"The Jackets only found out, of course, a few days ago that (Panarin) would not entertain negotiating an extension, but within those couple of days I'm told several contenders already have reached out to Columbus to find out what's going on, what the price might be, and get that conversation going," LeBrun said.
On Monday, Panarin's agent Dan Milstein released a statement saying the left winger would not discuss his future with the Blue Jackets until after the season.
Panarin will become an unrestricted free agent July 1, and while his value to the team is apparent, the Blue Jackets risk losing the superstar for nothing in the offseason if he remains with the team past the trade deadline.
Reports of Panarin's unwillingness to sign an extension with Columbus first surfaced last June. It was then reported in August that the New York Rangers were his first choice, while the New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, and Dallas Stars were also on Panarin's list of preferred destinations.
The 27-year-old is once again leading the Blue Jackets in scoring this season, registering 20 goals and 57 points in 48 games.
The Columbus Blue Jackets head coach expressed his frustration when asked about how his team's depth down the middle might help after Boone Jenner's injury.
"I've got one center playing. One," he told the assembled media, including TSN, in an apparent reference to first-line pivot Pierre-Luc Dubois.
Tortorella repeated that several times after subsequent questions. Then he tore into his club even further while referencing Tuesday's 5-4 loss to the Buffalo Sabres when asked about the matchup against the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night.
"It's a good team we're playing and it was a god-awful team that I coached the other night, so hopefully we'll answer the proper way," the bench boss said.
When asked if the players felt the same way, he said, "They better, or they'll get their ass kicked."
Tortorella added that he thought the Blue Jackets played with "absolutely no balls at all" in the defeat on Tuesday, that they were "absolute no-shows in every facet of the game," and the team needs to "reset pretty quickly."
After Thursday's game in Winnipeg, the Blue Jackets return home to play the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night.
The 36-year-old officially retired Thursday, ending a 14-season NHL career that included a Stanley Cup championship with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015 and a Cup Final appearance with the Ottawa Senators in 2007.
Vermette scored two game-winning goals in the championship round against the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2015.
He was skilled in the faceoff circle and became a frequent trade-deadline target as a result. The center produced 515 points in 1,046 games for the Senators, Columbus Blue Jackets, Phoenix and then Arizona Coyotes, Blackhawks, and Anaheim Ducks.
He last played in 2017-18 and spent the final two campaigns of his career with the Ducks.
The Vancouver Canucks are tied for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference 52 games into the regular season, but the club's unexpected success won't alter general manager Jim Benning's plans for the trade deadline.
"If there's a trade to be made, players for players, and we can make the team better, I'll look at something like that," Benning told Sportsnet's Iain MacIntyre on Wednesday.
"But we have a plan in place and I'm not moving picks from this year's draft to make the team better now. It's going to be about the guys in that room pulling together and having a good run. And that will dictate whether we're a playoff team or not."
The Canucks were expected to be in the thick of the race for the No. 1 selection in the 2019 draft, but superstar rookie Elias Pettersson has transformed the organization's outlook.
Since 2013, the Canucks have landed Pettersson, Brock Boeser, Bo Horvat, and top prospect Quinn Hughes with first-round picks.
Vancouver is hosting the draft in June, and the team owns nine picks spread across seven rounds.
With the All-Star Game now in the books, the unofficial halfway point of the season has come and gone, and we are still no closer to designating this year's best goaltender.
For the fourth straight edition, there is a new favorite to capture the Vezina Trophy.
5. David Rittich, Calgary Flames
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The Flames are cruising, and although the club boasts the best offense in the Western Conference, Rittich has been instrumental in their success.
For the first time since Miikka Kiprusoff hung up the skates following the 2012-13 campaign, Calgary looks to have some stability between the pipes. In fact, Rittich's .918 save percentage is tied for the fifth-highest mark in a season by a Flames netminder over the past 20 years. The four spots ahead of him are all occupied by Kiprusoff.
In 30 games, Rittich has gone 19-4-4. His .937 save percentage at five-on-five ranks second overall among goalies to play at least 800 minutes and his .880 high-danger save percentage is the third highest. He's making a heck of a case.
4. John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks
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Last month's favorite is beginning to slip, but his recent play is merely a byproduct of those playing in front of him.
Gibson has just two wins in nine games since the calendar flipped to 2019. Over that span, he's allowed two or fewer goals on just three occasions. However, Gibson has faced the most shots at five-on-five and 55 more high-danger shots than the next closest netminder this season.
The Ducks are a single point out of the final wild-card spot in the West despite scoring the second-fewest goals per game and allowing the third-most shots against. The man needs help.
3. Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning
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Nikita Kucherov's monstrous campaign has been nothing short of spectacular, but through 50 games, Vasilevskiy has arguably been the Lightning's most valuable player this year.
In just 29 games, he's recorded 20 wins, a .922 save percentage, and a 2.55 goals-against average - the lowest mark of his career as a starter.
The Lightning are in the midst of a potentially record-breaking season, and while the club is scoring more goals than any team in the NHL, Vasilevskiy has been no slouch.
2. Frederik Andersen, Toronto Maple Leafs
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The Maple Leafs were hit-or-miss prior to the All-Star break. Luckily, they went into the weekend on a high after a big 6-3 win over the Washington Capitals, where Andersen made 41 stops.
Andersen has been consistent, ranking tied for second in save percentage (.923), 12th in goals-against average (2.56), and third in wins (22). He also ranks first among all goalies with 13.46 goals saved above average at five-on-five.
Of course, coming out of the break with newly acquired Jake Muzzin in the fold should make Andersen one happy camper.
1. Robin Lehner, New York Islanders
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The Islanders have gone from a team that allowed the most goals against per game last campaign (3.57) to the fewest (2.41) this season.
Having a defensive-minded coach in Barry Trotz has played a major role, but Lehner also deserves credit. The 27-year-old has gone 15-7-4 in 27 games with a 2.02 goals-against average, which is tops among goalies to play at least 20 games. Meanwhile, his .940 five-on-five save percentage and .931 mark overall both rank first in the NHL, while his 13.19 goals saved above average sits third.
After a forgettable 2017-18 in Buffalo, Lehner has been remarkable with the Islanders and could be rewarded handsomely for his stellar play at the end of the season.
Rask missed Tuesday night's shootout loss to the Winnipeg Jets and most of Boston's defeat at the hands of the New York Rangers on Jan. 19 after being concussed by Rangers forward Filip Chytil, who crashed into Rask after scoring.
The veteran netminder has a .919 save percentage on the season, and he's gone 6-0-1 with a .939 mark in his last eight appearances.
After Panarin - who's set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 - said before training camp that he wouldn't negotiate a new contract during the season, the Blue Jackets were destined to find themselves in a pickle. And now, less than four weeks before the trade deadline, speculation on the matter is rampant thanks to a recent meeting with Panarin's agent that didn't yield much progress.
Statement about Artemi Panarin’s future “We have informed the team that we are willing to discuss Artemi’s future after the season. Our priority now is to focus on the rest of the season, trying to win a Stanley Cup for the CBJ & their fans”. No additional comments will be made..
So, Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen is faced with an unenviable decision: keep his leading scorer for a potential playoff run - Columbus currently occupies the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference - at the risk of losing him for nothing in free agency, or bite the bullet and trade Panarin by Feb. 25 to ensure he returns future assets.
The latter route would be tough to stomach for a franchise that's never won a playoff series, but if there's a silver lining there, it's that opposing teams should be willing to pay a premium for the 27-year-old's services.
With that in mind, here are three Stanley Cup contenders that could make a major splash by plucking Panarin off the trade block.
Tampa Bay Lightning
The league-leading Lightning, who own a five-point advantage in the Presidents' Trophy race and sport by far the NHL's best goal differential, certainly have the means to go all-in and become even more powerful for a playoff run, during which they'll deal with significant pressure to finally get over the hump.
Despite their loaded roster, the Lightning are almost certain to face a difficult series against the Toronto Maple Leafs or Boston Bruins in the second round. What's more, shedding some long-term salary in exchange for an expiring contract would be a major benefit for GM Julien BriseBois, who will face contract negotiations with Brayden Point this coming offseason before dealing with Andrei Vasilevskiy in 2020.
That means a player like J.T. Miller and his $5.25-million cap hit could be the centerpiece of a deal, and he'd immediately slot into Columbus' lineup. Factor in a first-round pick and an impressive prospect pool built around Mitchell Stephens, Boris Katchouk, Taylor Raddysh, and Cal Foote, and suddenly it's not too far-fetched for the Bolts to put together a desirable package.
Predators boss David Poile is known to avoid handing out no-trade clauses, which keeps all his options open. And as a GM who's never shied away from pulling the trigger on a big deal, Poile's team is one to watch as the Panarin sweepstakes heat up.
The Preds could fit Panarin's modest $6-million cap hit within their books without shedding any salary, and beefing up their ninth-ranked offense before dealing with a gauntlet of powerhouse teams in the Western Conference playoff bracket should be a priority.
Panarin's 55 points this season lead all Nashville players by a mile, and he'd fortify a top-six forward group that relies heavily on the first line of Ryan Johansen, Filip Forsberg, and Viktor Arvidsson. Panarin could also help a power-play unit that ranks just 29th in the NHL with a 13.1 percent conversion rate.
As for the potential return, top prospect Eeli Tolvanen would be the crown jewel, but it's far from a guarantee that Poile would make him available. Otherwise, the Preds own picks in all seven rounds for the next three NHL drafts and have young wingers Kevin Fiala and Ryan Hartman, who are both talented but expendable.
Boston Bruins
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Everyone knows Boston's success runs through its top unit of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and David Pastrnak, and there's a considerable drop-off when you move down the depth chart. Enter Panarin, who would add another layer of offensive firepower ahead of the Bruins' impending postseason battle(s) against the Atlantic Division's elite.
Boston addressed its need for offensive depth at last year's deadline with the acquisition of Rick Nash, but the deal didn't pan out. In that trade, Bruins GM Don Sweeney gave up two roster players, a prospect, and two picks, including a first-rounder. That would be a steep price to pay in two consecutive seasons, but the Bruins are expected to be buyers once again, and Sweeney will have to weigh the pros and cons of potentially adding the deadline's biggest name to an aging core that's working against the clock.
Kendall Coyne Schofield's night as a guest analyst on a national telecast may, unfortunately, be most remembered for a number of awkward comments from fellow broadcaster Pierre McGuire.
At the outset of Wednesday night's game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Pittsburgh Penguins, McGuire explained how things would work to Coyne Schofield, the five-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist who stole the show at the NHL All-Star Skills Competition last week.
"So, Tampa's gonna be on your left, Pittsburgh's gonna be on your right," McGuire said. "What are you expecting out of this game? We're paying you to be an analyst, not to be a fan tonight!"
Later in the game, after some rough stuff between the Lightning and Penguins, there was another awkward exchange.
Coyne Schofield issued a statement on Thursday about the game.
"I've known Pierre McGuire for years," she wrote on Twitter. "I know he respects me as a hockey player, a woman, and a friend and that is why I didn't think twice about our on-air exchange when it happened. I didn't give it a second thought until after the game when I received countless messages."
Coyne Schofield said she understands why people would think it was inappropriate but knows how excited McGuire was for her to be part of the broadcast, adding that despite the nature of his remarks, she believes there are more significant things to focus on.
"While I wish it came out differently, I know Pierre doesn't question my hockey knowledge. But, to be honest, that's not what's important. What IS important is for every young girl reading this to know it doesn't matter what anyone thinks of my hockey knowledge - because I do not doubt my hockey knowledge.
"I don't need a gold medal to come to that conclusion. I needed belief in myself. That took time to build and I would never let someone else undo all of that work on the ice - and especially off. Last night was magical, nerve-wracking, and incredible. I learned two things: I loved being a part of it and I need to get better. All of THAT I control."
"I've known Kendall for years and have had the privilege of covering her as a member of Team USA at the past two Winter Olympics. We were all thrilled to have her join our coverage last night, but at times my excitement got the better of me and I should have chosen my words better. I have the utmost respect for Kendall as a world-class player, analyst of the game, and role model."
Coyne Schofield graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in communications studies from Northeastern in 2016, and she's currently working on her master's in corporate and organizational communications at the school.
Along with Team USA teammate Brianna Decker, Coyne Schofield was the talk of the hockey world last Friday night. Coyne Schofield replaced Nathan MacKinnon in the Fastest Skater event and finished her lap with a time of 14.346 seconds, which beat Clayton Keller of the Arizona Coyotes and trailed Connor McDavid by about a second.
