NHL Trade Watch: Oilers, Panarin, Canadiens, Laine, and a Maple Leafs Goalie Trade?

With the NHL roster freeze less than 24 hours away, there’s a lot floating around the rumour mill right now. It feels like we could be headed toward a mini trade deadline day on Tuesday. Teams are trying to get business done before the 3:00 p.m. EST freeze comes into effect. That’s made today a pretty interesting one. As a result, a lot of people around the league are waiting to see when the first shoe drops.

In today’s edition of NHL Trade Watch, we dive into the latest rumblings surrounding Artemi Panarin. We also look at the Montreal Canadiens shopping Patrik Laine. Finally, we conclude by noting that the Toronto Maple Leafs may be open to trading one of their three goalies.

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Canadiens Shopping Laine

It’s been reported recently that the Canadiens could be interested in moving Laine. Earlier in the season, that idea cooled off, especially with him dealing with injuries. However, it has resurfaced. The latest to bring it up was Nick Kypreos, who floated the idea that Montreal could look to move Laine’s money off the books. This could help them address other needs.

One of the teams linked is the Edmonton Oilers. Kypreos wrote:

“Montreal is looking to move out his money and might be willing to spend an asset to do that. The Canadiens are prepared to retain a good chunk (even up to 50 per cent) of his deal, considering they haven’t used any retention slots and because Laine’s contract expires at the end of the season anyway. I wonder if this kind of move could help Montreal open space to do something bigger, and there is interest in Laine because he’ll be coming on an expiring contract. He would be a freebie with upside, whether for a playoff team hoping to find a cheap-to-acquire scorer, or for a non-playoff team like Calgary to get a free look at him before considering him long-term.”

He later added that Andrew Mangiapane could be a name going back the other way in a hockey trade. If that were to happen, Montreal would likely look to flip Mangiapane in a separate deal. This would help to clear his cap hit and roster spot. At this point, Laine still hasn’t joined the Canadiens despite practicing, which could be telling. If Edmonton ends up as the landing spot, it could be an opportunity for him to reset his career in a much different environment.

Oilers Linked to Panarin

As mentioned above, there’s been a new development in the Panarin sweepstakes. Late yesterday, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported that Panarin could be open to joining a team as a rental if no one is willing to offer an extension. One of the teams mentioned was the Oilers, who are legitimate Stanley Cup contenders. They would give him a real shot at winning.

The biggest challenges are the cap hit and the asking price. The Oilers don’t have an obvious package that lines up with what the Rangers would want. Unless they’re willing to move someone like Isaac Howard or Quinn Hutson, there may not be a match. They would also need to move money out, potentially involving Mangiapane and even Adam Henrique, to make the numbers work. The Rangers could have interest in Mangiapane and could then flip Henrique to another contender for picks. In theory, it works. It would give New York multiple NHL players they could later turn into assets. In reality, it’s still hard to see how Edmonton pulls this off cleanly before the freeze.

Maple Leafs Open to Trading a Goalie?

On a recent episode of TSN’s OverDrive, Bryan Hayes floated the idea that the Maple Leafs could be open to moving a goalie at the deadline. He even mentioned Joseph Woll, suggesting he sees him more as a reliable backup than a full-time starter. That idea feels unlikely right now. Especially given how the organization appears to view Woll as part of their future. Here’s what he had to say:

“No, I would put him on the table, possibly too. I mean, it would depend on what the best package is you’re getting back. Because I think Woll is just a good goalie, and that’s what he’s going to be. A good goalie that starts maybe 40 games, and is going to have some ups and downs — and that’s what he is. He’s a good goalie in the league. But I don’t see superstardom in his future.”

That said, Kypreos has been consistent over the last month or so in saying that Anthony Stolarz could be available. He’s had Stolarz on his trade bait board for a while, pointing to the strong play of Dennis Hildeby as a reason the Maple Leafs could at least consider it, even with Stolarz’s extension kicking in next season. There was also a report from Anthony Di Marco of Daily Faceoff that linked Hildeby to the Philadelphia Flyers as a potential fit. Still, based on how well he’s played this season, it’s hard to see Toronto being eager to move him. If anything happens in net, Stolarz feels like the more realistic name to watch over the next day.

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