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Injury Notes: Kulikov, Pesce, Carrick, Arvidsson

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The Winnipeg Jets recalled top prospect Sami Niku this weekend as a replacement for the injured Dmitry Kulikov, and he might get a longer than expected opportunity in the NHL. Kulikov has been moved to injured reserve and is out for at least four weeks according to Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun. The veteran defenseman suffered an upper-body injury, and will now have to fight his way back on the roster in a month’s time.

Kulikov had appeared in just six games this season for the Jets, averaging fewer than 11 minutes per game. That’s a far cry from the expectations placed on him when he signed a three-year $13MM deal in the summer of 2017, one that has not aged well given the rest of the big contracts Winnipeg needs to give out. The team has plenty of cap space at the moment, but will need to hand out deals to Patrik Laine, Kyle Connor, Jacob Trouba and several other restricted free agents this summer.

  • Brett Pesce’s absence at Carolina Hurricanes practice may have set off some alarm bells given the recent speculation about the team’s interest in William Nylander, but Michael Smith of NHL.com reports the defenseman is working through a minor lower-body injury. Pesce won’t play tonight for the Hurricanes, but is listed as just day-to-day for now.
  • Meanwhile in Dallas, Stars’ defenseman Connor Carrick will miss at least three more weeks with his lower-body injury according to broadcaster Bruce LeVine. The Stars are without John Klingberg as well, leaving a lot of the puck-moving responsibility to young defensemen Miro Heiskanen and Julius Honka. Carrick has four points in nine games for the Stars since being acquired just prior to the beginning of the season. Importantly, that trade included a condition that would change the seventh round pick to a sixth round pick for Toronto if Carrick plays in 50 games. An injury like this puts that 50 game threshold very much in doubt.
  • Viktor Arvidsson had just returned from a stint on injured reserve, but is headed back to the shelf after leaving the Nashville Predators recent game against Dallas. Arvidsson has been placed on injured reserve once again, meaning he’ll miss at least a week with his upper-body injury.

Metropolitan Notes: Hayes, Duclair, Folin, Pesce

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While there are plenty of rumors abound about potential trade candidates, the New York Rangers may opt to wait before they make any trades, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger, who appeared on NBCSN’s post-game show on Wednesday. While there are rumors that the Rangers could move center Kevin Hayes whenever they want and might consider moving him soon, Dreger said that was unlikely and he can’t picture the Rangers moving Hayes or Mats Zuccarello until after the new year.

“You’re right, it’s still a little bit early,” said Dreger. “But I would have said a month ago that the New York Rangers were more interested in listening to what sort of interest might have been in Kevin Hayes. But the reality is Kevin Hayes is playing pretty well for the New York Rangers right now. There are always teams in the market for centermen, particularly guys who are playing well and are 6-foot-5. So it’s still a little bit early to ramp up the rumors with Kevin Hayes and even Mats Zuccarello of the New York Rangers. I would say very early in the New Year we’ll be able to identify those specific teams with interest.”

The 26-year-old Hayes, who is eligible to be an unrestricted free agent next summer, has three goals and 11 points in 17 games so far this season. While he is still young, there are many among the Rangers’ brass who aren’t sure they want Hayes to be the center-point of their rebuilt franchise and might be better off moving him for more pieces. Zuccarello is also in the final year of a four-year deal and can also be a free agent. The 31-year-old has three goals and 10 points in 15 games.

  • Even though Columbus Blue Jackets forward Anthony Duclair has been impressive this season with seven goals in his first 17 games as he’s currently on pace for a 35-goal season at a minimum $650K. However, many were shocked when Duclair found himself benched during the third period and overtime Saturday, according to The Athletic’s Tom Reed (subscription required). Head coach John Tortorella made his point quite clear. “He’s got to check,” Tortorella said. “He’s got to learn to check.” Of course, Tortorella put the blame on Duclair’s entire line, including Alexander Wennberg and Oliver Bjorkstrand. However, it was Duclair’s minutes that were cut into as he played just 5:40, although strangely, he was still given an opportunity to take a shootout attempt at the end of the game.
  • One reason for the Philadelphia Flyers improved play of late is the recent emergence of defenseman Christian Folin, who has impressed Flyers’ brass with his defensive play, especially with his physicality and his willingness to block shots, according to The Athletic’s Charlie O’Connor (subscription required). The scribe writes that after struggling during the preseason and making multiple gaffs early in the regular season, Folin has come into his own over the last couple weeks. “I really didn’t see him do anything different tonight than what he’s done over the past however many games,” the Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said. “Fols is a consistent player. He’s reliable in terms of you know what you’re gonna get, and you get those elements at a high level.”
  • Michael Smith of NHL.com reports that Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce did not practice Sunday after taking a knee-to-knee hit during Saturday’s game against Detroit and is listed as day-to-day. Pesce, who is in the first year of a six-year, $24.2MM deal ($4.03MM AAV), has been mentioned in potential trade rumors with the Toronto Maple Leafs in a potential William Nylander trade. The 23-year-old could provide Toronto with a cheap, young defensive-minded blueliner who could stabilize any teams’ defense.

Trade Rumors: Bruins, Kings, Hurricanes

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After another humiliating loss last night, an 8-5 drubbing at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks, the pressure on the Boston Bruins has been ratcheted up even higher. The team is falling short of expectations so far this season due to a total lack of secondary scoring. While speaking on the topic, Sportsnet’s John Shannon reports that the team feels they have too many of the same style of player among their secondary scorer. Shannon is likely referring to young forwards Danton Heinen and Anders Bjork, who have both underwhelmed in middle-six roles, and potentially AHL options Trent Frederic and Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, as well as the possible similarities between veterans Joakim Nordstrom, Chris Wagner, Sean Kuraly, and Noel Acciari. Shannon states that the team is not happy and that a trade centered around one of their redundant forwards in exchange for an established young forward is likely coming soon.

  • Shannon also states that the Los Angeles Kings are not done making moves after firing head coach John Stevens. However, Shannon reports that the team is waiting to pull the trigger until their trade candidates can repair their market values. With the team struggling so severely to begin the campaign, the Kings would be trading the majority of their players while their stock is at its lowest. This is particularly true for the likes of struggling Tanner Pearson and ineffective Kyle Clifford. Once L.A. can string together some strong outings and potentially see some improvement from Pearson, Clifford and other names out there like Alec Martinez, Jake Muzzin, and Tyler Toffoli, they should become active players on the trade market.
  • During the latest “Insider Trading” segment on TSN, Pierre LeBrun confirms that the Carolina Hurricanes are interested in more than just William Nylander. LeBrun says that the Hurricanes are worried about their scoring abilities and want to add a top-six scorer. Nylander is surely Carolina’s favored target, but they are looking elsewhere for help as well. The Hurricanes were recently rumored to be shopping young forward Valentin Zykov and, like the Bruins, may be looking to use his upside  to swap for a more established young forward.

Minor Transactions: 11/07/18

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After an interesting night in the NHL that saw the Ottawa Senators prove they can still compete among all the noise, and one of the newest St. Louis Blues forwards finally record a hat trick, there’s plenty to do on this Wednesday morning. With just three games scheduled for tonight, teams will be making adjustments to their lineups and preparing for the next few days. As always, we’ll be here to keep track of all those minor moves.

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have returned forward Trevor Moore to the minor leagues, now that they’re off for a few days. Moore didn’t suit up for the Maple Leafs this time around, but should be considered the first call-up if the team experiences any more injuries up front. That said, with a road trip coming up next week he could be back up to fill the extra roster spot in just a few days.
  • Anthony Peluso has been recalled by the Calgary Flames after Dillon Dube was moved to injured reserve. Peluso took rushes with the team at practice as well, indicating that he’ll get into the lineup for the third time this season. Dube is dealing with a concussion, but his injured reserve stint is retroactive to November 3rd meaning he could come off whenever he is healthy.
  • Alex Lyon and Tyrell Goulbourne have been returned to the AHL by the Philadelphia Flyers, indicating that at least one of Brian Elliott or Michal Neuvirth will be able to suit up tomorrow night against the Arizona Coyotes. Calvin Pickard is the only fully healthy goaltender on the roster now, but sitting Lyon at the NHL level with little to do wasn’t an option.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have reassigned Jalen Chatfield to the Utica Comets of the AHL, ending his brief NHL taste before he actually played in a game. Chatfield, an undrafted free agent signing, has played seven games for the Comets this season but is still waiting to make his NHL debut.
  • After just a day, the Detroit Red Wings have returned Christoffer Ehn to the minor leagues. Ehn got just 6:53 in ice time last night for the Red Wings, but managed to record four hits and a shot on goal in his 10th game of the season. The young forward will likely be the first call-up again down the road for Detroit.
  • Kenny Agostino has been recalled by the Montreal Canadiens, giving the former AHL MVP another shot at the highest level. The minor league dynamo has another ten points in his first 12 games for the Laval Rocket this season, continuing his near point-per-game pace in the AHL through five seasons. Despite that success, he’s been given just 22 opportunities to suit up for an NHL game, something he’ll try to change with the Canadiens this season.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes have brought up two young players once again, recalling Phillip Di Giuseppe and Clark Bishop from the Charlotte Checkers. To make room, Nicolas Roy has been sent back down after six games with the Hurricanes. Carolina has been swapping players in and out of their bottom-six all season trying to find a fit, and will give Di Giuseppe and Bishop another chance to make an impression in the coming days.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have returned center Chase De Leo to San Diego of the AHL, just one day after recalling him.  The 23-year-old didn’t play in Tuesday’s loss against the Kings.  De Leo is off to a decent start in the minors with five points in eight games and will likely get another look with the big club later on this season.

Trade Rumors: Pearson, Zykov, Leddy

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When a name keeps popping up in trade rumors, it’s usually not for nothing. In the latest “31 Thoughts”, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman becomes another hockey insider to tab Los Angeles Kings forward Tanner Pearson as a likely trade victim this season. Despite the sweeping changes already made by GM Rob Blake in regards to his coaching staff, he is certainly going to tweak his roster as well. Friedman notes that after a 24-goal campaign in 2016-17, Pearson notched just 15 last year and has yet to find the back of the net this year. In fact, Pearson has just one lone assist on the year, not to mention a slowed pace on shots and hits, a drop-off in ice time, and the worst plus/minus of his career. Pearson is sorely in need of a change of scenery and even though the Kings would be selling the 26-year-old winger at his lowest value, it would not be a shock to see a move come sooner rather than later. The team will land a nice return regardless; Pearson is still capable of being an effective two-way middle-six forward for many teams.

  • The only player whose name has been more talked about on the rumor mill than Pearson’s is disgruntled – and unsigned – Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander. The one team constantly connected to Nylander has been the Carolina Hurricanes, who would likely be dealing away one of their many talented defenseman as part of a hypothetical package. However, Friedman notes that another player the ’Canes are likely willing to move, to Toronto or otherwise, is young forward Valentin Zykov. Zykov, 23, has been struggling to find a full-time role with Carolina for years. His twelve NHL games this season is already a career-high, but he played just 4:41 last game and has only three points on the year. Zykov simply doesn’t look like a long-term fit for the Hurricanes and Friedman indicates that he could be on the move as a result.
  • One potential trade target who has flown under the radar is New York Islanders defenseman Nick Leddy. Last month, The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta noted that Leddy’s name began popping up in conversations as early as last year and again over the summer. Pagnotta said a deal wasn’t imminent, but that it remained a possibility. The remarks were prompted by Leddy’s poor start to the season; the offensive defenseman began the campaign with nine scoreless games. After a brief outburst of three points in two nights, Leddy is again on a scoreless streak of three games after the Islanders’ loss last night. Leddy was one of the worst plus/minus players in the NHL last season at -42 and that was with 42 points to his credit. If his offense has dried up in New York and the Isles are having to win in spite of him, he could be traded away for a nice haul in no time. Leddy would be a prime candidate to bounce back on a team where he is not relied upon as much for minutes and defense.

Poll: Is Eric Staal A Hall Of Famer?

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On Saturday night, Minnesota Wild center Eric Staal notched his 400th career goal, placing him among an elite group of NHL scorers that includes less than a hundred names. At his current pace, he will also hit 1,000 career points either late this season or early next, joining an even more exclusive group. Staal has quietly become one of the more prolific scorers in NHL history. Has he also sold his case for the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Staal, 34, is one of the league’s more under-the-radar superstars. Sure, he is well-known for being the oldest of four brothers with NHL experience and for putting the Carolina Hurricanes on the map by winning the 2006 Stanley Cup championship in just his second pro season. Yet, all those years as the centerpiece in Carolina also limited his exposure and many years capped his production as well. Few would name Staal as one of the best players in the league since the turn of the century, but the statistics show otherwise. The question is whether his success will last the test of time.

Now in his 15th NHL season, Staal spent twelve years with the Hurricanes and seven as their captain. Just as it started looking like he was slowing down, Staal signed with the Wild three years ago and re-booted his career with back-to-back 65+ point efforts. He has nine such seasons to his credit, including an elusive 100-point season as well. His 933 career points are sixth-best among all active players, while his 400 goals rank fifth. Staal has finished a season in the top ten is goals three times and points twice, despite playing the bulk of his career with the franchise that holds the NHL’s longest playoff drought and had few other players of Staal’s caliber during his tenure.

Pure numbers aside, Staal has silently accumulated quite the resume. The second overall pick in the 2003 NHL Draft, Staal entered the league with high expectations. It is safe to say that the five-time All-Star has exceeded them. Staal has received votes for the Hart Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s MVP, four times (including just last season), and the Selke Trophy, recognizing the league’s top defensive forward, seven different times. He is also a member of the super-elite “Triple Gold” club, a 26-man group of players to have won the Stanley Cup, Olympic Gold, and World Championship Gold.

How does he compare to current Hall of Fame members and those who missed out on being enshrined? Reaching 1,000 points does not automatically qualify a player for selection. Sixteen former greats, not including those recently retired, cracked the benchmark but did not earn a spot in the Hall. This includes Staal’s former teammates Rod Brind’Amour and Ray Whitney – for now. The 400-goal mark is even less predictive, as close to 30 long-retired players in that group have not been selected. So while Staal is at or closing in on two benchmarks that put him in a group of less than 100 all-time greats, that’s not to say that all of the other names are tried and true Hall of Famers. As his statistics stand currently, Staal compares favorably to stars of yesteryear like Ted Lindsay, Dave Keon, and Henri Richard, all of whom are in the Hall. If he plays long enough, Staal to date is also likely to surpass the production of a player like Dave Andreychuk. Yet, there are plenty more who have not been named to the Hall who had more impressive numbers than Staal: Bernie Nicholls, Pierre Turgeon, Theoren Fleury, Keith Tkachuk, and many more. That is not to say that one or more of those players won’t eventually get in, but they currently act as a major hurdle to Staal’s case.

Staal’s two most comparable players? Martin St. Louis and Jeremy Roenick. St. Louis was also a Stanley Cup winner and five-time All-Star who dedicated his life to one team, but performed exceedingly well when he did finally move on. St. Louis was a more decorated player than Staal, but never reached 400 goals and his 1,033 career points is very attainable for Staal, albeit in more games. Staal also has the chance to add another Cup to his resume, whether it be in Minnesota or elsewhere, to supplement his Hall application. Roenick, on the other hand, never lifted the Stanley Cup. However, he was a nine-time All-Star who scored more than 500 goals. On a per-game basis, he is similar to Staal, but was an explosive scorer year in and year out. St. Louis is in the Hall of Fame; Roenick is not. Whose company Staal joins remains a mystery, still to be sorted out over a few more years of hockey.

What do you think? Is Eric Staal a Hall of Famer? Is it still too early to tell?

Eastern Notes: Nylander, Elliott, Hedman, Rask

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The Toronto Maple Leafs are running out of time to sign restricted free agent William Nylander and as each day passes, general manager Kyle Dubas may be more and more inclined to look to deal Nylander before they lose him for the season.

In Saturday’s Hockey Night in Canada segment, Elliotte Friedman said that if/when the Maple Leafs decide to move Nylander, expect the Carolina Hurricanes to be ready to make a deal.

“When the time does come — if the time does come that Toronto decides they are going to deal [Nylander] — Carolina has made it very clear that they are all in,” said Friedman.

Carolina has a number of key assets that might interest Toronto, including defensemen Justin Faulk and Brett Pesce. Nylander would be another key piece for the Hurricanes to build up their forward core that already includes Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov.

  • The Philadelphia Flyers lost one of their goalies Saturday when Michal Neuvirth was sent back home to Philadelphia for medical reasons. Now, Sam Carchidi of Philly.com writes that Brian Elliott left practice early today after he collided with teammate Travis Konecny. The injury-prone goalie left holding his head, but there is no update, nor is it known if he can play in Monday’s game against Arizona. If not, Calvin Pickard will fill in for him and the team may have to recall Alex Lyon from Lehigh Valley of the AHL. The 33-year-old Elliott has been adequate at best so far in 10 appearances this year. He has a 3.10 GAA and an .893 save percentage.
  • The Athletic’s Joe Smith (subscription required) reports that Tampa Bay Lightning head coach said defenseman Victor Hedman, who has been out since Oct. 26 when he collided with Vegas’ Ryan Reaves will be out on Tuesday, but could be ready to return later this week.
  • With lots of mailbag questions about Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask, NBC Sports Joe Hagerty writes that he doubts the team would be able to trade the struggling Rask in any upcoming deal. The 31-year-old Rask, who has been outplayed by free agent Jaroslav Halak so far this season, has a 3.15 GAA and a .902 save percentage in six appearances. However, his contract ($7MM AAV for two more years after this one), but more particularly his no-trade clause will prevent Boston from moving him. While many teams might want to give Rask a new opportunity, Haggerty writes he doesn’t believe that Rask has any interest in leaving Boston and wouldn’t be willing to waive his no-trade clause.

Metropolitan Notes: Buchnevich, Nieves, Murray, Rask, Pickard

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After sitting in the press box for the last two games of their road trip, New York Rangers forward Pavel Buchnevich is expected to be in Sunday’s lineup against the Sabres. This is just another example of the coaching demeanor of David Quinn who isn’t hesitant to make clear what he demands from his players, both physically and mentally. Regardless, Quinn expects Buchnevich to respond in only one way about the scratches.

“I hope he’s pissed, and I think he is,” Quinn said after Saturday’s practice up in Westchester (via the New York Post’s Brett Cyrgalis). “I want everybody to be pissed when they don’t play. Now do something about it.”

Buchnevich so far has kept his feelings about his benching quiet and prefers to keep his conversations with Quinn to himself. However, the general belief is that Quinn needs to see more consistency from Buchnevich, who has scored points in five games, but has also disappeared in the other five games this season. Quinn can only hope that Buchnevich is ready to buy in.

  • Staying with the Rangers, Newsday’s Anthony Rieber writes that forward Boo Nieves practiced with the team after suffering a concussion that he sustained in the preseason opener on Sept. 17. Nieves practiced with the Hartford Wolf Pack while the team was on their four-game road trip. While there is no timetable for the 24-year-old to be activated off of injured reserve, the 6-foot-3, 203-pounder is getting closer to providing the team with a big body in their lineup. Nieves played 28 games for the Rangers last year, putting up a goal and eight assists.
  • Josh Yohe of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray is getting tired of being hit during games. The 24-year-old has been hit incidentally with no penalties being called all season, including it happening three times on Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. With three concussions in his young career, this new trend is alarming to the goalie. “I’m out there to stop the puck,” Murray said. “That’s got to be my main focus. If I have to do take a hit to do so, it is what it is. I hope that the refs will do something.”
  • In a Q&A with Carolina Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell, NHL.com’s Michael Smith learned that the team is expecting to get back winger Victor Rask in the first week of December. Rask injured his hand while slicing food in his kitchen and underwent hand surgery during the preseason and was listed as out indefinitely. Waddell said the team met with team doctors at the last home game who confirmed that week was viable.
  • The Athletic’s Charlie O’Connor (subscription required) writes that Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Calvin Pickard may have lost the game Saturday on two late goals by the San Jose Sharks, but the scribe writes that Pickard actually played a solid game and didn’t deserve to take the loss. The third-string goalie was called into action when injury-prone Michal Neuvirth returned to Philadelphia with an undisclosed injury. Despite struggling playing the puck on numerous occasions, the 26-year-old did play well in the net as two of the goals by Timo Meier and Joe Pavelski were unstoppable.

Snapshots: “Trade Bait”, Lindholm, Spezza

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The second month of the NHL season is underway and with it comes the first iteration of TSN’s “Trade Bait” board. To no surprise, unsigned Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander tops the list. With the countdown at 28 days until the December 1st deadline for Nylander to sign and play in the NHL this season, the impasse between the two sides is desperately in need of a resolution, and with each day that goes by, a trade looks more and more likely. TSN’s Frank Seravalli notes that it was the first week of November last year when No. 1-ranked trade bait player Matt Duchene was traded away, making it entirely possible that a Nylander trade or other big name move could drop in the next few days. Joining Nylander in the top six of the list are recent rumor mill highlights Kevin Hayes of the New York Rangers and Alec Martinez and Tanner Pearson of the Los Angeles Kings, as well as summer trade bait board holdout Mats Zuccarello, also of the Rangers, and perennial rumor monger Gustav Nyquist of the Detroit Red Wings. Both free agency-bound Columbus Blue Jackets superstars – Sergei Bobrovsky and Artemi Panarin – feature in the top ten, as does a possible Nylander return piece Brett Pesce of the Carolina Hurricanes. A surprise addition is Winnipeg Jets defenseman Tyler Myers, who seems unlikely to move in the midst of what the Jets hope is a Stanley Cup-caliber season. So too is Wayne Simmonds, who the Philadelphia Flyers seemingly would like to re-sign and keep on as a leader and core contributor, but the Flyers’ success this season will likely determine his availability. The trade board is limited to just 15 names right now, but this initial list certainly features plenty of talent and some names that have already featured prominently in rumors. TSN may have perfect timing, as the NHL trade market seems ready to heat up.

  • One of the off-season’s biggest trades almost went differently, writes Sportsnet’s Luke Fox. Fox talked to new Calgary Flames head coach Bill Peters recently, who stated that he expected a different package from a different team entirely in return for defenseman Dougie Hamilton, only to find that his former club, the Carolina Hurricanes, had offered the top package of Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin. Peters (obviously) says that he likes the way the deal turned out. While Hanifin is off to a slow start in Calgary, Lindholm has been an excellent fit next to Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau on the top line and currently sports a 24.3% shooting percentage to go with a team-leading nine goals and total of 14 points.
  • Fox also recently spoke with Dallas Stars center Jason Spezza, who this past week played in his 1,000th NHL game, about how he is approaching a contract year. Spezza was transparent with his answer:

“Not when you’re 35. You don’t care about the contract years… I just want to play the year, have a good year. I want to be back here next year. The money doesn’t matter. I just want to play and make sure I have a good role… It’s different when you’re at this point in my career. I just want to be on a team that has a chance to win. So, no, I can’t say that’s once played into my mind… That time has passed in my career. I’m just looking to play and be on a good team and have a good role and contribute… If you put the work into it, you get rewarded with big contracts. I can honestly say I don’t think I’ve ever played the game for the money.”

Spezza’s honesty is refreshing, but he also contradicts himself with a scenario that is likely to unfold as the season progresses. Spezza states that he wants to be back in Dallas next season, yet also wants a chance to finally win the Stanley Cup. Those two things may not coincide soon enough for the veteran center. The Stars currently share the 14th-best record in the NHL, but sit sixth out of seven in the powerhouse Central Division and have struggled to score goals early on this season. If Dallas cannot improve over the course of the season, Spezza will become an attractive trade rental candidate, especially since his eight points thus far indicate a bounce-back season compared to a disappointing 2017-18 campaign. Dallas may also be a few years away from really competing with the likes of Nashville and Winnipeg in the Central. A desire to win may make a continued career with the Stars less likely, but would make Spezza’s decision to waive his No-Movement Clause and choices in free agency much easier.

Snapshots: Hurricanes, Nylander, Voynov, Global Series

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The Carolina Hurricanes have three scouts in attendance tonight at the Dallas Stars-Toronto Maple Leafs game and, according to Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman, that is not just a fluke. Per Friedman, for the one team to have that many scouts in attendance on a night with 26 teams in action, there has to be a reason. Unless the Hurricanes and Stars have a deal on the table that no one has heard about quite yet, the implication would be that Carolina continues to be in hot pursuit of young forward William Nylander. Yet, Nylander is not in the Toronto lineup tonight, as he remains unsigned as a restricted free agent. Why then would the Hurricanes still be out scouting the Maple Leafs? Friedman suggests that a possible Nylander deal, which looks more and more realistic with each day, could be of a much greater magnitude than a one-for-one swap. While many have suggested that a relatively simple exchange centered around Nylander and ’Canes defenseman Justin Faulk would make sense for both sides, it would seem to leave Toronto a little shortchanged. As such, if Carolina is watching other Maple Leafs, it would seem to indicate that the package from their side is quite larger than just one veteran defenseman. At the end of the day, there very well may never be a Nylander trade. However, the clues are building toward what could be a Toronto-Carolina blockbuster.

  • The opposite of mysterious trade dealings? How about a team outright stating they have no interest in acquiring a player. That is what the Arizona Coyotes did today, with The Athletic’s Craig Morgan reporting that the team has absolutely no interest in adding free agent defenseman Slava Voynov. Voynov, 28, has been out of the NHL for four years, but today applied for reinstatement. An interested team would have to trade for his rights from the Los Angeles Kings, but dealing with a division rival is likely not what is holding the Coyotes back. Voynov’s troubled past would mean bad PR for any team he ends up with and Arizona is simply opting not to expose themselves to that onslaught. There will no doubt be interest in the talented blue liner, just not from the Coyotes.
  • With NHL currently overseas as the Global Series takes place with games in Finland between the Winnipeg Jets and Florida Panthers, commissioner Gary Bettman took the opportunity to hint at what the future of the league’s action abroad could be. NHL.com’s Brian Compton writes that Bettman is currently working toward having preseason games in Germany and Switzerland again next year, while also planning for a season-opening series in Prague, Czech Republic and a later series in Stockholm, Sweden. He also states that the league has interest in returning to Finland in the near future as well. To date, the league has played 31 games overseas and has enjoyed success with growing the game on an international scale. The Global Series seems like a venture by the NHL with no shortage of opportunities and a excellent longevity.

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