a very different style of player could also be in their sights. He believes that a reunion with Eric Fehr, currently with the Minnesota Wild, could be in store. The Wild appear to be sellers now and Fehr, who fit in well as a deadline addition for the team last year, is a logical target for both the team’s cap situation and need to strengthen their defensive play up front. Meanwhile, The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz feels that San Jose needs to target a goaltender before the deadline. The Sharks have received poor results from Martin Jones and Aaron Dell this season – the team has the worst even strength save percentage in the league – and last nights’s game, in which Jones allowed six goals on 20 shots against the Boston Bruins could be the last straw. While Kurz comes to the conclusion that an addition in net is unlikely, he hopes the team considers all of their options.
  • Appearing on TSN 1050 in Toronto yesterday, Bob McKenzie stated that New York Rangers defenseman Adam McQuaid is very likely to be moved before the deadline. The impending UFA defender was acquired from the Boston Bruins this off-season for a fourth-round and seventh-round pick, as well as fellow blue liner Steven Kampfer, and McKenzie feels that the Rangers will move him for any package wherein they can recoup those picks or better. Friedman says similar, writing that there has been “traction” on McQuaid move. The Toronto Maple Leafs have been frequently linked to McQuaid, but the tough, stay-at-home righty should have a significant market.

“Chances Are High” Montreal Canadiens Will Stand Pat At Deadline

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It’s been a surprisingly successful season for the Montreal Canadiens to this point, but don’t expect that to translate to an active trade deadline. Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin has said all along that his team would not be interested in acquiring rentals this season and now another voice has echoed that sentiment. TVA’s Renaud Lavoie, one of the top Montreal insiders, states that he has heard the “chances are high that nothing much will happen” when it comes to the Habs in this week leading up to the trade deadline.

The Canadiens have had a great 2018-19 season and have outperformed most expectations. However, their own success has to be considered relative to the success of teams around them. In the uber-competitive Atlantic Division, Montreal is in fourth place, six points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs, and is unlikely to challenge for a divisional spot. The Eastern Conference wild card race has picked up as well and the Habs will have to outlast the Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins, and red-hot Carolina Hurricanes just to make the postseason. Dom Luszczyszyn’s model for The Athletic currently projects the Canadiens to finish with a very respectable 96 points for the year. However, that gives them an eighth-place finish and a date with the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round. In fact, their 96-point pace only provides a 67% chance of making the playoffs according to the model, with Carolina projected for 95 points and 64% postseason odds. The Hurricanes have the longest active playoff drought in the NHL and are desperate to simply make the playoffs. Can the Canadiens say the same?

Odds are Lavoie’s report of little to no trade action expected in Montreal stems from the team’s own contentedness with how the season has gone. The Canadiens were not expected to make this kind of jump and Bergevin and company can rest easy with their success this year without giving up futures at the deadline. The Habs are not a lock for the playoffs and, if they do make it, would be a round one underdog in almost any scenario. If the team can continue to defy expectations, then that is great for them, but no one can blame management for not wanting to buy in completely on a run this year. The Canadiens have massive amounts of salary cap space heading into the off-season and are expected to be active players on the free agent and trade markets then and have even been mentioned as an offer sheet threat. There’s no need to rush a re-tooling that is already ahead of schedule. Aside from a minor tweak or even a small sale, expect the deadline to come and go in Montreal this season without much to talk about.

 

Ottawa Senators Plan To Trade Matt Duchene

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A “decision” on the trade plans of the Ottawa Senators for impending free agent forwards Matt Duchene, Mark Stone, and Ryan Dzingel has been anticipated all week long. With a week left before deadline day, the Senators have to be listening to offers for all three at this point, but there had been no word of extension talks ending with any of the standout out UFA’s. That is until now. According to several sources, for one reason or another the Senators have made the decision to trade Duchene.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman got the ball rolling late last night, when he reported that Ottawa had shifted their focus from re-signing Duchene to re-signing Stone. Friedman wrote that the Senators and Stone had re-engaged in extension talks over the last few days after abandoning talks with Duchene. He stated that Duchene is now available to all interested teams. This morning, TSN’s Darren Dreger reiterated the point by stating that unless there is an unexpected change in the mindset from Duchene’s camp, the center will be traded. He continued that Stone has bought himself another day or two, but that a decision should be made on the star winger soon as well. Colleague Pierre LeBrun followed that up by stating that several teams have already checked in on Duchene. LeBrun believes that the Nashville Predators, who have been interested in Duchene for several years, and the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are expected to target the Senators’ rentals as Artemi Panarin replacement options, are the early leaders in trade talks.

Of the three Ottawa free agents, many expected Duchene to be the most likely to re-sign, due to family ties to the area. It has also been speculated that there is a chance Duchene could be traded and still sign with the Senators as a free agent, giving him a chance to win a title this year and giving Ottawa some nice pieces to help jump-start their rebuild. However, the reason Duchene originally wanted to be traded by the Colorado Avalanche last year was so that he did not have to endure a rebuild. With that in mind, it was always a strong possibility that Duchene’s days in Ottawa were numbered. Now that he is officially on the trade block, the dominoes could begin to fall. If Duchene is available due to a breakdown in contract talks, that could also hurt the chances that Stone would opt for an extension in Ottawa. Additionally, Dzingel continues to be an afterthought compared to Duchene and Stone, which could result in his departure, unless talks with Stone end soon as well and he becomes the priority. Outside of the Senators organization, Duchene’s market will also dictate the price and interested teams for centers like Kevin Hayes, Eric Staal, and Derick Brassard, while the Blue Jackets’ involvement could heat up trade talks surrounding Panarin and set the market for all rentals. With a week to go, things are finally starting to heat up on the rumor mill.

Edmonton Listening To Offers For Jesse Puljujarvi

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There has been unconfirmed speculation for much of this season that the Edmonton Oilers were open to moving disappointing prospect Jesse Puljujarvi, but now it seems that the team is actually contemplating a trade. TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reports that the Oilers have spoken with Puljujarvi’s agent, Markus Lehto, about the possibility of a move. Rishaug writes that the team is open to trading the top prospect if the right return presents itself.

Puljujarvi, 20, was the fourth overall pick in 2016 but has yet to justify his draft slot. A 6’4″ power forward, Pulujarvi scored with ease in his native Finland and on the international stage. He even did well for himself in the AHL for much of the 2016-17 season. However, the NHL level has been a different story. In 138 games thus far, Puljujarvi has only 37 points. This season, through 45 games, he has four goals, nine points, and a team-worst -14 rating. It has gotten so bad for the young forward, that Rishaug states he is likely to be sent down to the AHL if a trade does not occur.

For his part, Rishaug believes this to be the most likely outcome. Although the Oilers are officially considering moving on from Puljujarvi, Rishaug feels it would take a major return. He states that Edmonton still believes in Puljujarvi and would rather keep working with him, in the NHL or AHL, than give him away at a discount. With draft guru Keith Gretzky currently in charge as interim GM, this is a plausible outcome. However, the question now is whether another team likes Puljujarvi’s potential more than the Oilers. Edmonton may not be eager to move the recent top pick, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t.

Trade Rumors: Panarin, Staal, Dzingel, Clifford

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For all the talk of an Artemi Panarin trade, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun cautions that the Columbus Blue Jackets keeping the star forward as an “own rental” is a very real possibility. Lebrun believes that it is all a cost-benefit analysis for the team, “because there’s almost no chance GM Jarmo Kekalainen simply sells off Panarin without also trying to replace him in some fashion via a separate transaction.” The Blue Jackets are on a four-game winning streak and, with a win last night over the Washington Capitals, leapfrogged their rivals in points percentage to put them on pace to finish second in the Metropolitan Division. Columbus is still searching for it’s first playoff series win in franchise history and is not going to give up all hope of that accomplishment this season when they have played so well all season and could earn a home ice advantage in the first round. As LeBrun notes, that means that if the Blue Jackets do in fact trade away Panarin, they would only do so knowing they could acquire another player of similar ability for a favorable price. LeBrun believes that Kekalainen continues to monitor the situation in Ottawa, as Senators forwards Matt Duchene or Mark Stone would be the most likely targets. However, if the Senators’ asking price for either Duchene or Stone is too similar to the return on a Panarin trade, the Blue Jackets lack incentive to shake up their roster for only a minor gain in trade capital. Most likely, this means that Panarin could stay in Columbus as an “own rental” rather than be traded if, of course, the Blue Jackets remain hot through the deadline, but also if the demand from Ottawa is more of a flip of trade assets from a Panarin deal. If the Blue Jackets cannot walk away from the deadline with both an immediate replacement from Panarin and significant future piece, it’s possible that the star scorer isn’t going anywhere until this summer.

  • LeBrun also touches on another team having to tackle a cost-benefit analysis. The Minnesota Wild are in a tough spot; the team has been in playoff position all year, but have just one win in their past seven games since the season-ending injury to captain Mikko Koivu. At this rate, the Wild are going to miss the playoffs, as the Vancouver Canucks, Colorado Avalanche, and Arizona Coyotes are right on their tail. However, even a slight improvement could be enough for Minnesota to clinch the final wild card spot. But does that mean they shouldn’t also be sellers? LeBrun writes that without considerable improvement before the deadline, first-year GM Paul Fenton will need to seriously consider trading his most valuable rental piece, Eric Staal. Staal’s absence, especially in light of the loss of Koivu, would likely see the team fall out of playoff position. Yet, his presence likely isn’t enough to get them through the first round anyway. For what it’s worth, LeBrun adds that Staal has not made it easy on the Wild to move him. The veteran center’s trade protection includes a ten-team no-trade list, which LeBrun reports is primarily contenders. This could force Fenton’s hand when it comes to making a decision on Staal. However, even if Staal is open to a move, the team will have to consider the repercussions on their season. The return on the trade in future value would have to be worth the immense risk of missing the postseason, even with little hope of advancing.
  • In updating TSN’s Trade Bait List, Frank Seravalli writes that interest is picking up on Ottawa Senators forward Ryan Dzingel. While the media, and seemingly the Senators themselves, have been primarily focused of Matt Duchene and Mark Stone, Seravalli notes that Dzingel is enjoying a career year and teams are taking notice. With his trade value at a new high, his cap hit still low, and no sign of an extension, Dzingel is certainly on the block and is a valuable asset and Seravalli feels that the chatter points toward a trade. He has moved Dzingel up to No. 19 on the list.
  • Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Los Angeles Kings forward Kyle Clifford is a person of interest for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the two sides discussed Clifford during the recent Jake Muzzin negotiations. Toronto could go back to Clifford in their pursuit of a physical, bottom-six forward before the deadline. Like the reported interest in Luke Glendening, the only problem for Toronto when it comes to Clifford is term and salary. Clifford has just one year remaining at $1.6MM, but even that might be difficult for the cap-crunched Maple Leafs to spend on a probable fourth-liner. It remains a good potential fit, but the Leafs will likely look for pure rentals before returning to Clifford, unless the Kings are willing to retain salary.

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