NHL Rumors: Timo Meier day-to-day trade impact, Joonas Korpisalo, and Rangers making moves
Anthony Scultore
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The NHL Rumors Mill is in overdrive with the NHL Trade Deadline now just 11 days away.
One player in particular that everyone is keeping an eye is San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier. He’s considered one of the top trade targets available but an upper-body injury may put the breaks on any deal.
NHL Rumors: Timo Meier
Meier, 26, will be a restricted free agent with salary arbitration rights in July. He isn’t your typical trade deadline rental.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if any scenario happens, right? This isn’t an unrestricted free agent,” Sharks coach David Quinn said via SJ Hockey Now. “So there’s a lot of possibilities that can happen, which I think compounds his situation.”
Those scenarios also includes staying put with the Sharks at least for one more year. He has a $10 million qualifying offer which will make it hard for many teams to try and keep him beyond this season.
However, things are going to be put on hold as Meier is questionable for Monday’s matchup against the Seattle Kraken. The injury occurred Saturday night in the team’s loss to the Buffalo Sabres.
Regardless, barring any significant change to his status, several teams will still continue in their pursuit. This season, he’s posted 31 goals and 52 points in 57 games.
When it comes to trade destinations, he’s most closely linked to the New Jersey Devils and Carolina Hurricanes.
NHL Rumors: Joonas Korpisalo
If there are any teams looking for a goalie or some insurance for the post season, I’m talking to you Los Angeles Kings and Toronto Maple Leafs, Joonas Korpisalo is emerging as a candidate.
Korpisalo, 28, is 10-10-3 this season on a woeful Columbus Blue Jackets team with a GAA of 3.14 and a .912 save percentage. He will be a UFA in July.
“If you look at how Korpisalo going back to beginning of December, he’s top nine in adjusted save percentage,” Jeff Marek said on 32 Thoughts. “He’s on an expiring contact with a $1.3 million AAV, and teams are going to use tandems. I wonder if there’s a team out there looking for goalie insurance. They should look at Columbus and Korpisalo.”
NHL Rumors: Rangers re-acquire Tyler Motte
The New York Rangers are acquired Tyler Motte from the Ottawa Senators for Julien Gauthier and a conditional seventh-round pick in 2023 on Sunday. If the Rangers get to the second round of the playoffs, the seventh becomes the lower of their two sixth-round selection.
This move bolsters the Rangers fourth-line, but rumblings are clear that GM Chris Drury is still looking to make another move. It’s just not clear if it’s another depth trade or something more.
