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Chicago Blackhawks Sign Reese Johnson

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The Chicago Blackhawks have added a prospect to their cupboard, signing undrafted free agent Reese Johnson to a three-year entry-level contract. The deal will begin in the 2019-20 season and carries an average annual value of $925K. Johnson is currently playing with the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL.

Johnson, 20, is the captain of the Rebels this season and has 45 points in 62 games, trailing only Brandon Hagel (a fellow Blackhawks prospect) for the team scoring lead. He’s also known for his incredible faceoff ability, where he has absolutely dominated over the past two seasons. Johnson has won nearly 65% of his draws this year, an incredible talent that will prove invaluable at the professional level.

That professional career will kick off next season when Johnson is expected to join the Rockford Ice Hogs, where he will be challenged to improve his offensive game. While he won’t wow you with puck skills or elusiveness, Johnson gives the Blackhawks another legitimate NHL prospect even if his ceiling is limited.

Negotiation Notes: Kravtsov, Killins, Signing Deadline

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The New York Rangers are closing in on a contract with one of their top prospects. According to Sportsnet’s Mike Johnston, who relays a report from KHL insider Aivis Kalnins, Russian forward Vitali Kravtsov is expected to sign an entry-level contract with the Rangers sooner rather than later. It’s unclear if Kravtsov, whose current club Traktor Chelyabinsk has been knocked out of the KHL playoffs, intends to play immediately this season or if the contract would begin next season. Either way, Rangers fans will be excited to have the talented teenager pushing for a roster spot. Kravtsov, the ninth overall pick in last year’s NHL Draft, stands 6’4″ and plays a physical game, but also has great speed and high-end skill. A total package on the wing, Kravtsov recorded 21 points in 50 games this season, rare production from a teenager in the KHL, as younger players typically receive little ice time. His size and skill set should translate well to the North American game and Kravtsov should find his way to New York without spending much time in the minors. If Kalnin’s report is accurate and Kravtsov signs in the coming days, he may even make his NHL debut this season.

 

Nick Henry Signs Entry-Level Contract With Colorado Avalanche

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The Colorado Avalanche have signed draft pick Nick Henry to a three-year entry-level contract according to Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports. Henry is currently playing with the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the WHL, and will see his entry-level deal kick in for the 2019-20 season.

Henry, 19, is having an excellent season in what is probably his final year of junior hockey. The forward had 40 points for the Regina Pats before being traded to Lethbridge, where he has another 43 in 37 games. That 83-point total is a huge bounce-back from what was an extremely disappointing 2017-18 season and now obviously has him on track to join the Avalanche organization next year. He received his first taste last fall with a stint at training camp, but will likely join the Colorado Eagles in a few months time.

If Henry can make an impact down the line it looks to be quite the 2017 draft class for the Avalanche. Conor Timmins, their second-round pick from that year, is close to finally making his return from injury and fourth-overall pick Cale Makar is having an outstanding year at the collegiate level. Henry’s Hurricanes are headed to the WHL playoffs, where he’ll try to lead them to a Memorial Cup berth.

Deadline Primer: Toronto Maple Leafs

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With the trade deadline fast approaching, we continue our look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks. Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs? As we keep going with the Atlantic Division, here is a look at the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have already made a major move. GM Kyle Dubas got a jump start on the deadline market and acquired Los Angeles Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin two weeks ago. It was a much-needed addition of a top-pair caliber defender to a team that had concerning depth. However, Toronto also surrendered their 2019 first-round pick and arguably two of their top five prospects in the process.

With a major asset added and significant trade capital lost, should Dubas and the Maple Leafs refrain from making any more moves? Absolutely not. Toronto has the luxury of cap space this season and it will be a very, very long time before that happens again. The team must be mindful of entry-level bonuses and the cap impact next year if they carry over, but should take advantage of this opportunity to spend. As good as the team has been this season, there are still holes in the lineup that can be filled. The Leafs are also trying to hold off the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens in the divisional race, but almost surely will face one or the other in the first round of the postseason and then, if they’re lucky, the league leading Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round. The Atlantic Division is stacked and if Toronto wants to take advantage of a strong roster and ample cap space before an impending salary crunch potentially reshapes their roster this summer, they should be all-out buyers at the deadline. A Stanley Cup title is within reach, but reinforcements would certainly help.

Record

34-18-3, second in the Atlantic Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$20.09MM in full-season cap hit, 1/3 used salary cap retention slots, 46/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2019: TOR 2nd, TOR 3rd, STL 4th, TOR 4th, TOR 5th, DAL 7th, TOR 7th
2020: TOR 1st, TOR 2nd, TOR 3rd, TOR 4th, TOR 6th, EDM 7th, SJ 7th, TOR 7th

Trade Chips

The Maple Leafs are more likely than not going to make several smaller moves as the deadline approaches rather than another Muzzin deal. Fortunately, that means that the team can likely get away with making young roster forwards Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson and top prospect defenseman Rasmus Sandin untouchable.

However, everything else will still be on the table. That includes more draft picks, although the team’s second-round selection this year will likely be difficult to pry away after losing their first-rounder already. More so, it includes several other intriguing prospects that belong to the team. Some believe that another high-end defensive prospect, Tim Liljegren, is also an untouchable for the Leafs, while others say that he can be had in the right deal. If Toronto is pursuing one of the top names at their positions of need and no longer has a first-round pick this year to offer, Liljegren could be the next-best thing to sellers. Fellow AHL defenseman, Calle Rosen, is having quite a year for the Marlies and could also draw interest. 2017 second-round pick Eemeli Rasanen, currently skating in the KHL, is an interesting trade possibility, as is OHL standout Mac Hollowell, a fourth-round pick last year.

Up front, Jeremy Bracco has established himself as the next impact young forward for the Maple Leafs, if he can survive that long. Bracco, a 2015 second-round pick, is enjoying a point-per-game campaign with the Marlies that is sure to have caught some eyes around the league. Toronto would hate to part with an affordable scoring option for next season, but offering up Bracco could go a long way in trade talks. Trevor Moore could also fight for a spot on the Leafs next year, but is older and has less upside and would hurt less to part with. Semyon Der-Arguchintsev is an intriguing junior prospect to keep an eye on, too.

The Maple Leafs are hoping that Boston College goaltender Joseph Woll, a 2016 third-round pick, will turn pro after his junior year and provide some upside and talent in the AHL. However, does that make Woll untouchable? If Toronto thinks he may return for his senior season at BC, they could be willing to move him. The team may also feel more strongly about another goalie prospect, WHL star Ian Scott, as their keeper of the future, making Woll more expendable. It’s doubtful that the team moves Woll, but there are factors that could convince them to part with the promising netminder for the right return.

Then there is a subset of the players that Toronto is hoping to use as trade chips at the deadline. While there are positions of need at the deadline, cap space moving forward is the most important asset for Toronto. The Maple Leafs have a near-impossible cap crunch coming this off-season and could benefit from moving out expensive long-term contracts for extraneous players. Defenseman Nikita Zaitsev is the main target; the 27-year-old has five seasons remaining at $4.5MM AAV and has regressed greatly this season. The Leafs will move him if at all possible. Forward Connor Brown, signed through next season at $2.1MM, has also seen his production slip this year and could be used in a hockey deal for a similar style rental.

Five Players To Watch For: D Tim Liljegren, D Calle Rosen, F Jeremy Bracco, D Nikita Zaitsev, F Connor Brown

Team Needs

1) Fourth-line Center: Last season, the Maple Leafs traded for Tomas Plekanec at the deadline. The year before, it was Brian Boyle and Eric Fehr. This is a team that loves to strengthen their checking line, particularly down the middle, and that is a need once again this season. It could be a need that is met very cheaply by any number of veteran two-way centers on expiring contracts. Players that fit that description aren’t often hard to come by. In fact, Fehr may even be available again if the Minnesota Wild fall out of the playoff race. Toronto has been connected to the Detroit Red Wings’ Luke Glendening, but the term on his contract is a concern. Another interesting possibility is the Chicago Blackhawks’ Marcus Kruger.

2) Right-shot Defenseman: Even after acquiring Muzzin, there is still talk that the team would like to add a natural right-handed defenseman. The team has decent depth in right shots in Zaitsev, Igor Ozhiganov, and Justin Holl, but the thought is that they could acquire an upgrade to that group, effectively making them all backup options in the postseason. How much trade capital the Leafs want to spend on a yet another defenseman remains to be seen, but a physical veteran like the New Jersey Devils’ Ben Lovejoy or the New York Rangers’ Adam McQuaid would be a good fit.

3) Depth Forward: Reiterating the intro, if there is cap space available – in consideration of bonus overages – the Leafs need to use it. Another rental forward, even without an obvious fit in the lineup, would come in handy. The team has previously been linked to the Carolina Hurricanes’ Micheal Ferland and the New York Rangers’ Mats Zuccarello, among others. If they can make it work to add another scoring forward like that, they may as well pull the trigger. Any team in the Atlantic Division can use all the help they can get surviving the postseason.

Overseas Notes: Scoring, Merzlikins, Popugaev

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Scoring is up in the NHL this season, but their European counterparts can’t say the same. As the regular seasons for the major overseas leagues begin to wind down, the numbers show that none can keep up with the goal scorers of the NHL; the old adage that European hockey is more wide open and offensive is not holding up. On average, NHL teams are scoring approximately 3.03 goals per game in 2018-19. Contrast that to the KHL, thought to be closest competitor to the NHL on the basis of skill, where teams are only scoring about 2.47 goals per game on average and many are failing to score even two per game. The Finnish Liiga is the closest to the NHL at 2.72 goals per game per team, but even that is a ways off. Swiss NLA teams are recording approximately 2.66 goals per game, while Swedish Hockey league clubs are at 2.57 goals per game.

Even more peculiar than the gap between goal scoring in the NHL and Europe is the distribution of points. As there are fewer goals being scored in the four major European leagues, there are less opportunities to register points, even for star players. However, one would assume that there would still be plenty of standouts in each of the four leagues who find their way on to the score sheet each and every night. That would be a false assumption. Currently there are 41 players in the NHL averaging a point per game or better in at least half of their teams’ games. In the KHL, NLA, SHL, and Liiga combined, there are nine. The KHL leads the way with four such scorers, headed up by Vegas Golden Knights property Nikita Gusev, the top scoring forward in Europe with 1.30 points per game – such a mark would be seventh-best in the NHL. Familiar names Nigel Dawes and Vadim Shipachyov are also in the group, as is intriguing free agent option Dmitri Kagarlitsky. Over in the NLA, more recognizable veterans are scoring at a point-per-game clip or better, including Dustin Jeffrey, Chris DiDomenico, and Mark Arcobello. However, the league leader at 1.20 is none other than Dominik Kubalik, whose rights were just acquired by the Chicago Blackhawks last month and who could be eyeing a move to North America. The lone elite scorer in Finland is small, but skilled 23-year-old Iikka Kangasniemi, who is also certain to draw NHL interest this off-season as well. The SHL does not feature any point-per-game players currently. So, next time you feel the urge to complain about the lack of scoring or star scorers in the NHL, just take comfort in the fact that at least you’re not in Europe. All four leagues pale in comparison to the NHL in those departments this season.

  • In an article for The Athletic about the future of the Columbus Blue Jackets in net, Aaron Portzline posits that prospect Elvis Merzlikins could arrive in North America before the end of the season. Merzlikins, 24, was a third-round pick by Columbus back in 2014 and has been a regular in net for HC Lugano of the NLA ever since. The Latvian goaltender gets better each year and this season has posted a .922 save percentage and 2.37 GAA that are both among the top ten keepers in Switzerland. Yet, Lugano is in danger of missing the postseason, which would hypothetically allow Merzlikins to finally make his move to Columbus as early as March. Portzline writes that many in the Blue Jackets organization feel Merzlikins is ready to play in the NHL right away, which could certainly be a possibility this season if the team does indeed opt to trade impending UFA starter Sergei Bobrovsky. Even if Lugano does make the playoffs or Columbus determines they do not want to throw him into the fire right away, the young keeper is still guaranteed to be crossing the Atlantic after this season and should compete for NHL minutes immediately next year.
  • New Jersey Devils prospect Nikita Popugaev is also eyeing a jump to North America. Initially considered to be a first-round caliber talent in the 2017 NHL Draft, Popugaev ended up falling to the Devils in the fourth round due to questions about his motor and work ethic. The big winger didn’t help to quell those concerns when he left his WHL team, the Prince George Cougars, early last season to return to his native Russia. However, his current team, the KHL’s Amur Khabarovsk, have announced that Popugaev has left the team and will “try his hand” back in the U.S. His KHL contract has been terminated and he is now free to sign an entry-level contract with the Devils, but there has been no word of such a deal yet. Popugaev is still very raw and needs several more seasons of work in the minor leagues, but does have potential. The next question is whether the Devils feel that potential is worth a contract slot and the time and effort it may take to tap into it.

Jim Benning Discusses The Future Of Vancouver’s Blue Line

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Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning was an open book during an interview on TSN 1040 radio in Vancouver today, going into great detail on the current state of his team and their outlook moving forward. Per Benning, the Canucks are currently negotiating with their “best defender”, Alex Edler, but have high hopes for their top prospects and AHL standouts on the blue line. Yet, he also stated that an offensive defenseman was one of the team’s biggest needs and said that he will explore “hockey trades” as the trade deadline approaches.

As for Edler, the 32-year-old has been very forthcoming about his desire to remain in Vancouver. An impending free agent, Edler has been a solid two-way contributor over his entire 13-year NHL career and would surely have suitors on the open market, but enjoys playing for the Canucks and wishes to stick with the promising young team. For his part, Benning said that Edler is an invaluable member of the team and they are hopeful that a new contract can be worked out. Benning stated that the team will not use the February 25th deadline as a deadline of their own for extending Edler and will continue negotiating with he and agent Mark Stowe for as long as possible. Answering a direct question, Benning added that he does not see the possibility of trading away and then re-signing Edler as feasible. With that said, Benning never ruled out trading Edler entirely, but did vouch for the veteran defenseman several times. “He’s our best defenseman, he’s a leader in our room, he’s a mentor… He’s a guy that sets the culture for our young players”, Benning stated, adding “if we can get something figured out with him, I’d like to try to (re-sign him)”. With mutual interest on both sides, the only thing stopping a new deal appears to be the price – Edler currently comes in at $5MM AAV – and term for the aging blue liner.

Should Edler walk, Benning still seems confident in the team’s defensive corps moving forward. In regards to top prospect Quinn Hughes, Benning stopped short of confirming that he would leave the University of Michigan after the collegiate season, but did say that they hoped to sign him and get him some pro experience down the stretch before his probable rookie season next year. Benning knows that the jump from the NCAA to the NHL is “a big step”, but believes in Hughes’ ability and is excited to see what he can do at the next level. In response to a question, Benning stated that the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft is not a concern when determining when to bring Hughes in, as he feels the team should not have coverage problems among their defenseman. Getting last year’s No. 7 overall pick into the lineup as soon as possible appears to be a priority for the Canucks.

Elsewhere in the organization, Benning also spoke highly of currently-injured recent top pick Olli Juolevi, who he still expects to be an impact pro despite recent struggles. He also spoke highly of AHLers Ashton Sautner, Jalen Chatfield, and Guillaume Brisebois and mentioned that the trio – along with forward Zack MacEwen – are candidates to receive a call-up during the stretch run. However, Benning spoke with the most excitement about 2018 second-rounder Jett Woo, who is currently second in the WHL in goals among defenseman. Benning believes that Woo, and the rest of these prospects, have the Canucks primed for a bright future on the back end.

Yet, Benning also stated that an offensive defenseman remains one of the team’s top needs, even with Hughes, Juolevi, and Woo on the horizon. However, don’t expect him to trade any of the trio away to meet that need. Benning stated that he is not willing to trade any of this year’s picks – after all, the draft will be held in Vancouver – nor any of his “blue chip prospects” this season. He is willing to make “hockey trades” to meet his needs on defense, as well as at forward, if the right deal presents itself. Forward Nikolay Goldobin, who has been rumored to be on the outs in Vancouver, was described as being in a “make or break” period and could be a prime candidate to be traded away. Benning expressed that anyone on the NHL or AHL roster could technically be traded if the right swap presented itself, although his young core is likely off the table. Benning described an active trade market it currently, so don’t be surprised to see the Canucks swing a deal this month.

With that said, Benning said that his preference is to draft and develop rather than use trades and free agency to meet his needs. Just as he spoke highly of his current stock of prospects, Benning is looking forward to a “deep” draft class this year. He believes that the top six or seven picks this season could be NHL contributors right away and the next ten or so picks, currently the range in which Vancouver would be expected to pick, will be “very good” prospects. Benning displayed hope and optimism about his team in this interview, but his trust in the pipeline and his belief in this draft class makes it seem like the Canucks could be more seller, with an eye on future assets, than buyer at the deadline.

Snapshots: Pominville, Moravcik, Winnipeg

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When the Buffalo Sabres take the ice tonight against the Dallas Stars, they will do so without veteran forward Jason Pominville. Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News, after speaking with head coach Phil Housley, relays that Pominville will sit out Wednesday night’s contest as a healthy scratch. Some quick research by the Olean Times Herald’s Bill Hoppe indicates that this is Pominville’s first healthy scratch since April 4, 2006 – during his rookie season. Pominville, 36, has been an All-Star and frequent Selke Trophy candidate over his 15 years in the league, split between two stints with Buffalo and five seasons with the Minnesota Wild. So why now is he out of the Sabres’ lineup? Lysowksi writes that the only reason Housley gave was to rest the veteran of more than a thousand games in the second night of a back-to-back and give young Remi Elie a shot. However, Pominville’s streak of one goal and two assists in his past 24 games likely contributed as well. Even though Pominville is on pace to meet or exceed his 34 total points from last season, he has cooled off significantly after a hot start, much like the Sabres overall. His spot in the lineup could be in jeopardy, especially if Elie proves to be the spark that Buffalo is seeking.

  • It didn’t take long for defenseman Michal Moravcik to find new employment. Just a day after clearing unconditional waivers and having his contract terminated by the Montreal Canadiens, Moravcik has returned home to the Czech Republic. HC Plzen has announced a contract with the 24-year-old blue liner for the remainder of the season. Plzen is the same team that Moravcik had come up through the system with and was playing for before signing in North America. As such, Morazcik should soon return to the elite form that first caught the eye of NHL scouts. Plzen is surely looking forward to the boost, as the team that also employs familiar names like Jakub Kindl and Petr Straka hopes to make up ground in the standings.
  • The city of Winnipeg already hosts the NHL’s Jets and the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, but it will have yet another tenant beginning next season. The WHL’s Kootenay Ice have decided to move to Winnipeg, as first reported by The Winnipeg Free Press’ Jeff Hamilton. The team is expected to keep the “Ice” moniker and same logo and will soon get to work on a long-term development plan for a new arena and sports complex on the south side of the city. While Winnipeggers already have two good teams to root for, no one in the area is likely to complain about the return of major junior hockey and should be excited to watch presumptive top-15 pick Peyton Krebs lead a young, rebuilding team next season.

Jack Hughes, Kaapo Kakko Lead Central Scouting Mid-Season Lists

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With the 2018-19 NHL season more than half over, the league’s Central Scouting Bureau has released their rankings of the best draft-eligible prospects from around the world. These players are eligible to be selected in just a few months at July’s draft in Vancouver, and two familiar names lead the way. Central Scouting breaks their lists into the top North American and International skaters and goaltenders, not directly comparing the groups. The top names from each are as follows:

North American Skaters:

  1. C Jack Hughes, USA National Team Development Program
  2. C Kirby Dach, Saskatoon Blades, WHL
  3. C Dylan Cozens, Lethbridge Hurricanes, WHL
  4. D Bowen Byram, Vancouver Giants, WHL
  5. C Alex Turcotte, USA National Team Development Program

International Skaters:

  1. RW Kaapo Kakko, TPS, Finland (Liiga)
  2. RW Vasili Podkolzin, SKA St. Petersburg, Russia (MHL)
  3. D Philip Broberg, AIK, Sweden (Allsvenskan)
  4. C Ilya Nikolaev, Yaroslavl, Russia (MHL)
  5. D Victor Soderstrom, Brynas, Sweden (SHL)

North American Goalies:

  1. Spencer Knight, USA National Team Development Program
  2. Hunter Jones, Peterborough Petes, OHL
  3. Mads Sogaard, Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL

International Goalies:

  1. Pyotr Kochetkov, Ryazan, Russia (MHL)
  2. Samuel Hlavaj, Slovakia U20, Slovakia*
  3. Hugo Alnefelt, HV71, Sweden (Jr.)

Hlavaj recently joined the Lincoln Stars of the USHL. 

Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Ian Scott To Entry-Level Contract

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You can’t really have a better start to the season than Ian Scott. The junior goaltender is off to a record-setting start with the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL, has a chance to represent Canada at the World Junior Championship, and has now signed his first professional contract. The Toronto Maple Leafs announced the signing of a three-year entry-level contract with Scott, who they selected in the fourth round of the 2017 draft.

It’s hard to argue that Scott hasn’t done enough to earn this contract, given that he is currently 23-2-1 for the Raiders with a .943 save percentage. The 19-year old goaltender got to experience the professional level with the Toronto Marlies last season, joining them on an amateur tryout throughout their Calder Cup run and soaking up tips from Garret Sparks and Calvin Pickard. The 6’3″ netminder returned to junior and has taken a gigantic step forward, improving from an .897 save percentage—his career high to that point with the Raiders.

Like all young goaltenders, there is no way to know if Scott is going to ever make it to the NHL. There are several huge steps he’ll have to take before that’s ever a possibility. Still, he’s done everything asked of him since being picked 110th overall and should join the Marlies after his junior season ends. It’s unclear when exactly that will be though, as the powerhouse Raiders are Memorial Cup contenders to be sure this season.

Snapshots: Entry Draft, Pietrangelo, Tarasenko

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As teams start to fall out of the playoff race and accept their fate for the 2018-19 season, fan interest in the upcoming draft class increases. While everyone knows about sensational forward Jack Hughes and his incredible offensive upside, the rest of the group of incoming talents gets far less media coverage. Sportsnet’s Sam Cosentino today gives us a look at his top-31 rankings at this point, and there is plenty of talent to discuss.

While Hughes, Kaapo Kakko and Dylan Cozens find themselves near the top of the list once again (though this time with Vasily Podkolzin taking over the third spot), the most interesting name may just be Brett Leason. Twice undrafted, the 19-year old Leason may very well find himself on the top line for Team Canada at the upcoming World Junior Championship given his explosion this season. Now standing 6’4″, Leeson is the prototypical late bloomer and has recorded 28 goals and 64 points in just 31 games for the record-setting Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL. It will be fascinating to see if a team decides he’s worth a first-round pick this time around, after missing out on him the last two Junes.

  • Fans all around the league have been drooling over the idea of Alex Pietrangelo being on the trade market since Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet mentioned his name earlier this month, but it’s still hard to imagine the St. Louis Blues selling their captain at this point. Even so, Pietrangelo is mentioned again in Elliotte Friedman’s latest 31 Thoughts column, as the scribe speculates that the defenseman was involved in trade talks surrounding William Nylander and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Friedman doesn’t posit that Pietrangelo will get dealt this season, but does end with this summary: “the fact Pietrangelo’s name got out there indicates the Blues are willing to do it.”
  • Speaking of the Blues willingness, Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic clarified some things in a response to a Twitter question, explaining that though GM Doug Armstrong hasn’t put up a proverbial for sale sign, other clubs are “under the impression that [he] would consider trading anyone, including [Vladimir] Tarasenko.” Trading Tarasenko would seem like madness to many, but just today Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) indicated that “all bets are probably off” for the Blues and that you likely can’t rule out anything at this point. St. Louis sits 28th in the NHL and have scored just 82 goals in 29 games.

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