CHYCHRUN WATCH RETURNS THIS DEADLINE

TORONTO, ON — The Ottawa Senators took over some of the headlines this month after newly appointed GM Steve Staios spoke publicly about the team’s desire to add veteran bodies to the roster. As he continues his search, the Senators may be poised to pull the trigger on multiple headline-grabbing moves between now and the March 8 trade deadline.

Traded to Ottawa less than a year ago, on March 1, 2023, from the Arizona Coyotes, Jakob Chychrun is no stranger to the rumour mill. His name has popped up in trade chatter year-after-year and it wouldn’t have been a surprise to hear his name again had he still been in Arizona. But he’s a Senator now, and yet his name is out there, once again.

According to separate sources, Staios is willing to entertain trade offers for Chychrun, who has one more year left on his contract and owns a 10-team no-trade list. It is unclear if the Senators are actively shopping the 25-year-old blueliner, but that may fall into the ‘semantics’ category.

Speaking to a GM this week of a team who previously expressed interest in Chychrun, he confirmed he’s heard Chychrun’s name out there but would not dive any further into the topic.

There has been some league-wide talk making the rounds lately suggesting Chychrun may not be a fit in the Senators room. Two separate sources have suggested his desire to sign in Ottawa long-term may be in question – he is eligible to sign an extension starting July 1.

A move is not believed to be imminent, but conversations are expected to continue over the next seven weeks.

The Senators are looking to add to a room that Staios believes has “high character players.” Acquiring proven assets is atop his priority list, but sometimes they come with a price. The old ‘you have to give to get’ take applies here.

One player whom the Senators expressed interest in last season under then-GM Pierre Dorion is Calgary Flames defenceman Mackenzie Weegar, who is in the first year of an eight-year, $50 million contract. It is my understanding the new management regime also has interest in Weegar.

The 30-year-old rearguard hails from the Ottawa region and is highly regarded by several members of the Senators organization, one source told me. He plays the right side, an area the Senators want to upgrade, and it would not surprise me if he were willing to waive his no-trade clause for Ottawa.

Praised mostly for his defensive game, Weegar has already hit a career-high in goals with nine through 43 games and is on pace for 50 points, which would be another career-high.

The Senators and Flames have talked, but details are thin. Could they discuss a deal centered around Chychrun and Weegar? Possibly, though I would think Calgary GM Craig Conroy would need to believe he can sign Chychrun to an extension before making any major move – and that could be risky. I also get the sense the Flames have inquired about some of the team’s other assets.

FANNING THE FLAMES

Since we’re on the subject, last week I reported on Jacob Markstrom’s availability. It sounds like, at this point, Calgary is willing to listen on almost anybody, even in the midst of a recent surge.

Currently two points out of the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference, the Flames seem to be focusing on both the present and the future. With three big name players on expiring deals, none of whom are that close to an extension – unless Noah Hanifin decides to sign his eight-year, $60M extension still on the table – Conroy can’t afford to let them walk for nothing in the summer, and that factors into his team building plans.

As I wrote on Tuesday, and mentioned on NHL Network that evening, the Flames have not approached Markstrom or his agent Pat Morris about a potential trade and that will only happen if Conroy has a deal he’s willing to accept. Nothing has changed in that regard.

But Markstrom’s name is out there, and the New Jersey Devils are one of the teams to have inquired about him. I’m told there is at least one other team with interest.

Our Trade Watch List will continue to grow over the coming weeks, with Flames players all over it and the team itself eyeing a few different players themselves. Calgary may pounce at the opportunity to escalate its retool, and that should continue in the off-season.

JETS SET FLIGHT PATH FOR JUNE

With a pretty stocked cupboard of young assets in the system, the Winnipeg Jets could be in a position to be major players in the rental market leading up to the deadline.

The Jets sit atop the Central Division and are accruing salary cap space with each passing day. General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is evaluating his options and would not object to upgrading his second-line centre potion. The team has already been linked to Flames centre Elias Lindholm and Montreal Canadiens pivot Sean Monahan, and two come with two different price tags.

The unconfirmed asking price for Lindholm (28 points, $4.85M cap hit) is believed to be a first-round draft pick (or equivalent value), a top young asset and another prospect/draft pick. The price for Monahan (24 points, $1.985M cap hit) is a first-round pick or second-round pick and a prospect.

During his tenure as the Jets GM, Cheveldayoff has only traded his first-round pick for rentals twice. Once in Feb. 2019 to the New York Rangers in a deal for Kevin Hayes, and once in Feb. 2018 in a package to the St. Louis Blues for Paul Stastny. He also exchanged first-round picks with the Vegas Golden Knights prior to the Expansion Draft in 2017, and swapped first-round picks with the Philadelphia Flyers during the 2016 NHL Draft in order to move to get Logan Stanley.

It doesn’t happen often, but given Winnipeg’s performance this season, the play of goalie Connor Hellebuyck and the fact they’ll get Kyle Connor back in the lineup next month, this might be their opportunity to go all-in this season and move out their first-rounder for an upgrade up the middle.

HERE AND THERE

• I mentioned last week how Trevor Zegras’ name was out there. Since then, multiple reports have surfaced suggesting the same, but now he’s injured and out 6-8 weeks. Looking into this further, there is some chatter as to the reasoning behind Ducks GM Pat Verbeek’s willingness to move him. It has been suggested to me that Zegras has wavered on his desire to play in Anaheim long-term. People change their minds all the time, and that could eventually apply here, but the Ducks will continue to entertain calls. Anything is possible, but as I said on NHL Network last week, I don’t expect a Zegras trade to occur until the off-season, at the earliest.

• The Los Angeles Kings are winless in their last eight games. In the middle of their skid, a team source told me they weren’t going to be making any moves this season, mainly due to their cap restraints and with Viktor Arvidsson set to return to the lineup next month. But now that they have gone 0-4-4 in their last eight, does GM Rob Blake start to consider his options?

• If the Chicago Blackhawks are willing to retain half of Petr Mrazek’s contract – he has a $3.8 million cap hit – a team looking add a reliable backup for a playoff run will come calling.

• The Buffalo Sabres may need to retain on the likes of Erik Johnson and Victor Olofsson if they want to get any assets back for them before the trade deadline. This season is another write-off, and they have all three retention slots available; might as well use it to your advantage.