Some possible blueline targets for the Blue Jackets and a look at how the Sabres’ Mattias Samuelsson and the Kings’ Mikey Anderson set the market for defensive defensemen in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
POSSIBLE DEFENSE TRADE TARGETS FOR THE BLUE JACKETS
THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline believes the Columbus Blue Jackets will be in the market for “a left-shot defenseman who can average 18 minutes per game, is strong defensively and kill penalties.” In other words, someone to replace Vladislav Gavrikov, who they traded to the Los Angeles Kings at the trade deadline.
New Jersey Devils defenseman Ryan Graves (NHL Images)
Portzline suggested the Boston Bruins’ Dmitry Orlov, New Jersey Devils’ Ryan Graves, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Brian Dumoulin or Dmitri Kulikov, the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Ian Cole or even perhaps Gavrikov as potential free-agent targets.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Portzline listed his pros and cons of each defenseman. In my opinion, Orlov or Graves would be the best options. Gavrikov, too, if he doesn’t find any lucrative offers via free agency. Cole, Dumoulin and Kulikov are aging with the latter two hampered by injuries in recent years.
On Sept. 10, the Kings signed Anderson, 23, to an eight-year contract with an average annual cap hit of $4.125 million. A month later, the Sabres inked the 23-year-old Samuelsson to a seven-year deal with an AAV of $4.285 million.
Maxwell believes these two are examples of how defensive blueliners have evolved over the past decade into better all-around rearguards. He noted that teams often failed to recognize the value of such defensemen until later in their careers.
There is risk involved for the Sabres and Kings investing in Samuelsson and Anderson based on their limited NHL careers thus far. However, they’re confident in their evaluations of both players that they’re willing to invest long-term in them on affordable contracts during their playing prime.
Maxwell suggested Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Cam York could fit the same mold.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Granted, this isn’t a trade or free-agent rumor but I think Maxwell’s on to something here. Eyebrows were raised briefly when Anderson and Samuelsson signed those contracts but they’ve since been forgotten as the focus shifted to other free-agent stories over the course of the season.
There is always a risk involved for a team to invest long-term dollars in any promising player who hasn’t yet reached their projected potential. If it works, however, the Sabres and Kings will each have a very good defensive blueliner on a cost-effective contract until they reach their early-30s.
Other general managers could attempt similar moves with comparable defensemen during this summer. It could be worth following York’s contract negotiations with the Flyers to see if they do the same thing.
Can the Bruins afford to re-sign Dmitry Orlov, Garnet Hathaway or Tyler Bertuzzi? Did the Maple Leafs make a mistake trading Rasmus Sandin to the Capitals? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
CAN THE BRUINS AFFORD ORLOV, HATHAWAY OR BERTUZZI?
THE ATHLETIC: That’s the question Fluto Shinzawa recently set out to answer. While the Boston Bruins have re-signed trade-deadline acquisitions such as Taylor Hall and Hampus Lindholm, their limited cap space for 2023-24 will make it difficult to retain Dmitry Orlov, Garnet Hathaway or Tyler Bertuzzi.
Boston Bruins defenseman Dmitry Orlov (NHL Images)
Shinzawa noted that the Bruins have under $75 million for 2023-24 invested in 15 players as of March 17. They’re also facing up to $4.5 million in bonus overages due to performance bonuses for Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci.
Re-signing Orlov or Bertuzzi would mean trading away Matt Grzelcyk or Derek Forbort or perhaps both to free up sufficient cap room. They’d also have to find a way to resolve their dilemma with Mike Reilly ($3 million), who’s currently in the minors for cap purposes. Unless Hathaway is willing to accept “small term and dough”, he’ll find better offers in the free-agent market.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins can’t afford to keep all three without first shedding some contracts. These three are UFA-eligible for the first time. This is their best opportunity to land lucrative long-term contracts.
I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of retaining Orlov if they can make the dollars fit. However, he’ll likely get better offers elsewhere.
McGran disagreed, believing Sandin would’ve been a healthy scratch for the remainder of this season with the Leafs. He believes it was a worthwhile move to add a veteran defenseman like Erik Gustafsson as well as add a first-round draft pick. McGran’s happy for the young defenseman, who’ll get the chance in Washington that he wasn’t getting in Toronto. He also observed the Leafs are already flush with smallish but skilled defensemen such as Mac Hollowell.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Granted, this isn’t a trade rumor but since media trade chatter has largely dried up following the deadline, I felt this was worth noting.
Sandin, 23, has played well offensively for the Capitals with 11 points in his first eight games. There remains some concern about his defensive play but that could be in part attributed to the Capitals’ depleted, banged-up lineup. I’d like to see how he does during a full season with a healthier Caps roster.
Leafs management felt this move was necessary to add a more experienced puck-moving defenseman in Erik Gustafsson plus they got the first-round pick that originally belonged to the Bruins. Granted, it could end up being 32nd overall but it replaced the first-rounder they traded away in the Ryan O’Reilly deal.
This deal could backfire on the Leafs if they suffer yet another early playoff exit and Sandin goes on to become a star in Washington. On the other hand, most denizens of Leafs Nation will feel it was a price worth paying if this move could help them win their first Stanley Cup since 1967.
Interim Flyers GM Daniel Briere talks about his club’s plans, the latest Erik Karlsson speculation and the chances of Dmitry Orlov staying with the Bruins after this season in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
NO FIRE SALE FOR FLYERS, SAYS BRIERE
ESPN.COM: Greg Wyshynski reports Philadelphia Flyers interim general manager Daniel Briere acknowledged his club’s need for a multiyear rebuild as he campaigns for the job on a full-time basis. Briere took over from fired GM Chuck Fletcher on Friday for the remainder of the season.
Philadelphia Flyers interim general manager Daniel Briere (NHL.com).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Briere will likely take over on a full-time basis in the offseason after ownership evaluates his performance over the remainder of the season. If they opt for another GM candidate, he could take over as president of hockey operations.
Briere cautioned that a rebuild doesn’t mean a fire sale of roster players. “We’re not going to get rid of everybody,” he said. “We have some good players here, some players that are in certain roles that we are going to keep as well.” Briere added that he and his staff will evaluate players and hockey operations staff with an eye toward the future.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Briere’s comments yesterday could be a response to recent trade conjecture regarding Flyers such as Kevin Hayes, Ivan Provorov and Carter Hart. There was speculation before the March 3 trade deadline that Briere’s predecessor had engaged in trade talks regarding Hayes and Provorov.
Briere could be looking at which players will fit best into their multiyear rebuild. Hayes (30) might not be part of those plans. Provorov is only 26 but becomes eligible in two years’ time for UFA status and might not fit into their long-term scheme.
Hart, 23, could have a future with the Flyers if he’s willing to be part of a rebuild. He’s got a year left on his contract but Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek observed on Saturday that the Flyers can sign him this summer to a contract extension.
Those on long-term contracts such as Joel Farabee (23) and Travis Sanheim (26) could also be part of their plans. Travis Konecny (26) could also fit into their program but (like Provorov) he’s only got two more years left on his deal and might not wish to stick with a rebuilding team.
I can see Briere trying to move Ryan Ellis’ contract if the 32-year-old defenseman’s career is truly over. It’ll be interesting to see what he would have in mind for sidelined forwards like 33-year-old Cam Atkinson and 30-year-old center Sean Couturier.
LATEST ON ERIK KARLSSON AND DMITRY ORLOV
THE BOSTON GLOBE: Kevin Paul Dupont expects the San Jose Sharks to renew trade talks regarding Erik Karlsson leading up to and including the 2023 NHL draft in late June. GM Mike Grier had deals on the line before the March 3 trade deadline but interested clubs were reluctant or unable to absorb a high percentage of Karlsson’s $11.5 million average annual value for the next four years.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Teams usually have more salary cap space to work with from mid-June through early July leading up to the NHL draft and the annual start of the free-agent period on July 1. Perhaps one can be found willing to take on most or all of Karlsson’s contract.
One reader persistently emails me claiming the Sharks can move Karlsson without retaining any of his $11.5 million cap hit. I don’t disagree that it’s possible, but doing so involves moving a lot of salary to the Sharks or making multiple trades with the Sharks and other teams to make the dollars fit. That could do more harm than good to a club’s roster depth, adding a superstar to the blueline but creating holes elsewhere in the roster that could prove difficult to plug.
The easiest way for the Sharks to move Karlsson remains absorbing a portion of his cap hit, especially if the cap only rises as projected by $1 million for 2023-24. If it goes higher than expected, the greater the chances of trading him without having to retain some of his salary.
Dupont doesn’t expect the Boston Bruins will be able to retain recently-acquired defenseman Dmitry Orlov after this season. With Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm on expensive long-term deals, it’s difficult to see the Bruins offering the 31-year-old Orlov more than four years at his current $5.1 million AAV. Doing so would also mean shipping out Brandon Carlo or Matt Grzelcyk.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly indicates the Bruins have $10.5 million in projected cap space for next season with only 13 roster players under contract. As Dupont points out, Orlov’s a rental player for this season unless the Bruins free up room to sign him and he’s willing to accept a short-term deal for around $5 million.
Connor McDavid enjoys another multipoint game, the three stars of the week are announced, the Leafs place Ryan O’Reilly on LTIR and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid enjoyed another multipoint game by opening and closing the scoring with a 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres, extending his points streak to 11 games. Stuart Skinner made 37 saves for the Oilers (35-22-8), who hold the first wild-card berth in the Western Conference with 78 points. Jeff Skinner and Dylan Cozens scored for the 32-26-4 Sabres (68 points), who’ve dropped three of their last four games and sit three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.
Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 54 goals, McDavid sits 10 goals ahead of second-place David Pastrnak while his 124 points are 28 ahead of teammate Leon Draisaitl for the lead in the scoring race. With 17 games remaining in the season, he has a shot at becoming the first player since Alex Ovechkin in 2007-08 to reach 65 goals in a season and the first to reach 140 points since Jaromir Jagr (149) in 1995-96.
The Calgary Flames nipped the Dallas Stars 5-4 on a goal by Tyler Toffoli with 6.2 seconds remaining in the third period to snap a five-game losing skid. Jonathan Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri and MacKenzie Weegar each collected two assists as the Flames improved to 28-23-13 and sit five points out of the final Western wild-card spot with 69 points. Jamie Benn scored a goal and an assist for the Stars (34-17-13) as they sit second overall in the Western Conference with 81 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: That was a big win for the flickering Flames to keep their playoff hopes alive. They’ll need to string together some more victories if they hope to climb back into the race.
The Los Angeles Kings picked up their fourth straight win by doubling up the Washington Capitals by a score of 4-2. Adrian Kempe had a goal and an assist while Pheonix Copley made 20 saves to earn his first-ever 20-win NHL campaign as the Kings (37-20-8) sit in second place in the Pacific Division with 82 points. Alex Ovechkin scored his 36th goal of the season as the Capitals dropped to 31-28-6 (68 points) to sit three points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth.
An overtime goal by Logan Couture lifted the San Jose Sharks to a 3-2 upset of the Winnipeg Jets. Tomas Hertl scored the tying goal for the 19-33-12 Sharks with 11 seconds remaining in the third period. Nino Niederreiter and Nate Schmidt replied for the Jets (36-25-3) as they sit third in the Central Division with 75 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets have nosedived over the last 10 games winning just twice over that stretch.
Chicago Blackhawks goalie Alex Stalock kicked out 35 shots to shut out the Ottawa Senators 5-0. Seth Jones scored twice for the 22-36-5 Blackhawks while Ottawa slipped to 32-27-4 and remain three points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Senators goalie Cam Talbot was a late scratch with a lower-body injury.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: All due respect to Stalock for his stellar play but this is a game the Senators should’ve won. They can’t afford duds like this game against one of the worst teams in the league when they’re battling for a wild-card spot.
A shootout goal by Elias Pettersson gave the Vancouver Canucks a 4-3 victory over the Nashville Predators. Pettersson also tallied his 30th goal of the season in regulation for the 26-32-6 Canucks. Luke Evangelista tallied twice for the Predators (31-23-7) to tie the game as they sit five points out of the final Western wild-card spot with 69 points.
HEADLINES
NHL.COM: Boston Bruins defenseman Dmitry Orlov, Ottawa Senators forward Claude Giroux, and Minnesota Wild netminder Filip Gustavsson are the three stars for the week ending March 5.
TSN: The Toronto Maple Leafs placed center Ryan O’Reilly (broken finger) on long-term injury reserve. He saw a specialist on Monday and is expected to return in time for the playoffs.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: O’Reilly was the Leafs’ biggest acquisition leading up to the recent trade deadline. His absence won’t hurt their chances of reaching the playoffs but it could raise questions about his effectiveness for the postseason.
OTTAWA SUN: The first round of bids for the purchase of the Senators officially started on Monday. The sale of the club could eclipse $1 billion.
Connor McDavid and the Oilers humiliate the Penguins, the Bruins acquire Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway from the Capitals, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid scored two goals and collected two assists in a 7-2 drubbing of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Leon Draisaitl scored to extend his goal streak to six games as the Oilers (32-19-9) vaulted into second place in the Pacific Division with 72 points. Kris Letang tallied both Penguins goals as his club dropped its fourth straight game as they fell to 27-21-9 (63 points) to sit one point out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.
Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid now has a career-high 46 goals to lead the goal-scoring race. Teammate Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist to reach 600 career points. As for the Penguins, this high-profile match-up was a disaster, prompting their hometown crowd to vent their unhappiness with general manager Ron Hextall with chants of “Fire Hextall!”
The Penguins’ loss was good news for the Detroit Red Wings as they leaped into the final Eastern wild-card berth by downing the New York Rangers 4-1. Andrew Copp led the way with a goal and two assists against his former team while Ville Husso made 30 saves for the 28-21-8 Red Wings (64 points). Vincent Trocheck replied for the Rangers (33-16-9) as they remain in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers sat out Vitali Kravtsov and Jake Leschyshyn from this game, prompting speculation they could be close to acquiring Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane. I’ll have more about that later today in the Rumors section.
Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk scored the game-winner with 1:38 remaining in the third period for a 6-5 victory over the Seattle Kraken. David Pastrnak, Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Krejci each had a goal and an assist for the league-leading Bruins (44-8-5), who’ve won five straight and hold a nine-point lead over the Carolina Hurricanes in the overall standings with 93 points. Matty Beniers, Vince Dunn and Jamie Oleksiak each had a goal and an assist for the 32-20-6 Kraken as they dropped into the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 70 points.
The Vegas Golden Knights overcame a 3-1 deficit to burn the Calgary Flames 4-3 on an overtime goal by Alex Pietrangelo. Jack Eichel had a goal and an assist as the Golden Knights improved to 35-18-5 to hold a three-point lead over the Oilers for first place in the Pacific Division with 75 points. Mikael Backlund and Jakob Pelletier each had a goal and an assist for the Flames (27-20-12) as they sit one point behind the Colorado Avalanche for the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 66 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights center Nicolas Roy missed this game as he’s listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
An overtime goal by Dawson Mercer lifted the New Jersey Devils over the Los Angeles Kings by a score of 4-3. Mercer finished the night with two goals and an assist while Nico Hischier sent the game to overtime with 39 seconds remaining in the third period. The Devils improved to 38-15-5 and sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 81 points, three back of the first-place Carolina Hurricanes. Anze Kopitar, Kevin Fiala and Sean Durzi each had two points for the Kings (32-19-8) as they sit in third place with 72 points in the Pacific Division.
The Buffalo Sabres upset the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-5 on an overtime goal by Ilya Lyubushkin. Tage Thompson had his fourth hat trick of the season for the Sabres as they improved to 29-23-4 (62 points) to sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth. Brayden Point had a goal and three assists for the Lightning (36-17-4) as they sit two points behind the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division with 76 points.
Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 30 saves to shut out the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-0. Brandon Duhaime and Kirill Kaprizov scored for the Wild (32-21-5) as they sit in third place in the Central Division with 69 points, two back of the second-place Winnipeg Jets. The Blues Jackets sank to 18-35-5 on the season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Wild placed defenseman Jonas Brodin (lower-body) on injured reserve.
The Nashville Predators got two-goal performances from Mikael Granlund and Nino Niederreiter in a 6-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Matt Duchene collected three assists as the Predators improved to 28-22-6 (62 points) to sit five points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth. The Sharks dropped to 18-30-11.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators got some bad news before the game as they announced that center Ryan Johansen underwent emergency surgery on his right leg on Wednesday after being cut by a skate blade during Tuesday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks. He’ll be sidelined for 12 weeks.
Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson kicked out 41 shots in a 4-2 upset of the Washington Capitals. Troy Terry scored as he came off injured reserved after being sidelined since Feb. 6 as the Ducks (18-34-7) ended a six-game losing skid. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin was held scoreless as his club dropped its sixth straight game and sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with a record of 28-26-6 (62 points).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks placed center Adam Henrique on injured reserve before this game.
The Vancouver Canucks downed the St. Louis Blues 3-2 on an overtime goal by Elias Pettersson, who finished the game with three points. J.T. Miller scored his 20th goal of the season for the 23-30-5 Canucks. Jordan Binnington made 38 saves for the Blues as they fell to 26-28-4. Pavel Buchnevich and Brandon Saad were activated off injured reserve for this game
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues are 0-3-1 in the four games since trading Ryan O’Reilly to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Blues head coach Craig Berube criticized his top players following this game, accusing them of not caring about the team.
HEADLINES
BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins acquired defenseman Dmitry Orlov and forward Garnet Hathaway from the Washington Capitals in a three-team trade involving the Minnesota Wild.
The Capitals receive forward Craig Smith, a 2023 first-round pick, a 2025 second-round pick and a 2024 third-round pick. The Capitals also retain 25 percent ($2.5 million) of Orlov’s $5.1 million annual cap hit. The Wild retained 25 percent ($1.2 million) of the remainder of Orlov’s cap hit after the Bruins sent them a 2023 fifth-rounder and prospect Andrei Svetlakov. The Bruins pick up the remaining $1.2 million of Orlov’s cap hit.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins general manager Don Sweeney continues his impressive streak of making significant moves before the trade deadline to bolster his roster for the playoffs. Orlov will provide an experienced physical shutdown presence to the left side of the Bruins’ defense corps while Hathaway will bring additional grit and depth to their checking lines.
This move might not seem as significant as Sweeney’s previous acquisitions of Taylor Hall and Hampus Lindholm. Nevertheless, the additions of Orlov and Hathaway make the Bruins a tougher team. That’s crucial for the postseason when the games get more physical. It’s also bad news for whoever faces them in the 2023 playoffs.
Orlov and Hathaway are slated to become unrestricted free agents this summer. Capitals GM Brian MacLellan explained he made this move to “acquire draft capital, infuse youth and restock the system”. It’s also a clear sign that MacLellan doesn’t believe his club can win if they reach the playoffs. This may not be the start of a rebuild for the Capitals but it’s at least the start of a roster retool that could continue during the offseason.
This is the second time in as many weeks that Wild GM Bill Guerin has used his cap space to be a third-party trade broker, having done the same in last week’s Ryan O’Reilly deal. He can only make this type of move once more as teams are only allowed to have three retained salaries on their books.
Cap Friendly indicates the Wild have $11.5 million in projected trade deadline cap space so Guerin might not be done as a third-party broker. He could also make a move that directly benefits his roster for the remainder of this season.
MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens claimed forward Chris Tierney off waivers yesterday from the Florida Panthers. They also announced that center Kirby Dach’s non-COVID-related illness symptoms were in fact related to a lower-body injury.
OTTAWA SUN: Former Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson indicated he’d like to meet with whoever becomes the club’s new owner to discuss a potential front-office job.
SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Former San Jose Sharks captain Patrick Marleau is in discussions with the club about rejoining the organization in a front-office role.
Are the Blues and Jets interested in Timo Meier? Is Erik Karlsson willing to accept a trade to the Oilers? Could the Predators’ Mattias Ekholm or the Penguins’ Jeff Petry be on the move soon? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
BLUES AND JETS INTERESTED IN TIMO MEIER
TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the St. Louis Blues have inquired about San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier. He pointed out that Blues general manager Doug Armstrong seeks a quick retool of his roster by targeting players who are 25 or 26 years old. It’s LeBrun’s understanding that the Blues, who carry three first-round picks in this year’s draft, are willing to part with two of them in a package offer for Meier.
San Jose Hockey Now’s Sheng Peng believes the Blues won’t part with their own first-rounder as that’s likely lottery-bound. He also pointed out that the Blues have some promising prospects (Jimmy Snuggerud, Jake Neighbours, Zachary Bolduc) that could interest the Sharks.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I still think the Devils are the favorites to land Meier but the Hurricanes and Blues could make some tempting offers to the Sharks. Much will depend on whether the Sharks allow interested clubs to negotiate a contract extension for Meier, who is slated to become a restricted free agent on July 1.
Speaking of the Hurricanes, LeBrun believes they could shift toward Chicago’s Patrick Kane if they can land Meier. He also believes they could look at adding to their defense corps.
KARLSSON REPORTEDLY WILLING TO ACCEPT A TRADE TO THE OILERS
San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reports emerged earlier this month claiming the Oilers and Sharks were discussing a potential trade involving Karlsson. However, his $11.5 million average annual value through 2026-27 remains a major obstacle.
Some observers believe the Sharks would have to retain at least 40 percent of that cap hit to make a deal happen. So far, there’s no indication the two sides are any closer to bridging that gap.
I’ve also seen a suggestion that the Sharks could move Karlsson to Edmonton without retaining any salary if the Oilers include Tyson Barrie, Cody Ceci, Kailer Yamamoto, Jesse Puljujarvi and Warren Foegele in the deal along with draft picks and prospects. However, we don’t know if the Sharks would accept that kind of return. Such a move would also cripple the Oilers’ depth so much that Karlsson’s presence wouldn’t help them.
PREDATORS’ MATTIAS EKHOLM DRAWS INTEREST IN THE TRADE MARKET.
TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports Nashville Predators GM David Poile hasn’t given up on this season but is also talking with other clubs about several of his players. Defenseman Mattias Ekholm is said to be drawing the most interest. The 32-year-old blueliner has two more years left on his contract with a cap hit ($6.25 million) that could scare off some clubs.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Let’s all welcome back Ekholm into the rumor mill, ladies and gentlemen! It was only two years ago that he was a hot topic of trade chatter leading up to the 2021 deadline.
The Predators ultimately retained Ekholm and re-signed him to a four-year contract that lacks “no-trade” protection. I doubt he gets moved before the March 3 deadline unless Poile is prepared to retain a significant chunk of Ekholm’s cap hit or take back a comparable contract.
PENGUINS MAKING JEFF PETRY AVAILABLE?
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski reports a Western Conference executive claims the Penguins have made defenseman Jeff Petry available in the trade market. The Penguins acquired Petry last summer from the Montreal Canadiens.
Petry, 35, has two seasons remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $6.25 million. Kingerski pointed out there are few teams with the cap space to take on the blueliner’s contract without sending significant salary the other way.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t see Petry getting traded unless the Penguins want an impact player carrying a comparable contract from a team that needs a puck-moving defenseman. Unless, of course, the Penguins are waving the white flag of surrender on this season. In that case, trying to shed some high-salaried contracts is the first step toward a rebuild.
UPDATES ON THE CAPITALS, RED WINGS, CANADIENS AND LIGHTNING
TSN: Chris Johnston wondered if the Washington Capitals might part with Dmitry Orlov. Contract talks have stalled with the pending free-agent defenseman. He doesn’t think the Capitals are sellers right now but believes they’ll face a difficult decision with Orlov if he’s still unsigned by March 3.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think they’ll hang onto Orlov (even at the risk of losing him to free agency) and push for a playoff spot once Alex Ovechkin returns to the lineup.
Darren Dreger said the Detroit Red Wings want to give their current group of players an opportunity to push for a playoff berth. They’re willing to take their chances on a contract extension for Tyler Bertuzzi on July 1.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings are among several clubs jockeying for the final two Eastern Conference playoff berths. I don’t see GM Steve Yzerman being a seller if they’re still in the thick of the chase by March 3. Barring a major collapse between now and then, Bertuzzi and captain Dylan Larkin (also a pending UFA) aren’t going anywhere by deadline day.
SPORTSNET: Eric Engels believes Montreal Canadiens winger Josh Anderson would be a good consolation prize for the New Jersey Devils if they lose out in the bidding for Sharks winger Timo Meier. Engels pointed out that the Canadiens aren’t actively shopping Anderson but didn’t rule out the possibility of them moving the 29-year-old power forward for the right offer.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: A first-round pick and a top prospect will have to be part of the package to draw the interest of Canadiens GM Kent Hughes.
TAMPA BAY TIMES: Eduardo A. Encina reports if the Lightning are looking to upgrade before the trade deadline it’ll be getting more forward depth. Given their limited cap space, he believes they’ll have to move a player to get a player.
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