Reda: With the insiders - Chris Johnston, Pierre LeBrun, and Darren Dreger.
Well, to hear the Leafs management speak on Thursday, they kind of made it sound like maybe Morgan Rielly wasn’t actually going anywhere after all. Is that really the case or maybe just a little misdirection, CJ?
Johnston: I can tell you it would be very premature to take him off your trade bait list at this point, Gino, because Morgan Rielly’s name remains very much in play on the trade market. And look, Jim Hiller in particular was quite effusive in his praise of Rielly as he was introduced officially as the head coach of the Leafs. He’s got a lot of respect for the player and they have a history from the past. But it’s Jim Hiller’s job to coach the team. It’s John Chayka’s job to manage the team. And Chayka certainly is going to continue to listen on Rielly. He’s not going to give the player away. So, it’s going to have to be a decent offer that compels the Leafs to act here. But with the off-season still in its early phases and the Leafs looking to continue to reshape their blueline, don’t rule out the possibility of a Rielly trade just yet.
Reda: What about Connor Hellebuyck? We know the Jets have been listening, but do they have any interest in what they’ve been hearing so far, Dregs?
Dreger: Some interest, yes, Gino, but not a lot because teams haven’t stepped up to this point. And I always say that things can change with a simple phone call, but the Winnipeg Jets at this point are willing to be patient. I mean, they’re willing to consider trading a proven winner, and that’s exactly what Connor Hellebuyck is. Florida, we know, has expressed interest, but does Florida have the assets to make a deal of this magnitude? Well, they do, but they’re not pieces that they’re willing to part with to acquire Connor Hellebuyck.
Now, look at the Buffalo Sabres, and we know that Jarmo Kekalainen has been extremely busy to this point. Could he stabilize his goaltending by acquiring Connor Hellebuyck? Yes. Do they have the assets in Buffalo to do this? Yes, but he’s got a lot of other things that are also being played around with as we creep closer to Friday’s draft. So, if it’s draft related, it could happen quickly. Otherwise, Winnipeg is willing to wait.
Reda: Mason Marchment’s name has drawn some attention around the league, including from a couple of Canadian clubs, Pierre?
LeBrun: Yeah, Gino, my understanding is that Montreal and Toronto are potential fits for Mason Marchment. Both teams that have interest and [can] talk to him next Wednesday if he hits the market. Now, the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he finished the season, still have interest in re-signing him. And that’s even after acquiring Valeri Nichushkin on this day. They still want to take a run at Marchment between now and Wednesday.
Speaking of Montreal, by the way, I mean, they’re being pretty aggressive calling around to figure out the market when it comes to being able to upgrade their top-six forward group. They’re monitoring Vincent Trocheck for sure and see where that goes. But they’re also calling on guys that you wouldn’t really think about. I mean, my understanding is they’ve called the Islanders on Bo Horvat, and the answer was no, he’s not available. They’ve called Columbus on Kirill Marchenko and also got a fat no from the Blue Jackets. The point is to illustrate that Montreal’s calling not just on the obvious guys but making sure they understand the full market.
Johnston: Meanwhile, there’s a lot of eyes around the NHL on Columbus for different reasons, and that is the future of Zach Werenski. And that does seem to be coming to a head here with the Blue Jackets themselves wanting to get some clarity on what his intentions are long term. Don Waddell told reporters Thursday that he intended to sit down with Werenski after the draft in an effort to get a sense where he wanted to go in 2028, where he’s got two more years on his contract.
And my sources indicate that they’re not likely going to like the answer if that question is asked correctly, because I don’t think at this point in time, Werenski is willing to commit long term to Columbus. He certainly is willing to go back and play for the team and honour his contract, but it will leave management with a big decision. Do you keep the Norris Trophy winner and play this out, see if perhaps something changes or perhaps is his trade value at its highest now? Obviously, if this player ever hit the trade market, it would be a ground shaker in the NHL.
Reda: No kidding. Dallas Stars and Jason Robertson have been a ways away from agreeing on a number to extend the RFA. Any progress there, Pierre?
LeBrun: No, I wouldn’t say progress, but they’re still talking. And that’s what’s one thing that teams are wondering is when are they going to give up on trying to sign him and just trade him? Well, they haven’t given up yet. So talks still continuing on this day between the two sides. But I just don’t know if they can find that common ground. I don’t think the Stars are that comfortable paying Jason Robertson that much more money than Mikko Rantanen, who’s their top paid player at $12 million. Yeah, the market shifted and he’s a special player and I get why the ask from his camp is higher than that.
In the meantime, Dallas absolutely trying to figure out what the trade market is to protect itself. One team to keep an eye on, Seattle Kraken, they’re big game hunting. They have interest in Jason Robertson. Chicago among the other teams that has inquired. We’ll see where this goes, but it could drag on all summer. I mean, there’s no deadline here to what happens with Jason Robertson.
Reda: Speaking of RFAs, the Stanley Cup champs are dealing with one of their own right now, Dregs.
Dreger: Yeah, they are. 24-year-old defenceman Alexander Nikishin. Now, he’s 6-foot-3 and this guy has some game. He didn’t love his role with the Carolina Hurricanes, but keep in mind, he jumped from the KHL. He’s a Hurricanes draft pick and he wanted to give it at least one year in Carolina to see how he felt and what his role would be. So that’s essentially why Carolina is listening to the interest.
And as you mentioned, Gino, he is a restricted free agent. And the expectation is that there will be hefty contract demands here. Now, there’s lots of interest around the NHL, but that contract and how large it might be is also a bit of a deterrent at this stage.
Reda: They are the insiders - Chris Johnston, Pierre LeBrun, and Darren Dreger.
