ESPN: Greg Wyshynski and Emily Kaplan last week talking about what NHL players could be on the move.
(video posted before Penguins GM Jim Rutherford resigned)
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Kaplan:
“Now there is a player on a Canadian team that I could see moving and that is Travis Dermott. He’s on the Toronto Maple Leafs. They’ve got a logjam on D. He’s on very cheap contract and if looking for a landing spot for him, I’m circling the Pittsburgh Penguins. We know GM Jim Rutherford loves to make moves. He loves to make them earlier than everyone else and they’re already down two defensemen in Matheson and Riikola. So that’s a move I could see happening,
Another team I would watch in the Columbus Blue Jackets again. They’ve got two very good goalies, which GM Jarmo Kekalainen knows is a luxury, and that’s Elvis Merzlikins and Joonas Korpisalo. Their contracts is both up in two years. I would be surprised if both of them are on the team until then. Any team that goes down a goalie to injury, isn’t pleased with their goaltending performance, I know the first call they are going to make is to Jarmo.”
Wyshynski:
“Yeah, they’ve got another good prospect in the system, and you also have to wonder about the Seattle expansion draft drama too with having to goalies like that on your roster under contract.
For me, I’m looking at teams that are maybe not going to be in the playoff hunt when all is said and done. I’m looking at my beloved New Jersey Devils. They play hard, not very good though. They’ve got three players that are going to be reaching unrestricted free agency that I have my eye on.
One, winger Kyle Palmieri who I think has a ton of value on the trade market. He’s 29, has an eight-team no-trade clause in his contract. Also, winger Nikita Gusev has an eight-team no-trade clause, he’s 28, explosive offensive winger. And then an old dog in center Travis Zajac. 35-years old, he’s got a full no-move, so he can be a party pooper when it comes to trades, but just the kind of guy you’d like to slot into the three spot in your center depth chart. A tremendously good player at his advanced age.
And also the Arizona Coyotes are a team that I think are a team is going to be looking to move assets because they want to amass as many draft picks as possible for the new general manager. Defenseman Alex Goligoski, 35-years old, eight-team no-trade clause. Name has been on the trade market for a while, one to watch definitely, and then Niklas Hjalmarsson, same deal. He’s 33-years old entering the last year of his contract. He’s got a full no-move clause, so a little tougher to deal there.”
