Many of you might’ve guessed it by now, but I’m the Canadian half of the Canada-USA duo comprising the two hosts for the Inside The Rink podcast. Jayd is a credentialed media person for the Seattle Kraken while I’m a credentialed media person for the Manitoba Moose.
Given that it’s American Thanksgiving this week, Jayd and I decided to take a week from the ITR podcast due to conflicting schedules and well, it’s a busy week in general.
News-wise, the NHL doesn’t slow down other than when it’s a mandatory roster freeze and the prolonged points of the offseason.
I also want to mention that last week was supposed to have two Bargain Bin posts, but technical difficulties improved last Thursday’s Bargain Bin and three Winnipeg Jets game previews. Oh well.
Mike Matheson a Potential Trade Target?
I don’t know how many of you frequent multiple hockey sites, but I always am reading to find something that might catch my eye. This went from just one site to seeing this suggested on four different sites.
Mike Matheson, a defenseman for the Montreal Canadiens, has one more year left at $4.875 million. The Canadiens aren’t the strongest on the blueline either, and I would assume that they want to keep Matheson’s veteran presence around for their younger guys.
However, there may be too good of an offer to pass up for Matheson at the 2025 NHL Trade deadline. With his 13 points (1G, 12A) across the 20-game stat line, it would be wise to sell high, especially since Matheson posted 62 points (11G, 51A) last year.
Montreal is left in a position where they need more immediate help, but help that is long-term. Does netting a haul for Matheson fit the bill for Montreal long term?
Blue Jackets Listening to Offers on David Jiricek
I chatted recently with our credentialed Columbus Blue Jackets person Lance Schrock about the Jiricek situation.
Given the conflicting reports that came out, especially the night of Seravalli claiming a trade was imminent. Even Aaron Portzline, a trusted source in the Columbus Blue Jackets media scene, said that he had the sense that nothing was imminent.
Just days later, it came out that the team is currently listening to offers and it was clear that nothing was imminent. Jiricek could be one of the most sought-after trade deadline acquisitions come March 2025.
Kelowna to Host 2026 Memorial Cup
Some junior hockey notes, the city of Kelowna made its successful bid to host the 2026 Memorial Cup.
The Kelowna Rockets submitted their bid, alongside four other Western Hockey League (WHL) franchises back in September to host the event. Kelowna has only hosted the tournament once before, back in 2004 when they also won the Memorial Cup that year.
Is Derek Lalonde the Next Coach to be Fired?
It’s no secret that Derek Lalonde is facing some heightened pressure when it comes to his head coaching job. While the Red Wings play in their current three-game homestand, they could fire Lalonde this week depending on the results of the homestand.
Lalonde has coached the Red Wings to a 9-10-2 win-loss record across their first 21 games during the 2024-25 season. Could he be the next coach to be fired?
Senators Shopping for Defenseman
Here’s an interesting little piece to come up lately. The Ottawa Senators are shopping for a defenseman since Artem Zub fractured his foot and was subsquently placed on long term injured reserve.
I’ve seen the words “replacement” come up, and I don’t think this is a replacment, merely just padding the defensive depth and filling the hole left by Zub’s injury.
With that said, I don’t see the Senators adding just a rental. I can see them adding a player they keep for three years, maybe more, but nothing more than five years. We’ll see how this plays out.
Trade Interest Rising for Center Morgan Frost
Here’s a player who’s name has circulated the trade market as of late. Morgan Frost, a former 46-point (19G, 27) player, has seemingly found himself in a frequent spell of healthy scratches and might be looking for a new scenery.
Even with his frequent healthy scratches, he posted 41 points (13G, 28A) last year and has eight points (2G, 6A) in 18 games this season at the time of writing.
The 25-year-old center is a pending restricted free agent (RFA) with a cap hit of $2.1 million. He could be one of the biggest trade deadline acquisitions considering his age, production, and cap hit.
Quick Hits: Top Trade Targets
Marcus Pettersson, Defenseman, Pittsburgh Penguins
We all know it’s open season with the Penguins and Pettersson is one of the few players who has a good trade value. He can be a reliable defenseman, but given his production so far this season (1G, 8A) in 23 games, he could be a lucrative target going forward.
Josh Norris, Forward, Ottawa Senators
The Senators are on a disastrous run after marking themselves as a competitive team to start the 2024-25 season. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet even mentioned that he thinks the Senators will make the playoffs this year.
It’s a rotating carousel of same-old, same-old for this team. Left in a puddle of their glory days and hoping for something big this year. It’s now or never as we just passed the quarter mark of the season and trading a player you’ve made a long-term commitment on ($7.95 million AAV for another five years) would shake this team up hopefully in a good way.
Norris is a former 35-goal scorer, with his contract, the asking price certainly wouldn’t be cheap, but it would certainly be worth the risk if he can get over the shoulder injury that has haunted him for a while now.
Trevor Zegras, Forward, Anaheim Ducks
Zegras is a player who likely needs a change of scenery. He’s a shell of his former self without a doubt, and it seems as if he’s fallen out of favor with the Anaheim Ducks front office. Maybe he’ll score another lacrosse-style goal with a different team.
Frank Vatrano, Forward, Anaheim Ducks
I’m not quite sure on Anaheim and the situation with Vatrano, they should’ve moved him at the last trade deadline, but they didn’t. He scored a career high 37 goals and put his previous 24-goal high to shame. He also played the best hockey of his career and found himself in the NHL All-Star Game.
The pending UFA has an AAV of $3.65 million on his contract. While his scoring touch has dropped off, he’s shown flashes when he needs to and could be a player teams continue to mull over when they decide who to add at the 2025 Trade Deadline.
Brandon Tanev, Forward, Seattle Kraken
Tanev is certainly going to be a highly sought after player, especially with how he plays a no nonsense, clean cut game.
While the Kraken have some decisions to make, there’s certainly nothing imminent and Tanev could be a Kraken beyond the Trade Deadline and walk to unrestricted free agency (UFA) on July 1st, 2025.
Joel Farabee, Forward, Philadelphia Flyers
It seems like Joel Farabee finds himself in trade talks every season. However, there’s a strong chance this is the year he finds a new home. At 24 years old, Farabee is locked up for another three years at $5 million per season. If there’s a premium to be paid for salary retained, this would be the player to deal fofr as Farabee will only get better as time goes on.
Trent Frederic, Forward, Boston Bruins
When it comes to the Boston Bruins, you’re not always sure what to expect, especially right now. After the firing of Jim Montgomery, there’s a sense that General Manager Don Sweeney may be looking at making another move to give the team a necessary jolt going forward.
Frederic is easily one of the best bottom-six plyers who teams will be interested in come the Trade Deadline. His 18 goals last season, 17 in 2022-23 and three to start this season make him an ideal target, but it’s his physical style of play that could also draw teams in.
The pending UFA has an AAV of $2.3 million and will likely find a new home on or before the 2025 Trade Deadline. There’s just too much interest already.
