Insider Trading: Leafs and Marner focused on winning, not negotiating

TSN’s Hockey Insiders discuss the Maple Leafs and their pending star UFA, what the Alexandre Carrier trade may mean for David Savard in Montreal, the latest on the struggling Sabres, why the Predators aren’t in rebuild mode and the Bruins and soon-to-be UFA Trent Frederic.

Leafs and Marner remain focused on winning and not negotiating

Duthie: Just a pair of Insiders for you today in Pierre LeBrun and Darren Dreger. And Dregs, this was supposed to be the season that the Mitch Marner contract talks just dominated all the headlines in Toronto. But hasn't really been that way. It's been crickets. And is that exactly the way both sides wanted it?

Dreger: Well, yes, that's by design. And right, there have been few headlines. I mean, I guess we can call it a headline that there's regular communication between management of the Toronto Maple Leafs and the agent, in this case, Darren Ferris. But I think you do have to give credit to the brass of the Maple Leafs. I'm looking at [Brendan] Shanahan, [Brad] Treliving and head coach Craig Berube because they've managed to keep the distraction outside so that Marner can focus on his game, which has been lights out good this year, and by extension, just the overall play of the Toronto Maple Leafs. But as the calendar turns into 2025, time will be of the essence, so there's going to have to be some definition and direction. But right now, regular communication, open dialogue.

What Carrier pickup may mean for Savard

Duthie: That was one of the flurry of little trades this week, the one [between] Montreal and Nashville, with Alexandre Carrier going to Montreal and Pierre, it's like a little mini TradeCentre this week, a little mini pre-Christmas TradeCentre. But in the case of that deal, what are the implications down the road for the Habs roster?

LeBrun: James, I know you were upset when you saw those trades. Don't worry, there'll be more trades for you at TradeCentre. It's not hard to draw a straight line between the arrival of Carrier and the eventual departure of David Savard, quality veteran for the Habs the last few years. He's a pending UFA, David Savard, there have not been any talks at all between Habs management and Savard's camp about a potential one-year extension, none of that. So it does feel like this would be his last year in Montreal. And inevitably, if the Habs are where they are in the standings, closer to March 7, probably a rental trade to another team for David Savard, although I don't think Montreal is in any hurry to move him, because the whole point of getting Carrier as well was to shelter some of their youth on defence, and that's why they made that deal.

Sabres trade talks intensify as GMs feed off Buffalo skid

Duthie: Almost shocked with this bunch of little trades that we didn't see something from Buffalo, at least some sort of message in this freefall Dregs. Are they trying to do something?

Dreger: Definitely are, I'm told that Kevyn Adams, the GM for the Buffalo Sabres, has really been on the phone nonstop in the last week. And that would align with the Buffalo Sabres status right? They're in the midst of this winless streak. So to some degree, the sharks have been circling. But look, Kevyn Adams is willing to do something James, to your point, he's willing to do something big. But what's the definition of a top player? That's what teams are calling on. They're looking to take advantage of the Sabres and their situation, but they want Buffalo's top players. They're willing to give decent players, but they haven't agreed on what the definition of the return of a top player is. So he'll keep pushing in Buffalo.

Predators aren't in rebuild mode

Duthie: Pierre, you covered the Montreal end of that Nashville trade. But what about the Predators' side of things? They certainly hoped to be true contenders this year. Is there some sort of sell-off now that they're dead last in the NHL?

LeBrun: Absolutely not. And in chatting with Barry Trotz, the GM of the Predators on this day James, he wanted to make something clear, and he reiterated three times during our interview in a piece I wrote in The Athletic, 'this is not a rebuild, this is not a tear down.' That's not what he's doing here. Yes, he's dealt away a few players so far this year. It's really in an effort to reset his team for the off-season where he plans to be aggressive again, both in free agency and in the trade market. He believes this team has the talent to have a bounceback next year, to compete for a playoff spot. That's the hope. And so, no, he's not dropping a grenade on this thing.

And specifically, let's just ask the question. I mean, people have been wondering is Steven Stamkos, you know, is there even a world in which he would go to Steven Stamkos and talk to him about a potential move, and the answer from Barry Trotz was 'there's no chance' when I asked that question.

Bruins have a decision to make on pending UFA Frederic

Dreger: Right. Well, a lot of people paying attention to what's going on in Nashville. Also the time of year guys, where we start looking at pending unrestricted free agents. And there's a player with the Boston Bruins that is starting to garner a fair bit of interest around the National Hockey League and that's 26-year-old forward Trent Frederic. He is a 6-foot-3 forward, 220 pounds. Now you got to wonder, why would the Bruins consider trading a piece like this? Well, we're a long way away from March 7, the trade deadline. There has to be a negotiation to extend. His market as an unrestricted free agent would be second tier, but it would still be relatively high. So Don Sweeney, the GM of the Bruins, is going to balance what the return might be via trade between now and the deadline, versus the cost of extending a piece like Trent Frederic. 

Duthie: It was actually nice to get a few little deals, pre-Christmas break, usually it's into January before the Insiders really heat up as we start to count down to TradeCentre.