NHL trade Archives - Sports Al Dente

NHL Trade Rumors: Updates on J.T. Miller, Dylan Cozens, and Brock Nelson

The ongoing trade rumors surrounding Vancouver Canucks centers Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller are reportedly influencing the NHL trade market.

According to TSN’s Chris Johnston, the Canucks are still figuring out their options with these two players. Johnston also mentioned that there is a belief around the league that the team might be more likely to trade Miller.

Miller has been playing less than 15 minutes in each of his last three games. Canucks coach Rick Tocchet commented that Miller is struggling and suggested that he needs to improve his focus.

Johnston also pointed out that Miller has a no-movement clause in his contract. Although Miller himself is not keen on the idea of being traded, it is believed that he might waive the clause for the right team.

Some have mentioned the New York Rangers as a possible destination for Miller, as he started his NHL career with the Rangers. A recent report stated that the Rangers may have offered Mika Zibanejad in exchange for Miller, but it is unclear whether Zibanejad would waive his no-move clause to make the trade happen.

Pettersson, on the other hand, does not have a no-trade clause this season. However, his $11.6 million average annual salary for the next seven years makes him harder to move compared to Miller, who has a cap hit of $8 million. Still, Pettersson’s name has come up in trade discussions recently.

For now, the situation remains uncertain, with no immediate resolution in sight.

Meanwhile, in Buffalo, Sabres center Dylan Cozens continues to be part of trade rumors as the Sabres struggle in the Eastern Conference standings. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported that the Calgary Flames are one of many teams interested in the 23-year-old Cozens. The Flames have been actively searching for a right-shot center under 25 years old.

Although there have been recent reports saying the Sabres are not looking to trade Cozens, it’s worth remembering that Sabres GM Kevyn Adams denied trade rumors about Casey Mittelstadt last year, only for Mittelstadt to be traded to the Colorado Avalanche for Bowen Byram.

Cozens’ situation is different from Mittelstadt’s, as Cozens is signed through the 2029-30 season with an average annual value of $7.1 million. The Sabres have a larger investment in Cozens and may be less likely to trade him, as they could risk seeing him become a star with another team, like former Sabres players Ryan O’Reilly, Jack Eichel, and Sam Reinhart.

In other news, Pierre LeBrun also reported that the Dallas Stars are interested in Brock Nelson from the New York Islanders. However, it is unclear if the Islanders will be willing to trade the 33-year-old center, who will become an unrestricted free agent in July.

Matt Larkin from Daily Faceoff also listed the Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Winnipeg Jets as potential destinations for Nelson, adding to the speculation surrounding his future.

Neely’s Honest Comments on Bruins’ Trade Deadline Strategy in Boston

The idea of the Boston Bruins being sellers at the NHL trade deadline is unusual for the team because of their past. But this season, things have been different for the Bruins.

In July, the team signed top-six center Elias Lindholm and top-four defenseman Nikita Zadorov to improve an already solid roster, aiming to build on their first playoff series win since 2021.

However, through 45 games, the Bruins have been an average team. They started with an 8-9-3 record, which led to head coach Jim Montgomery losing his job. As of Thursday, they are technically in a playoff spot, but they are ranked 10th in points percentage among Eastern Conference teams.

Under general manager Don Sweeney, the Bruins have usually been buyers before the trade deadline, but if they fall out of the playoff race, could they sell instead?

Team president Cam Neely said Wednesday that this is a possibility.

“I think right now we’ve got to look at two paths,” Neely told reporters before the Boston Bruins Foundation gala Wednesday evening. “One that we’re buying. One that we may be retooling a little bit. We still feel like we’ve got a playoff team here. We certainly don’t want to jeopardize getting out of the playoffs because we made some moves that may be good for the future but not good for the present.”

Neely’s comments might be a message to the players. The Bruins are in a tough spot, and if they want management to make moves to improve the team at the trade deadline, they need to start playing better and improve their position in the playoff race.

If the Bruins decide to sell, it’s unlikely that major players will be traded. The team doesn’t need huge changes to be a contender in the Eastern Conference. However, moving players who could become free agents this summer in exchange for a draft pick could make sense if the team doesn’t see a clear path to the playoffs in early March.

That said, it’s hard to see the Bruins falling so far in the standings that selling becomes the obvious choice.

The main focus for the Bruins should be consistency. They have won more than two games in a row only once this season. After a couple of wins, they often follow up with poor results that halt any progress made.

The Bruins have won their last two games, with their most recent being a 6-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning at TD Garden on Tuesday night. Starting goalie Jeremy Swayman and star right wing David Pastrnak were the team’s top performers in those games.

This is positive for the Bruins, but the question is whether they can build on this momentum or if another poor performance will stop their progress. Now that they know selling is a possibility, it will be interesting to see if this pushes the players to perform better and more consistently.