- Rumours are flying league-wide with the NHL draft and free agency fast approaching. Here are a few quick hits.
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Kris Letang: things seem to be swinging closer to an extension with Pittsburgh, but the clock is ticking. Seattle and Montreal are ready and waiting if he does reach the market.
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Montreal and New Jersey, respective holders of the first and second overall selections in the entry draft, are believed to be discussing a pick swap. The Devils are eager to draft winger Juraj Slafkovsky, and may be willing to offer Montreal a little something to move up to first overall.
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Evgeni Malkin: still a chance of a deal with Pittsburgh, but less optimism than with Letang. The Capitals are believed to be among the teams eyeing their divisional rival’s longtime #2 centerman.
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Jack Campbell: Sounds like the Oilers are emerging as a frontrunner. Teams still can’t talk to Campbell, but the Toronto netminder is believed to be a good fit and a primary target of Edmonton’s. The Devils, Sabres, Avalanche and (perhaps) Leafs could be fits.
-Ville Husso: Still quite early, but it sounds like the Devils and Leafs have the most interest. St Louis will try to keep Husso in town – but he appears eager to get an opportunity as a starter somewhere.
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Quiet but growing rumblings out of San Jose that Erik Karlsson and Brent Burns are available – and could be moved at some point if the right fit emerges.
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Sounds like there is a lot of momentum towards an Alex DeBrincat trade. Reports suggest teams have already made serious offers involving first round picks at this year’s draft in Montreal. Could be a deal that happens on draft day.
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Winnipeg aren’t going to rush into a Pierre-Luc Dubois trade, but rumblings suggest the Rangers have interest. Dubois is long believed to be interested in a trade to a big market such as New York, and could be willing to commit long term in a sign-and-trade transaction.
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The on-ice product may be finished, but the offseason intrigue is building as we gear up for an intense few weeks of trades and big name signings. Here are a few quick hits to set the table.
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Jack Campbell: lots of interest, and some speculation that the Leafs might trade his rights away ahead of free agency. The Leafs would like to keep Campbell, but will likely be unable to offer him the dollars he’s after. Detroit, Buffalo, New Jersey and Edmonton are rumoured contenders, in addition the Leafs. The Oilers are looking at pretty much every big name free agent goaltender, including Ville Husso, Darcy Kuemper and Marc-Andre Fleury.
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JT Miller: this sweepstakes seems to change every week. The Devils, Avalanche, Leafs, Capitals, Wild, Kings and Rangers have been linked to Miller at various points in time. Obviously, not every team listed would be able to make it work this offseason due to cap constraints (Minnesota in particular). It does not sound like a Miller/Canucks extension is coming, despite there still being some level of mutual interest.
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Alex DeBrincat: at the trade deadline was considered a darkhorse to get moved. Now, it sounds more likely than not that he’s dealt. But the question is when it will happen. For his part, it sounds like DeBrincat would be open to a change of scenery.
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Speaking of Minnesota’s cap crunch, the Kevin Fiala rumours continue to swirl. The Devils, Kings, Sabres and Senators remain keenly interested, but there will be plenty of suitors. UPDATE: Fiala has been dealt to the Kings.
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Jeff Petry could be the next name on the move in Montreal. The Stars, Penguins and Red Wings are believed to be in contention.
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Also on the trade radar out of Montreal is Josh Anderson. The power forward has drawn plenty of interest despite an injury-plagued and inconsistent last few seasons. The Blue Jackets, Flames and Oilers are among the rumoured landing spots.
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The goalie market continues to percolate, with the Oilers, Devils, Ducks, Sabres, Blackhawks and Maple Leafs all potentially looking for new starters. Talks appear to have broken down between the Leafs and Jack Campbell, who could be a fit in Edmonton. The Oilers are also believed to be eyeing Ville Husso and Darcy Kuemper, who could both hit the market in July. Toronto’s targets are less clear, although speculation has linked them at various points to Kuemper, Husso, John Gibson, Semyon Varlamov and Marc-Andre Fleury.
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Also potentially on the market are Mackenzie Blackwood, Alexandar Georgiev, one of Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek, and the ultra-expensive Sergei Bobrovsky, among others. Teams will keep an eye on the status of Carey Price, who continues to battle a concerning knee injury. There will be a compelling game of musical chairs played this offseason.
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JT Miller: Still a lot of trade banter; the odds are good that he’s moved around the draft. The Devils, Avalanche, Leafs, Rangers and Kings are among the teams that have looked into it. As have the Wild, but offseason cap concerns likely put the kibosh on that.
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JT Miller: Among the teams that have kicked tires are the Avalanche, Maple Leafs, Wild, Rangers and Kings. The Rangers and Avalanche were believed to be particularly interested at the deadline, with Colorado seeing Miller as an “insurance policy” season should pending UFA centerman Nazem Kadri test free agency this summer. There’s a very good chance they circle back.