Trades in the NHL Could Be Made Based on Need and Situation
Dave Pagnotta of the Fourth Period was on Sirius XM NHL Network Radio with Steve Kouleas and Martin Biron and was asked if there is potential for more trades before Christmas. Pagnotta said he did not think so, but there is always talk.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
NHL Rumors: Frustration but Not Panic Yet for the Nashville Predators
Steve Kouleas: “So there’s been some minor wheeling and dealing as it relates to what we discussed last week. I think you were on last week, and it was, it was Timothy Liljegren. Do we have to wait for more accrued cap space to be available? Like, is there any chatter I see here on the website again, We talked about this a while ago, but Provorov. I could see something like that happening, maybe in January. But where are we on any possible trade fronts before Christmas?”
Dave Pagnotta: “Yeah. I mean you see a couple moves happen and that accelerates, at the very least, just talks, and sometimes it reinvigorates other discussions because, hey, these guys are off the board. I’d like to make an addition here. I’d like to make an addition there. Is there is there an opportunity to get the ball rolling on that front?
NHL Rumors: Is There a Chance of More Situational Trades Coming
I don’t get the sense too much. Like the Islanders are looking around, but they don’t have cap space to make any type of impact addition. It would have to be dollar in, dollar out. There are a lot of different clubs that are kind of in that same position. Nashville actually has cap space to play with. But until they find the right deal, they’re not going to just jump, two feet into something.
So there are some teams that have that position and have that cap flexibility, but there are also others that are right up against it. Like Toronto has to do something else here. Either send somebody down on through waivers, or move out another body in the next, I think, within the next week, to eventually get some of their guys off LTIR that are ready to go, like Connor Dewar and Jani Hakanpää that they brought in.
So there are some teams that have to do some moves based on the situations that they’re in. Similar to Toronto moving out Liljegren last week. And the same with, Utah, bringing in Olli Maatta. That was based on the issues that, that were displayed, that were put on display in front of them without Marino and Durzi for several months.
NHL Rumors: The New York Islanders are Looking for Defensemen, and Some Options
So I don’t, I don’t get the sense that we’re looking at any other big type of movement right now. But it doesn’t mean there’s not chatter. There’s always talk, and everyone’s going to continue to continue to try to see what options are available to them. But right now, early on in the season, it’s always these opportunistic types of moves that come into play based on either injury or cap-related matters.
The Islanders, as I said earlier, they’d like to do something, but none of their guys that are out, I mean, it’s not season-ending. (Adam) Pelech is four to six weeks. (Mathew) Barzal is around six weeks. Eventually, these guys are going to come back, and you have to make sure you have the cap space for them.
So it’s not as easy as just utilizing their space, even though Lou and staff there and other teams in similar situations would like to do something they’re kind of handcuffed.”