Trade speculation involving Max Pacioretty has picked up and there several teams that may be interested
Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Trade talk is starting to pick up around the league again and teams are having preliminary discussions. There has also been some recent talk of potentially having compliance buyouts at some point.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are involved in trade talk and multiple sources have said one of the players they are interested in is Vegas Golden Knights left winger Max Pacioretty. A team source said yesterday afternoon that GM Jim Rutherford circled back on Pacioretty and is waiting to hear back from Vegas.
Pacioretty has three years left at $7 million per season. The Penguins don’t have much salary cap space ($1.3 million) and already have a full complement of left wingers, but it does make some to explore.
Jimmy Murphy of Boston Hockey Now: Trade and free agent talks have picked back up. Max Pacioretty’s name is back in the rumor mill.
Joe Haggerty notes that if would make sense for the Boston Bruins to be interested in Pacioretty. PHN reports the Penguins circling back – they were interested back at the 2018 NHL draft.
Two sources have confirmed that the Los Angeles Kings checked in on Pacioretty, with one saying:
“Definitely interested in finishing the deal they thought they had two years ago at the draft.”
When the Kings and Canadiens were talking trade at the 2018 draft, the Kings would only do the deal if a contract extension was agreed on. The deal would have involved the Kings 20th overall pick.
The Golden Knights may have to add a high pick to shed Pacioretty’s salary.
“Yes. There have been numerous talks and different scenarios thrown around,” another source told BHN and VHN. “This is definitely going to cost the Knights a first round pick too. …maybe even a future second.”
The sourced added.
“I don’t know if the Kings decide to just stay the course here because they’re coming, you know that,” the source went on. “Does that pick really help their maturation to the progression path they’re on? The Kings are looking to start to contend for the playoffs two, three years for real. We’ll see.”
Among the other teams that could be interested include the New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, Buffalo Sabres, Florida Panthers, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Winnipeg Jets.
Joe Haggerty of Boston Hockey Now: The Vegas Golden Knights are over the cap ceiling, are in need of moving some salary and they may have to look at trading Max Pacioretty, Jonathan Marchessault or Marc-Andre Fleury.
If the Bruins were interested, they would likely have to include Jake DeBrusk (for salary purpuses), a defensive prospect like Urho Vaakanainen, and maybe a draft pick.
Adding someone like Pacioretty would give the Bruins another impactful top-six forward and allow them to compete for another couple of seasons.