Trade Deadline Update: Prices Drop, Penguins Interested in Nick Leddy?

The NHL trade deadline is now just hours away. Some GMs may even go to bed Sunday night. Some may not as an empty chase reaches the finish line. The Toronto Maple Leafs snared former Norris trophy winner Mark Giordano. The Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers both continued getting better with small but significant moves, and…the Pittsburgh Penguins took care of their own.

However, the boys on 32 Thoughts tagged Nick Leddy for the Penguins.

The prices on Sunday returned to reality, perhaps because the dealt assets were not lusted over like an Instagram model’s latest thirst trap (perhaps the blessing of maturity is to roll my eyes when they once would have popped out)

First, the Penguins “move”…

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The Penguins and GM Ron Hextall dished a two-year contract to their edgy defenseman, Mark Friedman.

NHL Trade Deadline Updates…

Sportsnet: The Toronto Maple Leafs made the big move on Sunday. Perhaps it came out of nowhere, but there were some rumblings a few weeks ago, and Toronto got a fair deal. The Kyle Dubas cap gymnastics, two second-rounders, and a “pretty please” brought Giordano home to Toronto.

Dubas needed other teams to do some defenseman swapping to facilitate the Giordano deal. Enter Jim Rutherford and Pierre Dorian.

Vancouver Hockey Now: The Canucks finally dealt Travis Hamonic. GM Patrik Allvin dealt him to Ottawa for a third-rounder. Then Allvin and Rutherford turned around and picked up Travis Demott from Toronto, a significant cap saving for the Vancouver Canucks.

The Canucks save money. Toronto got to shed salary. And Ottawa picked up a good d-man. It was a three-way deal without being a three-way deal.

TSN: Mathieu Joseph, brother to P.O. and Stanley Cup champion, is headed to Ottawa for Nick Paul. Tampa Bay keeps getting better and better.

Philly Hockey Now: Claude Giroux is in Florida. Justin Braun is next. GM Chuck Fletcher discussed Giroux, Braun, and more Philadelphia Flyers trade chatter.

Calgary: The Flames snagged Tyler Toffoli, working out exceptionally well. Zdeno Chara? Carson Soucy? Steve Macfarlane reports there could be one more deal for the Calgary Flames.

And…Florida placed Aaron Ekblad on LTIR. Then, they turned a sixth-round pick into steady-eddy defenseman with grit, Robert Hagg. Another Florida Panthers trade.

A sixth-rounder for Hagg is nothing. Another great get for Bill Zito and Florida.

Pittsburgh Penguins Connections

Detroit Hockey Now: It might sound like a minor deal, but it could have implications that reach the Pittsburgh Penguins. The LA Kings acquired defenseman Troy Stetcher from the Detroit Red Wings.

Now, how it could affect the Penguins at the NHL trade deadline–Detroit is down to just $39.9 million committed to 14 players next season. They have tons of cap space to sell, take on players, and use as they want. Kevin Allen did a great job explaining the Red Wings situation, and with Stetcher gone, Nick Leddy is on deck.

32 Thoughts Podcast: Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek tied Leddy to…the Penguins.

Leddy makes $5.5 million. If Leddy is a target, it won’t be a small deal–one player who makes real money will have to go. The obvious choice would be Marcus Pettersson. Detroit would replace Leddy on the left side with someone signed for several more years.

Wild idea, what if the Penguins deal a different LHD? I know your head will jump to Mike Matheson, but doesn’t Brian Dumoulin make sense?