Minnesota GM doesn’t think teams are willing to make trades just yet
Michael Russo of The Athletic: There were 16 scouts at the Minnesota Wild – San Jose Sharks game last Sunday. Were they interested in the struggling Wild or were they looking at forward Alex Wennberg, who is reportedly available. It’s not easy to make a trade this early in the season.
“It is just hard when it’s not even 10 games in,” Guerin said. “That’s not really a great runway for not just our team, but the other teams to really know what you have. So it doesn’t seem like everybody’s really willing to make deals now, me included, because I haven’t seen us play at our best yet so I don’t want to overreact. But this is, I guess historically, not a time where a lot of trades have been made.”
So, don’t expect the Wild to make a trade to help get them out their funk.
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Teams are eyeing centers on the trade market
Marco D’Amico of RG Media: There are several teams who are eyeing the center trade market early in the season. American Thanksgiving could be when some teams decide it’s time to sell, while others will be looking to buy.
A source on Nazem Kadri: “I haven’t heard anything is imminent on Kadri. Calgary hasn’t indicated that he’s available yet; they still think they could turn this thing around. But, if they’re still in the basement of the NHL standings come December, I don’t know how you don’t look at this draft class and think ‘I can draft a star and be back at it next season.”
The San Jose Sharks previously acquired the contracts of Carey Price and Ryan Ellis so that when they start selling, they’ll still be above the NHL’s salary floor of $70.6 million. Center Alex Wennberg could be Plan B or C for teams, or do the Sharks move him out earlier to give Michael Misa more minutes.
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A Western source on Wennberg: “He’s holding down the Sharks’ second line quite well, and a team looking for middle-six depth down the middle, and boy, there’s going to be many, will covet his skillset.”
A source said that the Boston Bruins aren’t giving up on the season yet, and are back-and-forth as to whether they move Pavel Zacha or keep as a part of their longer term plans.
The same source said it would take a ‘whopper of an offer’ for the New York Islanders to trade Bo Horvat. He’ll likely remain with the Islanders, and any trade would likely mean they’re blowing it up and an going for a top-two pick in the draft.
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