Artturi Lehkonen keeps stacking goals in Colorado, and that steady offensive push may be changing the math around his next contract.
TSN’s Chris Johnston said there is not much movement yet between Lehkonen and the Avalanche on an extension. The forward is a pending UFA, and while he would like to remain in Colorado “all things being equal,” Johnston said the situation is one to watch if Lehkonen keeps producing at this pace.
“The sense is there’s nothing really too close in terms of any extension work being done with the Avalanche. This is a player that would like to stay in Colorado, all things being equal, but I think he’s an interesting one to watch, especially if he continues this sort of hot offensive start, because he may price himself out of the market.
Across the league, Simon Edvinsson is drawing plenty of attention as the Dec. 1 deadline creeps closer. Darren Dreger said the Nashville Predators would be among the nine or 10 teams interested in the Detroit Red Wings RFA defenseman, with Detroit still hoping to keep him. Pierre LeBrun also said the San Jose Sharks are among the 10 or so clubs showing interest.
LeBrun pointed to the fit from both sides of the deal if things ever got that far. “A 23-year-old defenceman would fill a hole on their blue line, and on the flip side, if you’re Detroit and you’re looking at San Jose, there’s some really intriguing options up front there with a lot of young talent - not named Macklin Celebrini of course.
But still some interesting targets potentially there for Detroit, so we’ll see if those two teams bring that deeper or not. Keep in mind the Red Wings are still keeping out hope that they can convince Edvinsson to sign as we get closer to the pressure of the Dec. 1 deadline.”
Dreger also said Nashville is looking for defensive help and could be willing to move some veterans, specifically Nicolas Hague and Brady Skjei.
That fits with another piece of the Predators’ plan: they are still trying to add young skill. Dreger said the team is open to listening on veteran talent as part of that push.
“The names that I’m hearing right now are veteran defensemen - and that’s Nic Hague and that’s Brady Skjei. Now, not saying that McFarland is trying to push these players out.
He is, as I said, just trying to get a little bit younger. We’ve talked about the possibility of some of his veteran talented forwards being in play.
Well, he’s most definitely still willing to listen on those. Again, in the spirit of trying to get younger and trying to add more skill.”
In Other News...
Red Wings Have One Contract Standing In The Way Of A Larkin Trade
The Red Wings are staring at two separate but connected business items with very different timelines. Dylan Larkin has already asked for a trade, which naturally has the rumor mill humming, but the bigger immediate issue in Detroit is getting Simon Edvinssons next deal done. The young defenseman is still a restricted free agent, and the organization knows his contract will shape both its cap picture and its roster flexibility as it sorts through the rest of the season.
Edvinssons situation carries the more urgent deadline, which is why it sits ahead of any serious conversation about Larkins future. Detroit can trade Larkin whenever it chooses, but moving a captain-level center is not something the front office will rush into while another core piece remains unresolved. For now, the priority is locking in the young blue-liner and getting that part of the ledger settled before anything else gets seriously revisited. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Fans Just Got More Clarity On That Zach Hyman Injury
The aftermath of Edmontons game against the Red Wings is starting to come into focus, and it appears Zach Hymans injury may not be as alarming as it first looked. Hyman was placed on injured reserve with a stiff neck after leaving that game, but coach Mike Babcock suggested the issue could be less serious than the immediate reaction suggested, giving everyone a little more clarity on what happened.
For Detroit fans, the main wrinkle is the sequence that followed the hit along the boards from Andreas Englund and the roster move it triggered. Jason Dickinson is expected to be activated from injured reserve to fill Hymans spot, keeping Edmonton moving while Hyman recovers and leaving the full timeline of his return still a little cloudy. [Read more 🡒]
Dylan Larkin Update Just Raised Detroit's Biggest Trade Question
Dylan Larkin was away from Red Wings practice for a maintenance day, which is the kind of update that usually doesn't merit much more than a note in the morning report. In this case, though, it lands in the middle of a larger swirl around Detroit's captain and the possibility that his situation could shape the team's next move more than anything else on the roster.
The timing matters because the trade chatter around Larkin has not gone away, even as the Red Wings try to keep their attention on the season in front of them. Around the league, the Oilers are dealing with Zach Hyman landing on injured reserve after a stiff neck suffered in a game against Detroit, while the Penguins are also looking at veteran trade possibilities as they consider a roster restructuring. For the Red Wings, though, the bigger question remains what Larkin's status means for their long-term direction. [Read more 🡒]