Islanders could move Varlamov, Clutterbuck and Greene
The New York Islanders should be sellers at the trade deadline and listening to offers on goaltender Semyon Varlamov. Teams that could be looking for a goalie and potentially interested in Varlamov are the Washington Capitals, Edmonton Oilers, Minnesota Wild and Toronto Maple Leafs. Varlamov has another year left on his deal and a move would free up some cap space and make Ilya Sorokin their No. 1.
The Islanders might be able to get a third-round pick for pending UFA forward Cal Clutterbuck. 39-year old pending UFA defenseman Andy Greene could be moved as well.
Kubalik trying not to think about the trade deadline
Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports: Chicago Blackhawks Dominik Kubalik has had trouble scoring this season, something he’s not used to. Kubalik is 26 and a pending RFA with arbitration rights. His name could be coming up in the rumor mill with the trade deadline approaching and the Blackhawks looking to rebuild.
Kubalik should get some interest and knows his name could be out there.
“Everybody knows about it,” Kubalik said. “Social media things, there’s no way to get away. There’s the deadline, there’s different things in the world going on right now, so there’s things you can’t really get away from. But that’s what it is, that’s hockey. I’ve been through this my first two years, and sometimes it is about you, sometimes not, so you’ve got to live with that and try to keep it away from your mind.”
His value is low right now, so it may not be the time to move him. Maybe the sides could work out a short-term deal and maybe look at the trade route if he gets his game back on track.
“It’s not a thing I want to think about right now,” Kubalik said of his future. “I just want to focus on my game. There’s for sure some things I can do better on the ice. We’ll see what’s going to happen and if I’m going to fit in or what’s going to be the solution for me.”