The Seattle Kraken are being linked to one of the biggest names in the league if he ever reaches free agency. According to David Pagnotta on the NHL Rumour Report, Seattle is a team that would be ready to go all-in on Nikita Kucherov.
“They wanna add some impact players to this roster; this is certainly a team I think would throw everything at Nikita Kucherov in July.”
Out in San Jose, the Sharks are still trying to dig themselves out of a rough start. Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News noted that the Sharks are 7-11-1 and sitting outside a playoff spot, which is not where they expected to be.
One of the bigger issues has been the lack of secondary scoring. There are also reports that GM Mike Grier does not want to make a coaching change, so the front office may look for another way to shake things up.
One possible route would be a major trade, and the Sharks have already made a serious push for Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson. That offer was turned down.
Edvinsson, an RFA, has to be signed by December 1 if he is going to play this season, which keeps the pressure on. The question now is whether San Jose would be willing to put Michael Misa and another asset into the deal, or whether the price could come down closer to the deadline.
Pittsburgh is another team drawing plenty of trade chatter, with Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now laying out what various Penguins could bring back. The return for Evgeni Malkin would be more about symbolism than impact, and the era of first-round picks in that kind of deal is over. Kris Letang’s value is considered low, so the expectation there is limited.
Erik Karlsson is a different case because his no-movement clause gives him control over where he could go. The Penguins could retain as much as 50 percent of his salary to widen the market, and teams such as the Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Washington Capitals were mentioned as possible fits. Even then, the return would likely be a B-level prospect and a draft pick, just not a first-rounder.
Rickard Rakell, who has another year left at $5 million, could bring back a second- and third-round pick or a second-rounder and a young player. Seattle, the LA Kings, Anaheim Ducks, NY Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks, and Buffalo Sabres were listed as possible landing spots.
Bryan Rust is also drawing interest. He has one more year at $5 million, and teams including the San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks could be in the mix. The return on Rust could be a first and a lesser prospect, or a quality young player and a second-round pick.
In Other News...
Blackhawks Rough Start Has Pushed One Roster Question To The Front
A rough start has already nudged the Penguins into the kind of early-season conversations that usually wait until much later on the calendar. Dave Pagnotta said on Sirius XM NHL Network Radio that Pittsburgh and Chicago are both open to making trades, with the Penguins signaling a willingness to listen on a broad group of players while the Blackhawks look for wingers who can help support their young core.
For Pittsburgh, the timing matters because the club has been active in trade discussions for a while now, and that has made its roster one to watch around the league. Chicagos search adds another layer to the picture, since both teams are trying to adjust on the fly after difficult starts, and the overlap could create a market where a familiar Penguins forward becomes part of a much bigger conversation. [Read more 🡒]
WBS Penguins Suddenly Face A Familiar Problem After Streak Ends
Wilkes-Barre/Scrantons three-game winning streak came to an abrupt end at Mohegan Arena, where the Penguins were blanked 4-0 by the Utica Comets. Joel Blomqvist did what he could to keep the game within reach, turning aside a season-high 32 shots, but the Penguins never found a way to solve the Comets goaltending and spent much of the night chasing the game.
For a club that had started to build some momentum, the loss was a reminder of how quickly things can tighten up in the AHL. The Penguins were held off the board entirely, and the kind of offensive push that had fueled the recent run never really arrived, leaving them with a familiar challenge to sort out as they look to get back on track. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Youth Movement Is Starting A Roster Debate They Can't Ignore
The Penguins push to get younger is no longer just a long-term talking point. With several prospects turning heads in the AHL, the organization is being forced to weigh whether it should keep leaning on experience or start giving more NHL runway to the next wave. The idea is not without precedent, and the article points to past teams that tried similar roster shifts with mixed results, which is part of what makes this such a tricky call for a club trying to stay competitive while retooling.
Rutger McGroarty and Avery Hayes are among the forwards making the case from the minors, while Harrison Brunicke stands out on the blue line as the most promising defense prospect, even if he is currently sidelined. The broader issue is bigger than any one call-up, though, because a heavier reliance on young players brings obvious growing pains at a time when the draft lottery has changed how teams think about rebuilding. For the Penguins, the debate is no longer whether the youth movement is coming, but how much of it they can absorb at once. [Read more 🡒]