Insider Trading: Latest on Pearson situation, Canucks pending UFAs

TSN Hockey Insiders Chris Johnston, Pierre LeBrun and Darren Dreger join host Gino Reda to discuss some of the topics that came out of Jim Rutherford’s media availability on Monday, potential new deals for David Pastrnak and Cole Caufield and much more.

Latest on Pearson’s injury situation, Horvat’s market and Canucks’ interest in re-signing Kuzmenko

Vancouver Canucks president Jim Rutherford said the team is comfortable with how it handled the Tanner Pearson injury situation. So what comes next?

Tanner Pearson Vancouver CanucksDreger: Well, as Jim Rutherford suggested during his media availability on Monday, the National Hockey League Players’ Association is actively involved. Which means that, among other things, the NHLPA doctors are doing their due diligence. Now, the Players’ Association hasn’t officially filed a grievance. There is lots of time for that. You know, look, Tanner Pearson needs time to recover and get the hand issue ultimately resolved. This case might look differently in three to six months from now. So there’s a lot of time, a lot of back and forth moving forward. But it’s a sensitive case to be sure.

If the Canucks aren’t able to sign Bo Horvat long-term, many speculate he could be a candidate to move before the trade deadline. What is Vancouver looking for and who might be interested?

LeBrun: In the meantime, we’re about six weeks away from the March 3 trade deadline. The Canucks continue to explore what the trade market looks like for, really, their No. 1 guy that could be dealt; that’s Bo Horvat, the captain. He’s having a career-year and they’ve pretty much checked in with almost every contender. One of them being, I’m told, the Carolina Hurricanes. A lot of people like the Hurricanes as a fit for Horvat. Remember Carolina struggled offensively in the playoffs last year? Well, what a boost it could be. And he skates, which is what that team is about in terms of speed. But, the price is too steep I think for the Hurricanes  at this point. As we reported last month, the Canucks would want a young centre as part of a multi-asset package. They’re not getting Martin Necas from the Hurricanes. Carolina doesn’t spend high on rentals traditionally. I don’t think they’ll break that path here for Bo Horvat. So we’ll see where this goes.

Andrei Kuzmenko has impressed since joining the Canucks from the KHL but is scheduled to be a free agent in the summer. Do the Canucks want to keep him and has there been any progress?

Vancouver CanucksJohnston: Another thing that came out of Jim Rutherford’s Monday press conference was the fact that it’s a high priority for the Canucks to find a way to re-sign Andrei Kuzmenko, a pending unrestricted free agent. But I’m told there is still a lot of work to be done on that front. Last week, the Canucks’ brass met with Kuzmenko’s agent, Dan Milstein, in Florida. But I’m told, at that point, there were no numbers exchanged or discussed. Really more of an informal meeting to begin the process and it’s probably going to be another couple weeks before talks resume somewhere after the All-Star Break. So that basically leaves a month for the Canucks to get this player extended, because they’ll certainly want clarity on his future by that March 3 trade deadline.

Pastrnak, Caufield making progress on extensions?

David Pastrnak is third in the NHL in scoring and is on pace for a career-year but is a pending UFA after the season. Are the Bruins getting any closer to locking him up on a new deal? And what about Cole Caufield with the Habs, who is set to become a restricted free agent?

David Pastrnak Boston BruinsDreger: Yes they are. Closer than they were even a couple of weeks ago. I know that progress was made last week in the discussions between Don Sweeney of the Boston Bruins and Pastrnak’s agent, J.P. Barry. But, they still have work to do. They’re going to continue to grind at the details. Obviously that always comes down to the annual average salary. The term seems less contentious if – it’s at all contentious – it’s an eight-year maximum. Meanwhile guys, my understanding is that the preliminary talks of an extension between Cole Caufield’s agent, Pat Brisson, and the Montreal Canadiens started roughly a month ago. Again, preliminary talks, but you have to believe that Caufield given how he’s played this year on his torrid scoring pace is a big part of the future of the Montreal Canadiens. So, they will work in earnest moving forward.

Jackets listening on Gavrikov?

The Blue Jackets have a decision to make about blueliner Vladislav Gavrikov. What’s the latest there?

Vladislav Gavrikov Columbus Blue JacketsLeBrun: Yeah, they do want to sign Vladislav Gavrikov. But if they can’t sign him, you know, it’s not just a first-round pick I think they’re going to ask for this guy. That’s the floor. If you go back and look at what they got for David Savard a couple of years ago, I think the Blue Jackets are using that very much as their playbook here, they got a first and a third for Savard in that deal with Tampa. And I think the Blue Jackets view Gavrikov as a guy is actually playing at a higher level than Savard was then. They view Gavrikov higher. He leads them in ice time, he plays in so many key situations. So, if he is going to be dealt and there are at least 10 teams that have already inquired on Gavrikov, it’s going to be a first-rounder plus something else to get him on your team for the rest of the season.