Latest NHL Trade Buzz: Canucks, Rangers, Flames

The February 4 Olympic roster freeze has already begun to spur action on the trade market, and it’s just the beginning of what should be a chaotic next two weeks. The Vancouver Canucks aren’t messing around anymore, and it sounds like Elias Pettersson could be next to go. The New York Rangers’ retool leaves very few players off-limits. And what comes next for the Calgary Flames after trading Rasmus Andersson to Vegas?

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We’ll dive into all of that in the latest edition of NHL Trade Buzz.

Elias Pettersson Trade Buzz

Rumors surrounding a Pettersson trade have gotten loud in the past, but it’s never felt this concrete that a change of scenery could be coming. Insider Frank Seravalli said Monday that teams around the league are starting to believe the star center will be dealt—not just this year, but potentially before the Olympics, which would mean within the next 15 days.

He singled out the Detroit Red Wings as a strong suitor, though the list of interested teams won’t stop there. The Carolina Hurricanes, Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers, San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks, Utah Mammoth, and Buffalo Sabres all having been linked in some capacity.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman has noted there’s been no indication Pettersson would waive his no-trade clause, but where there’s smoke, there’s fire—and it appears as if the Canucks are very much ok with all of this noise surrounding a potential move.

Rangers Retool Talk

The retool is on in New York, and changes are coming. Pending UFA Artemi Panarin feels like the first shoe to drop—it’s just a matter of where he’s willing to go. Almost every contending team has interest in the superstar winger, with Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, and Washington currently standing out amongst the rest.

That said, Panarin is far from the only big-name Ranger that could be dealt. Several reports have suggested they’re open to moving former first-overall pick Alexis Lafrenière, while GM Chris Drury may also have an appetite to approach Mika Zibanejad about waiving his no-movement clause. Not to mention, Vincent Trocheck, who could wind up being the most coveted of them all, given the term left on his contract.

Smaller pieces like Carson Soucy, Sam Carrick, Brennan Othmann, and potentially even Braden Schneider are additional names to monitor in the coming weeks. Soucy and Carrick, in particular, could make sense as depth targets for the Edmonton Oilers.

What Comes Next in Calgary?

Now that Andersson is a Golden Knight, the question becomes: what’s next for GM Craig Conroy and the Flames? Nazem Kadri now becomes the obvious top target, and TSN insider Darren Dreger believes there’s a strong chance he gets moved. Central Division powerhouses Colorado, Dallas, and Minnesota continue to be mentioned as potential landing spots.

Then there’s Blake Coleman, who has drawn significant interest on the trade market, but would reportedly be just fine staying in Calgary when all is said and done. Recently acquired Zach Whitecloud is another candidate to be flipped ahead of the deadline, and with the Toronto Maple Leafs searching for a right-shot defenseman, dots have started to be connected. Lastly, gritty fourth-line winger Ryan Lomberg is another name to watch as a pending UFA who could be a useful depth piece come playoff time.

Next: Artemi Panarin Trade Buzz Grows — But Oilers Not in the Mix