Clarity on the Toronto Maple Leafs and Auston Matthews may not come until June
Chris Johnston of The Athletic: Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving or anyone else within the organization know which way the Auston Matthews situation will end up going. The 28-year-old Matthews himself likely isn’t sure where things will head until they all sit down in the offseason. Will Treliving or coach Craig Berube be around?
It may not be until June when things become a little clearer. Having traded away first-round picks to Boston and Philadelphia tend to point towards a retool and not a rebuild. There will be added pressure this offseason.
The Ottawa Senators will continue their right-handed defenseman search this offseason – trade and free agent options
Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen: Ottawa Senators 35-year-old pending UFA defenseman Nick Jenson won’t be back next season. The Senators will continue the hunt this offseason for a right-handed defenseman.
Before the trade deadline, the Senators were interested in MacKenzie Weegar, who was moved to the Utah Mammoth. They kicked tires on Rasmus Ristolainen (Flyers), Colton Parayko (Blues), Justin Faulk (traded to the Red Wings), and Simon Nemec and Dougie Hamilton on the Devils.
Parayko turned down a trade to the Buffalo Sabres with his no-movement clause. The St. Louis Blues were asking for a high-end prospect and a first-round pick. It’s believed the Sabres were going to send a first and Radim Mrtka to the Blues for Parayko.
For the Senators to add Parayko, they’d have to be willing to move one of Carter Yakemchuk or Logan Hensler and a 2027 first-round pick.
Darren Raddysh, a Tampa Bay Lightning pending UFA, would be the top ranked free agent defenseman if he gets there. He’ll be looking to get paid on a long-term deal. Rasmus Andersson would be next up, but it’s believed he wouldn’t waive his no-movement clause for the Senators, so signing as a free agent seems unlikely.
Other RHD include John Carlson (Ducks), Brent Burns (Avs), Jacob Trouba (Ducks), John Klingberg (Sharks) and Radko Gudas (Ducks). Logan Stanley (Sabres) and Jamie Oleksiak (Kraken) are LHD but can play on the right.
NHL Rumors: Ottawa Senators Want to Add Defense This Offseason
Senators GM Steve Staois said that Carter Yaremchuk could be an option, but other league executives don’t think his skating is good enough yet.
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