Buy or Sell the Latest NHL Trade Rumors
The NHL's March 8 trade deadline is just over six weeks away. That hasn't stopped the pundits from speculating over which players could be on the move leading up to the big day.
Only three trades have taken place thus far since the calendar flipped to January. The most notable saw the Anaheim Ducks trade defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round pick to the Philadelphia Flyers for promising winger Cutter Gauthier.
It was also fairly quiet in the trade market around the same time last year. On Jan. 30, 2023, the Vancouver Canucks shipped Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders, kicking off several weeks of frantic trade activity leading up to the 2023 deadline.
The same thing could happen again this year. While many teams are hampered by limited salary-cap space, all it takes is one significant move to have a domino effect on the trade market.
That move could involve such stars as Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel or Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros. They're among several notable players who've surfaced in recent media trade speculation.
Are those trade rumors worth worth buying into? That's what we'll determine as we examine the five most noteworthy NHL conjectures of the past week. Let us know what you think in our app comments section.
Columbus Blue Jackets Will Try to Trade Elvis Merzļikins
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On Jan. 12, Elvis Merzļikins told reporters that he and Columbus Blue Jackets management had mutually agreed to explore "a new scenario." The 29-year-old goaltender claimed he hadn't requested a trade, but three days later clarified his remarks by saying he indeed asked to be traded.
Merzļikins is in the second season of a five-year contract with an average annual value of $5.4 million with a 10-team no-trade clause. He entered the 2023-24 campaign as the Blue Jackets starter but was relegated to backup duty through most of January as the club evaluated promising netminder Daniil Tarasov.
After struggling through last season, Merzļikins has had something of a bounce-back performance this season despite a porous Blue Jackets blue line. However, he and Jackets management could find a trade difficult to make before deadline day.
On Jan. 16, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported there currently wasn't a market for Merzļikins. He cited the goalie's contract as well as his inconsistent play over the past two seasons.
Buy or Sell: Sell on finding a trade partner this season.
Too many teams carry limited salary-cap space this season. If Merzļikins plays well between now and March 8, few clubs could afford to take on his full contract. The Blue Jackets could be reluctant to retain any salary to facilitate a move. They might have to wait until the offseason and hope the market improves.
Ottawa Senators Defenseman Jakob Chychrun Might Hit The Trade Block Again
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A year ago, Jakob Chychrun was among the notable names in the NHL rumor mill. After months of speculation, he was traded from the Arizona Coyotes to the Ottawa Senators just days before the March 3 deadline.
With the 2024 trade deadline on the horizon, Chychrun is once again the subject of trade conjecture. On Jan. 17, the Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garrioch suggested keeping an eye on the 25-year-old defenseman as Senators general manager Steve Staios considers his options.
It was Staios' predecessor Pierre Dorion who acquired Chychrun last season. The blueliner has a year remaining on his contract with a $4.6 million cap hit. Garrioch believes Staios will meet with the Chychrun camp to discuss a contract extension. If an agreement can't be reached, the Senators GM could explore the trade market.
TSN's Darren Dreger echoed Garrioch's report. He said teams are calling about Chychrun but it would take a substantial offer to pry him away from the Senators. Dreger thinks they could continue entertaining offers into the offseason.
Buy or sell: Buy
Replacing Dorion as GM last November, Staios is trying to improve a roster that has been rebuilding for years with no progress to show for its efforts. While he could retain Chychrun, he already has left-shot defensemen Thomas Chabot and Jake Sanderson on long-term contracts. Staios could move Chychrun for the right offer.
Nashville Predators Could Peddle Juuse Saros
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When the Nashville Predators were near the bottom of the standings in November, Juuse Saros popped up in the rumor mill. That conjecture faded when general manager Barry Trotz stated his intent to sign the 28-year-old goaltender to a contract extension.
Two months later, the Predators are jockeying for a wild-card berth in the Western Conference. Nevertheless, Saros has once again become the subject of trade rumors. On Jan. 18, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported there's a possibility they could move the Finnish netminder.
LeBrun acknowledged the Predators' improvement and ongoing intention to re-sign Saros, whose contract expires at the end of next season. However, Trotz is getting calls from clubs desperate to upgrade their goaltending. He felt the Preds GM has no choice but to at least listen to offers, adding it would take "a serious, serious offer" to entice Trotz to move him.
The Tennessean's Paul Skrbina is skeptical about the possibility of moving Saros, pointing out he's been the subject of trade rumors since last season but nothing came of it. He noted that no one was willing to pay a hefty price to land the goalie then and doubted they'd do so now.
Buy or Sell: Sell
Contenders lacking a reliable starting goalie are likely making inquiries about Saros, who has struggled with consistency this season. Nevertheless, it sounds like the Predators intend to keep him in the fold. Unless a team pitches an offer involving a rising young star in a package deal by March 8, Saros won't be going anywhere.
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Minnesota Wild's Marc-André Fleury Might Be on the Move
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As Marc-André Fleury's NHL career winds down, the 39-year-old Minnesota Wild goaltender continues to make headlines. On Jan. 15, he surpassed Hall-of-Famer Patrick Roy for second place on the all-time wins list for goalies with 552.
Fleury also received the bulk of the Wild's recent starts as the club tries to climb back into the playoff race. On Jan. 17, The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun wondered if the veteran goalie would finish the season in Minnesota or be moved to a playoff contender by the March 8 trade deadline.
Wild general manager Bill Guerin told LeBrun it was premature to open trade discussions regarding Fleury. He insisted his club hasn't given up on a second-half turnaround that propels them into the postseason. Nevertheless, Guerin said they'll see how it goes and will have the appropriate conversations with Fleury.
LeBrun reports a couple of teams recently intended to reach out to the Wild about Fleury. However, it could take a meaningful role to convince the three-time Stanley Cup champion to waive his no-movement clause to join a contender. LeBrun doesn't believe Fleury would accept a backup position.
Buy or Sell: Sell
Fleury has had a long and productive career that should lead him one day into the Hockey Hall of Fame. However, he's at the stage of his career where teams are likely more interested in having him take on a mentoring role with a younger starter. That might not be enticing for Fleury, as he'd likely want to at least share the starter's job.
The Pittsburgh Penguins Could Trade Jake Guentzel
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With 47 points in 43 games as of Jan. 21, Jake Guentzel is jockeying with linemate Sidney Crosby for the scoring lead among the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 29-year-old winger is also eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, and that has some pundits pondering his future in Pittsburgh.
On Jan. 15, The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun didn't rule out the possibility of Guentzel and the Penguins agreeing to a contract extension. However, he also wondered whether general manager Kyle Dubas would attempt to trade him for a return that restocks his club's depleted prospect pipeline.
The following day, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman said he felt Guentzel's contract talks would be determined by what direction Dubas believes the club is headed. He thinks the Penguins GM is trying to rebuild the team while trying to satisfy veterans like Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang by trying to maintain a contending roster.
On Jan. 18, LeBrun appeared on TSN's Insiders where he was asked about Guentzel's situation. With the Penguins on the playoff bubble, he felt this would be a difficult call for Dubas, who indicated his club's performance over the second half of this season would dictate what he does with the winger.
Buy or Sell: Sell...for now
Earlier in the week, Dubas dismissed recent rumors about Guentzel, saying he hasn't had any conversations with other clubs about him. As long as the Penguins remain in the playoff race, he could be reluctant to move him. However, that could change if they lose ground in the standings over the next several weeks.
Stats (as of Jan. 21, 2024) via NHL.com with salary info via Cap Friendly.
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