The NHL trade market is already starting to tilt toward desperation, and three teams keep showing up in the conversation for very different reasons.
In Edmonton, Erik Johnson floated a bold idea on Saturday Headlines: the Oilers should go after Jordan Binnington from St. Louis, or Juuse Saros from Nashville if that doesn’t work out.
The reaction was quick and blunt. Fans pushed back on the Binnington idea because his numbers have been rough - a 4.27 goals-against average and an .851 save percentage in five games - and he has already lost the starting job to Joel Hofer.
Saros, meanwhile, comes with a full no-move clause and a $7.74 million contract, which makes that path even tougher.
The pushback also came with a simple counterpoint: Edmonton’s goaltending hasn’t been the problem. Devon Levi came back and helped the Oilers to a calm 4-2 win over Vancouver, Tristan Jarry has been better than he was last year, and Frederik Andersen is still working his way back. With that in mind, there’s no obvious reason for the Oilers to rush into a major move, even if Johnson was strong on the panel otherwise.
Tampa Bay is dealing with a very different kind of noise. Andrei Vasilevskiy said he’s paying close attention to the Nikita Kucherov situation and was surprised to hear about the communication breakdown, though he also said he doesn’t know all the details and hopes the two sides sort it out. But when it comes to his own future, Vasilevskiy made the message clear: he wants to stay in Tampa, and retiring there would be his second biggest accomplishment after the Stanley Cup.
He also joked that he doesn’t know if he’s worth $25 million, which suggests his next contract won’t reach that level. Vasilevskiy has one more season left on his deal after this one, and he could become the biggest goalie on the market by far.
That would invite plenty of interest, but he said it means a lot to spend an entire career with one organization. The article notes the Lightning have not exactly handled this kind of thing smoothly before, pointing to how they disrespected Steven Stamkos and now Kucherov.
They still have time to get it right.
Chicago, though, looks like the team in the most immediate scramble. Elliotte Friedman reported that the Blackhawks have suddenly become active, with the club offering the Florida and Edmonton first- and second-round picks in negotiations. Jordan Greenway and Teuvo Teravainen are also “out there,” and teams have asked about Chicago’s prospects and players who can play center.
The urgency makes sense after a 9-2 loss to Carolina dropped the Blackhawks to 4-13-1. They are 1-8-1 in their last 10, and the goals-against gap sits at 76-39 in year four of the Connor Bedard era. After that loss, the team held a players-only meeting, and Wyatt Kaiser said the room was getting the frustration out and trying to figure out how to get better.
The thinking now appears to be that Chicago wants to act early, buying before the season gets so far off track that selling becomes unavoidable. There’s still time, but the message is clear: the Blackhawks feel the pressure, and they’re looking for a move now.
In Other News...
Blues Prospect Surge Is Giving This Pipeline Real Momentum
A busy week across the Blues prospect ranks offered a reminder that the organizations pipeline is starting to show some real life. From Nov. 2 through Nov. 8, St. Louis got encouraging signs in the AHL, KHL, OHL and QMJHL, with several young players turning in productive stretches that gave the front office and fans alike something to track beyond the NHL roster.
Maddox Dagenais, Carter Stevens, Lars Steiner and goalie Love Hrenstam were among the names driving the conversation, each contributing in different ways as their seasons moved along. The details varied by league and role, but the common thread was momentum, and for a franchise that has been working to deepen its prospect base, that kind of week matters even before the biggest breakthrough arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Suddenly Look Ready To Make A Big Jordan Binnington Decision
Jordan Binningtons future in St. Louis is suddenly looking a lot less settled, with Elliotte Friedman saying on the 32 Thoughts podcast that the Blues may be open to exploring the trade market for the veteran goaltender. The backdrop here is hard to miss: St. Louis appears to be retooling, and Binnington has slipped into a backup role while his performance has trended down from where it once was.
The contract situation only adds to the uncertainty. Binnington is in the final year of his deal, and there have not been contract negotiations with the Blues, which makes this feel less like a routine roster discussion and more like a decision point the organization could be forced to confront sooner rather than later. Friedman also pointed to the New York Rangers as a possible fit, while noting the Edmonton Oilers are not pursuing him right now. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Blue Line Shuffle Puts One Returnee In A Huge Spot
The Blues blue line got a quick reset heading into their matchup with the Detroit Red Wings, with Logan Mailloux coming off injured reserve and Calle Rosn back up from Springfield. St. Louis also sent prospect defensemen Adam Jiricek and Theo Lindstein back to the Thunderbirds, a move that trims the depth chart and gives the club a more experienced look for the night.
Maillouxs return is the part that changes the feel of the defense the most, because the Blues are planning to lean on him in a major role right away. Rosn gives them another option on the bench as the seventh defenseman, but the bigger question is how the new alignment holds up against a divisional opponent with the lineup in flux and a returnee suddenly asked to carry heavy minutes. [Read more 🡒]