The Los Angeles Kings remain interested in Jakob Chychrun
Nick Kypreos of the Toronto Star: The Los Angeles Kings are interested in Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun and are willing to include defenseman Matt Roy ($3.125 million) in the deal to help get it done.
The Kings aren’t the only ones interested.
NHL Rumors: Reimer, Meier, Chychrun, and Kane
The Nashville Predators will likely have to make some moves
Alex Daugherty: After re-signing forward Cole Smith to a one-way contract for next season, the Nashville Predators will have some decisions to make for next year and at the trade deadline.
The Predators have eight pending RFAs and UFAs and just under $11.9 million in projected cap space for next season.
Alex Daugherty: This would leave one to believe that somebody is going to get traded before the March 3rd trade deadline.
Defenseman Dante Fabbro seems like the obvious option. Defenseman Alexandre Carrier is currently injured at the moment so they may not want to move Fabbro just yet. Carrier is progressing and getting closer to returning to the lineup.
RFA forward Tanner Jeannot has lost trade value this season, with RFA forward Thomas Novak gaining value.
The St. Louis Blues will have some decisions to make with their pending UFAs
Ken Wiebe of Sportsnet: It’s not looking good for the St. Louis Blues in getting back into a playoff spot. Blues GM Doug Armstrong will have some decisions to make with a large group of pending UFAs which includes Ryan O’Reilly, Vladimir Tarasenko, Ivan Barbashev, Noel Acciari, Tyler Pitlick, Josh Leivo, Niko Mikkola and Thomas Greiss. Some could be extended but many could be traded.
Some teams will have trouble adding Tarasenko’s and O’Reilly’s $7.5 million cap given how many teams are tight to the cap or are using LTIR.
NHL Rumors: Trade options for the Avs, and trade candidates for the Blues
Barbashev is coming off a career year with 26 goals and 60 points. He plays a two-way game at a $2.25 million cap hit. There should be a bidding war for him. Acciari can play up and down the lineup and comes in a $1.25 million. Greiss at $1.25 million could be a depth option for someone.
Would GM Armstrong consider trading one of his core players that have term left? Defenseman Colton Parayko is under contract through 2029-30 at $6.5 million and forward Pavel Buchnevich is at $5.8 million through 2024-25.