NHL Rumors: Could Ottawa Trade Dominik Kubalik To Make Room For Shane Pinto

TSN: Dave Poulin was on TSN Radio and was asked about who was more likely to be traded out of Dominik Kubalik, Mathieu Joseph, and Erik Brannstrom to make room for Shane Pinto considering Poulin believes Pinto will not be traded.

** NHLRumors.com transcription

Host: “We’ve asked this probably of you in the month or so you’ve been with us. Let’s update it. The three names have been long mentioned as possibilities to find the cap space to sign Shane Pinto have always been in descending order, I think Mathieu Joseph, Erik Brannstrom and Dominik Kubalik.”

Dave Poulin: “They’re all at you know, various contract numbers and term, et cetera, et cetera. I kind of look at it now and even though he was traded for (Alex) DeBrincat, Kubalik kind of looks like maybe the person that you would possibly like to move. Do you think that he has much value around the NHL where you could move him out, even if it was just for contract reasons?

I don’t disagree with you at all on that side. I mean, he hasn’t really been a factor in these games. Not only is he not scored, but he hasn’t been a factor either. I think he still has value. I think he’s still you know, to the right team at the right time. It’s still a reasonable number.

And so he would probably edge ahead of Mathieu Joseph who’s played pretty well and looks pretty good. And it’s going to be a harder contract to move. So from an easier-to-move standpoint, from a could still have, may still have something attached to a contract. But you know, he’d be a guy to be looking around who’s got an injury right now. Who’s had somebody go down early, where might he be a fit shorter term for the course of the year, so he probably does slide up on that?

And you know, with Zub out, we’re assuming Zub is coming back we don’t know that for sure. But with Zub out, they’re going to be playing a dance with the defenseman right now as well, to figure that part out so it lessens the chance you’d be moving Brannstrom.”