Jake DeBrusk’s name has been floating around the trade market for a while now, but nothing appears to be moving just yet.
The Canucks winger has been viewed as a speculative trade candidate since last season, and after signing a seven-year, $38.5 million contract two years ago with the idea that he’d help a contender, Vancouver has taken a different path. DeBrusk has already said he’d be open to moving on from that situation.
Even so, TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reported Wednesday that there has been no conversation between the Canucks and DeBrusk’s camp about waiving his trade protection, which would have to happen before any deal can go through. That market is also being squeezed by the contract itself and by his production: DeBrusk scored 23 goals last season, but only four came at even strength, and he still has five years left on the deal.
Elsewhere out West, Flames GM Craig Conroy said Wednesday that he has been talking with Simon Nemec’s representatives about the defenseman’s next contract, though he doesn’t expect to hear back until later this week or early next. Nemec was acquired last month for two first-round picks and a second-round selection, and he had previously been believed to be looking for a deal along the lines of Luke Hughes’ seven-year, $63 million contract from last fall.
In Nashville, the Predators added Dawson Sprigings as an Assistant to the GM. The 32-year-old comes over with a background that should be familiar to new GM Chris MacFarland, who worked with him in Colorado. Sprigings spent the last seven seasons with the Avalanche as their Associate Director of Analytics and Lead Data Scientist, and MacFarland, who arrived from Colorado last month, is expected to use him in a similar role despite the new title.
And in Utah’s organization, veteran forward Kevin Rooney is sticking around, just not on the same kind of deal as before. The AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners announced that Rooney has signed a one-year AHL contract after playing last season on an NHL two-way deal. The 33-year-old posted 24 points in 44 games with Tucson and also scored a goal in his lone appearance with Utah.
In Other News...
Flames Land Jacob Middleton In Costly Blue Line Shakeup
The Flames are making another significant move on the back end, landing Jacob Middleton from Minnesota in a deal built to toughen up a defense that has been searching for more bite. Middleton has spent the past five seasons with the Wild and arrives as a physical, two-way presence who should give Calgary a sturdier look on the blue line while also bringing some veteran stability to a young group.
There is a cost to that kind of upgrade, of course, and this one reaches beyond just the roster shuffle. Middleton is entering the second year of a four-year contract with a $4.35 million cap hit, so Calgary is committing to him for the long haul while parting with meaningful assets, including a second-round pick. For a team trying to balance immediate help with future flexibility, it is the kind of trade that says plenty about how seriously the Flames are treating their defense. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Just Made A Veteran Trade That Says Plenty About The Plan
The Flames kept busy on the trade front by moving out veteran help and adding a defenseman plus a bundle of draft capital, a sign the front office is still shaping the roster with an eye on both the present and what comes next. The deal with Minnesota brings Jake Middleton to Calgary along with picks in 2027, 2028 and 2029, while the Flames are also carrying part of the financial load on the outgoing side.
For Calgary, the move fits a familiar pattern for a club trying to balance experience, flexibility and future assets without fully tearing anything down. Coleman and Maatta brought championship pedigree to the organization, but the return suggests the Flames were willing to turn that kind of veteran value into a longer runway, even if the full picture of how this reshapes the blue line and the cap will take a little more time to sort out. [Read more 🡒]