The Florida Panthers are one win away from hoisting the Stanley Cup in back to back seasons, thanks to a massive 5-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5. The Panthers take a 3-2 series lead back home to Florida, and will look to end the Oilers’ season on Tuesday night.
The Panthers and Oilers have been putting on quite the show, as it’s been an electric series that’s been extremely fast paced, physical, and laced with some of the best players in all of hockey. Off the ice, the frenzy is starting to begin, as there’s already been some major developments, and technically, the offseason hasn’t even started.
Here’s the very latest from around the NHL:
Buffalo Sabres listening to JJ Peterka trade offers
The Sabres are a team to watch this summer, specifically around what their plans will be with star forward JJ Peterka. The 23-year-old restricted free agent has quickly become one of the most sought after trade targets on the market, as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently confirmed via 32 Thoughts podcast, that the Sabres have changed their tone on Peterka, and are now open to hearing trade pitches.
“I have said several times that the Buffalo Sabres don’t want to trade J.J Peterka. Their answer has changed, they are at least listening on it, and I think that’s recent,” Friedman said.
Peterka is coming off a 27 goal season in Buffalo, hitting a career high 68 points in 77 games. The former second-round pick isn’t exactly thrilled with the team’s success early on in his career, and a trade seems much more likely than ever in the coming weeks.
“I think it’s the reality of the situation. Look, people know Peterka is unhappy, and I think he would like to go somewhere else. I think that reality is sinking in a bit. I think the Sabres have to at least look into it, and I think in the last little bit it’s gone from ‘we don’t want to do it, and we’re not doing it’, to ‘we don’t want to do it, but we at least have to look into it’.”
The Sabres have over $23 million in cap space this offseason, so there’s plenty of room to get a contract extension done, however, at this point it feels likelier to see a trade materialize, and for the Sabres to reset themselves without Peterka in their lineup.
Jet’s Ehlers expected to test the open market, could be linked to Marner
While Mitch Marner is getting most of the free-agent attention across the NHL, and rightfully so, one player to keep an eye on who could be tied to Marner is Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers. Friedman commented on Ehlers’ future in Winnipeg over the weekend, and made it clear he feels Ehlers’ future could be tied to where Marner ends up signing.
“Like Marner, I’m hearing Ehlers will go to July 1st, and then we’ll see. Nobody is confirming he’s given Winnipeg an absolute no, or anything like that, but, there’s definitely a feeling out there he’s going to July 1. And, he’s going to see what’s out there.”
Last season with the Jets, Ehlers scored 24 goals and 63 points in 69 games. One big concern has been health for the Jets’ winger, as he’s only played in more than 80 games in a season once in the last seven years.
Friedman feels Ehlers will be on the radar of teams who don’t get a meeting with Marner and his camp.
“I do wonder about a team that’s looking on the wing, says ‘alright, we’re not in the Marner game, and we don’t have a shot at Marner, we’re just going right to Ehlers.”
Panthers amazed by Marchand’s abilities, call him ‘YouTube star’
One of the biggest reasons for the Panthers success these playoffs has been the impact of veteran winger Brad Marchand. The 37-year-old has turned back the clock in a major way with Florida, including couple of massive goals in Game 5, with one making rounds on the highlight reel.
