Breaking… Avs captain Gabriel Landeskog is out indefinitely with a knee injury and blueliner Samuel Girard is out at least four weeks. This will surely affect the Giroux sweepstakes.
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With nine days left before the NHL trade deadline, players signing contracts will likely affect the market leading up to March 21st and have a domino effect for both buyers and sellers.
Philadelphia's signing of Rasmus Ristolainen removes one of the more prominent right-handed blueline rentals, which could increase the asking price for Anaheim's Josh Manson, Justin Braun of the Flyers, or John Klingberg of the Dallas Stars.
Klingberg may be off the board altogether with the Stars in the playoff mix and with Miro Heiskanen being diagnosed with mononucleosis and Manson may not be available if new GM Pat Verbeek can't get pending free agent Hampus Lindholm extended.
Veteran Joe Pavelski inking a one-year extension with Dallas eliminates one center option off the board for contenders like New York and Colorado, which could ramp up the asking price for Claude Giroux or for San Jose's pending free agent Tomas Hertl.
Various reports this morning indicate that Carolina will be extending center Jesperi Kotkaniemi on an eight-year max deal for just under $5 million per season, something that has been rumored since he signed the offer sheet with the Canes last summer.
more to come