The NHL’s Mar. 21 Trade Deadline is approaching and teams are making decisions on whether to buy, sell and decide which players can make the biggest difference and hold the greatest value. Check out today’s trade rumours and speculation from around the NHL beat. And follow TradeCentre on TSN and TSN.ca through Deadline Day for all the updates.
Money In, Money Out
The Toronto Maple Leafs appeared to get some good news on the injury front Tuesday as Jake Muzzin took to the ice for their optional skate for the first time since suffering his second concussion in six weeks last month.
Muzzin’s potential return, however, would end any talk of the Maple Leafs following the Tampa Bay Lightning’s lead and using his LTIR status to spend over the salary cap before bringing the defenceman back for the playoffs.
TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston reports that keeping Muzzin and his $5.625 million cap hit sidelined has never been in Toronto’s plans. He adds, though, that with the Maple Leafs up against the salary cap already, any deadline deal will require a contract to move off their books in order to bring one in.
“Yeah, certainly internally there are no indications the Leafs are operating in that manner,” Johnston said of the Maple Leafs ‘pulling a Kucherov.’ “And really, Leafs management looks at Jake Muzzin returning to the ice as a positive step for his health as he recovers from his second successive concussion. And for the Leafs, that means they’re not going to use his LTIR space to acquire any extra cap hits at the deadline.
“Really right now the Leafs are looking at having about $500,000 that they could add in an annual cap hit that they could add at the deadline depending on what they do with some players before then. So it’s probably going to have to be some players before then, and so it’s probably going to have to be players out to bring someone in.
“And as for Jake Muzzin, the hope is that he’ll be back as soon as possible so he can get ready for the playoffs rather than sitting out until the playoffs.”
Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas said last week his priority was to acquire an additional defenceman ahead of the deadline, adding that he expected to only make one more trade before March 21.
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reported Tuesday that the Florida Panthers, Los Angeles Kings, Boston Bruins, St. Louis Blues, Carolina Hurricanes and Anaheim Ducks are among the “primary suitors” for the 23-year-old.
A trade, however, is still not imminent with the price tag on Chychrun, who remained signed for three more seasons at an affordable $4.6 million cap hit.
“At this point eight teams are seriously in the chase for Jakob Chychrun. But again, we’ve reported so much on this. Based on the amount that Bill Armstrong and the Arizona Coyotes need to move the 23-year-old defenceman – good news for us here at TSN – this could come right down to the wire on March 21 based on the package required,” Dreger said on Insider Trading. “Now, it’s Florida, it’s L.A., it’s Boston, it’s St. Louis, it’s Carolina, it’s Anaheim among the primary suitors. But again, we’re inside two weeks from the trade deadline. It could come down to March 21.”
Trade talks have swirled around Chychrun throughout the season as the basement-dwelling Coyotes weigh their options. The left-shot defenceman has posted five goals and 19 points in 45 games this season after scoring 18 goals and posting 41 points in 56 games a year ago.
Selected 16th overall in the 2016 draft, Chychrun has 51 goals and 140 points in 335 career games – all with Arizona.
Moving Chychrun would likely see Arizona add to a stockpile that already includes eight selections in the first two rounds of this year’s draft, including three first-round picks.
Sharks in the (Trade) Water
The San Jose Sharks are working on a contract extension with centre Tomas Hertl, but no deal in place, the team will soon have to make a decision on whether to take offers on the pending unrestricted free agent.
“They are hopeful,” TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun said of the Sharks Tuesday. “There’s been an offer, a counter offer and they’re going back and forth but it’s not done yet. And when teams have called over the past week asking about making an offer for Tomas Hertl, I’m told the Sharks’ response to teams was ‘Hey, we’re not taking offers right now, we’re trying to get this guy signed.’
“But here’s the other reality. The Sharks know they can’t go right to March 21 on this contract negotiation. They probably need an answer about seven days out so that if they can’t sign him, they pivot and properly explore the trade market for Hertl.”
The 28-year-old has 22 goals and 42 points in 56 games this season while carrying a $5.625 million cap hit in the last of a four-year deal signed in 2018.
While the Sharks have missed the postseason in each of the past two seasons, Hertl made a significant impact in their last playoff run, posting 10 goals and 15 points in 19 games during their 2019 run to the Western Conference final.
LeBrun adds that beyond Hertl, the Sharks are also receiving calls on pending restricted free agent Jake Middleton.
Middleton, 26, has played in 39 games this season after appearing in just 14 NHL games previously. He has three goals and eight points while averaging 18:53 of ice time per game.
“An under-the-radar name for the Sharks that’s garnering some interest? Defenceman Jake Middleton, who has partnered with both Erik Karlsson and Brent Burns at times this year,” LeBrun added on Insider Trading. “He’s part of that penalty killing crew that’s ranked second in the NHL. He’s a restricted free agent at the end of the year, he’s making only $725,000, he’s a bit of an old school physical brand that teams headed to the playoffs like to stash on their roster.
“Among the teams that have kicked tires I’m told Tampa Bay, Boston and St. Louis.”
The Sharks currently sit 12 points back of a playoff spot and appear set to miss the postseason for a third straight year.
Jet Selling?
With the Winnipeg Jets seven points back of a playoff spot in the crowded Western Conference wild-card playoff race, it’s fair to wonder whether the team will be sellers at the trade deadline.
Dreger joined OverDrive on TSN Radio 1050 Toronto on Tuesday to discuss the Jets’ approach to the deadline and the future of pending unrestricted free agent Andrew Copp.
Watch Dreger’s full breakdown here:
How do Jets approach trade deadline?
Mark Roe, Jeff O’Neill and Jamie McLennan are joined by TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger to discuss the Winnipeg Jets approach to the deadline and Andrew Copp’s future.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
