Welcome to the NHL Trade Buzz. There are 17 days remaining until the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline (3 p.m. ET on March 8). Here's a look around the League at the latest deadline doings:
New Jersey Devils
The Devils might still be kicking the tires on adding a goalie before the Trade Deadline, especially since Vitek Vanecek will miss his fifth straight game with a lower-body injury when New Jersey plays at the Washington Capitals on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, MSGSN2).
NHL Network analyst Mike Johnson said Calgary Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom might be too good to pass up if New Jersey has opportunity to acquire him for the stretch run. The 34-year-old can become an unrestricted free agent after the 2025-26 season.
"Markstrom has two years left on his contract ($6 million average annual value), so there's not a rush to trade him -- although if I'm New Jersey, I'm like, 'It makes too much sense,'" Johnson said in an interview with TSN.ca. "I don't know if (forward) Alexander Holtz is too much of a price to pay, which is probably who Calgary would ask for, but it just makes too much sense."
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet hinted Saturday that Markstrom has probably indicated to management "that when you have an offer, bring it to me and I'll make my decision."
The Athletic reported trade talks between the Flames and Devils broke down over salary retention on Calgary's part and the acquisition cost on New Jersey's part.
Nico Daws is 3-1-0 with a 2.02 goals-against average and .942 save percentage in his past four starts for the Devils, but it remains to be seen if the 23-year-old rookie, a pending restricted free agent this summer, is the answer down the stretch. Vanecek, who was placed on injured reserve Tuesday retroactive to Feb. 10, is 17-9-3 with a 3.18 GAA and .890 save percentage in 32 games (29 starts).
New Jersey (28-22-4) is five points behind the Flyers for third place in the Metropolitan Division and four points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
Edmonton Oilers
It's possible the Oilers could make a move to bolster their defense or goaltending before the Deadline.
According to Friedman, teams have inquired on the asking price for Edmonton defenseman Philip Broberg.
"(General manager) Ken Holland is looking at his team and is going to do something," Friedman said during intermission of Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday. "But he's let teams know that Philip Broberg isn't going anywhere for a rental."
Broberg, selected No. 8 in the 2019 NHL Draft, has 19 points (one goal, 18 assists) and is plus-11 in 29 games with Bakersfield of the American Hockey League this season. The 22-year-old had no points and was minus-2 in 10 games with the Oilers before they decided to send him to their AHL affiliate Dec. 7.
"He has played very well in the American Hockey League," Friedman continued, "and I do believe teams have asked about him. And I believe the Oilers have made that clear [that he won't be traded for a rental]."
Edmonton (33-18-1), which is 4-3-0 in February, is third in the Pacific Division.
The Oilers have limited cap space and, for the time being, goalies Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard have appeared to stabilize the situation at that position. A top-four defenseman could be the priority in a potential trade.
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins could be thinking more towards the future instead of short-term success at the Deadline.
Jake Guentzel, a 29-year-old forward and pending unrestricted free agent, is out up to four weeks with an upper-body injury.
"The injury only takes him a week past the Trade Deadline and that's fine so they can do something there," Sportsnet's Jeff Marek said on NHL Network Radio on Monday. "It sounds very much like [Pittsburgh] is looking for something along the lines of the Claude Giroux deal."
Giroux was acquired by the Florida Panthers from the Philadelphia Flyers for forward Owen Tippett, a third-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft and conditional first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. Giroux was in the final season of an eight-year contract and could have become an unrestricted free agent.
"Can the Edmonton Oilers or Colorado Avalanche do that? I think [Pittsburgh] is prepared for both inevitabilities and it seems like as the days go on and we move closer to March 8 that the Penguins are going to be sellers more so than buyers," Marek said.
Guentzel, who last played Wednesday against the Panthers, has 52 points (22 goals, 30 assists) in 50 games, second to Crosby with 55 points (31 goals, 24 assists) in 52 games.
Guentzel is in the final season of a five-year, $30 million contract ($6 million AAV) he signed with the Penguins on Dec. 27, 2018.
