Poll: Where Will Mitch Marner End Up If He Doesn’t Re-Sign?
Trade rumors have followed Toronto Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner throughout his entire career. Buzz of a bad fit started early, then developed into talks of poor relationships with his teammates, and have since turned into talks of a trade to an endless list of teams. Through it all, Marner has stood as nothing but consistent on Toronto’s top line. He’s scored above a 1.20 point-per-game pace every year since 2021, making him Toronto’s second-highest scorer on a per-game basis behind his superstar centerman Auston Matthews.
But Marner’s eight-figure contract is set to expire at the end of the season, and the most recent rumors claim he leveraged his full no-movement clause to block a move to the Carolina Hurricanes at the Trade Deadline. That movement has put Marner, and his future with the Maple Leafs, back at the focus of many NHL circles.
Marner is putting together a career year on the precipice of a brand new contract. He has 21 goals and 79 points in 62 games – an 82-game pace of 27 goals and 104 points. That would break Marner into the century scoring club for the first time in his career, topping his previous career-high of 99 points in 80 games of the 2022-23 campaign. He was narrowly close to setting the mark when he scored 85 points in 69 games last season – a full-year pace of 101 points – but injuries held Marner from reaching the top echelon of NHL scorers.
In fact, that’s been a frequent storyline throughout Marner’s career. He’s played in at least 70 games just five different times in his eight-year career – not yet including the 81 games he’s on pace for this year. Three of those full campaigns came in Marner’s first three years in the NHL. He’s a slight forward, standing at six-feet tall and 180-pounds – making him far more susceptible to the heavy hits of top NHL defenders than a player like Matthews. But while his injuries have been frequent, they haven’t yet proven too detrimental. Marner has still eclipsed 60 points in every single season of his career – a stat line that’s studded with 50 points in 57 career playoff games.
Marner certainly gets support from star company in Toronto, but his pedigree has
only grown in recent years. He’s established himself as one of the NHL’s niftiest playmakers, capable of driving downhill with tempo and making slick moves through defenders to find teammates or take advantage of an open net. Those attributes are at the top of some teams priority list as they approach the off-season looking to add a star score. Marner’s pros could be enough to entice a cap-rich team like the Buffalo Sabres or Columbus Blue Jackets to go out of their way with a high bid offer to ensure they land Marner’s services.
Any team looking to add Marner will have to keep his role on the wing at front of mind. That could pose a challenge for teams like Columbus who have players like Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson growing into superiority on their flanks. On the other hand, Marner’s s ability to support the middle lane could make a great fit for teams like Buffalo or the Calgary Flames who may have to account for their own top centers preferences to play out wide.
The free agent market has been set early by brand new Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen, who signed an eight year extension with a yearly cap hit of $12MM. Marner was rumored to be offered in a swap for Rantanen at the deadline. He would reason to rival close to the dollar amount that Rantanen received. But on the open market and with Marner’s standing as a potentially catapulting piece for lineups on the fringe, he could see his yearly cap hit rise in north of $13MM after a bidding war. That number will be hard to bear for many teams around the league. But for the lucky few who could entertain it, Marner could offer a rare chance at landing a 100-point scorer on the open market.
Any speculation of Marner’s off-season availability is still just that. His refusal to move to Carolina at the deadline stands as a testament to his belonging on Toronto’s top line. While the team may need to mend relationships with their star right-winger after reportedly offering him up for trade, Marner has already assured that he’d rather play with the Leafs than go somewhere else midseason. Should that feeling change, Marner will enter the open market as the undeniable top name, now that Rantanen has signed a long-term deal.
That standing will bring with it plenty of attention, but only one team can win any Marner sweepstakes that forms. Who do you think it should be? Vote below:
Who Should Sign Mitch Marner If He Reaches Free Agency?
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Chicago Blackhawks 33% (584)
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Buffalo Sabres 10% (171)
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Columbus Blue Jackets 10% (168)
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Calgary Flames 6% (113)
Total votes: 1,764
Mobile users click here to vote.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Oilers Showed Interest In Mikko Rantanen, Ryan Donato, Rickard Rakell
It was a quiet but impactful Trade Deadline for the Edmonton Oilers. They brought in top-four defenseman Jake Walman and bottom-six bruiser Trent Frederic to bolster an offense that already ranked eighth in total goals this season. But as the dust begins to settle, it seems Edmonton came close to a far more exciting deadline season, and even had a chance at Carolina Hurricanes asset Mikko Rantanen. Edmonton was reportedly close to agreeing on extension terms with Rantanen, but ultimately couldn’t build a trade package that enticed Carolina enough to land the deal, shares TSN’s Ryan Rishaug. In the end, Rantanen was moved to the Dallas Stars in exchange for top young forward Logan Stankoven, two first-round draft picks, and two third-round picks.
It’s hard to imagine Edmonton could put together an offer better than that. Edmonton only has one pick – a 2026 second – in the top-two rounds of 2025 and 2026. They also don’t have nearly the young talent that Dallas had to offer. Vasily Podkolzin is almost certainly their closest comparable – one year older and as NHL engrained as Stankoven – and he’d be hard to move after a nice stylistic fit in Edmonton has led him to 21 points in 61 games this year. The Oilers could have offered top prospect Matthew Savoie, who ranks third on the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors in scoring with 40 points in 47 games. But neither asset quite stands up to Stankoven’s pedigree, and it’s likely their lacking draft capital was the ultimate dividing line.
Rishaug adds that Edmonton also tested the waters on acquiring top winger Rickard Rakell from the Pittsburgh Penguins, and red-hot centerman Ryan Donato from the Chicago Blackhawks. Rakell has been a standout, top-line option for the Penguins this season – boasting 29 goals and 53 points in 64 games this season. That scoring – and his standing as one of a few bright spots in Pittsburgh’s season – certainly hiked up his price at the deadline. Especially in the midst of an inflated market, it’s again hard to imagine Edmonton’s empty draft cabinet could have pried Rakell away. Donato would have likely cost much less – though he is having a career year with 23 goals and 48 points in 62 games – but his center role would have buried him down Edmonton’s lineup. In the end, they landed their third-line boost in a deal with the Bruins – and get the boost of adding a hard-nosed enforcer to protect superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in the postseason.
For as quiet as it ended up, it seems Oilers general manager Stan Bowman made sure to busy up his deadline. The Oilers have six players headed for unrestricted free agency, and two headed for restricted free agency, which should clear up roughly $14.71MM in cap space this summer per PuckPedia. That could be just enough space to get Bowman back on the phones as the NHL Draft and start of free agency role around. The Oilers added plenty of new faces last summer, signing each of Viktor Arvidsson, Jeff Skinner, and Corey Perry to short-term deals.
Islanders’ Semyon Varlamov Likely Out For Season, Offseason Priorities Forming
New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello sat down with media for an in-depth look at the team’s current state after the Trade Deadline and where he plans to head this summer. Among the biggest news was that top backup goaltender Semyon Varlamov will likely miss the remainder of the 2024-25 season with his lower-body injury, captured by Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News.
Varlamov has been out of the lineup since late November, but the root of his injury wasn’t entirely clear. He played through a full 61 minutes of action in what could be his last game of the season – an 5-4 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals on November 29th. He’s been on the shelf ever since, while the Islanders have turned towards Marcus Hogberg and Jakub Skarek to fill backup minutes behind star starter Ilya Sorokin.
Lamoriello went on to speak in depth about the team’s plans for veterans Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri, sharing that their goal was to sign both to extensions beyond this season. That plan went awry with Nelson, who was ultimately flipped to the Colorado Avalanche for top prospect Calum Ritchie and draft capital – but Lamoriello emphasized that the team still hopes to bring Palmieri back into the fold, per Newsday’s Andrew Gross. In the same breath, Lamoriello also pointed out that the Islanders need to get younger. They currently carry the 10th-oldest lineup in the NHL, with an average age of 28.96. Of the nine teams older than them, the Pittsburgh Penguins are the only team in shakier playoff standing than the Wild Card-bound Islanders.
The effort to get younger will mean plenty of change this summer, Lamoriello added. He told Gross that the term “retool” is a relatively new juxtaposition to the long-term idea of a “rebuild”. The Islanders will attempt to stick in the former camp this summer, refreshing the lineup with top prospects and new faces while trimming down on their veteran presence. That could be a challenge if keeping players like Palmieri – a 34-year-old with 20 goals and 41 points in 62 games this season – is at the top of the docket. New York likely won’t want to part with franchise cornerstone Anders Lee, or productive veterans like Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal – which could make top defenders like Noah Dobson, Ryan Pulock, and Adam Pelech the focus of any large-scale moves.
The Boston Bruins received top prospect Fraser Minten and a first-round draft pick, among other assets, for top-pair defensive defenseman Brandon Carlo at the Deadline. That price was likely hiked up in a seller’s market, but finding a comparable deal could be the start of New York’s efforts to retool. The Islanders will also have to make sure they’re elevating newly-acquired top prospects to important roles as soon as they can with the youth-movement in mind – an effort they’re already headed towards by clearing Nelson’s role for Ritchie in their recent swap.
New York finds themselves three points behind the Eastern Conference’s second Wild Card spot with 20 games left in their season. It’s a hotly contested race, with at least six teams within striking distance of a playoff spot. Moving out Nelson, who was previously tied for the team lead in scoring with 43 points, will make achieving that postseason berth a tough feat. So will losing Varlamov, who had a career-low .889 save percentage this season but posted a far more impressive .917 in his last four seasons with the Islanders. Those absences will require improved performances from the likes of Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Hogberg to keep New York competitive.
The Islanders will have six unrestricted free agents and seven restricted free agents to re-sign when their season ends. Among the pending free agents is top-performing rookie Maxim Tsyplakov, top defenders Dobson and Alexander Romanov, and recent acquisitions Tony DeAngelo, Scott Perunovich, and Adam Boqvist. With only three contracts north of $7MM on their books, the Islanders should have plenty of money to work with this summer – a technical $28.9MM per PuckPedia. With his recent comments, it seems veteran GM Lamoriello is set to use that money to its fullest this summer – in an attempt to rejuvenate an Islanders lineup that’s fallen behind the playoff wave this season.
Rangers Showing Interest In Sabres’ J.J. Peterka
The Buffalo Sabres aren’t expected to be much of a focus at this year’s Trade Deadline, but one young star has seen his name circulate around rumors. Now, the New York Rangers are joining in on the race for top-line Sabres winger JJ Peterka per Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News. The report of New York’s interest was seconded by Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, but downplayed by Arthur Staple of The Athletic, painting an enticing picture headed into Friday’s Trade Deadline.
Lysowski adds that New York’s assistant coach, Michael Peca, worked closely with Peterka during the winger’s only year in the minor leagues. Peterka scored a team-leading 28 goals and 68 points in 70 AHL games under the guidance of Peca and then-head coach Seth Appert.
The likelihood of Peterka moving at the deadline seems slim-to-none. The 23-year-old has turned into a perennial star for the Sabres, fighting his way onto the top line at the end of last season and vindicating it with a fantastic performance this year. He has 18 goals and 49 points in 58 games – the third-most scoring on the Sabres behind Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin. Peterka is on an 82-game pace of 69 points, which would blow his career-high 50 points set last season out of the water. He’s also on pace for 25 goals this season, which wouldn’t quite top his 28 goals last year but nonetheless shows his knack for finding the back of the net.
Peterka has totaled 58 goals and 131 points in 219 career games since making his NHL debut in the 2021-22 season. He not only seems like a cornerstone of the Sabres lineup for years to come – but also stands as the team’s best draft steal in recent memory. Buffalo drafted Peterka with the 34th-overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, coupling him with Jack Quinn as the team’s breakaway stars from that class. Peterka has since played in the most NHL games, scored the most goals, and recorded the most points of anyone drafted outside of that year’s first round.
Suffice it to say, a trade for Peterka would need to be exorbitant. The Sabres are in the midst of a 13-season playoff drought – a cold streak that paces all North American major men’s sports leagues. Peterka has been a piece that’s sparked the offense in the midst of that drought, though the team is still floundering despite their young winger’s success. Lysowski added that Buffalo will want NHL players back for any moves they make, which could be the hang-up that pushes any deal involving Peterka to the off-season at least.
New York may be able to swing a deal by offering up forward Alexis Lafreniere, who went first-
overall in Peterka’s draft year but has struggled to find the same hot start to his career. Lafreniere has 14 goals and 35 points in 62 games this season, and set his career-highs in scoring with 28 goals and 57 points last year. The Rangers would likely have to add more to balance the equation, even despite Lafreniere’s draft pedigree, which could pull players like K’Andre Miller or Braden Schneider into the fold. Schneider could be particularly enticing, offering a right-shot that Buffalo sorely needs. Even then, it seems draft capital may be in order to land a top young player who has only grown more from season to season.
The Rangers have shown no shyness in making big moves this season. Since the start of the year, they’ve parted ways with Filip Chytil, Ryan Lindgren, Jacob Trouba, Jimmy Vesey, and Victor Mancini. They’ve managed that overall without losing too many future assets – save for the young Mancini – which could set up more fire sale options. The Rangers added Brendan Brisson to a scant prospect pool on Thursday. He’ll join Brennan Othmann, Brett Berard, Adam Sykora, and Lucas Edmonds as the team’s top prospects in the AHL. All options are wingers with bottom-six upside at least, creating a bit of a logjam in the Rangers pipeline. Acquiring Peterka – maybe on the back of one of these prospects – surely wouldn’t solve that logjam, but it would give New York a major upgrade over their promising-but-long-drawn options right now.
Trade Deadline Notes: Marchand, Leafs, Nelson, Devils
The Trade Deadline is mere hours away, and despite a quiet build up, multiple major headlines have started to boil to the surface – all captured by TSN’s latest Insider Trading. The deadline could be headlined by the Boston Bruins parting ways with team captain Brad Marchand, per Chris Johnston of The Athletic during the Insider Trading segment.
A Marchand trade would be era-defining for the Bruins. He has been in Boston for the entirety of his 16-year, 1,090-game NHL career. Cracking franchise record books is a tough feat on an Original Six club but Marchand nonetheless ranks fourth in Boston history in career goals (422), games played (1,090), and penalty minutes (1,113). He also ranks fifth on Boston’s all-time points leaderboard.
Nearly two decades after his first introduction to the team, Marchand now stands as Boston’s last connection to days past. Where Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, Tuukka Rask, and David Krejci have retired – Marchand has continued on. He took on the Bruins captaincy last season and has continued strong production into his age-36 season. Marchand ranks second on the Bruins with 21 goals and 47 points in 61 games this season – only behind David Pastrnak‘s dazzling 32 goals and 77 points. Getting Boston to part ways with their captain, their rink rat, and their second-ranked scorer would take a monumental effort, but the right mix of future structure could convince the middling Bruins. Marchand has emphasized his preference to stay in Boston.
More from TSN’s Insider Trading:
- The Toronto Maple Leafs will continue to seek out centermen and defensemen on the trade market per TSN’s Darren Dreger. They’re exploring multiple options, including Philadelphia’s Rasmus Ristolainen and St. Louis’ Brayden Schenn. Both players are entering the golden years of their careers. Schenn is in his age-33 season. He’s captained the Blues since Ryan O’Reilly left in 2023. Like fellow captain Marchand, Schenn has held to his typical style in recent years. He has 12 goals and 38 points in 63 games this season, while offering stout two-way play and a 50.3 percent faceoff win-rate. Ristolainen, 30, has seen his scoring dwindle as he’s entered his 30s. He has just 19 points in 59 games this season, but does boast a plus-five – the first positive plus-minus of his 12-year NHL career. He’s rounded out his defense and offers a hardy physical presence. On a Leafs team looking for the additions to match big moves by the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning, either veteran could bring impactful depth.
- The New York Islanders will likely wait until the last minute before they make a decision on extending or trading veteran forward Brock Nelson, per Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. Buzz around Nelson’s deadline availability has ebbed and flowed over the last few months, mixed between reports of total availability and looming extension. The 33-year-old Nelson has 20 goals and 43 points in 61 games this season. He’s one of three players, alongside Anders Lee and Bo Horvat, tied for New York’s lead in scoring. Nelson is set to enter unrestricted free agency this summer and carries a 16-team no-trade clause, which will limit the places the career-Islander is able to go. The New Jersey Devils are among interested teams as they look to bank on accrued cap space after Jack Hughes‘ season-ending injury.
Central Notes: Jets, Maroon, Bichsel, Carcone
The Winnipeg Jets are entering the Trade Deadline with little bargaining pieces but plenty of cap space. That’s the set up for some low-cost lineup tinkering, with left-defense the most glaring issue on the roster. That hole could draw the Jets towards open market options like Boston’s Brandon Carlo or Seattle’s Jamie Oleksiak, per Ken Wiebe and Mike McIntyre of The Winnipeg Free Press. Both players carry a cap hit below $5MM. Oleksiak’s deal expires at the end of next season, while Carlo has two years left and a modified no-trade clause.
The added security and movement protection could make Carlo a tough fish to catch. Oleksiak will likely be much more expendable for the right price. The 32-year-old defensive-defenseman has been a focal point of the Kraken blue-line over the last four seasons. He’s averaging 19 minutes of ice time through 60 games this year, while posting 13 points, 14 penalty minutes, and a minus-eight. That stat line is largely in-line with what Oleksiak has managed in three prior years in Seattle – routinely floating between 15 and 20 points and negative plus-minuses, all while serving from a carved out role on the second pair. Oleksiak is six-foot-seven, 250-pounds and patrols the defensive end with a long reach and heavy physical presence. Winnipeg has tried to net the same impact from players like Logan Stanley – one of the only NHLers as tall as Oleksiak – but to little avail. Stanley has just nine points, 72 penalty minutes, and a plus-10 in 47 games on Winnipeg’s bottom-pair. Any upgrade they make will be solely focused on improving that third-pair’s standing as the Jets plan for a very late season.
Other notes from the Midwest:
- The Chicago Blackhawks have kicked the door to the Trade Deadline wide open by swapping defender Seth Jones for goaltender Spencer Knight and a first-round pick. All signs point towards the Hawks continuing to sell as the deadline draws closer – with pieces like Ryan Donato, Alec Martinez, and Petr Mrazek all on the block. But of their aged veterans, winger Pat Maroon doesn’t seem likely to join in on the relocation. He told Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times that he’d prefer to stay with Chicago rather than experience yet another deadline trade. Maroon has been moved in February or March three different times in his career, including at last year’s deadline. He signed his first open market contract since 2020 this summer – choosing the Windy City as his landing spot. 54 games later, Maroon must clearly be enjoying the role of veteran leader and Stanley Cup expert in front of Chicago’s young core. He has 14 points, 71 penalty minutes, and a minus-11 on the year, while serving a minimal role in Chicago’s bottom-six. While opening up that spot would certainly open minutes for more top prospects, it’d be tough to see Chicago go against Maroon’s wishes for anything less than a golden offer.
- Top rookie defenseman Lian Bichsel is progressing in his return from an upper-body injury. He is doubtful for the Dallas Stars’ game against St. Louis on Sunday, but could return when they face New Jersey on Tuesday, per Dallas News’ Lia Assimakopoulos. Bichsel was injured on a high hit from New York Islanders grinder Casey Cizikas on February 23rd. He’s missed two games since. Bichsel has played the first 18 games of his NHL career this season. He has five points, 14 penalty minutes, and a plus-six in that span – and has looked the part of a projectable first-round pick. News of his return on Tuesday will also suggest that Bichsel will continue to hold a role on the NHL roster, though it will be shaky ground as Dallas looks to buy improvements at the deadline. In an aforementioned fun fact, Bichsel is one of the few other six-foot-seven defenders.
- The Utah Hockey Club were without depth forward Michael Carcone on Saturday evening. He was listed as a game-time decision due to a lower-body injury, per Belle Fraser of the Salt Lake Tribune. Carcone has filled a minimal lineup role in Utah, with 13 points, 29 penalty minutes, and a minus-seven in 41 games this year. Utah turned towards Kevin Stenlund to fill-in during the losing effort. Stenlund recorded one assist in 11 minutes of ice time. It was his 14th point of the year through 61 appearances. Jack McBain also saw a boost in Carcone’s absence, stepping onto the second-unit power-play. He did not manage any scoring in the fill-in role.
Pacific Notes: Flames, Thrun, Gibson
The Calgary Flames have defined the last two Trade Deadlines by selling a suite of impactful veterans, but they’re set up to take much more of a back seat this year. General manager Craig Conroy told Sportsnet’s Eric Francis that their focus continues to be adding young players to round out their existing core – not to bring in any major additions. Conroy went on to add that the Flames would be interested in adding a left-shot defender, but that any deal would need to make sense for the club.
Calgary won’t have a ton of trade chips to move at the deadline, with veterans Nazem Kadri, Blake Coleman, Rasmus Andersson, and MacKenzie Weegar all on the untouchables list. Conroy told Francis that their lack of assets has limited the calls the Flames are receiving – but that the market is also quieter than in years past. He went on to praise the efforts of players like Joel Hanley, Ilya Solovyov, and Jake Bean – who would stand in direct competition of any defenders acquired via trade.
The expressed interest could connect Calgary to a scant defender market at the deadline. Vancouver’s Carson Soucy, San Jose’s Mario Ferraro, and Pittsburgh’s Matt Grzelcyk headline a market full of middling left-defenders. The market price has already been set, after New York Rangers defender Ryan Lindgren was traded to the Colorado Avalanche alongside Jimmy Vesey in exchange for Juuso Parssinen, Calvin de Haan, and two draft picks.
Other notes from out West:
- Speaking of left-defense, the San Jose Sharks will be without youngster Henry Thrun in Saturday’s game against the Ottawa Senators per Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now. Thrun has one goal and 10 points in 51 games this season – one fewer than he scored in just as many games last year. The former Harvard Crimson captain is still very early in his career, but has improved his standing in San Jose’s lineup seemingly every night. He played a career-high 24 minutes in San Jose’s Monday loss to the Winnipeg Jets, and averaged 17 minutes per night on the year. San Jose will turn Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Jack Thompson – who have been exchanging minutes of their own – to fill in for Thrun’s absence.
- Netminder John Gibson will draw back in for the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday per Derek Lee of The Hockey News. Gibson has missed Anaheim’s last three games after sustaining an upper-body injury on February 22nd. The Ducks recalled Oscar Dansk to serve as the backup behind Lukas Dostal in Gibson’s absence. Dansk has posted an .886 save percentage and 10-10-3 record in 27 AHL games this season. He’s been reassigned to the minor leagues per Mathieu Sheridan of The Hockey News. Meanwhile Gibson will return to platooning in the starter’s role, looking to build on his .916 save percentage and 9-9-2 record amid a resurging season.
Wild Acquire Tyler Madden From Kings
The Minnesota Wild and Los Angeles Kings have made a minor league swap, with forward Tyler Madden headed to Minnesota for defenseman Joseph Cecconi. Both players are career AHL fixtures.
The Vancouver Canucks originally drafted Madden in the third round of the 2018 NHL Draft. He spent the next two seasons in a top role at Northeastern University, where he potted 65 points across 63 games. With his eyes on a pro turn, Madden was traded to Los Angeles in a 2020 deal that sent Tyler Toffoli to Vancouver. Madden turned pro in the shortened 2020-21 AHL season and scored just five points in his first 14 career games. He grew to 31 points in 48 games the next year – but has stayed close to the 30-point mark through 71 games in each of the last two seasons. He’s on track to repeat his performance this year – with 25 points in 47 games – but a timely move to the Minnesota organization could give him the spark needed to break 35 points for the first time in his career.
In return, Los Angeles acquired full-frame defender Cecconi to fill the hole left when the Nashville Predators claimed Andreas Englund on waivers. Cecconi was in his first season with the Iowa Wild after two years with the Rochester Americans and five years with the Texas Stars. His 14 points and 41 penalty minutes in 51 games this season continue his tendency for low-scoring and hard-hitting defense through yet another move. Should the Kings face any more blue-line injuries, that style could be enough to earn Cecconi his NHL debut on a lineup that isn’t afraid to ice seven defenders.
Predators Looking To The Future As Trade Deadline Approaches
It certainly wouldn’t be an overstatement to say the Nashville Predators overplayed their hand last summer. General manager Barry Trotz used free agency to lock up $20.5MM per season in Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei through at least 2028. The moves were transformative. In one fell swoop, Nashville landed Stamkos in his first trip to unrestricted free agency and locked up the top of their lineup. It gave the Predators a roster that, on paper, seemed guaranteed to challenge playoff contention. But the new band started the year with a dismal 5-10-3 record that they haven’t recovered from since.
Nashville now ranks second-to-last in the Central Division with the Trade Deadline just around the corner. That standing will inevitably affect their deadline approach. Trotz told Nick Kieser of Nashville’s 102.5 The Game that he’s met with the Predators’ top players and shared a clear sentiment – either you’re in for the long haul, or he’ll look for a move. That includes potentially asking players with no movement clauses to consider waiving – a group that includes Stamkos, Skjei, Roman Josi, and Filip Forsberg. When asked about his feelings about the failed project, Trotz added that Nashville is already onto the next stage of their long-term plan, and told Kieser, “I’m okay with it. We took our swing, okay? We still need guys to play against top players.”
The Predators haven’t earned much for their high spending this summer. The team is, once again, led in scoring by Forsberg – who has 21 goals and 53 points in 56 games despite Nashville ranking second-to-last in total goals. Marchessault has done enough to earn the second place spot with 45 points – but Stamkos has only recorded 33, and Skjei only 21. Those are far from the top-of-the-lineup stats that Nashville was hoping for, and they could make parting with any failed additions a tall order.
Any of Nashville’s deadline moves will be solely focused on leaning into their future. Their top prospects have been the silver lining this season. Zachary L’Heureux has earned a routine spot in the lineup with his sharp-edged physicality, and each of Joakim Kemell, Fedor Svechkov, and Reid Schaefer seem close to making the jump themselves. But finding space in a loaded veteran lineup has been challenging, especially with bottom-six options like Colton Sissons and Thomas Novak standing as the team’s last line of defense at points this season. Each of L’Heureux, Kemell, and Schaefer are currently listed as left-wingers, and thus compete with Gustav Nyquist, Cole Smith, and Marchesseault for space on the depth chart. Moving one of the three veterans, or even parting ways with a low-stakes centerman, could go a long way towards giving Nashville’s top youngsters some more room to breathe.
Nashville also has six picks in the first three rounds of this year’s draft, which could be enough to land some of the deadline’s top young options with a blockbuster swap. 23-year-olds Bowen Byram and Dylan Cozens have both been rumored to be on the Buffalo Sabres’ chopping block for the right price, and could bring the spark needed to lead Nashville into their next step. Nashville could also make a swing for high-skill, high-upside winger Trevor Zegras, who has slowly drifted away from the Anaheim Ducks in the last two seasons. All three players seem like long shots to head to Tennessee – and it’s not clear how they’d fit into a confused Predators lineup – but landing a big splash could help Nashville turn towards the future without jeopardizing Trotz’s hope for top-line competitors.
Nashville will need to be ready to pay big for any of those young options – especially with Buffalo and Anaheim well outside of their own playoff race. The Predators may instead need to paint Stamkos and Marchesseault as reclamation projects who could make big marks of a playoff hopeful. Both stars are enticing options, even in a down year. They each scored 40 goals last season, and now find themselves pushing to score 20 this year. That speaks to certain upside, should a different team rediscover their offense. Even then, cap concerns will quickly come into the conversation – which could push a cheaper option like Ryan O’Reilly into the forefront. O’Reilly carries a $4.5MM cap hit through the 2026-27 season, and could entice deadline buyers with his two-way play.
A smooth tongue, or the right mix of draft picks, could land Nashville a hefty return for their aging veterans – but it will take a major effort. It seems more likely that the team will clear out their depth chart through moving vets like Nyquist, Smith, Sissons, or Michael McCarron. Those dump offs would certainly open space for top prospects, but Nashville will have to make sure their pricey stars are open to supporting a lengthy retool or rebuild. If not, Trotz may need to find yet another blockbuster to try and push his team onto the right track.
Flames Expected To Activate Connor Zary, Kevin Bahl
The Calgary Flames are expected to activate forward Connor Zary and defenseman Kevin Bahl off of injured reserve ahead of Sunday night’s game, per Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet 960. Zary has sat out of Calgary’s last 15 games with a knee injury, while Bahl missed the last eight games. Both players have served impactful roles this season, making their returns a notable addition to a Flames lineup just three points back from a Western Conference Wild Card.
Of the pair, Bahl has been the more utilized Flame so far this year. The 24-year-old defender joined Calgary in the trade that sent Jacob Markstrom to New Jersey this summer, and quickly claimed a top-four role in his new setting. He’s posted a tame stat line, with 14 points, a plus-one, 29 penalty minutes, 67 hits, and 79 blocked shots through 47 games this season – while spending much of it lined up next to top Flames defender Rasmus Andersson. That premier partnership has helped Bahl’s average ice time jump north of 21 minutes, nearly four minutes more than he averaged in New Jersey last season. While he still has improvement to go, this season has been Bahl’s first making a top-of-the-lineup claim, after last season marked his first full season in the NHL. He should quickly return to that top-pair role when he’s able to return, likely bumping Ilya Solovyov out of the lineup.
Zary’s bid back into the lineup will be a bit tougher to anticipate. The Flames added Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost and parted ways with Andrei Kuzmenko via trade during Zary’s absence. That’s sparked a lineup shakeup that Zary will now have to find his footing within. Farabee and Frost have filled a third-line role alongside Yegor Sharangovich, which should leave a top-six role next to Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman open for Zary. But the young forward will need to earn his footing. He has 10 goals and 22 points in 40 games this season, a slight uptick to the 14 goals and 34 points he scored as a rookie last year. If Zary can continue to grow that scoring upside, and his knack for making big plays – his return could be the piece that solidifies Calgary’s top-nine as a group to envy. But tepid offense could be the piece that necessitates further changes.
The pair of returns will give Calgary their first chance to see their roster at full-strength after their trade with Philadelphia. Zary and Bahl are two young, impactful pieces of the Flames lineup – and stood as two of the biggest bright spots on the year before they fell to injury. How the lineup performs amid their return will be closely scrutinized, as Calgary hones in on a potentially lucrative Trade Deadline.