On the Toronto Maple Leafs and Anaheim Ducks …
Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun: A member of the Toronto Maple Leafs front office on what they expect to happen on trade deadline day: “A lot of phone calls,” he said, “probably no trades.”
The Anaheim Ducks are dangling one of their young defensemen for a forward.
On the Ottawa Senators and Colorado Avalanche …
Ken Warren of the Ottawa Sun: The Senators may not make a big splash at the deadline, but GM Pierre Dorion has been trying. Mark Stone, Mike Hoffman and Bobby Ryan are out with injuries. Clarke MacArthur‘s top-six spot hasn’t been filled. Matt Duchene could fit nicely at center or the wing, and on the power play.
Duchene has two years left at $6 million, and the cost to acquire remains high. The Avs want one of Thomas Chabot or Colin White included in any deal. That is too much futures for the Senators to include.
If Cody Ceci instead of Chabot is the centerpiece, or Curtis Lazar instead of Colin White, then it could be a different story.
“So many teams feel they’re in it,” Dorion told TSN 1200 Thursday. “So many teams are looking to buy. Everyone wants a lot of assets. You can’t sacrifice or mortgage the future.”
The Senators are without a 2nd round pick this year as they sent it to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Dion Phaneuf trade last year.
The Vancouver Canucks are looking for a young player for Jannik Hansen. Hansen has a $2.5 million cap hit and a $3 million salary. Maybe offer for Lazar for Hansen?
Odds of rentals like Thomas Vanek or Drew Stafford aren’t good. Martin Hanzal is another pending free agent, but Dorion has repeatedly said he won’t mortgage to much of the future for a short-term fix.
