NHL Rumors: Krakens, Oilers, Blue Jackets, Canadiens, Jets, Hurricanes – Hockey Writers – NHL Rumors

In today’s NHL rumors, are the Seattle Kraken ready to start trading pending UFAs if they start to fall in the rankings? Meanwhile, is Ivan Provorov attracting NHL interest? Who is the caller and are the Blue Jackets ready to move him? The Edmonton Oilers are having interesting phone conversations, and the Carolina Hurricanes have talked to 28 different teams about trading Martin Necas.

Kraken Has A Lot To Sell

As the Seattle Kraken navigate the NHL wild card race, their status as potential buyers or sellers at the trade deadline remains uncertain. If the team is to fall out of playoff contention, a number of undrafted free agents are expected to attract interest from around the league.

Fourth Period reports top forwards Brandon Tanev and Yanni Gourde have received attention, while Daniel Sprong, William Borgen, and Josh Mahura also present interesting options for teams in need of forward depth. Tanev holds the 10-team no-trade list, while Gourde, a proven playoff player, has the 23-team list. That adds a layer of complexity to potential deals. According to Frank Seravalli of the Daily Faceoff, teams are already calling about Gourde’s availability. The club is “in no rush to get rid of him.”

The Kraken don’t have a ton of cap space, but all three of their cap slots are open. If saving makes their trade candidates more attractive to competing teams, it’s something they would consider.

Oilers Among Teams Inquiring About Provorov

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the Columbus Blue Jackets want to inquire about defenseman Ivan Provorov but seem hesitant to move him just yet, hoping he can continue to compete this season. However, NHL insider Pierre LeBrun predicts it’s only a matter of time before the Blue Jackets part ways with the defenseman, given their slim playoff prospects.

Related: Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Minten, Nylander, Woll & Grebenkin

LeBrun expects Columbus to seek a first-round pick to replace the veteran defensive end. This coincides with the return of similar players like Noah Hanifin and Sean Walker, who fetched first-round picks in pre-deadline trades last season.

Meanwhile, the Edmonton Oilers continue to explore upgrades on the blue line, with reports linking them to Provorov and other defensemen, including David Savard and Marcus Pettersson. OilersNow with Bob Stauffer believes the Oilers are looking at David Jiricek and Provorov from the Blue Jackets. He believes that of the two, Provorov will be their favorite.

With Edmonton struggling to shore up its defense, Provorov’s presence could provide a much-needed boost to the Oilers’ playoff push. However, it remains unclear whether the team would be willing to part with a first-round pick to acquire him.

Oilers general manager Stan Bowman appeared on Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer on Thursday and revealed that he had conversations with the players’ representatives and was told that their players wanted to join the Oilers. That won’t matter in the case of the Blue Jackets, but it could be an improvement with other defensemen who may enter the market.

Hurricanes Talked To 28 Teams About Necas Trade

TSN insider Pierre LeBrun reports to The Athletic that 28 teams were interested in acquiring Necas. You write:

“My understanding is that 28 NHL teams reached out to Carolina in Necas, with varying degrees of enthusiasm…..”We had serious offers, but nothing we were worried about doing,” said Tulsky.”

source – ‘Re-signed Necas, dealing with Andersen’s latest injury and more: Dealing with Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky’ – Pierre LeBrun – The Athletic – 11/18/2024

Among the teams that made serious pitches are the Winnipeg Jets, Montreal Canadiens, and Blue Jackets.