Countdown to TradeCentre: Red-hot Jets cautious of changing chemistry
Published
The NHL's March 7 Trade Deadline is approaching, and teams are making decisions on whether to buy or sell, and on which players can make the biggest difference and hold the greatest value. Check out today's trade rumours and speculation from around the NHL beat.
Wish list in Winnipeg
The red-hot Winnipeg Jets are pulling away from the rest of the Western Conference with an eight-point cushion ahead of the Dallas Stars, who have two less games played.
The streaking Jets, who have won six straight games, are shaping up as one of the most obvious buyers ahead of the trade deadline. TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports their wish list likely include a centre and a potentially a defenceman, based on market availability.
Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff told LeBrun in The Athletic, however, that he's not looking to compromise the chemistry that has pushed the team to the top of the NHL standings.
“I’m going to see what’s available on a daily basis,” Cheveldayoff said. “But I don’t want to undersell how this group has done and what they’ve done together. It’s not about who’s at the trade deadline or whatever. It’s about who’s been a part of it for these 54-odd games.”
Cheveldayoff traded a first-round pick to acquire Sean Monahan well ahead of the deadline last year and then added Tyler Toffoli on deadline day for second- and third-round picks. The general manager said a firm decision hasn't - and won't - be made on whether to a move a first-round pick until it becomes clear who is available on the market.
“It depends if there’s players out there that we have access to and fit and warrant the first-rounder,” Cheveldayoff said. “Yeah I think of those decisions … you don’t set out to say, ‘I’m trading my first-round pick.’ It’s vice-versa. It’s the opportunity to acquire or not on something that you feel you need.”
The Jets have just two games remaining before the 4 Nations Face-Off break, hosting the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday and the New York Islanders on Friday.
Habs in nosedive
The Montreal Canadiens have crashed back to earth after a strong run from mid-December into January and are now winless in their past five games.
Head coach Martin St. Louis benched winger Patrik Laine in Sunday's loss to the Anaheim Ducks, logging just 10:33 of ice time in the 3-2 loss. The 26-year-old winger has 12 goals and 18 points in 24 games with the Canadiens this season after playing in just 18 games last season.
Laine remains signed through next season at a cap hit of $8.7 million, while the team has five pending unrestricted free agents on their roster.
LeBrun reported last week that the Canadiens had yet to set their course for the trade deadline, but the decision appears to be between standing pat and being a seller. He reported the Canadiens would not be heading to trade market to replace Kaiden Guhle, who was ruled out indefinitely after surgery on a lacerated quad.
"Obviously, it’s a brutal injury and it will hurt their chances of trying to make the playoffs. But the reality is they’re going to stay with their current plan," LeBrun explained. "They’re not going to go out and try to replace Guhle with a rental defenceman and pay the rental prices that you would to salvage the season that way.
"The Canadiens have had discussion with teams. The kind of trade that they would make, even before the injury, would be the kind of trades you would do in June or July. For example, a bigger impact deal that can help this team beyond this season. That’s really where their focus is.
"Having said that, their version of being buyers would be staying in the race between now and March 7 and keeping a lot of their pending unrestricted free agents."
Forwards Christian Dvorak, Joel Armia, Jake Evans and Michael Pezzetta are all currently set to hit the open market on July 1, along with veteran blueliner David Savard.
The pressure is building on the slumping Canadiens to find a way to stay in the playoff race, with the Columbus Blue Jackets now six points ahead of them in the final wild-card spot with four teams sandwiched between the two.
"We have to come out next game and have our best game of the season," captain Nick Suzuki said after Sunday's loss. "We can't be losing these games and falling back in the standings, so we really have to find a way to win the next two on this road trip."
The Canadiens are in San Jose to face the the NHL-worst Sharks Tuesday and will close out their west coast trip Wednesday against the Los Angeles Kings. The club will return to Montreal for a two-game homestand against the New Jersey Devils and Tampa Bay Lightning this weekend before their 4 Nations break.
Canucks watch continues
TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston reports he expects the Vancouver Canucks to display some patience with Elias Pettersson after trading J.T. Miller, but note the team has been "disappointed" with his play this season.
Johnston believes the Canucks will reassess their options after the season with Pettersson, who's full no-move clause will kick in on July 1. He notes, though, that the return for Pettersson could be disappointing given his current output and adds that Vancouver is not interested in going into a rebuild.
After topping 30 goals in each of the past two seasons and finishing above the point-per-game mark in each of the past two, Pettersson has just 11 goals and 33 points in 46 games this season. He is in Year 1 of an eight-year, $92.8 million contract, carrying a cap hit of $11.6 million, with no trade protection this season.