Rumor Corner: The Lightning Are Reportedly a Top Choice for Zach Werenski

DansLesCoulisses.com
Rumor Corner: The Lightning Are Reportedly a Top Choice for Zach Werenski
Credit: Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

Things haven't been going well in Columbus over the past few days. The Blue Jackets are set to lose several players to free agency, and rumors surrounding Kirill Marchenko and Zach Werenski have begun to circulate.

This time, the focus is on Werenski. There have been many reports suggesting he wants to join a team with the potential to win a championship, but nothing concrete has emerged. However, the situation appears to have moved forward.

During his appearance on TSN's “Insider Trading” segment on Tuesday, Pierre LeBrun revealed that the Lightning is a team that could be of great interest to Werenski.

According to LeBrun, several other teams are reportedly very interested, including the Stars, the Maple Leafs, and the Flyers.

The only problem in this situation is that Werenski will clearly have a say in his next destination, and the Blue Jackets would want a hockey trade—meaning they'd want a return package that includes players who can already make an impact for them in the NHL.

This is just speculation, but perhaps a player like Nikita Kucherov—who is in the final year of his contract—could help the Lightning acquire Werenski.

The Maple Leafs are looking at Sergei Bobrovsky

Even after finishing near the bottom of the Atlantic Division, the Maple Leafs refuse to start a rebuild. The organization's mindset is to always try to remain competitive.

One of the Leafs' major weaknesses is in goal. They thought they'd solved their problem after a strong season from Anthony Stolarz, but that plan seems to be falling apart.

That's where Sergei Bobrovsky comes into the picture. Also during the “Insider Trading” segment, Chris Johnston revealed that the Leafs are very interested in Bobrovsky.

The only problem for Toronto is that the Russian goaltender is reportedly seeking a six-year contract, even though he'll be 38 years old when the next season begins.

It remains to be seen whether Toronto is willing to take on such a large contract to temporarily solve its goaltending problem.

Jonathan Drouin Could Be of Interest to Everyone

Earlier on Tuesday, it was reported that the Blues would buy out Jonathan Drouin's contract. He will therefore become an unrestricted free agent and receive a payout from the buyout.

What this means is that he won't be asking for much money at all on his next contract.

Appearing on BPM Sports' “Le Retour” show on Tuesday, Renaud Lavoie noted that virtually every NHL team could be interested in the Quebec native's services.

Lavoie's explanation makes perfect sense. If Jonathan Drouin joins a talented team, he'll serve as an emergency backup for the top two lines. He has NHL experience and could fill in for an injured top-6 player for a few games.

If Drouin were to join a weaker team, he might have the chance to become a regular in the top six—where he's most comfortable.

The key word here is “experience.” After all, we're talking about a player with 671 NHL games under his belt who has racked up nearly 400 points during that span.


In Brief

– It looks like Brendan Gallagher will wear number 7 with the Canucks.

– To think he was drafted ahead of Ivan Demidov.

– That's a steep price for Jérémy Lauzon.

– David Perron is expected to become a free agent without compensation.

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