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Deadline Notes: Rangers, Red Wings, Coyotes

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The New York Rangers missed out on Kevin Shattenkirk last night when he went to their division rival—and opponent tonight—the Washington Capitals. The team has been rumored to be after a right handed defenseman and may be in even more dire straits as Dan Girardi is out tonight following an ankle injury. Dan Rosen of NHL.com reports that with him out and Kevin Klein still dealing with a back injury, the Rangers are down to just five healthy defensemen with the team. They’ll bring up Steve Kampfer for tonight’s game, but may need a more permanent solution.

While the Rangers may not have acquired Shattenkirk, they have been linked to Brendan Smith of the Detroit Red Wings and could look within their division for a player like Kyle Quincey. Though neither bring the level of play the new Capitals’ defenseman does, both could help provide depth as they get healthy.

  • Bob McKenzie of TSN mentioned Smith today on Twitter, saying that it is decision day for the Red Wings. If they do want to extend him, McKenzie believes it would take at least three years at $3.5MM. The Wings recently extended Nick Jensen for two more seasons and have said they want to do the same with Smith. If they can’t get it done today though, they should seriously consider moving him and trying to bring him back in the summer. That team needs as many assets as possible going forward, and with the defense market getting pretty thin, they might do quite well.
  • Craig Morgan of Arizona Sports writes that though Shane Doan is still available, he is unlikely to move before the deadline. According to Morgan, teams only view him as a 13th or 14th forward, instead of the capable winger he still believes himself to be. While obviously anything can change in the next 28 hours, perhaps he will finish his career with the franchise (but not team) that drafted him.
  • McKenzie also mentions that the Tampa Bay Lightning have likely approached Valtteri Filppula and asked to waive his no-trade clause. Filppula poses a real problem for the Lightning both with their cap crunch and expansion draft plans.

Snapshots: Quincey, Duchene, Smith

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Kyle Quincey has been removed from the lineup for the New Jersey Devils tonight against the Montreal Canadiens and though a deal is not imminent it is likely before Wednesday’s trade deadline. The team is keeping him in the press box to make sure he doesn’t suffer an injury as they are now firmly in the selling position. Deb Kaufman Placey of MSG Network reports that Quincey came to the arena today expecting to play, but was told by GM Ray Shero what was in store for him.

Quincey was signed for just $1.25MM this summer after the Detroit Red Wings let him walk in free agency. Once thought of as an integral part of the blueline in Detroit, his effectiveness was questioned over the past few years and it was ultimately decided to not re-sign him. In New Jersey, he’s put in a quietly effective season as one of the only players on the team with a positive plus/minus and improving possession numbers. He spoke to the media about the last time he was dealt at the deadline, in 2012 back to the team that drafted him. He’ll likely add to the Devils’ growing collection of draft picks in the next couple of days.

  • Matt Duchene isn’t worried about what the trade deadline has in store for him, but will definitely be glad to see it pass. Terry Frei of the Denver Post caught up to Duchene after practice this morning where the young forward told him he’s “just focusing on getting to Philly tonight and preparing for the game tomorrow.” Unfortunately for Duchene his name will undoubtedly come back up as soon as the season ends if he isn’t traded by Wednesday’s deadline, as the team clearly seems to want to move on from their current core. The Avalanche are still in dead last in the league with only 37 points and will have the best chance to select one of Nolan Patrick or Nico Hischier to replace the star centerman should he make his exit in the next few months.
  • As written today after the Detroit Red Wings signed defenseman Nick Jensen to a two-year extension, the team has now turned to a possible extension for Brendan Smith. Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News reports that Smith’s agent is in active negotiations with the Red Wings and has hopes for a deal being signed soon. Smith is earning $2.75MM this year and is an unrestricted free agent at season’s end.

Detroit Red Wings Sign Nick Jensen To Two-Year Extension

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The Detroit Red Wings locked up a player today instead of shipping him out, inking defenseman Nick Jensen to a two-year extension. Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press reports that the deal is worth a total of $1.625MM over the two seasons, split $800K/$825K. Nick Jensen

Jensen was selected by the Red Wings in the fifth round of the 2009 draft, and slowly worked his way through the system over the past few years. This season he has shown that his smooth skating and puck movement had developed enough to be a positive at the NHL level, and would have become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. The 26-year old will now provide a cheap option for the team on the back end as they try to do a quick rebuild.

Though he will also likely fulfill the expansion draft requirement for defense, this seems more to be a deal locking up a home-grown soldier that has done everything asked of him over the years. Detroit has a long tradition of forcing players to make their mark in Grand Rapids before giving them a shot in the NHL, something that Jensen has done very well over the past two years. While he is by no means a star or shutdown defender, capable right handed shots aren’t the cheapest things to come by.

The team will likely now turn their attention to—if it wasn’t already—Brendan Smith and the possibility of trading him in the next couple of days. The pending UFA has been rumored to be sought after by a handful of teams including the New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs, though it’s not clear that any team has put forth an offer.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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