In today’s rumor rundown, there is news on the Ducks talks with forward Jakob Silfverberg, where Artemin Panarin might land in unrestricted free agency, if Derick Brassard will be traded again and if Mats Zuccarello and the Pittsburgh Penguins are a fit.
Ducks and Silfverberg Still Working on Extension
TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the Anaheim Ducks and Jakob Silfverberg are still working to get a deal done to have the forward remain with the organization. One of the better and young offensive weapons on the Ducks team, Silverberg will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
If the Ducks cannot get a deal done before the trade deadline, it is expected Silfverberg will be added to the list of available forwards for rent and that plenty of teams will be interested.
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Plenty of Teams Still Interested in Brassard
It is assumed the trade that sent center Derick Brassard to Florida is not the last time Brassard will be moved this season. The Panthers are likely to flip Brassard to one of a handful of other teams and Sportsnet’s John Shannon believes there are as many as six teams on the Panthers’ radar.
The Winnipeg Jets, San Jose Sharks, and Columbus Blue Jackets were among the other teams with the Blue Jackets seen as the likely favorite. He has a history with that organization and might be willing to sign an extension there once the season comes to an end.
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Penguins Have Interest in Zuccarello
Now that they have moved Brassard out, Larry Brooks of the New York Post reports the Pittsburgh Penguins have shown some interest in Rangers winger Mats Zuccarello. After starting the season off in a less-than-stellar fashion, Zuccarello is playing extremely well now picking up 13 points in his last seven games.
A pending unrestricted free agent, Zuccarello’s name has come up in trade talks all season and his recent production is certainly boosting his trade value around the NHL. The question is whether or not the Penguins have the prospect pool to make that trade work. The Rangers would also likely have to retain some salary and with the way Zuccarello has played, should they not want to, another team would take Zuccarello at his cap hit without the need for salary assistance.
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Nicklas Kronwall to Stay in Detroit?
When of the players potentially rumored to be leaving Detroit was veteran defenseman Niklas Kronwall. That has potentially changed.
Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos reports (video link) that if Kronwall says he doesn’t want to leave Detroit, the Red Wings will likely not move him and instead try to re-sign him to a one-year extension. At 38 years old it wouldn’t shock people if Kronwall called it a career, but he’s also averaging nearly 20 minutes per game.
Any new deal would likely include a significant pay cut from his current $4.75 million salary per season.
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Panarin Hasn’t Decided on Where He Wants to Play
Despite talk that Artemi Panarin will not be a Columbus Blue Jackets forward next season, TSN’s Bob McKenzie doesn’t believe this means Panarin knows where he wants to end up.
McKenzie was a guest on Winnipeg’s TSN 1290 and when asked if Panarin had a location he was likely to end up in, McKenzie responded, “Actually, you know what – I don’t think he does.” He added, “But I think the places he wants to go are multiple. He’s going to go through, I think, a rather exhaustive process once the season is over and he gets into that shopping period before free agency.”
McKenzie believes Panarin is eyeing the Florida-based teams, the New York Rangers, and the Chicago Blackhawks. Wherever he lands, McKenzie also believes that Panarin’s next contract may be in that John Tavares range of seven years and $88 million.