In today’s NHL rumors rundown, could the Boston Bruins be interested in an experienced forward from the New Jersey Devils? Meanwhile, could there be a fit between the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins? There might be a better option for the Winnipeg Jets than Mattias Ekholm or David Savard, and the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens got their new schedules… things are tight.
Scribes Linking Bruins to Palmieri
The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa is reporting that Bruins GM Don Sweeney is out in the marketplace looking for a top-nine right-winger. Shinzawa spoke to one inside source that said, “They need a forward … For now and for the future. What’s your second line look like if you don’t?”
Shinzawa suggests Kyle Palmieri is an option and writes:
Palmieri has no-trade protection, but he lives in Massachusetts in the offseason. He is close with Wagner and Charlie Coyle, two of his summer training partners. He is also on an expiring contract. It means the Bruins would not have to protect him from Seattle. If interested, they could extend Palmieri after the expansion draft.
source – ‘Bruins need to find a right wing at the trade deadline: ‘What’s your 2nd line look like if you don’t?’ – Fluto Shinzawa – The Athletic – 03/27/2021
Shinzawa is not the only scribe making the connection between Boston and Palmieri. Larry Brooks of the New York Post suggests it’s a good fit but isn’t sure the Devils go for it if the return is another prospect or a draft pick or two. He writes:
The Devils need to move beyond that phase of their endless construction project — one playoff appearance and one playoff game victory since 2012 under three different regimes fronted by Lamoriello then Ray Shero and now Tom Fitzgerald — and add an established top-sixer or two to take some of the weight off Jack Hughes.
Is Mantha a Fit For the Penguins?
In a trade that seems incredibly difficult for the Penguins to pull off, NBC Sports’ Adam Gretz is reporting that the organization might be focused on adding some size prior to this year’s NHL Trade Deadline and believes one option might be Anthony Mantha out of Detroit.
A player with a serious contract and term left on his deal, the Penguins don’t exactly have draft picks and assets to give up, but Gretz wonders if Mantha’s struggles with injuries and reduced production might make him a trade chip for Red Wings’ GM Steve Yzerman. The Penguins are an ideal fit for this type of player.
Gretz acknowledges trading for big players that are also good and then finding a team that will give that up is rare, so this might be a trade that’s a bit out there, or a long-shot at the very least. He writes it could be possible:
Washington isn’t giving you Tom Wilson. Calgary isn’t giving you Matthew Tkachuk. Plus, the Penguins do not really have a lot to trade anyway. So given all of that the player I keep going back to is Anthony Mantha. … Been thinking a lot about this discussion about the Penguins getting bigger because that’s the kinda teams that Brian Burke and Ron Hextall like.
Related: Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Galchenyuk, Campbell, Tavares & More
Goligoski and the Winnipeg Jets?
Murat Ates of The Athletic suggests the Jets should go after Arizona Coyotes defenseman Alex Goligoski and that adding the experienced blueliner could be done without giving up high-end futures in return. Golisgoski’s offensive production has fallen but he still plays big minutes, is a pending UFA, a left-handed shot and could serve in a variety of defensive roles.
He certainly wouldn’t cost the Jets as much as landing Mattias Ekholm out of Nashville might or giving up what it might cost to acquire Columbus’ David Savard. Still, Goligoski’s $5.475 million cap hit could be problematic.
The Jets have a bit more than $3.5 million in LTIR space remaining and Goligoski has over $1.9 million in salary still to be paid. If the Coyotes pick up part of his cap hit, it’s definitely doable. Ates writes:
A low-cost, low-risk trade is precisely the type of gamble a good but flawed Jets team should look for, especially because the team doesn’t want to give up on young defencemen like Stanley, Samberg and Heinola… And, given he’s a pending UFA, Goligoski would not create any additional expansion draft concerns.
source – ‘Looking for the Jets’ perfect dark horse trade candidate: Could Alex Goligoski be a match?’ – Murta Ates – The Athletic – 03/27/2021
Oilers and Canadiens Games Rescheduled
The NHL has determined the new schedule for both the Oilers and Canadiens after their three game series was postponed last week. For the Oilers, the game on March 22 is now scheduled for March 30. The game slated for April 20 will now be played on April 21 and the games listed for March 24 and March 26th, will be moved to May 10 and May 11th.
Edmonton will now play the Toronto Maple Leafs in a critical game on Monday, then hop over to Montréal the next night with no rest. They head back to Edmonton to take on the Flames on Friday, April 2nd. It’s a tight schedule that gets even tighter at the end of the regular season with five games in eight nights, all on the road.
The Canadiens don’t exactly have it easy either. They’ll play six games in nine nights to close out the 2020-21 campaign.
