Sebastian Cossa, the top goaltending prospect in the organization, has been called up by the Detroit Red Wings on an emergency basis.
The move was made in the morning of Wednesday, March 4, two days after the team's starting goaltender, John Gibson, left Monday's game at the Nashville Predators with an upper-body injury after getting hit in the shoulder area with a puck. Gibson was to be looked at when he returned home. The Red Wings were off on Tuesday.
Gibson is feeling "much better" and took the ice Wednesday morning, coach Todd McLellan said. But he is out for Wednesday's game against the Vegas Golden Knights (7 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network Detroit). Cam Talbot finished the Nashville game and is the Red Wings' top backup.
Cossa has appeared in one NHL game, coming in in relief on Dec. 9, 2024, in a game at the Buffalo Sabres, which he won in a shootout.
Selected at No. 15 in 2021 draft, Cossa has compiled a 68-29-17 record with a 2.38 goals-against average, a 0.914 save percentage and eight shutouts in 115 AHL games with the Grand Rapids Griffins.
The NHL trade deadline is just a couple of days away, and the understanding is that the Los Angeles Kings' GM Ken Holland won't be a busy customer by the time the week's over.
He had his say, explaining that trading for Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers on Feb. 4 was his "big deadline deal." Holland also said that he anticipates the team's first-round pick not being in play this week.
Nonetheless, here is a roundup of the players that have been linked to the Kings in some way, leading up to Friday's deadline.
Elias Pettersson, C, Vancouver Canucks
Throughout the season, there have been rumblings regarding Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson and Los Angeles.
It seemed to be an obvious fit, looking on the outside. Captain Anze Kopitar, who has been the Kings' first-line center for practically the length of his 20-year career, will be retiring at the end of this season.
Therefore, Los Angeles is going to have to replace the veteran in some way, shape or form.
Pettersson could fit the bill of what the Kings will be missing as he is a top-six center and was once a superstar, recording a 103-point campaign back in 2022-23. The Swede is also 27 years old, meaning the Kings would get some prime years from Pettersson.
The trickiest part of that potential marriage is Pettersson's contract. The Canucks center carries an $11.6 million salary cap hit for the next six years. He also has a full no-move clause activated throughout the entire deal that expires following the 2031-32 campaign.
To this point, it doesn't seem like Pettersson is in play - for any team - ahead of the trade deadline. If Vancouver ever decides to trade him away, it'll likely be an off-season move when teams have a little more flexibility with the cap and their rosters.
Robert Thomas, C, St. Louis Blues
Robert Thomas has been one of the hottest topics in the NHL in terms of candidates to be moved before Friday's deadline. At his age, cap hit, and several years under term, what team wouldn't be interested in kicking tires at Thomas?
TSN's Darren Dreger said on the Barn Burner podcast that he could see Thomas being a fit for L.A. The fit here is built on the same philosophy as the Pettersson addition.
However, Thomas is younger than Pettersson at 26 years old and has a cheaper salary cap hit of $8.125 million until 2030-31.
The problem with this potential move is that the St. Louis Blues have a high asking price for Thomas, and given the position the Kings are in, Holland shouldn't unload his prospects and future assets. Making the playoffs isn't a certainty for Los Angeles this year.
Vincent Trocheck, C, New York Rangers
While Vincent Trocheck has three more years on his contract, he wouldn't be the type of fit for the Kings that Pettersson or Thomas would bring. Trocheck is a 32-year-old veteran center that contending teams will be looking to add.
Not only would the Rangers center only bring the Kings a few years of great penalty killing and second-line contributions, but Trocheck is reportedly uninterested in moving to the Western Conference.
Trocheck's 12-team no-trade list allows him to exercise that request. Along with that clause in his contract, he earns $5.625 million until the end of the 2028-29 season
Even though the Olympic gold medallist would be a great help for Los Angeles in their quest to get into the playoffs, it doesn't seem like a likely transaction.
Steven Stamkos, C/LW, Nashville Predators
The Kings were linked to Nashville Predators center and left winger Steven Stamkos for a brief period of time. Those rumors came to fruition before the Panarin acquisition and, since then, have gone silent.
In addition, there's no guarantee that Stamkos gets moved anywhere, as he has a full no-move clause for the remainder of his contract. The deal that sees him earn $8 million per season expires following the 2027-28 campaign.
Furthermore, Stamkos has hinted at not being interested in waiving his clause, keeping him in Nashville.
Nonetheless, the 36-year-old veteran has had an excellent campaign to this point, scoring 30 goals and 47 points in 61 contests.
Patrik Laine, RW, Montreal Canadiens
There are two parts of the story when it comes to Los Angeles pursuing Montreal Canadiens right winger Patrik Laine.
Initially, Holland contacted the Habs to check in on the status of Laine, but quickly began looking elsewhere as there didn't seem to be a fit.
However, the latest reports from David Pagnotta say that the Kings are circling back on the Finnish sniper. This likely has to do with the injury to Andrei Kuzmenko, who received surgery and is out for the long term.
At any rate, Laine also hasn't been healthy. He's only featured in five games this season, with his last appearance coming on Oct. 16. The 27-year-old has been sidelined for several months following a core muscle surgery.
Last season, the second-overall pick of the 2016 draft featured in 52 contests, scoring 30 goals and 33 points. The pending UFA carries an $8.7 million cap hit and has a 10-team no-trade list.
Evander Kane, LW, Vancouver Canucks
The rumor linking Canucks left winger Evander Kane to the Kings hasn't been a hot headline for some time. However, the reality of a deal happening is very much alive.
One thing to consider is how Los Angeles' GM feels about the player. Holland has brought in Kane before, when he was with the Edmonton Oilers, and could easily do it again if he wished.
Elias Pettersson and Evander Kane (Bob Frid-Imagn Images)
Kane, 34, was acquired by Vancouver in the off-season for a fourth-round pick. If Holland wants to add experience, sandpaper, and depth to the bottom half of his forward group, trading for Kane may be the easiest transaction the GM has ever made in his career.
This season, Kane has played 59 games and has registered 11 goals and 27 points while averaging 16:48 of ice time for the Canucks.
Blake Coleman is very likely to be moved by the Calgary Flames ahead of this deadline. But Coleman's connection to Los Angeles has been a relatively new development.
Dreger reported on Barn Burner that among the laundry list of forwards that the Holland and the Kings are keeping an eye on, Coleman appears to be one of them.
The 34-year-old is a very versatile player who can do a job in all forward positions. He's in his fifth season with the Flames, but played a key role as a checking forward for the Tampa Bay Lightning in their back-to-back Stanley Cup runs.
Coleman is in the fifth year of a six-year contract that pays him $4.9 million per season and has a 10-team trade list. He has 13 goals and 22 points in 48 games for Calgary.
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The Detroit Red Wings return home with momentum after a statement 4–2 road win over the Nashville Predators, bouncing back from a tough trip that also included a stop against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Awaiting them are the Vegas Golden Knights, who enter Wednesday’s matchup struggling at 4-8-2 over their last 14 games and riding a three-game losing streak. While Detroit has dropped three of the last four meetings overall, Vegas has lost four of its last five games in the Motor City.
Vegas could again be without captain Mark Stone, paving the way for Pavel Dorofeyev to continue his hot stretch alongside Mitch Marner, with 15 points in his last 16 games. Detroit will counter with Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin, who have combined for eight goals over the past 10 games.
The biggest question surrounds Detroit’s crease after John Gibson exited Monday’s game, prompting the recall of top prospect Sebastian Cossa. Cam Talbot is expected to start against Adin Hill, as both teams look for stability in net in what shapes up to be a pivotal matchup.
Detroit Red Wings’ Expected Line Combinations vs Vegas (Wednesday)
Rasmussen – Larkin – Kane
DeBrincat – Copp – Raymond
van Riemsdyk – Compher – Shine
Finnie – Kasper – Appleton
Edvinsson – Seider
Johansson - Sandin-Pellikka
Chiarot – Benard-Docker
Talbot
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Things aren’t looking particularly good for the Florida Panthers and their hopes of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season.
Following Florida’s 5-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday, the third straight for the Panthers, they fell 10 points behind the Boston Bruins for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.
It wasn’t that long ago that Florida was in a much better position with solid prospects of making the playoffs.
After winning a third straight game on Jan. 25, the Panthers were just three points out of a playoff spot with 31 games remaining on their schedule.
They have played 10 games since then, losing eight of them and leaving any hopes at reaching the postseason into extremely critical condition.
With the NHL’s annual Trade Deadline looming on Friday, it seems the Panthers may have played themselves out of being buyers and instead may be looking toward the future.
According to NHL insider Pierre LeBrun, Florida may be taking a selling position at the deadline.
The Panthers lost again last night and my understanding is they've made the decision to be sellers as far as listening on pending UFAs, which most notably include the likes of AJ. Greer and Sergei Bobrovsky. Bobrovsky has a 16-team no-trade list. Doesn't mean he will be dealt…
That means pending unrestricted free agents Sergei Bobrovsky and A.J. Greer could be prime targets for teams looking to bolster their rosters ahead of the playoffs.
Greer, 29, is having the best season of his nine spent in the NHL, racking up career highs in goals (11) and points (22), and he’ll likely set a new mark for shots on goal in a season as well (he needs nine shots to break last season’s total of 86).
Bobrovsky, on the other hand, is having a regular season to forget.
Following Tuesday’s defeat to the Devils, Bobrovsky’s record dropped to 22-19-1. Through 43 appearance, Bob has skated to a career-worst .873 save percentage, and the only season he had with a higher GAA (goals against average) than his current 3.13 was during his first year with the Panthers, when it was 3.23.
Not since his second season in the NHL has Bobrovsky, who is 37 years old, had a save percentage lower than .900.
But Bobrovsky’s recent play during the postseason, where he’s been excellent, will keep him in high regard among potential playoff teams looking for help in the goaltending department.
While helping lead the Panthers to three consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances, Bobrovsky has been lights out between the pipes, cementing his place as one of the NHL’s all time great goaltenders and playoff performers.
He struggles this season could also be attributed to Florida playing with a roster missing several of their key pieces, as Sasha Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Dmitry Kulikov and Tomas Nosek all missed months upon months, with Tkahcuk only returning in January and Kulikov and Nosek in the past week, while Barkov remains on LTIR.
The thing about Bobrovsky is that he has a 16-team no-trade list attached to his contract, and he and his family are very happy in South Florida.
It’s where he and his wife Olya have started their family, with two daughters joining the Bobrovsky clan in recent years, and where Bobrovsky has reportedly said he wants to continue his career beyond his current contract.
How all of this plays out in the coming 48 hours will be very interesting to watch unfold.
Photo caption: Jan 8, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Florida Panthers Sergei Sergei Bobrovsky (72) sprays his face with water against the Montreal Canadiens during the first period at Bell Centre. (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)
For a team that values combativity, seeing Montreal Canadiens’ Kirby Dach’s nonchalant play in his own zone against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night should have set off a couple of alarms. In a recent interview on the Basu and Godin Notebook, Habs GM Kent Hughes explained that Montreal is after competitiveness from its players. He cited Brendan Gallagher, Cole Caufield, and Lane Hutson as examples of players who have what he’s looking for.
Seeing Dach be so easily dispossessed by Kiefer Sherwood last night was yet another example of a play where the 6-foot-4 and 221-pound winger didn’t look like he wanted the puck and was willing to do whatever it took to get it. Unfortunately, that wasn’t a one-off. The Albertan might have been a third-overall pick for the Chicago Blackhawks at the 2019 draft, but he doesn’t always play like it.
Pretty inexcusable effort by Kirby Dach on this goal by the Sharks
There are nights when he looks really committed and plays well. In the 11 games he has played since his return from yet another injury, he has racked up six points, but he lacks consistency, and it’s hard to tell which version of Dach will turn up on any given night.
Given the key role Nick Suzuki’s line plays for the Canadiens, it needs to be firing on all cylinders for the Canadiens to be successful. Granted, Montreal has more secondary scoring than it once did, but the fact remains that life is much easier for the Habs when their top line is performing. On Tuesday night, Montreal scored five goals, but with Suzuki and Caufield finishing the night on a minus-three and Dach with a minus-two, the Canadiens still lost the game.
At 25 years old, and after 295 NHL games, Dach should know what it takes to play in the NHL, and he should be aware of the standard Martin St-Louis wants his men to meet. If it were up to me, Dach wouldn’t start the next game on Suzuki’s wing. I think it’s time to give Alex Newhook a look there. Granted, he doesn’t have the big frame that Dach or Juraj Slafkovsky have, he’s 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, but most of the time, he plays bigger than Dach and with a higher compete level.
Before returning from his fractured ankle, Newhook said he had trained to be able to hit the ground running on his return, and he wasn’t kidding. In three games, he has recorded four points, and his speed is right where it was before he was sidelined. When you watch him, you never ask yourself if he really wants that puck; it’s evident that he does.
If Martin St-Louis absolutely wants a big body on his first line, he could also put Slafkovsky back up there and have Newhook skate alongside Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov; that combination worked very well before the St. John’s native was injured. Newhook had 12 points in 16 games when he fractured his ankle. Furthermore, Slafkovsky has struggled since returning from the Olympics, and that move might help him as well.
Whichever way you look at it, Dach’s level of implication isn’t high enough to warrant playing on the first line with Suzuki and Caufield. The door might not be shut on that possibility forever, but as things stand, Newhook has put his foot right in there, and he deserves a look, much more than Dach.
According to TSN's Pierre LeBrun, the Florida Panthers have decided to be sellers ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline and are open to hearing trade offers for their pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs). This most notably includes former Philadelphia Flyers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.
With the Panthers' playoff hopes continuing to decrease, it makes sense that they are being sellers. Out of all their trade targets, Bobrovsky has the potential to get them the best return if they decide to move him, as he led the Panthers to back-to-back Stanley Cups before this season.
Teams looking for help between the pipes could very well kick tires on Bobrovsky because of his excellent resume and past success. This is especially so if the Panthers are willing to retain a portion of the former Flyers goalie's $10 million cap hit.
Bobrovsky is in the middle of a rough season for the Panthers, though. In 43 games for Florida this campaign, he has a 22-19-1 record, an .873 save percentage, and a 3.13 goals-against average. While it has been a tough year for Bobrovsky, the possibility of a playoff team looking to add him is certainly still there.
Bobrovsky played the first two seasons of his NHL career with the Flyers from 2010-11 to 2011-12. In 83 games as a Flyer over that span, he had a 42-23-10 record, a .909 save percentage, and a 2.73 goals-against average.
The Detroit Red Wings responded in impressive fashion after a difficult road swing, earning a statement 4–2 victory over the Nashville Predators. The win came on the heels of a demanding trip to Raleigh to face the Carolina Hurricanes, widely regarded as one of the NHL’s strongest home teams.
Detroit now returns to the Motor City riding momentum, but another stern challenge awaits in the Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas enters Wednesday’s matchup desperate to reverse its fortunes, having gone 4-8-2 over its past 14 games and carrying a three-game losing streak into the contest.
Historically, the Red Wings have had mixed results against Vegas. Detroit has won just one of the past four meetings overall, but the Golden Knights have struggled in Hockeytown, dropping four of their last five visits.
Lineup Storylines
Vegas may once again be without captain Mark Stone, who is listed day-to-day. Stone was among the team’s hottest players prior to the Olympic break, and his absence has been noticeable as the Golden Knights have lacked their usual sharpness and offensive rhythm.
In his place, Pavel Dorofeyev has stepped up in a major way as the 24-year-old winger has quietly become one of the league’s most productive goal scorers, tallying 12 goals and three assists for 15 points over his last 16 games. Skating alongside elite playmaker Mitch Marner, Dorofeyev has thrived and will be a focal point for Detroit’s defensive game plan.
To counter, Detroit will lean heavily on the dynamic pairing of Lucas Raymond and captain Dylan Larkin. The duo has combined for eight goals over the Red Wings’ past 10 games and continues to drive the team’s top line offensively.
The biggest storyline, however, could unfold in between the pipes. Goaltender John Gibson exited Monday’s win in Nashville, and while head coach Todd McLellan initially indicated the veteran was fine, Detroit’s decision to recall top prospect Sebastian Cossa suggests there may still be some concern.
Cossa, one of hockey’s premier goaltending prospects, has been dominant in the AHL this season. The 23-year-old Hamilton native owns a 24-4-3 record, along with a 1.99 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage in 31 games. He was even included in an early projection for Team Canada’s 2030 Olympic roster. Cossa could make just his second NHL appearance Wednesday or serve as backup to Cam Talbot, who has struggled recently with only three wins in his last 12 outings.
Vegas is expected to counter with Adin Hill. The Golden Knights’ regular starter has endured a challenging campaign, posting a 5-4-3 record, a 3.46 goals-against average, and an .858 save percentage.
With both teams seeking stability in goal and momentum in the standings, Wednesday’s clash presents a pivotal opportunity for Detroit to continue its surge and for Vegas to halt its slide.
Vegas: Adin Hill Expected (Season: 5-4-3 record, 3.46 GAA, .858 SV% | VS DET: 4-1-0 record, 2.64 GAA, .895 SV% in six games)
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The Vegas Golden Knights have consistently played in high-scoring games on the second leg of back-to-backs.
Given the struggles of Adin Hill in net, my Golden Knights vs. Red Wings predictions expect the goals to continue flowing in Detroit.
Let’s break down my NHL picks for Wednesday, March 4.
Golden Knights vs Red Wings prediction
Golden Knights vs Red Wings best bet: Over 5.5 (-130)
Adin Hill is projected to start for the Vegas Golden Knights, which is a recipe for goals. He's performed miserably, posting an .858 SV% through 14 appearances.
Things aren’t improving in the least. Hill has conceded at least three goals in seven of nine starts in 2026 and ranks 65th among 66 eligible netminders in Goals Saved Above Expected (-11.83) along the way.
Vegas will need to outscore its problems, and it's capable of doing so. The Knights have averaged 4.11 goals per game in the second leg of back-to-backs this season.
Golden Knights vs Red Wings same-game parlay
Jack Eichel has been a menace in back-to-backs this season, scoring eight goals over nine games. He generates a ton of his volume from the slot, and the Detroit Red Wings rank 30th in slot shots allowed.
Dylan Larkin has found the net in 44% of his games against Bottom 16 teams in goals against. He’s now skating on a line with the pass-happy Patrick Kane, which should lead to more shooting opportunities.
Golden Knights vs Red Wings SGP
Over 5.5
Jack Eichel anytime goal scorer
Dylan Larkin anytime goal scorer
Golden Knights vs Red Wings odds
Moneyline: Golden Knights +110 | Red Wings -130
Puck Line: Golden Knights +1.5 (-220) | Red Wings -1.5 (+180)
Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-130) | Under 5.5 (+110)
Golden Knights vs Red Wings trend
Six of the nine games Vegas has played in back-to-back situations featured at least seven goals. Find more NHL betting trends for Golden Knights vs. Red Wings.
How to watch Golden Knights vs Red Wings
Location
Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
Date
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
SCRIPPS, FDSN-DET
Golden Knights vs Red Wings latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
It is no secret that the Buffalo Sabres are looking to bolster their roster with the 2026 NHL trade deadline almost here. The Sabres are aiming to make the playoffs for the first time since 2011, so it makes sense that they want to make some upgrades.
One of the Sabres' top needs is another impactful right-shot defenseman. Because of this, they have now been connected to two notable defenders from the St. Louis Blues.
According to NHL insider Darren Dreger, Colton Parayko and Justin Faulk are two potential trade targets for the Sabres as they look to strengthen their blueline.
"As @reporterchris reported last night, the Sabres and Blues have also been focused on a Dman. Buffalo wants a right shot, so Parayko or Faulk have been mentioned as possibilities," Dreger posted on X.
With Parayko and Faulk being among the top right-shot defenseman trade candidates, it would make sense if the Sabres had them on their radar. Acquiring either of them would give the Sabres' right side a major boost as they look to maintain their playoff spot during the final stretch of the season.
If the Sabres acquired Parayko, he would give them a 6-foot-6 blueliner who could slot very nicely in their top four and on their penalty kill. He would also be far more than a rental for Buffalo if acquired, as he has a $6.5 million cap hit until the end of the 2029-30 season.
Faulk could also be a nice pickup for the Sabres' top four, as he chips in well offensively from the point and plays a solid defensive game. Like Parayko, he has a $6.5 million cap hit, but is only signed until the end of next season.
Fans of the Detroit Red Wings could soon be getting a look at highly-touted prospect goaltender Sebastian Cossa at the NHL level for the second time in his professional career.
On Wednesday morning, the Red Wings announced that Cossa had been called up to the club under "emergency conditions" from the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Additionally, defenseman Erik Gustafsson, who cleared waivers, has been assigned to the Griffins.
UPDATE: The #RedWings have recalled Sebastian Cossa from the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins under emergency conditions.
Goaltender John Gibson left Monday afternoon's victory over the Nashville Predators after the opening 20 minutes of play and was replaced by backup Cam Talbot.
While head coach Todd McLellan indicated that Gibson suffered a "stinger" on the arm, it appeared as though he wasn't seriously hurt.
However, because Cossa has been called up, the injury to Gibson could be more severe than initially thought.
Cossa, who has been one of the driving elements of the incredibly successful year for the Griffins, has gone 24-4-3 with an impressive 1.99 goals-against average, a .927 save percentage, and has also posted five shutouts.
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CLEVELAND, OH - FEBRUARY 27: Cleveland Monsters goaltender Zach Sawchenko (36) traps the puck as Cleveland Monsters defenseman Will Butcher (39) defends Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins left wing Bokondji Imama (14) during the third period of the American Hockey League game between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Cleveland Monsters on February 27, 2026, at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins took a split this past weekend in Cleveland, winning the first game and losing the second in overtime. WBSPenguins.com with the review:
Friday, Feb. 27 – PENGUINS 3 at Cleveland 2 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton took the lead with a pair of quick goals and never looked back to defeat Cleveland in a spirited bout to start the weekend. Atley Calvert and Ville Koivunen scored 45 seconds apart to put the Penguins up 2-0 in the first period. Aidan McDonough buried one 23.8 seconds before the second intermission, keeping the team ahead 3-1. The Monsters made it a one-goal game in the third, but Joel Blomqvist was a fortress late, ensuring Wilkes-Barre/Scranton got the win.
Saturday, Feb. 28 – PENGUINS 1 at Cleveland 2 (OT) Another nail-biter between the Penguins and Monsters went to overtime, where Cleveland picked up its league-leading 10th OT win of the year. The Monsters struck first, but a power-play goal in the second period by Matt Dumba equalized. Koivunen posted an assist on the goal, running his point streak to six games. Sergei Murashov made 27 stops, including a save-of-the-year candidate when the game was tied 1-1.
Sergei Murashov helped the Penguins get to overtime in the Saturday game by flashing the glove with this save of the year caliber stop.
Unfortunately, Murashov would pickup the OT loss, his season stats are up to a 20-6-2 record with a .924 save% and 2.12 GAA and three shutouts. Joel Blomqvist picked up the win on Friday to move his season record to 10-4-3, as usual this year netminding has been a major positive factor in WBS.
There was more good news from the league office, forward Ville Koivunen was named AHL player of the month in February for his 16 point effort.
The picture in the standings remains positive, WBS is chugging along towards where they’ve been heading for a while: second place in the division and a bye for the first round of the playoffs with now only 17 games still to play in their 72-game regular season.
All eyes will now focus on the upcoming NHL trade deadline and what that might mean for the roster in Wilkes for the rest of the season. There can still be AHL level trades made after the NHL deadline, but all pro players must be on an AHL roster on Friday to maintain eligibility.
The biggest lingering question for Wilkes figures to be whether or not the NHL Penguins decide to make a transaction to send Avery Hayes back to the minor leagues this week, or come to a decision that Hayes will remain with the NHL team for the balance of the season. At this point it might look like the Ryan Graves AHL experience has come to an end, for this season at least as well. Other prospects and players within the team might be awaiting a call that has seen them included in a trade to send them out of the Pittsburgh organization.
Up ahead is a light two-game schedule this week, Wilkes plays at home tonight against Springfield and then travels for a Friday game against Syracuse. Both opponents are in good form, Springfield is in seventh place but is 3-0-1 in their last four games, Syracuse ranks second in the AHL’s North Division and is carrying a 9-1-0 record in their previous 10 games.
With barely 55 hours left until Friday’s 3:00 PM trade deadline, TSN Insider Darren Dreger reports that the Buffalo Sabres have gone the distance in trade talks with the St. Louis Blues on center Robert Thomas and that Jarmo Kekäläinen is ultimately not willing to meet the high price tag set by Doug Armonstrong.
Update: It’s believed St Louis/Buffalo went the distance on Thomas trade talks. Sounds like the Sabres aren’t willing to part with the necessary pieces. (Prospects, Player, 1st). Still teams nibbling, but the Blues are firm in what the return needs to be for the young center.
Meanwhile, after their defeat against the San Jose Sharks, the Montreal Canadiens woke up in the first wild card spot, one point behind the Detroit Red Wings and three points behind the aforementioned Sabres, with a game in hand on both. The 7-5 defeat was the Habs’ last game before the trade deadline, and Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes, who are on the West Coast trip with the team, looked deflated taking in the game last night.
If Armstrong refused to lower the price tag on his prized centerman with the Sabres, it’s unlikely he’ll be willing to do it with the Canadiens. The Blues’ GM reportedly wants the equivalent of four first-round picks in assets, and it is believed that any conversation with the Habs starts with the inclusion of Michael Hage.
While the Blues are willing to move Thomas, they don’t absolutely have to move him, and they are probably more than willing to wait until the offseason to do it if they do not get an offer to their satisfaction. If the Sabres truly are out of the running, the pressure to overpay might be off for the Canadiens.
Seeing the Sabres land Robert Thomas a year after landing Josh Norris could have been a disaster for the Canadiens; seeing a direct divisional rival improve its center line twice while the Habs swung and missed would not have pleased Geoff Molson.
Even though Hughes is a shrewd negotiator, when GMs are moving major pieces like Thomas or Noah Dobson last summer, they tend to stick to their demands when they’ve identified their main trade target. Back in June, New York Islanders GM Mathieu Darche was adamant that, on top of the first two round picks, he needed Emil Heineman to pull the trigger. Hughes wasn’t keen on letting the winger go, but he eventually had to. It’s hard to imagine what the Canadiens could offer to make Armstrong forget about a player with so much hype as Hage right now.
Just like the Blues, the Canadiens don’t have to make a move right now; they have the luxury of waiting, and judging by what we’ve seen from Hughes in the past, he doesn’t lack patience. It may just be that the Habs have a quiet deadline and settle on just moving Patrik Laine and shoring up their blueline.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JUNE 29: Tom Fitzgerald of the New Jersey Devils attends the 2023 NHL Draft at the Bridgestone Arena on June 29, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NHL Trade Deadline is this Friday. Two days from now.
Historically, this is one of my favorite times of the year on the NHL calendar, mainly because it’s one of the few times on the calendar that an NHL GM actually does their job and makes trades. We get to see firsthand which teams are serious about winning and competing for championships and which ones are not. We get to see which GMs know what they’re doing and which ones don’t.
I like to consider myself an ideas person. I come up with ideas on fake trades to make the Devils better and then I get to be mad online after the fact when the team doesn’t do exactly what I told them to do. During the buildup to the deadline in prior years, I would come up with trade targets from around the league, gauge whether or not they’re a fit, what the cost might be and if its something the Devils might consider doing.
I love trade deadline season.
Unfortunately in what is shaping up to be a dreadful finish to a once-promising season, it’s hard to get too excited about the trade deadline this year.
It’s not that I lack ideas of what the Devils could or should do. Trust me, I’m going to share a bunch of ideas of what the Devils could and should do at the deadline shortly. But at the end of the day, I’m just a guy behind a keyboard with fake trade ideas. I’m not the general manager of the team. And at the end of the day, its tough to have faith in Devils management to do anything right.
I don’t exactly have confidence in Tom Fitzgerald after he needlessly gave Jacob Markstrom a 2 year contract extension earlier this year. I don’t have confidence in the GM who gave Johnathan Kovacevic five years when he already had a logjam at RHD on the NHL roster. I don’t have confidence in the GM who gave Ondrej Palat $6M for 5 years before finally paying assets a few weeks ago to dump him elsewhere. I don’t have confidence in the GM who capped out the roster to the point where he couldn’t make the Quinn Hughes trade happen when it was right there for him. I don’t have confidence in the GM who whiffed on the 7th overall pick and lacked the assets to pull off said Quinn Hughes trade. I don’t have confidence in the GM whose second hand picked head coach is failing in spectacular fashion.
I could keep going but you get the point. It’s insane to me that we’re at this point of the season, sitting through brutal loss after brutal loss, watching a boring, dreadful team that can’t score and can’t get a stop when they need one. It’s insane to me that we’re STILL trusting Fitzgerald to not somehow make things worse, because he should’ve already been relieved of his duties. He probably would’ve been by now if the Devils were a serious operation.
But he’s still here. It is what it is. So how can the Devils make the most of it with the deadline upon us?
I don’t know what Fitzgerald will do. I can only say what I would do if I was the general manager of this team. But if I were sitting in the big chair, my goals would be as follows.
Free up as much cap space for the 2026-27 season (and beyond) as possible. I don’t know what the summer will bring. I don’t know if Minnesota will look to flip Quinn Hughes if/when he says he’s not signing there. I don’t know what players from other teams might become available. But I want to be in a better position than the Devils were this year to make that type of move if the opportunity presents itself, and half the battle is having the requisite cap space to be able to make those types of moves. It’s something the Devils didn’t have for most of this season, which may or may not have hamstrung them, depending whether or not you want to believe that Tom Fitzgerald was looking to make a move the whole time and the lack of cap space wasn’t just an excuse as to why nothing was getting done.
Accumulate as much draft capital as possible. Mostly to use it in the aforementioned types of deals that I’m looking to make, but also to help rebuild a Devils farm system that has shifted somewhere between league average and below average the last couple years since Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec graduated.
Try to find interesting players to take a flier on.
Revamp a blueline that hasn’t worked.
Add speed and skill to the lineup
Of course, I’m not reinventing the wheel here with my goals or analysis. Every team that can’t win is going to try to add more speed and skill, or get younger, or shed payroll in the process. But with that out of the way, here’s a bunch of fake trades that the Devils won’t make over the next 48 hours, even though they probably should if they were ever on the table.
Devils Trade Jonas Siegenthaler & Paul Cotter to the Sabres for W Isak Rosen, a 2026 4th round pick, and a 2027 2nd round pick
The “Siegenthaler to Buffalo” fit just makes too much sense on paper.
Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff has a familiarity with Siegenthaler from their time together in New Jersey. The Sabres need to upgrade over Zach Metsa and Michael Kesselring on their third pairing if they want any hopes of doing anything once they get to the playoffs. Siegenthaler won’t help the Sabres offensively, but that’s not his game anyways and the Sabres don’t really need more offense from the backend. They need a defensively responsible defenseman with experience who can kill penalties. Add in that Siegenthaler is signed for 2 more years after this one at $3.4M AAV and its the type of deal that wouldn’t prevent Buffalo from tending to more pressing matters over the summer, like trying to re-sign Alex Tuch. As for Cotter, the Sabres are currently rolling Joshua Dunne out there on their 4th line, so he would simply be another option for Ruff on the back end of the roster.
Getting a 4th round pick would help soften the blow from trading a 3rd away when they dumped Ondrej Palat last month, and a 2nd round pick is currency with which to work with, but the wild card in this deal would be getting Rosen.
Rosen has been a popular name mentioned in the Devils blogosphere…..Alex Chauvancy and JP Gambatese both mentioned similar deals to the one I proposed on their respective Substack platforms, so it feels like I’m riding their coattails a bit. I can’t speak for them but I think I view Rosen similarly to how they do.
Rosen would theoretically add some much needed speed, shooting ability, and skating to the Devils forward group. He’s gotten a few cups of coffee with the Sabres the last few years and registered 7 points in 16 NHL games this season. He’s also been a consistent producer at the AHL level with 91 goals and 97 assists over 229 games for Rochester. Already 22 years old, the former 2021 1st round pick might be blocked at the NHL level as other young forwards like Noah Ostlund and Konsta Helenius have either already carved out an NHL role or have higher upside. Rosen really doesn’t have much left to prove at the AHL level, so it would make sense that he might be available in the right deal.
Admittedly, I don’t love that there might be concerns about Rosen’s compete level, as that might be what has held him back from graduating from the AHL in the first place. But the Devils are probably at the point where they should be more concerned with whether or not a player can score and worrying about things like ’compete level’ secondarily. Rosen might not be an NHL player, but he has the type of skillset where he’s probably worth the gamble and time investment to find out.
Assuming Siegenthaler doesn’t have Buffalo on his 10-team no-trade list, some variant of this deal could potentially be an option.
Devils Trade Dawson Mercer & Dougie Hamilton (with $3M of salary retention) to Anaheim for a 2027 2nd round pick and D Pavel Mintyukov
Anaheim appears to be another team that is poised to snap a long playoff drought. They’re also a team that has a need at RHD beyond this season as captain Radko Gudas and Jacob Trouba are both pending UFAs.
On paper, Hamilton would make a lot of sense as a top pairing RHD compliment to Jackson LaCombe. He could also slot into one of Anaheim’s power play units. Obviously, Hamilton has a 10-team trade list so he’d probably have to sign off on moving across the country on a whim. But he’d be joining a playoff race and there are worse places to live in this country than Southern California.
Mercer’s situation is well documented. He’s a former first round pick who has been an NHL regular since making the team out of camp in 2021. His development has sort of plateaued to where he’s been a guy who maybe gets you 20 goals and 35 ish points in a season, which isn’t all that great considering he gets consistent Top Six playing time, plays in all situations, and hasn’t missed an NHL game yet in his career. I don’t know that the Ducks are an ideal fit but Mercer could slot onto their third line immediately with all the injuries they’ve had and make their lineup a lot deeper.
The Ducks could theoretically fit in Hamilton’s full AAV without salary retention, although I don’t know how much of an appetite they have for paying full price on Hamilton when Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier are among the five pending RFAs for the Ducks. So why am I open to the idea of salary retention as a Devils fan?
Simply put, I want to try to get Pavel Mintyukov to New Jersey.
Mintyukov had reportedly told the Ducks earlier this season he’d like to be moved, according to Elliotte Friedman. I don’t know if he’s still disgruntled after being a healthy scratch earlier in the year, and the Ducks seem to be giving him more consistent playing time since New Year’s. But he’s due a new contract after this year and Pat Verbeek tends to play hardball with RFAs anyways. The Ducks don’t have a shortage of prospects on the blueline either, so maybe now is the time for them to cash in on Mintyukov.
Mintyukov is the type of defenseman the Devils are lacking at the NHL level. He’s a plus skater who has offensive ability. He can break out of the defensive zone with the puck. He can join the rush. He’d be a welcome change of pace from the redundancy of the defense-first, defense-only, average at best skaters that have cluttered the Devils depth chart at the NHL level. And while he’s due a new contract, he shouldn’t break the bank. The only question would be whether or not you can convince Pat Verbeek to give up on a recent 10th overall pick for a “win now” type of move. From a value perspective, its probably a fair deal. From a “we’re trying to build something long-term” perspective, Verbeek might say “thanks but no thanks” before hanging up the phone once Mintyukov’s name comes up. Either way, this is the type of player I’m trying to get and it doesn’t really change the fact that Anaheim is a solid potential destination for Hamilton.
Devils Trade Brenden Dillon to the Red Wings for a 2026 3rd round pick and prospect Eddie Genborg
Not much to say about this one other than Detroit could use another NHL-caliber defenseman and Dillon is certainly one of those. Dillon has a full NTC for the rest of this season. Would he waive to go to a contender? Would he waive to go to Detroit? I don’t know the answers to this, but he hasn’t won a Stanley Cup so he might waive to go Cup chase.
So why am I targeting Detroit’s 2nd round draft pick from 2025 in Eddie Genborg? He’s a big body that is the right type of “hard to play against” with his physicality, but also has an ability to get to the front of the net and cause havoc. If he makes it to the NHL, he probably projects as a third line grinder type of winger. You do need those types who can play further down in your lineup.
Value-wise, this deal wouldn’t be too different than the one that sent Brian Dumoulin to the Devils at last year’s deadline. The main differences would be that Dillon has a full NTC for the rest of this season, Dillon has another year of control, the draft pick is a round lower than the one the Devils gave up, and Genborg is probably a slightly higher upside prospect than the one the Devils gave up in Herman Traff.
Devils Trade Nico Daws to the Canadiens for Patrik Laine and a 2026 3rd round pick
The logic behind this is two-fold.
First, Montreal is in the playoff hunt, but Laine’s large AAV is preventing the Habs from making moves they’d like to make elsewhere to improve the roster. And now that I freed up a bunch of cap space on the Devils end by trading away Hamilton, Dillon, Siegenthaler, and Mercer, they would theoretically have no problem taking a 20-game flier on the former #2 overall pick for the rest of this season. If the Devils like what they see, maybe they consider a short-term deal where Laine can rebuild his value around the league pumping in a bunch of goals playing on a line with Jack Hughes. If Laine stinks, barely plays, or is an issue in the room, the Devils can simply move on. I’m not saying the Devils should give Laine $6M a year on his next contract, but this is one of those situations where there’s little to no risk seeing if anything is there.
Admittedly, I’m not a big Laine fan. There’s always ‘something’ with him. He has a 10-team no-trade list. He rarely plays. He’s barely played this season. When he does play, he’s a bit of a one-trick pony. But the reason why I’d be ok taking a flier here is that his one trick that he’s good at happens to be the thing this Devils team is dreadful at. Laine can score goals.
Secondly, I think the Devils have made their bed in regards to Nico Daws and his future, or lack thereof, in New Jersey. Daws is blocked for the foreseeable future while Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen are Devils. There’s probably a better chance of Daws taking his talents overseas this summer than there is of him signing another contract with the Devils. At least here, Daws has a chance of potentially seeing time in the NHL.
I don’t know that the Habs would be all that enthralled with Daws. But I do know they’d like an escape hatch on what’s left of Laine’s deal.
Why I Would Hold On To Certain Players
I would expect most of the comments to say something along the lines of “what about so-and-so?”. So let’s dive into some of those guys.
Chris Johnston mentioned that Nick Bjugstad is “likely to be on the move again” in his latest Trade Board. I don’t quite get that one as the Devils have lacked a competent fourth-line center for some time now, centers are in high demand, and he’s signed for next season at a reasonable cap hit of $1.75M. I also don’t quite get that one seeing as the Devils literally just traded for him a few weeks ago. Unless he’s not in their plans at all for next season or the Devils think they can do better (and I don’t trust that they can at a better price point), I’d probably just hold on to Bjugstad for now.
I understand that most Devils fans are ready to drive Johnathan Kovacevic out of town, given his dreadful play since returning, and I get that. I personally have a hard time believing someone would bail Tom Fitzgerald out of that contract, and if he does have someone willing to take him on, he should probably not let that other GM off the phone until the trade is done.
I wouldn’t be looking to move Connor Brown, Cody Glass, Simon Nemec, Arseny Gritsyuk, or Lenni Hameenaho at this time. I don’t think Luke Glendening or Colton White really have any value in the trade market. Stefan Noesen and Zack MacEwen are injured. Nobody is bailing them out on Jacob Markstrom and I don’t think a Jake Allen trade is happening either. The Devils, aren’t trading Jack or Luke Hughes, nor should they. They’re not trading Nico Hischier, nor should they. Maybe you can get a late pick for Evgeni Dadonov despite his lack of production but that’s not going to move the needle.
That would leave core-adjacent players such as Timo Meier, Brett Pesce and Jesper Bratt. I think there are conversations that could be had about shopping any of them in a so-called hockey trade, but I think with their respective trade protections and term remaining on their contracts, any of them getting dealt this week is highly unlikely.
How Would the Devils Lineup And Future Assets Look If They Approached The Deadline In This Manner?
The Devils lineup would still be bad, but in a season that’s going nowhere, that’s to be expected. We’re beyond the point where anything this season is salvageable and that’s not what I’m trying to accomplish anyways. At the very least, they’d freed up some salary, taken on a couple interesting projects, and maybe found a Top 4 LHD of the future.
Here is what your potential line combinations could look like the rest of the way.
Jesper Bratt – Jack Hughes – Patrik Laine
Arseni Gritsyuk – Nico Hischier – Timo Meier
Isak Rosen – Cody Glass – Connor Brown
Shane LaChance – Nick Bjugstad – Lenni Hameenaho
Luke Hughes – Brett Pesce
Pavel Mintyukov – Simon Nemec
Colton White – Johnathan Kovacevic
To be clear, I don’t really care a ton about how this team looks for the rest of this season. They’re going to wind up with a Top 10 draft pick. Maybe they get lucky and win the lottery and pick Top 2. The only thing I really want at this point is for key players to make it through Game 82 healthy and the Devils to undo a lot of the damage Fitzgerald has done. My goal for this deadline is to create as much salary cap flexibility for next season as possible and get as much draft capital as I could to make future trades with, and I feel we accomplished that (although I’m probably overestimating/overrating/overvaluing the return the Devils might get on some of these deals).
The Devils would have $28.65M in cap space going into next season according to PuckPedia, with that number closer to $30M if/when the Devils buy out Maxim Tsyplakov over the summer. They do have several RFA that would need to be addressed, but there’s also no doubt they’d have the ability to be in on just about anything that might pop up over the summer.
Now, do I expect any or all of this to happen?
Of course not.
Things have been relatively quiet in regards to the Devils. Dougie Hamilton’s name has been sort of publicly out there. So have the Devils defensemen. Players with term aren’t always moved at the deadline. My approach here is also on the more aggressive side of things the Devils could do. Most NHL general managers are conservative by nature and I certainly don’t expect Tom Fitzgerald, who is on a scorching hot seat, to tear it down to this extent.
I do think the Devils need to change something in the room though. They’ve already moved on from Ondrej Palat. Hamilton and Dillon are both on the wrong side of 30, so moving one or both makes some sense. Dawson Mercer’s development as a player has plateaued and while he’s still young enough to find another level, its also possible this is simply what he’s going to be as an NHL player. Paul Cotter is an average at best fourth liner.
The Devils wouldn’t fix all of their issues immediately going this route, but its far more likely they turn things around quicker if they do and then parlay their newfound assets into replacing those players than if they do the bare minimum at the deadline and call it a day.
The Montreal Canadiens kicked off their Pacific coast road trip with a game against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night. It was Martin St-Louis’s men’s last game before the trade deadline, and scouts from the Vancouver Canucks and the St. Louis Blues were taking in the game at the SAP Center. Don’t get too excited, though. The Blues are playing the Sharks on Friday night so that they might have been doing pre-scouting.
St-Louis had decided to go with the same lineup that had beaten the Washington Capitals 6-2 on Saturday night, meaning that Joe Veleno, Alexandre Texier, and Arber Xhekaj were healthy scratches while Jakub Dobes was starting a second game in a row.
The Canadiens’ bench boss often talks about the importance of details in the game, and in the first frame, the Habs did a good job of showcasing what should not be done. Over the Olympics break, the team worked on preventing odd-man rushes, but it didn’t show in those first twenty minutes. In one instance, Lane Hutson turned the puck over at the offensive blueline, which led to one such opportunity, but to be fair, he was put in a less-than-desirable situation by Philip Danault, who handed him the puck in close quarters when he had two Sharks nearby.
Two of the Canadiens’ top players were also guilty of big turnovers in their own zone. Cole Caufield lost the puck behind his own net, and had it not been for Jakub Dobes’ active stick, Kiefer Sherwood would have gotten the puck all on his lonesome in front of the net. A bit later, Juraj Slafkovsky attempted yet another no-look backhand pass, which of course became a turnover. The big Slovak was doing a lot of those in every zone earlier in the season, but that mistake has started to creep back up into his game lately; that’s not something St-Louis wants to see.
Double Struble
The Habs had a good start to the second frame, taking a 2-1 lead on a Danault goal, but they couldn’t keep their focus for the whole 20 minutes. Michael Misa tied up the score halfway through the period, and it’s hard not to look at Jayden Struble on that one. The third-pairing defenseman lost the puck at the Sharks’ blueline and was then unable to clear his own zone, and got his pocket picked instead right by the goal as panic was setting in in the Canadiens’ zone.
Watching that sequence, you can see why the Habs may be interested in bolstering their defence before the deadline, especially since St-Louis doesn’t seem to trust either Struble or Xhekaj, who is reportedly a Calgary Flames target right now.
The Habs also got themselves in double trouble late into the middle stanza, giving two goals in 25 seconds with less than two minutes to go. Macklin Celibrini first beat Dobes with a hard shot between the pads, and on the very next sequence, Kirby Dach played nonchalantly along the boards, couldn’t cope with Sherwood’s forecheck, and was dispossessed. Alexander Wenneberg got the puck in acres of space, picked his spot and beat Dobes.
Granted, not everyone can play a big, heavy game, but Dach has the frame necessary to protect the puck there. That was a lack of effort at the worst of times and the kind of play that makes you wonder if the forward deserves to be playing on the top line.
It’s Not Over Till It’s Over
The Canadiens went down 5-2 early in the third when Josh Anderson and Struble were sent to the box alongside Mario Ferraro, giving the Sharks a 5-on-4 power play, but they didn’t give up. It took less than two minutes for Ivan Demidov to score on the power play before Alex Newhook scored 18 seconds later and added another one to tie up the game five minutes later. With those two goals, Newhook now has four points in three games since returning from injury and 16 points in 20 games. On an 82-game season, that’s a 66-point pace.
The Canadiens made one mistake too many, though, being called for too many men with less than five minutes left in the game, and the Sharks scored the game-winner through Sherwood. Montreal did try to attack at 6-on-5 after pulling the goalie, but it was too little too late, and the Sharks added a seventh goal in an empty net. It was a fantastic game for Celibrini, and he showed what he can do with space. This is Dobes’ first regulation loss since December 9th, and hardly the start to the road trip St-Louis wanted.
