Insider Trading: Canadian coaches in the crosshairs

With Morgan Rielly out long-term, will the Maple Leafs explore the trade market? Will the struggling Senators or Canucks make a coaching change? What's the latest on the Jakob Chychrun trade talks? The TSN Hockey Insiders discuss these topics and more in the latest edition of Insider Trading.

Gino Reda: They are the insiders Chris Johnston, Pierre LeBrun and Darren Dreger. Jake Muzzin, T.J. Brodie and now Morgan Rielly – the Leafs top three minute-eaters on the blue line all out. In a pre-cap era, it's fixable. But what do they do now, Chris?

Chris Johnston: Well, they can't just wave a magic wand unfortunately because they're facing a couple of different challenges when it comes to addressing the roster, the first being the fact that it looks like they have tons of cap room with Morgan Rielly added to long-term injured reserve. But they have to protect that space for when he's back somewhere early in the new year. And beyond that fact they're carrying 50 contracts at this point in time, that means they would have to subtract that body to bring in anybody even if it was a cheaper depth addition. And so they've tried to perhaps address that by putting Wayne Simmonds on waivers Tuesday. No guarantees he's picked up though he passed through waivers earlier in the season and so they might be forced – in this case the Leafs – to grin and bear it.

Gino Reda: So much preseason optimism in Ottawa and Vancouver has now turned into the reality of battling near the league's basement, so what now on those fronts, Darren?

Darren Dreger: Well, look Gino, you know the coach watch continues in Ottawa and Vancouver. There are so many holes in the Ottawa Senators lineup, maybe too significant to overcome. The players say that they support D.J. Smith, Pierre Dorion we know is scouring the NHL, he hasn't found the right trade fit, which is why we're squarely now looking at the Ottawa bench one more time and I might add somewhat unfairly. In Vancouver, I’m told it is status quo and believe that there is a coaching change that is coming. But it could be days, it could be weeks, it could be months so not a lot happening in Vancouver but it does sound that Bruce Boudreau remains in the crosshairs.

Gino Reda: One of the reasons it's so hard to make a deal right now is the asking price for available talent. Is there a better example of the high cost of talent that Jakob Chychrun who returned to Arizona's lineup on Monday night, Pierre?

Pierre LeBrun: Played north of 23 minutes by the way, I wonder how many teams notice that. It is a high price and listen, I think it's important to understand why Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong is asking for two first-round picks plus either a prospect or a young NHL player in any deal for Jakob Chychrun. Number one, I think he's looked at the Hampus Lindholm deal from a year ago where Anaheim got a first-round pick and two seconds for an older player who was a pending UFA and ends up going to Boston, of course the Bruins signed him. There's the Brandon Hagel deal Chicago getting two first-round picks for Hagel because of his cheap cap and Chychrun is young, he's got a bargain contract and if history shows us anything in terms of the Darcy Kuemper trade where Arizona got a first and a young player and a third. Bill Armstrong is going to stick to his price.

Gino Reda: What about the Buffalo Sabres – they came flying out of the gate, now they've crashed back down to earth. How's that playing out with Buffalo management here?

Pierre LeBrun: Well, Kevyn Adams is staying calm. He does not want to react in an emotional way and make a trade he's going to regret. Believes in his team but he's also obviously not too comfortable with the way things have played out here over the last month. This is a team that is completely lacking confidence compared to what we saw the opening month and late last year. And so yes, calm for now. Not going to do anything stupid, but the next couple of weeks are going to be important for the Sabres team to tell their GM who they are because he will be ready to act to help this team. He's got cap space unlike most teams.

Gino Reda: Back in the summer, Gary Bettman promised to be transparent in the league's investigation into the sexual assault allegations involving members of the Canadian national junior team from 2018. What's the news on that front, Darren?

Darren Dreger: Well, the news is, Gino, that progress is being made. Now, the National Hockey League is not going to get pinned down on a timeline to disclose their findings. But [according to] NHL sources, they're substantially complete in terms of the investigation and the interviews involved in the investigation. They will coordinate with London police. A London police representative said they can't comment on an active investigation which the police department continues to conduct. When they do they will sync up with the NHL.

Gino Reda: All right, they are the insiders Chris Johnston, Pierre LeBrun and Darren Dreger.