Mark Masters is joined by TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun to discuss Chris Tanev’s fluid load management plan, the Maple Leafs making calls for a meaningful upgrade to the blue line, the Hurricanes still having interest in pending UFA Erik Karlsson, the noise with Matvei Michkov in Philadelphia and more.
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Mark Masters: It’s Early Trading and here’s the early Insider Pierre LeBrun. Pierre, a pretty newsy day down here this morning at Scotiabank Arena as the Leafs reveal Chris Tanev is going to be sat out tonight for planned maintenance. Second time it’s happened, but the other time it was on the second half of a back-to-back. Coach Jim Hiller really did not want to get into the decision here this morning. What do you know about it?
Pierre LeBrun: My understanding, having dug in on this now this morning after this news, is that when Chris Tanev was out, the organization went to him and they talked about this load management plan for when he came back to the lineup.
And so Chris Tanev was very much part of these discussions. And it was a plan that they hatched for the month of November. In other words, the first month back, to see how he fared. And the idea was that he wouldn’t play in back-to-backs and that there would be one other game that’s not a back-to-back that he wouldn’t play and it was indeed this game tonight against the Minnesota Wild.
So that was all I don’t want to say negotiated, but part of the conversations that Chris Tanev was very well aware of. But I think what’s probably changed since that conversation was had is that Morgan Rielly goes out, and it’s no question when you see what Chris Tanev said the other day, that it’s eating at him. He’s such a warrior. They’re missing a top four guy, and I think it’s just killing him not to be in, even though he knew this was coming.
So, where it goes from here is I think it’s fluid. I mean, they only have this plan right now for November, but then all the parties involved, including, sports science and high performance and obviously GM John Chayka, they’re all going to talk again as the season goes on to see what’s best for Chris Tanev. But it’s not easy for a guy like that wants to be in the lineup.
Masters: Tanev said he tried multiple times to get into that game on Sunday with Rielly out. So the Leafs have one more back-to-back, by the way, this month. With Rielly out, with Tanev out, the Leafs’ third pair tonight is Cole McWard and Dakota Mermis, not ideal against the Minnesota Wild to say the least. Pierre, this feels like a team that could use a boost on the back end.
LeBrun: Yeah, and not from a lack of trying. John Chayka, the GM of the Leafs, according to what I’m hearing from other teams around the league, continues to make calls about trying to upgrade the blue line in a real way. Not in a band-aid way and not in a patchwork way, but if the Leafs make the kind of trade they want to make between now and March 1st, it’s for a meaningful upgrade on the blue line that is beyond just this year, that fits in with this core, and helps the steam moving forward.
In other words, I think he would be trying to be doing this even if their record was reversed right now. This is not about winning or losing or being in a losing streak, but this is a priority item if at all possible, for the Leafs to upgrade their blue line. The thing is, we’re in mid-November and strangely enough, teams aren’t really selling on top four defensemen right now this early in the year.
Masters: All right, well, let’s stick on the theme of defencemen. Colleague Darren Dregger updated the situation with Evgeni Malkin in Pittsburgh last week. I want to ask you about another pending UFA, Erik Karlsson. Where do things stand there with him?
LeBrun: Yeah, so like Malkin, Erik Karlsson is a pending UFA. That eight-year contract that he signed in San Jose back in 2019 is finally expiring. And guess what? Erik Karlsson’s still a great player, leading the Pittsburgh Penguins with 19 points in 19 games. He had 66 points last year. Well, he’s a pending UFA and a team that’s pretty much headed nowhere.
And so the Penguins are going to be sellers. He’s got a full no-move clause, Mark. So, all roads lead through Erik Karlsson and his agent. My understanding is that his camp will convene with Kyle Dubas, the GM of the Penguins in the new year and figure out a pathway to where this is headed.
But one team to keep an eye on, the Carolina Hurricanes. They were the runners up for Erik Karlsson back in the summer of 2023 when it was between Carolina and Pittsburgh to get him from San Jose. Carolina had a ton of interest in him. I’m told they still do. And why wouldn’t they? They tried to sign John Carlson, as you know, on July 1st but Tampa swooped in and got him instead. But it tells you about maybe the one need that the Stanley Cup champions feel maybe they still have. Well, similar players in John Carlson and Erik Karlsson. I expect the Hurricanes to be bidders if and when the Penguins open up the Erik Karlsson trade talks.
Masters: All right, let’s stick in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Go down the road to Philadelphia. A lot of noise around Matvei Michkov right now. What are the chances he could be leaving the Keystone State?
Lebrun: I don’t think that’s the immediate plan for the Philadelphia Flyers. You know, he’s been very productive this year, but there’s a lot of noise around him. Our friend Kevin Weekes started it all with that tweet this week.
Daniel Briere, the GM, met the media. last night and said there is no trade request. He checked with the agent. But where there’s smoke, there’s fire, Mark, is what I would tell you. And what’s happened over the last couple days because of the noise that this story has created is that other teams are checking in with the Flyers about Matvei Michkov. They want to know what’s really going on. Is he really available? Let’s stay in touch.
So it may not have been something that the Flyers would have wanted out there, but there are teams now reaching out. Again, I don’t think anything is imminent. I don’t even think he’ll be traded this year. But who knows if this doesn’t lead to something if Michkov isn’t a happy camper at the end of this season.
Masters: Four coaches in the NHL on expiring contracts. Only one of them coached their team to the playoffs last season. That would be Joel Quenneville. What are you hearing about his status?
LeBrun: Yeah, and listen, everyone is pretty zen about that in Anaheim. You know, a lot of guys did get extended right before the year that were in expiring deals. Guys like Martin St. Louis and John Hynes and Ryan Warsofsky, etc.
Joel Quenneville, he’s 68, he’s pretty comfortable in his shoes. But what I’m told is over the past month, there have been contract negotiations between the Ducks and Joel Quenneville. There’s a mutual desire to continue that partnership and I expect something to get done here within the next month or two.