Consider the players on expiring contracts who have already switched sweaters in these rather exciting days leading up to the NHL trade deadline — Jaromir Jagr, Andrej Sekera, Cody Franson, Jiri Tlusty — and the most coveted pure rental still out there is Antoine Vermette.
The Arizona Coyotes’ No. 1 centre will undoubtedly be moved prior to 3 p.m. EST Monday and reports of the teams pursuing him are trickling in.
The Chicago Blackhawks’ urgency to upgrade its forward depth was cranked up about 88 notches when it was revealed Patrick Kane will be sidelined for approximately 12 weeks.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the Blackhawks are chasing both Vermette ($3.75 million cap hit) and Columbus Blue Jackets forward Cam Atkinson ($1.175 million). Both will be free agents on July 1, though Atkinson will be restricted.
“I think I’ve talked to almost every team in the last couple of days,” Chicago GM Stan Bowman told the paper, noting that a trade of some sort is imminent. “We’re getting pretty close…but until it’s done, it’s not done.”
The ‘Hawks will have company in the Vermette sweepstakes.
The slumping Boston Bruins have yet to make a move and just watched their closest wild-card competition, the Florida Panthers, acquire Jagr Thursday.
According to ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun, the Bruins are taking a run at Vermette as well as poking around Atkinson, Dallas Stars wing Erik Cole and Buffalo Sabres trade chip Chris Stewart.
An interesting side note: LeBrun reports that the Bruins also tried to land Devante Smith-Pelly from the Ducks before Montreal swooped in to grab the power forward.
