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Metropolitan Notes: Penguins, Kruger, Jenner

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The Penguins have expressed an interest in Senators centers Derick Brassard and Jean-Gabriel Pageau, reports Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch.   However, the scribe notes that Ottawa isn’t likely to deal either player and it was reported earlier this week that the asking price for Brassard was quite steep – a first-round pick, a top prospect, plus another piece.  The ask on Pageau is obviously lower but with two years at $3.1MM per season left on his deal, it might be a challenge for Pittsburgh to fit that into their salary structure.  It’s well known that the Pens are still looking to add help down the middle but they will likely have to look elsewhere for that assistance.

More from the Metro:

  • The Hurricanes may be willing to retain on center Marcus Kruger’s contract in an effort to move him before the trade deadline, notes Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News and Observer. Kruger recently cleared waivers and has played his last three games with Carolina’s AHL affiliate in Charlotte.  Even with retaining on his contract, it still may be a challenge to find a taker as the 27-year-old has another year after this one on his deal with a cap hit just under $3.1MM although his salary dips to $2.3MM.
  • Aaron Portzline of The Athletic relays (subscription required) that Blue Jackets forward Boone Jenner is out there as a possible trade option. 2017-18 has been a down year for Jenner as he has just five goals in 50 games after tallying 48 over the previous two seasons combined.  Given his size and ability to play center though, he would undoubtedly garner a lot of interest.  Jenner has a $2.9MM salary and cap hit this season which will stand as his qualifying offer this summer as a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.

Snapshots: Carter, Stars, Kamenev

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The Los Angeles Kings changed the look of their defense corps with the acquisition of Dion Phaneuf, but are reportedly still interested in bringing in a forward to help them increase their offense. That offense has struggled for much of the season, and sits 17th in the league in terms of goals for. Luckily, that all could change very soon even without an outside addition.

According to Josh Cooper of LA Kings Insider (temporarily at least) Jeff Carter is hopeful to return to practice after the Kings’ current road trip, which ends after their Tuesday matchup in Winnipeg. If Carter is able to get back in the lineup soon after that, he will give the team a huge offensive boost up the middle. The 33-year old center is coming off three straight 60+ point seasons, including leading the team with 32 goals in 2016-17. He’s played just six games this year, and is probably the best trade deadline acquisition the Kings could make.

  • The Dallas Stars’ AHL affiliate has announced extensions for both head coach Derek Laxdal and assistant coach Karl Taylor, guaranteeing them another year with the Texas Stars. The team is 25-18-7 this season, but has graduated several players to the NHL in the past few years. Laxdal, a former NHL forward, has coached teams at both the ECHL and WHL levels to championships and won a Calder Cup as a player.
  • Adrian Dater of BSN Denver reports that Vladislav Kamenev has been activated and will head to the San Antonio Rampage to start playing again. Kamenev broke his arm in his first game with the Colorado Avalanche after being acquired in the Matt Duchene deal, but is a good two-way forward prospect for the team that could help down the stretch. With Colorado still fighting for a playoff spot, a player like Kamenev could make a name for himself with some big contributions over the next few months.

Ottawa Senators Acquire Ville Pokka From Chicago Blackhawks

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After clearing waivers today, Chris DiDomenico is on his way to Chicago. The Ottawa Senators have traded the forward to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for defenseman Ville Pokka. Both players can immediately be sent to the minor leagues, since that was where they were assigned when the trade occurred.

DiDomenico was finally slipped through waivers after being claimed and then re-claimed by Tampa Bay and Ottawa earlier this season. With that came some flexibility, and Chicago has decided that was enough to pull the trigger to bring him into the Rockford picture. Whether he’ll get time at the NHL level is unclear, but he can now be moved up and down for the time being.

Pokka on the other hand has yet to make his NHL debut, and didn’t look likely to make it anytime soon for the Blackhawks. The 23-year old defenseman was selected 34th-overall by the New York Islanders in 2012, and has shown good offensive ability in the minor leagues. Unfortunately, that has come with a lot of struggles in the defensive end and a lack of any real consistency on the ice. That sort of wildcard is exactly the kind of risk Ottawa is willing to take as they try to build their club back up.

Interestingly, DiDomenico is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent this summer and won’t help the Blackhawks at the NHL level in any meaningful way unless they re-sign him (provided the team doesn’t go on an incredible hot streak and slip into the playoffs this season). Whatever value he’ll bring this season to Chicago or Rockford was apparently enough to give up on Pokka, who clearly had been passed over several times by other prospects in the organization. Pokka is a restricted free agent and could become a Group VI UFA in 2019 if he isn’t given an extended opportunity at the NHL level between now and then.

Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Nikita Soshnikov To St. Louis Blues

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As we wrote yesterday, the Toronto Maple Leafs found themselves with an excess of wingers heading toward the trade deadline and today have moved on from one of them. The team has traded Nikita Soshnikov to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for a 2019 fourth-round pick. Soshnikov is technically still on injured reserve, though he has completed a conditioning stint in the minor leagues and from all accounts is ready to return to NHL action.

Nikita SoshnikovThe Maple Leafs had been at the 50-contract limit for some time, and needed to make a trade to open up room for some flexibility into the deadline. Moving Soshnikov not only gives them that flexibility, but also an asset in exchange for a player who would have a hard time cracking the lineup. The 24-year old winger has dealt with injury for much of the last calendar year, including a concussion suffered when he collided with Zdeno Chara at the end of last season. That has clouded his future, but there remains upside for the Blues.

In Soshnikov, they’re acquiring a hard working winger capable of engaging physically and playing a few different roles on the team. Though he’s not guaranteed to score at the NHL level, he has shown that ability in the minor leagues and possesses a good shot with a quick release.

Unfortunately, two things made a departure seemingly inevitable in Toronto. First, Soshnikov lost his waiver-exempt status earlier this season and would have likely been snatched up had they tried to pass him through. Second, his contract includes a European Assignment clause, meaning he could choose to go back to Russia if sent to the minor leagues. Though Soshnikov has not made any indication he would exercise the clause, it likely played into the Maple Leafs decision.

The Blues will have to decide in the next few days whether Soshnikov is fit to return from injured reserve, and where he fits into their plan for the last part of the season. As a pending restricted free agent, his camp will surely be pushing for an opportunity to show that he can contribute in a meaningful way down the stretch.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Submit Your Questions For The #PHRMailbag

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Just a couple of weeks remain until the NHL trade deadline, when teams are forced to finally make a decision on their future. Will they push their chips to the middle and try to take home the ultimate prize, or sit back and fold this season to try again another day? The trade market hasn’t opened up just yet, but now is your chance to ask our own Brian La Rose when he thinks it will.

Is Ryan McDonagh really going to be moved? What additions will the Boston Bruins make? How many Norris wins is Rasmus Dahlin guaranteed? He has all the answers.

Brian will be answering the mailbag this weekend, but be sure to submit your questions now! Leave a comment below or tweet at @prohockeyrumors using the #PHRMailbag.

Deadline Primer: Tampa Bay Lightning

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With the trade deadline fast approaching, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team. Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs? Next up is a look at the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have been one of the league’s best teams right from the start of the season. Many predicted this would happen if they could avoid the same injury bug that ruined their 2016-17 season, but few may have thought they would be as incredibly deep and well-rounded as they’ve shown. Their goaltending has taken a step forward and their forward group has seen impressive performances from unheralded youngsters. At the deadline, they’ll look to add to that group and take a legitimate shot at the Stanley Cup.

Record

38-16-3, first in Atlantic Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$8.95MM full-season cap hit due to LTIR, 0/3 retained salary transactions, 44/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Draft Picks

2018: TBL 1st, TBL 2nd, TBL 3rd, TBL 4th, TBL 5th, TBL 6th, TBL 7th, LAK 7th
2019: TBL 1st, TBL 2nd, TBL 3rd, TBL 4th, TBL 5th, TBL 6th, TBL 7th

Trade Chips

Taylor RaddyshSomehow, GM Steve Yzerman and the Tampa Bay front office has managed to bring three superstars together while maintaining some level of cap flexibility. Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman are all under contract for another season at a combined $21.1MM, while the rest of the roster is littered with palatable contracts.

That salary work and some deft trading has allowed the team to retain their entire cupboard of draft picks while also having one of the best prospect systems in the entire league. Make no mistake, Tampa Bay has even more talent on the way with players like Boris Katchouk, Taylor Raddysh, Brett Howden, Anthony Cirelli, Libor Hajek and Cal Foote. The list goes on and on, giving the Lightning plenty of opportunity to move some prospects for present-day help.

The team also has some NHL-ready options on defense that could be moved, as Slater Koekkoek has drawn interest from around the league recently. Jake Dotchin hasn’t been able to secure as big of a role in the lineup as the team had hoped, while Andrej Sustr is on an expiring contract and could be moved to free up room.

Five Players To Watch For: D Slater Koekkoek, F Cedric Paquette, F Brett Howden, F Mathieu Joseph, F Mitchell Stephens

Team Needs

1) Top-4 Defenseman: If there is one criticism of the Lightning this season, it is that too much pressure has been put on Victor Hedman and Anton Stralman to carry the load on defense. Though rookie Mikhail Sergachev is improving and has been a force on the powerplay, Dan Girardi—fresh off a buyout—has had to log the third most minutes on the team among defensemen. The Lightning have been linked to Detroit Red Wings’ defenseman Mike Green over the last few weeks, and could easily ante up enough to land him or one of the other names potentially on the market like Jack Johnson or even Chris Tanev. If they decide to get into the bidding, it’s hard to imagine they won’t win.

2) Top-9 Winger: Even though their forward group has been incredible this season, with rookie Yanni Gourde jumping from NHL afterthought to 22-goal scorer and Brayden Point proving last season was no fluke, the team has been rumored to be looking for another upgrade. With Ondrej Palat still out for the time being, the team could go out and acquire one of the mid-tier rentals to jump right into their lineup. One that could penalty kill would be preferable, but with Matthew Peca’s emergence may not be necessary.

Zach Sanford Activated Off Injured Reserve

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The St. Louis Blues are among those looking for help at the trade deadline, but they may just have found it from an internal source. Zach Sanford, the prospect included in last season’s Kevin Shattenkirk deal, has been activated off injured reserve and assigned to the San Antonio Rampage. Sanford hadn’t played yet this season as he worked his way back from a shoulder injury. Though he’s headed to San Antonio to make his season debut, he could be an option for the Blues down the stretch if he proves healthy and ready to contribute.

The 23-year old forward played 13 games for the Blues last season after the trade, registering five points and generally looking capable of making an impact in bottom-six. Though he suited up for just four playoff contests, he could find himself in the lineup with more frequency this time around. Sanford is a big body at 6’4″ and gives the team another option on the left side as they make their final push towards the playoffs.

Interest In Rick Nash From Several Teams

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TSN’s Frank Seravalli released an update to his Trade Bait board, and Rick Nash has taken over the top spot. Evander Kane had been there for the entire season, but with the New York Rangers obvious position as sellers, Nash has become the prize of the trade deadline. Seravalli reports that more than ten teams have spoken to the Rangers about Nash since they published their letter to fans about a rebuild, including Nashville, Dallas, Winnipeg, Boston and San Jose. While obviously a passing interest doesn’t mean a deal is incoming, it’s important to note that Nash’s market doesn’t seem limited as we stand just over a week until the deadline.

The Rangers have other rental options in Michael Grabner, Nick Holden and David Desharnais, but Nash remains the jewel of their pending free agents. Even with his declining offensive numbers, teams likely still see him as a valuable addition to their middle-six that can help on both the powerplay and penalty kill. Nashville has been reported as the leaders in the pursuit, though it is still yet to be seen whether they’ll meet the Rangers high asking price. If the acquiring cost drops in the coming days to a point where the Predators are comfortable, you can bet other teams will jump into the fray with their own offers.

At 33 years old, Nash isn’t the 40-goal man of his youth. With just 27 points on the season he is currently putting up the lowest per-game offensive output of his career, but still has 17 goals and is a positive possession player. Though his cap hit is hefty, the Rangers are likely willing to retain some of it to facilitate a trade, and maximize their return.  Seravalli reports that no team he’s talked to is willing to include a first-round pick in a package for Kane, which could greatly reduce the market for Nash. The two players’ future could be tied together over the next few weeks, as teams try to match acquisitions made by their rivals.

Jeff Glass, Chris DiDomenico Placed On Waivers

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Thursday: Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that both Glass and DiDomenico have cleared. Both players can now be assigned to the minor leagues. The Blackhawks have done so, recalling Berube to take his place in the Chicago crease. DiDomenico is on his way to the Belleville Senators, where he has 14 points in 25 games this season.

Wednesday: Goaltender Jeff Glass has been placed on waivers by the Chicago Blackhawks, likely signalling a return to the crease for Corey Crawford or Jean-Francois Berube. Chris DiDomenico has also been waived by the Ottawa Senators, after the team made a trade last night acquiring two forwards. Korbinian Holzer, on waivers yesterday, has cleared.

Glass, 32, was a wonderful story in Chicago this season, finally getting a chance at the NHL after more than a decade in the minor leagues. Selected in the third round in 2004, Glass made his NHL debut on December 29th and played in 14 games for the team while they dealt with injuries. After starting out quite strong, his play has slipped in his last few outings and doesn’t look quite good enough to be a full-time solution at this level. Crawford is travelling with the team, but if he’s not ready to return from his injury Berube could be called upon from the minor leagues.

DiDomenico must be getting used to the waiver process, as he was already claimed and re-claimed earlier this year, swapping between the Senators and Tampa Bay Lightning. The team will try to sneak him through once again to give themselves some roster flexibility, but it’s not out of the question that he’ll be claimed. The 28-year old forward has 10 points in 24 games this season.

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