Jaden Schwartz and Eeli Tolvanen are both headed for free agency on Wednesday, according to David Pagnotta, leaving the Seattle Kraken with two notable names reaching the market at the same time.
Elsewhere in the rumor mill, Vincent Trocheck’s price tag may be climbing rather than falling. Elliotte Friedman said on Sportsnet’s 32 Thoughts: The Podcast that the New York Rangers are still setting a steep bar for Trocheck, and possibly one that is even higher than it was at the deadline.
Kyle Bukauskas brought up the Rangers center, and Friedman didn’t soften the picture.
“Yeah, I heard the, I heard the Rangers still have a very high ask there, if not higher than the deadline.”
Bukauskas reacted to that with, “Wow.”
Friedman then added, “And honestly, part of me, Kyle wondered after they got Dorofeyev, would they want Trocheck to stay?”
He continued, “Now it might be too far down the road, I don’t know, but I heard the Rangers ask on Trocheck was was very high, very high.”
The Anaheim Ducks were also working the board, with Friedman saying they tried to get the St. Louis Blues’ No. 11 pick in the Mason McTavish trade before settling for No. 15 and No. 29.
Friedman pointed to the Blues’ broader approach as well, saying, “You know. I like St.
Louis, what St. Louis has done.
They’ve made their team a lot younger. They’ve, you know, Alex Steen takes over this week, and they did a lot of heavy lifting.
I think the (Mason) McTavish one works out for them, you know.
Pat Verbeek tried to get the 11th pick. Doug Armstrong held out, did it for 15 and 29.
I like the way St. Louis has remodeled themselves a bit.”
In Other News...
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Jacob Trouba is now sitting at the center of that uncertainty as contract talks continue to drag on. The veteran defenseman gives Anaheim a needed presence on the right side, but the wider market could make him even more attractive if teams looking at Carlson have to turn elsewhere, leaving the Ducks to weigh how far they can go to keep another key piece from slipping away. [Read more 🡒]
Ducks Suddenly Look Poised To Land The Veteran Help Fans Want
The market around veteran help is already starting to take shape, and Anaheim has found itself mentioned in the thick of it. The Ducks are among the teams linked to defenseman Radko Gudas, a rugged, experienced option who would fit the kind of more physical, established presence clubs often chase when they want to stabilize a blue line and add some bite to the roster.
There is also reason to think Anaheim is paying close attention on the forward side, where A.J. Greer is drawing interest and looking for term as free agency approaches. The Ducks have been trying to add maturity and depth to a young group, so the idea that they could come away with one of those veteran pieces is at least as interesting as the broader market chatter around players like Anders Lee and Claude Giroux, especially with several teams still jockeying for the same short list of proven names. [Read more 🡒]