5 Commerce Touchdown Spots for Blue Jackets Defenseman Ivan Provorov Amid NHL Rumors

The Columbus
Blue Jackets have been aggressive in latest weeks, staying inside
vary of the ultimate wild-card berth within the Eastern Conference.
Nonetheless, certainly one of their top-four defensemen has drawn loads of
curiosity as a commerce candidate.

Ivan Provorov is
a left-shot blueliner within the last season of his six-year contract
and is eligible to grow to be an unrestricted free agent in July. The
27-year-old carries a mean annual worth of $6.75 million however the
Blue Jackets solely carry $4.725 million with the Los Angeles Kings
selecting up the rest.

On Nov. 21,
TSN’s Pierre LeBrun suggested Provorov can be the highest defenseman
out there by the March 7 NHL commerce deadline. The Athletic’s Chris
Johnston has Provorov sitting atop his NHL Trade Board whereas Each day
Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli has him at No. 4 on his Nov. 20 listing of Trade
Targets.

A nine-season NHL veteran, the 6’3″, 201-pound Provorov is a sturdy, strong-skating, puck-moving rearguard who can log over 23 minutes per sport and play left or proper protection. He’d be a stable match for a playoff contender in search of dependable top-four blue-line depth. The Blue Jackets’ share of his cap hit makes him an inexpensive protection choice.

The Blue Jackets
will need a cheap return for Provorov. Johnston believes he
may fetch them a first-round decide in return. They are not in any
rush to maneuver him however LeBrun believes it is solely a matter of time.

Listed here are 5 potential touchdown spots for Provorov. Be at liberty to precise your
ideas on this matter within the app feedback beneath.

Since 2020-21,
the Carolina Hurricanes have been among the many NHL’s high groups,
ending first of their division and second general within the Japanese Convention thrice. In addition they reached the convention
finals in 2023 however had been swept by the Florida Panthers.

Underneath staff proprietor Tom Dundon, the Hurricanes
have been recognized for daring strikes. These
embody the additions of present roster gamers Brent Burns and
Jesperi Kotkaniemi and their acquisition of winger Jake Guentzel on the March 2024
commerce deadline.

Regardless of their stable regular-season performances and notable additions, the
Hurricanes have come up quick of their quest for the Stanley Cup. Final summer time, veteran defenseman Brady Skjei and Brett Pesce departed by way of free company, weakening their blue-line depth.

The Hurricanes
are jockeying for first place within the Eastern Conference
with the New Jersey Devils and Washington
Capitals. Dundon and first-year common supervisor Eric Tulsky may
have a look at Ivan Provorov to enhance their second-pairing protection depth and increase their probabilities of successful the Stanley Cup subsequent spring.

With $5.7 million in projected commerce deadline salary-cap space, the Hurricanes can afford
Provorov’s cap hit. They’ve all their first-round picks plus an
further third-rounder within the 2025 draft to attract on for commerce bait.

Following
back-to-back appearances within the Western Convention Last, the Dallas
Stars may very well be all-in for a run on the Stanley Cup this season.
Basic supervisor Jim Nill may have a watch on Ivan Provorov to
present an additional measure of puck-moving ability amongst his top-four
defense pairings.

Including Provorov
would give Nill some choices on his protection. The veteran blueliner
may very well be used on the left facet on the primary or second pairing or
switched to the correct facet on the second pairing.

The Stars
possess a superb combination of established veterans led by Jamie Benn,
Tyler Seguin, and Matt Duchene, and younger expertise approaching their
enjoying primes like Miro Heiskanen, Jason Robertson, and Wyatt
Johnston. Nevertheless, Benn and Duchene are UFA-eligible next summer,
which may make this season their greatest probability at successful the Cup.

Nill has his first-rounders for the subsequent three drafts. Together with his membership in “win-now” mode, he may very well be prepared to half with a type of picks to spice up his blueline for a Cup run together with maybe a prospect.

The Stars can
afford to tackle Provorov’s contract as they carry a projected commerce
deadline cap area of $6.6 million.

Winners of the
Presidents’ Trophy for 2023-24, the New York Rangers have been amongst
the NHL’s greatest groups lately. They have been to the Japanese
Convention Finals twice within the last three seasons and may very well be busy
main as much as the March 2025 commerce deadline discovering methods to shore up
their roster to chase the Stanley Cup subsequent spring.

Rangers common supervisor Chris Drury has a further incentive to swing a deal. Core gamers like Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, and staff captain Jacob Trouba are growing old and may very well be reaching their “best-before” dates. This season may very well be the final alternative for this group to pursue hockey’s holy grail earlier than modifications have to be made.

Recent reports point out Drury has knowledgeable his friends round that league that he is prepared to entertain commerce affords for veterans like Kreider and Trouba. Given their costly contracts, no-trade clauses, and present worth to the Rangers, he appears to be attempting to inspire these gamers to raise their play quite than making a critical try to commerce them.

One other issue
to think about is Igor Shesterkin’s contract situation. The 28-year-old
goaltender is slated to grow to be an unrestricted free agent subsequent summer time
and is in search of high greenback to remain in New York. A Cup run subsequent spring
may make it extra attractive for him to stay within the Massive Apple.

The Rangers have $2.8 million in projected commerce deadline
cap area. In addition they have their first-rounders for the subsequent three years however lack picks within the second, third, and fourth rounds within the 2025 draft. Nevertheless, Drury may embody a younger ahead like 2019 second-overall decide Kaapo Kakko ($2.4 million cap hit) in a bundle take care of a prospect for Ivan Provorov.

Since becoming a member of
the NHL in 2017-18, the Vegas Golden Knights have a report of success
few golf equipment throughout this era have equaled. They received the Stanley Cup
in 2023, reached the Cup Last in 2018, the Western Convention Last
in 2020, and the Semifinal in the course of the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season.

The Golden Knights entrance workplace possesses a perpetual “go-for-it” mentality, resulting in a number of bold moves since their enlargement draft in 2017. Their most up-to-date main additions occurred earlier than final season’s commerce deadline, bringing in defenseman Noah Hanifin and middle Tomáš Hertl.

Sitting third
general within the Western Conference, the Golden Knights are once more
within the thick of the playoff chase. Basic supervisor Kelly McCrimmon
may very well be sniffing round for an additional huge commerce deadline deal.

Ivan Provorov
may very well be a tempting goal for the Golden Knights. Whereas their top
four defense is stable with Alex Pietrangelo, Shea Theodore, Brayden McNabb, and
Hanifin, bringing in Provorov’s measurement and puck-moving abilities may
make their blueline one of the best within the 2025 postseason, giving them an enormous edge over their opponents.

The Golden
Knights have $5.3 million in projected cap space to amass Provorov,
although they might see if the Blue Jackets would possibly retain a few of their
share of his cap hit. They’ve already traded away their
first-rounders in 2025 and 2026 but it surely would not be stunning in the event that they
packaged their 2027 first-round decide with different picks or a prospect.

The Winnipeg
Jets sit atop the NHL’s general standings. As of Nov. 29, they’re off to a
red-hot begin, with a report of 18 wins and 5 losses for 36 factors.

Basic supervisor
Kevin Cheveldayoff must be happy along with his membership’s efficiency thus
far. Ought to they preserve this tempo, he may try so as to add extra
depth to his roster by the commerce deadline to enhance his staff’s
probabilities at a Stanley Cup run subsequent spring.

The Jets’ efficiency was sturdy final season as they completed second overall within the Western
Convention with 110 factors. Nevertheless, they’d a disappointing postseason as they had been
eradicated by the Colorado Avalanche from the opening spherical.

Since reaching
the Western Convention Last in 2018, the Jets have superior only once previous the opening spherical.
Cheveldayoff may very well be decided to keep away from that destiny once more.

Cheveldayoff
may have a watch on Provorov to enhance his protection corps. The Blue
Jackets blueliner’s abilities and expertise would make him a superb match alongside Neal Pionk on their second defense pairing.

The Jets’ projected commerce deadline cap space is $11.9 million, greater than sufficient
to amass Provorov’s wage. In addition they have their first-round picks within the subsequent three drafts and will use one in a commerce bundle with a decrease decide or
a prospect.

Stats and standings (as of Nov. 29, 2024) by way of NHL.com. Wage data by way of PuckPedia. Line mixtures by way of Daily Faceoff.