Canucks D-man Tyler Myers, Canadiens right winger Patrik Laine and Maple Leafs right winger Bobby McMann have all surfaced in the trade rumor mill as the deadline inches closer.
The Vancouver Canucks raised a stir on Wednesday by holding Tyler Myers out of their lineup against the Winnipeg Jets for "roster management purposes," which is a fancy way of saying that he could be on the verge of getting traded.
TSN's Darren Dreger reported the Canucks received a trade offer for Myers from the Detroit Red Wings. The 36-year-old blueliner is signed through 2026-27 with a $3 million average annual value and a full no-movement clause for this season.
Dreger indicates Myers and his agent were still deliberating. He said that other teams, such as the Dallas Stars, could also be interested in the big blueliner. Dreger's colleague, Chris Johnston, reported that Myers needs time to decide where he wants to play.
Meanwhile, in Montreal, the Canadiens are still trying to figure out what to do with Patrik Laine.
The 27-year-old right winger has been out of the lineup since undergoing abdominal surgery in October. He's been skating regularly with his teammates, but the Canadiens don't seem to have a roster spot for him.
Laine is UFA-eligible in July and carries a cap hit of $8.7 million. Last May, Canadiens GM Kent Hughes said his club wouldn't have made the playoffs without his goal-scoring. However, the Habs no longer need Laine's offensive contributions. They are now third in the Atlantic Division and fourth in the league in goals per game average (3.45).
Earlier this month, Sportsnet's Eric Engels speculated the Canadiens might attempt to move Laine to create salary-cap flexibility, even if it meant retaining up to half of his salary. On Feb. 24, Dennis Bernstein of The Fourth Period claimed the Canadiens and Los Angeles Kings had discussed Laine, but the Kings have decided to look elsewhere for a scoring winger.
Turning to the Toronto Maple Leafs, they're moving closer to becoming sellers after back-to-back losses to the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers. They are eight points out of an Eastern Conference wild-card berth.
Most pundits consider Bobby McMann to be the Leafs' best trade chip. The 29-year-old right winger is poised to exceed his career highs of 20 goals and 34 points this season. He's slated to become a UFA on July 1, lacks no-trade protection and carries an affordable salary cap hit of $1.35 million.
Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun reported McMann wants to re-sign with the Maple Leafs. However, they might not be willing to pay him between $4.5 million and $5 million annually on his next contract. He expects McMann could be moved if he hasn't signed an extension by March 6, suggesting he might fetch a first-round pick.
Sportsnet's Ryan Dixon listed the Edmonton Oilers, Utah Mammoth, New York Islanders, Seattle Kraken, Red Wings and Kings as potential landing spots for McMann. The Oilers don't have a first-rounder in this year's draft, but they do have their 2027 and 2028 picks.
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