The Ottawa Senators and Calgary Flames are believed to have had trade discussions about MacKenzie Weeger. Bobby McMann and Jeff Skinner, meanwhile, could be trade candidates.
Ottawa Senators GM Steve Staios has been shopping around for weeks, searching for a top-four, right-shot defenseman.
Rasmus Andersson was frequently mentioned as a potential trade target before the Calgary Flames shipped him to the Vegas Golden Knights on Jan. 18.
Staios may have missed out on Andersson, but he could have his eye on another Flames defenseman.
On Jan. 27, Postmedia reported speculation that the Senators and Flames may have held discussions about MacKenzie Weegar.
PuckPedia indicates that the 32-year-old Weegar is signed through 2030-31 with an average annual value of $6.25 million. The Ottawa native also carries a full no-trade clause through 2026-27, after which it becomes a 10-team no-trade list.
A big-minute, puck-moving defenseman, Weegar's production is down this season (16 points in 52 games) from his career high of 52 points in 2023-24, but that's likely reflective of the overall offensive decline among the Flames. Put him with a club with more scoring punch, and his scoring stats should rebound.
Flames GM Craig Conroy is reportedly reviewing all his options as he continues the retooling process he initiated two years ago. He could entertain offers for Weegar but is under no pressure to move him. It could prove expensive for the Senators or anyone else to pry him away from the Flames, assuming he'll agree to be traded.
Turning to the Toronto Maple Leafs, their recent slide in the Eastern Conference standings prompted Michael Traikos of The Hockey News to suggest the club has a better chance of winning the 2026 NHL draft lottery than they do of winning the Stanley Cup.
The Maple Leafs traded away their 2026 first-rounder to the Boston Bruins in last year's Brandon Carlo trade. However, it's top-five protected, meaning if the Leafs win the lottery, the Bruins would instead get the Leafs' 2027 unprotected first-round pick.
Traikos observed that the Maple Leafs trade deadline narrative has shifted from being buyers to sellers, with some observers wondering if defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson or winger Bobby McMann might fetch a first-rounder.
Speaking of McMann, Bob Stauffer of Oilers Now believes he'd be a good addition in Edmonton. Talking with guest Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the two praised the 29-year-old right winger's style of play, suggesting he'd be a fit with the Oilers.
McMann is UFA-eligible this July and carries an affordable $1.35-million cap hit. However, the cap-strapped Oilers might have to shed salary if they were interested in acquiring him.
Meanwhile, former Oilers right winger Jeff Skinner could be the odd man out with the San Jose Sharks.
Josh Frojelin of San Jose Hockey Now observed that the 33-year-old Skinner has been a frequent healthy scratch in recent weeks. They have a logjam of wingers, which will get more crowded with sidelined forward Philipp Kurashev and recently acquired Kiefer Sherwood set to return to action.
Skinner is on a one-year, $3-million contract. His full no-trade clause becomes an eight-team no-trade list on Jan. 30.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.