We’re less than two days out from the NHL trade deadline, and the rumours are continuing to heat up.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Damien Cox addressed many of the trade possibilities around the league during Saturday’s Headlines segment on Hockey Night in Canada.
Here’s what they said:
Loui Eriksson: Re-sign with Boston Bruins or be sold?
“Boston offered a three-year term at the start of negotiations, Eriksson asked for six,” Friedman explained. “Boston moved to four this week.
“The agent and the team aren’t talking, but what it sounds like is if the player wants to move back, the average annual value has to go up. There just isn’t enough common ground. Big gap. Doesn’t sound like there’s a lot of optimism.”
So if not Boston, then who?
“There a lot of teams calling about Eriksson,” Friedman said, naming the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, Minnesota Wild, St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars and potentially the Tampa Bay Lightning.
“Those same teams are probably after Mikkel Boedker as well.”
What about Boedker to Boston?
“Boston could do a Boedker deal, too, if they end up losing out on Eriksson,” said Friedman.
Rangers very interested in Eric Staal
“It could be his final home game [Sunday] against the Blues if he decides he wants to go,” Friedman said of the Hurricanes captain. “You can expect the New York Rangers are going to make a big pitch for him.”
At 31, Staal isn’t the prolific scorer he once was, but with 10 goals and 33 points in 63 games, he could still help the Rangers down the middle. Staal will be an unrestricted free agent in July.
Players staying:
“The Rangers apparently told Keith Yandle he is not getting dealt,” said Friedman.
Yandle, despite being in the last year of his contract before becoming UFA eligible, is still a very useful piece to the Rangers in their quest for the Stanley Cup. He has 35 points in 62 games this season, good for third on the team in scoring.
“One Penguin who won’t be moving, their goaltending prospect Matt Murray. He is untouchable.”
Murray, 21, was a third round pick (83rd overall) by the Penguins in 2012. He has a .931 save percentage in 31 AHL games this season and an impressive .938 mark in four NHL games.
Players going:
“Another veteran likely to go is Lee Stempniak of the New Jersey Devils by Monday,” said Cox.
Jared Cowen: “He cleared waivers today, was loaned to the Marlies,” said Cox. “He’s not going there. Expect him to be traded, maybe to Chicago.”
Friedman added that if Cowen does go to Chicago, it could be connected to a “salary deal” for Bryan Bickell.
Team to watch: Washington Capitals
“Now with John Carlson on injured reserve, it opens up the room for them to enter the market,” explained Friedman. “They’re going to have the flexibility to do some things.”
Names in play include John-Michael Liles (Carolina Hurricanes) Dan Hamhuis (Vancouver Canucks) and Kris Russell (Calgary Flames).
Friedman noted that Hamhuis has also been linked to Boston and Dallas, while Cox added that Russell might have a potential suitor in the Pittsburgh Penguins.
