Deadline means defense for Penguins on trade market
As the clock ticks steadily toward Monday’s NHL trade deadline, general manager Jim Rutherford makes no bones about what’s at the top of his shopping list.
He wants a defenseman.
With Ben Lovejoy out long term with an upper-body injury, the Penguins are down to six players with meaningful NHL experience on the blue line. That almost certainly will change before the deadline.
@DarrenDreger goes without saying Dregs. I'd expect LA, Anaheim, St Louis etc will be looking to make splash after CHI jumped to get Ladd
— Joe Haggerty (@HackswithHaggs) February 26, 2016
Canucks have to sell
As the TSN insider reported, the Canucks are open for business. They haven’t been this open for business since Mike Keenan got his hands on the controls and made 11 trades in three months in 1998 and dealt away just about everyone except Mark Messier.
In the middle of a rebuild, with his team eight points out, Benning has to sell.
Top non rental players to consider in trade Harmonic, Hanzal, Marcus Johansson, Kadri, RNH, Drouin, F. Anderson, Eberle, Jannik Hansen……
— Brian Lawton (@brianlawton9) February 27, 2016
TOR not commenting on decision to put Jared Cowen on waivers, so we're left to let our imaginations run wild as to Leaf motivation…
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) February 26, 2016
CHI may be done adding pieces but it's not iron clad. If Hawks choose to deal Bryan Bickell, it could open up cap space for another move.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) February 27, 2016
#canadiens keeps 30% of Dale Weise salary in the trade.
— Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) February 27, 2016
Seven non-rental players who could be on the move
Here are seven non-rental players who could be on the move before the bell rings on Monday:
Five defenceman the Leafs could target in the off-season
The average age of the Leafs’ defencemen Thursday night will be 23.4 years old, meaning GM Lou Lamoriello could be looking for blue-line help in the off-season. So, come July 1, what unrestricted free agents might help the Maple Leafs?
Schultz and Purcell on their way out
If Schultz and Purcell aren"t playing both getting traded. Purcell to LA or Florida. Schultz? Who knows? Tough night for Tychkowski on gm
— Jim Matheson (@NHLbyMatty) February 26, 2016
Galchenyuk “Not Being Shopped” By Canadiens
Darren Dreger was on Montreal’s TSN 690 on Thursday morning.
On if he’s hearing anything on the Alex Galchenyuk trade rumor front:
“Yeah, just rumor. And again, let’s be careful with how this information is dissected. Galchenyuk’s name is out there, but only in the sense of a wonder. Teams wondering if Bergevin would consider something like that. Because he’s still a project. He’s still a developing player. Is he a center? Is he a winger? What is he? I think that’s what Michel Therrien has tried to find out. Has he had enough opportunity in playing center ice for anyone to fully determine that? I think the answer is no.
http://www.todaysslapshot.com/from-the-ice/dreger-galchenyuk-not-being-shopped-by-canadiens/
Habs listening to offers on Pacioretty
I can confirm that the #Habs are listening to offers (not shopping, but LISTENING) on Pacioretty & everyone except Subban & Price.
— Jimmy Murphy (@MurphysLaw74) February 25, 2016
Jets send Ladd to Chicago
from tsn.ca
Andrew Ladd is returning to the Chicago Blackhawks. The Winnipeg Jets have traded their captain to the team he won a Stanley Cup with in 2010 along with Jay Harrison and Matt Fraser for Marko Dano, a 2016 first-round pick and a conditional pick in 2018.