It’s another quiet Sunday for media-generated NHL rumors, so here’s a look at what was kicking around the blogosphere last week. Enjoy!
The Chicago Blackhawks could trade defenseman Brent Seabrook, as they can’t afford to re-sign him before his UFA eligibility next summer. Potential destinations include the Boston Bruins, Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Flyers.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: As per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman (June 28), Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman told Seabrook he’s not going anywhere. Friedman’s among the best insiders in the game and I see little reason to doubt his word on this one. Re-signing Seabrook will be expensive, but the Blackhawks will have the cap space next summer to do so. It’s my understanding wingersBryan Bickell and Kris Versteeg remain the Blackhawks’ likely trade candidates.
Penguins recent moves means they won’t try to bring back Jordan Staal from Carolina.
Pittsburgh Penguins GM Jim Rutherford still wants to bring Jordan Staal back from the Carolina Hurricanes.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This rumor originally surfaced midway through last season and was quickly swatted down by Hurricanes GM Ron Francis. Since then, the Penguins swapped Brandon Sutter for Nick Bonino and signed Eric Fehr and Matt Cullen. They have no need to pursue another center.
The Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues are interested in Montreal Canadiens center Tomas Plekanec.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets have Bryan Little, Mark Scheifele and the promising Adam Lowry centering their top-three lines, while the Blues top-three centers are David Backes, Paul Stastny and Jori Lehtera. These teams have no need to add an expensive veteran center like Plekanec.
The Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers and New York Islanders could be interested in Boston Bruins defenseman Dennis Seidenberg.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche and Oilers could certainly use another experienced top-four defenseman, but at this point I doubt they’re keen on the 34-year-old Seidenberg, who has three seasons left (with a full NTC for 2015-16) at $4 million per. I believe the Isles are set with their current defense corps and have no reason to pursue him.
The Calgary Flames are close to signing UFA defenseman Cody Franson.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Only if they’re not re-signing Mark Giordano, and even then I doubt they’d go after Franson. With a defense corps for next season consisting of Giordano, Dougie Hamilton, T.J. Brodie, Dennis Wideman, Kris Russell, Deryk Engelland and Ladislav Smid, the Flames have no reason to add another veteran rearguard. With only around $2.1 million in cap space for 2015-16, they certainly can’t afford Franson without dumping salary elsewhere before the start of next season.
Chicago will attempt to trade Hossa and his soon to be deadly contract to PHX, ARZ, FLA or NJD so they can reach next year’s cap floor. They won’t take him for free, likely will cost something big to have to eat so many years of likely Recapture penalties, but it’ll allow CHI to re-sign Seabrook.
neither PHX or ARZ are interested in Hossa. They had no problem reaching the cap floor this year and won’t next offseason! They would throw the money at Keith Yandle instead if need be.
You guys DO realize Phoenix and Arizona are the same team, yeah?…..
rofl
The Coyotes haven’t played in Phoenix since the beginning of the ’03-’04 season and currently doesn’t have a team.
The cap floor argument is dead. Teams have proven every season making the floor is easy. We heard this all last season about Arz & Buf. With the prospects coming in alone & their ELC bonus money counting against the cap, although it can be carried over to the following season as a penalty if actually earned & a team exceeds the cap it’s a walk in the park.
I believe the potential recapture penalties are shared by both teams in some way now based on years of service. Some NHL/NHLPA formula that only lawyers can think up.
I’m not saying Hossa won’t be moved as his salary drops off significantly over the next 2 seasons, so teams like Arz could potentially have interest time will tell. Hossa gets 7.9 this coming season, then 4 & in the last 4 seasons it drops to 1. The potential problem is the cap recapture penalties are real money & Arz doesn’t want to take on a real financial burden. They want a cap hit with a low actual salary.
Can someone tell why the Bruin would for all intensive purposes GIVE AWAY one the top up and coming defence in the league because they could nod afford him, only to go out an sign and or to be rumoured to be interested in every never was or never will be available,for similar $$$?
NO! my best guess is Dougie didn’t want to be there and Sweeney said he only want players who want to play in Boston. The issue for me is the reports are more founded on the fact Hamilton felt alone, no social life, no players his age to hang out with. With the influx of Spooner, Pastrnack and a couple more young guys possible this season , that might of changed. IMO Sweeney reacted to quickly and we (the fans) lost are up and coming stud on d, who could prove to be the best player in the Kessel trade.
Dougie wouldn’t even respond to their contract offers, making it clear he didn’t want to be in Boston next year. This was the same technique employed by Kessell. Moreover, offer sheets were being threatened only a week away, with the draft hours away. Sweeney wanted the picks in 2015 in a very deep draft, not in 2016. Plus, 2016 picks would be ready to play in Boston a year later than 2015 picks. Sweeney also wanted to move Dougie to the west, and had to find a team with which Dougie would be willing to sign.
Given all of those concerns, Sweeney didn’t do that bad of a job. He certainly got a better return than he would have gotten with the return from an offer sheet.
Well said only true bruin fans know the facts and another one was he didn’t want to move him to Edmonton. Chiarelli was coming with a big offer sheet.
From a Flames fan; I feel your pain. But isnt the Kessel trade kind of like the gift keeps on giving?
As a Pens fan, I wholeheartedly agree!
Kase,
I see why you have pointed out those teams for Hossa, but NJ, has no need, and currently is in a rebuild mode. Why in the world would they trade for a late 30’s forward with plenty of term on his contract? Maybe Chicago sweetens it with an A prospect or 1 rounder, but I don’t see a fit in NJ for Hossa.
The problem with Hossa, is the cap recapture if he doesn’t play till the end of his contract. NJ will need the cap space at that time for re- signing their younger players coming off ELC, or bridge deals.
The other point from a NJ viewpoint ,is if they want a veteran winger, they could sign Boyes to a 1 year cap friendly deal. Then if Boyes produces, he could get moved at the deadline for future assets, w/o having any future cap issues.
Lyle, I have heard a lot of outlandish reports that Giordano is looking for anywhere between 8-10 million per. Any inside ? As a Flames fan, 6.5 per seems adequate considering age and injury issues since 2011-12 . I love Gio, but I don’t 8 million love Gio.
In late-June, TSN reported Giordano was believed seeking around $9 million annually. Make of that what you will.
Hossa in a Flames uniform playing with Monahan, Gaudreau, and Bennett would be good for everyone involved and might re-juvinate Hossa.
I could be wrong but doesn’t the cap recapture penalty only apply to the team that signed the deal. I think that was the big reason Murray bought out erhoff and didn’t trade him because the penalty apples to the signing team.
I THINK, and I could be totally wrong, but if the player is traded and then plays more than X number of seasons with the latest team, they too are subject to recapture penalties as well since they too received the benefit of the contract
KANE ON TRADE BLOCK RIGHT NOW.
NO TRADE SEABROOK
@wil,”KANE ON TRADE BLOCK RIGHT NOW”. What an idiotic thing to say!