Check out the latest rumors heading into Monday’s NHL trade deadline.
TOP 10 PLAYERS WHO COULD MOVE BY THE DEADLINE.
USA TODAY: Kevin Allen lists Boston Bruins right wing Loui Eriksson, Vancouver Canucks defenseman Dan Hamhuis and right wing Radim Vrbata, Tampa Bay left wing Jonathan Drouin, right wing Mikkel Boedker, Calgary Flames blueliner Kris Russell, Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Scott Hartnell, Buffalo Sabres left wing Jamie McGinn, Carolina Hurricanes defenseman John-Michael Liles and right wing Kris Versteeg as the 10 players who could be traded before Monday’s 3pm ET trade deadline.
Allen claims the Bruins would like to use Eriksson to land a prove defenseman, considers Hamhuis a perfect fit with the Dallas Stars and believes the Lightning want a return for Drouin that helps them now. He claims the Minnesota Wild and Nashville Predators are among those seeking scoring help who could look at Boedker, believes Russell would be a good fit with the Bruins and thinks the Sabres could move McGinn for a second-round pick.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE LATEST “INSIDER TRADING.”
TSN: Bob McKenzie reports the Ottawa Senators appear to be out of the Drouin sweepstakes for now, while “Anaheim, Minnesota, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Winnipeg” appear to be in, but it’s a fool’s game to go through this hour by hour. The assumption was the Lightning want something back for now and for the future. He wonders if GM Steve Yzerman could go out and get a top-four defenseman (like Anaheim’s Sami Vatanen or Minnesota’s Jonas Brodin), but those teams won’t give up those players and more for Drouin. It could cost “Drouin-plus-plus”, which might not be possible.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was plenty of speculation over the last 24 hours claiming Drouin’s situation could be resolved Sunday. So far, no indication of that. Yzerman could wait until tomorrow to see if he can find a deal that suits him. Otherwise, he can always wait until this summer.
Could the Oilers move Nail Yakupov on deadline day?
Darren Dreger reports a handful of teams have expressed interest in Edmonton Oilers’ forward Nail Yakupov. The Senators are believed having mild interest. However, the interest in players like Yakupov and Toronto’s P.A. Parenteau might not be as good as GMs would like it to be.
Pierre LeBrun reports the Buffalo Sabres are going to move left wing Jamie McGinn, as three to four teams called in on Sunday. The Sabres want a second-round pick for McGinn.
McKenzie doesn’t rule out the possibility of Columbus Blue Jackets winger Scott Hartnell waiving his no-trade clause and perhaps returning to the Nashville Predators. However, there was nothing to a rumor yesterday claiming a swap of Hartnell for Colin Wilson was imminent.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hartnell’s contract (no-movement clause and $4.75 million annual cap hit through 2018-19) is difficult to move at this time of year. Not saying it’s impossible, but the Jackets must either absorb some salary or take back a comparable one to make this work. It could be a deal that gets done in the offseason.
Ottawa Senators GM Bryan Murray is still seeking a non-rental forward and is willing to part with Patrick Wiercioch, Shane Prince and perhaps Alex Chiasson but so far things are quiet in Ottawa.
LeBrun claims the LA Kings are looking at Carolina Hurricanes left wing Kris Versteeg.
LATEST FROM ESPN.COM.
ESPN.COM: Craig Custance believes the Stars could use Dan Hamhuis but thinks the Canucks will seek a big return. He claims the Washington Capitals don’t appear to be in on Hamhuis.
He wonders if the Bruins will part with Loui Eriksson or retain him for the rest of the season.
Custance notes the Lightning would like a right-handed defenseman in return for Jonathan Drouin but there aren’t many available. He wonders if GM Steve Yzerman tries packaging Drouin with defenseman Matt Carle or try moving each in separate deals.
Custance also wonders if the Los Angeles Kings could be a destination for Mikkel Boedker.
The Stars and Kings could use Kris Russell.
Custance doesn’t expect the Philadelphia Flyers to add a player or two.
This will everybody talking Kris Versteeg to L.A. just as LeBrun said. And for NYR4LIFE, you seem to have a serious problem, go see a doctor. Soon
NYR4LIFE , this is a hockey site , talk hockey. Drop your silly name calling and act like an adult.
Well it seems that all the remaining..”junk” left from rosters…perceived as junk or not; by all the tall foreheads everywhere, will all be dealt with Monday.God help us
You might be wrong on that one, bigger trades do take longer to put together, with the cap screwing everybody up. None the less, there will be a fair amount of junk peddled on Monday.
I agree yogi there is always a big one that no one sees coming
Ya I might be..but I think Maple Leaf fans were hoping for less deadline day drama. But hey, even if they keep the players they have, MLSE management has done a wonderful job of moving hard to move contracts
Less! are you kidding. I didn`t take the day off to listen to Kypreos tell stories. I`m expecting at least 3 leaf trades tomorrow, bring on the drama.
agreed that’s WAY WORSE if that buffoon gets elected !!!!!
There it is Winnik + a late 5th for a 2nd, Connor Carrick (5th / 2012) and a contract dump in Brooks Laich. Simmons had him down to return a 3rd round pick…
Simmons had Spaling in the garbage dump category and he returned part of a 2nd along with Polak. Reimer returned a +2 year 4th so he had that one sort of right.
Overall though, you see him even the Toronto media undervalues its players. Parenteau is supposedly worth a 3rd or 4th – I’m betting the over here, too.
And then there’s the garbage dump category according to Simmons: Brad Boyes, Michael Grabner, Mark Arcobello, Byron Froese, Colin Greening, Martin Marincin.
you cant really say he was wrong on there own those probably worth what he is saying but the leafs are buying the upgrades
Bigbear, they were wrong – simple as that.
The predictions were too pessimistic this year just like they were last year – Franson was worth a 2nd, Winnik was worth a 3rd/4th – it’s the same media, same pessimism, different year.
You can’t tell me these guys couldn’t have expected the Leafs to take back salary – that was obvious, that’s the way it works now in the salary cap world.
They just got it wrong, that’s all there is to it. No need for negative spin, for Leaf fans we’re doing better than expected. That’s it.