BLH provides you with the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation featuring Victor Mete (MTL), Pavel Buchnevich (NYR), Devan Dubnyk (SJ), Anthony Mantha (DET), and more!

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NHL Rumors and Speculation

Pierre LeBrun (The Athletic) posted trade proposals for six contending teams not too long ago. Here’s some of the juicier tidbits from that article,

• Mattias Ekholm to the Boston Bruins – “What’s a first-round pick and a prospect when you’re trying to max out Patrice Bergeron’s remaining time in the NHL and win another Stanley Cup? Could Jake DeBrusk be part of this deal? Ekholm remains a stud, top-four D. If you’re Sweeney, you owe it to your team to try to swing this.”
• Eric Staal to the Carolina Hurricanes – “I know the Carolina brass recently discussed the merits of picking up the phone closer to the April 12 deadline if Staal was still on the Buffalo roster and seeing what it would take in a softer deal to get the pending UFA.”
• Rickard Rakell to the Toronto Maple Leafs – “For me, that starts with the Leafs offering 2020 first-round pick Rodion Amirov and still, that probably wouldn’t be enough. Toronto would need another asset in the package.”
• Alex Goligoski to the Philadelphia Flyers – “Not top of the list, but it’s one of those situations where if the Flyers strike out on other top-four targets, they could come calling to Arizona eventually.”
• David Rittich to the Washington Capitals – “I think if there’s still any doubt at all closer to April 12 they go out and bring in some insurance in goal.”
• Mattias Ekholm to the Winnipeg Jets – “I’ve heard some rumblings the Predators have chatted internally about 24-year-old Jets blueliner Sami Niku, who has struggled to become a mainstay in the Winnipeg lineup but remains a player with more ceiling. Would a first-round pick and Niku do the trick for Ekholm?”

Rob Ellis (nhltraderumor.com) reckons the Montreal Canadiens could include puck-moving defenseman Victor Mete in a trade for Nashville Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm.

• “The Habs could look at moving Victor Mete as part of a deal for Ekholm. Earlier in the season, it was reported that Mete’s agent Darren Ferris had talked to GM Marc Bergevin and told him, Mete would like to be moved to have an opportunity to play somewhere else.”

Larry Brooks of the NY Post: Wonders if the Rangers will move Russian winger Pavel Buchnevich before the trade deadline as he’s a pending RFA with arb rights. He’s also their leading scorer this season though… Brooks noted, if New York does choose to move on from Buchnevich that they could look at bringing in current Toronto Maple Leafs winger Zach Hyman as he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent this off-season.

Ben Pope of The Chicago Sun-Times has suggested that the Chicago Blackhawks may be open to adding “bad contracts” at this year’s NHL trade deadline given they $23M in cap space they’ll have at that time and the flat cap going forward.

According to Pierre LeBrun of TSN, the San Jose Sharks are expected to field trade calls on veteran goaltender Devan Dubnyk. Team’s expected to make offers include the Washington Capitals, Colorado Avalanche, Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes.

David Pagnotta (The Fourth Period) is reporting that the Detroit Red Wings are getting calls on hulking winger Anthony Mantha.

• “According to multiple sources, the Red Wings are entertaining calls on winger Anthony Mantha, who is in the first year of a four-year, $22.8 million contract.”
• “It’s unclear what type of return Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman would want for Mantha, or the type of trade he’d consider pulling the trigger on. Realistically, moving a player of his caliber is more likely to occur in the summer versus the weeks leading up to the trade deadline, but the right offer could compel Yzerman into making a move.”

Renaud Lavoie (TVA SPORTS): suggests Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Gudbranson could be a good trade target for the Canadiens. He wouldn’t have to be quarantined for 14 days and would bring a measure of toughness and shot-blocking to their roster, “and he speaks French very, very well.”

Arthur Staple (The Athletic): Listed Buffalo’s Taylor Hall, New Jersey’s Kyle Palmieri and Columbus’ Nick Foligno among the pending UFA forwards of his suggested trade targets for the New York Islanders to replace sidelined captain Anders Lee. The Isles recently place Lee on long-term injury reserve, allowing them to exceed the salary cap by the equivalent of his $7 million annual average value.

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