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NHL Rumor Buzz
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NHL Rumor Buzz is Hockeybuzz’s version of an aggregator blog, similar to Spectorshockey.net or MyNHLTradeRumors. It is the home for the latest NHL trade rumors from other mainstream sources and websites other than Hockeybuzz. It will include our thoughts on the rumor in question and will be updated each day as new rumors surface.
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The Montreal Canadiens have lost Alex Galchenyuk to a knee injury for the second time.
This is the same injury that kept him out for over a month earlier this season, but it is not as serious this time around.
Darren Dreger on TSN 690 in Montreal does not believe that it will increase the pressure on Habs GM Marc Bergevin to make a deal before the March 1 deadline, but they continue to look for a top six forward.
THE BUZZ – The Habs do not have a great deal of cap space to work with, but weakness up the middle has to be a concern. In the absence of Galchenyuk, Michel Therrien had to elevate Phillip Danault and depend more on Tomas Plekanec. Montreal has been linked to pending UFA like center Martin Hanzal.
Bergevin may be denying that there is more pressure to make a trade because the market is so thin five weeks out from the deadline that an injury could make the few sellers out there to raise their asking price. As it gets closer to March 1 and more teams become sellers, it is likely that the Habs acquire some veteran depth.
A concussion to defenseman Marc Staal may have the
New York Rangers stepping up their efforts to acquire blueline help, but the Post’s Larry Brooks warns that trading a young forward like JT Miller or Chris Kreider to trade for Kevin Shattenkirk is a fraught with peril.
There is no doubt St. Louis’ pending unrestricted free-agent righty Kevin Shattenkirk would make the Rangers a more formidable group on the back end and would benefit Ryan McDonagh as his partner.
But, a) it is not at all clear the Rangers are committed to giving the defenseman, who turns 28 on Sunday, the $45 million or so over seven years he will command on his next contract; and, b) if they are, wouldn’t it make more sense to sign Shattenkirk over the summer without withdrawing from their vault of young forwards (plus) to obtain him in an expected deadline bidding war?
THE BUZZ – The Blues appear to be priming the market for a deadline deal, as Shattenkirk’s name has been prominent in the rumor mill the last few weeks, but reservations that Brooks expresses about the Rangers parting with good young NHL assets for someone who could still test free agency is why St. Louis may not get as much as people expect in a trade.
Unless a team trading for the defenseman before the deadline is prepared to give Shattenkirk the same amount of money that he would get on the opening market, many teams hold onto their prospects and wait until July, when all it will cost them to add him is cap space.
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