Evan’s NHL Daily: More Vegas Cap Shenanigans Coming? Sabres Following Avalanche

It’s starting to become a yearly tradition around the NHL for the Vegas Golden Knights to take advantage of the LTIR rules to load up prior to the playoffs. When their GM announced on Wednesday that their Captain Mark Stone was going to be “out for a while,” you can imagine what the first thought to pop into everyone’s heads was.

The Buffalo Sabres have had a high level executive at both Avalanche games this week. It could mean nothing, it could mean everything. What could they possibly be looking at?

Late Wednesday night, Elliotte Friedman reported that the Avalanche may look to Arizona in their search for a center. Would any of them make sense?

All that and more in this Thursday edition of Evan’s Daily.

Colorado Hockey Now

Looking back at the win over the Canucks and the well-deserved ovation Sam Girard received.

In their search for help down the middle, could the Avalanche look to Arizona? Alex Kerfoot? Or maybe the gigantic Nick Bjugstad?

Vegas Losing Stone

On my colleague Jimmy Murphy’s podcast, Vegas Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon announced that Mark Stone is going to be “out for a while.” Where does everyone’s minds wander after hearing that? The Golden Knights using LTIR and loading up prior to the NHL Trade Deadline, of course.

Thanks to #VegasBorn GM Kelly McCrimmon for joining Pierre McGuire and me on the @sickpodnhl today!

Some injury notes from McCrimmon starting at 24:42 mark of podcast:

-Mark Stone will be 'out for awhile'
-Jack Eichel and William Carrier getting closer to returning https://t.co/STjFbXXoHK

— Jimmy Murphy (@MurphysLaw74) February 21, 2024

It’s a tradition at this point. They seem to do it every year, and if the rules allow for it, can you really blame them? Their problem is going to be that they’re running out of assets to move because of all the trades they’ve made in the past, but I still expect them to do something.

Sabres Following The Avalanche

Buffalo Sabres associate GM Jason Karmanos has been at both Avalanche games this week at Ball Arena. Could it mean something? Yes. Could it mean absolutely nothing? Also yes. Still, it gives us something to talk about this year leading up to the NHL Trade Deadline.

What could they be looking at? Defense is the first thing that comes to mind. Bowen Byram and Sam Girard would be of interest to the Sabres, and in a summer deal, I could see them going after a guy like Josh Manson if the Avalanche need to make moves to get under the cap. Heck, everything could be a summer deal. Teams don’t just scout for the deadline, but also the offseason as well. Buffalo Hockey Now takes a look at what they could be looking at here.

As for what the Avalanche would want? Well, a center. Casey Mittelstadt is the obvious name, and if you’re dealing a key defenseman, that’s who you’d want, but they could always be interested in lesser players like Girgensons and Peyton Krebs. Those guys aren’t nearly as exciting as Mittelstadt (to put it mildly), but they also aren’t going to cost as much.

National Hockey Now

Kyle Dubas said what literally everyone is thinking – the Pittsburgh Penguins need to get younger.

The Boston Bruins lost another defenseman to injury. Guess we know what they might look for prior to the NHL Trade Deadline.

If any team wants Granlund, they’re going to have to pay up.