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Senators, Karlsson Trying To Get Trade Done By Deadline

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The Ottawa Senators and Erik Karlsson are both working hard on making a deal happen by the trade deadline with the Tampa Bay Lightning being the leading candidate to acquire the star defenseman, according to Elliotte Friedman Saturday on Hockey Night in Canada.

“Whatever gets said, the belief is the Ottawa Senators want to try to make this happen and Erik Karlsson wants it to happen, and they have been grinding away in the last two or three days to see if they can,” Friedman said. “Obviously Tampa Bay is a leading contender, I think they’ve thrown several different proposals at each other.”

While negotiations haven’t reached their final stages, other teams have also shown interest in Karlsson, including the Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks and the Vegas Golden Knights.

The idea that Karlsson could end up in Tampa Bay is not unrealistic considering he is close friends with fellow Swede Victor Hedman. The two playing on the Lightning’s blueline could be the ultimate piece for a team that want to win a Stanley Cup this year. However, what would be the cost? While Tampa Bay has quite a lot of solid prospects they could deal, Ottawa would almost definitely be looking for a major piece from the team’s active roster with names such as Brayden Point, Yanni Gourde and Vladislav Namestnikov, rumored to be names that Ottawa would want back.

“I’m sure the names Brayden Point and Yanni Gourde have come up, but at the very least it might even cost them [Vladislav] Namestnikov and we know how important he is to the first line in Tampa Bay,” said Kypreos on the same segment of Hockey Night in Canada. “But Ottawa wants a major piece back.”

Friedman added in the segment that he believes if Ottawa is willing to accept Namestnikov as the centerpiece of the deal, “that’s something that Tampa would do.” However, the real question is what else would Ottawa want? The team is unlikely to part with 19-year-old Mikhail Sergachev, who seems to have turned the corner after recent struggles.

You also have to factor in the injury to Ondrej Palat, who is out for another two or three weeks with what many believe is a high ankle sprain. Does the team have enough depth to survive without a Namestnikov, who is a major influence on the team’s first line. The 25-year-old is having a breakout season with 20 goals and 24 assists in 62 games this year. He is only making $1.94MM this year, but will be a restricted free agent next year, which could make him harder to sign for the future.

Eastern Notes: Karlsson, Nash, Lindblom, Rosen

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Did Erik Karlsson play his last game as a member of the Ottawa Senators?

Just a few weeks ago, there was no way Karlsson would be traded. Just a few days ago, there was nothing more than a rumor that general manager Pierre Dorion might consider a trade if he was blown away. Now suddenly, it seems like everyone is in on a potential trade and there is a good chance Karlsson will be dealt.

The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch writes that while he believes there is a better chance than not that Karlsson will remain with the Senators after the trade deadline, it seems that teams are lining up to make offers. The scribe writes that three teams, in particular, have all been mentioned as trade partners for Karlsson, including the Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights and the Nashville Predators. Tampa Bay would love to add Karlsson to their stable of defensemen and have a 1-2 combination of Victor Hedman and Karlsson. Vegas wouldn’t mind acquiring the star and making him the face of their franchise and would be easily able to take the contract of Ryan off Ottawa’s hands as well.

The San Jose Sharks have also been mentioned as having checked in with Ottawa about Karlsson and also have the cap room to take on Ryan, but seem an unlikely option.

All three clubs would like to have Karlsson for the next two postseasons, but Garrioch writes that unless the Senators are blown away by an offer, the team should hold onto the star defenseman and move him before the draft. That’s the more likely time the team will see the best offers. The Senators have made it clear to anyone calling that they are looking for about five to six pieces to help the team both immediately and in the future.

  • Pierre LeBrun tweets that the New York Rangers that trade talks surrounding winger Rick Nash are progressing. While there is no mention of what teams are attempting to make a deal for the veteran, LeBrun writes the Rangers got an offer they are considering, but then adds that other teams remain in the mix. A deal within the next 24 hours is not out of the question. Elliotte Friedman just added that the Boston Bruins may be the leading candidate in the Nash sweepstakes.
  • Charlie O’Connor of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that for Philadelphia Flyers prospect forward Oskar Lindblom to remain with the Flyers once Wayne Simmonds returns from injury, he would have to knock one player off one of the top three lines. Lindblom, who had 16 goals with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL this year has played in just two games since being recalled after Simmonds went down. While he hasn’t put up any points yet, O’Connor writes that Lindblom would need to show that he can produce at the NHL level better than either Michael Raffl or Jordan Weal. Both could easily move to the fourth line to make room for him. The question is whether he can produce.
  • Scott Wheeler of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that one asset the Toronto Maple Leafs have is their AHL franchise, the Toronto Marlies, which seems to have one of the deepest rosters in the league. While that is great, the team has too many players and once playoff time rolls around, the Marlies will have some real issues. If the Maple Leafs are eliminated from the playoffs before the Marlies are, the Maple Leafs will also likely send some players down, causing an even bigger roster jam. Wheeler writes the Maple Leafs should consider moving some of their AHL players such as defenseman Calle Rosen to lighten their load, but some of those pieces could also be used to acquire another piece for the Maple Leafs.

Trade Deadline Notes: Ward, McDonagh, Oduya, Plekanec

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The San Jose Sharks are playing both buyer and seller at this year’s trade deadline. The Sharks are currently second in the Pacific Division, looking to hold off the Ducks, Kings, and Flames, and are known to be looking for scoring help up front. They have been attached to names like Evander Kane, Rick Nash, and really most high-profile forwards on the market. At the same time, TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that the team has requested a no-trade list from veteran forward Joel Ward. Ward, 37, is an impending free agent who has fallen out of favor in the San Jose lineup. He has a six-team no-trade list that he can use to slightly reduce the number of possible destinations, should he be traded. Ward has played in only 46 games this season, with just 11 points to show for it, but more importantly, has seen his once-valued penalty kill role diminished, along with his even strength ice time. Ward can still be an asset for many teams as both an experienced locker room presence and reliable two-way depth option, but he’s worth much more to another contender than the defense-conscious Sharks. A trade is far from a certainty, but is a definite possibility now that a list has been officially requested.

  • An unexpected suitor has entered the bidding for New York Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh. Sportsnet’s John Shannon believes that the Florida Panthers have interest in the top-pairing defenseman. Going up against divisional foes like the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins, as well as many others, the Panthers will try make the top offer for McDonagh, as the Rangers continue their fire sale. The Panthers are still fighting for a wild card spot in the Eastern Conference this season, and McDonagh would be a major help with that, but more likely the motivation for the Cats is to bring in McDonagh for next season and with the intent of extending him. PHR recently identified a top-four defenseman as a need for the Panthers going forward, and McDonagh would round out quite the top four in Florida with Aaron Ekblad, Keith Yandle, and Michael Matheson.
  • Count both Johnny Oduya and Tomas Plekanec as the latest big-name players being held out of lineups tonight prior to the deadline. Dreger says that Oduya’s benching is just precautionary, but that the Ottawa Senators are working on trading the veteran defenseman as part of their own fire sale. The news of Plekanec, from TVA’s Renaud Lavoie, comes after a report yesterday that the Montreal Canadiens have received an influx of interest in the veteran center over the last 24 hours. Both players are expected to be moved in the coming days.

San Jose Sharks Have Looked Into Erik Karlsson

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This is not a match many would have seen coming, but TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the San Jose Sharks are among the teams that have had talks with the Ottawa Senators about all-world defenseman Erik Karlsson. The rumors are growing that Karlsson could be moved ahead of Monday’s trade deadline or, at least, this off-season. Could the Sharks be a dark horse destination?

In a way, it makes sense. Ever since it was revealed that Senators GM Pierre Dorion was seeking a team to take the contract of Bobby Ryan – $7.25MM over four more years – as part of any deal for Eriksson, it narrowed the field considerably of who could possibly even afford to acquire such players, without bringing in a third team. One such team that is a contender and could afford to bring in both Karlsson and Ryan are the Sharks, who will have over $18MM in salary cap space entering the off-season. LeBrun also notes that it is not out of the ordinary for Sharks GM Doug Wilson to inquire into every available player. LeBrun calls San Jose “big-game hunters”, citing their trades for Joe Thornton and Brent Burns over the years and their push to sign Steven Stamkos two years ago. The Sharks have also been mentioned as a possible destination for John Tavares, should he decide not to re-sign with the New York Islanders.

However, one has to wonder if this rumor is more fiction than fact. While the Sharks may have the cap space and the big splash history, the fit doesn’t make much sense. The reason the team has had interest in Stamkos and Tavares is because they need another major piece up front, especially with 38-year-old Thornton unlikely to return. There is no similar concern on the blue line. Burns is fresh off a Norris Trophy last season and right up there with Karlsson as one of the best defenseman in the league. He’s also signed for seven more years to the tune of $56MM. Marc-Edouard Vlasic is one of the league’s top defensive rearguards and begins his own eight-year, $56MM extension next season. Justin Braun and Brenden Dillon are both in their primes and signed for two more years at reasonable rates, while youngsters Dylan DeMelo and Joakim Ryan have taken a step forward this season. Even the system is well-stocked, with promising blue liners like Jeremy Roy, currently in the AHL, and Mario Ferraro of UMass. The Sharks are a top-ten team in goals against and shots against and arguably the best penalty kill unit in the NHL. Defense is the least of their worries, so why then would they sell off multiple high-value assets and take on a terrible contract to acquire, of all things, another defenseman? The answer is they wouldn’t. No one can blame Wilson for checking in, if he did, but more likely this is the Senators exaggerating interest to drive up the price on Karlsson. Don’t expect a top pairing of Norris Trophy winners in San Jose any time soon, unless Vlasic is ever rewarded for his stellar two-way play.

Minor Transactions: 02/21/18

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After a busy night in the NHL, the league has just three games on tap for today. Instead, teams might use their time off to cement their status for the trade deadline and make inquiries around the league. All the minor moves we’ll keep track of right here. Refresh the page throughout the day to make sure you stay up to date on all the comings and goings.

San Jose Sharks Acquire Eric Fehr From Toronto Maple Leafs

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have traded veteran center Eric Fehr to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a 2020 seventh-round pick. Fehr had been playing for the San Diego Gulls of the AHL, loaned away earlier this year after being buried in the minor leagues.

Eric FehrFehr, 32, had found something of a career resurgence in San Diego, scoring 28 points in 34 games. His $2MM cap hit was prohibitive to him playing in Toronto, despite the Maple Leafs looking for another fourth-line center option. Now heading to San Jose, Fehr will provide some veteran depth for a club looking to get back to the playoffs. Fehr won a Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins two years ago, and has played in 60 playoff contests throughout his career.

For the Maple Leafs, this sheds another contract and gives them more financial flexibility at the deadline. Since the team was in long-term injured reserve salary exemption, moving Fehr’s deal actually opens up quite a bit more room for them at the deadline. CapFriendly reports that Toronto can now add up almost $6.5MM in cap hit, making them potential players in nearly everyone on the market. That contract spot is also important for the club, as they had been at 49 of a possible 50 since trading Nikita Soshnikov.

Fehr had cleared waivers twice in the last 12 months, but his contract stopped any team from taking a chance on him. Now just a few months away from free agency, the Sharks can afford to add him to their books and will still have the flexibility of keeping him in the minor leagues should they want to. A seventh-round pick—while relatively little for the Sharks—is a nice return for the Maple Leafs, who obviously had no plans for the veteran forward.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Deadline Primer: San Jose Sharks

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With the trade deadline now less than a week away, we continue our closer look at the situation for each team.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?  Next up is a look at the San Jose Sharks.

After losing Patrick Marleau to Toronto in free agency, many have been waiting for the Sharks to make some kind of move to replace him.  It didn’t happen on the open market nor has it happened during the season as they have opted to try some of their younger players in Marleau’s old spot instead.  With San Jose in a tight battle for a playoff spot, will this be the time that they make a splash?

Record

32-19-8, second in Pacific Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$24.4MM full-season cap hit, 0/3 retained salary transactions, 46/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Draft Picks

2018: SJ 1st, SJ 4th, SJ 5th, SJ 6th, SJ 7th
2019: SJ 1st, SJ 2nd, SJ 3rd, SJ 4th, SJ 5th, SJ 6th, SJ 7th

Trade Chips

Aaron DellGoaltender Aaron Dell has long been suggested as San Jose’s best card to play in a trade.  He’s having a strong season (2.51 GAA, .917 SV% in 24 appearances) and with unrestricted free agency on the horizon, the belief is that they won’t want to pay him the type of money he should be able to get on the open market.  However, San Jose’s depth between the pipes behind Dell isn’t the strongest so moving him would be quite a risk if Martin Jones was to get injured down the stretch.  Accordingly, any deal involving Dell would have to have a goalie coming back (or they would at least have to have a follow-up swap in place to replace him).

While most buying teams would be shopping draft picks and prospects, GM Doug Wilson has already stated that he has no intention of moving those top assets for rentals.  As a result, they may be more inclined to deal from the outskirts of their roster to try to tweak things, especially since they’re already down two of their top three picks for this season.  Defenseman Paul Martin had been in the AHL until earlier today and is an option to be moved depending on San Jose’s willingness to take a similarly high-priced contract in return or how much of his deal they’re willing to retain on.

Five Players To Watch For: G Aaron Dell, D Dylan DeMelo, RW Jannik Hansen, D Paul Martin, RW Joel Ward

Team Needs

1) Center Depth: The injury to Joe Thornton has forced them to shift Logan Couture back to the middle and he is better served as a winger.  While the Sharks are optimistic that Thornton will be back in time for the postseason, that doesn’t appear to be a guarantee at this point.  The challenge here will be the lack of trade bait to land a top-six replacement so Wilson may be forced to look for a third-line option instead to at least shore up the depth.  They were linked to Montreal’s Tomas Plekanec earlier this month and while he is more of a checker than a scorer at this point in his career, he can still log a heavier workload than most bottom-six players.

2) Top-Six Winger: The fact that Marleau was never really replaced comes into play here, as does the fact that Couture has had to be shifted down the middle.  The Sharks have given youngsters Timo Meier and Kevin Labanc chances in the top six and, as expected, the results have been mixed.  Mikkel Boedker and Joonas Donskoi are better suited as third liners which means there still is a hole to be filled on one of their top two lines.  If they’re willing to take on contracts beyond this season, they could be a team to watch for in the non-rental market as there are several wingers available that could fill this void.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Paul Martin Recalled By San Jose Sharks

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The San Jose Sharks have brought veteran defenseman Paul Martin back to the NHL, recalling him along with Rudolfs Balcers today. In a corresponding move, the team has moved Joel Ward and Tomas Hertl to injured reserve.

Martin, 36, was waived earlier this season after battling injury and assigned to the minor leagues for the first time in his career. Since jumping right from the NCAA to the NHL in 2003, Martin had played 859 NHL games split between three clubs. A stay-at-home defenseman capable of a good first pass, Martin had been a key member of the Sharks blue line and a perfect complement to Brent Burns’ roving style.

No one took a chance on Martin when he was on waivers, mostly because of his hefty $4.85MM cap hit this year and next. He took the demotion in stride and tried to prove his worth at the AHL level, and has now been given another chance in the NHL. He’ll still be eligible to be sent back down without clearing waivers for some time, and another team could reach out to try and acquire him if he shows well. It’s not clear where exactly he fits into the Sharks lineup right now, but it’s certainly a step in the right direction for the veteran defenseman.

How Flyers Can Deal With Injuries In Net

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Things have been going well for the Philadelphia Flyers. The team has won six of their past ten games and are firmly engaged in a battle for a Metropolitan Division playoff spot. However, the one shortcoming of the Flyers for years now has again reared its ugly head: goaltending. Philly’s goalies have performed well this season, with starter Brian Elliott holding 21 wins and backup Michal Neuvirth performing statistically even better as Elliott’s understudy. For the first time in years, goalie performance has not been a defining issue for the Flyers. However, Elliott is now out of the picture for the time being after suffering a core muscle injury earlier in the month which required surgery and could keep him sidelined through the end of March. Meanwhile, Neuvirth succumbed to a lower-body injury earlier today and had to leave the Flyers’ match-up with the rival New York Rangers. While young Alex Lyon performed admirably in relief, allowing only one goal en route to his first NHL win, the Flyers face a real possibility of being without their top two goalies for some time. So what do they do?

1) Stand Pat

It’s too early to know how long Neuvirth will be out, so the Flyers could let cooler heads prevail and wait to see what the prognosis is on his injury. If Neuvirth will simply miss a few games, the team could rely on Lyon and veteran journeyman Dustin Tokarski, acquired in October for this exact emergency situation, for the time being. Lyon, a former phenom at Yale University, has struggled in limited NHL action this season, but has been good for the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms in each of the last two seasons. Now could be a good time to see what the 25-year-old brings to the table.

2) Acquire a stopgap

Perhaps if Lyon had more than three NHL appearances or Tokarski had more than 10 minutes of NHL action in the past two years, the Flyers would be willing to stick with this tandem, even if Neuvirth remains out for a week or two. Maybe if Anthony Stolarz, shut down for the season after knee surgery in September, was available they would be fine with waiting for Elliott and Neuvirth to return to health. However, the Flyers are in the middle of a playoff race and cannot afford to stick with such inexperienced options for more than a handful of games nor wait on injury timelines with the NHL Trade Deadline a week away. Instead, they could turn to the trade market and look for a short-term option. There isn’t much goalie talk on the rumor mill right now, other than the fact that the Flyers turned down a recent offer from the Detroit Red Wings of Petr Mrazek for a third-round pick. They could certainly revisit bringing in the impending restricted free agent for a tryout down the stretch. The team could also look at trading for San Jose Sharks backup Aaron Dell, who’s having a breakout year and comes with a cheap price tag for the remainder of the season. However, the Sharks are a fellow playoff-chaser and might be hesitant to move their backup unless they were getting another in return, either Neuvirth or Elliott. Other options could include Michael Hutchinson from the Winnipeg Jets (though they too have injury issues in net), Andrew Hammond from the Colorado Avalanche, or one of the many minor league keepers from Toronto or Calgary, if those teams are willing to deal.

3) Acquire a starter

Of course, the Flyers could also take this opportunity to bring in a starting-caliber goalie; one who could eliminate the worry of whether Elliott will be healthy by playoff time. Philadelphia could look at short-term starter, such as impending free agents Antti Raanta from Arizona or Robin Lehner (RFA) from Buffalo. However, more interestingly, they could also look for a long-term fit. Both Elliott and Neuvirth are only signed through next season. If they could send one or the other back in a trade, they could look to acquire a starter with term on his contract. That could be as easy as bringing in Lehner or Mrazek with the intention of extending them. Either one could do the job for a few years, bridging the gap to star prospect Carter Hart. It could also open the door to Detroit’s other goalie, Jimmy Howard, who could benefit from a change of scenery with one year left on his deal. The Vancouver Canucks could entertain moving Jacob Markstrom during a down year, though he may not be much of an upgrade over Philly’s current stable and is signed for two more seasons. One possible dark horse candidate would be Colorado starter Semyon Varlamov, who has been outplayed by backup Jonathan Bernier this season and is signed through 2018-19 at an expensive $5.9MM cap hit. For those of you thinking Carey Price though, think again.

Minor Transactions: 2/18/18

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With a full slate of games last night, the Vegas Golden Knights continued their winning ways. With their victory over the Montreal Canadiens, the first-year expansion team has become the NHL points leader once again as the team now has 82 points so far this season. With a seven-game matchup today, many NHL teams will be making moves today. Check back in as those moves are made throughout the day.

  • The New York Rangers announced they have assigned goaltender Brandon Halverson to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL. He was recalled Saturday to serve as backup to starter Henrik Lundqvist against the Ottawa Senators. However, due to Lundqvist’s struggles against Ottawa, Halverson did manage to make his NHL debut last night, allowing one goal and saving five shots in 12:33 of action. Halverson was a second-round pick in 2014. With backup Ondrej Pavelec out with a strained MCL, the team had called up Alexander Georgiev from Hartford, but he was out Saturday with the flu. Halverson’s assignment would suggest that Georgiev should be ready for the team’s next game on Thursday.
  • The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz tweets that the San Jose Sharks have recalled forward Daniel O’Regan from the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL for today’s game. The scribe suggests that Tomas Hertl might not be ready to play yet after leaving Tuesday’s game with an undisclosed injury when he crashed into the boards. He already missed one game. O’Regan has been up and down for much of the season. He has played 17 games for the Sharks this year and has four assists. O’Regan has seven goals and 18 assists in 30 games with the Barracuda.
  • The Dallas Stars announced that they have sent forward Jason Dickinson to Texas of the AHL.  He has played in 13 games with Dallas this season, averaging 9:19 per night while being held off the scoresheet.  He has been more productive at the minor league level though, recording 22 points in 33 contests.

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