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 12, 2022

by | Feb 12, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – February 12, 2022

​What’s the latest on Jakob Chychrun, Claude Giroux, Marc-Andre Fleury and other top NHL trade candidates? Check out my analysis of TSN’s latest trade bait list in today’s NHL rumor mill.

TSN: Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun, Montreal Canadiens blueliner Ben Chiarot and Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury fill the top-three positions in TSN’s Feb. 11 trade bait list. Philadelphia Flyers forward Claude Giroux and Dallas Stars defenseman John Klingberg round out the top five.

Philadelphia Flyers captain Claude Giroux (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ve written at length regarding Chychrun, Fleury and Giroux for The Hockey News over the past week. I don’t dismiss the possibility of Chychrun moving by the March 21 trade deadline but the Coyotes’ high asking price suggests this could be an offseason move.

The Colorado Avalanche reportedly has interest in Fleury and Giroux but their limited cap space means they can’t afford both. In either case, they’ll have to get the losing club to retain salary and could still need a third team to get involved in order to broker the deal by spreading out the remaining cap hit. The Avs could also be forced to part with some promising prospects.

Chiarot’s been at or near the top of most trade bait lists since December. It’s assumed the Canadiens could get a first-round pick for him. There were reports last month indicating the Stars were trying to move Klingberg but there’s been nothing of note since then. Much could depend on where the Stars are in the standings in a month’s time.

San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl, Seattle Kraken defenseman Mark Giordano, Columbus Blue Jackets forward Max Domi, Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller and the Coyotes salary cap space fill spots six through 10.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No certainty Hertl will be traded following a report this week indicating the Sharks are talking contract extension with his agent. It could depend on how much cap space they’ll have following the outcome of Evander Kane’s grievance over his contract termination.

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports Kraken GM Ron Francis is expected to sit down with Giordano soon to discuss the possibility of a trade. He mentioned the Florida Panthers as a possible destination. The well-traveled Domi recently surfaced in trade rumors but there’s no indication which teams might be interested in him.

Miller’s been a hot topic for trade chatter since November. However, recent trade rumors regarding teammate Conor Garland have led some observers to suggest the Canucks prefer not only retaining Miller but perhaps signing him to a contract extension this summer if they can find sufficient salary-cap flexibility.

The Coyotes carry plenty of cap space to help other clubs looking to offload salary or perhaps broker a three-team deal by the deadline. They’re already retaining salary on two contracts (Darcy Kuemper and Oliver Ekman-Larsson) and can only take on one more as the CBA allows just three retained salaries per season.

Coyotes winger Phil Kessel, Buffalo Sabres defenseman Mark Pysyk, Blackhawks defenseman Calvin de Haan, Detroit Red Wings defenseman Nick Leddy and Winnipeg Jets center Andrew Copp sit at positions 11 through 15.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kessel isn’t the scorer of his youth but could still be a worthwhile addition to a team seeking a winger with playoff experience. With 28 points in 44 games, the versatile Copp will draw interest if the Jets got into sell mode in March. Pysyk, de Haan and Leddy could be affordable options for contenders seeking blueline depth.

Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry, Boston Bruins left wing Jake DeBrusk, Sabres defenseman Colin Miller, Stars goalie Anton Khudobin and Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen are at 16 through 20.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Petry’s garnered lots of recent trade rumor buzz but his contract ($6.25 million cap hit through 2024-25, 15 team no-trade clause) and declining production this season makes the 34-year-old difficult to move at a time when a large number of teams have little salary-cap wiggle room.

DeBrusk made a trade request in late November but there’s no indication the Bruins are close to moving him or receiving much interest from other clubs. Miller is midway through an expected six-week absence due to surgery for an undisclosed ailment. The Stars placed Khudobin on waivers in December but couldn’t find any takers. Ristolainen might garner some interest but he’s dogged by a reputation for sloppy defensive play.

New York Rangers winger Vitali Kravtsov, Ottawa Senators center Chris Tierney, Red Wings defenseman Marc Staal, Kraken forward Calle Jarnkrok and Coyotes center Johan Larsson round out the list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kravtsov is playing in the KHL and cannot return to the NHL until their season is over. Tierney and Jarnkrok could be affordable depth forward additions. There’s talk the Wings could bring back Staal on another one-year deal as they value his leadership and experience. Larsson underwent sports hernia surgery and isn’t expected to return to action until early April.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 29, 2022

by | Jan 29, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – January 29, 2022

​Check out the latest on Matthew Tkachuk, Tomas Hertl, and Timo Meier plus some suggested backup goalie candidates for the Penguins in today’s NHL rumor mill.

WILL THE FLAMES RE-SIGN TKACHUK AND BOOST THEIR ROSTER?

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford and Hailey Salvian examined the options facing Calgary Flames winger Matthew Tkachuk when he becomes a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer. It will cost the Flames $9 million to qualify his rights. He’s also a year away from unrestricted free agent eligibility.

Calgary Flames winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images).

The Flames are likely looking for a long-term contract between $9 million and $10 million annually. They wonder if a $10 million annual average value on an eight-year deal would get the job done.

It’s assumed Tkachuk would join the St. Louis Blues (his hometown club) one day if he doesn’t stay with the Flames on a long-term deal. However, sources say he’d also have interest in the Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators and New York Rangers to name a few.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Steve Macfarlane believes Flames management should be in “go-for-it” mode given the uncertainty over the futures of Tkachuk and pending UFA winger Johnny Gaudreau.

He feels they need to bolster their secondary scoring and their blueline depth. Trade rumors linked them to Montreal Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot and Seattle Kraken winger Jordan Eberle. There’s also speculation about a possible reunion with former captain and current Kraken blueliner Mark Giordano.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly shows the Flames with $50.2 million invested in 11 players for 2022-23. They have sufficient cap space to re-sign Tkachuk and Gaudreau but those moves would quickly eat up around $20 million of it, leaving little room to re-sign Andrew Mangiapane, Oliver Kylington and fill out the remainder of the lineup. It could come down to Tkachuk or Gaudreau depending on how much they’re willing to pay on a long-term deal.

The Flames currently have over $5.5 million in trade deadline cap space so there’s some wiggle room to add to their roster this season. Whether they’ll follow Macfarlane’s advice this season remains to be seen. They’re currently jockeying for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference and could go from buyers to sellers if they fall further out of contention by the March trade deadline

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE SHARKS?

THE ATHLETIC: Corey Masisak wondered what the San Jose Sharks will do with defenseman Erik Karlsson sidelined until at least mid-March following surgery on his forearm earlier this week. With a tough stretch of games coming up in their schedule and in a tight battle for the final Western Conference wild-card berth, they’ll have to figure out if they’ll be buyers, sellers or stand pat at the trade deadline.

If the Sharks buy, they could pursue a top-six winger and a defenseman to help their blueline while Karlsson remains sidelined. Selling could mean shopping UFA center Tomas Hertl for a significant return involving draft picks and prospects.

The following day, Masisak’s colleague Eric Duhatschek was asked in a mailbag segment if they would also trade winger Timo Meier if they go into sell mode at the trade deadline. A favorable arbitration ruling in the Evander Kane case could provide the Sharks with sufficient space to sign both to long-term extensions.

With Meier signed through 2022-23 and slated to become an RFA with arbitration rights next summer, Duhatschek believes the Sharks will move heaven and earth to keep him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The next month will determine the Sharks’ path leading up to deadline day. Hertl has expressed a willingness to stay and that could be possible if they get significant cap relief from terminating Kane’s contract. If not, they could be forced to part with him at the deadline if they’re out of playoff contention rather than lose him for nothing.

LATEST PENGUINS SPECULATION

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Earlier this week, Dan Kingerski examined some potential backup goaltending options for the Penguins. With Louis Domingue week-to-week with an injured foot, their current roster option remains Casey DeSmith, who has struggled this season.

Affordable trade options could include the Florida Panthers Jonas Johansson, Buffalo Sabres’ Craig Anderson, Ottawa Senators Anton Forsberg and the LA Kings’ Garret Sparks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johansson could be available. His recent emergence from COVID protocol forced the Panthers to send Spencer Knight to the minors because he’s waiver exempt.

The Sabres’ banged-up goalie corps likely means they’ll hang onto Anderson until some of the others get healthier. I don’t see the Kings parting with Sparks while they’re jockeying for a playoff spot. They’ll want him as insurance in case of injury to Jonathan Quick or Cal Petersen.

There’s speculation the Senators are getting calls from other clubs interested in Forsberg. Perhaps the Penguins are among them. However, they could prefer to hang onto him and attempt to re-sign him to a multi-year deal.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 15, 2022

by | Jan 15, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – January 15, 2022

​Check out the latest on the Rangers and Canadiens in today’s NHL rumor mill.

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple recently examined some potential external options for the New York Rangers to bolster their top six and their third defense pairing.

Possible top-six trade targets could include San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl, Arizona Coyotes winger Phil Kessel, Dallas Stars forward Joe Pavelski, Philadelphia Flyers forward Claude Giroux, Anaheim Ducks winger Rickard Rakell, Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk and Vegas Golden Knights winger Reilly Smith.

Dallas Stars forward Joe Pavelski (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The availability of Hertl, Pavelski and Rakell could depend upon where their respective clubs are in the NHL standings approaching the March 21 trade deadline. Giroux has a full no-movement clause and it’s uncertain what he intends to do as the Flyers continue to struggle.

DeBrusk requested a trade in late November but there haven’t been any takers yet. Smith could be shopped by the Golden Knights as a cost-cutting measure to make room for Jack Eichel’s debut next month.

To boost the third line, Staple suggested Montreal Canadiens forward Artturi Lehkonen, though he noted the latter has had preliminary contract talks with the Habs. Other options included Ottawa Senators center Chris Tierney, Arizona Coyotes forward Travis Boyd, and Seattle Kraken forward Calle Jarnkrok or former Ranger Colin Blackwell.

Turning to defensemen, Staple believes the asking price for Arizona’s Jakob Chychrun and Montreal’s Ben Chiarot could be too expensive. Seattle’s Mark Giordano won’t be as expensive but still won’t be a cheap rental. Nevertheless, he could fill a need for the Rangers. Other options include Seattle’s Carson Soucy, the Chicago Blackhawks’ Calvin de Haan, Philadelphia’s Justin Braun, the Buffalo Sabres’ Colin Miller or Detroit Red Wings’ (and former Rangers) Marc Staal or Nick Holden.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bear in mind Staple isn’t saying the Rangers are pursuing the aforementioned players or have them on any potential wish list. Nevertheless, they have the cap space and depth in prospects and promising young players to make competitive bids for one or two of them.

Smith is most often mentioned as a possible rental target given he previously played for Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant when the latter was the Golden Knights’ bench boss. It wouldn’t be surprising if he joins the Blueshirts sometime next month.

SPORTSNET/TSN: Eric Engels reports the Montreal Canadiens search for a new general manager could be resolved in the coming days. He’s heard Daniel Briere and Mathieu Darche are among the three finalists for the job.

Meanwhile, Pierre LeBrun reports the Canadiens are believed to have circled back to player agent Kent Hughes this week after he wasn’t part of their initial interviews. He includes Hughes among the top 3-4 candidates.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lovers of chaos will be disappointed Patrick Roy doesn’t appear to be among the final candidates, though he was among those initially interviewed for the position. The bottom line is the best candidate will be the one who can work best with hockey ops executive VP Jeff Gorton. I’m leaning toward Darche given his experience with the Tampa Bay Lightning but Hughes could also be a good fit given his experience as an agent.

TVA SPORTS: Yvon Pedneault took note of John Klingberg no longer being in the good graces of Dallas Stars management in his contract year. He suggested the Canadiens offer up Jeff Petry for Klingberg.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Klingberg is four years younger than the 34-year-old Petry, who has three more years left on his contract worth an annual cap hit of $6.25 million. Solely on that basis, Stars GM Jim Nill will never make that trade.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 14, 2022

by | Jan 14, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – January 14, 2022

​Could terminating Evander Kane’s contract enable the Sharks to re-sign Tomas Hertl? If not, could the Rangers be interested in him? Does Kane have a new contract with the Oilers? Check out the latest in today’s NHL rumor mill.

WILL THE SHARKS SIGN OR TRADE HERTL?

TSN: Pierre LeBrun speculated the Sharks might have sufficient salary-cap space from terminating Evander Kane’s contract to re-sign pending free agent Tomas Hertl depending on the outcome of the NHLPA’s grievance filed on Kane’s behalf. He expects they’ll revisit their contract discussions from last summer and perhaps make an offer to Hertl.

San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl (NHL Images).

If the two sides fail to reach an agreement on an extension, LeBrun believes Hertl could become the biggest name in the trade market if the Sharks make him available before the March trade deadline. The 28-year-old center carries a three-team trade list. LeBrun believes the New York Rangers are a team to keep an eye on as he thinks they have Hertl on their list of trade targets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hertl will undoubtedly draw lots of interest if the Sharks put him on the trade block. I don’t doubt the Rangers would be at the head of the pack. They’re jockeying for first place in the Eastern Conference and carry plenty of cap space and promising prospects to make a competitive bid.

However, the Sharks could be reluctant to move Hertl if they’re still in the playoff chase. They’re currently clinging to the final wildcard berth in the Western Conference. It’s been three years since they last appeared in the playoffs and ownership could be keen to tap into that postseason revenue.

HAS EVANDER KANE ALREADY SIGNED WITH THE OILERS?

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples cited TSN’s Shawn Simpson yesterday tweeting it sounds like Evander Kane has already signed a one-year, prorated contract worth $1.5 million with the Oilers.

Kane is under investigation by the NHL for potentially violating AHL COVID protocols. It was one of the reasons cited by the San Jose Sharks for terminating his contract last Sunday. Simpson said Kane technically needs to be under contract before any suspension should kick in.

“The other issue the Oilers run into. You won’t register the contract now, and then find out he’s suspended the rest of the year, “ wrote Simpson. “That would be money and cap space that is totally wasted. Curious how long the league investigation will take?”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Simpson’s colleagues Darren Dreger, Pierre LeBrun and Chris Johnston made no mention of this during last night’s “Insider Trading” segment. We’ll have to wait and see how this plays out.

Johnston said Kane could technically sign with another NHL team today but he believes Kane’s going to wait out of respect for the teams interested in signing him who want to see await the outcome of the league’s investigation.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 12, 2022

by | Jan 12, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – January 12, 2022

​Check out the latest on Evander Kane, John Klingberg, Jakob Chychrun, Tomas Hertl, Max Domi and more in today’s NHL rumor mill.

OILERS AMONG THREE TEAMS INTERESTED IN EVANDER KANE

TSN: Darren Dreger reports the Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning are believed to be the top-three clubs interested in signing Evander Kane. Oilers captain Connor McDavid is said to be on board with adding the former San Jose Sharks winger.

Kane and his agent continue to conduct due diligence here holding Zoom calls with general managers and coaches. Meanwhile, Chris Johnston said it could take several weeks for Kane’s grievance hearing with the Sharks to take place. The league and the NHLPA are comfortable with the winger signing with another club and resuming his NHL career while this process is ongoing.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman also wondered if the Carolina Hurricanes could also get into the bidding. Meanwhile, there are reports suggesting Kane could sign with the Oilers before the end of this week.

Dallas Stars defenseman John Klingberg (NHL Images).

Earlier this week, there was speculation suggesting the Oilers had an interest in Montreal Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher. We can put that to rest if the Oilers sign Kane.

KLINGBERG, GIORDANO AMONG NOTABLE DEFENSEMEN IN TRADE MARKET

TSN: Darren Dreger reports several pending unrestricted free agent defensemen could draw interest in the trade market. Right-side blueliners include the Dallas Stars John Klingberg, Buffalo Sabres’ Colin Miller and (potentially) the Anaheim Ducks’ Josh Manson, while the Montreal Canadiens Ben Chiarot and (potentially) the Seattle Kraken’s Mark Giordano.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller and Chiarot are the most likely to be shopped given their clubs’ low position in the standings. I initially had doubts about the Kraken shopping Giordano but recent reports suggest it could happen before the March 21 trade deadline. I don’t see Klingberg or Manson getting moved as long as their clubs remain in playoff contention by deadline day.

RUMORS TIDBITS FROM FRIEDMAN’S LATEST “32 THOUGHTS”

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reported there was some speculation that the Sharks could use the money freed up from terminating Kane’s contract to re-sign pending UFA center Tomas Hertl. However, that currently seems to be a premature assumption.

Friedman believes the Carolina Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche are going to appear in almost every trade rumor.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s because both clubs are considered Stanley Cup contenders in “go-for-it” mode. I would also include the Florida Panthers, who are linked to Evander Kane and are said to be shopping around for blue-line depth.

Friedman includes the Hurricanes with the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings and St. Louis Blues with interest in Jakob Chychrun. He believes the contract of the 23-year-old Arizona Coyotes defenseman ($4.6 million through 2024-25) is right in the Hurricanes’ wheelhouse.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly shows the Ducks and Kings in better shape cap-wise to take on Chychrun’s contract at the trade deadline than the Hurricanes and Blues. They also have more tradeable assets in terms of promising prospects.

Friedman said some teams believe the Coyotes could prefer shipping the blueliner to an Eastern club. However, I don’t think that’s set in stone, especially if a Western club is willing to meet their asking price.

Speaking of Chychrun, the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports the Senators may have kicked tires but he doubts they’ll acquire him. Garrioch believes he “likely doesn’t fit the bill for what the Senators are trying to accomplish here.”

With the Bruins finally signing Tuukka Rask, Friedman wondered if Columbus Blue Jackets forward Max Domi would be a good fit in Boston.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They could prefer finding a new home for Jake DeBrusk first. Hey, maybe a DeBrusk-for-Domi swap? If not, maybe DeBrusk for Lawson Crouse? Friedman’s colleague Jeff Marek recently noted the Bruins had been linked to the Arizona Coyotes forward.

Oilers GM Ken Holland all but confirmed he’s not interested in trading his 2022 first-round pick. He’d floated that notion earlier this season if this club was in a strong contender position but that’s not the case now.