American Thanksgiving is often viewed as a key date around the league where teams start to get a better sense of where they stand and what they need. With that now having passed, activity should begin to pick up around the league. In the meantime, here are the top stories around the game from the past week.
Russia Could Block KHL From The Olympics: This was floated as a possibility a few weeks back but gained traction last week with Russia’s parliament drafting a bill that could try to block all KHL players from playing in the Olympics if the Russian Federation is barred from participating due to state-sanctioned doping from the 2014 Games. Other countries have numerous players in the KHL as well that are there on legitimate IIHF transfers which could create a really messy situation in the near future. This will certainly be something to keep an eye on.
Petrovic Sounds Off: It hasn’t been a great season so far for Panthers defenseman Alex Petrovic. After being a fixture in their lineup in recent years, he has been frequently scratched this season and he voiced his frustration regarding his usage. While he didn’t go as far as saying that he’d like to be traded, his name will likely come up in speculation in the weeks to come given the demand for defensemen on the market with a relatively low supply. The healthy scratches certainly won’t help his case when it comes to negotiating a new contract as a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer.
Kings Acquire Mitchell: While many expected Montreal to make some sort of trade following their slow start to the season, not many were expecting it would be of the minor variety. The Canadiens dealt center Torrey Mitchell to the Kings in exchange for a conditional 2018 fifth-round pick that will become a fourth-rounder if Los Angeles makes the playoffs. Mitchell represents an upgrade at their fourth line center position and in the days following the trade, Brooks Laich, who had been in that spot, was waived, sent to the minors, and is now back on waivers to be released.
Zaripov Settles Appeal, Signs In KHL: Veteran Russian winger Danis Zaripov drew some NHL interest after he had been suspended from the KHL for two years for a failed drug test. That suspension was appealed and was reduced to six months which paved the way for him to return back home. He wasted little time doing so, signing a contract with Ak Bars Kazan less than 24 hours after his eligibility had been reinstated.
Blue Jackets Discussing Murray Trades: Blue Jackets defenseman Ryan Murray has been in trade rumors for a while now and that doesn’t appear to be changing anytime soon. It was reported that the team had been considering trading him for a top draft pick back at the draft while he was also involved in failed trade talks with Colorado. Columbus is still looking to add help down the middle and they are willing to move a defender to do so and it appears that Murray is the logical choice to be dealt if they can find the right fit.
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