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Greg Wyshynski, ESPNFeb 21, 2024, 09:00 AM ET
CloseGreg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer.
The NHL trade deadline is March 8, and opinions around the league vary on just how hectic it will be.
“I think it’s going to be insane,” one NHL agent said.
“I feel like it’s not going to be a great deadline, to be honest,” an NHL team executive said. “It just doesn’t seem like there’s a lot out there.”
“I mean, it’s always busy, you know?” one NHL general manager noted. “Teams are always looking around and there’s always a buildup to it.”
What should hockey fans expect at the deadline? After working the phones and chatting up power brokers at games and practices, here’s a look at the NHL trade deadline landscape.
The pending unrestricted free agents
Every NHL trade deadline, there’s a player like Sean Walker.
There’s a player who isn’t normally on every hockey fan’s mind who becomes a prominent name because of the position he plays and the way he plays it. The Philadelphia Flyers’ right-shot defenseman is a play-driving darling who can play either side and is aggressive enough to even impress coach John Tortorella. Walker makes $2.65 million against the salary cap and becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.
The Flyers are in a playoff spot. Maybe they trade the 29-year-old. Maybe they don’t. In the meantime, Walker has gone from supporting cast to main character at the deadline.
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“It’s been interesting. You just try to put it at the back of your mind and take everything with a grain of salt,” he told ESPN last Friday. “Everything will work itself out at the end of the day.”
Does he read the rumors? Does he scan the trade boards?
“Not so much. I have a pretty open line of communication with my agent and Danny [Briere, Flyers GM] has been great as well,” Walker said. “We chat once in a while and he always lets me know if I have any questions or concerns, it’s an open door and just give him a call. So it’s been a really good process so far.”
So he’ll know…
Source link : https://www.espn.com/nhl/insider/story/_/id/39564962/nhl-trade-deadline-2024-top-players-teams-deals-free-agents
Author : Greg Wyshynski
Publish date : 2024-02-21 14:37:30
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