The Wild are seeking a top-line center in exchange for either blue-liner, according to Dreger. He adds that Minnesota would seek an additional asset from a team offering a second-line center.
Dumba, 25, is a mobile, right-shooting defender with plenty of offensive upside. The 6-foot rearguard has managed just four goals and 18 points through 55 games this season, but he remains one of the Wild's most reliable talents. He sits second on the team in average ice time and ranks third in both blocks and hits.
The native of Saskatchewan is under contract for three years beyond this season and carries an annual cap hit of $6 million.
Brodin is a reliable top-four defenseman who's posted solid possession numbers throughout the 2019-20 campaign. The Wild own 56.32% of high-danger scoring chances with Brodin on the ice at five-on-five, and an expected goals share of 51.3%. The Swedish rearguard is under contract through the 2020-21 season at an annual cap hit of $4.16 million.
After trading forward Jason Zucker to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday, Guerin said Tuesday he won't hesitate to deal more players if he senses the team has quit on the season.
The Carolina Hurricanes are amenable to trading one of their first-round picks in exchange for a blue-liner who's under contract beyond this season.
"It is something that Carolina has begun telling teams that (it's) willing to do if it means getting a top-four (defenseman) that is signed," TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported on Tuesday's edition of "Insider Trading."
The Hurricanes have "kicked tires" on pending unrestricted free agents Sami Vatanen of the New Jersey Devils and Brenden Dillon of the San Jose Sharks, but Carolina owner Tom Dundon doesn't like spending assets on rental players, adds LeBrun.
Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba - who's signed through 2022-23 with a $6-million cap hit - is one rearguard the Hurricanes have reportedly looked into acquiring.
Carolina owns two first-round selections in the 2020 NHL Draft after obtaining the Toronto Maple Leafs' first-rounder in the Patrick Marleau swap in June 2019.
Nygard is out long term after undergoing surgery on Jan. 31 to repair a broken hand. He suffered the injury two days earlier against the Calgary Flames.
The 27-year-old has collected three goals and nine points in 33 games this season, his first in the NHL following seven campaigns with Farjestads in his home country of Sweden.
Edmonton signed Nygard to a one-year entry-level pact last May.
Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin means business in his first season with the team.
Guerin warned his club Tuesday that more trades may be on the horizon, just one day after dealing veteran Jason Zucker to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
"I can promise you this: if there is quit, there will be more trades," Guerin told reporters. "I wholeheartedly expect this team to compete for a playoff spot, we're right there. If there's any signs of anybody taking their foot off the gas, that will be an indication."
The Wild received Alex Galchenyuk, as well as a top prospect and first-round draft pick for Zucker.
Guerin knows he needs to match the effort he's asking for from his players if the team is to make a postseason run.
"We're going to do our best, we know where we stand right now and what we need to address and we'll keep working towards it," Guerin added. "Like I've said in the past, I'm not going to make trades just to try to make trades and fabricate something that's not good enough. If a deal makes sense we'll do it. If it doesn't, then we'll be patient and we'll wait."
The Wild sit in sixth place in the Central Division with a 26-23-6 record, but are just five points out of the second wild-card spot.
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones will miss the next 8-to-10 weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured ankle on Tuesday, the team announced.
Jones suffered the injury in a game versus the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.
The Blue Jackets will sorely miss Jones, who leads the team in ice time per game (25:17) and has chipped in six goals and 30 points in 56 appearances. He also leads the league in defensive-zone blocked passes this season, according to The Point Hockey.
There are eight weeks remaining in the regular season, and Columbus is in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race. At 30-17-10, the Blue Jackets occupy the first wild-card spot in the conference. Since Jan. 1, they've posted the NHL's second-best record.
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We had to settle for a 2-2 Monday night - 3-2 if you tailed the Columbus Blue Jackets' team total under - but a win for the Calgary Flames helped us improve to 5-2 in the last seven days with our best bets.
Let's keep it going Tuesday.
GOATs and scapegoats
The Flames had the power play working and Milan Lucic was a big part of that. He started the scoring during the opening frame for his first of three points on the night to help both his team pick up the win and us cash in on our best bet.
We needed that boost, too, because Pekka Rinne was of absolutely no help. Nothing kills an under quite like four goals on 14 shots. Thanks, Pekka.
Tuesday bets
Chicago Blackhawks (+110)
I had the Blackhawks circled in this one before the news of Connor McDavid's extended absence, so it becomes an even easier decision now to fade the Edmonton Oilers without their captain. Chicago has won eight of its last 11 on the road and three of four in Edmonton but continues to be undervalued by oddsmakers. Playing catchup in the wild-card race, this is a huge game for the Blackhawks against an Oilers team that's inconsistent on home ice - it's won five of its last seven at Rogers Place after losing eight of 10 before that.
Dallas Stars (-130)
I told you a few weeks ago to buy low on the Stars and said the same thing Friday about the Carolina Hurricanes. I think we'll see both of these teams playing deep into the spring, and it'll be fascinating to watch them square off tonight in Dallas. Carolina has won back-to-back games on the road after dropping five in a row, but the Stars are a different beast on home ice. While the Hurricanes have been scoring a lot of goals, they've also been allowing them in bunches. Carolina can't go into Dallas and hope to simply outscore its opponent. Expect the Stars to build off their win Saturday in St. Louis and end a mini-slump at American Airlines Center.
Best bet
Pittsburgh Penguins (-110)
I love what the Penguins did in trading for Jason Zucker, who's an excellent player and a great fit on the wing alongside either Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin. Pittsburgh is almost flying under the radar in what is an especially strong Eastern Conference, but it has the NHL's second-best record since the start of December, just a hair behind the Tampa Bay Lightning's.
This should be a great game and possible Eastern Conference Final preview, which I'd typically just sit back and enjoy. However, fatigue will likely play a role for the Lightning, who were pushed to the brink Monday night in their overtime win against the Blue Jackets. This isn't an ideal situation away to the Penguins, who have won 12 of their last 15 on home ice and five of their last six games at home to Tampa.
The last time they failed to do so was in November 2015. The Flyers have also won three of their last four on the road after winning just two of their previous 10, and have scored at least three goals in five straight road affairs. You have to lay -130 to get it, but over 2.5 on the Flyers' team total seems a strong play tonight.
Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.
The quad is completely unrelated to McDavid's knee injury he suffered at the end of last season, Holland added, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.
Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury, head coach Jared Bednar said on Altitude Sports Radio, according to team play-by-play announcer Marc Moser.
An Avs spokesperson confirmed to TSN's Pierre LeBrun that Kadri is considered week-to-week.
Kadri went down awkwardly during Sunday's game against the Minnesota Wild.
The 29-year-old was enjoying a stellar first season with the Avalanche after arriving in an offseason trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He's provided Colorado with some valuable secondary scoring, ranking second on the team with 19 goals and fifth with 36 points.
The injury could potentially alter the Avalanche's deadline plans, though Jean-Gabriel Pageau of the Ottawa Senators is the only notable center expected to be made available.
The Avalanche sit second in the Central Division with 70 points.
The trade deadline is one of the trickiest times of the year for NHL general managers.
Should contenders trust their current roster, or bring in reinforcements? And should bubble teams try to compete with the top dogs?
Last year, the Columbus Blue Jackets went all-in, acquiring Ryan Dzingel and Matt Duchene to take a run at the Stanley Cup. They went on to squeeze into the playoffs and shockingly sweep the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round, but then bowed out in the second. The St. Louis Blues, meanwhile, took home the Cup after making just one minor deal on deadline day to bring in Michael Del Zotto, who didn't appear in a single game during the playoffs.
Let's take a look at the likely buyers and sellers, and which teams are facing tough decisions.
Big spenders
Scott Audette / National Hockey League / Getty
Tampa Bay Lightning
Top prospects: Cal Foote, Nolan Foote, Alexander Volkov, Taylor Raddysh, Boris Katchouk, Alex Barre-Boulet, Mathieu Joseph
Draft pick situation: The Lightning are missing just their fifth-round selection in the upcoming draft. They'll get an additional first-round pick in 2020 if the Canucks make the playoffs, and that selection transfers to next year if Vancouver misses the posteason. Tampa also owns the Red Wings' fourth-round selection and the Senators' sixth-round pick in this year's draft.
The Lightning will get two first-round picks either this year or in 2021. Few top contenders possess that sort of draft capital, so Tampa should use it to reinforce an already deep team. After a historic campaign and an embarrassing sweep in the first round last year, the Lightning will be back with a vengeance this postseason.
Boston Bruins
Top prospects: Jack Studnicka, Zach Senyshyn, Urho Vaakanainen, Anders Bjork, Trent Frederic, John Beecher, Axel Andersson
Draft pick situation: The Bruins sent away their fourth-round pick in the upcoming draft.
Once again sitting atop the league's standings, Boston will surely be looking to add some secondary scoring to help one of the league's top lines.
Colorado Avalanche
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Top prospects: Bowen Byram, Shane Bowers, Conor Timmins, Alex Newhook, Martin Kaut
Draft pick situation: The Avalanche don't have their second-round pick in the upcoming draft. However, their picks from the Maple Leafs and Panthers make up for the team not owning its selections in the third and sixth rounds.
With a lot of cap space, Colorado can take on almost anybody's cap hit. General manager Joe Sakic can use one of the league's best prospect groups to mortgage a bit of his team's future while grabbing a title now and still remaining a top contender for years to come.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Top prospects: Samuel Poulin, Filip Hallander, Pierre-Olivier Joseph, Kasper Bjorqvist, Nathan Legare
Draft pick situation: Pittsburgh is missing its first-, second- and seventh-round selections in the upcoming draft.
With Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin entering the twilight of their careers, it's almost now or never for them to win another Cup. The Penguins made a big splash Monday, dealing away a first-round pick, Calen Adisson, and Alex Galchenyuk to bring in Jason Zucker from the Minnesota Wild. General manager Jim Rutherford may be content with just the single move, but there's still a chance he looks to add even more depth.
The Devils took a big swing this past summer, bringing in Simmonds, Subban, and Nikita Gusev, and selecting Jack Hughes first overall. It didn't work out, but there was still a dedicated home-run effort.
The team shipped out Taylor Hall earlier this season, and there's now a young core in New Jersey to build upon. Selling off some veteran players at the deadline can go a long way for the Devils' rebuild.
The Senators' roster turnover has been stunning, with just a handful of players left from their team that made it within one goal of the Stanley Cup Final in 2017.
It looks like Ottawa will have two lottery picks, one via the San Jose Sharks, and three second-round selections in this year's draft. The Senators would be wise to bring in even more assets, adding to their young core that includes Brady Tkachuk and Thomas Chabot.
The Kings are hoping to quickly rebuild because Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty aren't getting younger. Destined for a top-five pick in this year's draft, Los Angeles will need to add more talent to fast-track the process.
Bubble teams facing tough decisions
Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / Getty
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Leafs' core is set for the next several years, but there aren't many draft picks at their disposal. With just a few players set to hit free agency this summer and the recent emergence of blue-liners Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren, general manager Kyle Dubas needs to decide whether he should trust his group and ride out the season, or bring in another body or two.
Facing a tight playoff race in the East, there's no guarantee the Leafs will even make the postseason.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes have the misfortune of playing in one of the league's toughest divisions, and they're sitting in the second wild-card spot in the East despite earning 67 points.
Carolina holds a few picks in the upcoming draft, including an extra selection in each of the first three rounds. If general manager Don Wadell decides he wants to make a splash at the deadline, there's more than enough ammunition for him to work with.
Florida Panthers
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
In a major move this past summer, the Panthers paid Sergei Bobrovsky big bucks. Florida could now use some help defensively to support its high-octane group of forwards.
With the team in a close race against the Maple Leafs for the third spot in the Atlantic Division, there's also no guarantee the Panthers will make the playoffs. Bobrovsky took some time to settle into the crease in the Sunshine State, so perhaps general manager Dale Tallon decides to take a mulligan on the year.
Nashville Predators
David Poile seems to never sit still at the trade deadline. As usual, the Central Division is competitive, with Nashville eight points behind the Dallas Stars for third place. Thankfully, the Pacific Division has struggled all season long, leaving the wild-card spots in the West wide open.
Poile will need to decide whether it's worth being aggressive, especially if Nashville seems destined to be a wild-card team.
Vegas Golden Knights
Jeff Bottari / National Hockey League / Getty
There seems to be a new Pacific Division leader daily. Just four points separate the top five teams in the division, and the Golden Knights can easily end up taking the crown.
With a healthy amount of picks in the upcoming two drafts and a bitter taste in their mouth from last year's postseason result, the Golden Knights may look to bolster their roster. Last season, their acquisition of Mark Stone was the biggest trade at the deadline.
Winnipeg Jets
The Jets have been in dire need of a defenseman all season long, and they may be wise to add one while close to a playoff spot. Now that they know Dustin Byfuglien won't be returning this season, it could be time to act. If Winnipeg can catch fire at the right time, the club will be one of the toughest outs in the playoffs.
Edmonton Oilers
Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / Getty
Boasting the league's top two scorers in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the Oilers should have no reason not to be a playoff team. Still, with the Pacific Division wide open, there is a chance they wind up missing the postseason. Given the elite level at which Draisaitl and McDavid are playing, failing to add some secondary scoring to help them would constitute a huge opportunity wasted. Ahead of his first trade deadline with the Oilers, Ken Holland has a number of tough decisions to mull over.
