One defenseman is on the move and another may be close to signing a contract extension.
The Washington Capitals acquired Michal Kempny in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks for a third-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft on Monday.
That's one domino to fall in the race to see who might acquire Detroit Red Wings defenseman Mike Green. Green, who played in the 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Game last month, spent 10 seasons with the Capitals before coming to the Red Wings as a free agent before the 2015-16 season, so a return to Washington seemed possible.
But that is less likely with the Capitals trading for Kempny, 27, a left-shot defenseman who is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
He will be a low-cost rental for the Capitals, who would have had to pay a much higher price for Green, who also has no-trade protection. Kempny could slot in next to John Carlson on the second defensive pair, replacing rookie Christian Djoos.
Shaking up the defenseman market even more was a report that Erik Gudbranson, who could become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, is in extension talks with the Vanouver Canucks.
First reported by Rick Dhaliwal of @DhaliwalSports and confirmed by TSN's Bob McKenzie, the talks are progressing.
Gudbranson is in his second season with the Canucks after being acquired from the Florida Panthers in a trade on May 25, 2016. He has four points (two goals, two assists) in 41 games this season.
The Kempny move and possible Gudbranson extension narrows the market for defensemen, though there are still quite a few teams looking for help on defense, including the Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning. But Washington was one of the best options for Green, making Red Wings general manager Ken Holland's job slightly more difficult, as he does his best to get a good return for a number of pieces, including Green.