The Daily: Necas for Peterka?; Trade Rumors; Draft Odds

If you google the name JJ Peterka you discover quickly that the hockey world enjoys talking about him. Daily Faceoff has a story headlined: What Could the Sabres get for JJ Peterka?

There’s another piece about the Sabres listening to offers for the German forward. A third story states he has demanded to be traded. Peterka has status because he has goals. He netted 55 over the past two seasons. Peterka has 118 points in the time frame. He is also an RFA and the Sabres and Peterka are not close on a new deal.

An offer sheet seems possible, although the NHL doesn’t have a history of throwing those around. Many trade rumors are out there, but Colorado Hockey Now’s Aarif Deen has a Peterka-Necas trade proposal that is highly entertaining if nothing else.

His proposal: the Colorado Avalanche trade Martin Necas to Buffalo  for Peterka. A one-for-one high profile move. Necas boasts 51 goals and 138 points over the past two seasons. When his contract (with a $6.5 million AAV) expires next summer. There’s fear he will want the moon and stars. Peterka, 23, is three years younger than Necas.

“If Chris MacFarland and Joe Sakic traded (Mikko) Rantanen to spread his money throughout the roster, they can’t sign Necas for $10 million or more and have a slighter cheaper top-heavy lineup,” Deen wrote. “Rantanen at $12+ million with a lesser depth player is better than having Necas for just a couple million dollars less.”

It’s a speculative column, but it is insightful. Good read.

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

Bob Duff writes that Steve Yzerman, since he started as Detroit’s GM, has done his best work in the first round of the NHL draft.

The Red Wings have roughly $21 million in salary cap space today, and about two-third of that can be used to sign free agents

Detroit goalie prospect Rudy Guimond has decided to stay in the QMJHL instead of playing at Yale.

Red Wings Extra

Given the Red Wings’ history of drafting Swedish players, some mock drafts have Detroit selecting Swedish winger Victor Eklund with the No. 13 pick. He’s the younger brother of San Jose forward William Eklund. SportsBetting.ag has Eklund’s over-and-under at 11.5. That certainly suggests there’s a chance he will be there at No. 13.  Eklund’s odds of going in the top 10 are 9/4. Kyle Woodlief’s Red Line Report calls Eklund an “annoying little pest” who is “energetic and skilled.”

Hockey Now Network

Florida: Matthew Tkachuk admits that he really wasn’t sure that he was going to be ready to play at the start of these playoffs. Florida Panthers. 

New Jersey: James Nichols writes that UFA Nicolaj Ehlers may be a very good fit for the Devils. They are looking for scoring help. New Jersey Devils.

Pittsburgh: Dan Kingerski makes predictions, including that defenseman Erik Karlsson will be traded. But it will be closer to the start of the NHL season. Pittsburgh Penguins. 

Vegas: Hannah Kirkell points out that respect insider Elliotte Friedman is sounding the alarm a second time about defenseman Alex Pietrangelo’s injury situation. When it comes to trades and signing, there is always an expectation that Vegas will do something big every year.  Vegas Golden Knights.