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...
Blue Jackets Young Core Suddenly Carries More Risk Than Fans Realize
For all the optimism around Columbus young talent, the next stretch is going to test how quickly the front office can keep that core together. Don Waddell has already made clear that Kirill Marchenko is expected back next season, but the winger is also headed toward the end of his current deal and will need a new contract soon after, which only adds to the pressure on a roster built around players who are still getting established.
Cole Sillingers arbitration case is another sign that the Blue Jackets are moving into a more complicated phase of team-building, especially with the organization placing a high value on him. Add in the broader unease around how other clubs might view Columbus emerging pieces, and the picture gets a little less tidy than it looked when the young core first started to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Suddenly Have An Opening They Have Needed For Years
The Penguins ownership change has created a ripple effect that could reach well beyond Pittsburgh, and it comes at a time when the Blue Jackets have been searching for something they have lacked for years: a stable ECHL home for their prospects. Columbus has spent a long stretch without a long-term affiliate, with its last extended arrangement dating back to the Dayton Bombers before that franchise folded in 2009.
Wheeling has been tied to Pittsburgh for 29 years, the longest active NHL-ECHL partnership, so any shift there would be a notable break from the familiar. For Columbus, it would also open a door it has not had in a while, giving the organization a chance to pursue a more permanent developmental landing spot as the lower levels of its pipeline continue to matter. [Read more 🡒]
Leo Carlsson Just Opened Up About His Ducks Offer Sheet Scare
Leo Carlssons recent comments added a little more clarity to one of the summers more closely watched offer-sheet situations. The young center said he wanted to stay with the Anaheim Ducks all along, even after the Philadelphia Flyers came in with a five-year, $90 million deal that briefly put his future in play. Anaheim ultimately matched, keeping Carlsson in place and ending the immediate drama, but the episode still offered a reminder of how quickly a team can be forced into a hard decision when a rival makes a serious push.
For Columbus fans, the broader ripple matters because the Flyers are now looking elsewhere after missing on Carlsson, and the market around top young centers is never just about one player. The Ducks, meanwhile, get to keep a cornerstone they clearly value, but they also have to live with the kind of cap and negotiation questions that follow when a player of Carlssons profile gets to the open market in the first place. [Read more 🡒]