The Maple Leafs made a minor trade on Friday, sending unsigned draft pick Dakota Joshua to the St. Louis Blues for future considerations.
Joshua, drafted 128th overall by the Leafs in 2014, then signed a two-year entry-level deal with the Blues.
A 23-year-old forward, Joshua just finished four years at Ohio State University, his most productive season coming in 2016-17 when he had 35 points in 33 games.
Of course, what has Leafs Nation holding its collective breath is the status of unsigned restricted free agent Mitch Marner. There has been no news from either the Leafs or Marner’s agent, Darren Ferris, in several weeks on contract talks.
The Carolina Hurricanes signed forward Ryan Dzingel to a two-year contract as the exodus of free agents from the Columbus Blue Jackets continued.
Dzingel, who scored a career-high 26 goals last season with the Blue Jackets and Ottawa Senators, signed a two-year contract with an annual average value of $3.375-million US.
Other Jackets who have departed via free agency in the off-season include goalie Sergei Bobrovsky (Florida Panthers), Artemi Panarin (New York Rangers) and Matt Duchene (Nashville Predators).
The New Jersey Devils signed 2019 first-overall pick Jack Hughes to the maximum three-year entry-level contract, which includes an annual base salary of $925,000 plus performances bonuses The Philadelphia Flyers signed winger Scott Laughton to a two-year contract that carries an AAV of $2.3 million. Laughton, a first-round pick by the Flyers in 2012, had his best season in the NHL in 2018-19, recording 32 points (12 goals and 20 assists) in 82 games The Buffalo Sabres signed forward Johan Larsson to a one-year, $1.55-million pact The Blues signed forward Robby Fabbri to a one-year, $900,000 contract.
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