TradeCentre Blog

It's been a wild stretch ahead of the deadline and teams have just one day left to wheel and deal ahead of the trade deadline. Follow all the latest with TSN's TradeCentre blog.

Oilers land Bjugstad

The Edmonton Oilers have acquired forward Nick Bjugstad from the Arizona Coyotes, TSN's Ryan Rishaug confirms.

A third-round pick and prospect Michael Kesserling will head the other way.

The 30-year-old Bjugstad has appeared in 59 games this season, scoring 13 goals and adding 10 assists.

The Minneapolis native is playing on a one-year, $900,000 deal and will be a free agent at season's end.

The Coyotes will retain 50 per cent of Bjugstad's salary.

Bjork dealt to Blackhawks

Just went it was oh, so quiet, the Buffalo Sabres have traded Anders Bjork to the Chicago Blackhawks for future considerations.

TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger notes that the Sabres had promised the 26-year-old defenceman a move.

A native of Mequon, WI, Bjork has appeared in only one NHL game this season and spent his campaign with the American Hockey League's Rochester Americans.

Bjork has appeared in a total of 212 NHL games over six seasons with the Sabres and Boston Bruins.

Quick deal made official

Jonathan Quick is now a member of the Vegas Golden Knights.

Going to the Columbus Blue Jackets are a 2025 seventh-round pick and veteran goaltender Michael Hutchinson.

Hutchinson, 33, now joins a sixth team after previously having spent time with the Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers and Colorado Avalanche.

Columbus will retain 50 per cent of Quick's salary.

Quick set to quickly move on

TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports that the Vegas Golden Knights' are closing in on the acquisiton of Jonathan Quick.

The Golden Knights currently have Adin Hill and Michael Hutchinson, recalled on an emergency basis, as goaltending options. 

Update on Quick

More on Aaron Portzline's report that Jonathan Quick isn't expected to join the Columbus Blue Jackets ahead of Friday's deadline.

Portzline notes that the Vegas Golden Knights appear to be a possible - even likely - destination for the veteran goaltender.

Even with a trade, the Blue Jackets would be expected to pay part of his remaining salary, which is a prorated $2.5 million and a $5.8 million cap hit.

Coyotes acquire Voracek from Blue Jackets

The Arizona Coyotes have acquired forward Jakub Voracek from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for a sixth-round pick and goaltender Jon Gillies.

Voracek, 33, has one year remaining on an eight-year, $66 million deal signed as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Kladno, Czechia native has appeared in 11 games this season and is currently on LTIR.

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun notes the deal will help the Coyotes get to the cap floor in 2023-2024.

A native of Concord, NH, Gillies has spent his season with the AHL's Tucson Roadrunners. He's appeared in 32 NHL games over three seasons with the Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues and New Jersey Devils.

Blais signs extension with Blues

Re-acquired in the deal that saw Vladimir Tarasenko head to the New York Rangers, Sammy Blais has agreed to a one-year, $1 million extension with the St. Louis Blues.

Blais, 26, was originally taken in the sixth round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft by the Blues and spent the first four seasons of his career with the team, winning the Stanley Cup in 2019.

In the nine games since his return to the Blues, Blais has two goals and an assist.

No Quick start in Columbus

Don't buy your Jonathan Quick Columbus Blue Jackets jersey just yet.

The Athletic's Aaron Portzline reports that as the Blue Jackets continue their attempt to deal the veteran goaltender to a contender before Friday's deadline, Quick isn't expected to be around the team for any activities and likely won't unless he remains with the team following the deadline.

Quick, 37, was sent to the Blue Jackets on Tuesday in a deal that saw defenceman Vladislav Gavrikov and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo head to the Los Angeles Kings.

A two-time Stanley Cup winner, Quick is in his 16th NHL season and had been with the Kings for the entirety of his career.

In 31 games this season, Quick is 11-13-4 with a goals against average of 3.50 and an .876 save percentage.

Quick is in the final year of a 10-year, $58 million deal.

A second for Domi?

A "down the road" second-round draft pick appears to be the Chicago Blackhawks' asking price for forward Max Domi, according to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun.

LeBrun notes that it's a comparable cost to what the Colorado Avalanche used to acquire Lars Eller from the Washington Capitals.

Domi, 28, is an unrestricted free agent at season's end. He's currently playing on a one-year, $3 million deal.

The Winnipeg native has 18 goals and 31 assists in 60 games this season.

Hall, Foligno head to LTIR

As TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger mentioned in his analysis of the Tyler Bertuzzi trade, Taylor Hall's status factored into the deal.

With the uncertainty surrounding the 2018 Hart Trophy winner's lower-body injury, the team has placed Hall on LTIR.

Hall, 31, has 16 goals and 20 assists in 58 games this season.

The move also frees up $6 million in cap space for the Eastern Conference-leading Bruins.

The team also placed forward Nick Foligno on injured reserve. The 35-year-old forward exited the team's overtime victory over the Calgary Flames on Tuesday with what appeared to be a lower-body injury. In 60 games this season, the veteran forward has 10 goals and 16 assists.

In a corresponding move, forward Jakub Lauko has been recalled from the American Hockey League's Providence Bruins.

The 22-year-old Lauko has appeared in 11 NHL games this season, scoring a goal and adding two assists.

Bruins Extend Pastrnak

The Boston Bruins have signed F David Pastrnak to an eight-year, $90 million contract extension.

The deal carries an average annual value of $11.25 million. Pastrnak will carry NHL's sixth-highest cap hit next season behind Nathan MacKinnon ($12.6 million), Connor McDavid ($12.5M), Artemi Panarin ($11.6M), Auston Matthews ($11.6M) and Erik Karlsson ($11.5M). John Tavares and Drew Doughty complete the list of players with cap hits at or above $11 million.

The deal came less than an hour after the Bruins boosted their lineup for this season by acquiring Tyler Bertuzzi from the Detroit Red Wings

Pastrnak's deal includes a full no-move clause for the first five years and a modified trade clause in the final three years.

With the uncerta

Trade Bait Board Update

With Jakob Chychrun and Tyler Bertuzzi having been moved, the TSN Trade Bait list has a fresh look with James van Riemsdyk, Jonathan Quick and Brock Boeser taking the top three spots.

The new top 10 is as follows:

View the full updated top 30 here.

Bertuzzi to Boston

The Detroit Red Wings have traded winger Tyler Bertuzzi to the Boston Bruins for a top-10 potected 2024 first-round pick and a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

Bertuzzi, 28, has four goals and 14 points while being limited to 29 games this season due to injury. The Red Wings are retaining half of his $4.75 million cap hit.

TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger notes injuries in the Bruins' lineup factored into their decision to add Bertuzzi.

Winger Taylor Hall is seeking a second opinion for his lower-body injury which will determine how much time he will miss.

The NHL-leading Bruins made their first move ahead of the deadline last week, acquiring Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway in a deal with the Washington Capitals.

The move also comes one day after the Red Wings appeared to set their status as sellers with Wednesday's deal sending defenceman Filip Hronek to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for draft picks. 

The Red Wings also signed captain Dylan Larkin, who was a pending unrestricted free agent, to an eight-year contract Wednesday.

More on the Chychrun deal

Jakob Chychrun's agent Andy Scott appeared on TSN Radio 1200 Ottawa Thursday morning to discuss his client being traded to the Senators.

Scott noted that the Arizona Coyotes first approached Chychrun about a trade in Nov. 2021, with Wednesday's move ending the long wait.

Ottawa traded a 2023 conditional first-round pick, a conditional second-round pick in 2024 that originally belonged to the Washington Capitals and their own second-round pick in 2026 to the Coyotes for Chychrun.

Scott told TSN 1200 that return was far less than the Coyotes were looking for in return for the blueliner.

Given the price Ottawa paid, TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button questioned why the Edmonton Oilers didn't acquire Chychrun instead of trading for Mattias Ekholm

Targets for Leafs, Oilers

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been arguably the busiest team ahead of the trade deadline, but have yet to address one position - goaltender.

TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button believes Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas should target a veteran such as Sam Montembeault or Kevin Lankinen to strengthen his team's depth at the position ahead of the deadline.

Acquiring Montembeault would require swinging a deal with the rival Montreal Canadiens. The 26-year-old, who's signed through next season at a $1 million cap hit, has a 12-12-2 record this season with a .905 save percentage and a 3.31 goals-against average.

Lankinen, 27, has a 6-5-1 record with a .919 save percentage and a 2.70 GAA in 13 games with the Nashville Predators this season. He is a pending unrestricted free agent, carrying a $1.5 million cap hit.

As for the Oilers, Button believes general manager Ken Holland still needs to add another defenceman ahead of the deadline and believes John Klingberg of the Anaheim Ducks should be considered. 

Klingberg has eight goals 24 points in 50 games for the Ducks this season. He sat out Wednesday's loss the Washington Capitals as a trade precaution.

The 30-year-old is a pending unrestricted free agent, carrying a cap hit of $7 million on the one-year deal he signed with Anaheim last summer.
 

Trade Bait

After a multi-year stay, Jakob Chychrun is off the TSN Trade Bait board after Wednesday's trade to the Ottawa Senators. 

While the board has not yet been officially updated by the Quizmaster, here's a look at the remaining top 15 on the list with Chcyhrun removed from the No. 1 slot:
 

The Red Wings locked up captain Dylan Larkin on an eight-year deal Wednesday, but it appears Tyler Bertuzzi - now atop the Trade Bait list - will not be with the team long-term, or perhaps even short-term.

TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reported Tuesday that the Red Wings are looking to trade Bertuzzi - a pending unrestricted free agent - and forward Jakub Vrana, while winger Filip Zadina could also potentially be traded before Friday's deadline.

"The Red Wings are just recognizing that the arms race in the East is just too rich," Dreger said on Insider Trading. "So they can't allow Bertuzzi to walk in a free agency for nothing. So they're looking to move him they're looking to move [Jakub] Vrana. And they're also talking about the possibility of trading Filip Zadina who is a 23 years old with term, so some interesting things in Detroit."

Bertuzzi, 28, has four goals and 14 points while being limited to 29 games this season due to injury. He carries a $4.75 million cap hit. TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reported earlier this week that the Red Wings ask for the winger on the trade market was a first-round pick and more.

Vrana has one goal and two points in five games this season with the Red Wings. He spent time away from the team earlier this season in the NHL/NHLPA Players' Assistance Program. He also has six goals and 11 points at the AHL level with the Grand Rapids Griffins. 

The 27-year-old, who topped the 20-goal mark in back-to-back years with the Washington Capitals in 2019 and 2020, is signed through next season at a cap hit of $5.25 million.

Zadina, who was selected sixth overall in the 2018 NHL Draft, has seen limited action this season due to injury. He has two goals and four points in 19 games this season with Detroit and posted a goal in two games with the AHL's Griffins.

Signed through the 2024-25 season at a cap hit of $1.825 million, Zadina has 27 goals and 65 points in 179 career games.

The Red Wings made a surprise move Wednesday, sending defenceman Filip Hronek to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for draft picks.