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In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the Washington Capitals will be looking for a Pierre-Luc Dubois replacement. How will they address his absence? Meanwhile, has Artemi Panarin drawn a line in the sand with the New York Rangers? Are the Toronto Maple Leafs looking for a specific type of winger on the trade market? Finally, what is the latest on trade discussions involving Troy Stecher of the Edmonton Oilers? Capitals Face Dilemma Following Dubois Injury The Washington Capitals face a tricky situation with center Pierre-Luc Dubois sidelined, though he is not out for the season. According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, the team may explore the trade market, but they can’t just add unlimited salary or give away their future assets for a quick fix. Until they can determine the best course of action and find a suitable replacement externally, Connor McMichael is expected to get a look as the second-line center. Options on the trade market are limited, with several teams now looking for the same thing, and most available centers are either costly or not yet available. Nazem Kadri and Pavel Zacha are the two names most often talked about. According to Nick Kypreos, Flames general manager Craig Conroy has made it known that he’s “open for business.” Panarin Won’t Take Salary Cut Kypreos is also reporting that Artem Panarin has made it clear he won’t accept a pay cut from his current $11.642 million salary to stay with the New York Rangers. Since the Rangers “don’t want him at that same rate again,” contract talks are effectively done. Kypreos believes that the Carolina Hurricanes and Minnesota Wild have both either reached out or will about Panarin’s availability. Maple Leafs Want a Scoring Winger The Maple Leafs would ideally like to add a scoring winger, reports Kypreos. He notes that the issue is that they don’t have as many assets to trade. If the Leafs are serious, they’ll have to eventually consider trading Easton Cowan to get a clear upgrade, which is a non-starter for now. If they ultimately decide not to go that route, Ben Danford is another prospect who could dangled in discussions. Latest on Troy Stecher Trade Talk In regards to the Troy Stecher trade rumors from this past week, Elliotte Friedman offered a quick update, saying, “I think with Stecher it was more along the lines, he’s not playing very much, and he’d like to get going…”
