Kaplan’s latest buzz: Goalie market, what Penguins and Capitals will do among hot topics
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Emily Kaplan, ESPN
We’re two weeks away from the NHL trade deadline, which means conversations are dialed up and trades can happen at any moment. Here’s the latest on what I’m hearing on discussions going on around the league.
THE GOALIE MARKET is simmering, though I still don’t think all of the goalie-needy teams are going to end up with goaltending insurance at the deadline. For example, the Oilers seem comfortable riding it out with Stuart Skinner, shifting their focus to impact forwards and defensemen. The Montreal Canadiens seem poised to move Jake Allen. I’ve heard the Nashville Predators could trade Juuse Saros. The time to strike on a Saros deal might be now, as top Preds prospect Yaroslav Askarov is tearing it up in the AHL (.920 save percentage, 2.12 GAA and 4 shutouts in 27 games).
A Jacob Markstrom-to-New Jersey deal got so close, I’m told Markstrom didn’t think he’d leave the area when the Flames were on a New York/New Jersey road trip earlier this month. It fell through, but I think the Devils are still aggressively looking at options, and Saros could be one of them. GM Tom Fitzgerald has full power from ownership to do anything he can to make the team better. Goaltending is the obvious need, even though 23-year-old Nico Daws has helped stabilize the situation lately. But an impact defenseman is also key as the Devils are vulnerable and inexperienced without top blueliner Dougie Hamilton.
The goalie everyone is curious about is Marc-Andre Fleury. Right now, he’s not on the market. If there’s any realistic chance of the Wild making the playoffs at the trade deadline, Fleury isn’t going anywhere. Fleury and Wild GM Bill Guerin are extremely close, having won a Stanley Cup together as teammates in Pittsburgh. Guerin is going to do right by Fleury, and both of them want it to work out in Minnesota. But if the Wild are hopelessly out of the race — say, 12, 13 points out of a spot — the conversation changes. Fleury has not missed the playoffs in any of his 17 NHL seasons, a streak he takes pride in. Fleury is a fierce competitor and wants to win again. But he also wants to play, so it would have to be the exact right situation for him to agree to a deal. I’m told he’s not going anywhere to be a cheerleader and sit as the designated backup. Fleury wants starts. We’ll see how it shakes out, but it sounds like it would take an exact set of dominos to fall for Fleury to finish out the season in another jersey.
STEVE YZERMAN IS perhaps the most secretive general manager in the league. He won’t even publicly (and for all I know privately) put a timeframe on the Red Wings’ rebuild. However, in talking to sources around the league, it sounds like Yzerman is focused on making the playoffs this season, capitalizing on a strong first half.
Coach Derek Lalonde had told me what a gut punch it was for the players at this time last season when management decided yet again to collect for the future, trading away Tyler Bertuzzi, Filip Hronek, Oskar Sundqvist and Jakub Vrana. I was surprised, then, a few weeks ago when I heard that David Perron, a pending UFA and an emotional leader in the locker room, was potentially on the move. I do think there were legitimate discussions about trading Perron, but they have since quieted. In fact, I believe a contract extension for Perron could be in play either right before or after the March 8 deadline. If it doesn’t get done, don’t be surprised if they re-engage over the summer on a potential new contract in Detroit. That said, Yzerman has been listening to offers on his defensemen
THE PANTHERS HAVE emerged as the best team in the Eastern Conference. The players have bought into Paul Maurice’s structure — which is demanding, both physically and mentally, but tough as heck for other teams to crack.
Credit Florida’s pro-scouting staff for finding so much talent (Carter Verhaeghe, Anthony Stolarz, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Dmitry Kulikov, Evan Rodrigues and Gustav Forsling are all shining examples) and a steady resurgence from Sergei Bobrovsky, who has thrived under the team’s robust goaltending coaching department.
Do they get better at the trade deadline? When I talked to GM Bill Zito this week, he told me the team is in a different place than the past two seasons. In 2021, when they made splashes for Claude Giroux and Ben Chiarot, it was “vital to the franchise” to win a playoff round. Last season was about keeping that progress and momentum going. Now, fresh off a Stanley Cup Final appearance, the Panthers would still like to add — and have a healthy $5 million cap space to do so. But Florida feels it has to find more talented players in lower rounds because they don’t want to empty what’s becoming a bare cabinet of assets. The Panthers don’t have a first-round pick until 2026, and are without their second-round pick this year too. Things can change with one phone call, especially when it gets closer to March 8, and Florida isn’t opposed to adding either forward or defense depth.
ONE OF THE stealth teams every year at the trade deadline is the Tampa Bay Lightning. GM Julien BriseBois always seems to have some tricks up his sleeve. Tampa Bay is right in the mix for a playoff spot in the East.
They’ve been trading away future assets for Cup chases the last several years. This season, they’ve dealt with the injury bug. But in some ways, it’s been a positive because they can test out their young players and European free agents. Last season, Tampa Bay only made one call-up at forward for one game all season. I’ve heard they are considering adding a forward at the deadline. But the most glaring need is defense, which is especially thin with the loss of Mikhail Sergachev (fractured tibia and fibula) for the regular season. BriseBois confirmed Sergachev has a chance to return if the team makes a long playoff run. He told me Sergachev’s loss doesn’t change their objective — Tampa Bay was already on the lookout for deadline improvements. There’s been a lot of smoke around the league that the Lightning are the likeliest destination for Calgary defenseman Noah Hanifin, who wants a chance to play in the United States. He makes a lot of sense there, but we’ll see how it shakes out.
WHEN I TALKED to Caps GM Brian MacLellan earlier this month, he told me he was going to determine soon whether his team would be looking to trade players at the deadline. The decision would be dictated by the team’s position in the muddy wild-card race. “At some point,” he said, “the math just doesn’t add up.”
Most people I talk to around the league believe Washington will try to unload some contracts to position better for the future. MacLellan said he is balancing doing right by legacy players — specifically captain Alex Ovechkin and his quest for the NHL all-time goal record — while trying to stay competitive and get younger. It’s a delicate tightrope. Nic Dowd and Joel Edmundson are two players I heard were drawing league-wide interest. I believe Anthony Mantha is getting some interest based on a strong season, too. I also believe there is a distinct possibility Max Pacioretty could be traded.
Pacioretty signed a one-year, bonus-laden deal in Washington after coming off his second Achilles surgery. Considering all the 35-year-old went through to come back — he literally traveled the world searching for solutions — idling on a non-contending team for the last two months isn’t ideal. In his 16-year career, Pacioretty has never won a Stanley Cup, and he knows his time is ticking. He was traded away from Vegas the year before they hoisted the Cup. Pacioretty’s deal has a full no-movement clause — a rarity for Washington. Ovechkin is the only other player on the roster with that protection. That means he has full control of his situation. If Pacioretty moves, it would be for a situation where he feels like he has a serious chance to win. Geography is also important for Pacioretty and his family.
MACLELLAN REMARKED HOW similar the situations were for his team and its biggest rivals over the last decade, the Pittsburgh Penguins. GM Kyle Dubas held a news conference this week laying out the Penguins’ situation. Dubas said the team’s middling performance, especially since the All-Star break, has him looking at ways to shake up the roster.
“Everything that we do will be with the intention of delivering a championship contender for the team without [Sidney Crosby and the core veteran players] having to go through years of pain to get there,” Dubas said. “That’s my commitment.”
Interest in Jake Guentzel around the league hasn’t waned at all, despite him being on injured reserve through the March 8 deadline. It still seems likely Guentzel is on the move. I’ve heard the asking price on Guentzel is multiple first-round picks (or a first-round pick and equivalent in top prospects or roster players). One rival executive said “the Guentzel asking price is ridiculous.”
The Penguins have made it clear that all non-core players on their roster could be available — and not just looking for future assets, but hockey trades too (though those are typically easier over the summer). Veteran Reilly Smith hasn’t had the smoothest transition in Pittsburgh, but there’s increasing league-wide interest in the veteran forward, who won a Stanley Cup last season with the Golden Knights. Two of Smith’s former teams, Vegas and Florida, could be fits — as could the Hurricanes.
TWO TEAMS THAT are talking about various players right now are the Carolina Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche. The Canes have 13 players on their roster who are due for new contracts this summer. Given the way Carolina operates — they put a value on players that is often different than anyone else’s value, and they stick to it — it’s not surprising that they’ve tried to move some of these players for “hockey trades.” The Canes, who have nearly $7 million in deadline cap space, really seem open to anything, and it would be shocking to see them do nothing at all at the deadline. It sounds like their emphasis has been on adding forwards though.
The Avs have been clear that they need some goalie help as All-Star Alexandar Georgiev has seen a heavy workload. But I believe they’ve been making calls on centers too, and are in the mix for some defensemen, like Calgary’s Chris Tanev.
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NHL Power Rankings: Capitals retain the crown, plus each team’s most intriguing game before 4 Nations
NHL teams will be taking a break in the middle of February for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, featuring star players from each team playing for the United States, Canada, Sweden and Finland.
But before that event begins, which games are the most intriguing? As part of this week’s updated edition of the Power Rankings, we’ve identified the top captivating contest for all 32 teams — whether it’s a game against a rival, one that takes on added value in the playoff races, or something else entirely.
How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors sends in a 1-32 poll based on the games through Wednesday, which generates our master list.
Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to the previous edition, published Jan. 17. Points percentages and paces are through Thursday’s games.
Previous ranking: 1
Points percentage: 73.96%
Feb. 1 vs. Jets. Not only is this a potential Stanley Cup Final preview — sponsored by the letter W? — but thanks to their heritage as the Southeast Division’s Atlanta Thrashers, the Jets franchise is the team against which Alex Ovechkin has scored the most goals in his career (55). How many will he get in this one?
Next eight days: @ VAN (Jan. 25), @ CGY (Jan. 28), @ OTT (Jan. 30)
Previous ranking: 2
Points percentage: 68.37%
Jan. 28 at Canadiens. Maybe this isn’t for the entire team, but just for a couple of Jets in particular: Connor Hellebuyck and Kyle Connor. Though this game against the Canadiens obviously counts in the NHL standings, Hellebuyck and Connor will hit this same ice at the Bell Centre on Feb. 15 as the U.S. takes on Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off, the first best-on-best clash between these two countries since the semifinal round of the 2014 Olympics.
Next eight days: vs. UTA (Jan. 24), vs. CGY (Jan. 26), @ MTL (Jan. 28), @ BOS (Jan. 30)
Previous ranking: 3
Points percentage: 66.67%
Jan. 26 vs. Panthers. For any team that has its sights set on a long playoff run, games against the defending Cup champs take on extra meaning. The Knights lost a 4-3 overtime contest against the Cats on Oct. 19. How will this game end up?
Next eight days: @ DAL (Jan. 24), vs. FLA (Jan. 26), vs. DAL (Jan. 28), vs. CBJ (Jan. 30)
Previous ranking: 4
Points percentage: 65.63%
Feb. 1 vs. Maple Leafs. No Canadian team has won the Stanley Cup since the Canadiens in 1993, though the Oilers were just one win away in 2024. Along with the Jets, these two clubs represent the country’s best chance of breaking that streak, and the cross-continent clash will give us a preview of what a Cup Final between the two could look like.
Next eight days: vs. BUF (Jan. 25), vs. SEA (Jan. 27), vs. DET (Jan. 30)
Previous ranking: 9
Points percentage: 64.29%
Feb. 4 at Jets. A potential Stanley Cup Final preview? This matchup might not set any viewership records, but it would be superb hockey.
Next eight days: @ NYI (Jan. 25), @ NYR (Jan. 28), vs. CHI (Jan. 30)
Previous ranking: 8
Points percentage: 63.27%
Feb. 6 at Kraken. For years, Yanni Gourde tormented the Maple Leafs as a member of the Lightning. With the veteran center’s name being floated in trade rumors — and the Leafs always looking for ways to improve the team — could they be playing this game against a future teammate?
Next eight days: @ OTT (Jan. 25), vs. MIN (Jan. 29)
Previous ranking: 6
Points percentage: 62.50%
Jan. 30 at Canadiens. Future Hall of Famer Marc-Andre Fleury has announced he’ll retire at the end of this season, so — barring a Stanley Cup Final matchup between these teams — this will be his last visit as a pro to his home province.
Next eight days: vs. CGY (Jan. 25), @ CHI (Jan. 26), @ TOR (Jan. 29), @ MTL (Jan. 30)
Previous ranking: 5
Points percentage: 62.77%
Jan. 24 vs. Golden Knights; Jan. 28 at Golden Knights. The Stars have had some epic postseason showdowns with the Knights recently — and both appear playoff-bound again this season — so this pair of games will be a treat. Will the intensity match what we’ve seen in springs past?
Next eight days: vs. VGK (Jan. 24), @ STL (Jan. 25), @ VGK (Jan. 28)
Previous ranking: 12
Points percentage: 60.20%
Feb. 8 vs. Senators. There’s a possible future world in which the Panthers and Senators face off in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs — ensuring us at least four games of Tkachuk-on-Tkachuk combat. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Any game in which Brady and Matthew face off has the potential for viral highlights.
Next eight days: @ SJ (Jan. 25), @ VGK (Jan. 26), vs. LA (Jan. 29)
Previous ranking: 10
Points percentage: 63.33%
Feb. 7 vs. Stars. On some nights, the Kings look as if they could beat any team in the NHL; other nights, not so much. So this matchup against the perennial contender Stars will be a litmus test ahead of the 4 Nations break.
Next eight days: @ CBJ (Jan. 25), @ DET (Jan. 27), @ FLA (Jan. 29), @ TB (Jan. 30)
Previous ranking: 7
Points percentage: 60.00%
Feb. 6 vs. Golden Knights. Because of some wonkiness with the schedule, this is the first meeting between these two playoff-bound clubs (they’ll face off again in Vegas on March 2).
Next eight days: @ MTL (Jan. 25), @ PHI (Jan. 27), vs. PHI (Jan. 29)
Previous ranking: 11
Points percentage: 59.18%
Feb. 7 at Oilers. Once the 4 Nations Face-Off begins, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar will be teammates of Connor McDavid’s for Canada. But on this night, they’ll be battling hard for two points as the Western Conference bracket remains tight.
Next eight days: @ BOS (Jan. 25), @ NYR (Jan. 26), @ NYI (Jan. 28)
Previous ranking: 13
Points percentage: 57.61%
Feb. 4, 6 vs. Senators. For the past few preseasons, there has been some thought that the Lightning would regress and one of the rising Atlantic teams would take their spot in the playoffs. So far, that hasn’t proven to be the case — but this back-to-back set against one of those rising teams will go a long way (one way or another).
Next eight days: @ CHI (Jan. 24), @ DET (Jan. 25), vs. CHI (Jan. 28), vs. LA (Jan. 30)
Previous ranking: 14
Points percentage: 57.61%
Jan. 26 at Jets. Every game is important for a team like the Flames on the cusp of a wild-card berth. But, we’ll circle this one as an old-school Smythe Division rivalry renewed, featuring two elite American goaltenders: leading Vezina Trophy candidate Connor Hellebuyck and Calder Trophy candidate Dustin Wolf.
Next eight days: @ MIN (Jan. 25), @ WPG (Jan. 26), vs. WSH (Jan. 28), vs. ANA (Jan. 30)
Previous ranking: 17
Points percentage: 54.17%
Jan. 25 vs. Maple Leafs. The Battle of Ontario continues! The Sens took Round 1 this season in Toronto, and the two clubs will face off again on March 15. These games are never boring, especially with both teams in the playoff hunt.
Next eight days: vs. TOR (Jan. 25), vs. UTA (Jan. 26), vs. WSH (Jan. 30)
Previous ranking: 19
Points percentage: 54.17%
Feb. 9 vs. Lightning. Despite modest expectations entering this season, the Canadiens remain within shouting distance of a wild-card berth. A win against their division rivals from central Florida would greatly aid in that quest.
Next eight days: vs. NJ (Jan. 25), vs. WPG (Jan. 28), vs. MIN (Jan. 30)
Previous ranking: 16
Points percentage: 54.08%
Feb. 8 vs. Rangers. For a team on the wild-card bubble, every point matters. But games against division rivals matter more — especially if a team can hand that rival a regulation loss. This game will make a statement (one way or another) for the Blue Jackets.
Next eight days: vs. LA (Jan. 25), @ VGK (Jan. 30)
Previous ranking: 18
Points percentage: 54.00%
Feb. 1 vs. Rangers. Have the Rangers turned a corner back to being a true contender after a midseason swoon? Perhaps. Whether the trend sticks or not, this is a pivotal game for the Bruins to use as a measuring stick (and the two teams will face off again four days later at MSG.)
Next eight days: vs. COL (Jan. 25), @ BUF (Jan. 28), vs. WPG (Jan. 30)
Previous ranking: 22
Points percentage: 54.17%
Jan. 28 vs. Hurricanes. Although the Rangers won their second-round playoff series against the Canes last spring, Carolina has beaten them in regulation in both matchups this season. A win here would really signal that the Blueshirts have turned around their fortunes.
Next eight days: vs. COL (Jan. 26), vs. CAR (Jan. 28)
Previous ranking: 15
Points percentage: 53.19%
Jan. 31 at Stars. If the various reports are true, the Canucks are seeking out the best new home for disgruntled center J.T. Miller. Well, on this night, they’ll be visiting one of those potential options, as the Stars are on the prowl for a veteran center to replace injured Tyler Seguin.
Next eight days: vs. WSH (Jan. 25), @ STL (Jan. 27), @ NSH (Jan. 29)
Previous ranking: 21
Points percentage: 51.02%
Feb. 4 vs. Oilers. There are some who considered Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner a snub from Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off roster. One of the netminders who did make it? The Blues’ Jordan Binnington. Perhaps Binnington will have extra motivation in this one to show that Hockey Canada made the right call.
Next eight days: vs. DAL (Jan. 25), vs. VAN (Jan. 27)
Previous ranking: 23
Points percentage: 51.02%
Feb. 8 vs. Penguins. Although the Keystone State battles are a little more captivating when the Flyers and Penguins are both in line for playoff berths, the matchups are typically enthralling; to wit, their matchup on Dec. 23 ended 7-3.
Next eight days: @ NYI (Jan. 24), vs. NJ (Jan. 27), @ NJ (Jan. 29), vs. NYI (Jan. 30)
Previous ranking: 24
Points percentage: 52.13%
Jan. 29 vs. Penguins. It’s a big deal any time a superstar comes to town, but Penguins games are particularly notable for UHC center Logan Cooley, who participated in Sidney Crosby‘s “Little Penguins” program as a youth player.
Next eight days: @ WPG (Jan. 24), @ OTT (Jan. 26), vs. PIT (Jan. 29)
Previous ranking: 20
Points percentage: 51.04%
Jan. 25, Feb. 8 vs. Lightning. Given the ties between the franchises — including current Detroit GM/former Tampa Bay GM Steve Yzerman — games between the two are always must-see affairs. And with the Red Wings currently chasing the Lightning in the standings, these will matter even more.
Next eight days: vs. TB (Jan. 25), vs. LA (Jan. 27), @ EDM (Jan. 30)
Previous ranking: 25
Points percentage: 48.00%
Feb. 8 at Flyers. A stretch in late January (at the Kraken, Sharks and Utah) might wield more influence on the Penguins’ playoff hopes, but a win here against the rival Flyers might mean more heading into the break.
Next eight days: @ SEA (Jan. 25), @ SJ (Jan. 27), @ UTA (Jan. 29)
Previous ranking: 26
Points percentage: 48.91%
Jan. 24 vs. Flyers, Jan. 30 at Flyers. The Islanders’ playoff hopes remain alive, and the Flyers are one of the teams over which they’ll have to climb if they want to extend their postseason streak.
Next eight days: vs. PHI (Jan. 24), vs. CAR (Jan. 25), vs. COL (Jan. 28), @ PHI (Jan. 30)
Previous ranking: 27
Points percentage: 45.92%
Jan. 28 vs. Ducks. Things haven’t gone as well as planned in Dan Bylsma’s first season behind the Kraken bench, and the team is closer to the bottom of the standings than the top. As a result, this matchup against another struggling Pacific Division club could have outsized impact on Seattle’s ultimate spot in the draft order.
Next eight days: vs. PIT (Jan. 25), @ EDM (Jan. 27), vs. ANA (Jan. 28), vs. SJ (Jan. 30)
Previous ranking: 30
Points percentage: 45.74%
Feb. 1 at Penguins. A rematch of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final! But as both GMs have continually been asked by reporters about their plans for the trade deadline, perhaps this will be a preview of some players who will find themselves skating elsewhere by March 7.
Next eight days: @ ANA (Jan. 25), vs. VAN (Jan. 29)
Previous ranking: 29
Points percentage: 42.71%
Jan. 31 vs. Predators. It’s looking more likely that the Sabres will miss the playoffs again, meaning that their rise up the draft lottery board is of no small amount of interest. Games against fellow struggling teams like the Preds will have an outsized impact.
Next eight days: @ EDM (Jan. 25), vs. BOS (Jan. 28)
Previous ranking: 28
Points percentage: 45.83%
Feb. 8 at Kings. The Ducks are mainly looking at their spot in the draft lottery standings at this point, but their final game before the break will be against the rival Kings, a matchup that always raises the proverbial temperature.
Next eight days: vs. NSH (Jan. 25), @ SEA (Jan. 28), @ CGY (Jan. 30)
Previous ranking: 32
Points percentage: 36.17%
Feb. 5 vs. Oilers. At one point, Connor McDavid was a generational star playing for a team that wasn’t winning a ton of games. Will this matchup be a look into the future for Connor Bedard?
Next eight days: vs. TB (Jan. 24), vs. MIN (Jan. 26), @ TB (Jan. 28), @ CAR (Jan. 30)
Previous ranking: 31
Points percentage: 33.33%
Jan. 30 at Kraken. At some point, these are going to be really great matchups given the wealth of young talent on both of these rosters (and in the pipelines). For now, it’s all about the nautical theming.
Next eight days: vs. FLA (Jan. 25), vs. PIT (Jan. 28), @ SEA (Jan. 30)
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