The Elias Pettersson chatter isn’t going away, but for now it’s just that - chatter.
Rick Dhaliwal said there’s been “Lots of Elias Pettersson trade talk but as of now, he has not been asked to waive his no-move clause to go anywhere. Lots of chatter but don’t believe anything is close.”
Another name drawing attention is Anaheim Ducks defenseman Pavel Mintyukov. Frank Seravalli said earlier this week on Canucks Central that after the Leo Carlsson offer sheet, Mintyukov’s agent Dan Milstein was reaching out to teams to see whether anyone would be willing to put together an offer sheet.
There was also a broader contract question raised by Andy Strickland, who said he had spoken to an NHL executive that believes a player’s no-trade or no-move protection should be voided if that player later asks to be moved before the deal expires. In that scenario, the executive suggested the team should be able to trade the player to any club in the league.
On the Columbus Blue Jackets and Dallas Stars front, Jeff Marek floated the idea that the two teams could revisit Zach Werenski trade talks. During a conversation with Keith Kavanaugh on the Puck Pedia Hockey Show, Marek said, “Zach Warrenski still gets traded for Thomas Harley.”
Kavanaugh pressed him on it, and Marek added that he didn’t know that was the full story. He said he thought that camp was surprised by how quickly everything happened and wondered whether they were ready for it to move that fast. Marek also said, “Or be involved in the process.”
He later noted, “But it’s not, it’s not until late July or August. I still don’t think it’s dead.”
The discussion also touched on Dylan Larkin adding a team and the Ducks needing to move salary, with Kavanaugh saying, “And that letter then means absolutely nothing.”
Marek’s response: “It calmed everybody down for a while.”
In Other News...
Ducks May Be Headed For Another Costly Frank Vatrano Dilemma
The Ducks are again trying to navigate one of the trickier parts of roster building: finding a home for Frank Vatranos contract without turning the deal into a bigger problem than the one they started with. His contract structure has made him a name to watch in trade chatter, and Anaheim has at least checked in on the market while other clubs around the league continue to weigh cap space, draft assets and roster needs.
Vancouver has come up in the conversation, but the broader picture is the same one that has followed several Ducks trade discussions lately. Moving money in todays NHL often means attaching value to make the math work, and Anaheim may have to decide how much it is willing to include if it wants to clear the deck. Around the league, the same calculus is shaping rumors involving Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale and Jason Robertson, with teams all looking for the right blend of fit, flexibility and future picks. [Read more 🡒]
Ducks Just Faced Their Biggest Young Core Decision Yet
The Ducks have spent much of this offseason trying to turn a promising young roster into something more durable, and the latest bit of business came with real stakes for the long term. Anaheim had a decision to make on restricted free-agent center Leo Carlsson, one of the most important pieces in the organizations next core, after Philadelphia stepped in with an offer sheet that forced the issue.
For a team trying to build around its youth, this was never just about one contract. The Ducks had to weigh the value of keeping a high-end center in place against the broader ripple effects of an offer sheet, including how it would shape their future flexibility and the message it sent about protecting their own talent. One important wrinkle in the agreement also stands out, with a no-movement clause attached for the final year, a detail that underscores how much leverage comes with a player Anaheim clearly views as central to what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Pat Verbeek May Have Backed The Ducks Into A Brutal Corner
The Ducks had to match an offer sheet to keep Leo Carlsson in Anaheim, a move that says as much about the market as it does about their own planning. What should have been a straightforward extension for a cornerstone young center turned into another reminder of how quickly leverage can shift when negotiations linger and the price of waiting keeps climbing.
For Pat Verbeek, the problem is bigger than one contract. Anaheim still has other young players due for new deals, and the clubs cap room is already under pressure after a series of delays and a defense that looks thinner than it should for a team trying to climb back into relevance. The Ducks can survive one expensive correction, but the next round of negotiations may be where the real squeeze begins. [Read more 🡒]