Are the New York Islanders in the market for a defenseman?
Arthur Staple of The Athletic: With defenseman Adam Pelech out long-term, the New York Islanders claimed Mike Reilly off waivers from the Florida Panthers. He’s a stop-gap at $1 million and may be below Samuel Bolduc on the depth chart.
Pelech on the LTIR gives the Islanders $5.216 million in space for now. Elliotte Friedman reported the GM Lou Lamoriello was talking to teams at the GM meetings and inquired about Calgary Flames defensemen Noah Hanifin and Nikita Zadorov.
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Hanifin could be looking for an extension in the $7 million range. With the current long-term contracts the Islanders have on the blue line, there fit may not be there unless they include someone like Alex Romanov, who has a year left. It may also cost a first-round pick and a young player like Oliver Wahlstrom.
If no extension comes with Nikita Zadorov, it may cost a second and fourth-round pick.
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Ton DeAngelo is available and wouldn’t cost much.
After that, the trade market thins out.
Are the Arizona Coyotes in the market for a top-four defenseman?
Craig Morgan of GoPHNX: The Arizona Coyotes are in phase two of their rebuild after some of their offseason free agent signing and moving of a draft pick for Sean Durzi.
The Coyotes remain a little thin on the depth chart down the middle and on the blue line. Injuries have taken centers Barrett Hayton and Jack McBain, and defensemen Travis Dermott and Juuso Valimaki out of the lineup.
Elliotte Friedman has linked Noah Hanifin to the Coyotes and it does have some legs, but the Coyotes’ pursuit of Hanifin ‘has been a bit exaggerated.’ Hanifin is a relatively young top-four defenseman but the Coyotes may not want to give up any of their top prospects for him and they’d want an extension with the money and term fitting into their long-term budget.
Dumba hasn’t played like the top-four defenseman they had hoped for when they signed him, so the Coyotes could use another top-four Dman.
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Will the Coyotes decide to make a big move for someone like Hanifin or will they look to make a smaller move for a shutdown defenseman? Since they’re in a rebuild, standing pat is another option.