Zach Hyman Pricing Himself Out of Toronto
David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period: If Zach Hyman keeps scoring, he is going to make Toronto’s job harder to retain him. His AAV projects to be around $4-$5 million, which is something the Maple Leafs cannot afford. That is the thought process anyway.
Weighing intangibles will be vital for Kyle Dubas and Sheldon Keefe to consider. It is not easy to just plug and play when tinkering with chemistry. One wrong move can torpedo an entire team. Does Toronto retain Hyman then go cheaper somewhere else — let’s say in goal? That exists as a possibility too.
Ben Chiarot Injury Has Impact For Montreal?
Arpon Basu of The Athletic: With Ben Chiarot out 6-8 weeks due to hand surgery, does Montreal need to make an extra move? This is Chiarot’s right hand and not left so he may be able to play sooner. He will be placed on the LTIR which means little at this point. March 30th does add a small bonus to the cap room but not significant enough to give Marc Bergevin much breathing room.
The likely scenario is that Montreal goes bargain shopping around the trade deadline. One of the arguments is that the Canadiens may be able to tinker with the roster and even stand pat on defense. A depth move just remains more practical.
Don Sweeney Pulling The Trigger Sooner Rather Than Later?
Jimmy Murphy of Boston Hockey NOW: Boston is still a bit of a shaky mess, even with the win against Pittsburgh on Tuesday night. With Boston struggling defensively and at times everywhere else, the time may be now for Don Sweeney. Pulling off a trade in the next week or so may save on trade costs as opposed to near the trade deadline.
There is the quarantine period to consider also. Does Sweeney dangle Jake DeBrusk in the hopes of landing some bigger pieces? It is something that just will not go away. Boston is in win-now mode and the Bruins have several deficiencies that need addressing. Which bandaids will Sweeney apply here? That is the question.