Eight teams leading the trade talk
Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman notes that eight teams are leading the trade talk.
“Just asking around, the teams that seem to be at the centre of a lot of these conversations: L.A, Philly, Minnesota, Boston, Pittsburgh, Florida, St. Louis, and Chicago,” said Friedman during Saturday’s Headlines on Hockey Night in Canada. “All for different reasons, but those seem to be the most active teams and anything that’s kind of happening around the league is kind of flowing through them.”
The Kings, Blackhawks and Blues are the bottom three teams in the West and are looking like sellers. The Penguins and Bruins are buyers, with the Panthers and Flyers going either way.
Alex Pietrangelo May Not Be An Untouchable
Sportsnet: Nick Kypreos said on Headlines the St. Louis Blues are not shopping defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, but he may not be untouchable.
“St. Louis is in a position where they’re going to have to make some tough decisions, and what’s happening now is the separation between playoff teams and non-playoff teams, which means the vultures are out right now,” said Nick Kypreos on Saturday’s Headlines on Hockey Night in Canada. “And Pietrangelo, despite a poor start to the season and a hand injury, one general manager told me he still may be the best all-around defenceman available by the trade deadline.”
Teams would be calling about Pietrangelo and the Toronto Maple Leafs would likely be one of those teams.
“I believe one of those teams is the Toronto Maple Leafs. I think where that would have to start is if Toronto and (GM) Kyle Dubas get St. Louis to possibly bite on (Nikita) Zaitsev’s contract – which is owed another five years at $4.5 million.
“If they can exchange right-handed defencemen, then there’s a chance you could put a package together maybe with a draft pick, a prospect, and then the likes of a young, fast player for St. Louis in the likes of (Kasperi) Kapanen or (Andreas) Johnsson.”
