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Islanders, Blues, Stars, Kings, Canadiens and Ducks rumors

January 18, 2017, 5:11 PM ET [2 Comments]
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Elliotte Friedman’s “30 Thoughts” column is always a treasure trove of news and speculation, especially as we get closer to the March 1 trade deadline.

This week’s edition does not disappoint, as there are rumors regarding the New York Islanders, St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars, LA Kings, Montreal Canadiens and Anaheim Ducks.


Last weekend, another NHL executive indicated he thought (Isles GM Garth) Snow was getting closer to moving Ryan Strome. My guess is that changes. It makes sense to see if Strome (and others) benefit from a different voice.



THE BUZZ - The firing of Jack Capuano hits the reset button for the New York Islanders. Assistant coach Doug Weight takes over on an interim basis and a lot of evaluation will be going on before the March 1 deadline, but the status of GM Garth Snow could affect if New York is willing to move significant players.

Snow might have the authority to move expiring contracts and clear out players who may not be part of the future. Strome has regressed since a 50-point rookie campaign in 2015 and will have to show something in the second-half of the season to stay in Brooklyn.



Is it possible St. Louis moves Kevin Shattenkirk, freeing up cap space to do something else?

The Blues can handle it, with Alex Pietrangelo and Colton Parayko on the right side. It’s a creative move and it makes sense, since Shattenkirk and the coaching staff don’t always seem on the same page. What it also does is open up some short-term possibilities that might not otherwise exist.

Shattenkirk made it known he would not consider Edmonton long-term, but would he do it for a few months as the Oilers chase the playoffs? Why not? Montreal and Toronto would also make sense as teams that need a short-term burst. Think about it: Those clubs (or anyone else who would be interested) get a good rental. Shattenkirk gets a situation where he’s going to play a big role and make himself look even better for his upcoming free agency. (Although, as I’ve said before, other teams are convinced he wants to play for the Rangers.) Shattenkirk breaking out with Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner or Connor McDavid would be fun to see.


THE BUZZ - The Blues dip in the Central Division does not have them worrying about making the playoffs, but could potentially change the internal projections of being a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. Starting goalie Jake Allen has struggled and Shattenkirk is second in team scoring (30 points), which means he will bring a hefty return.

If the pending UFA is willing to go somewhere as a rental, it would make sense that he would prefer to go someplace that would have a long playoff run (such as Montreal), but Shattenkirk does not have a no-movement or full no-trade clause.

Edmonton or Toronto are both in need of blueline bolstering, but are unlikely to give up young prospects or significant draft picks for a player that they do not believe they can re-sign.



Speaking of reunions, in my endless quest to find Chicago another forward, does Patrick Sharp become a possibility?

Jamie Oleksiak’s injury lowered the chances Dallas makes a defensive move for the time being, since the Stars dropped from eight defensemen to seven. Montreal GM Marc Bergevin was in Chicago when the Blackhawks acquired Johnny Oduya, and I always look for tie-ins like that.


THE BUZZ - In spite of winning 7-6 in New York on Tuesday, the porous defense and bad goaltending displayed by Lindy Ruff’s club is an indicator that the Stars will be sellers on or before March 1.

Sharp to Chicago chatter has picked up in the last week or so and would add up, but Dallas would have to retain a big chunk of his $5.9 Million salary to make the deal work.

Oduya would address the Habs search for veteran defensive depth to take some burdensome ice time away from Andrei Markov.



Montreal supersnoop Eric Engels suspects the Canadiens and Ducks have been talking, and some of that dates back to last season. What is true is Montreal’s been scouting Anaheim quite a bit. We’ll see.


THE BUZZ – The Ducks need to a scoring winger and the Canadiens are looking for blueline help. Anaheim is unlikely to move any one of their top three (Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm or Sami Vatanen), but veterans Clayton Stoner, Kevin Bieksa or youngster Josh Manson could be pried away, since the Ducks have young prospects in Brandon Montour and Shea Theodore waiting in the wings.



Speaking of heavy scouting, a couple of execs joked Colorado should buy a house in Ontario, Calif. — home of Los Angeles’s AHL affiliate. Undoubtedly, one of the players they are watching is defenseman Paul Ladue, in his first pro season after three years at North Dakota.

I’ve had some guys saying the Kings won’t make him available, others disagreeing. But he’d be a Colorado target.


THE BUZZ – The Kings have been rumored to have interest in either Gabriel Landeskog or Matt Duchene, to help out struggling offense. It will take a lot more that Ladue, a 2012 sixth rounder with 30 games of pro experience to get either Avs forward. A package deal involving LaDue and former first rounder Adrian Kempe might be closer to what will take to get it done.
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