NHL Rumor Mill – February 27, 2020

by | Feb 27, 2020

NHL Rumor Mill – February 27, 2020

More trade deadline fallout involving Joe Thornton, Tyson Barrie, Robin Lehner, Zach Parise and more in today’s NHL rumor mill.

SPORTSNET: In his latest 31 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman wondered what the future held for San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton. If he’s not sold on the Sharks as a Cup contender next season, Friedman predicts the Toronto Maple Leafs will be a factor. He believes the Leafs considered adding Thornton before the trade deadline, but can’t confirm it.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With all due respect to Thornton, the last thing the Leafs need is a past-his-prime center. It’s obvious to all that the Leafs desperately need to shore up their defensive depth. If management can’t see that, Leafs fans should give up any hope of this club becoming a Cup contender anytime soon.

Could the Vancouver Canucks pursue Tyson Barrie this summer? (Photo via NHL Images)

Speaking of the Leafs, Friedman said they weren’t trading Tyson Barrie unless they got a return that immediately replaced the blueliner plus a sweetener for the future. They would’ve taken Troy Stecher, but the Vancouver Canucks didn’t have the draft picks and weren’t parting with futures.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks were linked to Barrie leading up to the trade deadline. I wonder if they might try to sign him this summer as an unrestricted free agent. That could depend upon how much he’s seeking and whether it’ll fit within their cap space for 2020-21. Stecher, Jacob Markstrom, Jake Virtanen, and Adam Gaudette are due for raises next season.

Friedman believes the Chicago Blackhawks didn’t want to go past two years on a contract extension with Robin Lehner. The goaltender was shipped to the Vegas Golden Knights on deadline day.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t understand the Blackhawks’ reluctance. I’m well-aware of Lehner’s past issues, many of those tied to depression, but he’s turned his life and career around. He won the Masterton Trophy and was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy last season with the New York Islanders. He put up good numbers backstopping a porous Chicago defense and got along well with his Blackhawks teammates. If the Golden Knights don’t re-sign him, Lehner should land a fair contract elsewhere in the NHL.

Friedman also weighed in on the failed effort by the Minnesota Wild to trade Zach Parise to the New York Islanders for Andrew Ladd at the trade deadline. Getting the salary-cap dollars to fit was the sticking point. It was rumored young Isles winger Kieffer Bellows was going to be part of the deal, among other sweeteners. The Wild also had concerns about salary-cap recapture penalties if Parise retired early. Friedman isn’t sure where the deal goes from here.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild GM Bill Guerin hinted the two clubs could revisit those negotiations in the off-season. We’ll see if they can hammer something out.

The New York Rangers trading defenseman Brady Skjei to Carolina allows them to take care of internal business, like Anthony DeAngelo and Ryan Strome.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, dumping Skjei’s $5.25-million annual average value through 2023-24 frees up salary-cap space to re-sign DeAngelo and Strome. The pair are restricted free agents with arbitration rights this summer.

Friedman also reported the Edmonton Oilers had an interest in Patrick Marleau before the Sharks traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Arizona Coyotes, Calgary Flames, and Minnesota Wild were interested in Vincent Trocheck before the Florida Panthers shipped him to the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Flames also checked into Wayne Simmonds for the second time in two years. He believes the Islanders had an interest in Mikko Koivu, who opted to stay with the Wild. A lot of teams called the Philadelphia Flyers about winger Scott Laughton, but they weren’t interested in parting with him.

 










The Notable Deals of the 2020 NHL Trade Deadline

by | Feb 24, 2020

The Notable Deals of the 2020 NHL Trade Deadline

New York Rangers re-sign Chris Kreider to a seven-year contract extension worth an annual average value of $6.5 million

Not a trade, but Kreider was considered the top trade bait entering deadline day. Reports out of New York this morning suggested he was likely to be moved. The Rangers bent on the term, as they reportedly offered a six-year deal. Perhaps the Kreider camp gave a little on the dollars. The 28-year-old left-winger gets the long-term deal to stay put, but time will tell if this deal pans out over the long term for the Blueshirts.

The New York Islanders acquire and sign center Jean-Gabriel Pageau from the Ottawa Senators (Photo via NHL Images).

New York Islanders acquire center Jean-Gabriel Pageau

The Islanders address a glaring need on their forward lines with Pageau, a skilled two-way player who can skate at center or on the wing. They overpaid to get him, sending a conditional first-round pick in 2020, a 2020 second-rounder, and a conditional third in 2022 to the Ottawa Senators. That was offset by re-signing Pageau to a six-year, $30-million contract extension. The rebuilding Senators got a fine return, leaving them with potentially 13 picks in the 2020 Draft, with nine of those in the first three rounds.

Carolina Hurricanes acquire Brady Skjei from the New York Rangers and Sami Vatanen from the New Jersey Devils

The Hurricanes shored up their banged-up blueline by parting with a first-round pick for Skjei and shipping forward Janne Kuokkanen and a conditional second-round pick to the Devils for Vatanen. With Dougie Hamilton out for several more weeks with a broken leg and Brett Pesce sidelined by an upper-body injury, Skjei and Vatanen should help fill the gaps.

Florida Panthers trade Vincent Trocheck to the Carolina Hurricanes

The Panthers were rumored for weeks to be in the market for a top-four defenseman and Trocheck recently surfaced as a trade candidate. Instead, they swap him for checking-line forwards Erik Haula and Lucas Wallmark plus two prospects. Trocheck, meanwhile, should provide the Hurricanes with some welcome depth at center.

Vegas Golden Knights acquire goaltender Robin Lehner

Big pickup there for the Golden Knights, shipping Malcolm Subban, a prospect and a second-round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks for a 2019 Vezina Trophy finalist. Lehner will share the duties with starter Marc-Andre Fleury, providing Vegas with a solid one-two punch between the pipes.

Pittsburgh Penguins acquire forwards Patrick Marleau, Conor Sheary and Evan Rodrigues

Penguins GM Jim Rutherford made a significant move earlier this month by acquiring Jason Zucker from Minnesota. He wasn’t done tinkering with his forward lines, bringing in three key playoff rentals. They got Marleau for the San Jose Sharks for a conditional third-rounder and shipped center Dominik Kahun to the Buffalo Sabres for winger Conor Sheary and Evan Rodrigues. In the twilight of his career, Marleau gets a final shot at winning the Stanley Cup. It’s Sheary’s second go-around with the Penguins, winning Cups with them in 2016 and 2017. Rodrigues had requested a trade from the Sabres earlier in the season.

Edmonton Oilers deal for winger Andreas Athanasiou

The Oilers sent Sam Gagner and two second-round picks to the Detroit Red Wings for one of the fastest players in the league in Athanasiou, prompting speculation he’ll become a new linemate for Connor McDavid. If those two mesh well together, Athanasiou will regain the 30-goal form that he’s been lacking this season. Failing that, perhaps he’ll be a better fit on their second line with either Leon Draisaitl or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The Oilers also acquired winger Tyler Ennis from the Ottawa Senators and defenseman Mke Green from the Red Wings.

Calgary Flames bring in Erik Gustafsson and Derek Forbort

With Mark Giordano and Travis Hamonic still sidelined, the Flames sent a third-round pick in 2020 to the Chicago Blackhawks for Gustafsson and a conditional fourth in 2021 to the Los Angeles Kings for Forbort. Gustafsson is a mobile blueliner and Forbort will bring a physical edge to the Flames defense corps.

Buffalo Sabres acquire winger Wayne Simmonds

The Sabres sent a fifth-rounder in 2021 to the New Jersey Devils for Simmonds. He’ll provide leadership and experience, but won’t address their ongoing need for a scorer. At least they didn’t pay much to get him, plus the Devils picked up half of his $5-million salary-cap hit.

Boston Bruins trade winger Danton Heinen to the Anaheim Ducks for Nick Ritchie

This is a swap of two young forwards who needed a change of scenery. Ritchie was the Ducks first-round pick (10th overall) in 2014 but struggled to play up to expectations as a power forward. Heinen had a promising rookie performance (47 points) in 2017-18, but his production has eroded since then.

Colorado Avalanche land Vladislav Namestnikov

With their forward lines depleted by injuries, the Avs sent a 202 fourth-rounder to the Ottawa Senators for the versatile Namestnikov. The 27-year-old is a solid two-way forward who can skate at center or on the wing. He should fit in well on their checking lines.

Philadelphia Flyers add Derek Grant and Nate Thompson

The Flyers had an interest in Jean-Gabriel Pageau before the Senators shipped him to the Islanders. They instead went a more affordable route, sending a minor-league forward and a 2020 fourth-rounder to the Anaheim Ducks for Grant, and a 2021 fifth-rounder to the Montreal Canadiens for Nate Thompson. The two veterans will provide the Flyers with experienced depth up the middle.

Vancouver Canucks acquire Louis Domingue

With starting goalie Jacob Markstrom sidelined indefinitely with a knee injury, the Canucks sent minor-league goalie Zane McIntyre to the Devils for Domingue. He’ll split the duties with Thatcher Demko and should provide some additional insurance once Markstrom returns.










NHL Trade Deadline Tracker – February 24, 2020

by | Feb 24, 2020

NHL Trade Deadline Tracker – February 24, 2020

The NHL Trade Deadline is 3 pm ET today. This listing will be updated regularly throughout the day until all trade activity is complete.

Anaheim Ducks trade defenseman Korbinian Holzer to the Nashville Predators for defenseman Matt Irwin. 

Washington Capitals trade defenseman Christian Djoos to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Daniel Sprong. 

Montreal Canadiens trade Nick Cousins to the Vegas Golden Knights. Details to follow…

Calgary Flames trade Brandon Davidson to the San Jose Sharks for future considerations. 

New Jersey Devils trade goaltender Louis Domingue to the Vancouver Canucks in exhange for goalie Zane McIntyre

Tampa Bay Lightning acquire Barclay Goodrow from the San Jose Sharks for a first-round pick.

New York Rangers traded defenseman Brady Skjei to the Carolina Hurricanes for the Hurricanes’ first-round pick in 2020. 

Columbus Blue Jackets acquire Devin Shore from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Sonny Milano. 

Vegas Golden Knights acquired goaltender Robin Lehner from the Chicago Blackhawks for Malcolm Subban, Slava Demin and a 2nd round pick. 

New Jersey Devils trade defenseman Sami Vatanen to the Carolina Hurricanes for winger Janne Kuokkanen and a second-round pick. 

Buffalo Sabres trade Conor Sheary and Evan Rodrigues to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Dominik Kahun. 

Calgary Flames acquire defenseman Erik Gustafsson from the Chicago Blackhawks for a third-round pick. 

Los Angeles Kings ship defenseman Derek Forbort to the Calgary Flames for a fourth-round pick. 

Edmonton Oilers trade a fifth-round pick in 2021 to the Ottawa Senators for Tyler Ennis.

Edmonton Oilers acquired Andreas Athanasiou and Ryan Kuffner from the Detroit Red Wings for Sam Gagner, a second-round pick in 2020 and a second-rounder in 2021. 

Boston Bruins trade Danton Heinen to the Anaheim Ducks for Nick Ritchie.

Buffalo Sabres acquire winger Wayne Simmonds from the New Jersey Devils for a conditional fifth-rounder in 2021. 

Philadelphia Flyers acquire center Derek Grant from the Anaheim Ducks for minor-league center Kyle Crisuolo and a fourth-round pick in 2020. 

Toronto Maple Leafs trade goaltender Michael Hutchinson to the Colorado Avalanche for defenseman Calle Rosen.

Pittsburgh Penguins acquire Patrick Marleau from the San Jose Sharks for a conditional third-round pick in 2020. The pick becomes a second-rounder if the Penguins win the Stanley Cup. 

Montreal Canadiens trade center Nate Thompson to the Philadelphia Flyers for a fifth-round pick in 2021. 

Florida Panthers trade center Vincent Trocheck to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for forwards Erik Haula, Lucas Wallmark and prospects Chase Priskie and Eetu Luostarinen.

New York Islanders acquire center Jean-Gabriel Pageau to the New York Islanders for a first-round pick (lottery protected) in 2020, a  second-rounder in 2020, and a third in 2022. There are conditions attached to all picks. The Islanders re-sign him to a six-year contract extension.

Ottawa Senators trade Vladislav Namestnikov to the Colorado Avalanche for a fourth-round pick in the 2021 NHL draft. 

Detroit Red Wings trade defenseman Mike Green to the Edmonton Oilers for sidelined forward Kyle Brodziak and a conditional draft pick.










NHL Rumor Mill (Trade Deadline Edition) – February 24, 2020

by | Feb 24, 2020

NHL Rumor Mill (Trade Deadline Edition) – February 24, 2020

The NHL 2020 Trade Deadline is today at 3 pm ET. Here’s the latest on Chris Kreider, Joe Thornton, Tyson Barrie, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and more in the rumor mill.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ll be evaluating today’s notable deals in the Soapbox following the deadline. While we’re waiting for today’s activities, check out TSN’s updated Trade Bait list.

UPDATE ON KREIDER

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks reports it appears the New York Rangers will move Chris Kreider before today’s deadline as contract talks reached an impasse. The Rangers offered a six-year extension worth just under $7 million annually, but the Kreider camp seeks a seven-year term.

The Colorado Avalanche, Boston Bruins, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Vegas Golden Knights could have an interest in Kreider. The New York Islanders may have also checked in, but Brooks feels they have no chance of landing Kreider.

The New York Rangers are expected to move winger Chris Kreider before today’s 3 pm ET trade deadline (Photo via NHL Images).

The Blueshirts could also entertain offers for Marc Staal and Brady Skjei. Brett Cyrgalis believes Jesper Fast could garner the Rangers a second- or third-round pick.

TSN (via Forever Blueshirts): Darren Dreger last night reported the Rangers have an offer of a first-round pick on the table. The expectation is they could get a first-round pick and a prospect or a first and an NHL player.

**UPDATE** The Rangers announce they’ve re-signed Kreider to a seven-year extension worth an annual average value of $6.5 million. 

INTEREST REMAINS IN THORNTON

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy reports there’s still no confirmation San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton will waive his no-movement clause. Four clubs (Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning) are thought to be on his shortlist of trade destinations. It’s believed Sharks general manager Doug Wilson has been granted permission to at least explore what he could get from those clubs.

LATEST ON THE BLACKHAWKS

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Ben Pope believes Erik Gustafsson will almost certainly be traded today after the Blackhawks left the defenseman in Chicago as they departed on their current road trip. Other Blackhawks trade candidates could include goaltender Robin Lehner or winger Brandon Saad. Trade partners could include the Carolina Hurricanes, Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Florida Panthers.

THE ATHLETIC: Scott Powers and Mark Lazerus report the Hurricanes aren’t willing to part with one of their two first-round picks in this year’s draft for Lehner. Two team sources claim three or four clubs could be interested in Gustafsson. The Golden Knights were thought to be among them, but that no longer seems to be the case. If Lehner isn’t moved today, contract talks with Hawks management could resume.

SENATORS STILL TRYING TO RE-SIGN PAGEAU

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the Senators are still believed trying to re-sign Jean-Gabriel Pageau to a contract extension before today’s trade deadline. While they’ve listened to trade offers, other clubs realize the Sens wish to keep him. Meanwhile, forward Vladislav Namestnikov and Tyler Ennis were recent healthy scratches as there’s interest in both players from other teams.

What happens with the Rangers’ Chris Kreider could determine the fates of Pageau, Namestnikov, and Ennis. The Colorado Avalanche, Boston Bruins, Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders and Calgary Flames are all seeking forward depth.

BARRIE STILL LINKED TO THE CANUCKS

TSN’s Rick Dhaliwal reported yesterday talks were ongoing between the Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs regarding Leafs blueliner Tyson Barrie.

WILL THE WINGS MOVE ATHANASIOU?

MLIVE.COM: Ansar Khan reports the Detroit Red Wings held Andreas Athanasiou and Mike Green out of yesterday’s game against the Calgary Flames. With Green subsequently traded to the Edmonton Oilers, Athanasiou could be next.

The Oilers are rumored as a potential destination for Athanasiou. The Wings are trying to stock up on draft picks, prospects, and young players.

DUCKS SHOPPING GRANT?

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: Elliott Teaford reports the Anaheim Ducks held Derek Grant out of the lineup in last night’s game against the Anaheim Ducks as a precautionary measure. It’s a clear sign Ducks GM Bob Murray has at least one offer for the 29-year-old center.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup (Part Two) – February 23, 2020

by | Feb 23, 2020

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup (Part Two) – February 23, 2020

Twas the evening before the NHL trade deadline…Check out the latest on the Hurricanes, Rangers, Red Wings, and Oilers in the rumor mill.

HURRICANES PURSUING A DEFENSEMAN

TSN: Frank Seravalli reports the Carolina Hurricanes were shopping around for a defenseman to replace the sidelined Dougie Hamilton. With Brett Pesce getting injured against Toronto last night and potentially out long-term, their priority is adding to their blueline. They’ve been linked to New Jersey’s Sami Vatanen and Toronto’s Tyson Barrie, among others. The Canes have an additional first-round pick in this year’s draft, though team owner Tom Dundon isn’t keen on shopping futures for rental players. Given their needs, it’s difficult to imagine them hanging onto both first-rounders.

Could the Carolina Hurricanes make a pitch for Toronto’s Tyson Barrie? (Photo via NHL Images)

Seravalli adds the Hurricanes are also willing to shop pending UFA forward Erik Haula. Pierre LeBrun reports they’re hoping UFA defenseman Zach Bogosian chooses to sign with them. Darren Dreger yesterday reported Pittsburgh and Arizona were also among those interested in Bogosian. Toronto, Calgary, San Jose, and Boston are also among the tire-kickers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perhaps the Hurricanes will part with one of their first-round picks if they can get a defenseman with term remaining on his contract. Minnesota’s Jonas Brodin or Matt Dumba frequently surfaced in trade chatter earlier this month, though that speculation cooled as the Wild try to remain in the playoff chase. Philadelphia’s Shayne Gostisbehere was another topic of trade rumors, but he’s not worth a first-rounder. Montreal’s Jeff Petry has also been linked to the Canes, but it’s believed the Canadiens set a high asking price. Could a first-round pick tempt them?

The Hurricanes were also in the market for some goaltending depth before Saturday’s game. While James Reimer could be sidelined for a lengthy period, there’s no word as to how long Petr Mrazek could be out. GM Don Waddell is prepared to call up AHL goaltenders Alex Nedeljkovic and Anton Forsberg for the time being.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canes were linked to Chicago’s Robin Lehner and Corey Crawford. Given the latter’s full no-movement clause, Lehner seems the most likely trade candidate. Whether he heads to Carolina before tomorrow’s deadline or somewhere else remains to be seen.

UPDATE ON KREIDER

TSN: Darren Dreger tweets hope is fading for a new contract between the New York Rangers and winger Chris Kreider. If there isn’t a shift in negotiations soon, he’ll remain the top player on TSN’s trade bait board for tomorrow’s deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kreider’s been linked to the Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, and St. Louis Blues. The most likely contenders could be the Avs and Stars. 

The Bruins’ acquisition of Ondrej Kase on Friday probably takes them out of the bidding. I’ll be very surprised if the Rangers ship Kreider to the Isles, while I’m not sure the Penguins have the assets to swing it. The Blues, meanwhile, could wait for winger Vladimir Tarasenko’s return from shoulder surgery in March. 

WINGS SEEKING DRAFT PICKS

MLIVE.COM: Ansar Khan reports Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman remains in the market for draft picks as the trade deadline approaches. He hoped to move pending UFAs such as Mike Green, Jimmy Howard, Trevor Daley, and Jonathan Ericsson, but their struggles in this disastrous season hurt their trade value. Their best trade chip could be Andreas Athanasiou, but the decline in his performance this season means the Wings will be selling low.

 

 










NHL Rumor Mill – February 22, 2020

by | Feb 22, 2020

NHL Rumor Mill – February 22, 2020

The NHL trade deadline is 3 pm ET on Monday, Feb. 24. Check out the latest on the Leafs, Bruins, Devils, and Penguins in today’s rumor mill.

WHAT WILL THE LEAFS DO TO BOOST THEIR BLUELINE?

TSN: Frank Seravalli believes the Vancouver Canucks, Vegas Golden Knights, Calgary Flames and Carolina Hurricanes have contacted the Toronto Maple Leafs about defenseman Tyson Barrie.

Four teams reportedly have interest in Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Tyson Barrie (Photo via NHL Images).

The Flames may have proposed a straight-up swap of pending UFAs, with Barrie going to Calgary for T.J. Brodie. The Golden Knights have extra salary cap space after trading Cody Eakin’s $3.8 million to Winnipeg yesterday, which could be put toward re-signing Barrie if they acquire him. The Hurricanes view Barrie as a rental player. They hold the Leafs’ first-round pick in 2020 from last summer’s Patrick Marleau buyout trade.

The Leafs could try to do a one-for-one trade by dealing Barrie for another defenseman or swap him for assets that can be flipped to another club to land an established blueliner.

TORONTO STAR: Kevin McGran weighs in on the Maple Leafs need to add a defenseman before the upcoming trade deadline. Possible targets include the Minnesota Wild’s Matt Dumba or Jonas Brodin, the New York Rangers’ Tony DeAngelo, the Montreal Canadiens’ Jeff Petry, the Buffalo Sabres’ Rasmus Ristolainen, and the Chicago Blackhawks’ Erik Gustafsson.

McGran also examined the Leafs’ potential trade bait. He suggested sidelined winger Andreas Johnsson could be enticing to non-contenders. Other options include Tyson Barrie and rookie blueliner Timothy Liljegren.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the Leafs clinging to one of the final playoff spots in the Eastern Conference, general manager Kyle Dubas is under tremendous pressure to find some blueline depth before deadline day. They have over $9.8 million in projected salary-cap space with Johnsson, Morgan Rielly and Cody Ceci on long-term injury reserve. The latter two could return before season’s end, meaning Dubas must ensure he’s got sufficient cap space when they do.

Just because some teams have interest in Barrie doesn’t mean he’s going to one of them. The Athletic’s Harman Dayal believes Barrie would be an awkward fit on the Canucks’ blueline, pointing out they already have a skilled puck-moving rearguard in Quinn Hughes. The Golden Knights acquired Alec Martinez earlier this week, and might not have the assets the Leafs need to flip to another club for a defenseman. The same could be said for the Flames if a Barrie-for-Brodie swap falls through. The Hurricanes supposedly don’t want to part with picks or prospects for rental players.

As for those suggested trade targets for the Leafs, Gustafsson could be the easiest to acquire. It’ll take a first-line center or a second-line center and more to acquire Dumba. Brodin might be more affordable, but there’s no certainty the Wild wants to move him right now.

The Habs are reportedly keen to retain Petry. With the Rangers surging toward playoff contention, they could hang onto DeAngelo. The Sabres’ asking price for Ristolainen is a top-six forward, preferably a second-line center, which the Leafs can’t spare right now. 

ARE THE BRUINS DONE DEALING?

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Joe Haggerty wonders if Bruins GM Don Sweeney could have another move planned after acquiring Ondrej Kase yesterday from the Anaheim Ducks. Having shed 75 percent of winger David Backes’ annual average value in the deal frees up nearly $2 million, which could be put toward another move before the trade deadline. Sending their first-round pick to the Ducks could take them out of the bidding for the New York Rangers’ Chris Kreider or the New Jersey Devils’ Kyle Palmieri.

THE BOSTON GLOBE: Following the Kase acquisition, Matt Porter reported Sweeney said he’ll continue looking for improvements to his roster.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy cites a well-connected source claiming the Bruins could be considering San Jose Sharks center (and former Bruin) Joe Thornton. The Bruins, however, aren’t the only club with interest in the 40-year-old Thornton. He’s been linked to the Colorado Avalanche, Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars, and Pittsburgh Penguins. Murphy also tweeted the Bruins might not be done pursuing a winger, with Danton Heinen and John Moore as possible trade bait.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kase could be the only significant move Sweeney makes before the deadline, but we can’t rule out the possibility of him swinging another deal. I doubt it’ll be for Thornton. While that would make a great story, the Bruins are already deep at center with Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, and Charlie Coyle, though they could shift the latter to the wing and plug Thornton into the third-line role. I also think they’re out of the Kreider and Palmieri sweepstakes.

LATEST ON THE DEVILS AND PENGUINS

NORTHJERSEY.COM: Abbey Mastracco reports New Jersey Devils winger Kyle Palmieri remains unconcerned about the trade rumors swirling around him. He’s been linked to the Bruins, but their acquisition yesterday of Ondrej Kase could take them off the board. The Calgary Flames have also come up as a destination. It’s unclear if Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald is actively shopping Palmieri or merely listening to offers.

NJ.COM: Chris Ryan lists the Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers, and Calgary Flames as the most logical trade destinations for Devils defenseman Sami Vatanen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vatanen’s been largely overlooked given all the trade buzz about Palmieri and the Devils’ trade activity earlier this week. We can’t rule out the possibility that he’ll land with one of those clubs listed by Ryan.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Seth Rorabaugh reports Pittsburgh Penguins GM Jim Rutherford would like to add another depth forward and is also taking a wait-and-see approach regarding his defense corps. The status of sidelined rearguards Brian Dumoulin and John Marino will determine if he pursues another blueliner. He’s open to adding a winger or a center.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski reports the Penguins are rumored to be looking at a fourth-line center to improve their faceoff win percentage. They’re also said to have some interest in New Jersey Devils winger Wayne Simmonds.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rutherford is perhaps the NHL’s ablest GM when it comes to swinging in-season trades. I wouldn’t be surprised if he tinkers a little more before the deadline.

While adding grit for the playoffs is never a bad idea, the Penguins remain built for speed. I’m not sure Simmonds would be a good fit. He’s slowed considerably over the last couple of seasons.