TRADE DEADLINE IS LOOKING BLUE
When NHL contenders load up for the Cup, the best bargains will likely be defencemen
The Arizona Coyotes will have a decision to make at the deadline on defenceman Oliver EkmanLarsson.
There are no shortage of suitors with the NHL trade deadline set for Feb. 26 at noon and the Coyotes have to decide if now is the time to make a deal for the 26-year-old blue-liner, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2019.
While the Coyotes could hang onto Ekman-Larsson and make a deal in the summer when teams may be more willing to pay what general manager John Chayka wants in return, some of the teams making a push are going to want the blue-liner for two playoff runs, so Arizona will get calls.
It’s believed the Toronto Maple Leafs are among the teams that have shown more than a passing interest in Ekman-Larsson. You can put the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers in that group as well, but league sources say the asking price is extremely high.
Not only do the Coyotes want two high-end players off a club’s roster, they’re also asking for a first-round pick in return. There’s no harm in asking, but the price may come down closer to the deadline because EkmanLarsson is minus-37 and needs a change of scenery.
The Coyotes have also been shopping defenceman Niklas Hjalmarsson. The Coyotes made a huge deal for Hjalmarsson in the off-season when they sent blue-liner Connor Murphy and forward Laurent Dauphin to the Chicago Blackhawks. That deal was made to get Arizona to the playoffs, but that won’t pan out.
If Arizona is going to deal Hjalmarsson, he has a 10-team no trade clause and there’s a strong belief in NHL circles he’d prefer not to come to any Canadian teams.
Meanwhile, a report by the website The Athletic on Friday says Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Jack Johnson has asked to be dealt.
An unrestricted free agent on July 1, the 31-year-old has a cap hit of US$4.375 million per season and there’s talk the Jackets tabled a long-term deal to his camp earlier this year that was worth less than US$4 million per season.
Since Johnson is looking for bigger money with long term, he’d ideally like to go to a team willing to keep him on a new deal — but at this point he’ll likely be a deadline rental.
The Jackets will want a top prospect and a first-round pick in return. Johnson can play in anybody’s top four in the league and there shouldn’t be any shortage of interest. The key for Columbus is to make the right deal — they can’t afford to let Johnson walk away on July 1, because that makes zero sense.
The captain question: There’s still no word on the future of New York Islanders centre John Tavares and there’s going to be heat at the deadline to make a move if the club doesn’t have a new contract in place. The Islanders have no interest in letting Tavares walk away and push is about to come to shove.
A sale in Montreal?: Marc Bergevin, the general manager of the Montreal Canadiens, is caught between a rock and a hard place. He can’t afford to start making deals with Montreal only eight points out of the final playoff spot heading into Sunday’s game between the Eastern wild card holders New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins, but the Habs need to make a move or two as well. There’s lots of interest in forwards Alex Galchenyuk and Max Pacioretty, however, Bergevin needs to decide if he’s ready to go that trade route. Dale’s trading: It’s been quiet in the Sunshine State, but that doesn’t mean Florida Panthers GM Dale Tallon hasn’t been working the phones. He’s been calling around trying to find forward depth with no luck so far. The Panthers went into Sunday seven points out of the final wild card spot in the East. They badly need to start putting the puck in the net and could use some help on that front. They’d be among a group of teams — including the St. Louis Blues — that have held talks with the Senators about winger Mike Hoffman.
Martin a possibility: Teams looking for a defenceman can give Doug Wilson a call in San Jose. The word is the Sharks general manager is looking to move defenceman Paul Martin. He has a deal through next season with a cap hit of US$4.85 million and has a limited no-movement clause that only allows him to submit a six-team list.
Kane on the brain: The Buffalo Sabres are expected to move winger Evander Kane and there’s no shortage of interest. The Blues and Sharks, both looking for help up front, are believed to be in the mix. The question remains: What’s the asking price? The Sabres will covet a prospect, a first-round pick and another pick if Kane gets a new contract in his destination. The Canucks have always coveted the Vancouver native and you wonder if they’d revisit a deal even though they’re unlikely to make the playoffs. A rental is a better fit because Kane is a dynamic player and he’s going to make a difference.