Originally published by NHLRumors.com
Could Certain Deviate From Their Current Plans?
Dave Pagnotta joined Sirius XM NHL Network Radio with Steve Kouleas and Nate Thompson and was asked about what teams like the New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Anaheim Ducks will do at the deadline. What teams will deviate from their plans and go for it?
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
Host: “We see teams like, the Islanders, the Ducks, even Pittsburgh, particularly, maybe not expecting to be in this situation that they’re in right now, in a playoff spot and in good position. What do you make of these teams, and how they go about the trade deadline, adding and maybe, using assets for the future?”
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Dave Pagnotta: “Yeah, I mean some of these teams are kind of treading. They’re proceeding with caution here. They don’t want to just because they’re having success sooner than they anticipated; they don’t want to derail their plans. And I think with Pittsburgh, for example, yeah, they’re going to continue to stockpile picks and, and see if they can add some more prospects and guys that just haven’t fit in certain markets, but they seem to fit there, like Egor Chinakhov, for example.
But at the same time, because they’re stockpiling, it’s not to say that they won’t package up some of those pieces for young assets, guys that would help their club now and down the road. I think a lot of teams, given how the dynamic of the trade deadline or the league really has changed from a trade side.
Now, with understanding what the cap is going to be in future years, teams can project a little bit differently, and it allows them to pursue certain players that also have term; young ones and older guys.
So I think for some teams, you don’t want to deviate from your plan too much. Utah doesn’t want to do that. Montreal doesn’t want to do that. San Jose, not so much as well. It’s situational. So if the right opportunity arises, and the opportunity cost is solid, they’ll take a look at it. But outside of that, they’re not going to push the envelope, because they seem to be anyway sticking to their guns.”
NHLRumors.com Note: It has been reported that the Montreal Canadiens have connected to Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues. Trading for Thomas would deviate from the current plan, while they might be able to get Jordan Kyrou at a lower cost. Utah added MacKenzie Weegar, but still has interest in Thomas. Do they want to sell the farm for him? With Colton Parayko out there, could the Anaheim Ducks add him?
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Then there are the Pittsburgh Penguins, who want to retool on the fly and get the window open, as it doesn’t feel like Bryan Rust or Rickard Rakell are moving.
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