On the Tampa Bay Lightning, Mike Hoffman, and the Colorado Avalanche
Ryan S. Clark of The Athletic: One executive doesn’t know what the Tampa Bay Lightning would have done to get cap compliant if they weren’t able to put Nikita Kucherov on the LTIR.
“I think with Kucherov, if he was not hurt, I don’t know what they have for draft capital but they already put Johnson through waivers. I don’t know what they would have done. You’re scouring around the reserve lists and LTIR and you look at someone like Marian Hossa. He has a year left on his. I don’t know what they would have done.”
One executive said that if there was a contract for more than one year for Mike Hoffman, he would have taken it.
“The terms and dollars were not there. I think when Taylor Hall is taking a one-year deal, that is the economic reality of where things are with a flat cap. Even if there is not a cap, the owners are only going to spend so much.”
The Colorado Avalanche added defenseman Devon Toews this offseason. It’s possible he’s left unprotected for the Seattle Kraken expansion draft.
“The only thing about the Toews deal that could be a problem is you have to protect Erik Johnson with the expansion draft. Unless they get him to waive his no-movement clause and they may, but I doubt it. You have (Samuel) Girard and Makar to protect. You have to expose Toews and Ryan Graves as of right now. They are going to lose one of those guys unless they make a corresponding move like a trade or something with Seattle. That is the only thing about being so good with young players in a cycle.”
Trading won’t be easy this season
Sportsnet: Teams are a little unsure how in-season trading will pan out this season given the U.S. – Canada border restrictions and quarantine guidelines.
Ottawa Senators GM Pierre Dorion.
“It’s going to be very difficult to make trades with the 24 U.S.-based teams,” he said. “And then the other seven teams, you’re in competition in the same division. I think trades will be way more difficult.”
Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving on trying to make trades.
“It’s going to be different,” Flames GM Brad Treliving said. “If there’s a fit and you feel it helps your team get better, I’ve never been one to shy away from that.
“But that probably doesn’t help the trade market.”
Treliving added that deals may happen before the April 12th trade deadline because of potential quarantine time.
Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin.
“It was difficult to make trades in the past. It will be even more now because of COVID.”