Patrik Laine is still out there, and that alone makes him one of the more interesting names left on the board. The 28-year-old winger remains unsigned, but the fit is easy to see: a one-year deal with incentives, a proven scorer with seven 20-goal seasons, and a player who could still help a power play even with questions about his five-on-five impact.
According to The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun in a recent TSN Insider Trading update, the Calgary Flames and Detroit Red Wings have both kicked Laine’s name around internally. His agent, Andy Scott, says Laine is healthy, skating every day in Florida, and ready to jump back into an NHL lineup.
Calgary could use the boost on its 31st-ranked power play, though the team also wants to take a look at its young players first. Detroit has spoken with Laine’s camp too, but things there are currently on hold.
David Perron is in a similar spot, still searching for the right NHL landing place. Now 38, Perron wants to play this season and his agent, Allan Walsh, says he’s trying to find a situation that works for both him and his family.
LeBrun reported that Perron is skating at home in Sherbrooke, Quebec, and staying in shape. He also noted that Perron had 13 goals in 65 games last season, split between the Ottawa Senators and the Red Wings, and didn’t rule out Detroit as a reunion possibility, though the Red Wings are dealing with their own moving parts right now.
“Perron, who is skating back home in Sherbrooke, Quebec, staying in shape, had 13 goals in 65 games split between the Ottawa Senators and the Red Wings last season. I wouldn’t rule out the Red Wings as a potential reunion fit, but again, Detroit has a few things going on right now.”
In Boston, Pavel Zacha’s situation is starting to feel like one worth watching closely. His name came up when the Bruins explored a possible trade involving Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko, but Columbus ended up going another way. Zacha, 29, remains a useful center, yet contract talks between his camp and Boston have reportedly not made much headway over the past few months.
The Bruins may have been taken aback by Zacha’s original asking price, although the rising market around the league could make that number look more reasonable now. The two sides are still talking, so an extension is not off the table.
Even so, a trade remains a real possibility. If Boston slips out of the playoff picture and Zacha is still unsigned near the March 1 trade deadline, he could be moved.
Florida had a brief reason to feel better after learning Aleksander Barkov’s injury is only expected to keep him out 6-8 weeks. Then Brad Marchand went down. The veteran winger suffered an apparent lower-body injury Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Kings.
Marchand was driving toward the net when his left leg appeared to buckle awkwardly as he ran into the post. Teammates had to help him off the ice, and he could not put weight on the leg. The Panthers have not announced a diagnosis or timeline.
One doctor who has not examined Marchand suggested an MCL injury could be a concern, while also mentioning a possible high ankle sprain. For now, Florida is waiting on more testing and hoping the news doesn’t get worse.
In Other News...
Panthers Suddenly Have Much Less Reason To Chase Dylan Larkin
Aleksander Barkovs lower-body injury changes the calculus in Florida, even if it does not appear to change the long-term outlook. The Panthers captain is expected to miss six to eight weeks, but he will not need surgery, which at least keeps the door open for a cleaner return later in the season. In the short term, though, it leaves the Panthers without their top center and naturally invites a little roster-watching from the outside.
That is where the Dylan Larkin chatter had started to build, with the Detroit center back in the lineup after an injury and a trade request, then taking his share of boos before helping the Red Wings win. For Florida, the Barkov timeline makes a major center pursuit look far less pressing, and maybe far less realistic. The speculation had some traction because of the Panthers need, but with Barkov set to come back in a matter of weeks rather than months, the urgency around chasing a headline-grabbing fix has taken a noticeable hit. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Suddenly Have Another Injury Concern Fans Feared
Floridas injury picture got a lot murkier against the Kings when Brad Marchand went down with a lower-body injury and had to be helped off the ice. It came in just his second game back after offseason surgery, a reminder that the Panthers were still easing him into the lineup and hoping to get another veteran presence back into the fold without issue.
The timing made the scene even more uneasy for a team already bracing for captain Aleksander Barkov to miss six-to-eight weeks with a lower-body injury. Marchands status now becomes another important storyline for a club trying to hold things together early in the season while key pieces are already on the shelf. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Waiver Move Leaves One Entwistle Concern Unanswered
MacKenzie Entwistles status remains part roster move, part health watch for Florida. The Panthers have placed the forward on waivers with the plan of sending him to Charlotte in the AHL, a procedural step that fits a two-way contract and gives the club some flexibility while it sorts out its depth chart.
The bigger question is still the one surrounding Entwistle himself, because he has been working through an undisclosed injury and never got onto the ice for training camp or the preseason. Even with the waiver move now in place, Florida has not offered much public clarity on when he might be ready to help, leaving his immediate role and return timeline a little murky. [Read more 🡒]