Pro Hockey Rumors Originals – Page 32

Trade Deadline Primer: Toronto Maple Leafs

By Brennan McClain | at February 22, 2025 6:58 pm

With the 4 Nations Face-Off now complete, the trade deadline looms large and is just a few weeks away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The 2024-25 campaign marks the ninth year in a row the Maple Leafs are vying for a Stanley Cup championship since their competitive window re-opened in 2016-17. Toronto is in the 58th year of their Stanley Cup drought and they’ll have as good an opportunity as any to break that this season. Although it’s still the most competitive division in the NHL, the Eastern Conference feels more open than in years past which should motivate the Maple Leafs to be aggressive at this year’s deadline.

Record

33-20-2, 2nd in the Atlantic Division

Deadline Status

Buyers

Deadline Cap Space

$2.201MM on deadline day + $3.570MM LTIR pool, 0/3 retention spots used, 48/50 contract spots used, per PuckPedia.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2025: FLA 2nd, EDM 3rd, TOR 5th, TOR 6th, TOR 7th
2026: TOR 1st, TOR 3rd, TOR 5th, SJ 6th

Trade Chips

This is where things get interesting for Toronto. The only draft pick worth meaningful value is their 2026 first-round pick but recent history may dissuade them from moving it. The Maple Leafs traded a boatload of first-round picks during the Kyle Dubas administration with only one Round Two appearance in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Toronto was again engaged in some of the market’s top names last season but ultimately played around the edges. The Maple Leafs acquired Joel Edmundson, Ilya Lyubushkin, and Connor Dewar near last year’s deadline. The highest-valued asset general manager Brad Treliving parted with is a 2024 third-round pick and a 2025 third-round pick.

The Maple Leafs have legitimate prospects such as Fraser Minten, Easton Cowan, and Ben Danford with whom they could part ways to land an impact player. Although Treliving didn’t appear interested in moving big-name prospects in his first year at the helm of the Maple Leafs, he’s no stranger to big moves. During his time as general manager of the Calgary Flames, Treliving brought in the likes of Jonathan Huberdeau, Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, and Nikita Zadorov via trade. If Treliving warms to moving a first-round pick or top prospect, Toronto has the pieces to put themselves in a good spot for the deadline.

Team Needs

1) Third-Line Center: Assuming Auston Matthews and John Tavares remain healthy the rest of the way, the Maple Leafs would have difficulty improving their top-six centers. Still, Max Domi‘s 46.9% success rate in the faceoff dot hasn’t done much to inspire confidence in his abilities down the middle. Toronto could move Domi to the left wing alongside Tavares and William Nylander on the second if they acquire an above-average third-line center at the deadline. This strategy rests on what they’re willing to move. The Maple Leafs have plenty of options such as Ryan O’Reilly, Brock Nelson, Brayden Schenn, Jake Evans, and Scott Laughton but it’ll ultimately depend on how aggressive they’re willing to be.

2) Top-Four Right-Handed Defenseman: Potentially a more pressing need is Toronto’s lack of options on the right side of their defense in the top four. Chris Tanev has been exactly what they’ve needed him to be but the only right-handed options behind him are Conor Timmins and Philippe Myers. No offense to that duo but neither are expected to strike fear in opposing teams come postseason play. Again, the solution depends on the pieces the Maple Leafs put in play. Toronto should be involved in the markets for Colton Parayko, David Savard, or Rasmus Ristolainen, with any of the three being realistic additions.

Images courtesy of USA Today Sports.

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Salary Cap Deep Dive: Montreal Canadiens

By Brian La Rose | at February 22, 2025 2:11 pm

Navigating the salary cap is one of the most important tasks for a front office. Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t often see struggles and front office changes.

PHR is looking at every NHL team and giving a thorough look at their cap situation for the 2024-25 season. This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of PuckPedia. We’re currently covering the Atlantic Division, next up is the Canadiens.

Montreal Canadiens

Current Cap Hit: $90,661,575 (over the $88MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

G Jakub Dobes (one year, $925K)
D Kaiden Guhle (one year, $863.3K)
F Emil Heineman (one year, $897.5K)
D Lane Hutson (two years, $950K)
F Juraj Slafkovsky (one year, $950K)
D Jayden Struble (one year, $867.5K)

Potential Bonuses
Guhle: $420K
Hutson: $750K
Slafkovsky: $3.5MM
Struble: $57.5K
Total: $4.7275MM

Slafkovsky has already signed an extension so we’ll just look at the bonuses here. The $2.5MM in ‘B’ bonuses aren’t going to happen but he also has four ‘A’ bonuses worth $250K apiece. He’s on his way to getting one for ATOI while another for assists is within reach. Heineman is in his first full NHL season and was off to a good start before being struck by a car while in Utah. With limited experience (less than 50 games thus far), it’s hard to see him landing a long-term deal. Instead, a two-year bridge deal around the $1.5MM to $1.75MM range might be where his next contract lands.

Hutson has been quite impressive in his freshman year, leading all rookies in scoring, making him a Calder Trophy contender in the process. He’s tracking to hit his three ‘A’ bonuses; he already has reached ones for assists and points while ATOI is all but a lock at this point as well. Meanwhile, he seems like a strong candidate to be the next Montreal youngster to bypass a short-term second deal in favor of a long-term pact. In recent years, the team has effectively operated within an internal cap, trying to keep all contracts below that of their captain. However, with the big jumps coming to the Upper Limit, that might be harder to do with Hutson who could be heading for something in the $8.5MM range unless the Canadiens opt for less than a max-term contract.

Like Slafkovsky, Guhle has already signed his next contract so we’ll only look at the bonuses here. He’s on pace to hit both of his ‘A’ bonuses with ATOI and plus/minus although if his recent injury keeps him out for the rest of the season, he could get passed for the latter. Struble, meanwhile, has been the seventh defender for most of the year but is no longer waiver-exempt, leading to a less-than-optimal situation. With the limited usage, a bridge deal is all but a certainty; whether it’s a one or two-year pact is the only question. A one-year might check in around the $1MM mark while a two-year agreement could be closer to $1.3MM. Meanwhile, his bonuses are games played-based so while he won’t max out on those, he could still get a bit of that. At the moment, Montreal is tracking toward having at least $1.42MM in reached bonuses, a number that would be charged against next year’s cap unless they can get out of LTIR and bank that much in cap room by the end of the season.

Dobes took over as Montreal’s backup goaltender after the holiday break and impressed early on before struggling in recent weeks. If the Canadiens are prepared to commit to him as the full-time backup, his bridge deal could check in around $1.25MM but a one-year pact worth closer to his $874K qualifying offer could also happen if they envision him being back in the minors next season.

Signed Through 2024-25, Non-Entry-Level

F Joel Armia ($3.4MM, UFA)
F Christian Dvorak ($4.45MM, UFA)
F Jake Evans ($1.7MM, UFA)
F Michael Pezzetta ($812.5K, UFA)
G Cayden Primeau ($890K, RFA)
D David Savard ($3.5MM, UFA)

Dvorak was acquired to be an impactful center, being acquired less than an hour after the team declined to match Carolina’s offer sheet for Jesperi Kotkaniemi. However, his role has become more and more limited as has his offensive production. He’ll still generate interest on the open market this summer but it’ll be as a bottom-six faceoff specialist, putting his possible price tag around half of what it is now. Armia cleared waivers last year but has rebuilt some of his value since then as a double-digit scorer and penalty killer. Matching this money might be tough to do but he could still get a multi-year deal somewhere close to that price point.

Evans, on the other hand, has seen his market value go up considerably this season. He’s the most-used forward on the penalty kill in the NHL this season while he’s on the verge of setting new career highs offensively and should surpass the 30-point mark. Given the high demand for centers, doubling this price tag is very realistic, if not a bit more. Pezzetta, meanwhile, has been a frequent healthy scratch this year and played very limited minutes when he has played. It’s hard to see him landing a raise; a drop to the league minimum seems more likely.

Savard has seen his playing time drop considerably this year as he has become more of a third-pairing option at five-on-five. While he’ll still generate interest as a veteran who can kill penalties and provide some edge, it would be surprising to see him get this much on the open market this summer. A two-year deal could still be doable, however, but it’s more likely to start with a two.

Primeau started the season as Montreal’s backup but lost the job at the holiday break. However, he has played quite well in the minors since then and could get another look with the Canadiens over the next couple of months. Owed a $1.068MM qualifying offer, he’s probably heading for non-tender territory unless the two sides can agree on a new deal before the end of June.

Signed Through 2025-26

F Kirby Dach ($3.363MM, RFA)
F Patrik Laine ($8.7MM, UFA)
D Mike Matheson ($4.875MM, UFA)
G Carey Price ($10.5MM, UFA)
D Arber Xhekaj ($1.3MM, RFA)

Columbus had to part with a second-rounder to offload Laine’s contract in full to Montreal (while receiving depth defender Jordan Harris in return). He has been quite streaky in limited action since returning from a knee injury and certainly hasn’t rebuilt his value to the point where it could be suggested that he’s in line for an extension anywhere near this cost. There’s a lot riding on how things go next year to see what type of contract he could realistically command. Dach missed almost all of last season due to injury and hasn’t been able to show much this year. Notably, he’ll be owed a $4MM qualifying offer with arbitration rights in the 2026 offseason but right now, his play likely doesn’t warrant that cost. It wouldn’t be shocking if the two sides ultimately work out a short-term agreement before then, buying some more evaluation time.

Matheson had a breakout year last season, finishing in the top ten in scoring among all NHL defensemen. Had that continued, he could have been eyeing a long-term deal with a raise of several million per year. That hasn’t been the case, however, and with Hutson in the fold, Matheson’s offensive opportunities have dried up to a point. Even so, he could plausibly command in the $7MM range on the open market in 2026. Xhekaj took a bridge contract after having a limited role in his first couple of NHL seasons. Not much has changed on that front so another shorter-term agreement appears likely at this point, one that should push past $2MM with arbitration rights.

Price hasn’t played since 2022 when he suited up five times down the stretch of that season and isn’t expected to play again. Since then, he has been on LTIR. Notably, his base salary for 2025-26 is just $2MM (with insurance covering a big part of that) so after his $5.5MM signing bonus is paid on July 1st this summer, it’s possible he’s flipped with another asset to a team with plenty of cap room to allow the Canadiens to exit LTIR.

Signed Through 2026-27

F Josh Anderson ($5.5MM, UFA)
D Alexandre Carrier ($3.75MM, UFA)
F Brendan Gallagher ($6.5MM, UFA)
G Sam Montembeault ($3.15MM, UFA)
F Alex Newhook ($2.9MM, RFA)

Gallagher has been a regular in Montreal’s lineup for 13 years now but his production and role have taken a dip the last few seasons. While he was a 30-goal scorer a couple of times, his output is closer to 30 points now which is far from a good return on their investment. If the Canadiens decide they need some extra cap room, he could be a buyout candidate. Anderson is also underperforming relative to his contract. He has become more of a checker this season compared to the past and has held his own in that role. Still, someone in that role should be making a couple million less at least although his size and physicality will give him a stronger market in 2027.

Newhook had a good first season with Montreal, setting a new benchmark in points despite missing 27 games due to injury. But things haven’t gone quite as well this season with his output cut in half. Notably, unlike Dach, Newhook’s qualifying offer checks in at just $2.1MM (with arbitration rights) so even if his struggles continue for the next couple of years, it won’t be too risky to tender him in 2027.

Carrier was acquired earlier this season for Justin Barron with Montreal deciding that another veteran on the back end was needed. He has fared better since the swap and has locked down a spot in their top four. He likely would have ended up with a deal like this had he tested the market and not re-signed with Nashville last summer but barring an uptick in production, his next deal shouldn’t cost too much more than this.

Montembeault has come a long way from being a short-term waiver claim to cover until Price returns, moving from a backup role to a platoon piece to now Montreal’s starter. He’s in that role while being at the price point of a platoon player. His numbers have largely been mediocre but playing behind an inexperienced back end probably hasn’t helped. Over the course of this deal, he needs to show if he can be a true number one. Otherwise, he’s likely to stay closer to this price tag on his next contract.

Signed Through 2027-28 Or Longer

F Cole Caufield ($7.85MM through 2030-31)
D Kaiden Guhle ($5.55MM from 2025-26 through 2030-31)
F Juraj Slafkovsky ($7.6MM from 2025-26 through 2032-33)
F Nick Suzuki ($7.875MM through 2029-30)

Suzuki was signed to this contract by former GM Marc Bergevin but current GM Kent Hughes has used it as the yardstick in negotiations for players he has signed with Caufield and Slafkovsky not coincidentally signing for just below that. The captain hasn’t been able to produce as a top-end player just yet but a solid all-around game has eased some of the questions of whether he’s a true top-32 center across the league. Having a player like that locked up long-term at a price tag that should become more team-friendly in the coming years will certainly help although because of the pending jump in the cap, it’s going to be difficult for that to be the benchmark for much longer.

Caufield has become one of Montreal’s top scoring threats but still has yet to clear the 30-goal plateau so from a production standpoint, the early returns on this deal suggest the price tag is a bit high. But considering he’s only 24 and is showing year-to-year improvement, the pendulum should shift the other way in the next year or so. It will probably take longer for that to be the case for Slafkovsky, however. A strong second half last season that saw him lock down a spot on the top line helped earn him this contract but he has taken a step back this year where his production has been more at the level of a second-liner or a higher-end third-liner. Still just 20, it’s fair to say there’s an expectation of improvement but it may take a few years for him to get to the level where this becomes more of a club-friendly pact.

Unlike the three forwards, Guhle didn’t receive a max-term contract for his extension. His contract only bought two extra years of club control but also helped to keep the AAV down. Guhle has been in Montreal’s top three since his rookie season and as long as he can stay healthy and in that role, they should get a decent return on this contract.

Buyouts

None

Retained Salary Transactions

G Jake Allen ($1.925MM in 2024-25)
D Jeff Petry ($2.344MM in 2024-25)

Best Value: (non-entry-level) Montembeault
Worst Value: Gallagher

Looking Ahead

While Montreal has ample LTIR space at its disposal, one of the questions heading into the upcoming trade deadline will be if they can get out of that. As noted earlier, they’re trending toward a seven-figure bonus carryover penalty for the third straight year and this would be the highest one yet. If they can move most of their expiring contracts, they might be able to at least get out of it and absorb some of that cost this season. As far as 2024-25 goes, that’s what to watch for.

Looking to next year, they have a little over $80MM in commitments although that includes Price. If he’s still around, they could stay in LTIR or if they can offload the contract, they’ll have a lot more flexibility. They have seven or eight players that need to be signed with their roughly $15MM in current cap room, including filling several spots that will be vacated by the veterans on expiring contracts so next summer might not be the one where they try to make a splash. They’ll have more than $50MM in space the following offseason and while a new deal for Hutson will take up a fair-sized chunk, that looks like the summer where they can try to flip the switch and add a core piece or two.

Photos courtesy of Imagn Images.

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Trade Deadline Primer: Tampa Bay Lightning

By Brennan McClain | at February 21, 2025 6:59 pm

After a significant roster overhaul last offseason, the Tampa Bay Lightning are chasing their fourth Stanley Cup Final appearance in six years. Whether they reclaim the Atlantic Division title or settle for the Eastern Conference’s top wild-card spot, they are poised for a tough first-round matchup against the Florida Panthers or Toronto Maple Leafs. Both teams have eliminated Tampa Bay in consecutive postseasons, fueling the Lightning’s quest to reassert their dominance in the league’s most competitive division.

Record

31-20-4, 3rd in the Atlantic Division

Deadline Status

Buyers

Deadline Cap Space

$6.122MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention spots used, 43/50 contract spots used, per PuckPedia.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2025: LA 2nd, TOR 2nd, EDM 4th, TB 4th, TB 5th, TB 6th, MIN 7th, SJ 7th, TB 7th, UTA 7th
2026: TB 1st, TB 2nd, TB 3rd, TB 4th, TB 5th, TB 6th, TB 7th

Trade Chips

What Tampa Bay lacks in draft capital quality, they make up for in quantity. The Lightning won’t have their 2025 first-round pick thanks to the Tanner Jeannot trade with the Nashville Predators a few years ago and the two second-round picks they have are expected to fall in the back half of the round. Still, having 17 draft selections over two years is enough to add a few sweeteners to proposed deals while retaining their ability to boost their organizational depth.

Tampa Bay’s prospect depth may be enough to stave off dealing roster players. Although he was recently reassigned to their AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, it’s highly unlikely the Lightning will include forward Conor Geekie in any trade negotiations during deadline season. However, there are a few more forward prospects they could move.

One year after being a point-per-game player with the NCAA’s Michigan State University Spartans, Isaac Howard is going for the Hobey Baker Award. The former 31st overall pick of the 2022 NHL Draft has scored 22 goals and 43 points in 30 games for the Spartans this season good for second in points among college players. Given his exceptional play in East Lansing, Howard would be a commanding centerpiece if the Lightning go big-game hunting.

Other prospects include Ethan Gauthier, Dylan Duke, and Niko Huuhtanen for various reasons. There’s a dramatic drop-off in quality beyond Huuhtanen but the former two offer appeal in varying ways. Gauthier was drafted with the first overall pick of the 2021 QMJHL Draft and has developed into an above-average playmaker for the Drummondville Voltigeurs. Duke is a high-motor forward who’s become an annoying pest in front of the net although he’s undersized for his playstyle.

Given their team needs, the Lightning will likely keep all five of their top prospects. Still, each of Tampa Bay’s core forwards (aside from Nikita Kucherov) is signed beyond the 2027-28 season, making the Lightning well-positioned to mortgage their future on offense for more immediate needs.

Team Needs

1) Bottom-Six Forwards: Although the Lightning should already be considered one of the few true Stanley Cup contenders, they still need a few bottom-six forwards. The combination of Michael Eyssimont, Cam Atkinson, Gage Goncalves, Luke Glendening, and Zemgus Girgensons has averaged approximately two goals and six points in 46 games with a -3 rating. The easiest pathway for Tampa Bay to improve this area of their roster is by contacting the Seattle Kraken. If the Kraken retained 50% of both players’ salaries, the Lightning could afford forwards Brandon Tanev and Yanni Gourde at the deadline. Gourde is familiar with the organization and should come off the LTIR near the end of March. Tanev is another defensive-minded forward who would add explosive speed to Tampa Bay’s bottom six.

2) A Backup Goaltender: The Lightning could also use a more capable backup netminder. Jonas Johansson has been less than average in his role, earning a .890 save percentage and a 3.33 goals-against average in 39 games for Tampa Bay. Thankfully, the Lightning have one of the world’s best goaltenders in Andrei Vasilevskiy who can play between 55 and 60 games of the regular season. Still, when recovering from back surgery at the beginning of last season, Tampa Bay went 9-6-5 without Vasilevskiy before going 36-23-3 upon his return. Either Alexandar Georgiev or Vitek Vanecek of the San Jose Sharks would be affordable backup options for the rest of the season as injury insurance for Vasilevskiy.

Images courtesy of USA Today Sports.

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Trade Deadline Primer: St. Louis Blues

By Josh Cybulski | at February 21, 2025 9:14 am

The St. Louis Blues find themselves in a similar position to the last two seasons. They aren’t good enough to make the playoffs, but they are too good to bottom out and collect a top draft pick. It’s a position not unlike the one the Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves in. Both teams are recent Stanley Cup Champions that haven’t moved into a full rebuild yet. St. Louis is currently eight points out of a playoff spot and would need to leapfrog three teams to land the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Given their position in the West, it’s fair to assume that they will be looking toward the future at this year’s NHL Trade Deadline.

Record

25-26-5, 6th in the Central Division

Deadline Status

Sellers

Deadline Cap Space

$6.025MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention spots used, 45/50 contract spots used, per PuckPedia.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2025: STL 1st, STL 5th, STL 6th
2026: STL 1st, STL 3rd, STL 4th, STL 5th, PIT 5th, NYI 5th, STL 6th, STL 7th

Trade Chips

St. Louis doesn’t have many pending unrestricted free agents of note but will try to move the handful they do have.

Veteran defenseman Ryan Suter could be traded to a team looking for a depth defenseman, but wouldn’t fetch much of a return at this point. The 40-year-old is a shell of the player he once was, but for a team looking for a veteran presence on the backend, they could do worse. Suter has remained healthy for almost all of his late 30s, and while he isn’t the minute eater he used to be, he could certainly fill the role of a seventh defenseman.

Forward Radek Faksa is another name the Blues could look to ship out. The 31-year-old would bring a strong defensive presence to any acquiring team but wouldn’t provide much in the way of offense. He does have a modified five-team no-trade clause, but it’s hard to see that being an issue at this point. Faksa is a free agent on July 1st and with a $3.25MM cap hit, he should be moveable if St. Louis is willing to retain. Trading Faksa won’t recoup all the draft pick capital St. Louis has moved away this year, but it should allow them to bring in a mid-round pick. Faksa has just three goals and seven assists in 44 games this season, but he has garnered Selke Trophy consideration in four of the last seven seasons.

Outside of Suter and Faksa, the Blues don’t have any remaining UFAs but do have some veterans with term left on their contracts who could be moved. Brayden Schenn’s name has popped up in trade rumors for weeks now, and given his resume it’s no surprise that there has been interest in the 33-year-old forward. There is no doubt that there has been a regression in Schenn’s game the past two seasons and with three more years at $6.5MM per season his market at the deadline will be limited. There is also the concern that Schenn’s defensive game has fallen off, which could scare off some teams who view him as more of a third-line option. St. Louis might wait until the summer to move Schenn if they don’t find an offer to their liking but given that it is a seller’s market right now, they could be able to convince a desperate team to overpay in the next two weeks.

St. Louis has some other veterans on expensive long-term deals who have underperformed the past few seasons, which could make significant moves difficult. Pavel Buchnevich and Jordan Kyrou have both had their names mentioned as potential trade candidates and the Blues would probably be more than happy to move on from some of their veteran defensemen as well but will likely be handcuffed by varying trade protections. Nick Leddy, Colton Parayko, Justin Faulk and Cam Fowler all make north of $4MM per season and have at least one year left on their current contracts. Couple that with the no-trade clauses and the Blues are in tough to make substantial changes if that is the direction they want to go.

Team Needs

1) Offensive Forwards – St. Louis has top forwards who can score (Kyrou, Buchnevich, and Robert Thomas). However, their depth scoring has been a huge issue this season (25th in the NHL in goals). If the Blues elect to retool this summer, getting offensive depth forwards should be at the top of their shopping list. St. Louis has not received much offense from their bottom six forwards, and it has allowed teams to focus more attention on the top six and prohibit them from scoring at their usual rates. Buchnevich, Kyrou and Thomas are all having down years and insulating them with more depth might force teams to divide their attention more when defending the Blues’ best forwards. At the very least, more offensive options should provide some help to the top six by taking the pressure off of them to chase the game when the Blues find themselves behind on the scoreboard.

2) Young Defensemen– The Blues backend is one of the oldest in the NHL, with just two defensemen under the age of 31. Philip Broberg looks like he should be a top-four defenseman for St. Louis, but outside of him, their top prospects Adam Jiricek, Theo Lindstein and Lukas Fischer are still probably two or more years away from making an NHL impact. The direction the Blues decide to go in will ultimately determine the urgency with which they will try to find young defensemen, but it is very clear at this stage that the team needs to get younger. The Blues aren’t a bad defensive team (20th in the NHL), but having a more mobile unit will help the forwards get the puck in more advantageous positions and open them up to focus more on the offensive side of the game.

Images courtesy of USA Today Sports.

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Trade Deadline Primer: Seattle Kraken

By Gabriel Foley | at February 20, 2025 7:58 pm

With the 4 Nations Face-Off break approaching, the trade deadline looms large and is about a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Seattle Kraken.

The Seattle Kraken season has been far from ideal. They find themselves near the bottom of the division with little time to fix it. With an average age above 28 years old and menial draft capital, Seattle seems perfectly set up for a fire sale of their aging veterans. They offer value from the top to the bottom of the lineup, with a wide variety of roles and price tags attached. A strategic Trade Deadline could help the Kraken lean into their burgeoning top prospects and build a lineup that can be competitive for years to come.

Record

24-29-4, 7th in the Pacific Division

Deadline Status

Sellers

Deadline Cap Space

$4.65MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention spots used, 46/50 contract spots used, per PuckPedia.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2025: SEA 1st, SEA 2nd, SEA 4th, DAL 4th, SEA 5th, SEA 7th
2026: SEA 1st, SEA 2nd, SEA 3rd, ANA 4th, SEA 4th, SEA 5th, SEA 6th, SEA 7th

Trade Chips

They have an absolute wealth of forward talent rumored to be on their chopping block, headlined by leading scorer Jared McCann. McCann has posted 14 goals and 42 points in 57 games this year, putting him on pace for 20 goals and 60 points through a full 82 games. That’d be a small step down from the 29 goals and 62 points he scored last year, but McCann’s role with the Kraken has only increased. His average ice time is up to 17:28 this season, the highest its been in his four years in Seattle. That includes the mere 16:20 he averaged while posting 40 goals and 70 points, both career-highs, in 79 games of the 2022-23 campaign. McCann has come into his own since Seattle selected him in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. He’s averaged 28 goals and 56 points a season in four years with the Kraken – a 17-goal and 30-point improvement over what he averaged in his first six NHL seasons.

Prying that caliber of player away from a low-scoring Kraken offense will take some convincing, especially given McCann’s incredibly affordable $5MM cap hit and 10-team no-trade clause. He could be a high-upside bet for a team with a role in mind, though McCann’s mere three points in eight games of Seattle’s 2023 playoff run might make a high price too rich for playoff hopefuls.

Should that be the case, the Kraken will have plenty of middling forwards to offer instead. Yanni Gourde has been at the top of trade rumors for much of his time in Seattle. He offers diligent, two-way reliability – backed by 16 points and 36 penalty minutes in just 35 games this season. Gourde also won a pair of Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 21. He contributed 21 points in 48 games from Tampa Bay’s middle-six over the two postseason runs. Gourde was also an expansion draft pick and he stayed consistent through his first two years in Seattle – netting 48 points both seasons. Those numbers have fallen a bit since – with 33 points last year and a 38-point pace this year – but Gourde has nonetheless stayed a popular depth option.

But for all of his hard-nosed drive, Gourde’s five-foot-nine frame may not be as physical as a playoff team would like. Luckily, Seattle parallels their feisty, undersized center with bulky and gritty winger Brandon Tanev. Tanev is one of just three Kraken forwards with over 100 hits this season – with 114 hits in 55 games. He’s added 17 points, a poised eight penalty minutes, and a minus-11 to his stat-line – holding true to his role of third-line bruiser. Tanev is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, carrying a modest $3.5MM cap hit until then. That could make him a cheap rental option for playoff teams looking for more heft, with little detriment to the Seattle lineup.

Seattle’s ability to match the buyer’s need drags on. Fast-paced left-winger Jaden Schwartz and scoring right-winger Oliver Bjorkstrand are both past their prime, and likely wouldn’t carry a tremendous acquisition cost. Among the defense, Josh Mahura seems the most expendable. He’s the cheapest of the bunch with a league-minimum, $775K cap hit – and has just six assists in 45 games this season. But Mahura has added a plus-six and 58 hits – creating a moldable style for teams in need of more depth. For those looking for a more true lineup piece, the Kraken could also expend 32-year-old Jamie Oleksiak, who plays hard minutes on Seattle’s second pair but has 13 points and a minus-seven on the year. Moving either defender would give Seattle more room to lean on promising youngster Ryker Evans on the left-side, or recall hefty, right-shot prospect Ty Nelson from the minor leagues.

Team Needs

1) Young Defensemen – The Kraken have build a prospect pool worth admiring on offense. They’re led by Shane Wright, Jagger Firkus, Jani Nyman, and Logan Morrison – who all look capable of contributing to the top flight for years to come. But their defensive depth isn’t nearly as fleshed out. Nelson leads the bunch, and has managed an encouraging 21 points in 50 AHL games. But the trio of Caden Price, Lukas Dragicevic, and Ville Ottovainen haven’t inspired much behind Nelson – leaving questions as to how Seattle can build around Evans. Bringing in another top, young, left-handed defender would be a great start. The Kraken certainly have the assets to shoot for the moon by acquiring top Buffalo Sabres defender Bowen Byram, who’s managed 29 points and a plus-nine in 54 games next to Sabres star Rasmus Dahlin. Byram has had his lulls, but he’s also 23-years-old with five years of partial NHL experience and one Stanley Cup to his name – rare esteem to find on the open market.

Should a proven NHLer be too rich of a price to pay, Seattle could try to convince a fringe playoff team to part with a top defense prospect in exchange for their solidifying lineup piece. The Columbus Blue Jackets are well within grasp of the second Eastern Conference wild card, and could part with the well-rounded Stanislav Svozil without jeporadizing the future of their blue-line. Svozil has 24 points in 43 AHL games this season – his second pro season.

2) Young, Middle-Six Forwards – The Kraken are in a great Deadline position because of their overabundance of forward talent – but many of their options are in or past their prime. With a dismal record on the year, it’s clear Seattle’s positives lie in the future. Top prospects will soon be coming up, and finding the right role players to support them could go far in returning the Kraken to the postseason sooner rather than later. They may be able to sway the New York Rangers to part with an effective youngster like William Cuylle in the name of a playoff upgrade. Or perhaps expendable Toronto Maple Leafs winger Nicholas Robertson could find his scoring groove in the same slow, shoot-first style that’s supported Bjorkstrand. Both options likely wouldn’t come at a major price, especially for a Kraken team with the roster spots and draft picks to make an addition.

Images courtesy of USA Today Sports.

3 comments Deadline Primer 2025 Pro Hockey Rumors Originals Seattle Kraken

List Of NHL-Affiliated Prospects In The Western Hockey League

By Josh Erickson | at February 20, 2025 3:53 pm

The Canadian Hockey League trade deadlines are in the rearview mirror. That makes it a good time to take stock of where NHL teams have their prospect pool skating ahead of the big league deadline. We’re taking a look at how many prospects each team has in the world’s top junior association, moving onto the Western Hockey League. You can find the list of Ontario Hockey League players and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League players here.

Anaheim Ducks

D Vojtech Port (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
D Tarin Smith (Everett Silvertips)

Buffalo Sabres

G Scott Ratzlaff (Seattle Thunderbirds)

Calgary Flames

F Andrew Basha (Medicine Hat Tigers)
D Axel Hurtig (Calgary Hitmen)
D Eric Jamieson (Everett Silvertips)
F Hunter Laing (Saskatoon Blades)
F Jaden Lipinski (Vancouver Giants)

Colorado Avalanche

F Maxmilian Curran (Tri-City Americans)
D Saige Weinstein (Spokane Chiefs)

Columbus Blue Jackets

D Charlie Elick (Tri-City Americans)
G Evan Gardner (Saskatoon Blades)
F Cayden Lindstrom (Medicine Hat Tigers)

Dallas Stars

D Niilopekka Muhonen (Medicine Hat Tigers)

Detroit Red Wings

F Emmett Finnie (Kamloops Blazers)

Florida Panthers

F Gracyn Sawchyn (Edmonton Oil Kings)
F Hunter St. Martin (Medicine Hat Tigers)

Los Angeles Kings

F Koehn Ziemmer (Prince George Cougars)

Minnesota Wild

F Riley Heidt (Prince George Cougars)
D Kalem Parker (Calgary Hitmen)
F Ryder Ritchie (Medicine Hat Tigers)
G Chase Wutzke (Red Deer Rebels)

Montreal Canadiens

F Tyler Thorpe (Vancouver Giants)

Nashville Predators

F Hiroki Gojsic (Kelowna Rockets)
F Kalan Lind (Red Deer Rebels)
F Miguel Marques (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
D Tanner Molendyk (Medicine Hat Tigers)

New Jersey Devils

F Max Graham (Kelowna Rockets)

Ottawa Senators

D Carter Yakemchuk (Calgary Hitmen)

Philadelphia Flyers

G Carson Bjarnason (Brandon Wheat Kings)
D Carter Sotheran (Portland Winterhawks)

Pittsburgh Penguins

D Harrison Brunicke (Kamloops Blazers)
F Tanner Howe (Calgary Hitmen)

San Jose Sharks

D Nate Misskey (Victoria Royals)
D Colton Roberts (Vancouver Giants)
F Carson Wetsch (Calgary Hitmen)

Seattle Kraken

F Clarke Caswell (Swift Current Broncos)
F Berkly Catton (Spokane Chiefs)
D Lukas Dragicevic (Prince Albert Raiders)
D Kaden Hammell (Everett Silvertips)
F Ollie Josephson (Red Deer Rebels)
D Tyson Jugnauth (Portland Winterhawks)
F Julius Miettinen (Everett Silvertips)
D Caden Price (Lethbridge Hurricanes)

St. Louis Blues

F Adam Jecho (Edmonton Oil Kings)
D William McIsaac (Spokane Chiefs)
F Tomas Mrsic (Prince Albert Raiders)
F Jakub Stancl (Kelowna Rockets)

Tampa Bay Lightning

G Harrison Meneghin (Medicine Hat Tigers)

Toronto Maple Leafs

D Noah Chadwick (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
F Miroslav Holinka (Edmonton Oil Kings)
D Nathan Mayes (Spokane Chiefs)

Utah Hockey Club

D Terrell Goldsmith (Tri-City Americans)
F Tij Iginla (Kelowna Rockets)
D Justin Kipkie (Victoria Royals)
D Veeti Väisänen (Medicine Hat Tigers)

Vancouver Canucks

D Parker Alcos (Edmonton Oil Kings)
D Sawyer Mynio (Calgary Hitmen)

Vegas Golden Knights

F Jordan Gustafson (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
D Viliam Kmec (Prince George Cougars)

Washington Capitals

F Andrew Cristall (Spokane Chiefs)
F Terik Parascak (Prince George Cougars)

Winnipeg Jets

F Connor Levis (Vancouver Giants)
F Markus Loponen (Victoria Royals)
F Brayden Yager (Lethbridge Hurricanes)

2 comments Pro Hockey Rumors Originals WHL

Trade Deadline Primer: San Jose Sharks

By Josh Cybulski | at February 20, 2025 9:51 am

With the 4 Nations Face-Off break now almost over, the trade deadline looms large and is less than three weeks away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the San Jose Sharks.

San Jose remains deep in a rebuild and is currently dead last in the NHL in points. As you would expect, they have already begun their trade deadline sell-off by moving out the likes of Mikael Granlund, Cody Ceci, and Mackenzie Blackwood. The Sharks are unlikely to make any big moves heading into the deadline since they’ve moved on from their more notable UFAs, though they do have a few depth pieces remaining on expiring contracts who could be of interest to buyers. One issue that could plague San Jose at the deadline is their inability to retain salary thanks to the trades of Brent Burns, Erik Karlsson and Tomas Hertl. However, Sharks’ general manager Mike Grier has shown an ability to get creative when he needs to and will likely do more of the same as he tries to maximize the assets he does have.

Record

15-35-7, 8th in the Pacific

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$32.86MM on deadline day, 3/3 retention slots used, 46/50 contracts used, per PuckPedia.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2025: SJS 1st, DAL 1st, SJS 2nd, COL 3rd, SJS 4th, WPG 4th, COL 5th, NJ 7th
2026: SJS 1st, SJS 2nd, COL 2nd, SJ 4th, SJS 7th,

Trade Chips

As mentioned, San Jose has been busy this year moving out some of their more desirable assets. However, they do have some remaining veterans on expiring deals who could help teams.

Luke Kunin is a depth center who has had poor possession numbers for much of his professional career. He is physical and can score in a fourth-line role, hitting double digits in goals five times in his career. The 27-year-old is overpaid at $2.75MM. However, the acquiring team would only need to fit him under the cap for the remainder of this season. Physical players are always in demand for the playoffs, so Kunin will likely find a new home before the deadline, though it’s unlikely that an acquiring team will give up more than a late-round draft pick. San Jose also can’t retain on any trades, so the team trading for Kunin would need to pick up the full freight of his contract.

Another depth forward the Sharks could dangle is Nico Sturm. The 29-year-old is also in the final year of his deal and is counting $2MM against the salary cap. Sturm is similar to Kunin in a lot of ways but is less physical, although he has a big body and probably has more utility. Sturm’s possession numbers aren’t terrible, and he does offer more of a two-way presence than Kunin. Sturm could thrive in a sheltered fourth-line role on a solid team but won’t break the bank for any team looking to acquire him. Much like Kunin, any team that does trade for Sturm will need to pick up the full tab on the remainder of his contract, which will limit suitors and the cost to acquire.

Jan Rutta was a salary dump by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Erik Karlsson trade and has struggled in San Jose. The 34-year-old is on pace to commit more turnovers this season than the past six years combined. Rutta was never the fleetest of foot, but he can thrive in a sheltered third pairing role with a mobile defensive partner. Rutta is a two-time Stanley Cup Champion with Tampa Bay and was good during those runs, but he did benefit greatly from playing with Victor Hedman. Rutta will have suitors because he is a right shot defenseman, but at $2.75MM for the rest of the season, it is hard to see teams giving up much more than a mid-round pick for him.

The final two trade chips that San Jose could dangle are goaltenders Vítek Vaněček and Alexandar Georgiev, both of whom are UFAs this summer. The difficulty with moving either man is that neither one is a starter at this point in their careers, and without retention, they would make for an expensive and possibly ineffective backup. Vaněček has posted a goals against north of 4.00 this season, and his goals saved above expected is -9.1, which is the seventh worst in the NHL. Georgiev has posted even worse numbers, tallying a goals saved above expected of -12.1, which is the second worst in the entire NHL (as per Money Puck).

Team Needs

1) Young Roster Players: The Sharks have the NHL’s best prospect pool, according to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic, and while they have an embarrassment of riches in the pipeline, they are going to need to start getting contributions at the NHL level sooner than later. The Sharks could be in line for another down year next season, and with that being said, the team will likely start to convert notable prospects and draft picks into roster players as they look to surround the young players already in the NHL with better talent. The Sharks can ill afford to leave their young NHL stars in a similar position to the one the Edmonton Oilers did with their top draft picks during the 2010s. Mike Grier has already started this process with the move for goaltender Yaroslav Askarov and could do so again as he pinpoints which part of the roster he is going to need to address.

2) Young Defensemen: The Sharks have some solid defensive prospects such as Luca Cagnoni, as well as highly touted prospect Sam Dickinson. They also have youngster Jack Thompson at the pro level, who looks promising, and Shakir Mukhamadullin, who has played in 13 games this season. Both Thompson and Mukhamadullin look like NHL defensemen, but it remains to be seen what their ceiling will be. The Sharks’ prospect cupboard is forward-heavy, and at some point, they will need to be sure that they have NHL-caliber defensemen to play with their skilled forward group. Finding a right shot defensemen is especially hard in the NHL, and Grier might opt to make his swings at it now rather than later when the cost could be higher. San Jose likely won’t rush to make this move before the deadline, but they will be taking a hard look at what their best course of action is going forward. Given that they have a deep prospect pool and good draft capital, they could jump-start their rebuild with some young defensemen who can elevate their forwards and make life easier for the goaltender of the future, Askarov.

Photo courtesy of Imagn Images.

6 comments Deadline Primer 2025 Pro Hockey Rumors Originals San Jose Sharks Trade Deadline

Trade Deadline Primer: Pittsburgh Penguins

By Brian La Rose | at February 19, 2025 7:59 pm

Things haven’t gone exactly as planned for the Penguins this season. After tweaking their roster, GM Kyle Dubas hoped that this group would be able to hang around the playoff picture. While they’re still within striking distance of a playoff spot, they’ve already dealt away their top rental, signaling that they will likely be subtracting from their roster once again at the deadline.