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Carolina Hurricanes Acquire Shayne Gostisbehere

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The Carolina Hurricanes, not to be outdone by their Eastern Conference counterparts, have added another player for their upcoming playoff run. Shayne Gostisbehere has been acquired from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for a third-round pick in 2026.

The Coyotes did not retain any of Gostisbehere’s $4.5MM contract.

If there is one thing the Hurricanes were having trouble with this season, it’s the powerplay. Their team is so well-rounded that they have lost just 11 games in regulation, but with the man advantage, they rank 23rd at just 19.37%. That’s only barely ahead of the Coyotes, a team that is generally considered to have some of the worst offensive skill in the league.

What’s the difference? Well, Gostisbehere, for one. The 29-year-old defenseman has always been a wizard at the top of a powerplay umbrella, slinging passes around and using a hard shot to create havoc in front of the net. To this point, 135 of his 301 career points have been a man-up, though just ten of those have come this season, as he has ceded time to Jakob Chychrun and others.

Still, the Hurricanes have used players like Gostisbehere very effectively in years past. Tony DeAngelo, for instance, put up 51 points in 64 games with the club last season before they cut him loose.

This is a masterclass in asset management and weaponizing cap space by Arizona, who acquired Gostisbehere in 2021, adding a second-round pick and seventh-round pick to take his contract off the books of the Philadelphia Flyers. He played good hockey for the Coyotes, was paid very little on a front-loaded contract, and then was flipped for another significant draft pick.

While the Coyotes will still have to prove they can hit on those picks, develop them and build a competitive team, this is about as good as it gets for a rebuilding club.

Anaheim Ducks To Scratch John Klingberg, Dmitry Kulikov

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With less than 48 hours until the NHL trade deadline, the Anaheim Ducks are bubble-wrapping their best assets. The team will not dress John Klingberg or Dmitry Kulikov tonight, but Eric Stephens of The Athletic reports that a deal does not appear imminent.

Klingberg, 30, was expected to be one of the deadline’s darlings this year, after signing a one-year, $7MM contract with the Ducks expressly to flip him to a contender. Unfortunately, things have been disastrous this season for Klingberg on an Anaheim team trying to get the best draft lottery position possible.

Through 47 games, the veteran defenseman had just 20 points and was pulling the puck out of his own net on a regular basis. Luckily, for the Ducks at least, he recorded four points in his last three games, and looked a bit more like the elite puck-mover he was as a young player for the Dallas Stars.

Perhaps they can turn that recent showcase into something good, as they almost certainly will retain half his contract to get the best asset possible.

On the other hand, Kulikov already comes at a reduced price after signing a two-year contract with the Minnesota Wild in 2021 that carries a cap hit of just $2.25MM. At this point in his career, the 32-year-old is a more traditional stay-at-home defenseman, though there were early years with the Florida Panthers when he ran a powerplay.

He has 15 points in 61 games but is the epitome of “deadline depth,” given his 866 games of experience, physical play, and relatively low cost.

Detroit Red Wings Extend Dylan Larkin

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The Detroit Red Wings have been relatively quiet so far in the trade deadline whirlwind, instead choosing to focus on some of their internal negotiations with pending free agents. They recently signed Jake Walman to an extension and have now signed captain Dylan Larkin to a new deal.

The eight-year, $69.6MM contract will keep him in Detroit through the 2030-31 season, and represents a raise to $8.7MM per season. The deal does not include any signing bonuses, according to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff. PuckPedia has the full breakdown:

  • 2023-24: $10.0MM + NTC
  • 2024-25: $11.0MM + NTC
  • 2025-26: $10.0MM + NTC
  • 2026-27: $8.0MM + NTC
  • 2027-28: $8.0MM + NTC
  • 2028-29: $8.0MM + 10-team approved trade list
  • 2029-30: $7.5MM + 10-team approved trade list
  • 2030-31: $7.1MM + 10-team approved trade list

Larkin, 26, would have entered the open market this summer as one of the youngest and most desirable free agents available. Even at his relatively young age, he has already played in eight full seasons at the NHL level and is in the midst of another season close to a point-per-game. He’ll be near 600 games played before he even turns 27, and is the kind of player that a good team could add to put them over the top.

The question that Red Wings fans will ask is: can you win the Stanley Cup with Larkin as your first-line center?

With a price tag now putting him in the upper echelon of NHL skaters, there will be a ton of pressure on Larkin to live up to those standards and lead the Red Wings back to contention. The Michigan native has spent his whole career with the organization since being selected 15th overall in 2014, and as captain will be looked to as the cause of success or failure.

Back-to-back losses to the Ottawa Senators have made it extremely difficult to reach the playoffs this season, and could potentially turn the Red Wings into deadline sellers. Larkin was held scoreless in both games without registering a shot in last night’s 6-1 thrashing.

But there is also a good argument for spending the money to keep their captain in place. The Red Wings have oodles of young talent that will enter their prime in the next few years, giving Larkin the best supporting cast of his career. Even if he fails to take the step to superstardom, he still represents an excellent player that would be difficult to replace. Make no mistake—teams would be lined up to talk to him in free agency if he reached it.

Detroit general manager Steve Yzerman has set up the books so that the Red Wings can afford to pay a little bit extra to retain Larkin, with only a handful of other players signed to multi-year contracts. With the salary cap going up and still years before he turns 30, this deal may actually look like a bargain down the line.

Chicago Blackhawks Waive David Gust

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March 1: After scoring in his debut and appearing in three NHL contests for the Blackhawks, Gust has been placed on waivers. This is required if Chicago intends to send him back to the minor leagues.

Feb 23: The Chicago Blackhawks have made the dream of a hometown kid come true. David Gust, playing with the Rockford IceHogs on an AHL contract, signed a new two-year, two-way NHL contract with the Blackhawks. The deal will carry an average annual value of $762.5K, and allows the team to recall him immediately.

Gust, 29, is an Orland Park native that played the last two years with the Chicago Wolves, despite them being the affiliate of a different organization. This year he has broken out offensively, scoring 50 points in 51 games with Rockford, earning himself this look at the NHL.

Undrafted, the undersized winger has never appeared at the NHL level and has played nearly his whole career on minor league contracts. He’ll now not only get a chance to make some extra money, but do it with his hometown team.

Brock McGinn, Mark Friedman Clear Waivers

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March 1: Both players have cleared waivers and can be assigned to the minor leagues, giving the Penguins additional cap space.

Feb 28: The Pittsburgh Penguins continue to use the waiver wire to clear salary off the books, this time waiving Brock McGinn and Mark Friedman, according to Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets. As the deadline approaches, clearing room could give the Penguins enough flexibility to pull off a more significant move.

McGinn, 29, was one of Ron Hextall’s first big moves when he took over as general manager in 2021. He signed a four-year, $11MM contract with the Penguins on the first day of free agency after several up-and-down seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes. Almost immediately, it was clear that McGinn’s offensive production would never really materialize as he settled into a checking role in Pittsburgh.

In 2021-22, he scored 12 goals and 22 points in 64 games, numbers that he has yet to match this season. By placing him on waivers, the Penguins could bury $1.125MM of his $2.75MM contract in the minor leagues, or—perhaps hopefully—lose the entire contract to another team, as they did Kasperi Kapanen recently.

Cap space is more valuable for the team right now, especially if the team has something big in the works for the deadline. Reports have emerged several times about Hextall trying to trade McGinn, but it seems like they couldn’t find a taker before being forced into this move.

While Friedman certainly isn’t as expensive—he carries a cap hit of just $775K through next season—he is another asset that can be buried in the minor leagues to open up some room. His entire cap hit will be removed if he clears and is assigned to the AHL, though it isn’t much more than the league minimum.

Winnipeg Jets Sign Evan Cormier

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The Winnipeg Jets have added some goaltending depth, signing Evan Cormier to a one-year, two-way contract worth $750K at the NHL level. Cormier had been playing in the organization on an AHL contract but has been limited to ECHL action. This deal allows him to be brought to the NHL as an emergency backup, though it also required him to be placed on waivers today to stay in the minor leagues for now.

Cormier, 25, was a fourth-round pick of the New Jersey Devils in 2016, but wasn’t given a qualifying offer after his entry-level deal expired in 2021. He’s rarely even appeared at the AHL level, and has a .905 save percentage in 27 games with the Kalamazoo Wings this season.

With Mikhail Berdin playing overseas, this is simply a move to give the Jets a little more depth at the position so that they aren’t in an emergency spot at some point down the road. Cormier isn’t expected to dress for the Jets unless several injuries happen simultaneously.

St. Louis Blues Sign Michael Buchinger

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The St. Louis Blues have inked Michael Buchinger to a three-year entry-level contract, rewarding the young defenseman after an excellent OHL season. Buchinger plays for the Guelph Storm, where he will remain through the end of the year.

It’s been a pretty good day for Buchinger, who scored two goals, including the overtime winner in Guelph’s afternoon matchup against the Mississauga Steelheads. The 18-year-old now has 13 goals and 56 points through 51 games, after being the 88th overall pick last summer.

A smooth skater that loves to jump into the rush or lead it himself, he has 163 shots on goal this year, fifth in the league among defensemen. He leads everyone with 28 powerplay assists, and should only improve on those numbers next season when he returns to junior.

While there is still work to be done polishing out his game, there’s plenty for Blues fans to get excited about as they watch Buchinger rack up the points.

Colorado Avalanche Acquire Lars Eller

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The Colorado Avalanche have added some more forward depth, as they try to go on another long playoff run. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that they have acquired Lars Eller from the Washington Capitals. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic adds that the Capitals will receive a 2025 second-round pick in return, and retain 31% of Eller’s contract.

Like they did last season, Colorado is focused on experienced, versatile forwards to help lengthen their lineup, and Eller fits that bill perfectly. The 33-year-old center was a key factor in Washington’s 2018 Stanley Cup run, leading the playoffs with three game-winning goals that spring, and collecting 18 points in 24 games.

That’s more than he has this entire season, though, as Eller’s best days are clearly behind him. With just seven goals and 16 points through 60 appearances in 2022-23, he comes to Colorado as a bottom-six option that shouldn’t be relied on for much offensive production.

Still, he is a very capable defensive center, who still logs significant time on the penalty kill and is good (if inconsistent) in the faceoff dot. That doesn’t really answer Colorado’s second-line center question mark, but does give the group some more stability down the middle.

Eller is in the last season of a five-year, $17.5MM contract extension he signed just before that Stanley Cup run, and carries a cap hit of $3.5MM. That means he’ll cost the Avalanche a pro-rated $2.415MM through the end of the season.

For Washington, landing a second-round pick seems like a big win, given the lack of real impact Eller would have on any future contending club. The Capitals are focused on surrounding Alex Ovechkin with another winner next season, and trying to pull off a “rebuild-on-the-fly” by selling off veterans in a season that obviously isn’t headed toward the Stanley Cup.

They showed their intentions yesterday by flipping the pick they received for Dmitry Orlov, landing Rasmus Sandin from the Toronto Maple Leafs. This second-round selection could suffer the same fate, traded before the Capitals ever actually take the podium to make a pick.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

New York Islanders Sign Tristan Lennox To ELC

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The New York Islanders have come to an agreement with their 2021 third-round pick, goaltender Tristan Lennox, on a three-year entry-level contract.

Lennox, 20, is in his fourth season with the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL and has posted a 22-15-1 record this year, with a 3.28 GAA and an .880 save percentage. He has twice been named the OHL Goaltender of the Week this season. For his OHL career, Lennox has played 116 games, and his 56 career wins rank fifth-most in Saginaw franchise history.

While the Islanders have a superstar in current goaltender Ilya Sorokin, this signing shows that they see Lennox has potential between the pipes. With goaltender size becoming more of a concern for NHL teams, Lennox has the size to be a star as he stands 6’4” and weighs 190 pounds. While his size is an obvious strength, some scouts view his ability to position his large frame as an area that can be improved on.

Lennox is eligible to spend next season in the minor leagues, where he could tandem with Jakub Skarek for AHL starts, or head to the ECHL for more regular playing time. With pending unrestricted free agent Semyon Varlamov potentially leaving town, the Islanders will be looking for a goaltender to make the jump at some point in the next few years.

Edmonton Oilers Looking To Add A Forward

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The Edmonton Oilers have been on the hunt for defensive help for the better part of this season. GM Ken Holland was able to put that need to rest yesterday by swinging a trade for Mattias Ekholm. Despite the upgrade, it appears that Holland is not done.

Darren Dreger reported last night on TSN’s Insider Trading that Edmonton is still looking to add a forward and have shown interest in Tyler Bertuzzi as well as Nick Bjugstad.

Bertuzzi would be a tough add for Edmonton as his $4.75MM cap hit could prove problematic given the Oilers cap situation, but Bjugstad’s cap hit is just $900K. Both Bertuzzi and Bjugstad are pending unrestricted free agents playing on teams that appear likely to miss the playoffs.

Bertuzzi has had a down year this season with the Detroit Red Wings. He has just four goals in 29 games after scoring 30 goals last season in 68 games. He has missed considerable time this year and also missed most of the pandemic shortened 2020-21 season. Given his recent history, injury risk could be a concern to any team interested in Bertuzzi’s services. Cost could also be a concern as Detroit is reportedly asking for a first round pick.

Bjugstad on the other hand has dealt with injuries his entire career, but he has remained relatively healthy this season. He has had somewhat of a resurgence with the Arizona Coyotes scoring 13 goals, his first time breaking the 10-goal mark since 2017-18. The former first round pick appeared to be a budding star with the Florida Panthers back in 2014-15 when he scored 24 goals, but since that time he has yet to crack the 20-goal mark.

Any Oilers addition will likely need to be a dollar for dollar move at this point, or require a team or two to retain salary. The Oilers have just $450K of deadline cap space to make a move as they are still dealing with dead cap hits from the buyouts of James Neal and Andrej Sekera, as well as the retained salary from the Milan Lucic trade with the Calgary Flames. Lucic and Sekera come off the books at the end of this season, which should open the door for Holland to add to the Oilers this summer.

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