Scouting the Blues and Devils
Jim Thomas: Scouts listed to attend Thursday night’s game St. Louis Blues and New Jersey Devils include the Anaheim Ducks (2), Edmonton Oilers (2), Tampa Bay Lightning (2), Seattle Kraken, Boston Bruins, Arizona Coyotes, Nashville Predators, Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Philadelphia Flyers, Ottawa Senators, Colorado Avalanche (GM Chris MacFarland), and the Winnipeg Jets.
Penguins could use third-line help and maybe a defenseman
Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Pittsburgh Penguins GM Ron Hextall seems to have his eye on improving their third line at the deadline.
What about the blue line? Elliotte Friedman mentioned if they do add someone, Anaheim Ducks defenseman Dmitry Kulikov would make sense. He’s a pending UFA with a $2.25 million cap hit.
The Penguins be trade chips could be defensemen Pierre-Olivier Joseph and Ty Smith.
Winger Brock McGinn has two years left at $2.75 million, but could he be moved for someone with more offense?
Keep an eye on the Winnipeg Jets and Timo Meier
Nick Kypreos of the Toronto Star: One NHL executive said to keep an eye on Timo Meier and the Winnipeg Jets. The New Jersey Devils and Carolina Hurricanes are more heavily linked to Meier.
Forwards Blake Wheeler and Mark Schefiele will be UFAs after next season. Forward Pierre-Luc Dubois is wanting out of Winnipeg. The Jets would have the cap space to re-sign Meier to a long-term extension.
A trade could cost them Cole Perfetti.
Teams aren’t lining up for Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews
Nick Kypreos of the Toronto Star: With concerns of salaries, health, performance and their motivation, the list of teams lining up for Chicago Blackhawks Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews is limited.
Would bet that Kane shuts it down for the season and focuses on getting healthy for next season.
Teams need the Canucks to retain on Brock Boeser
Nick Kypreos of the Toronto Star: If the Vancouver Canucks were to retain 20 to 25 percent of Brock Boeser’s $6.65 million contract teams like the Minnesota Wild, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs (before the O’Reilly, Acciari trade) and New Jersey Devils.