The NHL’s trade deadline remains more than a month away, set for March 6, but the impending Feb. 4 roster freeze has action heating up around the league. TSN.ca keeps you up to date with all the latest news and rumours ahead of the freeze and will return after for the final Countdown to TradeCentre.
Follow all the latest trades here and the most up to date signings here.
Final hours to make a deal
The Olympic roster freeze is set to take effect at 3 p.m. ET today and while it appears most teams are expected to let the deadline pass without making a deal, the Carolina Hurricanes are hoping to make something happen.
TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports the Hurricanes, who are eight points clear atop the Metropolitan Division, would prefer to make an addition before going on the three-week pause.
“I will say a team to keep an eye on is Carolina. The Hurricanes really would like to make a move before the trade freeze,” LeBrun said on Insider Trading. “They’re up for it and they have the cap flexibility to do it, but they have to find a team where there’s a fit.”
The Hurricanes have been among the teams attached to the pursuit of New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin, but his search for an extension in the neighbourhood of four years at roughly $11 million per season has created a roadblock.
“(It) remains the Rangers’ intention to try to find a new home for Artemi Panarin before 3 p.m. on Wednesday,” TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston said. “But whether or not that happens, still not entirely clear. And there’s a big reason for that. As much as the Rangers want to do that piece of business, so much of the control of this situation is in the hands of Panarin and his agent. They continue to talk to teams. There’s been a range of interest.
“You know, a key part of getting this deal done is actually agreeing to a contract extension. I think there’s a range of where teams are willing to go. I’ve heard at least one team has put $40 million on the table for Panarin, but it’s not until he signals to the Rangers that he’s found the right situation for himself that can go forward. So, we’ll see if they get that done by Wednesday.”
Johnston further updated the Panarin watch in Early Trading on Wednesday.
Early Trading: Several teams involved in discussions for Panarin ahead of roster freeze TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston joins Glenn Schiiler to discuss the likelihood that Artemi Panarin gets moved prior to Wednesday’s roster freeze and the teams in the mix to acquire the forward, whether the Leafs’ recent play will change their approach to the deadline, and when NHL players will start travelling to Italy.
Panarin has held been out of the Rangers lineup since last week in anticipation of a trade and the Russian winger will not take part in the Olympics, meaning it will have been a full month between games when he eventually suits up again after the break.
Vincent Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic reports Panarin’s preferred destination appears to be the state of Florida, in joining either the Florida Panthers or Tampa Bay Lightning. Both teams are tight on cap space and have less than $16 million available next season with other roster spots still to fill. He points to the Hurricanes, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks and Washington Capitals as suitors with more cap flexibility, though it’s unclear if Panarin would waive his no-move clause to join them.
Mercogliano adds that both the Rangers and Panarin would prefer to get a deal done sooner rather than later, with the pause in the schedule allowing the winger to settle in to his new home and keep the standoff from lingering over the team.
While a deal cannot be completed over the Olympic break, talks between teams can continue and LeBrun reports many general managers expect to use that window to continue to gauge their options.
“I checked in with 15 NHL teams on Tuesday, and I will tell you that the majority of them thought they would be quiet ahead of the trade freeze,” LeBrun explained. “Obviously, that changes in one phone call. Only a couple teams saying that they were trying to get something going, but the vast majority felt that they needed the Olympic break to see where they were in the standings to further some of those trade conversations.
“A lot of it is salary cap related as well. They’re just not in a position right now to make that bigger move. They have to wait closer toMarch 6.But as one GM said to me, yeah, we can’t make a trade during the Olympic trade freeze, but we can certainly, there’s no freeze on our conversation. So, he expected that some of those talks will continue throughout the Olympics.”
“There’s some general managers who will have those conversations and will push through the entire break, working hard,” TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger added on. “There are others who intend on taking maybe a bit of a breather, maybe the first week off before re-engaging or trying to re-establish something on the trade front. But all teams are going to be prepared because when the Olympics are over, they’ve got that 12-day window in between making trades or contract negotiations. It’s going to be a chaotic 12 days.”
In addition to the Hurricanes, the Toronto Maple Leafs have also been working the phones this week, thoughit’s unclear if a trade will follow.
The Maple Leafs picked up a third straight win Tuesday, defeating the Edmonton Oilers, but remain five points back of the Boston Bruins for the final wild-card spot with an additional game played. Toronto has been trending towards being a seller with pending unrestricted free agents Bobby McMann and Scott Laughton among the players who could be on the block.
“The Maple Leafs have been pretty busy over the last couple of days in terms of chatter, but doesn’t mean necessarily that we’ll have anything come the trade freeze,” LeBrun noted.
Major sale in St. Louis?
Sitting second last in the NHL, it appears the St. Louis Blues are ready to make major changes.
Dreger reports general manager Doug Armstrong is eager to “refresh” the Blues, though his asking prices may currently be too high to complete any deals before the roster freeze.
“Teams are wary of the high asking prices currently. And also, there’s some cap management with the other general managers expressing some interest in the list of St. Louis players believed to be available,” Dreger explained. “We’re talking about high-end guys like [Colton] Parayko and [Justin] Faulk and [Jordan] Kyrou and [Brayden] Schenn and [Robert] Thomas and Jordan Binnington.
“All pieces in play, some obviously more complicated than others. So, there’s value in that group of players. Obviously, there’s value in those guys, but the asking price for each has to come down and there’s some cap management, as I said, in play as well.”
Parayko and Binnington are set to play under Armstrong, who is Team Canada’s general manager as well, at the Olympics.
Parayko has one goal and 13 points in 56 games this season while averaging 22:29 of ice time. The 32-year-old defenceman remains signed through the 2029-30 at a cap hit of $6.5 million.
Binnington’s struggles have been well documented this season as he owns an 8-16-6 with a career-worst .866 save percentage and a 3.60 goals-against average. The 32-year-old netminder is under contract through next season at a $6 million cap hit. He is a year removed from backstopping Team Canada to victory at the 4 Nations Face-Off and also led the Blues to a Stanley Cup title in 2019.
Faulk has 11 goals and 28 points in 56 games this season. The 33-year-old blueliner is also signed through next season at a cap hit of $6.5 million.
Schenn, who was also rumoured to be on the trade block last season, has 12 goals and 24 points in 56 games. The 34-year-old centre, who is team captain of the Blues, is signed through 2027-28 at a cap hit of $6.5 million.
Moving either Kryrou or Thomas would represent a more significant change for the Blues, with both still under the age of 28.
Kyrou was reportedly dangled in trade talks over the summer before his no-trade clause kicked in, but a deal never materialized. The 27-year-old winger has 12 goals and 30 points in 46 games this season. He remains signed long-term at a cap hit of $8.125 million through the 2030-31 season.
Thomas, who is currently on injured reserve, has 11 goals and 33 points in 42 games this season with his production dropping off after topping the point-per-game mark in the past two seasons. The 26-year-old centre is signed at an identical cap hit and term to Kyrou.
