Latest NHL Trade Buzz: Big Name Targets, Canucks, Sabres

Trade boards are being released and updated as the NHL creeps closer to silly season, the Vancouver Canucks and Quinn Hughes are the headliners of it all, with numerous teams in the running to land the supertstar defenseman, while the Buffalo Sabres are trying to figure out what to do as they once again find themselves at the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

We’ll get into it all in the latest edition of NHL trade buzz.

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Insiders’ Trade Board Features Big Names

ESPN insider Greg Wyshynski dropped an NHL trade board on Thursday, and it featured some juicy names. Quinn Hughes was in a tier of his own, as he should be, given not only his talent, but his situation, where a trade feels like a matter of when, not if.

The next section is where things got interesting, as Jordan Kyrou, Artemi Panarin, Elias Pettersson, and Morgan Rielly were grouped together, labeled as shocking possibilities. Each comes with significant obstacles in the way of any potential trade, but they’re on the list for a reason — and are definitely names to keep an eye on.

Rasmus Andersson and Alex Tuch highlighted the pending UFA column, with contenders in Vegas and Dallas linked to the Flames’ blue liner, and recent rumblings about the Edmonton Oilers’ eyeing the Sabres’ star winger.

Quinn Hughes and More In Vancouver

There’s been talk about a Hughes trade ad nauseam, and the sweepstakes are ever-changing, with new suitors emerging and falling out on a daily basis. New Jersey, Detroit, and Washington seem to be the frontrunners at this very moment, though we know how quickly things can change.

When they do pull the plug and deal their captain, the Canucks will understandably be looking for a haul in return, which Nick Kypreos suggests could involve four or five pieces, the likes of players, prospects, and first-round draft picks.

It’s also been said by Elliotte Friedman that they preferentially want a young center in any package, while in related non-Hughes news, Vancouver has also kicked tires on disgruntled Kings center Phillip Danault as they look to solve their issues down the middle.

Friedman said:

“I’m not really sure what the timeline is going to be here. I’d be lying if I said I knew it was imminent. The one thing here is that if this happens straight for the Canucks, I think they’re going to make sure they get this right. What I think they’re doing is, once it gets out, then you get a call — or you think to call — and they call you, and you start to figure out: Okay, what’s on the table? What’s not on the table? What can we get? What can we not get? I think Vancouver is going through that right now.”

He added, “I don’t want to proclaim it’s imminent or not imminent. I don’t have any reason to believe it is. But it’s one of those things where I think the Canucks are trying to see, What are our options?“

“The thing I don’t know is: if they get something they like, are they prepared to do it now? They’re prepared to listen, and they are definitely talking with teams, but I can’t tell you with any certainty what the readiness is to actually do it.”

What Can be Done in Buffalo?

The Sabres are staring at a 15th consecutive season missing the playoffs, and with seven teams and seven points separating them and the final wildcard spot, it’s hard to imagine the drought not extending.

Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson let management know before the season that things need to improve and fast, so what does another year at the bottom of the East mean for their futures?

Teams around the league are going to start calling, and already have when it comes to Thompson. The real question is whether Kevyn Adams will still be in charge to make such a call, which could lead to a busy upcoming trade deadline and offseason in Buffalo.

Next: Who’s In and Who’s Out? The Latest in the Quinn Hughes Sweepstakes