Musings on trade rumors and draft from Vegas
Chris Johnson of Sportsnet: The one thing clear about the San Jose Sharks is this – San Jose sets itself up to pursue free agents after the Mike Hoffman trade.
Also, Ottawa will pick fourth on Friday which means their 2019 first round pick belongs to Colorado. The big question is can Erik Karlsson be traded before the draft? An extension needs to be executed not too soon after a trade. Until then, stay tuned.
As for Montreal, Marc Bergevin may have to go the trade route. This is because of no obvious free agent solution. Ryan O’Reilly garners consideration also, but it is all about finding the right package. These are often deals that do not get done until Friday.
Wayne Simmonds carries some interest as far as speculation from Philadelphia. What would he fetch? Simmonds has one year left on his deal.
Phil Kessel rumors rising is not a surprise. It could happen but does not have to. Demand is there and a slight chance of Kessel being traded.
Time is on the Rangers’ side? Yes it is.
Darren Dreger on TSN believes the New York Rangers must be patient. It is clear that Jeff Gorton wants to internally examine the organization. This means no fishing for big-ticket free agents like John Tavares, etc. Henrik Lundqvist expects to be dismayed by this news but New York is committed to a more gradual retooling.
There is word from Kay Whitmore that movement has been gained on chest protectors. The interesting wrinkle exists with goaltenders that could still stuff pads or their underwear to gain an advantage. A template should be ready for the summer so goalies can prepare for the season
More Montreal, Ottawa, and yes Tavares
Darren Dreger and Craig Button on TSN: For Montreal, a Max Pacioretty deal is not automatic. The more important part may be to keep the number three pick and draft a center. This is especially true if a Ryan O’Reilly deal cannot be worked out. Marc Bergevin must figure out what he wants to do and quickly.
Then, there is Ottawa. The clock is ticking even faster for Pierre Dorion. Trading Erik Karlsson after July 1st or in season dramatically lowers the return. Teams with an almost $80 million cap will still spend. General managers talking on Thursday afternoon will only speed up the rumor process.
As for John Tavares, it looks like he may go into the interview period but talks are ongoing.