NHL trade rumors: Capitals could shop Orlov, more teams in on Meier

Welcome to the latest edition of NHL trade rumors!

We’re one week away from the trade deadline and the market is heating up, as a number of key players are reportedly on the move. Let’s dive into the latest with a word to Missy Elliott’s seminal reminder, that not everything you read on the internet is to be believed.

Hurricanes owner declares team is ‘more aggressive than ever’

Carolina is the best shot-suppression team in the NHL, one of the best possession teams in the league and is armed with $10 million in deadline cap space. With that, Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon made a declaration Tuesday that ought to scare the hell out of 31 teams.

“We’re leaning on the more aggressive side than ever right now,” Dundon told Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff. “Because we’ve lost four years in a row and we could have won.”

“I think we’ve got ourselves in a position with the amount of assets we have for the future, the age of our team and where we are that we can probably be a little more aggressive giving up something in the future to increase our odds today without changing the window much, whatever that means.”

Dundon said he doesn’t agree with the window theory, rather expecting that the Hurricanes will be good every year. They’ve been among the NHL’s elite, they’re one of the two most interesting teams at the deadline, and should be in pole position for Timo Meier, Erik Karlsson, or whoever else they’ve singled out as their top target.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman also noted that the Hurricanes do not overpay for rentals, so one can imagine they are looking to secure a quality player with some term, or someone amenable to a immediate long-term extension.

Devils targeting Meier with extension in mind

New Jersey is the NHL’s most fun team on the ice, and very well could be the most fun team at the deadline. Although the Devils only have $2 million in deadline space, they boast an unrivalled package of prospects and top picks that could be included in any deal. Meier appears to be atop the Devils’ wishlist. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the Devils want Meier, but with an immediate extension. Meier carries a $10 million qualifying offer for next season, a hefty price to be sure, but he immediately fits in with Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier.

It could be a two-team fight to the bitter end between the Devils and Hurricanes ahead of March 3.

Blues, Golden Knights, Jets also pursuing Meier

New Jersey and Carolina’s interest in Meier is well documented but it’s not just the two Metropolitan powers fighting for the power forward. Friedman reported that the Blues, Golden Knights and Jets are interested in trading for the Sharks’ star. St. Louis now has three first-round picks and though it seemed the Ryan O’Reilly trade was the start of a tank job, it appears the franchise is merely re-tooling.

Coyotes reportedly state hefty price for Chychrun

Jakob Chychrun has been on the market all season, and the Coyotes have listed their price as two first-round picks, along with a prospect that would equate to a first-round pick, according to Andy Strickland of Bally Sports Midwest. Arizona is reportedly in no rush to move Chychrun if it doesn’t receive a package it feels is fair for the 24-year-old burgeoning star.

This report seems somewhat counterintuitive to what’s been made publicly available. Arizona has benched Chychrun indefinitely as it seeks a trade partner and while there’s no reason to dispute the asking price, the Coyotes have been looking to find a suitable deal for Chychrun for months. Welcome to silly season, folks.

Capitals receiving calls for Dmitry Orlov

Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets and TSN reported that Washington Capitals are receiving calls about 31-year-old Dmitry Orlov. Orlov is slated to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, carrying a $5.1 million cap hit this year and both parties are struggling to reach a long-term deal.

“I don’t think the Capitals have given up on signing Orlov,” Johnston said Tuesday. “I don’t think they’ve committed to being full-on sellers, but if they get either a strong offer right now, or he’s unsigned at the end of next week, I think they have a very interesting decision on Orlov."

Orlov has recorded three goals and 19 points in 43 games with the Capitals. He has spent his entire NHL career with the Capitals, helping the franchise win their first-ever Stanley Cup in 2018.

Washington has controlled just over 50 percent of the expected goals at 5-on-5 when Orlov is on the ice via Natural Stat Trick, he’s mobile, physical and logs just under 23 minutes per game. Given that he’s on an expiring deal, he has extensive playoff experience and he can eat minutes, particularly against bottom-six forward groups, Orlov could be a lucrative asset for contending teams, especially if they strike out on Erik Karlsson.

Penguins won’t make Petry available

A local Pittsburgh-based writer floated the idea that Jeff Petry would be available, quoting an unnamed Western Conference executive saying “he’s out there.”

The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun refuted the initial report, and doesn’t believe Petry will be traded. Petry and Marcus Pettersson took part in the Penguins’ optional skate Thursday morning. Petry has recorded three goals and 19 points in 40 games. He would be an asset to a contending team but as the Penguins remain firmly in the wild-card race, it appears they’re not looking to become a seller at the deadline.

The Penguins acquired Petry — along with forward Ryan Poehling — from the Montreal Canadiens for Mike Matheson and a fourth-round pick last offseason.