For losing Leafs, script flips in Atlantic on eve of trade deadine

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Atlantic Division rivals who’ve gained playoff revenge on the Maple Leafs this year aren’t about to stop re-arming.

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Not content with being back in the post-season picture, Buffalo (14 years missing the playoffs) and Detroit (nine) are active shoppers at Friday’s trade deadline. In the case of the Sabres, however, closing deals is proving frustrating..

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On Thursday, Buffalo learned that St. Louis Blues’ big defenceman Colton Parayko was exercising his no-trade clause to block a deal that was reported by various outlets to be for a first-round pick and young defenceman Radim Mrtka.

Parayko, a member of Team Canada at the Olympics, had given the trade some thought, but TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported that the Sabres wanted an answer well before Friday so they could look at other options and Parayko wasn’t to be rushed.

There is also belief that Parayko wishes to remain in the Western Conference if moved. Buffalo, looking to get blue-line depth in any case, has also been hot on Philadelphia’s Rasmus Ristolainen, a former Sabre, who is playoff-desperate after 800 career NHL games without a spring appearance.

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An OEL deal could be complicated

And while Buffalo-Toronto playoff trades have been rare, consider that Oliver Ekman-Larsson has been kept out of the past two games and Toronto wouldn’t say no if Buffalo or anyone else overpays for him on Friday. But OEL has two years at $3.5 million US and a move is complicated on his end by the impending arrival of another child this month.

Another St. Louis star, centre Robert Thomas, has been part of talks with Buffalo and is on the Red Wings’ radar among others. Detroit, looking to beef up with Andrew Copp as its current No. 2 centre, could also be in the Vincent Trocheck mix as the conference’s last-place Rangers take offers on their attractive centre.

Both Buffalo and Detroit have draft capital and prospects to offer after their years near the bottom of the standings.

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Also at 70-plus points in playoff position is Montreal, which finally returned to the dance last spring, and Boston, trying to flip the script after missing last season. The Bruins had Parayko and Calgary blueliner MacKenzie Weegar in their sights before the latter went to Utah for a package of picks. Like many clubs, Boston might lower its expectations and look at 33-year-old right shot defenceman Justin Faulk of the Blues.

Canadiens may be quiet

Montreal general manager Kent Hughes was quiet at last year’s deadline and having had a busy summer and most of the season to watch his team gel further, he’s expected to stay off the phone Friday.

The Ottawa Senators were away from the playoffs for almost a decade before losing a first-round series to Toronto and are unexpectedly lagging in the standings this month, six points behind Boston before Thursday. But they bolstered their roster before their game in Calgary by acquiring forward Warren Foegele from Los Angeles, then sending the long-term injured David Perron to Detroit for a fourth-round pick.

The Florida Panthers’ rapid transition from two-time Stanley Cup champions to sellers could flood the market and thwart trade competitors. They sent veteran Jeff Petry to the Wild, but the intrigue Friday is how serious GM Bill Zito is about moving UFA goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and forward A.J. Greer for something to get the Cats back in title territory in 2027.

Lhornby@postmedia.com

X: @sunhornby

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