Jake Muzzin‘s asking price…
Chris Nichols of Nichols On Hockey: Talk swirling around Jake Muzzin suggests Los Angeles wants a lot for their top-four defenseman. The price is as follows:
The Insider was asked about the Los Angeles Kings defenseman, whose “name is on everyone’s trade board.”
“And it should be. He’s a quality Top-4 defenseman. I don’t think that there’s much doubt of that” said Dreger. “The asking price for Jake Muzzin, though, apparently is off the charts. It’s like a first-round draft pick and a prospect, if not a top prospect.
There exists some talk for Tyler Toffoli but the prices right now are just too high for teams to consider Jake Muzzin.
More on Muzzin, Brassard, Montreal, etc…
Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic: The Jake Muzzin asking price continues to evolve. It’s still a first round pick and at least a top prospect. Muzzin makes just $4 million this season and next season. Most teams expect to wait but Los Angeles may not budge too much at this point.
Then there is Derick Brassard of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Several teams communicated interest for the forward who is on an expiring contract. Brassard’s cap hit comes in at just $3 million due to the salary retention from Vegas. The forward can list up to eight teams on his modified no-trade list. Would Winnipeg be a destination? Columbus looked into the possibility but would Pittsburgh move him to a potential first-round opponent? That sounds like a not so smart idea. The cost would have to be exorbitant to move Derick Brassard.
Montreal appears to be neither a buyer or seller this trade deadline. Montreal hops in only if a trade makes sense but remember Montreal has $9.3 million in cap space. That translates to $43.3 million deadline cap space. Their positioning helps them if a team should be too close to the cap. Would they pull the trigger on a deal? Hey, it worked when Montreal dealt for Joel Armia so Winnipeg could get out of Steve Mason‘s contract.