Quick hits on Patrick Kane, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, and the Ottawa Senators
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet: The Florida Panthers didn’t have the cap room to offer Patrick Kane as much as the Detroit Red Wings were able to. The Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights were all in, with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Dallas Stars need help elsewhere.
The Maple Leafs have three injured defensemen – Timothy Liljegren, Mark Giordano and John Klingberg. Will they decide to give up key assets for rental players?
The Vancouver Canucks are looking for help on the blue line and have some cap room after trading Anthony Beauvillier. They’ve been linked to Ethan Bear but he won’t be ready until around Christmas. Conor Garland talk has slowed down as he’s been playing well.
If Jack Campbell has a good weekend in the AHL, the Edmonton Oilers could recall him.
Don’t think the Ottawa Senators will interested in trading defenseman Thomas Chabot.
Options for the Ottawa Senators to gain some salary cap space
Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun: The Ottawa Senators will need to make some salary cap moves to activate Thomas Chabot and his $8 million salary cap hit from the LTIR. They’ll need to clear $1.55 million in space.
The Senators could place Mark Kastelic or Ridly Greig on the LTIR. Both players are out with high-ankle sprains retroactive to November 3rd and would give the Sens about $148,000 in cap space. Both would be eligible to come off the LTIR on Tuesday. Greig is skating and could be ready this weekend.
Moving Kastelic to the LTIR and sending either Zack MacEwen or Matthew Highmore to the AHL would give them even more cap room.
If the Senators wanted to send Jacob Bernard-Docker to the AHL, he’d need to go through waivers and would likely be claimed.
Shane Pinto‘s suspension ends on January 21st. The Senators still need to sign him, and make a corresponding cap move, but they don’t have to worry about those until mid-January.
There are some teams that have kicked tires on forward Dominik Kubalik, who’s a free agent on July 1st. He carries a $2.5 million cap hit and maybe the Senators could get a draft pick for him.
The Washington Capitals are one team looking for some forward help but they are battling a playoff spot and the Sens may not want to help them.