The freeze on NHL holiday rosters is over and the trade market is already in flux, with Yegor Chinakhov heading to Pittsburgh. Brace yourself, because that could be the start of a busy month leading up to February’s Winter Olympics.
The Edmonton Oilers and Andrew Mangiapane appear to be working to provide a change of scenery for the player. The Toronto Maple Leafs are plagued by injuries as they look to keep their playoff hopes alive in the ultra-competitive Eastern Conference. And the Vancouver Canucks have surprisingly gone 4-2 to start the post-Quinn Hughes era, but will that stop their sellout?
We dive into all that and more in the latest edition of NHL Trade Buzz.
Latest news about Andrew Mangiapane
Mangiapane’s move to the other side of the Battle of Alberta did not go to plan, as fit and production were lacking from the start. As a result, the veteran winger was a healthy scratch in Winnipeg on Monday, and Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman believes that all parties would be willing to offer the player a new home if possible.
Some have speculated about a reunion with GM Brad Treliving in Toronto, possibly in a one-for-one trade for another offseason acquisition that didn’t materialize with Matias Maccelli. It could also easily become a salary dump scenario Isaac Howard and Quinn Hutsonboth of whom have torn up the AHL as of late and deserve another chance with the big club.
Maple Leafs injury problems
Just when the Maple Leafs seemed to be achieving their goal, the injury bug has bitten them hard. First, it was William Nylander who suffered a lower-body injury against Ottawa on Saturday. That was followed by injuries to Dakota Joshua, Auston Matthews and Chris Tanev on Sunday in Detroit.
Nylander remains outside and day to day with his condition, while Tanev and Joshua are also both out, the former is sidelined with a separate lower-body injury as a result of his previous concussion, while the latter is reportedly dealing with a gruesome kidney injury. Finally, Matthews is an in-game decision for Tuesday night’s game with the Devils, still managing the effects of blocking a Dylan Larkin shot on Sunday.
As far as trade negotiations go, it’s a matter of touch-and-go in Toronto. With every win or loss the pendulum swings one way or the other, but we are approaching the moment when we have to decide whether to buy, sell or do both, so prepare for anything.
Who will be moved next in Vancouver?
Who could have predicted the Canucks would be better without their captain? It’s a small sample size that probably won’t last long, but the young people who were in the Hughes return package have given Vancouver some energy, and the results show it. The fact that Thatcher Demko is healthy and has closed the door certainly didn’t hurt either.
Mangiapane wasn’t the only notable name to be scratched healthy on Monday night, as was Jake DeBrusk, though reports suggest any talk of a trade remains premature, no matter how logical it might be to consider a team beginning a rebuild.
Meanwhile, Kiefer Sherwood continues to draw interest from virtually the entire league, though the Canucks seem comfortable waiting until the deadline approaches. Finally, Elias Pettersson’s name is popping up in trade rumors againand whether there is any truth to it or not, the chatter continues to link the Carolina Hurricanes.
Next: The Carter Hart experiment is off to a rocky start in Vegas
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