James Duthie is joined by TSN Hockey Insiders Chris Johnston, Pierre LeBrun, and Darren Dreger to discuss the latest trade speculation on Connor Hellebuyck, Dylan Larkin, and Alexander Nikishin, what the Pittsburgh Penguins may do if their season goes south, and more on Insider Trading.
James Duthie: Here’s your trio of Insiders, Chris Johnston, Pierre LeBrun, and Darren Dreger.
The very expensive “Hellebucks” suspension is supposed to end on Friday, just as the Winnipeg Jets are set to host the Heritage Classic on the weekend.
What’s the latest there?
Darren Dreger: There’s a sense that there could be an agreement between Connor Hellebuyck’s camp and the Jets to potentially delay his physicals until a later date.
You mentioned the Heritage Classic and that’s why there would be this delay in in this agreement.
Hellebuyck, his people, and the Jets want the game to focus on the spectacle that is the Heritage Classic because there is an element of the growth of the game.
In the meanwhile, you’ve got Kevin Cheveldayoff, the general manager of the Jets, who has continued to work hard to this point to try and trade the star goalie. That will continue post the weekend.
Duthie: Meanwhile Dylan Larkin’s trade list has expanded but it still does not include the Montreal Canadiens. But you’re still saying there’s a chance? Maybe?
Pierre LeBrun: Yes, there is because maybe he’ll finally change his mind at some point.
Listen, here’s what we can tell you. The Detroit Red Wings, themselves, are actively scouting the Canadiens of late, among other teams of course. But they’re doing their due diligence in person just in case Larkin adds Montreal to that list.
Detroit is fully aware of the kind of packages that the Canadiens aggressively put in front of the Toronto Maple Leafs last year for Matthew Knies and in front of the Columbus Blue Jackets last month for Kirill Marchenko.
The Red Wings are doing their homework there.
Larkin’s agent, Pat Brisson, certainly communicated to Detroit that they want this to get going here. They don’t want this to keep dragging on for a couple more months, wherever he ends up getting dealt.
In terms of Montreal, I should mention that Nick Suzuki’s injury has no bearing on the interest in Larkin. Suzuki will be back in a couple of weeks.
Chris Johnston: One other thing to add on this one is the fact that that 10-team list is as public as it is, after going public this week, has created a lot of industry chatter.
I talked to some Canadiens that wouldn’t mind a spot on that list. How about the Los Angeles Kings? They could use a centre. The Boston Bruins could potentially be a fit for someone like Larkin.
It’s kind of interesting the conjecture this has created.
What I’ve been told about what Larkin’s list came down to, this is where he thinks he can win, with those 10 teams that are on there.
It’s not to say it won’t be expanded at some point in time, but it makes it interesting that teams like the New Jersey Devils, Washington Capitals, Utah Mammoth are among those in the 10 at this point in time. So, it’s certainly given us a lot to chew on these last few days.
Duthie: Meanwhile, troublesome times for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Coming into Thursday, they have one win in their last eight games. They’ve been doing this delicate dance of trying to sort of rebuild while they hold onto all their old stars.
But if they fall out of it, what happens?
Dreger: Well, you could see a bigger sell-off by Kyle Dubas, the general manager of the Penguins.
But what I can tell you is there’s new ownership in Pittsburgh, but the focus remains on getting younger. The difference is it’s more complex from a management perspective because even though Dubas is listening on players like Kris Letang, Erik Karlsson, Bryan Rust, and Rickard Rakell, he’s working with a cash strict budget, not just the NHL’s salary cap.
The players are aware of this situation and teams around the NHL are also aware that Dubas is open for business.
Duthie: We opened this segment talking about Hellebuyck and Larkin, as we have for much of this season. But the Carolina Hurricanes’ talks with Alexander Nikishin has been kind of quiet all year long.
The Hurricanes as defending champs are rolling along here. What’s likely to happen there?
Lebrun: Nikishin is saying, “Don’t forget about me, I want to get traded too.”
He still does, by the way, after all this.
What the Hurricanes have told Nikishin and his agent is that they continue to explore the trade market, but if they’re open to it, they will bring him back on a one-year deal. Then they can figure it out next summer and try to trade him then.
So far, the only thing the player has really thought about is getting dealt.
There was a trade verbally agreed to last summer between the Hurricanes and another team, but it fell through because Nikishin couldn’t agree to terms on a new contract with that team.
The other thing to think about too is that he is a 10.2 (c) player, he’s not a traditional restricted free agent with offer-sheet rights.
That’s the other thing the Hurricanes have told him. He can sign the one-year deal and then next summer he’ll be eligible for an offer-sheet. That will give himself more control in his future.
But right now, the player just wants to get dealt.
Duthie: Lastly, there’s a jersey controversy brewing as the Women’s Worlds approach?
Johnston: Yes, exactly that. The IIHF have not yet formalized and announced its agreement for an on-ice jersey supplier for this coming season.
This is significant because that Women’s Worlds tournament starts the first week of November in Denmark. As a result, countries like Canada and the United States, at this moment in time, do not know what jerseys they will be wearing when that tournament begins.
They’ve announced players, but they don’t know what those players will be wearing yet. Obviously, this is something that needs to be resolved in the near future.
I should add as well that this could affect the World Junior tournament, depending on what the IIHF decides.
Duthie: We don’t know what they’ll be wearing but we do know that those two teams will try to destroy each other no matter what.