NHL Rumor Mill – December 30, 2024

by | Dec 30, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – December 30, 2024

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, we review some proposed destinations for recent notable trade candidates.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun and Chris Johnston recently played “NHL Trade Matchmaker” by predicting where the top trade candidates could end up by the March 7 deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the links above to see their full lists and the reasons behind their proposed deals. I’m singling out the five most notable, offering a brief take on each.

Ivan Provorov, Columbus Blue Jackets: LeBrun has the 27-year-old defenseman going to the Colorado Avalanche while Johnston sees the Tampa Bay Lightning as a landing spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche have $3.75 million in trade-deadline cap space while the Lightning have 4.5 million. The Blue Jackets carry $4.725 million of his $6.75 million. Both clubs could want the Blue Jackets to retain salary or take on a salaried player in the deal. They also lack 2025 first-rounders to offer up as trade bait but the Lightning carry two 2025 second-rounders.

Brock Nelson, New York Islanders: Johnston suggests the Minnesota Wild as a good destination for the 34-year-old center. LeBrun mentions the Dallas Stars as his best guess.

New York Islanders center Brock Nelson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nelson’s cap hit is $6 million. The Wild have almost $2.1 million in projected cap space. The Stars have $1.5 million but they’re expected to place sidelined center Tyler Seguin and his $9.85 million AAV on long-term injury reserve (LTIR) and use the savings to make one or two significant additions. They can more easily afford the remainder of Nelson’s daily cap hit by the March 7 deadline.

John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks: LeBrun thinks the 31-year-old goaltender could head to the Carolina Hurricanes. Johnston proposed the Edmonton Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: LeBrun and Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos and Elliotte Friedman claimed the Hurricanes had trade discussions with the Ducks about Gibson last summer. LeBrun believes both clubs have “re-engaged” about this topic.

The Hurricanes seem a more likely destination for Gibson and his $6.4 million AAV through 2026-27 than the Oilers. Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal doesn’t see him as an upgrade over the current Oilers tandem of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard. Even if the Oilers took him on at half his cap hit, it would put a significant dent into their long-term cap space when they’ve got Evan Bouchard to re-sign next summer and Connor McDavid in 2026.

Taylor Hall, Chicago Blackhawks: Johnston pitched the Avalanche for the 33-year-old left wing. LeBrun suggested the Utah Hockey Club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hall carries an AAV of $6 million for this season. Picking up the remainder of it at the deadline will be a tight squeeze for the Avs, though the asking price could be more affordable than what the Blue Jackets could seek for Provorov. Utah can easily fit him within their $24 million projected trade deadline cap space. They also have three second-rounders in 2026 to use as trade bait.

Rasmus Ristolainen, Philadelphia Flyers: LeBrun sees the 30-year-old blueliner heading to the Winnipeg Jets. Johnston sees the Stars as his eventual destination.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ristolainen is signed through 2026-27 with an AAV of $5.1 million. The Jets can afford to fit him into their $11.7 million AAV for the trade deadline. They also have plenty of cap room to fit him within their payroll beyond this season. The Stars can afford him if they put Seguin on LTIR but keeping him beyond this season could complicate efforts to re-sign Jamie Benn, Matt Duchene and Wyatt Johnston next summer.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 19, 2024

by | Dec 19, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – December 19, 2024

The holiday roster freeze goes into effect at midnight. In today’s NHL Rumor Mill. We look at the latest on the Rangers and Sabres plus four defensemen who could get traded this season.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE RANGERS AND SABRES?

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico reports NHL executives are wondering what the New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres will do to save their sputtering seasons.

Less than two weeks after trading Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks, the Rangers shipped unhappy winger Kaapo Kakko to the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Sabres continue their free-fall in the standings with an 11-game losing skid (0-8-3).

One executive claimed he and his peers are scouting both clubs, waiting to see what happens before the holiday roster freeze (Dec. 20-27) and into the trade deadline. Another executive believes there could be a flurry of activity after the freeze is lifted and before the calendar flips to January.

D’Amico suggests the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in February could also motivate teams to consider making deals early in the new year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s been more trade activity involving noteworthy NHL players this month compared to recent Decembers. The Rangers’ collapse is a factor. It’s worth noting the Nashville Predators have been very busy in the trade market over the past month.

New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren (NHL Images)

What’s also interesting is the movement of players who aren’t eligible to become unrestricted free agents at season’s end. Trouba and Cam Fowler both have a year left on their contracts. The anticipated rise of the cap next season to $92.4 million (and possibly higher) likely factored into those trades.

NEW YORK POST: Mollie Walker doesn’t expect Will Borgen and Matt Rempe shouldn’t be seen as saviors for the Rangers. Nevertheless, she believes it’s a start toward reshaping a lineup “whose deficiencies have long been masked, and are now getting majorly exposed.”

Borgen was acquired in the Kakko trade while Rempe was recalled from their AHL affiliate in Hartford.

Walker also reports there’s no indication the Rangers are contemplating a change behind the bench or in the front office.

NHL.COM: Dan Rosen believes the Rangers must work on solidifying their defense rather than add forwards.

Rosen expects Ryan Lindgren is playing his final season with the Rangers. He acknowledged the 26-year-old defenseman has been a safety net for top blueliner Adam Fox. However, he “has a lot of miles, bumps and bruises on him. He’s not mobile. He’s not quick.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lindgren is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. General manager Chris Drury could peddle Lindgren at the March 7 trade deadline if the Rangers are out of playoff contention by then. The money he might’ve spent on Lindgren could go toward adding a physical forward who also skates well.

A LOOK AT FOUR BLUELINE TRADE CANDIDATES

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau recently looked at four NHL defensemen most likely to be traded at some point by or before the NHL trade deadline.

Rasmus Andersson of the Calgary Flames, Mike Matheson of the Montreal Canadiens, and Mario Ferraro of the San Jose Sharks each have one year remaining on their contracts. Ivan Provorov of the Columbus Blue Jackets is UFA-eligible next July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Proteau explains why each defenseman could hit the trade block. The following are my two cents on each.

The Flames want to keep Andersson and he could be willing to stay. It’ll come down to term and money. Proteau considers Matheson the least likely to be moved. Nevertheless, we can’t dismiss the possibility if someone pitches the rebuilding Canadiens an offer too good to refuse.

Ferraro regularly surfaced in the rumor mill in 2023-24 but not so much this season. The rebuilding Sharks aren’t in any hurry to move him and he’s given no indication he’d welcome a trade.

Provorov seems the most likely to move but that’s not a certainty. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported Tuesday that he and his family love Columbus and he’s open to staying. As with Andersson, money and term will be the determining factors.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 18, 2024

by | Dec 18, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – December 18, 2024

The latest on John Tavares and Ivan Provorov plus updates on the Islanders, Sabres and Canucks in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT ARE POSSIBLE COMPARABLE CONTRACTS FOR JOHN TAVARES?

TSN: Darren Dreger said there is ongoing dialogue between the Toronto Maple Leafs and John Tavares regarding a contract extension. The 34-year-old center is completing a seven-year deal with an average annual value of $11 million.

Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (NHL Images).

Dreger mentioned the contracts of Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar (two years, $7 million AAV) and Ottawa Senators forward Claude Giroux (three years, $6.5 million AAV) have been brought up as comparables in those discussions.

The Tavares camp hasn’t brought up Steven Stamkos’ four-year deal ($8 million AAV) with the Nashville Predators. Dreger believes the Leafs center aims to be lower than that if this gets done with the Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs would prefer something closer to Giroux’s contract. Everything will depend on how high the salary cap is set for next season. Original projections have it rising to $92.5 million but there’s speculation it could reach up to $96 million.

WILL THE ISLANDERS SELL AT THE TRADE DEADLINE?

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears believes the Islanders core is running out of time to prevent some of them from hitting the block by the March 7 trade deadline. He feels there’s no point in keeping it intact if they’re going to be a .500 club and be in the mix for an underwhelming wild-card race in the Eastern Conference.

Sears noted this is the fourth straight season that general manager Lou Lamoriello has stubbornly stuck with a roster core that hasn’t won a playoff series since 2021. He doesn’t expect Lamoriello to be a seller if the Isles are in the playoff race, speculating the Isles GM could become a buyer by the deadline.

Nevertheless, Sears believes it would “amount to malpractice” if Lamoriello hung onto aging UFA-eligible forwards Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri if the Isles are only going to get bounced from the first round again.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Isles keep sputtering along as they have thus far they’ll make it easy for Lamoriello to become a seller. They’re overdue for a roster shakeup and Nelson and Palmieri could fetch returns that provide for the future.

LATEST ON IVAN PROVOROV

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports agent Mark Gandler said his client Ivan Provorov would be open to contract extension talks with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 27-year-old defenseman is due to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

Gandler said Provorov and his family spend a lot of time in Columbus and love it there. LeBrun suggests something that could sway the blueliner is his 16-year-old brother is committed to Ohio State University, though Gandler said that is two separate business decisions.

LeBrun said extension talks between the two sides haven’t started yet but he speculates it could happen sometime in the New Year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Much will depend on how much of a raise Provorov seeks over his current average annual value of $6.75 million and whether Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell believes he fits into the club’s long-term plans.

SABRES STILL IN THE TRADE MARKET

TSN: Chris Johnston reports the Buffalo Sabres remain in the trade market despite their owner’s recent meeting with the players to express support for them and clear the air regarding the rumors swirling around the club.

Johnston claims the Sabres have been pretty active in having discussions with other clubs. He said they’re telling teams if they want one of their best players the Sabres want one of theirs back.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres owner Terry Pegula told his players not to expect a big trade. That was before they got spanked 6-1 by the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday. If they’re not doing a big trade, perhaps a change in management is coming. Stay tuned…

CANUCKS SEEK A DEFENSEMAN AND A WINGER

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Vancouver Canucks remain in the market for a top-four defenseman. They’re also looking to add a winger.

The defenseman is the priority. LeBrun indicates the Canucks haven’t been the same since Filip Hronek was sidelined by a lower-body injury. He underwent a procedure earlier this month and is expected to miss at least eight weeks.

CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal reported on “X” that Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman clarified his recent remarks suggesting a trade that would see the Canucks ship Elias Pettersson to the Sabres for Dylan Cozens and Bowen Byram.

Friedman said he was merely spitballing but said the two teams have talked. He added that he can see the Canucks having an interest in Cozens and Byram and the Sabres being interested in Pettersson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman’s spitballing created a buzz on social media among Canucks and Sabres fans. However, the Sabres probably aren’t keen to add a player carrying an $11.6 million AAV, especially one as streaky as Pettersson.

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 8, 2024

by | Dec 8, 2024

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 8, 2024

In the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup: the latest on Brady Tkachuk and J.T. Miller, what’s next for the Rangers and former captain Jacob Trouba, and speculation about changes to no-movement protection in the next CBA.

LATEST FROM HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA’S “SATURDAY HEADLINES”

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman touched on the recent rumor out of New York linking Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk to the Rangers. He pointed out the 25-year-old left winger has three more seasons left on his contract and the Senators are confident he’ll play that out with them.

Given the Senators’ struggles, Friedman believes they and their fans must “get used to some noise” about speculation regarding their key players. He noted there will always be questions about the future of those players when a team is having difficulty reaching the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators pushed back forcefully on the rumor claiming the Rangers were pursuing Tkachuk, calling them “bullshit” and “garbage”. He’s always said that he wants to stay in Ottawa and turn the Senators into a winner.

Nevertheless, the questions and rumors won’t go away if the Senators keep spinning their wheels. The only way to silence the conjecture is to win. It’s easier said than done, but it’s still the only effective antidote.

Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller (NHL Images)

Friedman also reports the Vancouver Canucks are saying publicly and privately that J.T. Miller’s ongoing leave of absence from the team is not about trading him. When he returns, it’ll be with the Canucks. Friedman doesn’t believe Miller has requested a trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks beat writer Patrick Johnston of The Province reported on Nov. 19 that Miller’s efforts to play through an upper-body injury took an emotional toll on the 31-year-center. He indicated the team gave Miller the team he needed to return to where he needed to be mentally.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE RANGERS AND JACOB TROUBA?

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh looked at what might be next for the New York Rangers after trading Jacob Trouba to Anaheim and signing Igor Shesterkin to a contract extension. The Rangers have around $22 million in trade deadline salary-cap space if they wish to add to their roster by the March 7 deadline.

Baugh suggested defensemen Ivan Provorov of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Marcus Pettersson of the Pittsburgh Penguins as blueline trade targets. Rental forward options could include reacquiring Frank Vatrano from the Ducks or Seattle Kraken center Yanni Gourde.

The Minnesota Wild could be open to moving Marco Rossi. The 21-year-old center will become a restricted free agent next summer. However, that move could be a player-for-player swap.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers general manager Chris Drury could go after a promising young player like Rossi but the asking price could prove too expensive. I doubt that offering Kaapo Kakko for Rossi straight up will do it. He could instead look at rental options by the deadline provided the asking prices won’t gut the prospect pipeline.

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox wondered if Anaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek might retain part of Jacob Trouba’s $8 million salary-cap hit and flip him to another team, perhaps one in the Eastern Conference.

Fox noted that the Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, Columbus Blue Jackets and the Senators expressed interest in the 31-year-old defenseman before the Rangers traded him to Anaheim on Friday.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau shared Fox’s opinion, suggesting Trouba could be shipped out by the March 7 trade deadline or during the offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE:  I also wondered if Trouba could become a trade chip for the Ducks if they’re out of playoff contention by March 7. He could still draw interest from contenders if he performs well in Anaheim. He’s only got one year left on his contract and Verbeek could be willing to retain salary for a decent return.

PLAYERS MIGHT SEEK CHANGE IN NO-MOVEMENT PROTECTION

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports NHL players are wondering if there should be a streamlining of the no-movement process after the fallout of the Jacob Trouba trade.

Trouba had no-trade protection for some teams but didn’t have no-movement protection, meaning the New York Rangers could’ve put him on waivers if he didn’t accept a trade to the Anaheim Ducks. Had he gone on waivers, he’d have no control over which club selected him.

The Rangers did nothing wrong as they followed the rules of the CBA. However, what bothered the players was that they could end up sent to a team on their no-trade list if placed on waivers. Only players with no-movement clauses can avoid the waiver process.

Friedman believes the players will ask the NHL Players Association to talk to the league in the next round of collective bargaining about one form of no-move protection, or if they have a partial no-trade clause and get placed on waivers, they cannot go to a team on their no-trade list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The league could push back against closing that loophole. However, situations like Trouba’s are rare so it’s unlikely to be a major obstacle in future CBA talks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 7, 2024

by | Dec 7, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 7, 2024

The Wild’s Kirill Kaprizov regains the scoring lead, the Capitals reach a franchise record for road wins, reaction to the Rangers re-signing Igor Shesterkin and trading Jacob Trouba, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S NHL GAMES

NHL.COM: Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and two assists to lead his club over the Anaheim Ducks 5-1, extending his points streak to five games and regaining the NHL scoring lead with 42 points. Matt Boldy also had a goal and two assists and Marco Rossi tallied twice and collected an assist as the Wild become the first team to reach 40 points this season. Brock McGinn replied for the Ducks.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks played without Jacob Trouba, who was acquired from the New York Rangers on Friday. He’s expected to be in the lineup for the Ducks’ game against the Montreal Canadiens on Dec. 9.

The Washington Capitals extended their road winning streak to a franchise-record eight games with a 3-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Connor McMichael snapped a 1-1 tie in the third period and Nic Dowd had a goal and an assist as the Capitals (18-6-2, 38 points) move into first place in the Metropolitan Division. John Tavares scored for the Leafs (16-8-2) as they remain in first place in the Atlantic Division with 34 points.

New York Rangers forwards Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck each had three points to double up the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2, snapping the latter’s four-game win streak. Panarin scored two goals, Trocheck had two assists and Igor Shesterkin stopped 20 shots for the win. Penguins forward Philip Tomasino scored to extend his points streak to four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The win came after a hectic day for the Rangers as they traded Trouba to the Ducks and re-signed Shesterkin. More about those moves following the game recaps.

The Vancouver Canucks overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2. Pius Suter tallied twice in the third period and Brock Boeser had a goal and an assist for the Canucks, extending their points streak to four games (3-0-1). Mathieu Olivier and Damon Severson scored for the Blue Jackets, who dropped their third straight game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a milestone game for Boeser as he collected his 400th career regular-season point. Goaltender Thatcher Demko returned to the lineup in a backup role after missing the start of the season with a knee injury.

The Blue Jackets also lost defenseman Ivan Provorov to a broken thumb during this game.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone had an assist in his return to the lineup during a 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars. Stone has missed 14 games with a lower-body injury. Tomas Hertl, Jack Eichel and Nicolas Roy scored for the Golden Knights. They’ve won seven of their last nine games and sit atop the Pacific Division with 39 points. Mavrik Bourque and Mason Marchment scored for the Stars.

The New Jersey Devils nipped the Seattle Kraken 3-2. Jesper Bratt had a goal and an assist and Luke Hughes netted his first of the season as the Devils have won six of their last eight games. Andre Burakovsky and Shane Wright replied for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils had the same number of points as the Capitals (38) but the latter holds the lead in the Metro Division with three games in hand and a .731 win percentage.

HEADLINES

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed goaltender Igor Shesterkin to an eight-year, $92 million contract extension beginning in 2025-26. Shesterkin, 28, becomes the NHL’s highest-paid goalie with an average annual value of $11.5 million. The deal is expected to be officially announced on Saturday.

Shesterkin is in the final year of a four-year contract with an AAV of $5.666 million. He was eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No one is surprised Shesterkin became the league’s highest-paid goalie. It was reported in June that was what he sought. There was an assumption he would hold out for over $12 million. However, this deal comes in closer to the eight-year, $88-million offer by the Rangers as reported by ESPN’s Kevin Weekes earlier this season.

Shesterkin wanted to remain with the Rangers and they were determined to keep him. They still see themselves as Stanley Cup contenders with Shesterkin playing a crucial role. Losing the 2022 Vezina Trophy winner to free agency would’ve been a significant setback to those plans.

Trading away Trouba and his $8 million cap hit for 2025-26 makes it easier for the Rangers to absorb Shesterkin’s hefty raise. If the cap rises as projected to $92.5 million, they’ll have over $21 million in cap space next season, enough to re-sign some key players and replace others.

NEW YORK POST/SPORTSNET: Speaking of Jacob Trouba, he was “not overly thrilled” with how things went down which led to his trade on Friday to the Ducks. “It’s a rite of passage to get fired at MSG,” he said, adding that he’s quite happy to be heading to Anaheim.

Trouba indicated management pressured him to accept a trade or be scratched. He also said he was told he would be placed on waivers, removing his ability to decide where he landed next.

The 31-year-old defenseman defended his rejection of an offseason trade for family reasons but he wasn’t happy that it became public knowledge. He admitted it affected his play this season.

Trouba reflected on his five seasons with the Rangers, saying he loved his time in New York. He pointed to the club’s two trips to the Eastern Conference Final and winning the Presidents’ Trophy during his tenure.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You can read my reaction to the Trouba trade by following this link.

Rangers winger Chris Kreider declined to comment about the trade. “Yeah, but not today,” he said when asked if he had any thoughts about the move. Kreider and Trouba were the prominent names mentioned in recent trade rumors regarding the Rangers.

Mika Zibanejad won’t be following Kreider out the door this season. The Post’s Mollie Walker reports he has not waived his no-move clause, meaning he won’t be going anywhere for the time being.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trade chatter about Kreider and Zibanejad will continue to swirl if the Rangers don’t improve following the Trouba move.

Like Trouba, Kreider has a 15-team no-trade list this season. He’s signed through 2026-27 with an AAV of $6.5 million.

Zibanejad would be more difficult to move given his NMC and his $8.5 million AAV through 2029-30. Nevertheless, Drury could find a creative way around that but it might have to be an offseason move when teams have more cap space to work with.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Ducks GM Pat Verbeek said the Trouba trade went down quickly. He indicated he was seeking a right-side defenseman with a right-hand shot. Verbeek believes this move also brings a more physical edge and leadership to his blueline, adding that they’re excited about Trouba joining them.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see if Trouba regains the intensity he lost during his final weeks with the Rangers.

TSN: Buffalo Sabres GM Kevyn Adams explained his team is not a destination for unrestricted free agents. He cited the higher taxes in Buffalo and the lack of a warm-weather climate. Adams believes there are better ways of building a sustainable winner than adding UFAs who are key players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Adams’ remarks didn’t sit well with some members of the Buffalo media.

The Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington agrees with Adams about signing UFAs but believes the Sabres GM should do more in the trade market to help his struggling team. He points out that Adams’ core of young players is failing and he overpaid Mattias Samuelsson, Dylan Cozens and Owen Power.

Harrington points out Adams is now in his fifth season as Sabres GM but the club remains far from ending its long playoff drought. “His clock is ticking and everyone’s patience here is just about gone.”

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Carolina Hurricanes put forward Brendan Lemieux on unconditional waivers for the purpose of contract termination. GM Eric Tulsky said the move was made at Lemieux’s request.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 22, 2024

by | Nov 22, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – November 22, 2024

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: The latest on Blue Jackets defenseman Ivan Provorov, Bruins blueliner Nikita Zadorov, Flyers center Morgan Frost, and more.

RUMOR TIDBITS FROM THE LATEST “INSIDER TRADING” AND “32 THOUGHTS”

TSN: Pierre LeBrun believes Ivan Provorov will be the top rental defenseman leading up to the March 7 trade deadline. The 27-year-old Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Ivan Provorov (NHL Images).

Teams are calling the Blue Jackets about Provorov but they’re not ready to move him yet. They want to give their club as much time as possible to be competitive this year. Nevertheless, LeBrun doesn’t see them as a playoff contender, suggesting it’s only a matter of time until they move Provorov.

LeBrun anticipates the asking price will be a first-round pick. He pointed out that blueliners Noah Hanifin and Sean Walker fetched first-rounders when they were traded before last season’s deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Provorov never played up to expectations as a top-pairing left-shot defenseman. Nevertheless, he’s been a reliable 30-plus point producer who can log 20-25 minutes per game. He’ll be very enticing to playoff contenders looking for blueline depth by the deadline.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman wondered if the Vancouver Canucks might try to reacquire Nikita Zadorov. He signed with the Boston Bruins as a free agent in July. Friedman believes he was a good fit in Vancouver and the Canucks miss him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman is just musing out loud. He isn’t saying the Canucks want to bring back Zadorov or that the Bruins want to move him, though some of their fans have probably had second thoughts about signing him.

Contenders are scouting for forwards who play “with an edge”. That includes the Bruins’ Trent Frederic, who is slated to become a UFA next July. Friedman also said there was some talk about Morgan Geekie, but speculates that may have been when he was out of the lineup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Geekie can become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer. The Bruins will likely retain him, especially if Frederic departs next summer.

Friedman suggests Philadelphia Flyers center Morgan Frost might be a good fit with the Chicago Blackhawks, who need depth at the center position. The 25-year-old isn’t complaining but he’s been a healthy scratch in four of the Flyers’ last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz recently speculated whether Frost had a future with the Flyers, suggesting they seem headed for a breakup. However, Daily Faceoff’s Anthony Di Marco claims they’re not giving up on the center despite his early-season struggles.

The Blackhawks aren’t the only club looking for centers. The Nashville Predators are also in the market. Friedman anticipates the Toronto Maple Leafs will be among the clubs that eventually wade into the market.

Yanni Gourde’s production and ice time are down this season but the Seattle Kraken still love him. There is no indication they want to move the pending UFA forward.