NHL Rumor Mill – February 16, 2022

by | Feb 16, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – February 16, 2022

​Check out the latest on Marc-Andre Fleury, Claude Giroux, Ben Chiarot and more in today’s NHL rumor mill.

FLEURY

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reported the Vegas Golden Knights expressed an interest in a reunion with Marc-Andre Fleury, who was shipped to the Chicago Blackhawks last summer. Sources claim Vegas goaltender Robin Lehner has a torn labrum in a shoulder that will eventually require surgery, forcing the Golden Knights to shop around for a netminder.

THE SCORE: cites Las Vegas Review-Journal’s David Schoen reporting Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon denied he was looking at bringing back Fleury. “There is absolutely no credence to that rumor at all,” said McCrimmon. “I wouldn’t normally speak on such things, but there will be so much racket about this, it’s important to let people know that’s not going to happen.”

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: For a couple of hours there yesterday, the notion of Fleury returning to the Golden Knights created considerable buzz in the rumor mill. McCrimmon stepped on that speculation pretty hard so that should be the end of it.

If Lehner is hurt, however, he could be forced to seek some help between the pipes. The options are limited. Seravalli reported the Golden Knights expressed interest in New York Rangers backup Alexandar Georgiev, but I think the Blueshirts will keep him around as insurance for the remainder of this season.

GIROUX

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports there haven’t been a lot of serious trade discussions yet on Philadelphia Flyers captain Claude Giroux because there’s still lots of time before the March 21 trade deadline to work out a deal. Giroux’s agent, Pat Brisson, had permission to speak with other clubs and compile a shortlist of destinations for Giroux (if he’s willing to be traded) within the next several weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brisson may already be canvassing clubs. Colorado Hockey Now’s Adrian Dater claimed Giroux’s preferences were the Avalanche, St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli also indicated the Blues could be a suitor.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes to keep an eye on the Florida Panthers regarding Giroux. “No guarantees, but it makes a lot of sense for everyone involved.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reports out of Florida have claimed the Panthers are in the market for a top-four defenseman such as Arizona’s Jakob Chychrun and Dallas’ John Klingberg. If that remains the case, I wouldn’t expect them to get into the bidding for Giroux.

CHIAROT

TSN: Darren Dreger reports the Calgary Flames and Montreal Canadiens discussed doing a larger deal that would’ve included Ben Chiarot going to Calgary before the two sides swung Monday’s deal that saw Tyler Toffoli head to Calgary. However, it got a “little rich” for the Flames. Dreger believes the Canadiens will seek a first-round pick for the 30-year-old defenseman.

Pierre LeBrun believes the Canadiens could trade Chiarot within the next seven-to-10 days. The blueliner is currently sidelined for a week with a minor injury and the Habs could try to unload him rather than risk him getting hurt again. The Florida Panthers, Boston Bruins, New York Rangers and St. Louis Blues are among the suitors and the Flames could circle back. LeBrun believes the Canadiens could get a first-rounder plus another asset.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes Chiarot’s injury won’t scare off the interest in him but could accelerate the Canadiens’ plans to move him. He also included the Carolina Hurricanes and Los Angeles Kings among the interested parties.

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple reports the asking price for Chiarot is believed similar to last year’s David Savard deal (a first and a third). He also said the Rangers had shown some interest in Canadiens winger Artturi Lehkonen. Staple speculates the asking price could be a first-rounder.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens fans should temper their expectations about what their club could get for Chiarot and Lehkonen. There’s been so much speculation Chiarot could get at least a first-rounder that Habs fans could end up very disappointed if the return is less than that.

Habs management will deserve praise if they can get a first and a third. Nevertheless, don’t be surprised if it’s a second-rounder and a prospect if they feel the urge to move him sooner rather than later.

MORE RUMOR TIDBITS FROM TSN’S INSIDERS AND FRIEDMAN’S “32 THOUGHTS”.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Washington Capitals are looking for forwards. He believes they’ll look to the Seattle Kraken and Vancouver Canucks for options.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Their biggest need is between the pipes but (as previously mentioned) suitable trade options are limited. If they can’t land Fleury (who may have nixed a trade to Washington) they might have to address other issues and hope for the best with their goaltending for the remainder of the season.

Friedman mentioned his earlier report of the Leafs trying to trade Nick Ritchie and how important contract term is for San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl. He’s also heard Arizona Coyotes center Johan Larsson and forward Christian Fischer being out there in the rumor mill.

TSN: Darren Dreger reports Buffalo Sabres defensemen Robert Hagg and Colin Miller and center Cody Eakin could draw interest in the trade market. All three are slated to become unrestricted free agents this summer.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 16, 2022

by | Feb 16, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 16, 2022

​Milestone performances for Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin and much more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby tallied his 500th career NHL goal while teammate Kris Letang scored in overtime in a 5-4 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Crosby joins Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin as the second active player to reach the 500-goal plateau and the second in Penguins history. Crosby and Letang finished the night with a goal and an assist as the Penguins move into second place in the Eastern Conference with 70 points.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The next active player in reach of 500 goals is Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos with 462.

Speaking of Ovechkin, he scored twice in a 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators to reach the 30-goal mark for the 16th time in his career, sitting second to Hall-of-Famer Mike Gartner (17 seasons). Capitals coach Peter Laviolette picked up his 700th career win as the Capitals (63 points) opened a five-point lead over the Boston Bruins for the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. With 60 points, the Predators dropped to the first Western Conference wild-card berth.

Meanwhile, the Bruins dropped a 2-1 decision to the New York Rangers as K’Andre Miller netted the winner in the ninth round of the shootout. Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin made 31 saves in regulation and overtime as his club sits third in the Metropolitan Division with 66 points.

The Tampa Bay Lightning scored five straight goals to overcome a 3-1 deficit and down the New Jersey Devils 6-3. Nikita Kucherov, Victor Hedman, Pat Maroon and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare each had a goal and an assist for the Lightning, who take over first place in the Eastern Conference with 70 points due to a game in hand over the Penguins. Devils rookie Dawson Mercer had a goal and two assists.

Joe Pavelski scored twice and set up two others to lead the Dallas Stars over the Colorado Avalanche 4-1, snapping the latter’s 19-game points streak. Teammate Tyler Seguin had a goal and two assists as the Stars (54 points) moved within one point of the final Western Conference wild-card spot. The Avalanche, meanwhile, remains atop the overall standings with 72 points.

Speaking of that wild-card berth, the Los Angeles Kings dropped into that spot after falling 5-2 to the Edmonton Oilers. Connor McDavid and Evander Kane each had a goal and an assist while teammate Kailer Yamamoto netted the winning goal by snapping a 2-2 tie. Both teams have 55 points but the Oilers moved into third place in the Pacific Division with a game in hand. The Oilers have won three straight under new head coach Jay Woodcroft.

Tyler Toffoli scored in his first game with the Calgary Flames in a 6-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Flames acquired Toffoli on Monday. Elias Lindholm had a goal and an assist as Calgary has won seven straight to take over first place in the Pacific Division with 60 points.

St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice and collected an assist to beat the Ottawa Senators 5-2. Robert Thomas had a goal and two assists while Pavel Buchnevich picked up three assists. The Blues hold third place in the Central Division with 61 points.

The Buffalo Sabres got two goals by Victor Olofsson in a 6-3 win over the New York Islanders. Alex Tuch and Peyton Krebs each had two points for the Sabres. Kyle Palmieri scored twice for the Islanders.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen was placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

THE SCORE: Ottawa Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot missed Tuesday’s game against the Blues as he remains sore from a hit by Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson on Sunday.

TSN: The Nashville Predators signed defenseman Mark Borowiecki to a one-year, $900K contract extension.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks will return to full capacity at Rogers Arena on Saturday against the Anaheim Ducks as provincial indoor restrictions are eased this week.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 15, 2022

by | Feb 15, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – February 15, 2022

​Claude Giroux to the Avalanche? What goaltending options are available to the Capitals? Do the Penguins need to shop for a backup? Find out in today’s NHL rumor mill.

LATEST ON GIROUX

Philadelphia Flyers captain Claude Giroux (NHL Images).

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW’S Adrian Dater yesterday tweeted he was told Claude Giroux has informed Philadelphia Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher he wants to go to the Colorado Avalanche. Failing that, the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues would be acceptable alternatives.

THE DENVER POST: Sean Keeler believes Avalanche GM Joe Sakic must make a trade to improve his club’s chances of winning the Stanley Cup this year. He considers Giroux the best choice but also suggested Dallas Stars forward Joe Pavelski as an option if they can’t land the Flyers captain.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche have less than $1.7 million in projected trade deadline cap space. Pulling this off will require the Flyers to retain a healthy chunk of the remainder of Giroux’s $8.25 million cap hit. That could mean involving a third team to broker the deal and spread the cap hit around.

The same goes for Pavelski ($7 million cap hit) though he might not be as costly to acquire as Giroux, provided the Stars are willing to deal with a division rival. They’re still very much on the hunt for a wild-card berth in the Western Conference and could be reluctant to part with him.

WHAT GOALIE OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO THE CAPITALS?

THE ATHLETIC: A reader asked Tarik El-Bashir what the Washington Capitals will do to address their inconsistent goaltending which has contributed to their recent slide in the Eastern Conference standings. He wondered if they’re in the market for a rental such as the Chicago Blackhawks’ Marc-Andre Fleury or target a veteran starter under contract beyond this season such as the Los Angeles Kings’ Jonathan Quick or the New York Islanders’ Semyon Varlamov.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli last week reported the Capitals made a “full-court press” for Fleury but it doesn’t appear that’s going to happen, prompting observers to speculate the 2021 Vezina Trophy winner nixed a trade to Washington. The Kings are in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race so I don’t see them parting with Quick, whose performance has improved this season.

Varlamov, however, could be available if the Islanders fail to gain ground in the Eastern Conference standings, provided he’ll waive his 16-team no-trade clause to return to the team where he began his NHL career. The Capitals, however, only have just over $1.9 million in deadline cap space. They might have to move some salary to accommodate the remainder of Varlamov’s $5 million cap hit for this season or convince Isles GM Lou Lamoriello to retain some salary in the deal.

DO THE PENGUINS NEED TO SHOP FOR A BACKUP?

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski recently reported the improved performance of Casey DeSmith over his last two games could lessen the need for the Penguins to pursue a reliable backup if he can maintain that level of play. It would also free up assets for GM Ron Hextall to pursue a middle-six winger or a defensive blueliner.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 13, 2022

by | Feb 13, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 13, 2022

Recaps of Saturday’s action, updates on Nathan MacKinnon, Erik Karlsson and Tomas Hertl, the Canadiens acquire Andrew Hammond, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The red-hot Calgary Flames picked up their sixth straight victory by downing the New York Islanders 5-2. Adam Ruzicka had a goal and an assist while Johnny Gaudreau collected two assists. Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin made 24 saves replacing Semyon Varlamov after the latter was placed in COVID protocol following pre-game warmups. With 58 points, the Flames sit one behind the first-place Vegas Golden Knights in the Pacific Division.

Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler (NHL Images)

Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler scored twice and added three assists as he rallied his club from a 2-0 deficit to a 5-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Mark Scheifele scored and collected two assists for the Jets (48 points) as they sit seven points out of a Western Conference wild-card berth. The Predators (60 points) slid one point behind the Minnesota Wild into third place in the Central Division. Predators defenseman Mark Borowiecki was ejected in the first period for elbowing Jets forward Evgeny Svechnikov in the face, who was forced to leave the game with an injury.

A 51- save performance by Thatcher Demko carried the Vancouver Canucks to a 3-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Brock Boeser and J.T. Miller each had a goal and an assist for the Canucks while the Leafs Auston Matthews tallied his 32nd of the season. Defenseman Travis Hamonic returned to action for the first time since Dec. 8 for the Canucks (50 points), who sit five points out of the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference. The Leafs, meanwhile, remain in third place in the Atlantic Division with 63 points.

The Minnesota Wild held off the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 to extend their home points streak to 12 games. Kevin Fiala tallied a goal and an assist for the Wild while Andrei Svechnikov netted both Hurricanes goals. Wild blueliner Matt Dumba returned from an upper-body injury suffered on Jan. 30. With 61 points, the Wild sit second in the Central Division while the Hurricanes (67 points) hold a one-point lead for first place in the Metropolitan Division.

St. Louis Blues forward Brayden Schenn collected two assists and Oskar Sundqvist had a goal and an assist in a 5-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, who were held to just 16 shots in this contest. The Blues hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 59 points.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman picked up his first win since Jan. 2 with a 30-save shutout to blank the Ottawa Senators 2-0. The Bruins got first-period goals by Trent Frederic and Curtis Lazar. Matt Murray made 35 saves for the Senators. With 57 points, the Bruins are four behind the Washington Capitals for the first wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. Senators forward Austin Watson faces a hearing today for interference on Bruins defenseman Jack Ahcan when he appeared to catch Ahcan in the head with a high hit.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin had three assists in a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Wings goalie Thomas Greiss made 32 saves in his first game since Jan. 9 as his club sits seven points behind the Bruins, who hold the final Eastern wild-card berth.

Patrik Laine’s power-play goal in the dying seconds of regulation gave the Columbus Blue Jackets a 2-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A heartbreaking loss for the Canadiens, whose performance has noticeably improved under new head coach Martin St. Louis. Cole Caufield has definitely benefited from playing for St. Louis, scoring two goals in as many games after managing just one in 30 previous contests this season.

HEADLINES

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon will return to action today against the Dallas Stars after being sidelined since Jan.26 by a broken nose and concussion.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Tomas Hertl’s agent has been in contract extension talks with the Sharks, but the 28-year-old center has yet to decide if he’s staying. Hertl is slated to become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end and could cost at least $7 million annually to re-sign.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As I’ve noted in the rumor mill, much could depend on how much cap space the Sharks have for next season following the outcome of Evander Kane’s grievance over his contract termination. A date for that hearing has yet to be determined.

The Sharks did get some good news as sidelined defenseman Erik Karlsson could return from surgery on his left forearm earlier than anticipated. He was expected to be re-evaluated by mid-March. However, defenseman Jaycob Megna underwent surgery to repair a displaced fracture and is likely out for four-to-six weeks.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Montreal Canadiens traded minor-league forward Brandon Baddock to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for goaltender Andrew Hammond.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This move allows the Canadiens to send struggling young goalie Cayden Primeau back to their AHL affiliate in Laval.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins assistant coach Todd Reirden will undergo knee surgery on Monday after suffering a fall shoveling out his driveway during the All-Star weekend. He’s expected to be sidelined for some time.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 4, 2022

by | Feb 4, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – February 4, 2022

Will the Flyers trade Claude Giroux? What are the latest Blues clues? Can the Avalanche afford to re-sign Nazem Kadri? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I underwent surgery on Thursday to repair tendon damage in my right wrist. I will attempt to provide daily updates to the site as usual during my 10-14 day convalescence but my usual comments on notable headlines and trade/free agent rumors could be shorter and fewer. Some of you will probably be thankful for that (insert wink emoji here). Anyway, please bear with me if uploads are a little later than usual over the next week or two.

Now, on to today’s rumors…

WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH GIROUX?

PHILLY.COM: Giana Han, Olivia Reiner and Gus Elvin recently broke down the Philadelphia Flyers roster. In their opinion, this club needs to do more than retool its roster but that could depend on what happens with captain Claude Giroux.

Philadelphia Flyers captain Claude Giroux (NHL Images).

Giroux is due to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. The 34-year-old carries a full no-movement clause. Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher recently said it’s Giroux’s decision whether he wants to stay or go by the March 21 trade deadline.

A life-long Flyer, Giroux has indicated in the past his desire to finish his career in Philadelphia. Given the club’s current plight, however, the opportunity to play for a Stanley Cup contender could be hard to pass up. The Flyers would likely recoup a first-round pick and a top prospect for him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Giroux will draw lots of interest from playoff contenders if he agrees to waive his NMC before March 21. Daily Faceoff’s Mike McKenna suggested he could help the Calgary Flames as a second- or third-line center.

The club’s untouchables include goaltender Carter Hart, 21-year-olds Joel Farabee and Cam York, and veterans Sean Couturier and Ryan Ellis. Likely to return are Cam Atkinson, Scott Laughton, James van Riemsdyk and Kevin Hayes.

Ivan Provorov, Travis Konecny, Travis Sanheim and Oskar Lindblom have had ups and downs over the past two seasons. They’re signed beyond this season and while they could be traded their youth and potential suggests they’ll be retained.

LATEST BLUES SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford was asked if St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko still wants to be traded in a recent mailbag segment. His understanding of the situation is it will be addressed in the offseason. It’s believed his request still stands but it makes little sense trading him now as he and the team are playing well.

Rutherford was also asked about the trade market for defensemen. He indicated the Blues have scouted Montreal Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot and Anaheim Ducks blueliner Hampus Lindholm. They’ve also faced Seattle Kraken rearguard Mark Giordano twice this season. Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun is also available but will be expensive to acquire.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tarasenko’s not going anywhere this season unless things go very wrong for the winger and the Blues before the trade deadline. It’ll be easier to move him this summer if he still wants to go because his actual salary for next season is $5.5 million.

Any attempt to acquire Chychrun could depend upon whether Tarasenko will still be with the Blues next season. The Coyotes winger carries an affordable $4.6 million annual cap hit but it could prove a tight fit squeezing him into their cap payroll if Tarasenko is still around.

CAN THE AVALANCHE AFFORD KADRI?

NBC SPORTS: James O’Brien wondered if the Colorado Avalanche will sign Nazem Kadri to a new contract before he becomes eligible for unrestricted free agent status this summer. The 31-year-old center is enjoying a career-best season thus far, sitting tied with Edmonton’s Connor McDavid for third place in the NHL scoring race with 60 points in 41 games.

O’Brien points out the Avalanche has over $26 million in cap space for next season. While they could squeeze in a big raise for him, they also have long-term considerations such as re-signing superstar Nathan MacKinnon before his contract expires in 2023. He expects Kadri will seek a big raise, pointing out he recently changed agents.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kadri will seek much more than the current $4.5 million annual cap hit on his current contract. Given his age, the Avs won’t want to pay too much or for too long. He’s likely going to hit the open market if his asking price is north of $6 million annually for more than four years.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 1, 2022

by | Feb 1, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – February 1, 2022

​More trade speculation regarding Canadiens defensemen Jeff Petry and Ben Chiarot plus some of the Senators pending UFAs are garnering attention. Check out the latest in today’s NHL rumor mill.

LATEST ON THE CANADIENS

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes said his club views its trade deadline plans as being “open to everything”. However, they’re not feeling pressured to move out players on long-term deals by deadline day. If a move makes sense before March 21 they’ll consider it and if not they’ll wait for the offseason.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry (NHL Images).

LeBrun indicates the Canadiens front office is also debating which players should stay and those who should go and why. However, it’s not easy to make individual player assessments when the club is playing so poorly right now. Hughes said he’s spoken to players who’ve been mentioned in trade rumors, saying he didn’t have any answers for them right now but wanted them to see him if they have any questions.

Sources told LeBrun that Jeff Petry would be open to a trade. The 34-year-old defenseman is having a rough year but still has value around the league, with one Western Conference executive saying his club would have no hesitation about stepping up for Petry if he could address a roster need.

LeBrun doesn’t see the Habs peddling Petry at a discount if they move him at all. He has a 15-team no-trade list but his camp is open to help facilitate a trade.

THE JEFF MAREK SHOW: Elliotte Friedman believes Petry will draw interest in the trade market based on his performance during last year’s playoffs. He expects the blueliner will be traded but isn’t sure if it’ll happen at the trade deadline or in the offseason. Friedman suspects it could be this summer because teams have more salary-cap flexibility.

Friedman also believes defenseman Ben Chiarot will be the first player the Canadiens trade this season because of his eligibility this summer for unrestricted free agent status. He pointed out the St. Louis Blues are among several teams interested in the 31-year-old Chiarot.

He also made the point that it was easier for the Canadiens to retain salary on Chiarot because it’s only for the remainder of this season. For Petry, it would mean doing so through 2024-25.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Petry’s contract will be a stumbling block on the path to a trade. Hughes would probably accommodate the unhappy defenseman’s trade request during this season if he was carrying a more affordable cap hit on a shorter term.

That Western Conference executive cited by LeBrun and any others interested in Petry would love to take him off the Habs’ hands provided Hughes retains a healthy chunk of the defenseman’s $6.25 million annual cap hit. Or takes back a toxic contract. Or packages Petry with the Canadiens first-round pick in this year’s draft, or a promising player like Cole Caufield or Alexander Romanov, or top prospect Kaiden Guhle.

Those are scenarios Hughes undoubtedly doesn’t want to do. It would be quite a feat by the Canadiens rookie GM to move Petry without having to resort to one of them. Maybe there will be better options available in the offseason. Petry’s unhappiness and uninspired play, however, could end up forcing Hughes into choosing one of those options.

Chiarot remains the easiest to move and I daresay Friedman is right that he’ll be the first Hab to be traded by deadline day. His annual cap hit ($3.5 million) isn’t that expensive but it could be necessary to retain some of it to ship him to a cap-strapped team. As Friedman points out, it won’t do any harm to the Canadiens payroll or their performance this season, especially if they can get a solid return that helps them over the long term.

TWO SENATORS UFAS DRAWING INTEREST

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli recently reported Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg and forward Nick Paul has garnered attention in the NHL rumor mill. Forsberg has popped up among clubs seeking help between the pipes while Paul has impressed with his work ethic.

Both players are slated to become unrestricted free agents this summer. The Senators would like to re-sign them but Seravalli suggests they could end up on his trade targets list if they’re not under contract by March 21.