The market for San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier seems to be growing.

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights have joined the New Jersey Devils and Carolina Hurricanes among teams showing significant interest in Meier, ESPN's Kevin Weekes reports.

Meier carries a $6-million cap hit and is a pending restricted free agent. His qualifying offer will be $10 million, and he can become an unrestricted free agent in 2024.

The Sharks have yet to give Meier's agent permission to speak to teams involved in trade talks about a potential contract extension, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun. The Devils, LeBrun adds, would want an extension in place as part of a trade. That's not a deal breaker for other clubs, such as the Hurricanes.

Meier has recorded 30 goals, 21 assists, 242 shots, and 109 hits in 54 games this season. It's the third time in the 26-year-old's career that he's reached the 30-goal mark.

The Maple Leafs, which are likely penciled in for a Round 1 rematch with the Tampa Bay Lightning, are looking to advance past the opening round of the postseason for the first time since 2004. Adding Meier to an already stacked top-six forward group would make Toronto that much more dangerous up front.

The Pacific Division-leading Golden Knights are no strangers to making splashy additions. With captain Mark Stone out indefinitely, Vegas may be looking to replace his spot in the lineup. If Stone, who carries a $9.5-million cap hit, remains out until the postseason, the Golden Knights would approach the trade deadline with increased cap flexibility.

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Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj is out indefinitely after sustaining an upper-body injury in Sunday's victory over the Edmonton Oilers, the team announced.

Xhekaj left the contest after fighting with Vincent Desharnais and didn't return.

The Canadiens are already without Cole Caufield, Brendan Gallagher, Juraj Slafkovsky, Sean Monahan, Jake Evans, and Kaiden Guhle due to injuries.

Xhekaj has been a feel-good story for this season's rebuilding Habs. The undrafted rookie earned a roster spot out of camp and blossomed into a regular within Montreal's defensive corps. Xhekaj has registered 13 points, 159 hits, and 46 blocks in 51 games while averaging 15:16 per contest during his first NHL campaign.

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The Columbus Blue Jackets announced defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov will be a healthy scratch Tuesday against the New Jersey Devils for trade-related reasons.

A deal isn't imminent, but the Blue Jackets are playing it safe as they gauge the market, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.

Gavrikov has been rumored to be on the block all season. The stay-at-home rearguard is expected to generate plenty of interest from contenders as a pending unrestricted free agent with a manageable $2.8-million cap hit.

The 27-year-old has spent his entire four-year career with the Blue Jackets. He registered 10 points this season while averaging more than 22 minutes per night.

Columbus, currently last in the NHL, is expected to sell as many assets as it can before the March 3 deadline.

Gavrikov is the second player over the past week to be held out for trade precautions, joining Arizona Coyotes star Jakob Chychrun.

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Ryan Reynolds has chosen his co-star in an effort to purchase the Ottawa Senators.

The Vancouver-born actor is teaming up with The Remington Group, which recruited the actor to join a consortium that's set to make a bid for the Sens, according to The Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garrioch.

Landing Reynolds is a major development for the Toronto-based real estate development corporation in its efforts to buy the club. The NHL reportedly informed potential bidders in December that it wants the actor to be a minority partner.

Reynolds was apparently sold on the vision of The Remington Group - one of the largest builders in Ontario - to turn the team into a winning franchise and its determination to build a new arena at LeBreton Flats, according to Garrioch.

More than 20 groups had reportedly expressed interest in purchasing the franchise in November.

The Senators were valued at $655 million by Sportico this season. It's anticipated that the sale of the team will exceed $800 million after the Pittsburgh Penguins were sold to Fenway Sports Group in 2021 for $900 million.

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