Ice Breakers: Stars and Joe Pavelski begin preliminary extension talks
Frank Seravalli shared news and nuggets from around the league in Thursday’s edition of Ice Breakers on the Daily Faceoff Show:
> One big name of intrigue could soon be removed from the Trade Targets 🎯 board: Joe Pavelski.
Sources say the Stars and Joe Pavelski’s camp have engaged in preliminary contract extension talks, which have gone well and seem to indicate there has been some traction there.
While a deal does not appear to be imminent at the moment, getting one done in short order would take a significant load off GM Jim Nill’s plate leading up to the March 21 trade deadline.
The biggest question from the Stars perspective was: Does Pavelski want to remain in Dallas?
The early indication seems to be yes, Pavelski and his family like it in Dallas, and that provides a path forward.
Pavelski is having a career-best season at age 37, racking up 53 points in 50 games to start the year, the most he has posted in the first 50 games of any in his 16 NHL seasons. He is in the final year of a three-year, $21 million deal signed with the Stars in 2019.
It’s not often that a 37-year-old is in line for a pay bump, but Pavelski is certainly in the conversation for one. He fell just shy of a point-per-game last year and collected 25 goals in 56 games. He already has 21 in 50 games this season and is one of 33 players league-wide north of a point-per-game average.
The sticky part of this negotiation is not just dollars, but also term.
The Stars’ sole focus to this point is on qualifying for the Stanley Cup playoffs. Pavelski is one of the team’s engines, as Dallas holds down the second wild card spot based on points percentage.
There is no indication yet that potential own-rental John Klingberg, who has let it be known he is ready to move on, has been made available to teams while the Stars are in the hunt. Braden Holtby and Alex Radulov are also pending UFAs who would draw interest if the Stars fall out of the race.
> The Columbus Blue Jackets are one of the trade deadline’s biggest wild cards – and could be one of the biggest movers and shakers.
Max Domi, Joonas Korpisalo and Jack Roslovic are already on the Trade Targets 🎯 board but they may not be alone.
Sources say the Blue Jackets have been taking calls on forward Alexandre Texier in the last days and weeks, a player that has generated significant interest.
Texier, 22, has proven to be an impact player in Columbus. He’s collected 11 goals in 36 games this year, which is a 25-goal pace of 82 full games. He arrived on the scene as a 19-year-old, jumping right into the Stanley Cup playoff fray, and gradually earned the trust of John Tortorella. Texier has no shortage of skill and flash and dash.
The Blue Jackets are believed to be asking for a first-round pick for Texier as well as a roster player.
It’s going to be fascinating to see how active GM Jarmo Kekalainen is at the deadline attempting to reshape the Blue Jackets, by moving out pending free agents, by making ‘hockey trades’ and maybe even getting involved as a third-party broker in retained salary transactions utilizing Columbus’ cap space.