Will the Capitals want Peter Laviolette back? Will he want to return?
TSN: The Washington Capitals have dealt with a lot of injuries this season, and they will evaluate after the season which direction they want to go behind the bench according to Pierre LeBrun. Head coach Peter Laviolette is on an expiring contract
“I would say it’s also a mutual situation. Peter Laviolette has been in this league a long time. He’s gone to three Stanley Cup Finals with three different organizations. He’d be a pretty hot candidate on the free-agent market. He has to decide what he wants. Does he want to go back to Washington? Which he may. Or does he want to try his hand at free agency? So an interesting situation there.”
NHL Rumors: Boston Bruins, and the Toronto Maple Leafs
The Blue Jackets have cap room and are willing to trade a first for the “right piece”
Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic: Columbus Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen said their 2023 first-round pick that they acquired from the Los Angeles Kings is in play.
“Oh, 100 percent,” Kekalainen said. “That’s the mindset that we’re going to take. We lost a real good defenceman in that deal who is UFA and wanted to see what that market brings along. So we’re looking to replace him. We already have three or four defensive prospects that are probably a little bit away … and defense is such a tough position to crack at a young age. So we want to explore every opportunity to replace Gavrikov with that pick.
“But it has to be the right piece.”
The Blue Jackets were talking to the Arizona Coyotes about defenseman Jakob Chychrun before he was traded to the Ottawa Senators. The St. Louis Blues could move one of their firsts – either the New York Rangers or Toronto Maple Leafs pick, and the Montreal Canadiens could consider moving the pick they acquired from the Florida Panthers.
NHL Rumors: The Offseason Trade Market, and Jonathan Toews
With the salary cap likely only going up by $1 million, there will be teams looking to move salary.
“And we’re in a great situation where we have lots of (cap) room. We can add something that we really need. So we’ll see what June brings.”