It’s time for another dose of our NHL rumorus as we’re less than a month away from the start of trade deadline. Teams are jockeying for players that will get their clubs over the hump. Lots of names will be in play, including some uncommon names. Today our NHL rumours focus on the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators and Columbus Blue Jackets.
All NHL rumours are taken from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
Toronto Maple Leafs
Rumour: Piggybacking off of Bob McKenzie’s interview on TSN 1050, there are only a handful of players considered untouchable by the club. McKenzie listed John Tavaers, Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews as names Leafs general manger Kyle Dubas he won’t deal.
Bob McKenzie on the Leafs trade deadline plans
#Toronto1050 #LeafsLunch https://t.co/bwyxjyV9HQ— TSN 1050 Toronto (@TSN1050Radio) January 24, 2020
Analysis: It makes sense those names would be untouchable to Leafs’ management. However, the surprise is Nylander, who has really stepped his game up as of late. The Calgary native was the subject of a lot of backlash due to lack of production and his long holdout.
Nylander has 22 goals and 43 points in 49 game this season which is a big step up from the seven goals he got in 54 games in 2018-19. He’s shown a penchant for scoring goals in dirty areas and not looking for the highlight reel score.
The Leafs may have to do a lot of tinkering to get into the playoffs, but now experts can take Nylander off the trade block for the time being.
Ottawa Senators
Rumour: Pierre LeBrun’s latest article in The Athletic (subscription required) said the Senators will try to re-sign Jean-Gabriel Pageau before the deadline. However, they’re not opposed to trading him if they can’t get a deal done.
The trade deadline goes one month today on Feb. 24. As such, I worked the phones this week to produce a 31-team, 8,500-word deadline overview. Much will change in the coming weeks, but here's where all the teams stand now:https://t.co/wdBXaxMWtu
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) January 24, 2020
Analysis: It’s a similar play to what they did with Mark Stone last year before Ottawa sent him to the Vegas Golden Knights. Ottawa tried to lock down Stone before the trade and didn’t want to let him walk for nothing.
The Senators have cap space and two first-round picks in the lottery coming into this year’s NHL Draft. Ottawa also has six second-round picks that should help the team speed up its rebuild. The Sens already boast a good crop of young forwards.
Pageau would fetch a nice return because centres like him are hard to find. It’s been a career-year for the hometown product with 19 goals and 31 points. He’ll have no shortage of suitors if the Sens can’t lock him down.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Rumour: LeBrun goes on to talk about the situation in Columbus. The Blue Jackets would likely stand pant, but could “weaponize” their defence or go after more picks.
Columbus would like to add a top-nine forward and want him for a decent turn. They could deal from their surplus defensive group to make something happen.
Analysis: The Blue Jackets have been one of the biggest surprises of the season. Many left the club for dead after Sergei Bobrovsky, Matt Duchene and Atermi Panarin left the organization. However, Columbus would have a playoff spot in the post-season started today.
The goalie play of Elvis Merzļikins and Joonas Korpisalo have kept the team in games. Columbus would occupy a post-season spot if the playoffs started today. John Tortorella may not be getting flashy results but he’s getting them.
The rebuild is ahead of scheduled and things are only looking up for the club.
OTTAWA, ON – APRIL 06: Ottawa Senators Center Jean-Gabriel Pageau (44) waits for a face-off during second period National Hockey League action between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Ottawa Senators on April 6, 2019, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
