In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the Vancouver Canucks have signed Elias Pettersson to a long-term extension. How did this all come about and what changed things? In other news, Jacob Markstrom is not happy with Calgary Flames management. Has a bridge been burned there and does it change his trade status? Despite adding Ilya Lyubushkin, are the Toronto Maple Leafs still looking at another defenseman? Finally, are the Edmonton Oilers going to wait out the trade market and buy last minute at the deadline?
Canucks Sign Pettersson to 8-Year $11.6M Contract Extension
The Canucks have signed forward Elias Pettersson to an 8-year, $11.6 million per season contract extension. The deal came together rather quickly after months of the forward taking his time and telling the franchise he wanted to hold off on an extension until closer to the end of the season. Saying he was in no rush as a restricted free agent, Pettersson pivoted quickly when news broke the Canucks were contemplating a trade.
Elliotte Friedman noted on the 32 Thoughts podcast: “The talks with Carolina, those were legit, Carolina made an offer, I don’t know what it was, but at the very least it made Vancouver think.” Word got to Pettersson that the Canucks were considering things, so he gave his agent permission to re-open talks and get it done. A report by Nick Kypreos suggested the Canucks had tabled an offer of around $90-$96 million. The belief is that they won’t go any higher and if he doesn’t accept, the Canucks will pivot back to trade talks.
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Pettersson didn’t want to go anywhere but firmly believed there wasn’t a rush on things. The Canucks wanted to know what was going on, how to proceed with the trade deadline, and the delay was becoming a distraction. Many believed they leveraged trade buzz to get this finalized.
Markstrom Upset With Flames Management Over Trade Deadline Situation
On Friday, Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom expressed clear dissatisfaction with the management’s handling of trade rumors. It was reported that the Flames were taking him off the market, but his feelings about how things were handled have reintroduced uncertainty to his future with the team.
Markstrom criticized those “at the top”, hinting at a potential offseason change or an imminent trade in the coming days. Eric Francis of Sportsnet reported that the issue might have been asking Markstrom to waive his no-move clause (which he did) and then possibly backtracking on a deal due to salary retention disagreements. Some say they didn’t get to the point of asking the goaltender to waive and Francis notes that if that’s accurate, it too was a red flag because, with so much uncertainty out there, Flames management let it become a distraction. Markstrom praised his teammates for the way they stayed focused, but it was clear he wasn’t thrilled.
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General manager Craig Conroy has yet to address the situation officially, leaving fans in suspense about Markstrom’s trade status. The New Jersey Devils are reportedly eager to acquire him, but an offseason trade could attract more bidders with a higher league-wide cap ceiling. Markstrom’s public criticism raises questions about his long-term commitment to the Flames.
Maple Leafs Still Looking to Add Defense… Nick Jensen?
Recent rumors have connected several names to the Toronto Maple Leafs, even after the trade addition of Ilya Lyubushkin. Among them, Matt Dumba of the Arizona Coyotes, Alexandre Carrier of the Nashville Predators, and Sean Walker of the Philadelphia Flyers. One name starting to gain some steam is Nick Jensen of the Washington Capitals.
Friedman introduced Jensen as a potential target on his recent podcast and noted, “They were looking at a lot of right-shot D… I heard Nick Jensen was kind of a name that they were looking at.” Since joining the Capitals in 2019, Jensen has consistently proven to be reliable. His primary role revolves around executing a shutdown style of play. It’s not clear the Caps are full-blown sellers yet, but it is believed that day is right around the corner as they sit five points out of a wild card spot. A few more losses before the 8th and the team could sell off several pieces.
Oilers’ Holland Has a Trade Deadline Strategy
The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun believes that Oilers’ GM Ken Holland is going to play the supply and demand game at the deadline. Knowing the Oilers can’t compete on salary because of their cap situation and relatively healthy roster, LeBrun assumes Holland will wait until other teams overspend on the top two or three deadline names and hop back into the market when the supply exceeds the demand.
LeBrun says:
Now, not all forwards are the same. There could still be a bidding war on some specific, higher-end guys. But regardless of how it plays out, I don’t think Edmonton leaves the deadline empty-handed at forward. The Oilers probably have to let rival Vegas get its deal done first, but they are adding somebody. The market should probably come to them — even with their complicated salary cap situation.
source – ‘LeBrun rumblings: Golden Knights vs. Oilers in the forward trade market, latest on Devils-Markstrom, more’ – Pierre LeBrun – The Athletic – 03/01/2024