Canadiens Wrap: Hockey World Unites Behind Ukraine, NHL Trade Rumors

Monday marked three weeks until the March 21 NHL Trade Deadline but trade rumors didn’t dominate the hockey headlines on Monday. The international hockey world continued to unite behind Ukraine and against the Russian invasion of that proud hockey country as the NHL and IIHF came down hard on Russia and the Russian Hockey Federation.

At 3 PM ET, the IIHF released this statement regarding Russia’s status for all upcoming IIHF-sanctioned tournaments and games:

The IIHF Council has suspended all Russian and Belarusian national and club teams from IIHF competitions until further notice and withdrew the hosting rights of the 2023 #WorldJuniors from Russia.

READ MORE: https://t.co/SpSMGTlZw1#hockey #icehockey #Ukraine #Russia #Belarus pic.twitter.com/YYb1JduvWE

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) February 28, 2022

Then, just 25 minutes later the NHL made its first public statement on the Russian invasion into Ukraine and ceased all business with all of their Russian business partners.

Statement from the National Hockey League: https://t.co/r4jOj5uCrw pic.twitter.com/TPh84ntbDm

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) February 28, 2022

That and more in the latest MHN Canadiens Wrap:

Montreal Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes is reportedly ready to make his team become major players in the 2022 unrestricted free agent market. Our man in the 514, Marco D’Amico, takes a look at some potential UFA’s the Habs could target over the summer. 

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Joel Edmundson returned to practice Monday and skated in a full-contact jersey. Edmundson will not play in Winnipeg when the Habs begin their four-game Canadian swing west but will travel with the team and likely draw in at some point on the roadie.

National Hockey Now

BOS: In the humble opinion of this puck scribe, unless the Boston Bruins are getting an absolute and proven, young, elite player on the NHL trade market for Fabian Lysell, they cannot trade the top prospect that is ripping up the WHL for Vancouver.

NYI: New York Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin earned his 30th win and his eighth career shutout have in just 57 career NHL games with a 4-0 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday.

Pittsburgh: Plenty of NHL teams have been scouting the Pittsburgh Penguins ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline and that has our man in Pitt, Dan Kingerski, wondering what players the Pens may be targeting?

Philly: Philadelphia Flyers forward Morgan Frost has been the subject of NHL trade rumors and on Monday the Flyers sent Frost to Lehigh Valley (AHL) to find his game again. 

Washington: Washington Capitals goalie Vitek Vanecek was recalled from a conditioning assignment with Hershey (AHL) Monday and is ready to find his game again.

Florida: As a result of Jokerit (KHL) pulling out of the KHL playoffs due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Florida Panthers have gained a defenseman. On Monday, the Panthers signed Petteri Lindbohm, a 26-year-old Finnish defenseman. Lindbohm will need to clear waivers before he can officially join the Panthers.

Detroit: Kevin Allen of Detroit Hockey Now says the time is now for Joe Veleno to be the scoring winger the Wings always believed he could be.

Colorado: Man, I feel old! Colorado Avalanche defenseman Jack Johnson is set to play in his 1000th game.

NHL

If the Anaheim Ducks can’t sign the likes of forward Rickard Rakell and defensemen Josh Manson and Hampus Lindholm to extensions before the NHL trade deadline, new Ducks GM Pat Verbeek plans on trading them.

What or who should be the top trade target for the Toronto Maple Leafs before the NHL trade deadline?