Utah Mammoth To Acquire MacKenzie Weegar
3/5/26: The Mammoth have recalled defenseman Dmitry Simashev from their AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners. Armstrong told the media yesterday that he expects Weegar to be unavailable for 10 days at most as the team finalizes his visa, allowing him to work in the United States. With Weegar sidelined and Maatta off to Calgary, the Mammoth had a need for an additional defenseman – a need that has been filled by this recall.
Simashev, 21, was the No. 6 pick of the 2023 draft, and in in his first full season of professional hockey in North America. He’s split time between Utah and Tucson, scoring 28 points in 30 games at the AHL level, and one point in 24 games in the NHL.
9:00 p.m.: The trade has now been officially announced by both teams. Utah GM Bill Armstrong issued the following statement regarding the addition of Weegar:
MacKenzie is a high-end defenseman with the type of leadership and work ethic that we want in a top-four blueliner. Acquiring MacKenzie solidifies our back end as we continue to push towards the playoffs, and he will be a great addition to our team on and off the ice.
The terms of the deal were confirmed to be what had been previously reported. Utah acquired Weegar in exchange for Maatta, Castagna, and three 2026 second-round draft choices. (via Utah, via New York Rangers, via Ottawa) Flames GM Craig Conroy told the media that Calgary was on Maatta’s 10-team no-trade list, meaning both Weegar and Maatta needed to, and ultimately did, sign off on being traded.
7:00 p.m.: According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Utah Mammoth and Calgary Flames are finalizing a trade for defenseman MacKenzie Weegar. Sportsnet’s Eric Francis reported that Weegar has agreed to waive his contractual protection against a trade in order to facilitate the move to Utah. The deal has not yet been officially confirmed.
According to Frank Seravalli, the Flames are acquiring veteran defenseman Olli Maatta, a prospect, and three second-round picks in exchange for Weegar. Francis reported that the prospect involved is Jonathan Castagna, a 20-year-old center currently playing college hockey at Cornell University.
The Mammoth entered deadline season coveting a right-handed shooting defenseman, and they have seemingly landed a top target. Not only is Weegar one of the better two-way defensemen in the league, but he’s arguably the best at being able to play on both sides of the blue line. That’s an added level of versatility that should complement the existing defenders in the lineup in Utah.
From Weegar’s perspective, the significant decision was likely about whether to commit what is likely to be the rest of his best playing years to the Mammoth. Utah (or previously the Coyotes) have made the playoffs once since 2011-12. Weegar is under contract for an additional five years beyond this one at a $6.25MM cap hit. When his contract expires, he will be 37 years old.
When deciding whether to commit to the Mammoth, Weegar undoubtedly had to consider whether he feels he’ll be able legitimately compete for a Stanley Cup championship. Utah are an ascending team, to be sure, but there is still a difference in near-term competitiveness between them and, say, the Tampa Bay Lightning or Colorado Avalanche.
The on-ice fit in Utah appears to be there, at least. The Mammoth boast several high-quality defensemen, but his best fit may be on their second pairing alongside John Marino, a spot currently occupied by 34-year-old Nate Schmidt. He could also play alongside Ian Cole, which would likely mean playing on the right side.
In any case, the Mammoth are adding a versatile, extremely reliable defenseman for their playoff push, and for several future playoff pushes.
Weegar has been an all-situations minutes-eater for the Flames this season, averaging 23:06 time-on-ice per game, including usage on both sides of special teams.
From the perspective of the Flames, they have added some useful future assets in this deal.
While the return for Weegar notably lacks a high-end young asset going the other way, adding three second-rounders (presumably the trio of second-round picks the Mammoth have for the 2026 draft) is still extremely valuable.
There are talented players to find in the second round every year, and odds are the Flames will have the chance to draft a few future NHLers with those picks. One of the draft picks originally belonged to the New York Rangers, and its one that is likely to be near the top of the second round of the draft order.
In addition to the picks, the Flames added Maatta, who is a useful veteran defenseman in his own right. He’s a player who needed a fresh start, having been a frequent healthy scratch, and he’s now gotten one in Calgary, where he’ll likely play heavy minutes. He’s averaged just 12:03 time on ice per game this season, way down from his career average of 18:16 per game.
Maatta is under contract for an additional two years at a $3.5MM cap hit, and if he can effectively weather the minutes he’s likely to receive as a Flame, he could be a candidate for the Flames to trade at some point down the line. If that ends up being the case, the Weegar trade could still yet add even more future assets to the Flames organization.
The final piece of the Flames’ return for Weegar is Castagna, who as mentioned is currently a top center for Cornell. The 2023 No. 70 overall pick has had a strong bounce-back year, and according to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic, is an “excellent athlete and skater.” Wheeler noted Castagna was set to slot in as the No. 12 prospect in Utah’s system in his upcoming prospect pool rankings. Francis reported that the Flames are “very excited” about adding Castagna.
While he’s not a high-pedigree prospect with a strong chance of changing the fortunes of the Flames franchise, his addition fits the strategy the Flames appear to have taken with this deal: they’re looking for as many chances as possible to get future long-term NHL contributors.
The Flames, as currently constructed, have quite a few roster needs, so it’s understandable that they would rather spread out their return and give themselves as many chances as possible to land a quality player, rather than shift all of their eggs in one basket in hopes of one target turning into a star.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Golden Knights To Acquire Nic Dowd
The Vegas Golden Knights are acquiring center Nic Dowd from the Washington Capitals, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports. TSN’s Darren Dreger seconded Pagnotta’s report, adding that while it’s “not done yet,” the deal is expected to be completed this morning.
What Vegas will send Washington to complete the deal has not yet been reported. One would have to imagine it’s likely going to be a draft pick, but where that potential pick might land is still unknown, Dowd’s age and role would suggest mid-to-late-round value, but his consistency, leadership and experience could make him a more valuable asset than some might expect at first glance.
In any case, the move marks the second addition of a fourth-line player the Golden Knights have made this week, after trading for Nashville Predators grinder Cole Smith on Tuesday. With Colton Sissons and Keegan Kolesar already locked in on the team’s fourth line, in addition to Smith, there doesn’t appear to be an immediate need for an additional fourth-line player.
With that said, it could be argued that Vegas does have a need for an additional natural center. Against the Detroit Red Wings yesterday, the Golden Knights lined up with Mitch Marner, a longtime winger, as their second-line center. 
By adding Dowd, the team can shift Marner back to the wing, and have a clear set of four centers: Jack Eichel for the first line, Tomas Hertl for the second, Colton Sissons for the third, and Dowd for the fourth.
The move also gives the Golden Knights some more insulation against the injury suffered by William Karlsson, as Karlsson remains sidelined with a lower-body injury.
Dowd’s addition to the lineup gives the Golden Knights more protection against the possibility that Karlsson’s absence might extend beyond what may have been initially expected.
Making $3MM against the cap on a contract that runs through next season, Dowd’s addition isn’t a mere rental. Vegas could go on two playoff runs with the player. Whether Washington has retained any salary is not yet clear, though they do have all three retention slots available.
Dowd’s merits as a fourth-line center are immediately evident. For the last half-decade, Dowd has finished each season scoring double-digit goals and around 25 points. Those aren’t big numbers by any means, but it’s healthy secondary scoring from someone who largely receives deployment in defensive situations.
His offense is down somewhat this year, as the Capitals as a whole have struggled, but his value as a defensive center remains intact. He’s leading all Capitals forwards in short-handed time-on-ice per game, playing 2:40 per game. He led the team in that metric last season as well. In 2024-25, Washington had the league’s No. 5 penalty kill with Dowd as a key cog, though it has dropped to No. 19 this season.
While Dowd is winning slightly under half of his draws this season, he remains someone coaches trust in late-game situations protecting a lead, and has even landed a few stray Selke Trophy votes in each of the last two years.
In Vegas, he’ll be able to potentially alleviate some of the burden of penalty-killing placed on leading center Jack Eichel. Eichel on his own is a strong defensive center, but the team may believe he could benefit down the stretch from being able to focus more singularly on creating offense.
While the price the Golden Knights paid to add Dowd remains unclear, what is clear is that the Golden Knights are preparing for what they hope is another long playoff run. Reaching the playoffs has been the baseline standard in Vegas, and long runs have been a frequent activity for the franchise. Dowd is the exact kind of veteran player teams covet for those runs.
From the Capitals’ perspective, it’s difficult to fully categorize their motivation to make this deal when the value they’re receiving in return is still unknown. With that said, given that the team is unlikely to reach the playoffs this season, trading Dowd allows the player to play playoff hockey this season, which is not a small thing for a player set to turn 36 in May. The passage of time is a looming threat no athlete can fully prevent, and as a result, Dowd has only so many years of NHL hockey left in him. Trading him now gives him the chance to chase a Stanley Cup in Vegas, a notable thing as he joined the Capitals the year after their victory over Vegas in the 2018 final.
In addition, trading Dowd opens up key penalty-killing minutes, as well as a fourth-line role, for another, potentially younger player to seize. 26-year-old Brett Leason was a regular penalty-killer for the Ducks last season, averaging 1:42 short-handed time on ice per game in 2024-25. Save for six games, he’s spent all of 2025-26 at the AHL level, posting 34 points in 39 games for the Hershey Bears.
It’s possible the trade of Dowd is the transaction that puts Leason back in the NHL, where the Capitals can use the final portion of the season to assess whether that role can be a long-term fit for their 2019 second-round pick.
More to come…
Photos courtesy of Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Dominic James Out Eight-To-Ten Weeks After Surgery
Tampa Bay Lightning rookie forward Dominic James will be sidelined for an eight-to-ten week period after undergoing surgery for a lower-body injury, Lightning team reporter Benjamin Pierce announced today.
James was placed on injured reserve earlier this week, and it had been indicated that James’ injury would not be of the short-term variety, even if at the time a more detailed timeline had yet to be determined. Now, it is clear the Lightning will be without James for a crucial stretch of their season.
James, 23, has been playing out his first full season as a professional. A four-year player at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, James has managed seven goals and 15 points across 43 NHL games, to go along with five points in four AHL games. He’s averaged 12:14 time on ice per game in Tampa, including around forty seconds per game on the man advantage.
Originally a member of the Chicago Blackhawks organization, James elected to sign with Tampa Bay at the conclusion of his college career. Tampa’s prospect system is notably thinner than the Blackhawks, and as a result, James may have seen a clearer path to NHL time in the near-term in Tampa compared to Chicago – even though Chicago’s NHL roster has less high-end talent. That decision appears to have paid off, as James has spent most of the season in the NHL.
This injury is certainly a setback, but not one that is likely to have a real long-term impact. His performance this season remains an encouraging sign that a long NHL career could be ahead for James, even if it’s in more of a depth role.
Oilers Acquire Jason Dickinson, Colton Dach
9:50 p.m.: Both teams have now officially announced the trade, with the terms corresponding with what had been previously reported.
The conditions on the 2027 first-round pick received by the Blackhawks are as follows: if Edmonton’s 2027 first-rounder is inside the top-12 of the draft order, Edmonton may choose to transfer their 2028 first-round pick to Chicago instead, to be declared prior to the commencement of the 2027 draft. Should Edmonton choose to trade their 2028 first-rounder before the 2027 trade deadline, the 2027 first-round pick will automatically transfer, unconditionally.
8:30 p.m.: The Athletic’s Chris Johnston noted an aspect of the trade that relates to a seemingly unrelated team – the San Jose Sharks. Per the terms of last season’s Jake Walman trade, in which Edmonton surrendered a top-12 protected 2026 first-round pick to San Jose, that pick would become unprotected if Edmonton were ever to trade their 2027 first-rounder. Because they have now done so, Edmonton’s 2026 first-round pick is now owned by the Sharks without restriction.
This is likely a moot point as Edmonton is well on course to secure a playoff spot. It’s nonetheless worth noting as in the event the Oilers endure a shocking fall down the standings, the Sharks are poised to profit.
7:30 p.m.: Friedman reported that young Blackhawks winger Colton Dach “is another part of this trade conversation to Edmonton.” His inclusion in the deal has not yet been confirmed, but it would help explain how the Blackhawks have managed (alongside the financial aspect of the deal) to land a first-round pick in the trade.
Dach, 23, is an Edmonton native who Bowman selected No. 62 overall in the 2021 draft. The 6’4″ pivot is the brother of Kirby Dach, a Montreal Canadiens center who Bowman selected No. 3 overall at the 2019 draft. Dach has broken into the NHL as a full-time player over the last calendar year, scoring seven points in 25 games last season and nine points in 53 games this season.
Entering the season, he was ranked as the No. 10 prospect in Chicago’s system by the team at Elite Prospects, and No. 10 by The Athletic’s Corey Pronman, who projected him as a future middle-six winger. Dach has averaged 11:40 time on ice per game this season.
6:55 p.m.: The trade has not yet been confirmed, but The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun has reported that as part of the deal, the Blackhawks will receive a top-12 protected 2027 first-round pick from Edmonton in exchange for Dickinson.
Undoubtedly, the Blackhawks’ decision to take on the full freight of Mangiapane’s contract, as well as retain half of Dickinson’s deal, has contributed to the significant asset they were able to extract from the Oilers.
6:18 p.m.: The Edmonton Oilers and Chicago Blackhawks are discussing a trade that would send veteran center Jason Dickinson to Edmonton, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The move comes in the wake of today’s news, via Jason Gregor of Sports 1440 Edmonton, that veteran center Curtis Lazar of the Oilers is set to miss up to four weeks with an undisclosed injury.
According to Frank Seravalli of Frankly Hockey, the deal is currently still being discussed, but would involve Andrew Mangiapane heading the other way, to Chicago. Moving out Mangiapane and his $3.6MM cap hit is likely viewed as necessary for the Oilers to have the breathing room to add Dickinson’s $4.25MM cap hit to their books.
Sportsnet’s Mark Spector reported that the Blackhawks will retain 50% of Dickinson’s deal, meaning the Oilers should be able to comfortably fit in their new player’s cap hit with Mangiapane heading to Chicago.
In addition to those two pieces, Seravalli said the “framework of what’s been discussed” between Edmonton and Chicago includes “another piece” heading to the Oilers, and a conditional draft pick heading to Chicago.
The exact terms of the deal being discussed are still unclear, and perhaps not even settled at this time. It could cost the Oilers a notable asset to add Dickinson, as The Athletic’s Scott Powers reported earlier today that the Blackhawks “don’t see a point” in trading Dickinson for a marginal return.
If Dickinson is indeed dealt to the Oilers, it will be the second time this week that Edmonton has added a veteran player from Chicago. The Blackhawks traded veteran defenseman Connor Murphy to the Oilers on Monday, and its possible in the process of negotiating that trade, the possibility of a Dickinson deal was also discussed.
A key factor here is the presence of Oilers GM Stan Bowman. Bowman was the one who acquired Murphy back in 2017, during Bowman’s tenure as GM of the Blackhawks.
While he was no longer GM in Chicago when the team added Dickinson, he would undoubtedly still have many connections within the team’s hockey operations infrastructure, and therefore would potentially have more detailed information on Dickinson than another GM might have access to.
The fit for Dickinson in Edmonton is relatively easy to identify. While he’s not a right-shot center like Lazar, there are stylistic similarities between the two players. Dickinson, 30, is a 6’2″ true center who is a veteran of 549 NHL games. A pending UFA, Dickinson is playing out the final year of a $4.25MM AAV deal.
Early in his tenure in Chicago, it looked as though Dickinson was reaching new heights as an offensive producer. He scored 22 goals and 35 points in his debut campaign with the Blackhawks, riding a career-high 17.5% shooting percentage to a career year, one that landed him down-ballot Selke Trophy consideration.
In the last two seasons, Dickinson’s offensive production has evaporated. In 106 NHL games over the course of 2024-25 and 2025-26, he has managed 13 goals and 29 points. But even though he hasn’t been able to sustain his prior levels of production, he remains a valuable contributor in the specific role he occupies. Dickinson wins just about half of his faceoffs, provides a physical edge, and anchors the Blackhawks’ penalty kill as its top center. When Chicago is defending a late lead or has a big defensive zone draw, more often than not, its Dickinson who hops over the boards first.
That’s the kind of set of skills Edmonton is likely looking for in advance of what it hopes will be another deep playoff run. With two of the game’s best scorers already on the roster, and one of the best offensive defensemen manning the blue line, the Oilers don’t need Dickinson to be his 22-goal, 35-point self for him to provide value in their lineup. If he can maximize his current role as an Oiler, trading for him will be more than worth the cost for Edmonton.
With Lazar’s health uncertain, it certainly makes sense to target a player of Dickinson’s mold. The two forwards occupying top spots on the depth chart with Edmonton’s AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, are not exact stylistic fits for when an injury is suffered by a defensive bottom-sixer. (Both Isaac Howard and Quinn Hutson are more offensively-oriented.)
In any case, the exact details of the trade are yet to be determined. What is clear, at least, is that Bowman isn’t done trying to add veteran help to his roster, and it appears the next area of interest is adding a bottom-six, penalty-killing center.
Photos courtesy of Chris Jones-Imagn Images
Snapshots: Eller, Kotkaniemi, Pesce
As the trade deadline nears, one Ottawa Senators veteran that could draw trade interest is 36-year-old Danish center Lars Eller. According to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen, the Senators “have had calls on most of their pending UFAs,” and he “could see a scenario where Eller is moved.” Eller is Ottawa’s fourth-line center, his role entirely a result of his defensive capability rather than his offensive production. Over the last two seasons, Eller has managed just eight goals and 24 points in 109 games, but that doesn’t mean he’s not pulling his weight in other ways. He’s playing regularly on Ottawa’s penalty kill, and has been a key asset at the faceoff dot, winning nearly 58% of his draws. A team looking to add a veteran fourth-line center might have considerable interest in Eller, especially as he has something often highly coveted in veteran rental players: a Stanley Cup ring.
From Ottawa’s perspective, dealing Eller isn’t likely to return much other than a minor draft pick, but it would provide some other benefits to the club. The Senators sit a full six points behind the Boston Bruins for the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot, having played the same number of games. With the club looking less likely to return to the playoffs with each passing day, it might be more prudent for the club to hand the regular role Eller occupies to a younger player, such as the promising Stephen Halliday. Halliday, 23, has 11 points in 28 games this season despite averaging just 8:11 time on ice per game, the fewest among regular Senators forwards.
Other notes from around the NHL:
- Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi was dressed tonight for the Hurricanes’ contest against the Vancouver Canucks, marking the Finnish pivot’s re-entry into the Hurricanes’ lineup after three consecutive games as a healthy scratch. With the deadline creeping closer, Kotkaniemi’s status is one to monitor as reports emerged in January that the Hurricanes were shopping the player. It’s unlikely the team’s interest in dealing Kotkaniemi has ceased, and so today’s decision to dress the center marks the final time he’ll be able to appear before NHL pro scouts before the trade deadline. Kotkaniemi has four years remaining on his contract at a $4.82MM cap hit, and has a 10-team no-trade list in his contract. The 2018 No. 3 overall pick scored 12 goals and 33 points last season but has just nine points in 36 games this year.
- New Jersey Devils defenseman Brett Pesce did not play in tonight’s shootout win over the Toronto Maple Leafs due to an injury, head coach Sheldon Keefe announced pregame. The Devils replaced Pesce in their lineup with Johnathan Kovacevic, who did not play in the team’s prior two games. Pesce is New Jersey’s No. 3 defenseman by ice time, playing 20:18 per game, including a team-high 2:29 per game on the penalty kill. Kovacevic was a leading penalty killer for New Jersey last season, but has seen his ice time decline as he missed much of the first half of the year with an injury. Kovacevic is playing 16:43 per game this season, including just over a minute per game on the penalty kill.
Anaheim Ducks Activate Frank Vatrano
The Anaheim Ducks have activated winger Frank Vatrano off of injured reserve. In a corresponding move, they have placed center Mikael Granlund, who is sidelined with an upper-body injury, on injured reserve.
Vatrano has been out since Dec. 27 with a shoulder injury, an ailment that kept him sidelined for 22 contests. It’s been a tough season for the 31-year-old sniper, and his activation today will give him the chance to re-enter the lineup and attempt to re-write the story of his 2025-26 campaign. Vatrano, who scored 37 goals and was an All-Star two years ago, has just three goals and six points in 38 games this season.
He’s scored at least 20 goals in every season since he joined the Ducks as a free agent in 2022, but it appears almost impossible for him to reach that number in what remains of the 2025-26 season. The emergence of several talented young scorers in Anaheim, such as star rookie Beckett Sennecke, has eaten into the prime offensive opportunities Vatrano once received.
This season, Vatrano ranks No. 11 among Ducks forwards in time on ice per game, averaging 12:20 with only sporadic usage on either side of special teams. In both 2023-24 and 2024-25, Vatrano was the team’s No. 2 forward in terms of time on ice per game, playing regularly on the top power play unit in both years and occupying a notable penalty kill role in his All-Star campaign.
Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville, who also coached Vatrano during both players’ tenure with the Florida Panthers, commented to The Hockey News’ Derek Lee on Vatrano’s season, saying “whether it was his shot or his production, it’s been off a little bit, and I think that he needs to get himself feeling good and getting that some confidence in his game.” With today’s activation, he’ll get his first chance to rebound and begin to build back his confidence level. For tonight’s game against the New York Islanders, Vatrano slotted in on the team’s third line, playing alongside Ryan Poehling and Ryan Strome.
Replacing Vatrano on IR is Granlund. The veteran forward has been sidelined for four consecutive games with his injury, suffered at the Olympic tournament while helping Finland to a bronze medal. The 34-year-old was a key offseason addition for GM Pat Verbeek, signing a three-year, $7MM AAV deal to head to Orange County.
While he’s dealt with some injuries, he’s largely kept to his career pace as a Duck, scoring 27 points in 38 games, which is a 58-point 82-game scoring pace. He’s replaced Vatrano as Anaheim’s No. 2 forward in terms of ice time, skating 18:55 time on ice per game, including 3:10 on the power play and 1:41 on the penalty kill.
Trade Notes: Garland, Haula, Duhaime, Greer
After yesterday’s report that the New York Islanders were in serious discussions to acquire Conor Garland from the Vancouver Canucks, no completed trade has emerged. In a subsequent update from Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News, the Islanders may be pulling away from their pursuit of Garland.
Rosner stated that the Canucks are active on multiple fronts regarding Garland, suggesting that a bidding war might be starting. Additionally, Rosner believes that Vancouver’s asking price for Garland may be too much for the Islanders to stomach.
New York still has time to reconsider Garland or seek a more affordable solution. There’s no question the team could use additional offense, especially on the powerplay. Garland has scored 82 goals and 221 points in 370 games since joining the Canucks in 2021, with 55 of those points coming on the power play.
Additional trade notes:
- For teams not interested in paying the price for Robert Thomas or Vincent Trocheck, the Nashville Predators have another center option available for trade. According to ESPN’s Kevin Weekes, Erik Haula is drawing interest from around the league. Haula, a pending unrestricted free agent, has scored nine goals and 30 points in 61 games for Nashville this season, averaging 16:38 of ice time. Additionally, Haula was impressive for Team Finland at the Olympics, scoring three goals and six points in six games, helping his country to a bronze medal.
- In a separate report from Weekes, the former netminder shared that Brandon Duhaime of the Washington Capitals and A.J. Greer of the Florida Panthers are drawing interest as potential bottom-six options. Each forward is incredibly physical and can chip in offensively when needed. Greer has had the better year between the two, scoring 11 goals and 22 points in 61 games with 159 hits.
Maple Leafs Scratch Multiple Players
The writing is on the wall for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Firmly shifting their eyes toward selling, the Maple Leafs announced they had scratched Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Scott Laughton, and Bobby McMann ahead of the trade deadline. The term they used in their announcement was “roster-management purposes.”
Although no deal is close on any of the trio, it’s the first indication that Toronto recognizes that the 2025-26 season is lost. The Maple Leafs are 0-3-1 since the Olympics, being outscored by 10. They have fallen nine points back of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Assuming they finish outside of a playoff spot, it’ll be the first time in a decade that the Maple Leafs have failed to qualify for the postseason. The biggest looming issue is that Toronto is projected to be without its first-round pick in the upcoming draft. The selection was moved to the Boston Bruins last season in the Brandon Carlo trade, but is top-five protected. As of right now, the Maple Leafs are projected to have the 11th overall pick, which would be of immense value to Boston.
All three of tonight’s scratches have been mentioned in trade rumors of late.
Defenseman Ekman-Larsson is in the second year of a four-year, $14MM contract. He’s been a solid top-four option for the Maple Leafs, scoring 12 goals and 64 points in 138 games, averaging 20:57 of ice time. Still, despite adding some physicality, Ekman-Larsson has seen his possession and defensive metrics drop mildly since joining Toronto.
According to The Fourth Period, the Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers, and Utah Mammoth are interested in Ekman-Larsson. After acquiring Tyler Myers from the Vancouver Canucks earlier today, the Stars’ reported interest may have evaporated.
Meanwhile, Laughton and McMann are both expiring assets that have the flexibility to play up and down any team’s lineup. Laughton’s scoring output has dissipated throughout his first full year in Toronto, but he remains quite responsible in the defensive zone and has a 56.7% faceoff percentage this season. The Maple Leafs acquired Laughton at the last deadline for Nikita Grebenkin and a first-round pick.
McMann would likely have the most trade value of the group. He has scored 19 goals and 32 points in 60 games this year and is on an incredibly affordable $1.35MM salary. Toronto should have no shortage of phone calls on the pending unrestricted free agent over the next few days. Still, it’s important to remember that Toronto is attempting to sign McMann to a multi-year extension if the price is right.
Colorado Avalanche Acquire Nick Blankenburg
The Colorado Avalanche have acquired defenseman Nick Blankenburg from the Nashville Predators, according to an official team announcement. The Predators are receiving a 2027 fifth-round pick in exchange for the defenseman.
The move continues Nashville’s recent efforts to add future draft picks in exchange for roster players. Fourth-liners Michael McCarron and Cole Smith were dealt yesterday. In these three deals, the Predators have added a second-round pick, a third-round pick, and a fifth-rounder, albeit by bolstering the depth of Western Conference playoff contenders in the process.
In adding Blankenburg, the Avalanche have added a capable NHL defenseman who has enjoyed the best years of his professional career in Nashville.
While the 27-year-old is undersized, standing 5’9″ 177 pounds, he plays at the kind of pace that will allow him to fit in seamlessly in Colorado. He has 21 points in 49 games this season, playing 17:57 per night with the Predators.
He’s appeared on both sides of special teams, serving as the team’s second power play quarterback (behind star Roman Josi) and is averaging 1:36 per game on the penalty kill. When Josi missed significant time last season due to injury, it was Blankenburg who stepped up and spent time quarterbacking the team’s top power play unit.
The way Colorado’s defense is constructed, it is unlikely he plays as large a role. The right side of their defense is already well-stocked, with Cale Makar, Sam Malinski, and Brent Burns already in the fold. With Devon Toews, Josh Manson, and Brett Kulak on the other side, the Avalanche have an enviable collection of talent on their back end. Adding Blankenburg, presumably in the seventh-defenseman role, only adds to their stockpile at the position. If an injury hits, the team will have a quality player ready to step in and fill the role of the injured blueliner.
From the Predators’ perspective, the deal adds a draft pick for a pending UFA and concludes what has been a solid developmental success story for the Predators.
Blankenburg was a great find for the team’s hockey operations department in the summer of 2024. He had lost his NHL role with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023-24, playing in the AHL for the first time in his career. He signed a two-year deal in Nashville that contained a two-way structure in its first year, something that ultimately didn’t factor in too much as Blankenburg only played 13 games for the Milwaukee Admirals.
The Predators were able to find an NHL role that was a fit for Blankenburg’s skill set, and allowed him to occupy that role and rediscover his place as a full-time NHL player. A fifth-round pick isn’t a massive return for Blankenburg, but it’s still an additional draft pick to add to their rapidly growing stockpile. And the value of rewarding Blankenburg by giving him a chance to join one of the NHL’s top teams cannot be discounted – if he plays well in Colorado, and gets into playoff games, he’ll enter the free agent market on very strong ground.
It might be curious to see Nashville trading away so many established players while they are in the midst of a playoff chase, but the reality is the Predators have one of the better track records across the league as developers of NHL talent.
While elite talent has sometimes eluded them, they have, more often than not, been able to rely on their pipeline of talent from AHL Milwaukee to provide them with players capable of taking on specific roles as bottom-six players or third-pairing defensemen. The trades of the bottom-six forwards from yesterday will allow for greater opportunity for developing players such as Ozzy Wiesblatt and Reid Schaefer at the NHL level. The deals should also allow for promising center Fedor Svechkov to re-join the NHL roster.
Today’s trade accomplishes a similar role on defense. The Admirals have been led in scoring this season by a defenseman, 22-year-old Ryan Ufko, and he could get a look in the NHL as a result of this trade. It could also mean greater opportunity for Justin Barron, who the Predators acquired last season from the Montreal Canadiens.
In any case, the Predators have not let this season’s solid short-term on-ice results deter them from building towards a clear long-term vision. Their moves in recent days have seemingly been concrete steps forward in service of that vision, even if they might somewhat hurt their odds of reaching the playoffs this season.
Photos courtesy of Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
Sabres Finalizing Deal For Colton Parayko
According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, the Buffalo Sabres are moving toward acquiring defenseman Colton Parayko from the St. Louis Blues. Dreger noted that the trade is still being finalized and that both teams are waiting to see if Parayko will waive his no-trade clause to join the Sabres. Dreger later added that defensive prospect Radim Mrtka and a first-round pick will be a part of the deal. Insider Frank Seravalli reported that the framework of the trade is complete, but Parayko has not yet signed off on it.
It would obviously be a seismic trade for the Sabres, especially if nothing is coming off the NHL roster. Buffalo already has Bowen Byram, Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and Mattias Samuelsson in the top four of their defensive corps. Parayko has been on the top pairing in St. Louis for nearly a decade, and is signed through the 2029-30 season at an affordable $6.5MM salary.
More to come…