Goodbye, Pekka

Published: July 15, 2021, 8:22 p.m.

Beloved goalie Pekka Rinne has officially retired -- will the team lose another big name in next week’s expansion draft?

Ka-boom! Did you hear that? That was the sound of the Central Division exploding. In the past week Pekka Rinne retired, the Minnesota Wild bought Ryan Suter and Zach Parise out of their contracts, Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko requested a trade and the Chicago Blackhawks traded Duncan Keith to the Oilers, a move some are saying could result in acquiring Seth Jones.

This week, co-hosts Michael Gallagher, Geert De Lombaerde and Megan Seling talk about what those recent moves mean for the impending expansion draft. Did the Wild get Suter and Parise out of the way so they could protect Matt Dumba? Should the Preds go for Tarasenko if they lose Duchene or Johansen in the draft? Would the Blues dare trade Tarasenko to a Central Division rival?

Also discussed: The future of Nashville’s goaltending. Is Juuse Saros ready for a 60-game season? Will David Poile invest in a veteran? Or is Connor Ingram ready to be the backup Nashville needs?

Plus: Gallagher has a theory on some of the trade moves Poile might have up his sleeve in an effort to get what he wants out of the expansion draft.