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Mikael Backlund Still Unsure About Extension With Calgary Flames

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Calgary Flames center Mikael Backlund has expressed uncertainty regarding a contract extension with the team, joining several current and former teammates who have expiring contracts after the 2023-24 season. In a recent interview with Swedish outlet SportExpressen, Backlund said he’s focused on playing out the upcoming season and will consider an extension based on how things unfold.

The 34-year-old Swedish two-way dynamo expressed his openness to signing an extension if the season goes well, but he also acknowledged that the future remains uncertain if things don’t go as planned. A translated quote from the interview reads, “I’m ready to come back and play the season, and if it goes great, I might want to extend after the season. If it doesn’t go well, we’ll see what happens.”

Backlund’s situation adds to the list of pending unrestricted free agents for the Flames in 2024, which includes names such as Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev, and Nikita Zadorov. The Flames have already dealt away one player who didn’t have an extension past next season in place, trading winger Tyler Toffoli to the New Jersey Devils for a 2023 third-round pick and forward Yegor Sharangovich.

If he does opt to test the free agent market next season, Calgary won’t want to lose him for nothing. Once a potential candidate for their captaincy, which has been vacant since the Seattle Kraken claimed Mark Giordano in the 2021 Expansion Draft, Backlund will almost certainly be dealt by the trade deadline in 2024 if the Flames aren’t in the playoff picture.

Departing Calgary would mean leaving the only NHL home Backlund’s ever known. The 2007 first-round pick has played in parts of 15 seasons for the Flames, skating in 908 games and recording 492 points while earning Selke Trophy votes on multiple occasions, especially later in his career.

In the interim, new general manager Craig Conroy has quite a lot of work to do in monitoring the situations of Calgary’s other pending UFAs. Priority number one is likely trading Hanifin, who’s been more explicit about his intentions not to re-sign. His opinion on staying in Alberta is less influenced by their performance next year than Backlund’s or Lindholm’s.

East Notes: Petry, Varlamov, Devils UFAs

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It’s hard to claim Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Jeff Petry had a disappointing season. After being acquired from the Montreal Canadiens in a swap for defenseman Mike Matheson, Petry improved on his offensive totals from the season prior, recording 31 points in 61 games, and he still managed to average over 22 minutes per game. His defensive impacts were also in line with what we’ve come to expect from the veteran defender.

However, the Penguins were hoping for a resurgence to his 2020-21 form, which saw him finish 13th in Norris Trophy voting. It didn’t happen, and with interim general manager Kyle Dubas now at the helm, Petry finds himself on the trade block again after just one season in Pittsburgh, confirms The Athletic’s Rob Rossi. The market for right-shot defenders is generally strong, but with Petry locked in at a $6.25MM cap hit until 2025 and a potentially significant decline coming at any moment, Rossi says there aren’t many quality offers out there for his services.

More from the Eastern Conference rumor cycle today:

  • Expect veteran netminder Semyon Varlamov to end up back on Long Island, says the Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta. The 35-year-old will likely sign a two-year deal, during which he’ll reprise his backup role to countryman Ilya Sorokin. After posting a save percentage north of .910 for four straight seasons, Varlamov would have been one of the better goaltending options available on the free agent market, especially for a team looking to solidify their backup position.
  • The New Jersey Devils don’t have a ton of cap space after announcing a max-length extension for Timo Meier, and as expected, they won’t be making any other major re-signings before free agency opens on Saturday. Defenseman Ryan Graves and forwards Tomas Tatar and Miles Wood are going to test the open market, general manager Tom Fitzgerald confirmed today. Per CapFriendly, the team has around $10.2MM in space but needs to re-sign a quartet of restricted free agents and potentially add a goalie to complement Vitek Vanecek.

Ottawa Senators Have Expressed Interest In Scott Laughton

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Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Laughton has once again entered trade speculation in recent days. It’s no surprise, given new general manager Daniel Brière’s aggressive approach, already moving on from defender Ivan Provorov before the offseason begins in earnest.

The team is looking for a more significant rebuild/retool than they’ve had in years past, but there are certain targets the team wouldn’t be opposed to holding onto. Laughton, 29, is one of them – he’s been one of the team’s more consistent players over the past few seasons and has taken on a significant leadership role.

All that’s to say, if Philadelphia moves him, it won’t be for a marginal package. The Fourth Period’s Anthony DiMarco reported this morning the Flyers have turned down late first-round picks in exchange for Laughton, who had 43 points in 78 games this season and is locked in at a $3MM cap hit through 2026.

One of the teams who’ve called the Flyers about Laughton is the Ottawa Senators, David Pagnotta said this morning, adding to his colleague’s initial report. The team’s offer likely would’ve centered around their 2024 first-round selection – they’ve already given up this year’s first-round pick (12th overall) to the Arizona Coyotes in a deal for Jakob Chychrun.

Laughton is a natural center, a position the Senators struggled mightily at this season in regard to depth. However, that was instigated by a shoulder injury to Joshua Norris, who missed all but eight games. With he, Tim Stützle, and Shane Pinto locked into the top three center spots long-term, Laughton would likely shift to wing to play in the top nine.

That’s something he can do with ease, and he did so multiple times as a Flyer. His versatility is a valuable asset, though, especially if injuries strike the Senators again. Laughton’s been used quite a bit on the penalty kill in Philadelphia, too, though advanced metrics aren’t kind to his performance with a man down.

One has to question, though – for a team that hasn’t been able to exit their rebuild successfully despite multiple attempts, are the Senators (and general manager Pierre Dorion) in a safe position to give up two first-round selections within months of each other?

You’d likely get a pretty even split of answers to that question. The team undoubtedly has the core to advance to their first postseason since 2017, but depth issues at every position continue to plague them in a tough Atlantic Division. Laughton, a high-end third-line piece, could go a long way toward solving those issues.

If the Flyers do manage to get more than just a late first in return for Laughton, it’ll be a great return on their investment. Drafted 20th overall in 2012, Laughton has given the Flyers over 500 games and nearly 200 points of service over a 10-season career in the organization.

Columbus Blue Jackets Had Interest In Colton Parayko

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In a somewhat stunning series of moves, the Columbus Blue Jackets went out and got two top-four caliber defenders on the trade market this week in Ivan Provorov and Damon Severson. Considering how early in the offseason they made these moves, it’s clear that upgrading on defense has been a priority of general manager Jarmo Kekalainen’s for quite some time.

Late Friday night, The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta reported the Blue Jackets had also set their sights on Colton Parayko of the St. Louis Blues, likely as a backup plan in case one of the two transactions they pulled off fell through.

The imposing 6-foot-6 defender is one of the big trade bait pieces on the board this offseason – along with many other of his Blues teammates on defense. It could be a tough transaction to make for St. Louis, though, as the injury-prone 30-year-old is still locked in at a $6.5MM cap hit for seven (yes, seven) more seasons and carries full trade protection.

It hasn’t dissuaded teams from calling, though, as Pagnotta said Columbus isn’t the only team to have demonstrated interest in Parayko’s services so far this offseason. The right-shot D-man’s prospective spot in the Columbus lineup surely disappeared after acquiring Severson this morning, as the team still needs space in the lineup to ice youngsters Adam Boqvist and David Jiricek on the right side.

If a team is to make a successful trade for Parayko, it would surely involve a third-party team to retain some salary. That’s where concerns surrounding his term come in, though – how many assets would the team trading for Parayko need to pay a broker like the Chicago Blackhawks to be on the hook for seven more seasons of Parayko’s deal, even at a marginal cap hit? Few teams would anticipate not spending close to the cap for that stretch of time.

Latest On Carter Hart, Kevin Hayes

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The Philadelphia Flyers (and rookie general manager Daniel Brière) made their first big splash of the offseason earlier this week. Naturally, though, after acquiring a fourth goalie with decent NHL experience in Calvin Petersen, questions began to resurface about the future of budding star netminder Carter Hart with the team.

Within minutes of Tuesday’s trade being reported, reports from various insiders surfaced the Flyers were at least engaged in discussions with teams about moving Hart, although it wasn’t something as imminent as the Ivan Provorov deal, which was officially announced hours later. Today, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on The Jeff Marek Show that progress toward a Hart trade hasn’t advanced, saying a source told him to “dial back on the [rumors]” and that moving Hart wasn’t Philadelphia’s current top priority.

The Fourth Period today seemed a little more optimistic about the eventuality of a Hart deal, but again noted nothing was imminent on that front. However, they did specifically name the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens as teams believed to have interest in acquiring the 24-year-old.

Both teams got strong goaltending performances this season from Ilya Samsonov and Sam Montembeault, respectively, but neither of them is regarded as the sure-fire long-term starter Hart is. While a poor bubble season in 2020-21 drags Hart’s career numbers down considerably, he’s been admirable in a tough position for Philadelphia in other seasons and sat among the top of the league in multiple stats during the first few months of 2022-23.

The Fourth Period also mentioned in today’s report that the lines of communication aren’t quite closed between the Flyers and Columbus Blue Jackets, especially regarding a long-time rumored deal involving Kevin Hayes. They noted the Provorov trade was of higher priority to both clubs, but the two parties are now “set to reengage” after completing the three-team deal.

The main negotiating factor in a Hayes trade is reportedly salary retention, suggesting a return package from Columbus might already be ironed out. Hayes, 31, finished second in scoring among Flyers players with 54 points in 81 games this season and provides a much-needed upgrade at center for Columbus, although his roughly $7.1MM cap hit is a tad rich for his skillset and career arc.

Snapshots: Carlson, Gibson, Hartman

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The Washington Capitals’ status as a conservative seller at the deadline may have surprised fans just a few months ago. A relatively secure Wild Card position in late 2022 has since fallen by the wayside, mainly due to injuries to key players.

Their longest-term absence has been that of defenseman John Carlson, who hasn’t played since December 23 after taking a slapshot to the head in a game against the Winnipeg Jets. Head coach Peter Laviolette had some positive news to share today regarding the All-Star defenseman, who joined Capitals practice today wearing a non-contact jersey. While Washington won’t be making a playoff run this year, barring a miracle, a return to health is positive news for Carlson after such a scary injury. The 33-year-old is under contract until 2026 and had 21 points in 30 games this year before exiting the lineup.

  • The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun today speculated on the future of goalie John Gibson with the Anaheim Ducks, whose name has begun to creep into trade speculation over the past months. LeBrun noted that some teams still view the netminder as a difference-maker, especially with the 29-year-old posting a string of elite performances lately. After this season, Gibson still has four years remaining on a contract carrying a $6.4MM cap hit. A move to a contender, especially as Gibson has partial trade protection, likely hinges on the Ducks retaining some salary.
  • According to a Twitter announcement, Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman was fined $4,594.59 today by the NHL Department of Player Safety for slashing Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson. The figure is the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Hartman received a minor penalty on the play, which occurred in the middle of the first period of last night’s 1-0 shootout loss to the Flames.

Edmonton Oilers Reportedly Made Offer For Timo Meier

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The Edmonton Oilers did make a splash at the Trade Deadline, acquiring defenseman Mattias Ekholm from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a hefty package that included Tyson Barrie and a first-round draft pick. However, as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman noted in today’s edition of the “32 Thoughts” podcast, the team was also more seriously involved in discussions for another big-name target than previously thought.

That player is Timo Meier, who had been mainly linked to the New Jersey Devils and Carolina Hurricanes during trade rumor season. Friedman reports that the Oilers made a “legit offer” to the Sharks in exchange for the star forward’s services and didn’t just engage in preliminary discussions.

He also noted that a possible plan on the Oilers’ radar was to acquire Meier for the stretch run and playoffs and boost his stock by playing him alongside Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, giving Edmonton the potential to flip Meier at the 2023 NHL Draft for more than they originally paid. Meier, a pending restricted free agent, is due a qualifying offer of $10MM, something Edmonton wouldn’t have been able to accommodate with just $8.5MM in projected cap space for next season and multiple players to re-sign, per CapFriendly.

It was a strategy multiple other teams in talks with the Sharks considered, Friedman said, including the Toronto Maple Leafs, who were also rumored to be in the Meier sweepstakes at times.

While Edmonton’s depth scoring could remain their Achilles’ heel in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, they arguably made better use of their limited financial resources by acquiring Ekholm. Edmonton’s 3.31 goals against per game is the second-worst number among teams currently in playoff position, coming in just a hair under a divisional rival – the Los Angeles Kings. While Meier may have created the highest-octane top-six forward group in decades, Ekholm filled a need and carried financial certainty, something the Oilers desperately needed.

Calgary Flames Showing Interest In Joel Edmundson

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Despite their inconsistent goal-scoring, the Calgary Flames are reportedly looking to add on defense. The Flames, who have been quiet so far during a busy trade season, have shown interest in acquiring Montreal Canadiens defenseman Joel Edmundson, per TSN’s Pierre LeBrun on tonight’s edition of Insider Trading.

Edmundson, who the Canadiens acquired in a late-offseason trade in 2020, has seen his defensive play dip sharply after a solid first season in Montreal in 2020-21. The 29-year-old has dealt with significant injuries over the past two campaigns, limited to just 24 out of 82 games last season and 39 out of 60 games this year. With the Flames on the fringes of a Wild Card spot in the Western Conference, general manager Brad Treliving is looking to Edmundson to help propel the team ahead of teams in the race, such as the Winnipeg Jets, Minnesota Wild, and Seattle Kraken.

The Flames have had a publically disappointing season so far, with inconsistency plaguing a refreshed, star-studded roster. With the deadline rushing into view in just a few hours, the team sits five points behind the eighth-place Jets with no games in hand. Poor goal-scoring output and a sharp decline in production from Jonathan Huberdeau have robbed Calgary of a bonafide offensive superstar, something they had two of last season in Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk. Elias Lindholm has done his part, recording 51 points in 59 games despite losing his previous year’s linemates. A team save percentage far south of the .900 mark hasn’t helped, with Jacob Markstrom in the midst of his worst season since entering the NHL full-time in 2015.

Whether or not the Flames actually make a move to buy at the deadline likely hinges on the result of tonight’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. A loss tonight would leave them seven points out of a playoff spot, a tough deficit to make up in an average but tight Western Conference. Earlier reports suggested the Canadiens could receive a first-round pick in exchange for Edmundson, as he has one year after this left on his deal-making $3.5MM per season. With the defense market dried up and Calgary not in a position to part with such a significant asset, likely to be a top-16 pick, it could be an unwise gamble on the part of Treliving.

Latest On Patrick Kane

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The Patrick Kane trade saga may be nearing its end, according to NHL insider Chris Johnston. In a tweet Friday afternoon, Johnston reported that a resolution to Kane’s situation is expected “in the next 24 hours or so,” well before the trade deadline on March 3.

As of now, Kane has reportedly not waived his no-movement clause to facilitate a deal, per Johnston.

Kane, who has spent his entire 16-year career with the Chicago Blackhawks, has been the subject of trade rumors in recent weeks as the lottery-bound team continues to rebuild. Yesterday, rumors re-emerged about the possibility of Kane ending up with the New York Rangers, even after the team already bolstered their top-six with the addition of Vladimir Tarasenko. Kane, 34, has recorded seven goals and 10 points in his last five games, quieting many doubts about his scoring ability in spite of a bad hip.

However, Kane’s no-movement clause gives him the power to control his destiny, and it’s still entirely possible all the speculation is for not.

Adding to the rumor mill today, NBC Sports Chicago’s Charlie Roumeliotis reported that Kane was not practicing with the team, taking a maintenance day. Such a vague term is bound to increase speculation about whether Kane is being held out for trade-related reasons, health reasons related to his publicized hip issues, or neither.

Another Blackhawks trade target, defenseman Jake McCabe, also did not practice with a non-COVID illness.

Trade Rumors: Boeser, McCabe, Smith

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Few fits between player and team in the NHL are more evident than Brock Boeser and the Minnesota Wild. As the Vancouver Canucks still look to remain active on the trade market and the Wild debate whether or not to make a deadline-day splash, the door to a union between Boeser and his home team remains open.

Boeser’s agent, Ben Hankinson, threw fuel on the rumor fire on a Wednesday edition of The Athletic Hockey Show. Hankinson said Vancouver had permitted him to contact Wild general manager Bill Guerin directly about making a trade work, and “they’re trying to move some things around, potentially,” to make the acquisition happen. The Wild are certainly a fringe playoff team, battling it out with teams like the Calgary Flames for wild card positions in the West, but there’s an obvious Kevin Fiala-sized hole in the team’s top six that Boeser could help fill. Salary considerations remain a concern, though, as Hankinson notes. Boeser’s $6.65MM cap hit through 2025 could be tough to swallow as the full effects of the Ryan Suter and Zach Parise buyouts kick in over the coming seasons.

  • Sportsnet senior columnist Mark Spector reports that Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Jake McCabe has listed the Edmonton Oilers on the latest no-trade list he’s submitted. McCabe is one of the top defense targets available at the deadline, save for Jakob Chychrun and Vladislav Gavrikov, and he has a seven-team no-trade list as part of his four-year, $16MM contract with Chicago. One of the better defensive blueliners in the league, McCabe’s value is increased by his cost certainty — he’s only in year two of his contract, meaning he’s set at a $4MM cap hit through 2025. The 29-year-old veteran of nearly 500 NHL games has two goals and 17 assists in 53 games with Chicago this year.
  • While the Carolina Hurricanes have been very publically linked to San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier, that may not be the only move they make before the March 3 deadline. With more cap space available than a standard contender, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes they’ve spoken to the Boston Bruins about winger Craig Smith. Smith’s offensive numbers have taken a nosedive this season, recording just 10 points in 42 games in the final year of a contract carrying a $3.1MM cap hit. With Boston looking to offload salary to make other deadline moves, Smith could provide an added veteran presence in a Carolina bottom-six. Boston would likely compensate them for taking the contract off their hands. Carolina is a rare contender with a favorable salary cap situation, as they still have over $10MM in potential deadline cap space.

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