League moves and rumors continued throughout the first day of the NHL Draft, with at least one Islanders update and one “can confirm” thing that got people up in arms but is likely nothing.
First, the Islanders announced the re-signing of defenseman Tony DeAngelo to a two-year contract at $4.5 million per year. Damn, nice compensation for the KHL refugee if you can get it. So, status quo there on the blueline, except now more expensive.
The other piece of “news,” as it were, was reporters confirming
that multiple teams have “called” Mathieu Darche inquiring about Mathew Barzal.
It’s difficult to imagine what teams like Montreal and Dallas would expect could work for the Isles in such a trade, since the Isles under Darche appear to want to remain competitive as they wait for other prospects to ripen.
Lots of other theater in the works, with trades, pending trades and proposed trades. That includes Ottawa’s latest in a long line of stabs at underwhelming goalies, as they’ve taken recent Flyer and pending RFA Samuel Ersson off the Leafs’ hands.
Bigger names are also on the board, such as in Anaheim where there are offers for playoff scratch Mason McTavish, and Winnipeg where they’re listening to offers for American goalie Connor Hellebuyck. One report had the Sabres’ offer for Hellebucyk declined because they insisted on swapping first-round picks in the deal.
The actual draft, the first round at least, commences at 7 p.m. EDT.
