In today’s NHL rumors rundown, it is believed that Winnipeg Jets star Mark Scheifele has been notified that if Sidney Crosby can’t go to the 4 Nations Face-Off, he will be called up. Elsewhere, Rasmus Ristolainen is questionable for the 4 Nations Face-Off as well. Finishing off, trade rumors are heating up around Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Laughton, and two teams have been named as the front-runners.
Scheifele Given Heads Up About 4 Nations If Crosby Can’t Go
According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, Scheifele has been given the heads up that if Team Canada is without Crosby, who was named captain of the 4 Nations Face-Off team, he will get the call to join the team. Scheifele was immediately identified as one of the biggest snubs from the roster, and considering the season he is having, there isn’t much argument against him being on the team.
Crosby was injured during a game on Feb. 4 against the New Jersey Devils after a collision with a pair of players. There was no clear source of the injury, but Crosby was clearly in pain and left the game. He did return later, and put in some strong shifts, but did not play on Feb. 7 against the New York Rangers, and is questionable for the Feb. 8 game against the Flyers.
Despite missing regular-season games, the belief is that if Crosby feels healthy enough to play in the 4 Nations Face-Off, he will be there. As Elliotte Friedman stated on the 32 Thoughts podcast, throughout his entire career, Crosby has earned the right to be there, even if he misses the NHL games beforehand, and it should be up to him.
Related: Can the Penguins or Canada Compete Without Crosby?
As for Scheifele, he is currently tied for the lead in goals among all Canadian players this season with 31 and is fourth among them in points with 63. It has been one of the best seasons of his career, and he certainly earned the right to be on this team.
Ristolainen Out With Injury, Not Trade-Related Reasons
Despite being in trade rumors throughout this season, Ristolainen will not play on Feb. 8 but it is due to an injury. There was a lot of speculation that a trade was incoming online, but Friedman put those to rest as he posted on X that it is indeed because of an injury.
When it comes to the 4 Nations Face-Off, Friedman believes that the Flyers wouldn’t be against him attending if he can. Similar to Crosby, if he feels healthy enough to play in the tournament next week, he can do so. Team Finland is already missing a number of defensemen, including Jani Hakanpaa and Miro Heiskanen. With Ristolainen’s injury, there is a chance he can’t go.
Ristolainen leads all active Finnish defensemen in games played and points, and would be a huge loss for Team Finland. The only two options to replace him would be Jets defenseman Ville Heinola, or Senators defenseman Nikolas Matinpalo.
Laughton Trade Incoming?
Another name that has been in Flyers trade rumors is Laughton. Dating back a few seasons, Laughton has been in the mix to be dealt at the trade deadline a couple of times. Friedman reported in an episode of 32 Thoughts earlier in the season that while the Flyers are willing to trade him, they weren’t actively looking to do so, and put a first-round pick price tag on him. If a team was willing to pay up big, they would part with him, but they would prefer to keep him for anything less.
Daily Faceoff’s Anthony Di Marco, who covers the Flyers, says that trade rumors are heating up surrounding Laughton, and the Toronto Maple Leafs and Jets are the front-runners currently, but more teams are in the mix.
Sounds like trade talks are heating up around #Flyers center Scott Laughton.
— Anthony Di Marco (@ADiMarco25) February 8, 2025
Sources indicate #Leafs and #nhljets are two of the teams who have shown the most interest, but handful of teams are in the mix.@DailyFaceoff
Laughton is a 30-year-old center with lots of experience, good gritty play, and can chip in offensively and defensively. He is under contract for $3 million for the rest of this season and next season, making him more than just a pure rental. For a team like the Maple Leafs, who are looking for center depth heading into the playoffs, Laughton makes a lot of sense.
Laughton is on pace for roughly 40 points, which is on par with his last two seasons. He isn’t going to be a game-breaker offensively, but he can provide good depth scoring. The two-way play and leadership would certainly help both the Maple Leafs and Jets as well. There hasn’t been an update on the asking price in a while, but the Jets have quite a few prospects they could part with, and the Maple Leafs, while not having the most depth in their prospect pool, do have a few names like Easton Cowan and Fraser Minton as prospects, or even Nicholas Robertson off of the roster.
