Arizona Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong said the right deal never materialized for star defenseman Jakob Chychrun before the trade deadline."(The) pieces just weren't there," Armstrong said, according to PHNX Sports' Craig Morgan.Chychrun was one of the biggest names said to be available leading up to Monday's trade frenzy. Several teams reportedly expressed interest, including the Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, and Los Angeles Kings.The 23-year-old is a strong two-way blue-liner under contract for $4.6 million per season until 2025. Arizona reportedly sought a massive return for Chychrun, who is currently injured but has 21 points in 47 games this season.While the Coyotes didn't move their big fish, they did make some notable trades. Arizona shipped Johan Larsson to the Washington Capitals for a third-round pick in 2023 and acquired prospect Jack McBain from the Minnesota Wild for a 2022 second-rounder.Armstrong also opted against dealing Phil Kessel, a pending unrestricted free agent. The second-year general manager said the forward's $6.8 million cap hit was too big of a hurdle to facilitate a deal.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Anaheim Ducks traded forward Rickard Rakell to the Pittsburgh Penguins for forwards Zach Aston-Reese and Dominik Simon, a 2022 second-round pick, and goalie prospect Calle Clang, both teams announced Monday.Rakell is a pending unrestricted free agent whose contract carries a cap hit of approximately $3.8 million, according to CapFriendly.The Ducks will retain 35% of Rakell's salary.The 28-year-old has 16 goals and 12 assists in 51 games this season. He had spent his entire 10-year career with Anaheim. The club drafted him 30th overall in 2011.Rakell has dealt with numerous injuries in his career and has been streaky when healthy. He posted eight goals and two assists over a 12-game span from late January to early March this year, but failed to score in the 21 contests before that.The Ducks traded all three of their biggest pending UFAs - defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Josh Manson were also dealt - before the 2021-22 trade deadline. Anaheim general manager Pat Verbeek previously said he wasn't going to let them "walk out the door (for) free."Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens are trading defenseman Brett Kulak to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for defenseman William Lagesson, a conditional 2022 second-round pick, and a 2024 seventh-round pick, the teams announced.Kulak, 28, carries a $1.85-million cap hit and is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the season. The left-handed blue-liner has three goals and eight assists in 56 games in 2021-22.Lagesson, 26, will be a restricted free agent this summer. He has four assists in 30 NHL games this season and two helpers in 11 AHL contests.The Oilers' 2022 second-round pick is conditionally tied to the Chicago Blackhawks after Edmonton traded for Duncan Keith. If Edmonton's second-round pick in 2022 goes to Chicago, then Montreal will receive Edmonton's second-round pick in 2023.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators sent forward Zach Sanford to the Winnipeg Jets for a 2022 fifth-round pick, the team announced Monday.Sanford registered nine goals and eight assists over 62 games with the Senators this season. Ottawa acquired him in a trade with the St. Louis Blues in September.The 27-year-old spent the previous four campaigns with the Blues after beginning his career with the Washington Capitals, with whom he spent only his rookie year.The Capitals drafted him 61st overall in 2013.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets dealt forward Bryan Little's contract and the rights to unsigned college forward Nathan Smith to the Arizona Coyotes for a fourth-round pick, the team announced.Little is on long-term injured reserve and hasn't played since 2019-20 due to a perforated eardrum. He took a slap shot to the head during a game in November 2019.Despite his lengthy absence, the 34-year-old is still under contract through 2023-24 at a cap hit of approximately $5.3 million, according to CapFriendly.Smith reportedly didn't plan to sign with the Jets. The 23-year-old is in his junior year at Minnesota State-Mankato, and he's eligible to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Smith has collected 18 goals and 31 assists over 34 games with the Mavericks this season.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets traded versatile forward Andrew Copp and a 2023 sixth-round pick to the New York Rangers in exchange for a pair of conditional second-rounders, a 2023 fifth-round pick, and prospect Morgan Barron, the team announced Monday.The one second-round pick becomes a first-rounder if the Rangers make it to the Eastern Conference Final and Copp plays 50% of the games. The other second-rounder will either be the 2022 second-round pick that originally belonged to the St. Louis Blues or the Rangers' own second-round pick in 2023 - it's Winnipeg's choice.Copp recorded 13 goals and 22 assists in 56 games while averaging 19:48 of ice time per contest for the Jets this season. He's played center and wing and excels on both the power play and penalty kill.

The Colorado Avalanche are loading up for a potential Stanley Cup run.Colorado has acquired winger Andrew Cogliano from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a 2024 fifth-round pick, the teams announced.Cogliano has four goals and 11 assists in 56 games this season while averaging 13:12 of ice time per contest. The 34-year-old doesn't possess the scoring touch he once had, but he's still a reliable, speedy checker.The 15-year veteran carries a $1-million cap hit and will be an unrestricted free agent at season's end.Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic has been busy in the lead-up to the trade deadline, acquiring defenseman Josh Manson and winger Artturi Lehkonen in addition to Cogliano.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes signed forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi to an eight-year extension with an average annual value of $4.82 million, the team announced Monday.Kotkaniemi has 23 points in his first 59 games with the Hurricanes. His 11 goals this season match the career high he set in 79 games during the 2018-19 campaign."Jesperi has shown us just how high his ceiling can be through his skill and work ethic and that he is a great fit with our young core," Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said. "He is still just 21 years old, and we are confident his role in our organization will continue to expand in the years to come."The Montreal Canadiens drafted Kotkaniemi third overall in 2018. Carolina tendered an offer sheet to acquire his services in the offseason, and the Canadiens failed to match it, so the Finnish product joined the Hurricanes on a one-year, $6.1 million contract.Montreal received first- and third-round draft picks from Carolina as compensation.The offer sheet also included a $20 signing bonus, making a sly reference to the Habs' 2019 offer sheet for Hurricanes star Sebastian Aho. Aho wears No. 20.Kotkaniemi could've technically received a $6.1-million qualifying offer this offseason as a pending restricted free agent, but both sides have agreed his play hasn't reached that level and the offer sheet was just a way of acquiring the player, according to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.The young center has 33 goals and 52 assists in 230 career NHL games.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Coyotes have traded forward Johan Larsson to the Washington Capitals in exchange for a 2023 third-round pick, the team announced Monday.The Coyotes are retaining 50% of Larsson's $1.4 million cap hit.Larsson has missed 19 games after undergoing sports hernia surgery in early February. The team originally projected he would miss eight weeks with the injury, so he could rejoin the Capitals soon.The 29-year-old had six goals and nine assists in 29 games with the Coyotes this season. Larsson's scored 52 goals and has added 74 assists in 474 career games.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins signed forward Jake DeBrusk to a two-year contract extension that carries an average annual value of $4 million, the team announced Monday.Despite the extension, DeBrusk didn't rescind his trade request from earlier this season, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun. However, the Bruins ultimately didn't move him ahead of Monday's trade deadline.The 25-year-old was set to become a restricted free agent this offseason and would have been eligible to sign a $4.41-million qualifying offer. The qualifying offer reportedly worried teams inquiring about DeBrusk.DeBrusk has 15 goals and 11 assists in 57 contests this season. He collected 85 points over 138 games across a promising first two campaigns with the Bruins, but his play and role with the team have diminished over the past few years. Boston selected him with the 14th overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks traded forward Ryan Carpenter to the Calgary Flames in exchange for a 2024 fifth-round pick, reports Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.Carpenter, 31, has three goals and eight assists in 59 contests this season. In 300 career games, he's collected 26 goals and 68 points.The Flames already made two big additions ahead of the deadline by bringing in Tyler Toffoli and Calle Jarnkrok to bolster their forward group. Carpenter figures to play on the team's fourth line or serve as insurance depth as the season winds down.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Live, quick-hit analysis of big-league trades completed Monday, March 21.Blues pick up LeddySt. Louis acquires: D Nick Leddy, D Luke Witkowski

The Detroit Red Wings traded defensemen Nick Leddy and Luke Witkowski to the St. Louis Blues for forward Oskar Sundqvist, blue-liner Jake Walman, and a 2023 second-round pick, the team announced Monday.Leddy recorded 16 points in 55 games with the Red Wings this season while averaging 21:33 of ice time per contest. He excels at skating and moving the puck, but his underlying numbers over the last three years aren't particularly promising: Evolving-Hockey.comThe 30-year-old has skated in 831 games across 12 NHL seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Islanders, and Detroit, tallying 352 points. He'll bring championship pedigree to the Blues, having won a Stanley Cup with Chicago back in 2013.Leddy is in the final year of his contract with a cap hit of $5.5 million.He fills a need on the left side of St. Louis' blue line and could even play alongside Colton Parayko on the top pair. Here's how the Blues' defense corps projects following the deal:LDRDNick LeddyColton ParaykoTorey KrugJustin FaulkMarco ScandellaRobert BortuzzoSundqvist, 27, has four goals and 11 assists in 41 games in a bottom-six role this season. He averaged 16 goals per 82 games in 2018-19 and 2019-20 but seems to have lost his scoring touch since then. The 6-foot-3, 209-pounder provides size and versatility, as he can play center and wing. He's signed through 2022-23 at a $2.75-million cap hit.Walman, 26, has tallied four goals and four assists in 57 career NHL games across three seasons - all with the Blues. He carries a $725,000 cap hit and will be a restricted free agent at season's end.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators dealt defenseman Josh Brown and a 2022 conditional seventh-round pick to the Boston Bruins in exchange for forward Zach Senyshyn and a fifth-round selection in this year's draft, the Senators announced Monday.Brown played on Ottawa's third pairing. He collected six points - all assists - while averaging 13:59 of ice time over 46 contests this season. He was in his second campaign with the Senators after playing his first two with the Florida Panthers.The 28-year-old is a pending unrestricted free agent whose contract carries a $1.2-million cap hit, according to CapFriendly.Senyshyn has some NHL experience but didn't suit up for Boston this season. The winger, who'll turn 25 on March 30, produced 19 goals and 12 assists over 51 games with the club's AHL affiliate in Providence in 2021-22.He appeared in 14 games with the NHL squad over the previous three seasons, notching one goal and two assists. The Bruins selected him 15th overall in the 2015 draft immediately after selecting Jakub Zboril and Jake DeBrusk with the two prior picks while future stars Mathew Barzal and Kyle Connor were still on the board.Senyshyn is a pending UFA with a $750,000 cap hit.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens have traded forward Artturi Lehkonen to the Colorado Avalanche for a 2024 second-round pick and prospect Justin Barron, the teams announced Monday.The Canadiens will retain 50% of Lehkonen's $2.3-million salary, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Lehkonen, 26, is a pending restricted free agent. He's notched 29 points in 58 games this season and is a highly effective two-way player.

The New York Rangers added veteran blue-liner Justin Braun from the Philadelphia Flyers for a 2023 third-round pick, the teams announced Monday.Braun, a pending unrestricted free agent, was widely expected to be dealt.The 35-year-old has spent the past three seasons with the Flyers. Braun's notched 16 points, 114 blocks, and 79 hits while averaging over 20 minutes of ice time per night across 61 games in 2021-22.Prior to landing in Philly, Braun played nine campaigns with the San Jose Sharks.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have traded blue-liner Alex Biega to the Nashville Predators for future considerations, the team announced Monday.Biega, a right-shot defenseman, has played just two games with the Maple Leafs this season. He's spent most of the campaign with the AHL's Toronto Marlies, logging seven points in 31 contests.The 33-year-old has skated in 243 career NHL games with the Vancouver Canucks, Detroit Red Wings, and Maple Leafs, tallying four goals and 38 assists.Biega carries a cap hit of $750,000 and will be an unrestricted free agent at season's end.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Wild dealt goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen and a fifth-round draft pick in this year's draft to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenseman Jacob Middleton, the Sharks announced Monday.The Wild landed Marc-Andre Fleury from the Chicago Blackhawks shortly beforehand.Kahkonen, who was Cam Talbot's backup, is 12-8-3 with a .910 save percentage over 25 games in 2021-22. The Finnish netminder is an arbitration-eligible pending restricted free agent whose contract carries a $725,000 cap hit, according to CapFriendly.The 25-year-old is in his third NHL season, all of which he spent with the Wild, who drafted him 109th overall in 2014.Middleton is a capable defensive defenseman who's produced nine points while averaging 19:03 of ice time across 45 contests during this campaign. The 26-year-old is also an arbitration-eligible pending RFA with a cap hit identical to Kahkonen's.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks are trading veteran netminder Marc-Andre Fleury to the Minnesota Wild for a conditional second-round pick, the teams announced Monday.If Minnesota reaches the Western Conference Final and Fleury wins a minimum of four games in the opening two rounds, the Blackhawks will get the Wild's 2022 first-round pick. If neither condition is met, Chicago receives a second-rounder in this year's draft.Chicago will retain 50% of Fleury's salary in the deal.Fleury, 37, is a pending unrestricted free agent. His deal, signed with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2018, featured a 10-team no-trade clause.The reigning Vezina Trophy winner was dealt from the Vegas Golden Knights to the Blackhawks in a stunning trade last offseason. By joining the Wild, Fleury will now have a chance to compete for his fourth Stanley Cup.Fleury is 19-21-5 in 2021-22 with a .908 save percentage and minus-1.2 goals saved above average. He'll tandem with the incumbent Cam Talbot - who's posted a .907 save percentage on the year - down the stretch run and into the postseason.The Wild also dealt goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen to the San Jose Sharks on Monday. He appeared in 25 games for the club this season.Fleury is third on the NHL's all-time wins list with 511 and has appeared in 162 playoff games over his 18-year career.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers made pre-trade deadline headlines when they dealt Claude Giroux to the Florida Panthers this past Saturday. This created what I would call a "two-way tweak" to the win probability for the Flyers' game against the New York Islanders on Sunday afternoon.The Islanders playing on the second of back-to-back days creates a drop in their win probability, as it does for any team in that spot. That amounts to about a 5% dip.Going the opposite way, Philadelphia traded its captain! The more quantifiable issue is the Flyers are now without one of their best players. The second issue is a matter of morale. How much less likely are they to win based on how the dressing room feels about Giroux's departure, and how will it affect their play in the immediacy?Giroux was held off the scoresheet and recorded a minus-one in 17:47 of ice time in a 5-4 road win against the Nashville Predators on March 17. Philadelphia then held Giroux out of the lineup for the following night's 3-1 loss in Ottawa against the Senators.Lined at 92.5 points before the season, the Flyers have disappointed this campaign, which is why they made Giroux available. It's also made them difficult to rate with such relatively optimistic priors. However, if you've consulted our weekly guide in this space, you'll have seen that Philadelphia has shown value as big underdogs but has been largely rated accurately in recent games against the Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens, and the March 18 contest against the Senators.Our collective antennae should have gone up when oddsmakers priced the Flyers just shy of +150 at home to the presumably tired Islanders on Sunday - in a game we would have lined Philly as slight favorites with Giroux playing.The Flyers could be had for +140 on the moneyline. That's reflective of a team with a 41.7% chance to win the contest. That's considerably lower than the 53.9% chance we'd give them with Giroux in the lineup, even after accounting for a sportsbook's vig.As an informed bettor in that situation, you have to decide whether Giroux is worth a double-digit percent downgrade. As a frame of reference, oddsmakers dropped the Maple Leafs' win probability by no more than 10% in the two games last week in which the MVP-favorite Auston Matthews was out due to suspension.Believing Philadelphia's moneyline of +140 was an over-adjustment after trading Giroux would have landed you a valuable bet and a winning ticket with the Flyers edging the Isles 2-1.The recipeBefore the 2021-22 campaign, we devised a three-part series on how to use the regular-season point-total market to create team ratings, how to interpret home-ice advantage, and then how to use those to create your own moneylines.We made a small adjustment to our formula a couple of weeks ago, moving this season's on-ice predictive metrics to 75% of our total rating. While our ratings are weighted to this season, basing 25% of the ratings on preseason "priors" allows us to emphasize team metrics without going all-in on what's happened this campaign. That's important because this season is still a relatively small sample size that includes some tainted results from when COVID-19 ravaged lineups.The stabilization of rosters at the All-Star break has meant that underdogs, or favorites that aren't favored by enough, are now priced that way due to less quantifiable reasons, like public perception or short-term variance.The cheat sheetWhat follows is my fair price on the matchups (true moneyline) and the moneyline price I would need to bet either side. I just need a 1% edge for a favorite if we're getting better than a fair price on the team more likely to win. For the underdog, I'll need 4% or better to make it a bet. On games I've projected to be a near coin flip, a 2.5% edge is enough to make it a worthwhile wager. I also have a 5% win probability consideration for a side playing in the second game of a back-to-back with travel and 3% for without travel.DATEGAMETRUE MLPRICE TO BETMarch 21BOS@MTL-140/+140BOS -135/MTL +166VGK@MIN+112/-112VGK +132/MIN -108EDM@COL+110/-110EDM +122/COL +101NSH@ANA-114/+114NSH -109/ANA +134March 22STL@WSH+107/-107STL +118/WSH +104CBJ@PIT+157/-157CBJ +187/PIT -151NYR@NJD+111/-111NYR +130/NJD -106TBL@CAR+102/-102TBL +112/CAR +109PHI@DET+115/-115PHI +135/DET -110OTT@NYI+168/-168OTT +200/NYI -161VGK@WPG+100/+100VGK +111/WPG +110EDM@DAL+118/-118EDM +139/DAL -113SJS@CGY+160/-160SJS +190/CGY -153SEA@ARI-102/+102SEA +108/ARI +113NSH@LAK+137/-137NSH +162/LAK -131March 23NJD@TOR+172/-172NJD +205/TOR -164PIT@BUF+103/-103PIT +114/BUF +107VAN@COL+163/-163VAN +194/COL -156CHI@ANA+110/-110CHI +129/ANA -106March 24TBL@BOS+111/-111TBL +130/BOS -106FLA@MTL-177/+177FLA -169/MTL +211DAL@CAR+114/-114DAL +134/CAR -109DET@NYI+155/-155DET +184/NYI -149PHI@STL+148/-148PHI +175/STL -142VAN@MIN+168/-168VAN +200/MIN -161OTT@WPG+151/-151OTT +179/WPG -145SJS@EDM+175/-175SJS +209/EDM -168CHI@LAK+173/-173CHI +206/LAK -165NSH@VGK+124/-124NSH +146/VGK -119Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Seattle Kraken traded forward Marcus Johansson to the Washington Capitals in exchange for forward Daniel Sprong, a 2022 fourth-round draft pick, and a 2023 sixth-round draft pick, the team announced.The Kraken retained 50% of Johansson's $1.5 million contract for the remainder of the season.Washington originally drafted Johansson in 2009, and he was a member of the team for seven seasons from 2010-17. He's collected 141 goals and 260 assists in 735 games throughout his career.The 31-year-old signed his one-year deal with the Kraken in free agency during the summer. He has six goals and 17 assists in 51 games this campaign.Sprong, 25, has spent the past two seasons with the Capitals. He's scored 40 goals and managed 24 assists in 186 career games. The Pittsburgh Penguins originally selected Sprong in the second round of the 2015 NHL Draft.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The lead-up to this year's NHL trade deadline is shaping up to be one of the most exciting in years, with no shortage of star power potentially on the block ahead of March 21.Vancouver Canucks forward J.T. Miller was originally expected to be one of the best players available, but it now appears the team is reluctant to trade him.We took both talent and likelihood of being traded into account when determining the list. With that in mind, here are our top players who could be sent packing before the deadline:1. Jakob ChychrunPositionAgeContract StatusCap HitDefenseman23Signed through 2024-25$4.6MChychrun has been one of the biggest names in the rumor mill for weeks now. That may change with Monday's revelation that the Arizona Coyotes blue-liner will miss two-to-four weeks due to injury. However, he's signed for another three seasons after this one, so his current absence may not significantly affect his trade value.The left-shot blue-liner, who'll turn 24 on March 31, is having a down season production-wise, but don't be fooled by his point total for the moribund Coyotes. The potential best rearguard available would still be a major acquisition for the stretch run and beyond considering he hasn't even entered his prime yet.2. Alexandar GeorgievPositionAgeContract StatusCap HitGoaltender26Pending RFA$2.425MThis isn't Georgiev's first rodeo on the trade block for the New York Rangers. The career backup isn't going to get regular starts given the way Hart Trophy candidate Igor Shesterkin's been playing. The club would be better served with a more weathered No. 2 netminder, and Georgiev deserves a chance to carve out more crease time with another squad.3. Jake DeBrusk Ronald Martinez / Getty Images Sport / GettyPositionAgeContract StatusCap HitForward25Pending RFA$3.675MDeBrusk wasn't initially the most talented forward on the market, but the Boston Bruins winger remains one of the most likely to be dealt considering he's been on the block for months.His agent said in November he asked for a trade. Then in early March, it was reported they informed teams of their willingness to work on an extension to facilitate a swap. The Edmonton-born forward has been playing on the Bruins' top line and Boston could be showcasing him. Regardless, he's produced at an impressive clip.4. Andrew CoppPositionAgeContract StatusCap HitForward27Pending UFA$3.64MCopp is one of the more intriguing players available. The American can play on the wing or down the middle. Copp has clicked with a variety of linemates for the Winnipeg Jets and is on pace for a career season points-wise.5. Justin BraunPositionAgeContract StatusCap HitDefenseman35Pending UFA$1.8MThe Philadelphia Flyers are clearly looking to deal Braun after sending Claude Giroux to the Florida Panthers. Considering Braun's extremely team-friendly cap hit, expiring contract, and sound defensive game, it's no wonder the club is holding him out of Sunday's game as a precaution.6. Artturi LehkonenPositionAgeContract StatusCap HitForward26Pending RFA$2.3MLehkonen is one of many Montreal Canadiens players generating interest. He's not a pending UFA, but he will be 27 this summer, so the solid two-way forward may not factor into the club's long-term plans. Lehkonen's underlying numbers are more than favorable this season, which is impressive considering how poor his team played until its February head coaching change.7. Rickard RakellPositionAgeContract StatusCap HitForward28Pending UFA$3.789MThe Anaheim Ducks have already shipped out Josh Manson and Hampus Lindholm, and Rakell remains a significant potential target for contenders. He's a streaky player whose production has declined since he topped 30 goals in 2016-17 and 2017-18, but the Swede can score for stretches.8. Max Domi Ben Jackson / National Hockey League / GettyPositionAgeContract StatusCap HitForward27Pending UFA$5.3MThe Columbus Blue Jackets are well back of fourth place in their division, so it's looking more likely they'll be sellers. Patrik Laine has been on fire for a prolonged stretch, is a pending RFA, and is soon to be just 24 years old. As a result, Domi is a far more likely candidate to be moved. Teams in need of a center with some experience who can also play the wing may view him as an option.9. John KlingbergPositionAgeContract StatusCap HitDefenseman29Pending UFA$4.25MThere's been radio silence regarding a contract extension for Klingberg, but the Dallas Stars now seem slightly more likely to keep him with blue-liner Miro Heiskanen out indefinitely with mononucleosis. Either way, Klingberg is a pending UFA; the Stars need to extend him, trade him, or risk watching him leave in free agency.10. Braden HoltbyPositionAgeContract StatusCap HitGoaltender32Pending UFA$2MHoltby has proven himself while splitting time with Jake Oettinger in his 10th full season. That may be partly due to the Stars' defensive system, but Holtby would be a solid addition for those seeking goaltending help if his current squad fades from playoff contention.11. Phil KesselPositionAgeContract StatusCap HitForward34Pending UFA$8MKessel's cap hit isn't ideal for an acquiring team, but the Coyotes have plenty of space to retain a portion of his contract. The veteran has a modified no-trade clause (he can submit a list of eight teams to which he'd approve a deal), so that complicates things further, but Kessel still has some gas left in the tank and could provide a contender with scoring depth.12. Nick LeddyPositionAgeContract StatusCap HitDefenseman30 (31 on March 20)Pending UFA$5.5MSpeaking of experience, Leddy has that in spades. The left-shot blue-liner has suited up for over 800 games, won the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2013, and has played in four conference finals. The Detroit Red Wings surely want to get younger or stockpile assets, and Leddy could help them do that.(Salary source: CapFriendly)Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators have extended goaltender Anton Forsberg on a three-year pact carrying an average annual value of $2.75 million.Forsberg was a pending unrestricted free agent whose current deal carries a cap hit of $900,000, according to CapFriendly.The 29-year-old has taken and run with the Senators' starting job, posting a .918 save percentage and a 14-12-2 record over 31 games.

The Minnesota Wild are trading the rights to forward Jack McBain to the Arizona Coyotes for a 2022 second-round pick, the team announced.The draft pick originally belonged to the Vancouver Canucks. The Coyotes still have four second-rounders in the upcoming draft.McBain was a third-round pick by the Wild in 2018. However, he didn't intend to sign an entry-level contract with the team and would've become an unrestricted free agent instead. He just finished his NCAA career at Boston College, where he produced 19 goals and 14 assists in 24 games during his senior year.The 22-year-old also represented Canada at the 2022 Winter Olympics. He tallied a goal and an assist in four games at the tournament.McBain, a natural center, stands at 6-foot-4 and 208 pounds. The rebuilding Coyotes can likely offer him a faster track to the NHL than most teams.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL trade deadline will get all the headlines today - understandably so - but there's still plenty to talk about on the ice. There are four games scheduled, with several playoff-bound teams taking action.We're backing a couple of them with our best bets. Let's get to them.Predators (-165) @ Ducks (+140)The wheels have completely come off for the Anaheim Ducks. They have dropped eight of their last 10 games and fallen completely out of the playoff race. There isn't much reason to expect things to turn around.With the Ducks struggling of late, management rightfully pulled the plug on the season. The organization has already traded Hampus Lindholm, Josh Manson, and Nic Deslauriers in recent days, and there are likely more subtractions to come.These moves have left Anaheim's roster looking very thin, especially on the back end, and that's problematic considering the level of goaltending the Ducks have been getting.John Gibson has quietly played miserable hockey for quite some time. He owns a .894 save percentage and has conceded about 10 goals above expected since the turn of the calendar.Now Gibson, with a depleted roster in front of him, draws a Nashville Predators team that has been shooting the lights out. The Predators rank second in five-on-five goals over the last 10 games and have scored nearly 3.6 goals per contest in 2022 - their offense is firing on all cylinders.Nashville is just one point behind the St. Louis Blues for second in the Central Division. The Preds no doubt know the importance of home ice in the postseason and will be pushing to earn it down the stretch, which means winning games they should and taking advantage of bad teams.I expect Nashville to do just that in Anaheim.Bet: Predators in regulation (-104)Golden Knights (+135) @ Wild (-160)The Vegas Golden Knights have all the pieces to be a great team. Unfortunately, a lot of them are unavailable due to injury.Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty, Reilly Smith, Alec Martinez, and Robin Lehner are just a few of the many key players missing from the lineup, and Vegas is having a difficult time staying afloat in the playoff race as a result. Only four teams have picked up fewer points over the last 10 games.The struggling Golden Knights now find themselves taking on a potent Minnesota Wild side that is starting to find its form again. The Wild are on a 4-1-1 run and have posted some sparkling underlying numbers in recent weeks.At five-on-five, Minnesota sits second in shot share while controlling a league-leading 61% of the expected goal share dating back 10 games.The Wild should be able to control the run of play against a battered Golden Knights team. With the level of goaltending the club's dealt with lately, I like Minnesota's chances of picking up its third straight win at home.Bet: Wild in regulation (-106)Joel Eriksson Ek over 2.5 shots (-134)Joel Eriksson Ek continues to be one of our favorite targets on home soil. He has gone over the number in 63% of games played in Minnesota, including 11 of the last 15 (73%). While Vegas is a competent defensive side, the Golden Knights are dealing with an abundance of injuries that make them more susceptible to giving things up on the back end.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Coyotes signed goaltender Karel Vejmelka to a three-year contract extension that carries an average annual value of $2.725 million, sources told theScore's John Matisz.Vejmelka, 25, is in the midst of a solid rookie campaign with the Coyotes. He owns a 10-23-1 record alongside a .905 save percentage and 3.35 goals against average. He has 2.68 goals saved above average and 6.87 high-danger goals saved above average.Prior to joining the Coyotes, Vejmelka spent seven seasons playing in his native Czech Republic. He was selected in the fifth round of the 2015 NHL Draft by the Nashville Predators.The Coyotes traded goaltender Scott Wedgewood to the Dallas Stars on Sunday. The duo had been splitting starts evenly since Wedgewood was claimed off waivers from the New Jersey Devils earlier this season.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets dealt defenseman Nathan Beaulieu to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a conditional seventh-round pick in this year's draft.Beaulieu has been on long-term injured reserve since March 9. He'll remain on LTIR, where he's required to be for 10 games and 24 days. Beaulieu is a pending unrestricted free agent on a contract carrying a $1.25-million cap hit, according to CapFriendly.The 29-year-old has been limited to 24 games this season, and he's suited up for only 87 contests over the last three campaigns. Beaulieu has collected four points - all assists - while averaging a career-low 10:46 of ice time.Beaulieu was in his third full season and fourth in total with the Jets, who acquired him from the Buffalo Sabres on trade deadline day in 2018-19.The Montreal Canadiens traded Beaulieu to the Sabres in June 2017. The Ontario-born blue-liner played parts of five seasons with the Canadiens to begin his NHL tenure. Montreal drafted him 17th overall in 2011.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets are bringing back a familiar face.The Seattle Kraken traded forward Mason Appleton to the Jets in exchange for a 2023 fourth-round pick, both teams announced Sunday.Seattle selected Appleton from the Jets' roster during the expansion draft in July. He has six goals and 11 assists in 49 games this season.A sixth-round pick by Winnipeg in 2015, Appleton registered 43 points in 138 career games as a Jet. He can become an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent this offseason after playing out the final term of a two-year, $1.8-million deal.Appleton enjoyed a breakout year with Winnipeg last season, logging a career-high 12 goals and 13 assists.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Nashville Predators have acquired defenseman Jeremy Lauzon from the Seattle Kraken in exchange for a 2022 second-round pick, the Predators announced Sunday.Lauzon, 24, carries a cap hit of $850,000 and can be an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent this offseason. He's logged one goal and five assists in 53 games this season while averaging almost 18 minutes of ice time per contest.The 6-foot-1 blue-liner led all Kraken skaters with 176 hits, and he saw the fourth-most shorthanded ice time in Seattle.A second-round selection of the Boston Bruins in 2015, Lauzon can add to the Predators' depth on defense. He was the Kraken's choice from the Bruins in the expansion draft.Lauzon has skated in 13 career playoff games, all with Boston.The Kraken have been busy leading up to Monday's trade deadline, also shipping off Mark Giordano and Colin Blackwell to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Seattle now holds five of the first 64 picks in the upcoming NHL draft.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Coyotes traded goaltender Scott Wedgewood to the Dallas Stars in exchange for a conditional 2023 fourth-round pick, both teams announced Sunday.If the Stars qualify for the playoffs this season, the Coyotes will instead receive a third-round pick in the 2023 draft.Wedgewood, 29, holds a .909 save percentage and a 3.16 goals against average across 29 appearances this campaign. He's set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason and carries a cap hit of $825,000."On behalf of the entire organization, we would like to thank Scott for everything he did for the Coyotes on and off the ice," Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong said. "He is the consummate professional and a class act, and we wish him the best of luck in the future."The Coyotes claimed Wedgewood off waivers from the New Jersey Devils earlier this campaign, kicking off his second career stint in the desert. A third-round draft pick by the Devils in 2010, Wedgewood has a career .905 save percentage in 69 NHL games.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators have traded winger Nick Paul to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for forward Mathieu Joseph and a 2024 fourth-round pick, the Senators announced Sunday.Ottawa will retain 44.5% of Paul's remaining salary in 2021-22.Paul, 27, carries a cap hit of $1.35 million and is a pending unrestricted free agent. He has 11 goals and seven assists in 59 contests this season while averaging over 17 minutes a night.He missed the Senators' last two games as a healthy scratch as Monday's trade deadline loomed."Obviously, Ottawa is where we were looking to sign. I love the fans. I love the city. I wanted to make it work here, but unfortunately, it just didn't work with the numbers," Paul said, according to The Athletic's Ian Mendes. "But that's nothing against the team. It's just how things played out."Paul was a fourth-round draft pick of the Dallas Stars in 2013. He has 66 points in 227 career NHL games, all with the Senators.Joseph won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Lightning, chipping in two assists across 10 playoff contests. Tampa Bay selected Joseph in the fourth round of the 2015 draft.The 25-year-old has 18 points in 58 games this campaign. He's a pending arbitration-eligible restricted free agent.Alongside Paul, the Lightning also acquired Brandon Hagel from the Chicago Blackhawks earlier this week to shore up their forward corps ahead of the postseason.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mark Giordano is headed home.The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired the veteran defenseman, as well as forward Colin Blackwell, from the Seattle Kraken in exchange for two second-round picks and a third-rounder, the team announced Sunday.Seattle is retaining 50% of Giordano's $6.75-million cap hit. The Toronto native will be an unrestricted free agent at season's end.The second-rounders are in 2022 and 2023, while the third-round pick is in 2024.Giordano has recorded six goals and 17 assists in 55 games while averaging 21:29 of ice time per contest with the Kraken in 2021-22. The 38-year-old's offensive game has declined with age, but he's still posting elite defensive metrics this campaign. Evolving-Hockey.comGiordano spent the first 15 years of his career with the Calgary Flames before the Kraken selected him in the expansion draft. He won the Norris Trophy in 2018-19 while playing alongside current Leafs blue-liner T.J. Brodie. If Toronto plans to reunite the pair, its blue line could look something like this at full health:LDRDMorgan RiellyIlya LyubushkinMark GiordanoT.J. BrodieJake Muzzin*Justin HollRasmus SandinTimothy Liljegren*Currently injuredBlackwell, meanwhile, has tallied eight goals and nine assists in 39 games in a bottom-six role for the Kraken. The 5-foot-9, 190-pound winger has played in 119 career NHL games between the Nashville Predators, New York Rangers, and Seattle, registering 49 points. He's posted solid underlying numbers over the past three seasons.

The Detroit Red Wings have traded defenseman Troy Stecher to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a 2022 seventh-round pick, the team announced Sunday.Stecher has one goal and one assist in 16 games with Detroit this season. The 5-foot-10, 186-pound blue-liner has skated in 346 career NHL games between the Red Wings and Vancouver Canucks. He'll reunite with former Canucks teammate Alexander Edler in Los Angeles.The 27-year-old is in the final season of a two-year contract carrying a $1.7-million cap hit.Stecher will provide the Kings with some much-needed depth and experience on the right side of their blue line. All three of their righties to start the season - Drew Doughty, Sean Walker, and Matt Roy - are injured. Jordan Spence, Austin Strand, and Sean Durzi - who've played a combined 73 NHL games - are currently playing the right side for L.A.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have traded defenseman Travis Dermott to the Vancouver Canucks for a 2022 third-round pick, the team announced Sunday.The pick originally belonged to the Winnipeg Jets.Dermott has five points in 43 games while averaging 14:43 of ice time per contest this season. The 34th overall pick of the 2015 draft fell out of favor with the Maple Leafs and has been a healthy scratch multiple times in 2021-22. Toronto also needed to clear cap space to trade for Mark Giordano.The 25-year-old has posted strong underlying numbers while playing sheltered, third-pairing minutes:

When:

The Vancouver Canucks dealt defenseman Travis Hamonic to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a 2022 third-round draft pick, the Senators announced Sunday.The Canucks aren't retaining any of Hamonic's salary in the trade, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston. The 31-year-old is signed through 2022-23 at a $3-million cap hit. He had an eight-team no-trade clause in his contract, per CapFriendly.The draft pick belonged to the Canucks before they traded it to the Senators in a swap involving the Vegas Golden Knights last July. It was one of three third-round selections the Senators held in this year's draft.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are shaking things up in the crease.The club placed goaltender Petr Mrazek on waivers Sunday, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. The team also reportedly signed netminder Harri Sateri to a one-year contract worth $750,000.Sateri will need to clear waivers before joining the squad.Toronto signed Mrazek to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $3.8 million in free agency this past offseason. His first season with the Maple Leafs has been disastrous, though: The 30-year-old owns an .884 save percentage in 17 appearances - the third-worst mark in the league among qualified goalies. He's also missed time with injuries.Mrazek will count for $2.675 million against the salary cap if he goes unclaimed and is assigned to the AHL.Sateri has a 4-4-0 record, .911 save percentage, and 2.92 goals against average in nine NHL appearances - all with the Florida Panthers in 2017-18. The 32-year-old journeyman has put together an impressive career overseas since then. He recorded a .926 save percentage in 38 KHL contests this past season and led Finland to a gold medal at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing by posting a sparkling .962 save percentage in five games.The Maple Leafs' primary starter, Jack Campbell, is currently sidelined with a rib injury. The team projected a two-week timeline for his recovery on March 10.Campbell's injury was viewed as a chance for Mrazek to run with the starting gig. Instead, he's ceded that role to rookie Erik Kallgren, who's posted a .930 save percentage in four appearances.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Aaron Ekblad and the Florida Panthers appear to have avoided a major injury scare.Panthers interim head coach Andrew Brunette said Sunday it's "probably fair to say" Ekblad is considered week-to-week, according to the Miami Herald's David Wilson.Brunette added the club will know more once the swelling in the injured area decreases, according to team reporter Jameson Olive. He also said there's "nothing overly concerning long term" about the injury.Ekblad had to be helped off the ice with an apparent leg injury after an awkward collision during the Panthers' win over the Anaheim Ducks on Friday. Brunette said at the time that there was "nothing structural" about Ekblad's injury and that the diagnosis appeared "way better" than the team expected.Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli reported Sunday that Florida will place Ekblad on long-term injured reserve and that he'll miss the rest of the regular season before returning "sometime during the first round" of the playoffs. If the Panthers go that route, Ekblad will only be required to sit out a minimum of 10 games and 24 days.Florida has 20 regular-season games remaining. Its schedule runs until April 29 following the delayed start to the 2021-2022 season.The Panthers added defensive depth Sunday, acquiring Robert Hagg from the Buffalo Sabres for a 2022 sixth-round pick. Florida also landed rearguard Ben Chiarot in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers have acquired defenseman Robert Hagg from the Buffalo Sabres for a 2022 sixth-round draft pick, the team announced Sunday.Florida previously obtained the draft choice from the Calgary Flames.Hagg joins a Panthers team that sits six points ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning for first in the Atlantic Division. The move bolsters Florida's blue line after the team lost Aaron Ekblad to a lower-body injury Friday night.Hagg has averaged 17 minutes of ice time per game with the Sabres this season, leading the team in hits and blocked shots while tallying a goal and seven assists over 48 appearances. The 27-year-old was in his first season with Buffalo after beginning his NHL career with the Philadelphia Flyers."Robert is a tireless competitor and a physical defenseman who will add depth to our blue line," Panthers general manager Bill Zito said.The deal marks the Panthers' second trade in as many days after they acquired Claude Giroux from the Flyers in a Saturday blockbuster.Buffalo currently has 10 picks in the 2022 NHL Draft, including three first-round selections.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins didn't waste any time securing their newest acquisition for the long term, signing defenseman Hampus Lindholm to an eight-year contract extension carrying a $6.5-million cap hit Sunday.Boston acquired Lindholm in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday. The Bruins dealt a 2022 first-round pick, second-round selections in 2023 and 2024, and blue-liners Urho Vaakanainen and John Moore to the Ducks for Lindholm and rearguard Kodie Curran.Lindholm spent his first eight-plus NHL seasons with the Ducks, who drafted him sixth overall in 2012. The 28-year-old has five goals and 17 assists over 61 games in 2021-22.Boston needed a defensive upgrade, and Lindholm can slot into the club's top two blue-line pairings, as head coach Bruce Cassidy confirmed Sunday:

The NHL trade deadline is just two days away, and there are a lot of deals teams could still make. Below, we look at five people whose deadline-related decisions could cause a giant ripple effect around the league.Note: Claude Giroux was traded to the Florida Panthers after this post was published.Jim Rutherford NHL Images / National Hockey League / GettyRutherford is always capable of having tricks up his sleeve. The veteran executive is now the president of hockey operations with the Vancouver Canucks, and while he's done plenty of work filling out his front office - most notably, hiring Patrik Allvin as his general manager - he's yet to shake up the roster.Minor moves, such as dealing away pending free agent Tyler Motte, are expected, but there's potential for a whole lot more.The Canucks would shake up the entire deadline if they traded away one of the three key forwards reportedly available - J.T. Miller, Brock Boeser, and Conor Garland - especially since Vancouver likely wants a young defenseman with some upside as part of a package for any of the three. Will any team be bold enough to meet Rutherford's demands?Such a deal may be easier to make in the offseason, but nothing's ruled out when a gunslinger like Rutherford is at the helm.Marc-Andre Fleury Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyFleury is the best and most established netminder available ahead of the deadline, and there are more goalie-needy playoff teams than usual - most notably the Edmonton Oilers, Minnesota Wild, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vegas Golden Knights, and Washington Capitals.However, Fleury controls his own destiny. His contract only contains a 10-team no-trade list, but the Chicago Blackhawks apparently won't trade him anywhere he doesn't want to play.Fleury may be 37 now, but he's only one year removed from winning the Vezina Trophy, and joining a club with Stanley Cup aspirations could conceivably energize him. Fleury holds all the cards, and his decision on where he wants to finish this season - and possibly his career - could have a drastic impact on the league's Stanley Cup odds.David Poile Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe longtime Nashville Predators GM has been quiet so far during this deadline season. Too quiet.We know he wants to sign Filip Forsberg to an extension, and it would be a shock if that didn't get done at some point. Otherwise, there isn't much noise surrounding Nashville right now - odd for The Music City.The Preds are in a strange spot. They prepared to be sellers at last year's trade deadline before getting hot, changing course, and eventually making the playoffs. Then they seemed to start re-tooling this offseason, trading away Ryan Ellis and Viktor Arvidsson, but Nashville's strong play of late has the team on track for its eighth straight postseason berth.Could the Predators be sneaky buyers? The corps of Roman Josi (31), Mattias Ekholm (31), Matt Duchene (31), and Ryan Johansen (29) isn't getting any younger. Neither is the 72-year-old Poile - the only GM in club history. They have $10 million in cap space, a full draft pick cupboard, and a stud goalie in Juuse Saros that could steal any playoff series. Why not go all in?The postseason isn't a guarantee, so chasing players with term over rentals would be more sensible. But if this isn't the time to be aggressive, when is? When the core is all past their primes? The time to strike is now.More likely than not, Nashville will extend Forsberg and stand pat, but if there's one team that could shock everyone and make a big splash, it could be Poile's Preds.Claude Giroux Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images Sport / GettyGiroux's 1,000th career game will almost certainly turn out to be his last with the Philadelphia Flyers. Like Fleury, Giroux controls his own destiny, but his contract actually contains a full no-movement clause. Multiple reports suggest it'll be either the Florida Panthers or Colorado Avalanche who'll land the pending free-agent forward.Florida already bolstered its blue line with the addition of Ben Chiarot, so signing Giroux would signal the Panthers are going all in. It makes sense, too, considering first-liners Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe are set to receive a combined $7.26 million in raises next year. After last year's six-game series loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida knows it needs some extra juice if it's going to take down the two-time defending champs.If the Panthers don't land Giroux, who will they pivot to? The organization has already dealt away this year's first- and second-round picks, as well as 2023's first-rounder. Would they stand pat? Or would they try to acquire a different forward?The Avalanche are currently Stanley Cup favorites, and like the Panthers, they already shored up their back end with Josh Manson. Giroux would be an excellent fit for them, considering captain Gabriel Landeskog's absence. With Andre Burakovsky, Nazem Kadri, and Darcy Kuemper set to become free agents, this is Colorado's year to go for it.If the Avs miss out on Giroux, don't be surprised if GM Joe Sakic aggressively pursues the next best available forward, especially since he already cleared some cap space with the Tyson Jost-for-Nico Sturm swap.Of course, there could always be a mystery team in the running for Giroux. Nonetheless, whoever is willing to pony up for the Flyers captain - or wherever he decides he wants to play - will have a major impact on the league's Stanley Cup picture.Ron Francis NHL Images / National Hockey League / GettyWe know the Seattle Kraken are sellers, but how much are they willing to sell? Francis, the GM helming the NHL's new kids on the block, has already traded away Calle Jarnkrok, and fellow pending UFA Mark Giordano won't be far behind.Seattle was likely expecting to contend for a playoff spot in its inaugural season, but it's instead closer to the league's basement. Would Francis be willing to pivot off his original plan, given the rough campaign? That move would mean entering a full-on rebuild and dangling his valuable veterans with term as trade bait - a list that could include Adam Larsson, Jamie Oleksiak, and Jordan Eberle, to name a few. As D-men, Larsson and Oleksiak would be in high demand.Francis' conservative history as a GM suggests this path is unlikely, but given how poor the Kraken's first season has gone, he may want to shake things up.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With Monday's trade deadline quickly approaching, Saturday was a hectic and stressful day for NHL front offices. Countless phone calls later, two blockbuster trades crossed the finish line. We break down both deals below.Florida acquires Giroux Minas Panagiotakis / Getty ImagesTo FLA: F Claude Giroux, F Connor Bunnaman, F German Rubtsov, 5th-round pick (2024)

Forward Brandon Hagel is now a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury is still with the Chicago Blackhawks, but it appears things could've turned out very differently.The Blackhawks and Maple Leafs discussed a trade that would have sent Hagel and Fleury to Toronto in exchange for netminder Petr Mrazek, prospect Matthew Knies, and first-round picks, TSN's Darren Dreger reports.The swap didn't advance to the point where Fleury was asked to waive his no-trade clause as Toronto balked due to the amount of futures involved, Dreger adds.Toronto traded its 2021 first-round pick prior to last year's trade deadline as part of a package for veteran forward Nick Foligno.The Maple Leafs find themselves in the midst of a goalie crisis. Jack Campbell has struggled mightily since putting up Vezina-worthy stats earlier in the campaign, while Mrazek has been squirrely at best; the 30-year-old has logged a .884 save percentage and a 3.48 goals-against average across 17 appearances.Erik Kallgren, Toronto's new face in the crease, has put up more inspiring numbers since he came onto the scene earlier this month, albeit in a very small sample size; he's registered a .930 save percentage across four outings.The Blackhawks got a big-time haul for Hagel on Friday, receiving the Lightning's first-round pick in 2023 and 2024 as well as forwards Boris Katchouk and Taylor Raddysh.Fleury, meanwhile, is a pending unrestricted free agent with a $7-million cap hit. His deal includes a 10-team no-trade list. The 37-year-old has authored a .909 save percentage with the Blackhawks this season.The Maple Leafs drafted Knies in the second round last year. He has 10 goals and 17 assists in 29 games with the Minnesota Golden Gophers this season. The 19-year-old forward represented the United States at the 2022 Beijing Games.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Jose Sharks head coach Bob Boughner announced Saturday that defenseman Nikolai Knyzhov has been ruled out of the remainder of the season after dealing with numerous injuries, according to The Athletic's Corey Masisak.Knyzhov hasn't suited up for a game this season after undergoing surgery on a lower-body ailment in October. He was initially expected to miss 8-to-10 weeks.The 24-year-old experienced setbacks after the procedure, including infections."The poor guy, he was on an IV for a couple months, trying to just clear the infection out of his system," Boughner said, according to San Jose Hockey Now's Sheng Peng.Knyzhov also had to contend with groin issues and a sports hernia.There is no timeline for Knyzhov to begin skating again, but the team believes he's now on an upward trajectory and has put the worst of the experience behind him, per team beat reporter Curtis Pashelka.Knyzhov enjoyed a strong rookie season with the Sharks last year, logging 10 points in 59 games while averaging 16:44 minutes of ice time. He showed promise as a top-four defenseman and played alongside Erik Karlsson.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Anaheim Ducks traded defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Kodie Curran to the Boston Bruins in exchange for a 2022 first-round pick, a 2023 second-round selection, a 2024 second-rounder, and rearguards Urho Vaakanainen and John Moore, the team announced Saturday.Anaheim retained 50% of Lindholm's $5.2 million salary.Lindholm, 28, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent after the season, but he and the Bruins are progressing in talks toward an eight-year extension, reports TSN's Pierre LeBrun.With the addition of the left-handed blue-liner, the Bruins' line combinations could look something like this:LDRDHampus LindholmCharlie McAvoyMatt GrzelcykBrandon CarloMike ReillyConnor CliftonLindholm is a solid two-way player who can help out on both ends of the ice. He has five goals and 17 assists in 61 games this season while averaging 22:32 minutes of ice time per contest.Boston drafted Vaakanainen with the 18th pick in 2017. He's appeared in 31 contests over the last four seasons, recording four assists. Moore has been with the Bruins since 2018 but has suited up in just seven games this year, managing one assist.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers have traded longtime captain Claude Giroux to the Florida Panthers for a package that includes forward Owen Tippett, both teams announced Saturday.In addition to Tippett, Philadelphia received a conditional 2024 first-round pick and a 2023 third-round pick in exchange for Giroux's services. Prospects Connor Bunnaman and German Rubtsov and a 2024 fifth-round pick are also heading to Florida.The Flyers will acquire the Panthers' first-rounder in 2024 if the pick falls outside the top 10. Otherwise, they will receive the latter's 2025 first-round selection.Philadelphia will retain 50% of Giroux's salary."Any day that you trade your captain is a tough day, and with how much Claude has meant to this organization and how he has represented himself for 15 years, makes it all that more difficult to say goodbye," Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher said."Claude is one of the best players to ever wear a Flyer uniform."Giroux was only willing to accept a trade to Florida, according to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli. Earlier this month, reports emerged that the Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues were also expressing interest in him.The Panthers' package was competitive but "not as aggressive" as other offers on the table, ESPN's Emily Kaplan reports.Giroux was one of the market's top names available heading into Monday's trade deadline. His contract, which carries an $8.275 million cap hit, contains a full no-movement clause, meaning he had control over his next move.The 34-year-old logged 18 goals and 24 assists in 57 contests this season on a struggling Philadelphia squad. Giroux skated in his 1,000th game as a Flyer on Thursday night, but the team held him out of Friday's contest versus the Ottawa Senators as trade rumors continued to heat up.Bunnaman, a 2016 fourth-round pick, played in 15 games with Philadelphia this campaign. The 23-year-old forward has three points in 54 career NHL contests.The Flyers drafted Rubtsov in the first round in 2016, and the forward suited up for just four games during the 2019-20 campaign.Tippett was the odd-man-out in Florida's deep forward corps. The 2017 10th overall pick registered six goals and eight assists in 42 games this season.Philly's 2006 22nd overall pick leaves as the franchise's second-leading scorer with 900 points, sitting behind only Bobby Clarke, who still holds the top spot with 1,210. Giroux, the longest-tenured captain in Flyers history, was initially given the "C" in 2013.The veteran center made the Stanley Cup Finals once with Philly in 2009-10, but his side ultimately lost to the Chicago Blackhawks. Giroux last suited up for a playoff game in 2020 when the Flyers fell to the New York Islanders in a spirited second-round series.The seven-time All-Star either led or tied the Flyers in points in eight of the last 11 seasons. He will add his top-line pedigree to an already strong Panthers squad destined for the postseason. Florida sits atop the Atlantic Division with a 42-14-6 record.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Wild acquired forward Nicolas Deslauriers from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a 2023 third-round pick, the teams announced Saturday.Deslauriers is a pending unrestricted free agent and carries a cap hit of $1 million. He has five goals and five assists in 61 contests this season. The 6-foot-1 winger leads all Ducks skaters with 210 hits while averaging almost 12 minutes of ice time a night.Minnesota head coach Dean Evason approves of the physical penalty killer's style of play."It's going to provide us with size and bite and can play up and down our lineup, so we're excited," Evason said, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo. "Certainly a guy that we've identified for a bit now that's a pain in the butt to play against, so he'll now be a Minnesota Wild pain in the butt."The 31-year-old ranks 12th in the league in hits since the 2014-15 season.Deslauriers was the Los Angeles Kings' third-round pick in 2009 and has logged 82 career points in 486 NHL games.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Nino Niederreiter will sit out one game for slashing Washington Capitals winger Axel Jonsson-Fjallby.Niederreiter struck Jonsson-Fjallby in the face with his stick while the Capitals rookie was sitting on the bench in the first period of the team's shootout win over the Hurricanes on Friday night. The officials handed Niederreiter a minor penalty.The right wing was apparently retaliating after Washington pest Tom Wilson checked him partially into the Capitals bench - not far from where Jonsson-Fjallby was sitting - moments before the Swiss skater slashed the Swede.The NHL cited Niederreiter's lack of significant disciplinary history in its decision, adding that the suspension is not more severe because of the lack of force Niederreiter exerted.Niederreiter, who's in his 10th full NHL season, has been fined once. This is his first suspension.The 29-year-old will miss Carolina's home game against the New York Rangers on Sunday but will be eligible to return when the team hosts the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's no shortage of star power in the rumor mill leading up to this NHL trade deadline, but there are also plenty of less-heralded players that could be more affordable than their big-ticket counterparts.Montreal Canadiens forward Artturi Lehkonen would have been included in this list, but now that the club has traded away Ben Chiarot, Lehkonen is reportedly garnering "high interest" as the club decides whether to move him. Ottawa Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg qualifies as relatively unheralded, too, but the team reportedly prefers to keep him through the deadline.Here's a handful of under-the-radar players who contenders should target as we draw closer to Monday's 3 p.m. ET deadline:Pavel Zacha Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyZacha was once considered a foundational piece of the New Jersey Devils' future, but with Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Dawson Mercer all proving more than capable of playing center, Zacha has become expendable. The Czechia-born pivot hasn't played since sustaining an injury earlier this week, but there haven't been any indications that it'll keep him out for an extended period of time.The Devils drafted Zacha sixth overall in 2015, and he hasn't developed at the rate they undoubtedly hoped he would. However, Zacha is still relatively young, turning 25 on April 6. He's also posted favorable underlying numbers this season while playing for a subpar team, boasting expected goals for and scoring chances for percentages over 50%. Zacha's mostly been on the wing rather than at his preferred position down the middle, too.Zacha likely wouldn't require a hefty return and wouldn't be a financial burden, either. His contract carries a measly $2.25-million cap hit. As a pending restricted free agent who's arbitration-eligible, he's due for a raise, but it likely won't be astronomical considering his pedestrian production. Zacha could make strides on the ice with a change of scenery and the right opportunity to carve out a larger role playing center - where he's more comfortable.Mackenzie Blackwood Rich Graessle / Getty Images Sport / GettyWhile much of the focus has been on Marc-Andre Fleury, Braden Holtby, and Alexandar Georgiev, there are several other netminders that teams with postseason aspirations could consider. Another member of the Devils, Blackwood, is one of them.Much like Zacha, Blackwood was once thought to be part of New Jersey's core, but times have changed. Nico Daws has suddenly snatched the team's starting job as Blackwood continues to work his way back from a heel injury that's bothered him since October. Blackwood's timetable is unclear, but he should be back before the end of the regular season. He's also signed through 2022-23.Injury aside, Blackwood has more going for him than some of the other bargain-bin options in the crease. The 25-year-old is much younger than the likes of Jaroslav Halak (37 in May), Thomas Greiss (36), and Martin Jones (32), and he's two years younger than Joonas Korpisalo.Blackwood posted save percentages of .918 and .915 in his first two NHL seasons, respectively, before declining over the last two campaigns. But goalies take longer to develop than skaters, and Blackwood still has his prime years ahead of him, not to mention a digestible $2.8-million cap hit when he comes off injured reserve.Filip Zadina Gregory Shamus / Getty Images Sport / GettyIt would seem a tad premature for the Detroit Red Wings to give up on a 22-year-old who they drafted sixth overall in 2018, but that appears to be a possibility ahead of the deadline. Zadina hasn't produced consistently in his second full season at the NHL level, and if he truly isn't a part of the Red Wings' long-term plans, Zacha's countryman would be a worthwhile target.Zadina has something else in common with Zacha in that he's also a pending RFA due for a raise from his current cap hit of around $900,000. But his bump in pay likely won't be too cap-constraining, either, despite his upside.That potential is exactly why other teams should be looking at landing Zadina if the Red Wings are open to trading him. He scored twice during a six-game showcase on Detroit's top line in February and has frequently logged second-line minutes, proving he can contribute when given a solid opportunity. He may not be capable of sticking on another club's top forward unit right now, but he's worth pursuing given his age and affordability.Dominik Kubalik Richard Whittaker/Freestyle Photo / Getty Images Sport / GettyKubalik has flown under the radar the past two seasons because he hasn't kept up the torrid goal-scoring pace of his NHL arrival in 2019-20. The Chicago Blackhawks forward isn't going to match the 30 markers he netted that campaign this time around, but he's still a serviceable player.Kubalik, who was named a Calder Trophy finalist after his standout season, collected 17 goals and 21 assists while playing all 56 games in the last campaign. That works out to 25 markers and 31 helpers over an 82-game span, which would've been comparable to his rookie numbers. His goal and point rates are down in 2021-22, but he's still on a 15-goal pace for a lackluster Blackhawks club.The 26-year-old is still about three-and-a-half years away from when most players start to decline. Kubalik is a pending RFA with a $3.7-million cap hit. That may be a bit high considering his modest contributions this season, and he's arbitration-eligible as well, but Kubalik has proven in the past that he can produce. He could come close to replicating that rookie output on a better squad.Brenden Dillon Scott Rovak / National Hockey League / GettyDillon has been one of the NHL's most underrated defensemen for quite a while. He's also no stranger to the trade deadline, having been dealt six days beforehand in 2020. The Winnipeg Jets are underachieving this season, and their playoff chances are dwindling by the day.If the club is looking to retool, it may want to consider cutting Dillon's $3.9-million cap hit through 2023-24. It's not a particularly hefty amount, but, coupled with the term, it's not the most ideal contract for a team that'll certainly look to make offseason changes.Dillion is the oldest player on this list, but at 31, he should be able to provide true stability on the back end for at least another season and certainly can bolster a contender's blue line for this year's stretch run. Moreover, he could probably be had for a more buyer-friendly price than a similar rearguard in Chiarot, or certainly the biggest fish on the defenseman market, like Jakob Chychrun and Hampus Lindholm.(Salary source: CapFriendly)(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick)Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes aren't going to part with a significant asset to acquire a player they might lose in the offseason.The club has told other teams it will not trade its 2023 first-round pick for a rental player - in other words, a pending unrestricted free agent - before the March 21 trade deadline, reports TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Carolina sent its 2022 first-round and third-round selections to the Montreal Canadiens after Montreal chose not to match the Hurricanes' offer sheet for forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi in September.The Hurricanes secured a separate 2022 third-rounder from the Chicago Blackhawks in July for a third-round pick in the 2021 draft, which took place later than usual due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Carolina currently has selections in each round of the 2023 and 2024 drafts.The Hurricanes entered Saturday atop the Metropolitan Division and rank third in the NHL in points percentage.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.