Countdown to TradeCentre: The price for Tanev
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The NHL's March 8 Trade Deadline is approaching, and teams are making decisions on whether to buy or sell, and on 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.
Flames Watch
The Calgary Flames continue to draw plenty of attention as the trade deadline approaches, with Chris Tanev, Noah Hanifin and Jacob Markstrom all drawing significant interest from around the league.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have long been reported among the suitors for Tanev in a potential reunion for now-Leafs general manager Brad Treliving. TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston reported last week that Toronto was hoping to use volume of compensation to acquire a blueliner in order to keep their first-round pick this year. That, however, appears unlikely to be a successful strategy to land Tanev, according to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun.
"My understanding is that Flames GM Craig Conroy has made it clear to Treliving that it’s going to take Toronto’s first-round pick to get Tanev," LeBrun wrote in the Athletic.
The 34-year-old blueliner has one goal and 12 points in 52 games this season with Calgary. Signed at an expiring cap hit of $4.5 million, Tanev is listed at No. 2 on the TSN Trade Bait board.
The Flames have lost three straight games after a strong stretch that saw them post four road wins in a row. Calgary now sits five points back of the Blues for final wild-card spot in the Western Conference with three teams sandwiched between them and the Blues.
As trade talks continue to surround the team, ESPN's Kevin Weekes added another name to the rumour mill late last week, reporting that Rasmus Andersson is drawing interest.
The 27-year-old defenceman has seven goals and 28 points in 51 games this season and is signed through 2025-26 at a cap hit of $4.55 million.
Selected in the second round of the 2015 draft by the Flames, Andersson has 34 goals and 189 points in 428 career games.
Senators ready to sell?
After posting losses to the lowly Anaheim Ducks and Chicago Blackhawks to end the week, Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia surveyed the trade options for the Ottawa Senators and first-year general manager Steve Staios.
Garrioch broke down the outlook for the four Senators on the TSN Trade Bait board - Vladimir Tarasenko (No. 9), Jakob Chychrun (No. 12), Dominik Kubalik (No. 38) and Erik Brannstrom (No. 49).
He expects the Senators to at least discuss what an extension would look like for Tarasenko before making a decision on asking the winger to waive his no-trade clause. The 32-year-old has 14 goals and 36 points in 49 games this season after joining Ottawa on a one-year, $5 million contract in free agency.
Noting there's "significant interest" for Chychrun, Ottawa's prize acquisition ahead of the trade deadline last year, Garrioch reports the Senators have set a high asking price and will only move the defenceman if they get the return they're looking for. Signed through next season at a cap hit of $4.6 million, the 26-year-old has nine goals and 30 points in 51 games this season.
Garrioch is unsure whether Kubalik, Brannstrom, or centre Mark Kastelic, who he notes is also available, will draw an offer ahead of March 8.
Ottawa is on track to miss the playoffs for a seventh straight season, currently sitting second-last in the Eastern Conference ahead of only the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Blockbuster or bust for Hurricanes?
The Carolina Hurricanes have made big swings - and big splashes - on the trade market in the past, and will continue to look at deals to improve the team beyond this year, general manager Don Waddell told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun.
“Yeah we’re not big on rental types,” Waddell told LeBrun for The Athletic. “We’ve done a couple over the years, but the only (deadline deals) we’ve paid big prices, like giving up a first-round pick for Skjei, we were going to have him for four years.
“Our first priority, if we’re giving up premium picks or top prospects, we want to make sure that we get a player for more than a few months. That’s why we stay in touch with a lot of teams and guys. For us to make that kind of deal right now, there’s just not a lot of [non-rentals] out there. Most players being shopped are unrestricted at the end of the year.
“As we go through the next couple of weeks and get closer to the deadline, and that list is going to dwindle down, we’ll see.”
LeBrun notes a dream scenario for the Hurricanes would be paying up to acquire Travis Konecny, but notes the Philadelphia Flyers are unlikely to make that move.
The Hurricanes have used five goaltenders this season and have a team save percentage of a .894, but Waddell does not appear set to make a move in net.
“We think we’re fine,” Waddell said of the team's goaltending.
Carolina has leaned on Pyotr Kochetkov and Spencer Martin with Antti Raanta sidelined with a lower-body injury and Frederik Andersen remaining out after a blood clotting issue discovered in November.
Kochetkov has a 14-9-3 record with a .905 save percentage and a 2.46 goals-against average this season. He started five straight games before Martin got the call for Saturday's 3-1 win over the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Hurricanes could soon to be forced to make internal decisions at the position after Andersen took part in his first full practice of the new year last week and Raanta likely to return before the trade deadline.
Carolina sits second in the Metropolitan Division with a 32-17-5 record as the team closes in on a sixth straight playoff appearance.