The New York Islanders wasted no time and struck the first big blow as the March 3 trade deadline approached by acquiring Bo Horvat from the Vancouver Canucks on Monday for Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Raty and a 2023 protected first-round pick.
The day after this transaction, the Canucks are 14 points from a place in the playoffs. The 31 goals scored by Horvat accounted for 19% of the team’s goals this season. Does this mean that other transactions are to come for Vancouver?
“We’re definitely at the bottom of the standings, so we have to improve our team,” Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin noted after Monday’s trade. “As we said when we came here, [nous] try to rejuvenate ourselves.
“We’re five weeks away from the trade deadline, so I guess I’ll be getting more calls by then.” ”
Darren Dreger from TSN hinted that some teams are interested in forward Brock Boeser, but they want to know if the Canadian team is willing to keep some of his salary.
The 25-year-old forward is in the first year of a three-year pact that earns him $6.65 million annually. In 41 games this season, Boeser has recorded nine goals and 21 assists.
After offering Andrei Kuzmenko a contract extension earlier this month and trading Horvat, the Canucks have just three up-and-coming unrestricted free agents left on their roster. They are defensemen Luke Schenn and Kyle Burroughs, as well as goaltender Collin Delia.
Horvat gone, who will target the Bruins?
With the best record in the NHL, the Boston Bruins should be buyers at the trade deadline. But now that Horvat is no longer available on the market, who could they be targeting?
Journalist Fluto Shinzawa from The Athletic questioned whether the Bruins were interested in Horvat’s services, but noted that acquiring the center would have been a difficult deal for the Bruins to complete, given the price paid by the Islanders.
Bruins president Cam Neely also told Shinzawa that acquiring a long-term player, or a player who could at least sign a contract extension with Boston, has become an important part of their plans. for the deadline.
“We tried to move away from rental players,” Neely said. “It implies that you have to sacrifice a lot of assets. […] We have to ask ourselves if we are ready to do this. ”
The Bruins’ biggest blow last season was the acquisition of Hampus Lindholm from the Anaheim Ducks, handing the defenseman an eight-year contract extension a day later.
However, Shinzawa believes the Bruins will continue to pursue potential unrestricted free agents before the deadline. He notably identifies Max Domi, Ivan Barbashev, Jack Roslovic and Ryan O’Reilly among the potential candidates.
Don’t do anything Steve
Seven points from the playoff picture, the Detroit Red Wings are hoping to at least convince their general manager Steve Yzerman not to side with the selling clubs.
The Red Wings, who have missed the playoffs in each of their past six seasons, are 21-19-8 as they begin their All-Star Game break.
“We need to rest, refocus, re-energize to come back strong before the deadline and give Steve some food for thought,” veteran David Perron said after the Islanders’ 2-0 loss last Friday. .
The Red Wings have 12 up-and-coming unrestricted free agents on their roster, including captain Dylan Larkin and winger Tyler Bertuzzi.
Larkin, who earns an average annual salary of $6.1 million, has 15 goals and 43 points in 47 games this season. Bertuzzi, limited to 17 games this season, has one goal and five points to his credit. He earns an average annual salary of $4.75 million.
“Hopefully we can stick together, go all the way and give it our all,” Larkin said last week. “We haven’t been able to do that for many years, but that’s what I hope, to go all the way, to stay in the game and make sure that going to the rink has meaning every day until the end. ”
Helene St. James of Detroit Free Press reported last week that the Red Wings offered Larkin an eight-year, $64 million contract, but argued the center could be looking for a contract similar to the eight-year, 73 $2 million that Mathew Barzal signed with the Islanders in October.
