NHL Rumors: Sharks, Kings, Blackhawks, Panthers and Maple Leafs

Five San Jose Sharks trade candidates

Sheng Peng of NBC Sports Bay Area: A look at five San Jose Sharks players who could be traded before the March 3rd NHL trade deadline.

Timo Meier – IF the Sharks decide to make him available, he could bring back the biggest return of any NHL forward at the deadline. Pending RFA with a $6 million cap hit and is owed a $10 million qualifying offer. Could the Sharks get the same package for Meier as the Blackhawks did for Alex DeBrincat – first- (No. 7), second- (No. 39) and a 2024 third-round pick?

James Reimer – Pending UFA with a $2.25 million cap hit. The Sharks could hope for a second-round pick but will likely be less.

Alexander Barabanov – Has a year left at $2.5 million. A middle-six winger that is one-dimensional. A second-round pick at most.

Matt Nieto – Penalty-killing specialist that plays on the fourth line with an $850,000 cap hit.

Nico Sturm – Fourth liner with two more seasons left on his deal at a $2 million cap hit.

Kings linked to Chychrun, and notes on Kane, Karlsson and the Maple Leafs

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet: The Los Angeles Kings have a surplus of right-handed defensemen and at some point, they are going to need to address this and create room for Jordan Spence. They’ve been looking at the market for left-handed defensemen and have been linked to Arizona Coyotes Jakob Chychrun.

There are more talk about teams that can’t make a Patrick Kane or Jonathan Toews deal than teams that can.

Believed that Kane wouldn’t mind taking a run at Stan Mikita‘s games played, assists and points Chicago Blackhawks records, maybe finishing off the season before going to the open market. Sources shot that down. There have been no contract extension talks.

Believe the Florida Panthers would have an interest in Erik Karlsson.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will save any assets for blue line help. Adding a left-handed scoring forward might be nice but that may wait and be offered to Matthew Knies if he wants to leave school at the end of their season.