NHL Trade Deadline Prime: Metropolitan Division
NHL Trade Deadline Prime: Metropolitan Division
Reviewing This Season’s Notable Deals Before the 2020 NHL Trade Deadline
Reviewing This Season’s Notable Deals Before the 2020 NHL Trade Deadline
NHL Rumor Mill – February 11, 2020
NHL Rumor Mill – February 11, 2020
Could Kyle Palmieri be a good trade option for the Bruins? Which players should the Flames target as a potential replacement for Mark Giordano? Could the Red Wings shop Andreas Athanasiou or Jonathan Bernier? Could Ducks winger Ondrej Kase become a trade target? Check out the latest in today’s NHL rumor mill.
COULD THE BRUINS PURSUE PALMIERI?
NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Joe Haggerty suggests New Jersey Devils winger Kyle Palmieri would be a good trade option for the Bruins if they fail to land New York’s Chris Kreider, LA’s Tyler Toffoli, or Detroit’s Andreas Athanasiou. It remains to be seen if the Devils will shop Palmieri, who has a year remaining on his contract ($4.65-million annual average salary).
Palmieri is their leading scorer with 37 points in 50 games, including 20 goals. He’s not a big, physical forward, but would provide the offensive production the Bruins need at right wing. Other trade options could include Miles Wood or Blake Coleman.
Would New Jersey Devils winger Kyle Palmieri be a good fit with the Boston Bruins? (Photo via NHL Images)
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Palmieri might be more affordable than Kreider or Toffoli, but the Devils aren’t just going to give him away. They’ll want a return that helps them now and in the future, which means including a good, young NHL player as part of the return.
SUGGESTED TRADE TARGETS FOR THE FLAMES
SPORTSNET: Eric Francis recently suggested several trade targets for the Calgary Flames to consider as a possible replacement sidelined defenseman Mark Giordano. The Flames captain is listed as week-to-week with a hamstring injury.
Longer-term options included Minnesota’s Matt Dumba, Montreal’s Jeff Petry, Anaheim’s Josh Manson, and Philadelphia’s Shayne Gostisbehere. Rentals include San Jose’s Brenden Dillon, Buffalo’s Zach Bogosian, New Jersey’s Sami Vatanen, Montreal’s Marco Scandella, and Ottawa’s Ron Hainsey.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most of those long-term options seem more like wishful thinking. The asking price for Dumba and Manson will be expensive, while the Habs reportedly aren’t shopping Petry. Gostisbehere could be available, but his stock has tumbled over the last two years. Of those rentals, Vatanen would be the best choice, but he could be more costly to acquire than the others.
WILL THE RED WINGS SHOP ATHANASIOU OR BERNIER?
MLIVE.COM: Ansar Khan believes forward Andreas Athanasiou and goaltender Jonathan Bernier could be the Detroit Red Wings’ most significant trade chips. Bernier’s played well since Dec. 12, winning seven of 12 games with a 1.97 goals-against average and .940 save percentage during that stretch. Athanasiou is struggling to score this season, making him a prime trade candidate.
Trading Bernier, who has a year remaining on his contract, would mean the Wings would have to acquire two goalies this summer via trade or free agency, as veteran Jimmy Howard is an unrestricted free agent on July 1. As for Athanasiou, the main question is whether to hang onto him in the hope his trade value increases in the summer or attempt to move him before the deadline. He’s a restricted free agent this summer with arbitration rights.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Keep Bernier and move Athanasiou if they get a decent offer. Finding a suitable replacement for one goalie in the off-season is difficult enough.
LATEST ON THE DUCKS
THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens reports the recently improved performance of several Anaheim Ducks players could improve their trade value. Forwards Ondrej Kase, Nick Ritchie, and Derek Grant have stepped up of late. Stephens also thinks defenseman Michael Del Zotto might be on the move before the deadline.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kase has frequently surfaced in the rumor mill in recent weeks. TSN’s Travis Yost highlighted the 24-year-old winger as a productive, albeit injury-challenged performer. He probably won’t fetch the Ducks more than a second-round pick or a decent prospect. Besides, management could consider him worth retaining as part of their rebuild.
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 11, 2020
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 11, 2020
Game recaps, stars of the week, the latest on possible NHL participation in future Winter Olympics, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: Nikita Kucherov scored twice as the Tampa Bay Lightning edged the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 in overtime. With 77 points, the Lightning sits just three behind the league-leading Boston Bruins. The Jackets (70 points) hold the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Earlier in the day, they revealed defenseman Seth Jones is sidelined indefinitely with an ankle injury.
Nikita Kucherov scored both goals in the Tampa Bay Lightning’s 2-1 overtime win over the Columbus Blue Jackets (Photo via NHL Images).
Milan Lucic had a goal and two assists to lead the Calgary Flames over the San Jose Sharks 6-2. David Rittich kicked out 34 shots for the win as the Flames (64 points) hold the first wild-card berth in the West. Flames defenseman Travis Hamonic (upper-body injury) returned to Calgary earlier in the day for further examination.
The Vancouver Canucks snapped a four-game winless skid by dumping the Nashville Predators 6-2. Jacob Markstrom made 36 saves, Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller each picked up two points and defenseman Quinn Hughes collected three assists for the Canucks (67 points), who remain atop the Pacific Division. With 59 points, the Predators remain four points out of a Western Conference wild-card berth.
Two first-period goals by Anthony Beauvillier powered the New York Islanders to a 5-3 victory over the Washington Capitals. Josh Bailey and Brock Nelson each picked up three assists. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin remains two goals shy of 700 for his career. Washington (77 points) sits atop the Metropolitan Division, seven points up on the third-place Isles.
Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart made 30 saves to backstop his club over the slumping Florida Panthers 4-1. Hart was sidelined nine games with an abdominal strain. James van Riemsdyk scored a goal and collected an assist for the Flyers (69 points), who hold the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. The Panthers, meanwhile, have dropped three straight and remain two points behind the Leafs.
The Arizona Coyotes overcame an early 2-0 deficit to nip the Montreal Canadiens 3-2. Jakob Chychrun tallied the game-winner with a power-play goal in the final minute of the third period, while teammate Derek Stepan had a goal and an assist. Canadiens center Phillip Danault left the game after being struck in the mouth by a shot from linemate Tomas Tatar. The Coyotes, meanwhile, played without goaltender Darcy Kuemper, who suffered an injury earlier in the day. The Coyotes (63 points) remain just outside the Western Conference playoff picture, while the Canadiens (61 points) remain five back of the Toronto Maple Leafs for third in the Atlantic Division.
HEADLINES
Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins, Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor, and Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Feb. 9.
SPORTSNET: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid said his sore knee is unrelated to the more serious injury he suffered at the end of last season. He bruised the knee during Saturday’s game against Nashville and remains questionable for tonight’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks.
TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins rookie defenseman John Marino underwent surgery on Monday to repair a facial injury. There is currently no timeframe for his return.
DETROIT FREE PRESS: Red Wings forward Anthony Mantha will return to action tonight against the Buffalo Sabres. He’d been sidelined since Dec. 21 with a rib injury and a punctured lung.
TSN: NHLPA executive Mathieu Schneider called last week’s meeting with the International Olympic Committee as “really positive” and “a good gesture” on the IOC’s part. The news generated hope of future Winter Olympic participation involving NHL players, but league deputy commissioner Bill Daly struck a more cautious tone. “From an overall perspective, I would say we have a long way to go. I wouldn’t get overly excited,” he said. Collective bargaining talks between the league and the PA are expected to resume today.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Daly further tamped down expectations in an email yesterday to the Associated Press. “We aren’t there yet. In fact, we aren’t even close to being there,” Daly wrote.”At this point in time, we continue to believe that the negatives outweigh the positives.”
Those “negatives” include the travel and insurance costs for the players, as well as allowing the league and the PA to access video and images to market their players. Until those issues are suitably addressed, the league won’t participate in future Olympic games.
ESPN.COM: The coronavirus could soon affect the NHL’s stick supply. 75 percent of the composite sticks are made in China, where the virus has reduced transportation and exports to a trickle.
NHL Injury Outlook: Injuries spike this Valentine’s Week
NHL Injury Outlook: Injuries spike this Valentine’s Week
Wild Trade Zucker to the Penguins
Wild Trade Zucker to the Penguins
The Minnesota Wild traded winger Jason Zucker to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for winger Alex Galchenyuk, a conditional 2020 first-round pick, and defense prospect Calen Addison
The Minnesota Wild trade winger Jason Zucker to the Pittsburgh Penguins (Photo via NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: After a failed attempt to acquire Zucker last May, Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford gets his man.The 28-year-old winger is signed through 2022-23 with an annual average value of $5.5 million. With 14 goals and 29 points in 45 games this season, he’s on pace to exceed 20 goals and 40 points for the fourth consecutive year. Depending on how well he meshes with his new linemates (Sidney Crosby? Evgeni Malkin?), he could finish with much more.
Rutherford recently indicated he was in the market for a scoring winger after left winger Jake Guentzel suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. Zucker skates on the right side, but Rutherford suggested the versatility of his existing wingers meant he wasn’t fussy over which side his trade target played. Perhaps this means Patric Hornqvist or Bryan Rust move to the left side to make room for Zucker.
With over $68.9 million invested in 14 players for 2020-21, the addition of Zucker could leave the Penguins squeezed for salary-cap space. Goaltenders Matt Murray and Tristan Jarry are restricted free agents with arbitration rights this summer. Both will seek substantial raises, meaning one could be traded this summer. Defenseman Justin Schultz is an unrestricted free agent and could price himself out of Pittsburgh unless Rutherford frees up more cap space.
That’s a problem for the off-season. For now, the Penguins signaled they’re a serious contender for the Stanley Cup this season.
The Wild, meanwhile, have needed a roster rebuild for some time. Whether trading Zucker means this is the start of a full rebuild or merely another effort to retool on the fly remains to be seen.
It’s the first significant move by Bill Guerin since taking over as GM last summer. In Galchenyuk, he gets a winger with decent offensive skills who’s now on his fourth team since 2018. Slated to become a UFA this summer, the 26-year-old was sidelined by an injury to start this season and struggled upon his return to fit in with the talent-laden Penguins. Depending on his performance over the remainder of the schedule, he could be joining his fifth team this summer.
Reports indicate the first-round pick in 2020 could revert to 2021 if the Penguins miss the playoffs and decide to push it back a year. That’s unlikely, considering where the Penguins are in the standings. It’ll give the Wild two first-round picks in this year’s draft.
Addison could be the real prize for the Wild. Selected in the second round (53rd overall) by the Penguins in 2018, the 19-year-old is said to a top defensive prospect. He’s got 43 points in 39 games this season with the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes and helped Canada win gold at the 2020 World Junior Championships.