Insider Trading: Red Wings’ homestand key to Lalonde’s future

TSN’s Hockey Insiders Chris Johnston, Darren Dreger and Pierre LeBrun join host Gino Reda to discuss the latest on Detroit, who might be pencilled in for Team Canada in goal, the Blue Jackets and David Jiricek, why the Flyers are a popular team for clubs in the market for defence and centres, and the Penguins’ active search for young talent.

Thanksgiving is often a catalyst for change in the NHL. Jim Montgomery out in Boston. Then he's hired in St. Louis when Drew Bannister gets fired. Could the Wings be next to make a change behind the bench, Dregs?

Dreger: Yeah, they sure could. We know it's a tough business, but Detroit needs to, wants to, and is counting on staying in the playoff mix. They are only three points out of a wild card spot, but they've got a crucial three-game homestand happening this week. What happens if they go 1-for-3 or 0-for-3? Now, the upside is they could go 3-for-3 or win 2-of-3 and Derek Lalonde, who's in the final year of his contract with the Detroit Red Wings, stays on the Red Wings' bench. We know that Steve Yzerman is loyal to his coaches, but again, they have to remain competitive. So, if they have a good homestand, everything should be fine. If they don't, that might force Yzerman to make a decision. The sense is that they would go with an interim internal candidate and then hope that a top coach eventually becomes available.

Final rosters for the 4-Nations Face-off are due in less than a week now and we're starting to get an idea of who two of the three goalies could be for Team Canada, Pierre?

LeBrun: Yeah. It sounds like there are two goalies where there's consensus among the Team Canada management and coaching staff and that's Jordan Binnington and Adin Hill - who are Stanley Cup champions, their body of work very much important here, perhaps more so than their up-and-down season so far. So, they would be pencilled in right now as two of the three - I say pencilled in. Still a week to go before they announce these rosters. But as for the third spot among the goalies, still a lot of debate internally of who that might be. Thompson. Skinner. Montembeault. Talbot. And the thing is, this isn't a No. 3 job. When they announce these three goalies next week, it will be made clear to everyone this is a wide-open competition right to February. Any of the three goalies could be the No. 1 starter.

And there's an interesting wrinkle in the search for that third goalie. Joey Daccord of the Kraken has one of the best save percentages in the league (.922). But the question is, would he be eligible to play for Canada?

LeBrun: So, Hockey Canada is still doing its due diligence on that matter. And as of Tuesday, they did not have a 100 per cent answer on that. Joey Daccord - born and raised in Boston. His dad - from Montreal. His mom - from Switzerland. In fact, Switzerland asked Daccord to play for them at the World Championship last year, but he didn't go. He hasn't played for anyone internationally, so it's a clean slate. Here's one of the stumbling blocks: I'm told from a league source he doesn't have a Canadian passport. He is a dual citizen of Canada and the U.S., but doesn't have a passport. That could be a stumbling block. Hockey Canada just trying to make sure it knows all its options. Doesn't mean necessarily it would name him the third guy - just want to know what their options are.

Since the Blue Jackets took David Jiricek sixth overall in the 2022 draft, they haven't been able to agree on whether or not the right-handed D-man is ready to play in the NHL. Have the Jackets now decided it's time to move on from him, C.J.?

Johnston: Well, more or less. I think that is the case. I mean, there's certainly a lot of smoke around the situation and a lot of noise and that's because of the fact that the Blue Jackets have engaged in trade discussions with other teams on this big right-shot D - as you mentioned - still just about to turn 21 years old, very much with his career ahead of him. I think a significant thing has happened here - is initially the Blue Jackets were looking to get another prospect back, someone equivalent, a kind-for-kind type of trade for Jiricek. You know, they're getting to the point where they may consider now a package of picks, maybe even a depth defenceman as part of what it would take to get him. I think that will bring more teams into the mix here. Certainly time is of the essence. He's down in the AHL and doesn't want to be there forevermore.

The quarter mark of the season is a good time for teams to figure out if they're going to be buyers or sellers, and the Flyers are still in the selling mode, Dregs?

Dreger: Yeah. They know what they are and they know what they're doing. The Philadelphia Flyers are still in the building process of building a long-term foundation. Danny Briere is one of the more active GMs and he's taken a lot of calls. There's a ton of interest, as we know, in veteran defenceman Rasmus Ristolainen. I mean, he's a top-four D and he's got a couple of years after this year on term. So, that also checks the box in his favour. Here's another interesting name that's been out there on and off over the last couple of years, but back on. Not that Philadelphia wants to get rid of him, but Scott Laughton is a centreman that is drawing a crowd. Lots of interest in him, but - again - not eager to move him. So, if they have to listen closer to the deadline, it's going to take a premium draft pick or likely a top young prospect or NHL player.

Whether you're a fan of the Penguins or not, people are really interested in what they do because of the Sidney Crosby factor. What are you hearing about Kyle Dubas', plans, C.J.?

Johnston: Well, he's another active general manager - already made the trade this week for Philip Tomasino. Traded away a couple of weeks ago a pending UFA in Lars Eller to Washington. I think Dubas would still like to make more moves in the near term if possible. According to those in the marketplace, the Penguins have been in on a lot, prioritizing young players - players that can come in and help them short term, but may also be part of a longer-term solution. But certainly they're not just sitting back and waiting for the trade deadline. They're trying to get out ahead of it.