Insider Trading: Leafs may not be done; What's the remaining market for Chychrun?

The TSN Hockey Insiders discuss whether the Maple Leafs have more moves in store despite adding six new players over the last 11 days, what's the remaining market for Jakob Chychrun, how James van Riemsdyk has moved up the trade target lists for contending teams, and much more.

Leafs may not be done ahead of the deadline

James Duthie: The extremely busy insiders are Chris Johnston, Pierre LeBrun and Darren Dreger. On one of the craziest pre-TradeCentre days we've had in some time, punctuated by the Toronto Maple Leafs making three separate trades on this day, and CJ, that's six over the past 11 days, six new players, basically a third of the guys will play, [are] new guys on the team. Is it possible there's still more?

Johnston: It is absolutely still possible there is more, James. And what I'll tell you is after the series of moves they've made now, the cap picture is set. They have the ability to add Matt Murray back from long-term injured reserve. They have space to sign Matthew Knies when his NCAA season is done so they don't have to make that move. But what they did in the trade with Washington for Rasmus Sandin is get another first-round pick. That's potential ammo. And what we've seen around the league is just a tremendous amount of upheaval. A lot of things shaking out and I think the Leafs are going to approach these next couple days still looking for ways to improve. I don't think they're done.

What is [the] remaining market for Chychrun?

Duthie: The craziest thing about these last couple of weeks and all the players and high-end talent that has moved is that the one guy who's been on the Trade Bait list the longest, like by a year, is still there. What becomes of Jakob Chychrun, Pierre?

LeBrun: James, you say a year, try 18 months since we start reporting on his availability. That's how long it's been for Jakob Chychrun being out there, of course, you know, he's asked for a move. You know, and Darren Dreger reported earlier on Tuesday, it feels like four days ago but the Oilers and Arizona went pretty deep on a Chychrun trade conversation Monday but the deal fell apart. Can also tell you that Washington had some pretty substantial talks about Chychrun over the past week. Buffalo has kept tabs on it. Pittsburgh has had conversations so there are still teams in this. But as one GM said to me in the last hour, if the Coyotes don't change their price he doesn't see him getting moved and that Bill Armstrong, the GM of the Coyotes, is actually comfortable keeping Jakob Chychrun through this deadline and finally figuring this out in the summer. But there's lots of time between now and Friday to still get a trade done and Armstrong was circling back to some of the teams involved to see where they were at here in the last few hours.

Parayko trade potential cools

Dreger: Look, Edmonton Oilers general manager Kenny Holland has gone through a lot of criticism I would say over the last several months for a lack of landing that defenceman. Well, he gets that defenceman in Mattias Ekholm, who some believe inside that organization is near a perfect fit for the Edmonton Oilers. But as Pierre just mentioned, yes, we know that the owners went deep on Jakob Chychrun right up until late yesterday afternoon. They kept in constant communication with [Vladislav] Gavrikov of the Columbus Blue Jackets. It also kicked some tires on Colton Parayko of the St. Louis Blues. Now this is interesting because again, Colton Parayko is an Alberta boy, he's got an extensive contract, it carries through 2029-30 at a $6.5 million cap hit. So now that the Oilers have made their move, with Mattias Ekholm, coming to the Edmonton Oilers, it's more than likely Colton Parayko will stay with the Blues and the trade scenarios have cooled off.

JVR moves up contenders trade lists

Duthie: And up front on our Trade Bait list as we've crossed off big names like [Timo] Meier, who was No. 1 and Patrick Kane, James Van Riemsdyk slowly creeps up there. The latest on JVR, Pierre?

LeBrun: Yeah, suddenly the Flyers are getting more calls on him which is natural given that some of the teams were looking above him on their list and those players are no longer available. Vegas is one of those teams. Minnesota was for a while but of course the Wild on this day acquiring two forwards in Marcus Johansson and Gustav Nyquist so they're likely out now. Winnipeg and Calgary have shown a bit of interest in JVR as well. So the asking price depends on the team. But I think if you look at the Calle Jarnkrok return from a year ago when he was dealt, a second and a third, is what Calgary paid for the pending UFA and I think the Flyers are looking at something around there between now and Friday's deadline.

Red Wings likely sellers in East arms race

Dreger: Yeah, there are a couple of other interesting forwards in play here as well. And I should have mentioned the Edmonton Oilers. They're not done yet. They're looking for a forward, they're looking at a [Nick] Bjugstad, they're looking at a Tyler Bertuzzi, which brings me to the Detroit Red Wings. Now, the Red Wings are just recognizing that the arms race in the East is just too rich. So they can't allow Bertuzzi to walk in a free agency for nothing. So they're looking to move him they're looking to move [Jakub] Vrana. And they're also talking about the possibility of trading Filip Zadina who is a 23 years old with term, so some interesting things in Detroit. 

NHL discouraging trading injured players

Duthie: A lot of skilled trades, but there's also money trades, injured Gus Nyquist traded to Minnesota and CJ, the NHL was watching these trades very carefully and in the end, this one in particular affected Nyquist’s ultimate destination.

Johnston: It does. Look, the deal gets done. Columbus is able to trade a player that's dealing with a shoulder injury, not guaranteed to return before the end of the regular season. But because of the memo the NHL put out in which they said they would closely scrutinize these moves, the Blue Jackets feel they didn't get as much back as they might have in an open market. And so I think we're going to hear this discussed in reverse that there might be some fallout, the fact that the league has come down just a couple days before the deadline to discourage moves like this. I'm also curious for what it means for Sean Monahan and Montreal. He's in a similar situation.

Duthie: I usually end Insider Trading this time of year by begging the GMs to save something for Friday. I've given up on that. There is a conspiracy against us, but the last couple of weeks have been some fun.