Already down their best player in Sidney Crosby, it appears the Pittsburgh Penguins will be down yet another one of their key players.
It was announced that veteran forward Evgeni Malkin would have a phone hearing on Friday at 6:00 p.m. ET with the NHL's Department of Player Safety for his slash to the head of Buffalo Sabres' defenseman Rasmus Dahlin during the second period of Thursday's game between the two teams. Malkin and Dahlin were assessed matching cross-checking penalties on the play, while Malkin was given an additional five minutes for slashing as well as a game misconduct.
Since the hearing will take place over the phone, per the CBA, Malkin's suspension will be no more than five games.
This news comes at a fragile time for the Penguins, who are holding on to second place in the Metropolitan Division without Crosby. Malkin is the team's second-leading scorer behind Crosby, and the line of Malkin, Egor Chinakhov, and Tommy Novak has been the primary driver of offense in Crosby's absence since the Olympic break.
The Philadelphia Flyers made one of the bigger splashes of the 2026 NHL trade deadline by swapping Bobby Brink for David Jiricek, but Jiricek was instead assigned to the AHL right away. Why?
As it turns out, there are a few explanations for this.
Since the clock struck midnight on Friday, NHL teams were no longer bound by the 23-player roster limit, so long as they remain salary cap-compliant.
Jiricek, 22, is on an entry-level contract with a $918k cap hit, so the cap is obviously not an issue. And if the Flyers intended for him to play right away, they'd have no problem rostering him without first needing to trade players like Rasmus Ristolainen or Noah Juulsen.
The key, though, is eligibility for the young defenseman.
By assigning Jiricek to the AHL right away, he will be eligible to play for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the Calder Cup playoffs; this has no bearing on whether or not the Flyers want him to play in the NHL this season.
It's worth noting that the Flyers will be limited to four call-ups once the 3 p.m. trade deadline passes on Friday, and if Jiricek plays in the NHL for them this season, that would be one of them.
Players like Alex Bump, Oliver Bonk, Devin Kaplan, and Karsen Dorwart are candidates to play NHL games this season, too, and Garrett Wilson just signed an NHL contract, becoming eligible to see NHL ice as well.
The Flyers now have no shortage of options when it comes to how they want to play out the rest of their 2025-26 season, but, by moving on from an established middle-six scorer in Brink, they have a new hole in the lineup to patch up.
Bump is the most likely to come up and fill that spot, and Porter Martone, who could come over from the NCAA when his season is finished, will assuredly play whatever games the Flyers have left at that time.
As for Jiricek, his Flyers debut will be coming sooner than later.
After saying he had no desire to leave the Los Angeles Kings, Corey Perry has been traded.
The Kings traded the veteran forward to the Tampa Bay Lightning in a deadline-day deal. In exchange, the Kings are getting back a second-round draft pick.
This marks Perry's return to Tampa, where he previously played from 2021 to 23 (signing as a free agent in 2021 and later having his rights traded to Chicago in 2023). It's his second stint with the Bolts.
Perry, now 40 years old, had been with the Kings since signing a one-year, $2 million contract (with bonuses) in the offseason after his time with the Edmonton Oilers. This season, he has 11 goals, 17 assists, and 28 points in 49 games. It's solid production and proof that age isn't slowing him down.
The Kings reportedly were willing to talk extension with Perry this summer, and earlier reports were that Perry wanted to stay in LA. Things clearly shifted quickly on deadline day, suggesting Perry was happy with the idea of returning to Tampa.
For the Lightning, his addition adds veteran leadership, physicality, scoring touch, and playoff experience to their lineup. No player in the modern NHL era has reached more Stanley Cup Final rounds than Perry: 2020 with DAL, 2021 with MTL, 2022 with TBL, 2024 & 2025 with EDM.
Once the season ends, he'll be a pending UFA, so it's a rental boost for Tampa's push in the East.
When Marcus Foligno got hurt, Wild General Manager Bill Guerin said Foligno is a tough player to replace. Well, what better way to replace Foligno with his brother Nick.
Nick Foligno, the 38-year-old forward, has played in 37 games for the Chicago Blackhawks this season. He has three goals, eight assists and 87 hits as Chicago's captain.
He has spent 19 years in the NHL and will now join his brother for the first time in his career. The Wild traded future considerations for the veteran forward.
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The Chicago Blackhawks and the rest of the National Hockey League will reach the trade deadline on Friday at 2 PM CT. From that point on, teams can’t make their team better via trades.
For the Blackhawks, they’ve already sold off some of their players for future assets and will look to move forward with their young players leading the way. Moving on without their captain and both alternate captains won't be easy.
They have an immediate distraction on deadline day, as the Vancouver Canucks are in town to take on the remaining Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center.
Scouting Vancouver
The Vancouver Canucks traded Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild earlier this year, which was the ultimate sign of punting the season. Things have not gone well for them at all as they enter this game with the worst record in the NHL at 18-36-7 for 43 points.
They are in last by 12 points, so the best odds at the number one pick are all but certain for Vancouver. Teams facing them, like the Blackhawks on Friday night, must take them seriously but also recognize the opportunity to get their game going in the right direction.
Hoglander-Petterson-Karlsson
Ohgren-Rossi-Boeser
O’Connor-Kampf-DeBrusk
Sasson-Blueger-Raty
E. Pettersson-Hronek
M. Pettersson-Willander
Buium-Mancini
Lankinen
Tolopilo
The Canucks traded Connor Garland to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the middle of the night, so it's another one of their top players sent out the door.
Elias Petterson, Marco Rossi, Brock Boeser, and Zeev Buium are all players to pay attention to offensively. Expect Alex Vlasic and Louis Crevier to see a lot of that top line, while the rest of the group is hoping to control the puck when they are out there.
Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago
The Blackhawks have made some big moves in recent days, removing four players who have played a lot of games for them. Their lineup will feature Andrew Mangiapane, who will make his Blackhawks debut following the trade with Edmonton.
Greene-Bedard-Burakovsky
Donato-Nazar-Teravainen
Bertuzzi-Moore-Mikheyev
Mangiapane-Lafferty-Slaggert
Vlasic-Crevier
Kaiser-Rinzel
Grzelcyk-Levshunov
Knight
Soderblom
The starting goalie for the game will be announced during warmups, as the morning skate was optional on deadline day. Spencer Knight, however, is the best bet after a few days off.
Kevin Korchinski was sent down to the Rockford IceHogs, and Wyatt Kaiser will return to the lineup for the first time since before the Olympic break.
Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, and Oliver Moore are the 1-2-3 punch down the middle for now. This is in response to some of the trades they've made, but it offers a glimpse into what the team's future may look like.
The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it can be found on CHSN locally. Nationally, it is available to stream on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 7:30 PM CT.
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After trading away Warren Foegele to the Ottawa Senators, the Los Angeles Kings' GM sells off another forward. This time it's right winger Corey Perry who's been traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a second-round pick, according to reports from Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman and TSN's Chris Johnston.
Perry had to waive his no-trade clause to accept this deal with Tampa Bay. The Kings are retaining 50 percent of Perry's $2-million salary cap hit, and he is a pending UFA.
Now, with this pick in return for Perry, the Kings have six second-rounders in the next three drafts. Not to mention, they have all three of their first-rounders for each upcoming draft.
Holland is either loading up to bring in some prospects at the draft, or he's pooling those picks to cash in on a move that can help his team in a playoff push. However, that ammo can also be used at the draft in an off-season move.
At any rate, Los Angeles now has over $17 million in current salary cap space.
Even though reports came out about Perry asking to stay in Los Angeles and looking for a contract extension, it seems that the player was open to reuniting with some old friends.
The 40-year-old veteran played two seasons for the Lightning in 2021-22 and 2022-23, missing the team's Stanley Cup windows. However, including once with the Bolts, Perry has visited the Stanley Cup final in five of the last six years. With this move to Tampa, that number could very well grow as the Lightning lead the Atlantic Division.
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And now he is looking at a suspension. The NHL Player Safety department said that the center would have a hearing on March 6 for slashing.
Malkin has a history of being suspended for stick infractions. He received a four-game suspension in 2022 for cross-checking and a one-game suspension in 2019 for slashing.
He was responding on March 5 to a cross-check from Dahlin near the Sabres net in the second period. Malkin swung his stick and hit Dahlin in the side of the face and neck. He received two minutes for cross-checking and five minutes and a game misconduct for slashing.
Yes, he's facing a disciplinary hearing and his history will work against him.
What would be the impact of an Evgeni Malkin suspension?
The timing wouldn't be good because Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is out with an injury suffered at the Olympics. His initial timeline was he would miss four weeks after the Olympics, but a reporter at the Penguins practice on Friday said Crosby was there.
The Penguins currently sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division.
The Edmonton Oilers have brought in reinforcements ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline, and they won’t have to wait long to see the impact with a tape-measure matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes.
My top Hurricanes vs. Oilers predictions and NHL picks are calling for Edmonton to pull off the win, with winger Jack Roslovic also picking up two or more shots on Friday, March 6.
Hurricanes vs Oilers prediction
Hurricanes vs Oilers best bet: Jack Roslovic Over 1.5 shots (-125)
Roslovic is penciled into a top-six role alongside Leon Draisaitl and Matthew Savoie, and the trio has driven five-on-five possession with a high-end 58.1 Corsi For percentage.
While the Carolina Hurricanes are an elite shot-suppressing team, it’s built into this price, and Edmonton also has the last-change advantage on home ice to find favorable matchups for its top players.
Hurricanes vs Oilers same-game parlay
I expect the Oilers to start a late-season surge, and Carolina is also in the middle of a four-game road trip, going a ho-hum 5-4-3 over its past 12 games on the highway.
Turning to the final leg of this SGP, goals have been coming in bunches for Edmonton, as the Over has cashed in nine of their last 11 games (+9.00 Units / 67% ROI).
The Oilers pace the league with 4.45 goals per game during that stretch, and with the Hurricanes scoring 3.73 per game over the same span, I anticipate another high-scoring result at Rogers Place tonight.
Edmonton has hit the Over in nine of its last 11 games (+9.00 Units / 67% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Hurricanes vs. Oilers.
How to watch Hurricanes vs Oilers
Location
Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB
Date
Friday, March 6, 2026
Puck drop
9:00 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN-South, Sportsnet West
Hurricanes vs Oilers 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.
Along with Sabres reporter Joe Yerdon, we remember Chad Johnson & Michal Neuvirth, back-up goalies who were traded for each other at the deadline but didn’t help the Islanders much at all.
On paper, Chad Johnson was the perfect addition to what looked to be a quality Islanders team in 2014. He was coming off a great season backing up Tuukka Rask in Boston and should have done the same for Isles starter Jaroslav Halak. But when called upon, Johnson was consistently inconsistent, and made giving Halak a break here and there a dangerous proposition.
Meanwhile in Buffalo, goalie Michal Neuvirth wasn’t having any fun playing on a team going nowhere but the draft lottery (again). His numbers were solid despite the roster around him, so a swap was made that everyone hoped would free one team of its biggest problem and solve another problem for a goalie who had shown skill in the recent past. On paper, the trade made a lot of sense.
Sadly, they don’t play the games on paper, and both Johnson and Neuvirth became bewildering footnotes in Islanders history. Joe helps us understand both goalies as people and the circumstances surrounding the trade from the Sabres’ side of things. We also ponder what makes a goalie good, how two proverbial “tidy pieces of business” could go so horribly awry and how to forgive a guy who was barely a villain to begin with.
Thanks again to Joe for coming on. We’ve wanted to get him for a long time and not only was he as great as expected but this ended up being the perfect time and the perfect subjects. Follow him everywhere you can on all the socials and at his website, NotedHockey.com.
We have a Weird Islanders Extra Patreon exclusive bonus episode with Joe as well so check that out, too.
In 2014, the Islanders needed a backup for Jaro Halak. They found one in Johnson, who had put up good numbers backing up Tuukka Rask in Boston (after stints with a bunch of teams). This LHH article includes sage goaltending wisdom from a certain blogger-turned-actual-NHL-general-manager.
Michal Neuvirth’s NHL career was a wild ride. After leading the Hershey Bears to back-to-back Calder Cups and winning an AHL playoff MVP along the way, he burst on to the scene with the Capitals with a few stellar early seasons. But with injuries and Braden Holtby grabbing the Caps’ crease, Neuvirth was traded to the Sabres for Jaro Halak.
There weren’t a ton of highlights of Chad Johnson’s short Islanders tenure, but this 30-save 3-2 win in Boston against his former team stands out as maybe his best performance of the season.
Neuvirth wasn’t happy in Buffalo but played well in the face of one of the most bald-faced tank jobs in NHL history. Eventually, he was traded to the Islanders to back up… Jaro Halak!
Sadly, on the morning of his first start with the Sabres, Johnson hurt his ankle, causing him to miss the rest of the season. But he did play the next year as their No. 1 starter (backing him up was future Islander Robin Lehner).
There is even less video of Michal Neuvirth playing for the Islanders, but here he is in a 4-3 OT win in Toronto. Not the best performance but he could look good, as on this PK
Neuvirth didn’t last long on Long Island, either. Even before free agency began in 2015, he was already talking to a few teams. He found a home in Philly, where he would spend the next and final four seasons of his NHL career.
In a rare turn of events, the Islanders lit up Neuvirth in his first game against them as a Flyer, winning 6-1
Neuvirth signed a PTO with the Leafs and played at their 2019 training camp. But injuries (and possibly some indifference) led to him getting cut. He then signed a two-year deal with Spartak of the Czech Extraliga, but never played for them due to more injuries.
The Sabres were not Johnson’s last stop. All told, he played for eight teams, including Buffalo twice. There are even more teams that held his rights that he didn’t play for. He’s comfortable being called a “journeyman,” which is the best description of his career (this article doesn’t even include his last NHL stop in Anaheim).
What makes a “Weird Islander?”
We’re always open to suggestions about other Weird Islanders to discuss. Remember the criteria. Candidates must fulfill one of the two of the following:
Played one (1) season or less for the Islanders or very short stints over multiple seasons.
Be a veteran NHLer who is not generally associated with his time on Islanders.
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The Buffalo Sabres remained the hottest team in the National Hockey League, pulling into a tie for first place in the Atlantic Division with Tampa Bay with a 5-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday, and added three veterans for the stretch drive, acquiring defensemen Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn from the Winnipeg Jets and center Sam Carrick from the New York Rangers.
The Sabres broke a 1-1 tie in the second period and scored four unanswered goals to win their fifth straight coming out of the Olympic break and that coupled with the Lightning continuing to struggle with injuries have allowed Buffalo to pull even with the Lightning at 80 points, although Tampa Bay have two games in hand on the Sabres.
After the victory, the Sabres announced a deal with the Winnipeg Jets, adding rental defensemen Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn for winger Isak Rosen, defenseman Jacob Bryson, Buffalo’s 2027 second-round pick and a 2026 conditional fourth-round pick. Stanley, 27, has a career-high 21 points (9 goals, 12 assists) in 59 games, while the much-travelled 36-year-old Schenn has played 46 games for Winnipeg this season after being acquired from Pittsburgh last March.
The deal was a pivot and backup plan by GM Jarmo Kekalainen after Blues defenseman Colton Parayko chose to not waive his no-trade clause to come to Buffalo Wednesday morning, but did not result in the quality of return from the negated deal with St. Louis. Stanley provides size and much-needed physicality to the Sabres, who tend to be pushed around by other clubs, and Schenn provides over 1100 games of NHL experience over his 18-year career, including a pair of Stanley Cup rings with the Lightning.
Bryson has been a dependable depth defenseman for the last six seasons for Buffalo and may get an opportunity to play regularly for the Jets for the remainder of the season, while Rosen is having another excellent year with AHL Rochester, but only this season has been given a chance to play higher in the lineup by the Sabres, posting seven points (3 goals, 4 assists) in 16 games. This season was the final year where the 22-year-old would be waiver exempt, so his inclusion in the trade was an admission that the organization did not see him as a fit in their current construct.
On Wednesday morning, the club confirmed a deal with the New York Rangers, reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The Sabres added center Sam Carrick in exchange for their 2026 third-round pick and a 2026 sixth-rounder. The 34-year-old can play center and wing, is known as an excellent penalty killing and face-off specialist, and for playing with some sandpaper. Carrick likely fits in as a fourth line center, allowing a more experienced option up the middle than Tyson Kozak.
The trade of four draft picks so far by Kekalainen is not of particular concern, since the Sabres are well stocked with young prospects selected over the last few years, and is a nod to the current club that there is a belief that Buffalo could make a playoff run in a wide-open Eastern Conference. With that boatload of prospects, it is also possible that Buffalo could still make another more impact move before 3 pm today.
The Montreal Canadiens continue their annual California road trip by visiting the Anaheim Ducks on Friday, March 6. This marks the first meeting between these two young, offensively-minded teams this season.
My Canadiens vs. Ducks predictions and NHL picks suggest that a recent promotion into the Habs' top-six for Alex Newhook will earn him ample opportunity to hit the scoresheet in this potential barnburner.
Canadiens vs Ducks prediction
Canadiens vs Ducks best bet: Alex Newhook Over 0.5 points (+135)
Alex Newhook has at least a point in all three games since returning from an ankle injury that sidelined him for nearly four months. He has 16 points in 20 games this season and scored twice against San Jose a game ago.
His playing style matches up perfectly against a flawed Anaheim Ducksdefense that allows the third-most goals in the league.
He'll play up alongside Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen tonight. There's a massive disparity in this +135 pricing, and the Newfoundland native hasn't lost a step. Perhaps, he's even gained one.
Canadiens vs Ducks same-game parlay
Ivan Demidov and Newhook displayed promising chemistry before Newhook was injured in November. Now they're back together and appear poised to take advantage of a gunky and inexperienced defensive core in Orange County (hence this morning's sudden John Carlson trade).
As per usual, Mike Matheson continues to minute-munch on the Habs' blue line. His 24:45 of ice time per game ranks ninth in the NHL, and he's cleared two shots on goal in nine of his last 11. Anaheim ranks 22nd in shots allowed, so expect the Quebec native to take advantage.
Montreal has won three of the last four head-to-head meetings. Find more NHL betting trends for Canadiens vs. Ducks.
How to watch Canadiens vs Ducks
Location
Honda Center, Anaheim, CA
Date
Friday, March 6, 2026
Puck drop
9:00 p.m. ET
TV
TSN2, Victory+
Canadiens vs Ducks 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.
The Buffalo Sabres are certainly buyers with trade deadline day here. They made their first moves of trade deadline week on Thursday night, bringing in Sam Carrick from the New York Rangers and Luke Schenn and Logan Stanley from the Winnipeg Jets.
Yet, the Sabres may not be done yet, as they have now made one of their most promising youngsters available for trade.
Levi being available for trade is undoubtedly notable, as the 24-year-old goaltender has good upside. However, with the Sabres having Alex Lyon, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, and Colten Ellis all ahead of him on their depth chart, it makes sense that they are open to moving Levi if it means landing an NHL talent that would help them immediately.
It will be interesting to see if the Sabres end up moving Levi from here. If they do, it would certainly be a bold move from a Sabres club on the rise.
The Philadelphia Flyers have traded forward Bobby Brink to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for defenseman David Jiricek.
Brink had been the subject of trade rumors for several weeks leading up to the deadline, and the Wild were one of the teams that were linked to him. Now, he is officially heading to Minnesota with this move.
With the Flyers having a surplus of wingers, it is understandable that they have flipped Brink. He should now be a solid part of the Wild's roster as they look to go on a big playoff run this spring.
The Flyers have also landed a fascinating defenseman in Jiricek with this move. The 2022 sixth-overall pick is still looking to break out and become a full-time NHL defenseman. Now, he should get more consistent playing time at the NHL level after being traded to the Flyers.
In 25 games this season with the Wild before the trade, Jiricek has recorded zero points and an even plus/minus rating. Down in the AHL this campaign, the 6-foot-4 defenseman has posted two goals and 10 points in 24 games.
Most hockey fans were surprised when they woke up to see that the Washington Capitals had traded veteran blueliner John Carlson to the Anaheim Ducks for a couple of picks during the night. There had been plenty of chatter around the league about the likes of Zach Whitecloud, Rasmus Ristolainen, and Connor Murphy, to name a few, but no one had been talking about Carlson, a lifelong Caps player who had played 1143 games with Washington.
As things stand, the Capitals are outside of the playoff picture, looking in with 69 points. Only four points behind the Boston Bruins, who are the second wild card team. However, Washington has already played 63 games, meaning everyone else involved in the playoff race has one of two games in hand on them, making catching up a very tall task.
This is not Washington’s first trade in the final blitz to the deadline; they also moved Nic Dowd to the Vegas Golden Knights for 23-year-old goaltender Jesper Vikman and a couple of picks. The two trades show a clear desire for the Caps to get younger. Could it be that they are on the cusp of entering a rebuild? Alexander Ovechkin’s contract expires at the end of this season, and as of February 20th, the best goal scorer in NHL history didn’t know if he wanted to sign another contract with the Caps.
If this is what’s in the cards, could the Capitals be tempted to listen to offers on other players? The Montreal Canadiens could certainly use some help up front and some grit, especially if the rumours linking Arber Xhekaj to the Calgary Flames turn out to be true. With Juraj Slafkovsky playing on the second line along Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov, we’ve seen a revolving door on Nick Suzuki’s wing because the Habs had no one else who has the same profile as the big Slovak.
The Capitals do have someone who fits that bill, though; they have perhaps one of the best power forwards in the league in soon-to-be 32-year-old Tom Wilson. The winger has 49 points in 53 games this season, and at the Olympics, Wilson found himself riding shotgun with Connor McDavid and Macklin Celebrini. The tough guy can definitely play hockey.
You know you really love Canada 🇨🇦 when you’re a Habs fan cheering for a Tom Wilson goal 😅
Could the Caps be open to moving him? Could he be a good fit for the Canadiens? It seems obvious that for now, the answer is yes, but Wilson is not getting any younger, and he’s under contract for another four seasons with a $6.5 million cap hit. The Habs’ brass saw firsthand last season the kind of impact that he can have in a playoff series, and by now, they’re very aware that there is a gaping hole in their top six. Slafkovsky is only one man, and he cannot play on two lines.
Unfortunately, chances are that the price tag on Wilson would be way too high for the Canadiens to make that move. If Wilson were younger, the Habs could be all over him, but sacrificing young assets for a player who will help the Sainte-Flanelle for a couple of years is not the Hughes modus operandi. It’s a shame, as he could kill two birds with one stone, bringing him in, but the package he would have to sacrifice would likely be just too big.
TOM WILSON AND JOSH ANDERSON GET INTO IT AND TAKE THE FIGHT ONTO THE BENCH 😱🤯
Furthermore, the Caps traded Carlson because he was on an expiring deal, and Dowd had only one more season left on his. Wilson is in a very different position, and he very well may be the kind of leader the Caps intend to guide their young players. Still, it was an interesting thought to entertain… Wilson skating with Suzuki and Cole Caufield could have been quite the combination.
Bobby McMann is from Wainwright, Alberta. He grew up about two hours southeast of the Edmonton Oilers home rink, and right now there’s a reasonable case to be made that that’s where he should be playing hockey.
McMann is having a good season for a Toronto team that is, despite what their fans will tell you at every available opportunity, not making the playoffs. He can hit, he can produce, he’ll do the dirty work without being asked twice, and he’ll do what his coach tells him to without having to be asked twice. Not every player on the current Oilers roster can say the same thing. Some of them can barely do one thing consistently, let alone several.
The situation in Toronto is pretty straightforward. McMann is on an expiring contract, he reportedly wants around $4.5 million on his next deal, and the Leafs don’t even want to give him $4 million. That gaps not going to close, which means Toronto has a decision to make. They can move him before the deadline and get something back, or watch him walk in the offseason for nothing while a fanbase that’s already running out of patience asks pointed questions about what kind of decisions their GM is making.
The Leafs are sellers whether they want to admit it or not, and there’s at least some urgency on their end to get a return that isn’t just a handshake and a best of luck.
Edmonton, meanwhile, has some things to move. They already dealt Andrew Mangiapane. Albeit, along with a 2027 conditional first round pick, which, fine not great, but it happened. Now they have offload Trent m Frederic, who’s making $3.8 million and hasn’t been what the Oilers needed him to be. And frankly, Kris Knoblauch needs players who show up every night and do it again the next. Frederic hasn’t exactly carved out an indispensable role.
If Edmonton retains $1 million of that contract and sends him to Toronto, that gets the conversation started. Maybe that’s enough. Maybe it isn’t and you need to attach an AHL player to get it across the finish line, which is fine, that’s how these things work.
The other option is Quinn Hutson, and this is where it gets more complicated. Hutson is a legitimate prospect, a fine hockey player, and everyone in the organization likes him. But he is not his brothers, and that’s not a knock so much as it is an honest assessment of where he projects.
The Oilers need help next season, maybe the season after, because they’re running on McDavid’s contract timeline whether they like it or not. Hutson isn’t ready to push them that far yet, and trading him alongside something else to get McMann isn’t as painful a pill as it might sound on the surface.
Once you make that move with Hutson, you’re also looking at around $2.5 million that needs to go down to the AHL, and that’s probably Connor Murphy. The Oilers are carrying $2.2 million of his $4.4 million deal, and parking that in the minors opens up some cap flexibility.
You could try to work Anthony Stolarz back into this somehow — an Edmonton goaltending situation that includes him is a more comfortable one than what they have right now — but that’s probably a reach. Stolarz has value and Toronto knows it.
Then it’s pretty simple when all is said and done. McMann on a line with Vasily Podkolzin and Kasperi Kapanen, who can play center, is a good third line. Three players who forecheck hard, compete every shift, and don’t need the puck handed to them to be effective. On a team built around McDavid and Draisaitl, surrounded by the Matt Savoies and players still finding their footing, that line does something real against other teams’ third and fourth lines in a long playoff series.
Toronto gets Frederic or Hutson, clears McMann’s contract situation out of the room, and ships him to the Western Conference if they only want to see him twice a year. Edmonton gets a power forward with local ties who wants to win and costs them a player that wasn’t solving any of their problems anyway.
Takeaways: Goaltender Interference Call, Malkin Misconduct Doom Penguins In 5-1 LossFor the first time since early January, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> have lost back-to-back games in regulation.
Malkin Assessed Game Misconduct For Slash On Dahlin, May Have Ripple EffectPittsburgh Penguins' forward Evgeni Malkin was assessed a game misconduct for a slash to the head of Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin on Thursday, which could result in a suspension and force Kyle Dubas's hand at the trade deadline
