Like every NHL general manager, Don Sweeney is active in trade chatter, but when rival executives inquire about Boston’s prospect pool, the focus isn’t on James Hagens (they’re realistic), Dean Letourneau, or Fabian Lysell. The name drawing consistent attention is Matthew Poitras, the young center viewed as the piece in any potential deal.
Poitras has hit a bump in his development, adjusting to the system Marco Sturm system insists on. Tasked with refining certain areas of his game, the young center has found it challenging to make those strides without sacrificing his offensive production. It’s a situation that has prompted questions from fans—why draft a player only to mold him into a different fit? In fairness, the Bruins selected Poitras in 2022 for his skillset, well before Sturm was hired three years later, underscoring the natural tension between draft vision and coaching philosophy.
Darren Dreger on Early Trading “The Canucks management sent out a note to the 31 other clubs on Monday to say hey look, we’re interested in talking about our pending UFA players.”
A 3-7-1 skid (at the time) has left the Canucks staring up at seven teams in the wild-card race, a daunting climb that has likely forced a shift in organizational focus. What once looked like a playoff push now feels more like a recalibration, with management weighing long-term priorities against the harsh math of the standings. The stretch underscored the gap between Vancouver and the pack ahead, and with the margin for error shrinking, the conversation around the team has inevitably turned from chasing points to reassessing direction.
Patrick Johnston of The Province “What if they were to trade Conor Garland; a pair of league sources suggested the Canucks may already be considering such a move.”
On July 1, 2025, Garland inked a six-year extension set to begin next season, carrying a $6 million AAV. The deal includes a no-movement clause through the first three years, adding another layer of commitment from the Canucks. For now, Garland remains on the final year of his current contract at $4.95 million, but the looming extension raises questions. Given Vancouver’s cap situation and shifting priorities, there’s little doubt the organization might prefer to shed the new deal before it ever takes effect.
Thomas Drance of The Athletic writes “They’d be seeking either young players or at least a 2nd round pick in return.” Regarding Kiefer Sherwood of the Canucks.
Some fans may be intrigued by the idea of the Bruins acquiring Sherwood, and some media chatter has linked Boston to him. But the fit doesn’t align with management’s blueprint. At last year’s trade deadline, the front office executed a clear plan and carried that same approach into free agency. The roster already has enough Sherwood-type players, and with the forward turning 31 before season’s end and headed for unrestricted free agency, he doesn’t match the organization’s long-term vision.
Pierre LeBrun on the Sick Podcast about Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault: I don’t believe Nashville would eat [salary] on those deals
Frank Seravalli on the Big Show: “With this team at the bottom of the standings again, is GM Kevyn Adams a dead man walking? Does he even have the capability to make changes; it feels like the grim reaper himself in Jarmo Kekalainen looking over Adams’ shoulder.”
At this point, it’s almost impossible to tell what stage of the rebuild the Buffalo Sabres are even in. The franchise has been selling hope for years, but the results remain stuck in neutral. Yes, there’s talent on the roster, flashes of skill that tease a brighter future, but just as often that promise has been shipped out the door. The cycle has become predictable: draft, develop, deal away, repeat. And the truth is, until something fundamental changes in Buffalo — whether it’s in the front office, the culture, or the long-term vision — the Sabres will keep spinning their wheels while the rest of the league passes them by.
Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts Re Edmonton Oilers: “I think internally the heat is really on; the owner is a guy who puts a lot of pressure on the people he works with, and I think everyone’s feeling it now.”
The Oilers have been linked to goaltenders Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues ($6 million AAV) and Juuse Saros of the Nashville Predators ($7.74 million AAV). But with most of their LTIR space already in use and several hefty contracts on the books, any move for a high-priced netminder would require significant cap gymnastics.
There’s been some buzz on social media—entirely from Bruins fans—floating the idea of a Joonas Korpisalo-for-Stuart Skinner swap. The numbers alone make it unrealistic, with Edmonton lacking the cap flexibility (currently $159,000 in cap space) to absorb Korpisalo’s $3 million hit in place of Skinner’s $2.6 million. Beyond the cap gymnastics, though, there’s little logic for the Oilers to entertain such a move, making the chatter more wishful thinking than plausible trade talk.
Friedman on Sportsnet said “Heard this week there’s going to be a landing spot for Robby Fabbri. One of the rumored teams was Ottawa, but it won’t be them.”
There was a time I would have been all in on a Fabbri deal, but that was 5 years ago.
Chris Johnston on the Chris Johnston Show about Pavel Mintyukov: “I don’t think by any means does the organization feel they need to trade him right now, I believe they’ll be patient; his name’s out there, teams are kicking tires.”
He’s in the final year of his entry-level deal, carrying a manageable cap hit of $918,333—an easy fit for most teams. But as the 10th overall pick in the 2022 draft, acquiring him won’t come cheap, with the asking price likely high enough to make most clubs think twice.
This and That
Well, Vashek Blanar made the announcement on his Instagram account on Thanksgiving saying “I am very proud and honored to announce my commitment to division 1 collage hockey at the University of Massachusetts. I would like to thank my family, friends, coaches, teammates and everyone who has helped me along the way.”
There, he will be under the tutelage of Head Coach Greg Carvel, who is as good a development coach as he is with systems. For Blanar, nothing has changed in terms of when we can expect him to turn pro. He was always going to be a longer-term development.
HockeyProspect has unveiled its November draft rankings, and the list is nothing short of intriguing. Several names have shifted in surprising ways, with risers making strong cases through early-season performances and a few highly touted prospects slipping down the board. The rankings highlight not only the depth of this year’s class but also the uncertainty that continues to shape the scouting landscape. For teams and fans alike, the November release serves as a reminder that the draft picture is far from settled — momentum, development, and organizational needs will continue to reshape the outlook as the season unfolds.
Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff released his latest projections for Team USA at the upcoming World Junior Championships, with notable changes to his lineup. Elliott Groenewold, previously included as an “also considered”, has been dropped from the updated list, while James Hagens remains locked in as the top center. Will Zellers, meanwhile, earned an “also considered” nod as Ellis fine-tunes his outlook on the American roster.
For those tracking the Toronto Maple Leafs in the standings, the numbers are glaring: as of Black Friday, they’ve gone 10 straight games without a regulation win and sit with just six through 24 contests. Even with a rebound, that lack of regulation victories looms large in tie-breaker scenarios, especially in a season where league-wide parity is at an all-time high and teams remain tightly packed in the race.
Elite Prospects reports that Lysell has changed agents once again. Originally represented by Gerry Johannson of The Sports Corporation, he switched to Pat Brisson of CAA Sports and is now reportedly represented by WeSport. There will be some jumping to conclusions here, but WeSport does have a lot of NHL clients.
Bruins fans voiced plenty of frustration when Georgii Merkulov got the call-up over Lysell. With Boston in need of a right winger, the decision to slot Merkulov—a center/left wing—on his off side instead of turning to Lysell, a natural right wing, raised eyebrows. It’s almost as though someone within the organization doesn’t like Lysell.
Dom - Hockey 