There could be more trade action this offseason
TSN: Tampa Bay Lightning’s Alex Killorn is the highest-scoring pending UFA this season and it’s going to be hard for the Lightning to keep him according to Pierre LeBrun.
The Lightning have Erik Cernak, Mikhail Sergachev and Anthony Cirelli extensions kicking in and they’ll need to clear upwards of $7.4 million in cap space.
NHL Rumors: Ottawa Senators, and the Buffalo Sabres
Chris Johnston notes that there could be more trade activity this offseason.
“When you have a free-agent class that doesn’t have a headliner, or at least not a headliner still in the prime of his career, with Kane and Tarasenko more towards the end of their time in the NHL, I think that does clear the way for more trades.
We saw a lot of that before the deadline as you reported earlier this week, Pierre, some teams like Columbus picked up an extra first round pick and will be looking to deal it. This could be a pretty eventful offseason once we get to June and July.”
Either a ‘Hell yeah” or a “Hell no” for Jonathan Toews
Mark Lazerus of The Athletic: Chicago Blackhawks forward Jonathan Toews will talk to family and friends after the season, and will ‘talk to himself’ about whether to return next season or not. He’s dealt with Chronic Immune Response Syndrome and Long COVID and it hasn’t been easy for him. Toews on Thursday.
“No idea whether I return to play for the Blackhawks next year, or play for another team, or I decide to move on to other things. I can tell the media wants to ask me about my so-called ‘pending retirement,’ even though I never said those words. But it’ll be a process of just feeling out what I truly feel inspired to do.
“But at this point, I’ve realized there’s no point in continuing to stomach this struggle. So if it’s not a hell yeah, then it’s a hell no.”
NHL Rumors: Boston Bruins, and the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toews doesn’t want to retire but he’ll need to figure out if he’s fully committed both mentally and physically to playing another season.