Ahead of a busy off-season that includes the Seattle Expansion Draft, TSN.ca keeps you up to date with all the latest rumours and speculation from around the NHL beat.


Could the Flames lose Giordano?

TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button believes the Calgary Flames will be forced to leave captain Mark Giordano exposed in the Seattle Expansion Draft and expects the Kraken to select to him.

Button projects the Flames will protect Rasmus Anderson, Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev on the blueline in the expansion draft, using the 7-3-1 option. He expects forwards Dillion Dube, Johnny Gaudreau, Glenn Gawdin, Elias Lindholm, Sean Monahan and Matthew Tkachuk to be protected, along with goaltender Jacob Markstrom.

Under Button's projection, forward Mikael Backlund and defenceman Oliver Kylington would also be available to the Kraken, but he believes Seattle will select Giordano knowing he could be moved before next year's trade deadline for a high return.

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reported Wednesday that the Flames are looking into making a side deal to keep Giordano, though the price to do so may be too high. He adds the team has also explored the possibility of moving another defenceman in order to keep the 37-year-old. 

Giordano had nine goals and 26 points in 56 games with the Flames this season. The 2019 Norris Trophy winner is entering the final year of his current contract, carrying a cap hit of $6.75 million.

 

Kraken Setting High Prices

With protected lists due on Saturday, the prices to make side deals with the Seattle Kraken appear to be higher than most are willing to pay.

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun said the asking prices could be described as "exorbitant" as of Wednesday.

Multiple general managers have been open about their desire to reach a deal with the Kraken to have a specific player selected, including David Poile of the Nashville Predators and Julien BriseBois of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

BriseBois, who told LeBrun in The Athletic that the team did not ask Steven Stamkos to waive his no-move clause for the expansion draft, acknowledged that reaching a deal with the Kraken may not be easy.

“Seattle is in the driver’s seat. They get to barter with 31 teams and shop one team against another,” BriseBois said. “And a lot of teams are probably trying to do similar things as we are. I think every team would like to work out a deal with Seattle where it’s win-win.

“But it’s probably going to be impossible for 30 deals to be cut here. I’d like to cut a deal with Seattle, but we may not be able to. At the end of the day, the way it’s set up process-wise is that we’ll submit a list and it’s very possible that Seattle will just claim a player and we’re going to move on with the rest of our reserve list.’’

With the Vegas Golden Knights exempt, the 30 protected lists will be revealed Sunday, with Seattle's draft taking place Wednesday night.

 

 
Leddy on the Block

Citing two league sources, Arthur Staple of The Athletic reports the New York Islanders are shopping defenceman Nick Leddy, who is expected to be left exposed in the expansion draft.

Staple writes Leddy's future with the Islanders has been in question before, but the Islanders appear to be trying to acquire assets for the 30-year-old rather than lose him for nothing to the Kraken.

Leddy is entering the final year of his current contract and carries a $5.5 million cap hit. He had two goals and 31 points in 56 games this season, adding six assists in 19 playoff games.

According to Staple, disgruntled St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko is open to a move to the Islanders and he notes that moving Leddy would make it easier for the team to add Tarasenko's $7.5 million cap hit to their roster.