Prior to the NHL Trade Deadline, the best narratives involve Hanifin and Guentzel’s choices.
Flames dominate the market for defensemen
With defensemen Chris Tanev and Noah Hanifin, the Calgary Flames have two of the best cards in the NHL Trade Deadline season poker game. Both are unrestricted free agents who are still pending.Although Calgary is still vying for a postseason spot, it has already sent center Elias Lindholm to the Vancouver Canucks, and Hanifin and Tanev may be dealt soon if the proper price is offered.
The 27-year-old Hanifin is apparently the subject of an eight-year contract offer from the Flames, but because he hasn’t accepted it, it seems more likely that he will be dealt. Tanev, 34, is anticipated to be dealt with. To determine costs, any team in need of a defenseman or defensemen will speak with the Flames. They could be the two most significant players on the market, but it won’t come cheap.
Markstrom might be leaving Calgary as well.
Goalie Jacob Markstrom of the Flames is under contract for two more seasons at an average annual value of $6 million, although there have been multiple rumors that he could be moved before the deadline. There’s interest from the New Jersey Devils.
According to The Athletic, the Flames and Devils’ trade negotiations broke down due to Calgary’s insistence on keeping its payroll and New Jersey’s acquisition cost. Additionally, the article stated that the Devils aren’t giving up on Markstrom, so it might still occur.
The Flames may decide to stick with Markstrom until the trade deadline and consider dealing him again in the offseason. Unless Markstrom has discreetly informed the Flames that he wishes to leave Calgary, they are not under any obligation to trade him.
More about the market for goalies
It’s obvious that the Devils need a top-tier goalie. After All-Star Alexander Georgiev, the Colorado Avalanche need a No. 2 goalie to play behind him. The Toronto Maple Leafs may be trying to increase the depth of their goaltender corps.For those organizations and anyone who could be in the market for a goalie, there are possibilities available.
Marc-Andre Fleury is a potential undrafted free agent, and should they withdraw from the competition, the Minnesota Wild may try to trade him. They trail the St. Louis Blues by four points in the Western Conference race for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Although Jake Allen still has one year left on his deal, the Montreal Canadiens have used Allen, Sam Montembeault, and Cayden Primeau as their three goalies this season. If they received a compelling enough offer, they would consider trading Allen.
Using Ville Husso, James Reimer, and Alex Lyon as their three goalies, the Detroit Red Wings have also used this lineup throughout the season. A UFA for Reimer is pending. Husso and Lyon are committed to the upcoming campaign.
Is Elvis going to leave the building?
Elvis Merzlikins disclosed his trade request on January 15. The Columbus Blue Jackets have since fired general manager Jarmo Kekalainen while still keeping him on the roster on Thursday. It’s unknown what becomes of Merzlikins and his request for a trade; however, it will be challenging to move him considering that Markstrom might possibly be available.
Merzlikins is the team’s starting goalie; however, his performance is lacking, as shown by his 10-11-7 record, 3.21 goals-against average, and.904 save percentage. Merzlikins has a $5.4 million AAV contract that is guaranteed for three more seasons.
It may be necessary for the Blue Jackets to hang onto Merzlikins and work with him going forward in the hopes of seeing development for the upcoming campaign. If it were feasible to trade him today, it would be a lowball offer for a guy they liked enough to sign a five-year, $27 million contract on September 21, 2021.
Injuries are what fill Rangers vacancies.
For the balance of the season, the Rangers will require a third-line center and a top-nine right wing due to the loss of center Filip Chytil and right wing Blake Wheeler. In the Metropolitan Division, they are ranked first. Wheeler is on long-term injured reserve, as is Chytil.
The lineup that the Rangers have been playing with Jonathon Brodzinski at center, Kapo Kakko on the right wing, and Will Cuylle on the left has proven to be successful. However, having more depth there and the flexibility to reposition Brodzinski would be advantageous.
In Wheeler’s place, New York moved Jimmy Vesey up to play first-line right wing in Sunday’s NHL Stadium Series match against the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union.On Sunday, he was replaced on the fourth line by Matt Rempe, who was making his NHL debut.The Rangers’ top 12 forward group includes two call-ups from the American Hockey League in Rempe and Adam Edstrom. That’s probably not how they’ll feel heading into the playoffs.
The Guentzel dilemma in Pittsburgh
UFA Jake Guentzel is still pending. The forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins is also sidelined for up to four weeks due to an upper-body ailment. In 50 games, Guentzel has accrued 52 points (22 goals, 30 assists) to rank second among Penguins scorers. He is a member of Sidney Crosby’s top line. The Penguins are seven points out of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference playoff chase.
What will the Penguins do with Guentzel, then?Should you resign him? Exchange him? Nothing at this time?
The Penguins might decide to solve this issue closer to the deadline. For a short while, they’ll experience life without Guentzel, and during his absence, they might have a better understanding of their position in the postseason race.
Flyers will either remain unchanged or sell
The Philadelphia Flyers lost 6-3 against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday at MetLife Stadium in the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series, but that may not matter in the end as they sit third in the Metropolitan Division with a five-point lead over them.
The Flyers will not make purchases. Daniel Briere, their general manager, and Keith Jones, their president of hockey operations, have made that very evident. Even though this season has been very successful, they won’t let that stop them from sticking to their long-term plan of constructing for enduring success.
Even if they stay in the running for the playoffs, they could be sellers. Sean Walker and Nick Seeler are defensemen for the Flyers who are pending UFAs. The team is unable to retain them at this time and risks losing them to free agency in the offseason.
Walker and Seeler’s re-signing is still an option, but if the Flyers are unable to accomplish that, they may be forced to trade them before the trade deadline. This would be in keeping with Briere and Jones’ long-term goals, but it would also severely hurt their chances of making the playoffs this year.
Looking for defensemen, the Maple Leafs
Tanev’s leaving the Flames to join the Maple Leafs prior to the deadline has been discussed a lot. It is logical. He’s just the kind of large, burly, vicious defenseman they need. What price, though, would the Maple Leafs take to get him or anyone of that caliber?
According to reports, the Flames are waiting for or pursuing a first-round selection. The Maple Leafs own one, but they don’t have a second-round pick, so they might have to pay more to acquire Tanev in the first round.
Despite not having Tanev’s size or experience, Toronto may switch to Walker or Seeler, or maybe both. However, it would be a major step for Toronto to acquire both and hold them together as a pair. All things considered, the Maple Leafs need something on the back end, but are they prepared to pay the price to get it?
Lightning must fill the void comparable to Sergachev.
Another team in need of assistance on the blue line is the Tampa Bay Lightning due to Mikhail Sergachev’s season-ending leg injury, which he suffered on February 8 at Madison Square Garden against the Rangers.
Because Sergachev is on long-term injured reserve, the Lightning will be able to pay Sergachev’s cap charge ($8.5 million) in excess of the NHL salary cap. Because of all that Sergachev does for them, they would prefer to use it against him, but in his absence, they could be able to cover a number of bases.
Before the deadline, Tampa Bay might bolster its forward depth and defense, but the issue is that they might not have enough parts to make a trade return in order to acquire what they want. The Lightning lack depth in their prospect pool and will not be selecting in the first, second, or fourth rounds of the 2024 NHL Draft or the 2025 NHL Draft.
But when it comes to the trade deadline, never write the Lightning out. Julien BriseBois, the general manager, always manages to create a stir.
Watch these other pending UFAs
Here are a few more pending UFAs who, in addition to the players already mentioned, most likely will be moving before the deadline of March 8:
Forwards: Tyler Johnson (Chicago Blackhawks), Jordan Eberle (Seattle Kraken), Alexander Wennberg (Kraken), Anthony Mantha (Washington Capitals), and Adam Henrique (Anaheim Ducks)
Defensemen: Erik Johnson (Buffalo Sabres), Joel Edmundson (Capitals), Ilya Lyubushkin (Ducks), and Andrรฉ Carrier (Nashville Predators)
Goalies: Eric Comrie (Sabres), Kaapo Kahkonen (Sharks)