Insider Trading: Schenn trade less likely with Blues in playoff mix

James Duthie is joined by TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger to discuss Brayden Schenn and Scott Laughton's availability, whether the Carolina Hurricanes will consider trading Mikko Rantanen, and the whether a Sidney Crosby trade is possible on a Sunday edition of Insider Trading.

Trade is less likely with Blues in playoff mix

James Duthie: We’ve had a good month of [St. Louis Blues centre] Brayden Schenn and [Philadelphia Flyers centre] Scott Laughton constantly, every day to Toronto.

Does Schenn seem less likely now that St. Louis is right in the middle of the playoff hunt?

Darren Dreger: Yeah, they’re one point back of the Vancouver Canucks [for the final wild-card spot] in the Western Conference with 21 games remaining.

Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said all along that they don’t have to trade their captain and he’s under contract there. Maybe they’ll revisit in the off-season.

He is not going to soften on their ask of what it will take to consider trading Schenn. Of course, there’s still time left for that call to be made, but right now they’re right in the thick of things.

Maybe we need to spend more attention on Laughton.

He’s a cheaper ask from Philadelphia’s standpoint, but still expensive if you’re Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving or another interested GM.

Duthie: If St. Louis stays in the race, maybe the price for Laughton gets higher from the Flyers.

Teams continue to make calls on Rantanen with interest in longshot trade

Duthie: In “The Quiz”, we asked where Carolina Hurricanes winger Mikko Rantanen might end up and you said Los Angeles. But, “The Quiz” is a little bit of fantasy.

Is it really realistic that Carolina might actually deal him?

Dreger: Not very realistic, but there’s always the potential.

I think it would take something silly. Like an offer that Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky and owner Tom Dundon aren’t expecting.

When they acquired Rantanen from the Colorado Avalanche, their intent was to get him extended and get him signed long-term. That hasn’t changed now, even though the trade deadline is looming.

So, I think the smarter money, unless someone steps up with a ridiculous trade offer, is that they go beyond the deadline, hope they go deep in the Stanley Cup playoffs, and convince Rantanen that Carolina is the long-term fit.

Too early to speculate on Crosby's future in Pittsburgh

Duthie: Also in “The Quiz” all three of you said that [Pittsburgh Penguins captain] Sidney Crosby should go somewhere else because we’re all selfish hockey fans. 

I think we’d like to see Sid in the playoffs, playing for a contender. But, it doesn’t look like Pittsburgh will be there for the next couple of years, and maybe for the rest of his career.

There’s a big difference between us saying ‘he should’ and whether he wants to. It would be great for TradeCentre but it might not be Sid's desire.

Is there any chance that he is pondering this and he could wait to decide before the deadline?

Dreger: It’s a miniscule percentage.

They only reason I feel that is because we haven’t heard it from Crosby’s mouth.

When he comes out this week and says ‘I am not going to be traded by the seventh of March’, okay. 

It feels that given the loyalty to the Penguins’ fans and organization, he would want them to know when his final game in Pittsburgh is.

They’ve got a game on Tuesday, and they have a game on deadline day on Friday.

Maybe in the off-season.