NHL Trade Deadline: Top 5 Central Division Trade Candidates
NHL Trade Deadline: Top 5 Central Division Trade Candidates
List of NHL Trades for April 10, 2021
List of NHL Trades for April 10, 2021
The Columbus Blue Jackets trade defenseman David Savard to the Tampa Bay Lightning in a three-team deal. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports the deal breaks down as follows:
– Savard is traded by the Jackets to the Red Wings for minor-leaguer Brian Lashoff with the Jackets retaining 50 percent of Savard’s salary,
– The Wings trade Savard to the Lightning for the Bolts fourth-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, with the Wings retaining 50 percent of Savard’s salary,
– The Jackets trade Lashoff to the Lightning for the Bolts first-round pick in 2021 and their third-round pick in 2022.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The most complicated deal of the day sees the Jackets eat half of Savard’s $4.25 million cap hit, meaning Detroit gets $2.125 million. The Wings absorb half of that, sending $1.065 million to the Lightning.
Another bold, creative move by Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois. He was able to find a way to land a solid top-four, shutdown defenseman in Savard despite having limited cap space. It comes at the cost of a first-rounder but this move signals the Lightning will mount a serious defense of their Stanley Cup title.
The San Jose Sharks traded goaltender Devan Dubnyk to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for defenseman Greg Pateryn and a fifth-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche needed to shore up their goaltending depth behind starter Philipp Grubauer. Dubnyk should be a good fit there. A former starter with the Minnesota Wild, his postseason experience will be invaluable.
The Sharks, meanwhile, have around $11 million in trade deadline cap space following this move. GM Doug Wilson seems to be setting himself up as a third-party broker for cap-strapped clubs looking to make moves at the trade deadline.
The Buffalo Sabres traded defenseman Brandon Montour to the Florida Panthers in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montour will help to fill the void from Aaron Ekblad’s absence as he recovers from a fractured leg. He won’t fully replace Ekblad’s offensive skills but his puck-moving abilities should help their zone exits and provide some offense from the blue line.
NHL Rumor Mill – April 10, 2021
NHL Rumor Mill – April 10, 2021
Could the Blues pursue Taylor Hall and trade Mike Hoffman? Could the Kings shop Alex Iafallo? Are teams calling about the Bruins’ Jake DeBrusk? Get the latest in today’s NHL rumor mill.
UPDATES ON HALL, HOFFMAN AND IAFALLO
TSN: Frank Seravalli wonders if St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong might be a buyer and a seller leading up to Monday’s trade deadline. Armstrong has a history of trading pending unrestricted free agents with his club on the playoff bubble.
Could the St. Louis Blues trade Mike Hoffman to make room for Buffalo’s Taylor Hall? (NHL Images)
Winger Mike Hoffman sits at No. 3 on the trade-bait list. Armstrong has also spoken to teams about center Tyler Bozak. There’s no indication if winger Jaden Schwartz is available.
The Blues are also believed among the teams with an interest in Buffalo Sabres winger Taylor Hall. Swapping out Hoffman for Hall might work if the Sabres retain half of Hall’s $8 million salary-cap hit.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Armstrong could be reluctant to part with Schwartz as he could still help the Blues clinch a playoff berth. As for Hall, Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards believes the Panthers could also be interested in the Sabres winger.
With over $16 million in trade deadline cap space, the Panthers are in a better position than the Blues to acquire Hall. He has a no-movement clause but might be more receptive about joining one of the top clubs in the league in the Panthers (yes, you read that right, check the standings) or a struggling one like the Blues (again, check the standings).
Speaking of Hoffman, Richards shot down the notion of a possible return to Florida. He also wouldn’t be surprised if Panthers GM Bill Zito pursues a defenseman like David Savard of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who remains atop Seravalli’s trade-bait list.
Los Angeles Kings forward Alex Iafallo moved to No. 5 on the list. Seravalli reports Kings GM Rob Blake has taken calls about the pending UFA though the two sides continue to discuss a contract extension.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blake’s ensuring he’s got some trade options in case an agreement on a new contract with Iafallo isn’t reached by Monday. As Seravalli said, this could go either way.
TEAMS CALLING ABOUT DEBRUSK
THE ATHLETIC: listed Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk at No. 21 on the final update to their NHL Trade Deadline Big Board. Teams continue to call the Bruins to find out what it might take to acquire the 24-year-old winger. What makes him intriguing is his playoff production.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Everything I’ve read and heard in the Boston media suggests the Bruins are fearful of trading DeBrusk and watching him blossom as a scorer elsewhere. I don’t dismiss the notion of a DeBrusk trade but the Bruins would probably prefer a young winger of equal or greater value and potential in return.
LATEST ON THE OILERS
EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson reports Oilers GM Ken Holland doesn’t intend to part with first-round picks for rental players. He didn’t rule out making that move if it was for a player with term remaining on his contract. Matheson believes that could also cost a top-prospect, which would probably be a non-starter. Given the Oilers limited salary-cap space, Holland would have to have a trade partner willing to absorb 50 percent of an acquired player’s salary.
OTHER NOTABLE UPDATES TO TSN’S TRADE-BAIT LIST
With their playoff math looking hazy, the Dallas Stars are starting to get calls about some of their pending UFAs. Big-bodied defenseman Jamie Oleksiak is drawing the most interest, moving up to No. 9 on the trade-bait list.
Seravalli also removed Tanner Pearson from the board following the winger signing a three-year contract extension this week with the Vancouver Canucks. Injuries to Detroit Red Wings forward Bobby Ryan and Anaheim Ducks winger Rickard Rakell takes both players off the list.
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 10, 2021
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 10, 2021
Game recaps, the latest on Zach Werenski, Bobby Ryan and William Nylander, the Avalanche reacquire Patrik Nemeth, the Leafs deal for Riley Nash, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tallied career goal 727 in a 4-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Capitals defenseman Justin Schultz had a goal and two assists. Ovechkin is four goals shy of Hall of Famer Marcel Dionne for fifth on the NHL’s all-time goals list. The Capitals are tied with the New York Islanders with 56 points but hold first place in the MassMutual East Division on the basis of regulation wins (21).
The Islanders, meanwhile, dropped a 4-1 decision to the New York Rangers. Alexandar Georgiev made 31 saves for the win in his first start in 11 games while teammate Adam Fox’s point streak ended at 12 games. Blueshirts winger Artemi Panarin collected two assists.
PIttsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).
Sidney Crosby scored and added two helpers to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins over the New Jersey Devils 6-4. Pittsburgh winger Bryan Rust scored two goals and chipped in an assist while Devils winger Miles Wood tallied twice. The Penguins have won seven of their last nine contests and sit two points behind the second-place Islanders.
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Jonas Johansson made 28 saves for his first career NHL shutout in a 2-0 blanking of the Anaheim Ducks. Valeri Nichushkin and Mikko Rantanen were the goal scorers as Colorado won their sixth game in their last seven outings. They canceled their practice earlier in the day after Bo Byram was placed on the NHL COVID-19 protocol list. The Avs sit atop the Honda West Division with 58 points.
A four-goal first period powered the Vegas Golden Knights to a 7-4 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Reilly Smith scored two goals for the Golden Knights, who remain four points back of the Avalanche in second place. Phil Kessel collected three assists for Arizona and took over sole possession of fifth place on the NHL’s Ironman list by skating in his 885th consecutive game. The Coyotes are in fourth place with 43 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kessel is quite durable for someone who is sometimes mocked because his physical appearance isn’t that of a prototypical NHL player. As the old saying goes, don’t judge a book by its cover.
St. Louis Blues center Ryan O’Reilly tallied a hat trick in a 9-1 thumping of the Minnesota Wild. Jaden Schwartz scored twice while Justin Faulk and Sammy Blais each had a goal and two assists. The Blues moved within one point of the Coyotes while the Wild remain in third place with 50 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues made winger Mike Hoffman a healthy scratch for the second straight game. He’s among the top names being bandied about the NHL rumor mill and could be on the move before Monday’s trade deadline.
Brent Burns collected three assists and Martin Jones made 32 saves as the San Jose Sharks downed the Los Angeles Kings 5-2. The surging Sharks sit three back of the Coyotes.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The race for that final playoff berth in the West is getting interesting. The Coyotes are trying to hang on, the Blues are battling to overcome a recent season-threatening losing skid while the Sharks are trying to keep their postseason hopes alive.
HEADLINES
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski will undergo season-ending sports hernia surgery next week.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: A difficult season for the Blue Jackets just got a lot worse with their best puck-moving defenseman on the shelf. This could be the last nail in the coffin for their playoff hopes.
THE DETROIT NEWS: Red Wings forward Bobby Ryan appears to be done for the season after suffering an upper-body injury.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ryan was expected to draw some interest in the trade market leading up to Monday’s deadline. Nagging injuries have plagued the 34-year-old winger throughout this season.
ESPN: The Nashville Predators placed winger Filip Forsberg on injured reserve and announced winger Eeli Tolvanen (lower body) and defenseman Dante Fabbro (upper body) are week-to-week. Right wing Mathieu Olivier will be sidelined for four-to-six weeks with a lower-body injury.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators surged into playoff contention in recent weeks in the Discover Central Division. This latest rash of injuries could threaten their efforts to clinch a postseason berth.
TSN: Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning said many of his 21 players who tested positive for COVID-19 are feeling better. He expects his club will be able to complete its 56-game schedule, adding none of his players want to opt-out of the remainder of the season. Benning anticipates most of his players will be back on the ice once the team receives clearance to reopen its practice facility.
MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens prospect Cole Caufield is the 2021 winner of the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in US college hockey.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Caufield celebrated by scoring two goals in his pro debut as the Laval Rocket downed the Toronto Marlies 5-3 in AHL action on Friday.
TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs acquired center Riley Nash from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick in 2022.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nash is sidelined for four-to-six weeks with a sprained knee. However, Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas can place him and his $2.75 million cap hit on long-term injury reserve, giving them the flexibility to perhaps make another move before Monday’s trade deadline. A clever move by Dubas, who’s done this sort of thing in the past to provide himself some much-needed cap relief. Nash will also join the Leafs for the playoffs.
TORONTO STAR: Speaking of the Leafs, winger William Nylander will be sidelined for a week on the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list after coming in contact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus.
THE DENVER POST: The Colorado Avalanche reacquired defenseman Patrik Nemeth from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a 2022 fourth-round pick. Nemeth spent two seasons with the Avalanche (2017 to 2019). The Wings are also retaining half of his $3 million salary-cap hit.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche also have $5.4 million in cap wiggle room with Erik Johnson and Pavel Francouz on LTIR. GM Joe Sakic might not be done dealing as concern remains over the Avs’ goaltending depth.
NJ.COM: The New Jersey Devils placed winger Nikita Gusev on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent if he clears at noon ET today.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gusev had a promising NHL debut with 44 points in 66 games last season but struggled under head coach Lindy Ruff this season and has just five points in 20 games. The 27-year-old winger might regain his scoring touch with another club.
WGR 550: The Buffalo Sabres claimed forward Drake Caggiula off waivers from the Arizona Coyotes.
NHL Trade Deadline: Top Five East Division Targets
NHL Trade Deadline: Top Five East Division Targets
NHL Trade Deadline: Top 5 West Division Trade Targets
NHL Trade Deadline: Top 5 West Division Trade Targets