LATEST NHL BUZZ

With Saturday’s Trade Freeze looming, the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning kicked things off on Thursday with a blockbuster deal that sent Jonathan Drouin to the Canadiens and Drouin hours later signing a 6 year deal worth $33 million.

How many more big names will be on the move by Saturday’s deadline?

Edmonton’s Jordan Eberle, Montreal’s Alex Galchenyuk, Minnesota’s Jonas Brodin among the notable names in play who have a strong chance to get moved in the next 24 hours.

Two other impact players who could be traded by Saturday:

Expectations are Travis Hamonic is on the move and it will happen by tomorrow or the latest draft weekend.

Anaheim is set to land a haul for Sami Vatanen with a trade expected in the next week.

Colorado’s Matt Duchene is getting traded.

This could very well live up to the busiest trade period ever.


— NHL General Manager’s are like a fraternity. It’s why we don’t see enough offer sheets happening.

There’s very few GM’s who want to ruffle feathers and burn bridges.

That’s been the expectation towards the expansion draft in that George McPhee would accommodate most teams so both sides are happy.

That was McPhee’s plan but will it happen?

The NHL has delivered some pushback, sources say, and some deals Vegas had worked out with a couple clubs are now being scrapped and it has some GM’s scrambling.

The NHL wants Vegas to be good quickly and there’s pressure on Vegas that side deals being worked out can’t be one sided.

We’ll see where the Penguins fall into this.


— Some wild rumors are out there in Penguin circles.

TSN’s Darren Dreger on Thursday mentioned the Penguins are a team that’s been mentioned to him as having interest in Montreal’s Alex Galchenyuk.

The Canadiens are seeking an impact right handed defenseman in return, so people can draw their own conclusions on what it would cost the Penguins if they pursued this.

Galchenyuk, 23, is a restricted free agent. A lot of teams see him as a winger, the Penguins included.

The wildest talk that’s been out there for a few days is the Penguins who are very serious about adding toughness (players who can play) in the lineup, have interest in trading for defenseman To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!