The NHL's Mar. 21 Trade Deadline is approaching and teams are making decisions on whether to buy, sell and decide which players can make the biggest difference and hold the greatest value. Check out today's trade rumours and speculation from around the NHL beat. And follow TradeCentre on TSN and TSN.ca through Deadline Day for all the updates.


In the Deal?

TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports Florida Panthers prospect Owen Tippett is expected to be held out of the Charlotte Checkers lineup Thursday, fueling speculation in connection to Claude Giroux rumours.

Tippett, selected 10th overall in the 2017 NHL Draft, has six goals and 14 points in 42 games with the Panthers this season. The 23-year-old also has six goals and 18 points in 12 games with the AHL's Checkers.

He appeared in a career-high 45 games with the Panthers last season, posting seven goals and 18 points.

The Giroux sweepstakes appear to be turning into a race between the NHL's current two top teams - the Colorado Avalanche in the West and the East's Panthers.

The Avalanche acquired Josh Manson earlier this week from the Anaheim Ducks and then cleared cap space by moving Tyson Jost to the Minnesota Wild for Nico Sturm.

The Panthers got in on the trade action Wednesday, dealing Frank Vatrano to the New York Rangers to clear space before acquiring Montreal Canadiens blueliner Ben Chiarot - with half his salary $3.5 million retained - in a deal for prospect Ty Smilanic, a 2023 first-round pick and a fourth-round pick in 2022.

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun tweeted Wednesday the Panthers still aim to land Giroux after adding Chiarot, while the TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston reported Tuesday that the Avalanche are also pursuing the Philadelphia Flyers captain.

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Ready to Chase
"They’ve put themselves in a position now where they can get in the bidding on Claude Giroux, should Giroux ultimately waive his no-move clause to go to Colorado." - Johnston, Tuesday on Insider Trading.

Giroux will play his 1,000th and potentially final game with the Flyers on Thursday night with the possibility of leaving the franchise that selected him in the 2006 Draft looming. 

“If I can be honest, I’m trying to focus on playing 1,000 games with the Flyers,” Giroux said Wednesday. “It’s something I’m proud of. I’m very happy I got the chance to do this.

"After that, it’s going to be, change the mindset a little bit and see how things are going to go.”

Both teams may be forced to get creative in their offers to the Flyers due to a lack of draft capital. As noted in Monday's Countdown to Tradecentre, the Avalanche have already traded their first-, second- and fourth-round selections in this year's draft, in addition to their second- and fourth-round picks in 2023.

Following Wednesday's deal for Chiarot, the Panthers are without their picks in the first two rounds of this year's draft and their top pick in 2023.
 

 

Heating Up

With Chiarot now off the trade market, the attention of team's seeking help on the blueline may turn to Seattle Kraken veteran Mark Giordano.

TSN Hockey Insider notes the Kraken were impressed by the Canadiens' return for Chiarot as they set the price for their captain. He notes there's been significant interest in Giordano, with the run on defencemen this week further fueling the market. 

LeBrun wrote earlier this month in The Athletic that he's been told from other teams that the Kraken are "hoping for at least a first-round pick for Giordano and hopefully a prospect on top of that."  It's unclear if the three-piece return for Chiarot will impact the ask for the Kraken, who will also be likely retaining salary on Giordano's $6.75 million cap hit.

Listed at No. 6 on the TSN Hockey Trade Bait board, Giordano has six goals and 23 points in 55 games with the Kraken this season. 
 


Kubalik on the Move?

It appears winger Dominik Kubalik could be the first player moved as Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson begins his rebuild in Chicago. 

Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun Times reports the Blackhawks are making progress in a deal to move Kubalik, with the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks being the frontrunners. 

Kubalik 11 goals and 21 points in 61 games this season after posting 17 goals and 38 points in 56 games a year ago.

The 26-year-old's production has steadily declined since scoring 30 goals and recording 46 points in 68 games as an NHL rookie with the Blackhawks in 2019-20. The Czech native also made a significant impact in the playoffs that year, posting four goals and eight points in nine games. Chicago has not made the postseason since.

The Blackhawks are expected to sellers at the deadline as they sit 15 points back of a playoff spot in the Western Conference. At. No. 12, Marc-Andre Fleury leads the list of Blackhawks players on the Trade Bait board, followed by Brandon Hagel at No. 14, Calvin de Haan at No. 44 and Kubalik at No. 55.