NHL Trade Talk: 2 Teams Step Forward For Luke Schenn

NHL Trade Talk: 2 Teams Step Forward For Luke Schenn NHL Trade Talk.

Following the Bo Horvat trade, there are two names being closely watched in Vancouver when it comes to possible Canucks trades. One is Brock Boeser — who has been on the trade market for some time and teams have been given permission to talk to him about a deal — the other is Luke Schenn.

Unlike Boeser, Schenn’s contract is an attractive one. He offers skill, physicality, leadership, playoff experience, and a Stanley Cups on his resume and all of that comes at a price tag of $850K. He’s a pending UFA at the end of the season and while he’s made it known that he’d be open to staying in Vancouver, he understands the business of hockey and knows he could be dealt before the March 3 NHL Trade Deadline.

While the assumption is many organizations have kicked trade tires on the player, according to Pierre LeBrun, two teams have stepped up and shown real interest in Schenn. He writes, “My understanding is that some contenders have reached out to the Canucks to check on Schenn, including the Bruins and Lightning. Let’s take a look at each.

Boston Bruins Make Sense For Schenn

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman talked about the Bruins during the latest 32 Thoughts podcast and figured the Bruins could add to their left defense. Emily Kaplan noted during an interview on NHL @ ESPN that they are looking for depth forwards, but said, “Another thing I’ve heard they’ve been scouting is for a depth defenseman.” Schenn makes sense based on both of these descriptions.

Other than perhaps having to outbid a few teams who might also like this player, he won’t cost the Bruins a lot to acquire and Schenn seems open to signing another deal with a team. Why wouldn’t he be excited about the prospect of signing with the NHL’s current league leader? The Bruins are among the favorites to win the Stanley Cup this season and while the team isn’t sure about the future of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci beyond this season, no one expects them to pack it in should either or both choose to retire.

The Bruins need a couple of small pieces to lock themselves in as favorites to win it all. Schenn could be one of those pieces.

Tampa Bay Wants Their Boy Back

With the Lightning, Schenn would be returning to a place he knows well. He spent two seasons there, played 63 regular season games and 19 playoff games as a defenseman on their roster, and going back where you know the coach, the system, and many of the players would have some appeal. For the Lightning, bringing back what they know is a smart strategy. Schenn won two Stanley Cups with Tampa. Can they win a third? No one is ruling them out, even if they aren’t considered legitimate favorites this season.

When it comes to trade targets in Tampa finding players with lower salaries is key. They are working in LTIR and have just $719K in deadline salary cap space, according to CapFriendly. There are few players who offer the kind of value Schenn does at the price point. Perhaps the team even considers a prospect in the deal versus a draft pick, simply because the Canucks are rumored to be looking more for hockey trades than deals that include only picks.

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NHL Trade Talk: 2 Teams Step Forward For Luke Schenn NHL Trade Talk.