In today’s NHL rumors rundown, are the Pittsburgh Penguins planning a fire sale? If so, who is all available? Meanwhile, outside of J.T. Miller, what names are being linked to a trade between the Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers? What has made this such a complicated deal to get done? Finally, was Connor McDavid right to retaliate against Conor Garland?
Penguins Set to Hold Fire Sale?
According to Marco D’Amico of RG.org, the Pittsburgh Penguins are getting set to hold a “fire sale” ahead of the NHL trade deadline. There are a few names off-limits, but the Penguins are reportedly open to trading everyone else.
Captain Sidney Crosby, veterans Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust, and young players Philip Tomasino and Owen Pickering are reportedly the only players the Penguins won’t trade. Names like Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang could be shopped, along with expiring contracts like Matt Grzelcyk, Marcus Pettersson, and others. They’re also open to moving players with term remaining on their contracts, such as Rickard Rakell, Michael Bunting, Kevin Hayes, and Noel Acciari.
The Penguins will retain salary on one more player if it helps.
Canucks and Rangers Trade Complicated
Elliotte Friedman is reporting as part of his latest 32 Thoughts podcast that things have gotten complicated when it comes to a J.T. Miller trade. Friedman reports, “I had heard that Miller had asked for a trade, had finally said ‘Just get me out of here’, but that was denied to me,” said Friedman. “A specific trade request was denied to me by several people.”
It is expected that this will still get done, but when is not known. It is not believed Miller was the one who stopped a trade. He is open to it, per several reports. It could be that the two sides can’t figure out which pieces to include.
Related: Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Matthews, Tavares, McCabe & Woll
Vincent Mercogliano of USA Today Sports tweeted on Sunday, “It’s fairly well known that Vancouver has asked for Braden Schneider” and the Rangers have repeatedly said no to this point. Following Larry Brooks’ report that Mika Zibanejad is not part of the trade discussions, Mercogliano says that Alexis Lafrenière also feels like a bridge too far.
He notes, “But a name at least one source believes was involved in most recent trade talks: Filip Chytil. It’s unclear if Canucks want to go down that road given his injury history, but it’s something to monitor.”
Thomas Drance reported that he spoke with Rick Dhaliwal in an effort to find out why the trade between the New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks fell apart for J.T. Miller. He says it was suggested that the conditions of the 1st round pick were the reason.
Elliotte Friedman reports on the latest 32 Thoughts podcast, that there might be a team no one is expecting who is in on these Miller trade talks. It could be the Dallas Stars or Carolina Hurricanes. “I think there’s somebody out there right now we’re just not seeing yet. One team I do wonder about is Carolina. That’s a team that makes more sense to me.”
It is believed the Devils did check in on this, but are unlikely now. “The Devils can’t do it without roster surgery.” “So I’m not convinced it’s the Devils.”
McDavid Likely to Be Suspended… Was It Worth It?
Connor McDavid and Tyler Myers are both waiting to hear the fate of their respective crosscheck in the game between the Canucks and Oilers on Saturday. The belief is that both will be suspended.
Some are supporting McDavid and his pushback against Conor Garland, who admitted to holding McDavid as the Oilers were trying to score and tie the game. McDavid is targeted more than any other player in the NHL and there’s an argument he needs to take matters into his own hands more often. What do you think? Chris Pronger loved what McDavid did, for one simple reason.