NHL trade buzz: Who’s in on Ducks’ McTavish, and what Sabres’ Byram wants on next deal
The shallow NHL free agent crop has resulted in a hot trade market over the last nine days, as teams who finally have an abundance of salary-cap space are looking to make additions. The Toronto Maple Leafs made a pair of trades last week, while the Florida Panthers pulled off a blockbuster over the weekend, landing Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk for three first-round picks and a second-round selection.
There are now some eyes on the Anaheim Ducks, as teams are gauging what GM Pat Verbeek wants to do with center Mason McTavish.
McTavish, 23, registered 17 goals and 41 points in 75 regular season games this past season along with one goal and six points in 10 playoff contests. He did find himself in head coach Joel Quenneville’s doghouse at times, often playing out of position on the wing and in the bottom six (and a healthy scratch a handful of games).
McTavish’s up and down season has resulted in his name being on the trade block, despite him being set to enter just the second season of a six-year, $42-million contract he signed with the Ducks late last September. McTavish’s role was partly diminished due to the Ducks’ deep forward group, rolling Leo Carlsson, Mikael Granlund and Ryan Poehling down the middle in the top nine along with Cutter Gauthier, Chris Kreider, Beckett Sennecke and Troy Terry often playing in the top six.
Among the teams who have called on McTavish are the Calgary Flames, Daily Faceoff was told. According to a team source, the Flames don’t feel like they have what the Ducks are looking for in exchange for McTavish; the same source said that Verbeek is looking to make “hockey deals.’’
When speaking with an Eastern Conference executive, DFO was told McTavish’s value is not as high across the league as it was a season ago when he was coming off a 22-goal, 52-point campaign. Now that he’s locked in at a $7-million AAV for another five years, there is a little bit of trepidation when it comes to McTavish as to whether or not he is a true top-six player.
One team who is believed to be keeping tabs on McTavish is the Philadelphia Flyers, who have been on the lookout to add a center all offseason. Despite McTavish playing on the wing for large stretches of last season, the Flyers believe he is a true center, according to a team source.
In terms of what it would take to get McTavish out of Anaheim for the Flyers, defenseman Cam York could be a player of interest for the Ducks if they are truly looking for a hockey deal. To be clear, this is not to suggest that the Flyers have offered York or are shopping him, merely that he is the type of player/swap that could pique the interest of Verbeek.
York, 25, is set to enter the second season of a five year, $25.75-million contract he signed with the Flyers last summer. He registered four goals and 22 points in 74 regular season games last season and scored the series-clinching overtime goal versus the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the playoffs. York is also a native of Anaheim, for what it’s worth.
Despite looking for a center this summer, one team that has not reached out on McTavish is the Minnesota Wild, DFO was told.
Byram looking to cash in
We know the Buffalo Sabres have been listening on defenseman Bowen Byram; he has now landed himself in the top tier of DFO senior writer Matt Larkin’s trade targets board. The 25-year-old is a year away from UFA status and his agent, Darren Ferris, is notorious for walking his players to market unless they get big pay days.
That appears to be the case again, as a league executive told DFO that the belief is Byram’s camp is looking for an AAV comfortably in the eight-figure range; the same source believes that the player’s AAV should be between $9 million and $10 million on a long-term deal.
Byram is coming off a career season, registering 11 goals and 42 points in all 82 regular season games for the Sabres along with four goals and seven points in 13 playoff contests. This is even more impressive when you consider that he is consistently playing behind Rasmus Dahlin (especially on the power play) in all offensive situations.
DFO reached out to an agent to get their opinion on the rumored dollar target of Byram’s camp on a new, long term contract. “Big ask, but I think it will be $10 million-plus (per season),” the agent said.
One fly in the ointment right now for the Sabres is that Byram isn’t eligible to sign an extension for another eight days; any team acquiring the player before the end of the month would have to roll the dice on potentially not being able to secure an extension. Speaking with one Eastern Conference team, there is hesitation to pay up the trade cost to acquire the player when there is still no guarantee of an extension, to say nothing of the believed meaty ask on AAV from Byram’s camp.
The Sabres’ defense will look different next season, with Byram on the block and Michael Kesselring being traded to the San Jose Sharks last week. Additionally, DFO was told that pending UFA Luke Schenn will be hitting the open market, as well.
_____
PRESENTED BY THE DAILY FACEOFF NEWSLETTER
_____