Patience is starting to run out in Chicago.
The Blackhawks have dropped 12 of their last 16, and Chris Johnston said the club has been searching for help up front. What had once looked like a team that might push for a playoff spot now looks a lot closer to the bottom of the league, and Johnston suggested they may not be able to wait much longer for things to turn around.
Out in Nashville, Simon Edvinsson’s name is drawing attention for a different reason. Alex Daugherty of The Tennessean reported that the Detroit Red Wings RFA defenseman has been skating in Nashville, and the Predators are believed to be among the teams that have shown interest.
When asked about it, a spokesperson said Edvinsson was there for a “private ice rental” and that they can’t comment on other teams players. Edvinsson’s agency, CAA, also has an office in Nashville.
The Predators have been linked to blue-line upgrades before, and Chris MacFarland has said several times that he wants to improve that part of the roster.
Meanwhile, the Sharks are still hunting for a bigger swing. Johnston said San Jose is looking for a big name and has been active in talks with Detroit on Edvinsson, though those conversations appear to have cooled off.
“The Sharks are big-game hunting. They’ve been very much in on Edvinsson and those discussions in Detroit.
A lot of teams, I’ll call them on the sidelines, think that Edvinsson makes the most sense to end up as a Shark. But those conversations obviously haven’t progressed to a point where Detroit has anything they can pull the trigger on.”
San Jose’s struggles have also raised questions about coach Ryan Warsofsky’s job security, but Pierre LeBrun reported that GM Mike Grier is not considering a coaching change right now. Warsofsky signed an extension in September, which matters here.
The Sharks have been near the bottom of the league in goals for and goals against, and Johnston pointed to the broader picture around the team. He said there’s a sense internally that this is a young group that surprised people last season, and that the expectations have been heavier this year. His message was simple: the team needs time.
“Listen, they obviously got to play better. There’s no question about that.
But certainly internally, there’s also the sense that this is a young team that caught everyone by surprise last year, caught some teams off guard. That’s not happening this year.
The weight of expectations, a young team learning how to win. Yeah, there are some growing pains right now.
I think everyone has to take a deep breath and let this Sharks team find its way.”
There was also mention of the Los Angeles Kings revisiting Elias Pettersson talks.
In Other News...
Sharks Desperately Shake Up Lineup As Bigger Questions Start Looming
The Sharks are trying to steady things before facing the Minnesota Wild, and the latest lineup shuffle shows just how much they are searching for the right mix. Michael Misa has been moved to left wing on the top line, a notable tweak for a team still trying to find traction after a rough stretch, while Alexander Wennberg remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury and could be back soon.
Filip Bystedt will sit as a healthy scratch, and Yaroslav Askarov is set to get the start in goal as San Jose leans on a different look in hopes of changing the mood. The players-only meeting after the recent losses underscored the frustration inside the room, but Ryan Warsofsky remains under contract and there are no plans to move on from him, leaving the focus on whether these adjustments can buy the Sharks some immediate relief. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Emerge In Trade Talks That Could Get Very Expensive
The Sharks are still looking for a puck-moving defenseman, and Detroit has surfaced as a possible trade partner in talks that could reshape that search. San Jose has limited salary cap room to work with, so any move would have to be carefully built, but the appeal of adding a young blue liner with upside has clearly pushed the club into deeper discussions.
What makes the conversation tricky is the price tag. Michael Misa has been part of the framework, but Detroit is believed to be pushing for a larger package rather than a one-for-one type of deal, which has widened the list of names being kicked around. For a Sharks team trying to balance immediate needs with long-term value, the next step in these talks could say a lot about how aggressively they want to solve the defense issue. [Read more 🡒]
Stars Face A Tough Blue Line Test Without Miro Heiskanen
Dallas is heading into its matchup with San Jose with a significant question on the blue line, as Miro Heiskanen is listed as doubtful because of an upper-body injury. Heiskanen left Tuesdays game early, and his status matters for a Stars defense that leans heavily on his minutes, puck movement and all-around stability.
If he cannot go, Dallas will have to keep leaning on a different look at the top of its defense, with Thomas Harley and Nils Lundkvist already having handled those duties in his absence. Around the league, the injury picture is shifting elsewhere too, with John Tavares nearing a return for Toronto and the Foligno brothers in Minnesota also trending back toward game action. [Read more 🡒]