Updates on Andrew Ladd, Dustin Byfuglien, Nikita Nikitin and more in your NHL rumor mill.
Latest on Ladd and Byfuglien.
The contract statuses of Andrew Ladd and Dustin Byfuglien will be a hot topic for the Jets this season.
WINNIPEG FREE PRESS: The contract statuses of pending UFAs Andrew Ladd and Dustin Byfuglien is the dominant question facing the Winnipeg Jets this season. The closer they get to the Feb. 29 trade deadline with both still unsigned, the zanier things could get. It’s expected things could fall into place with the first signing (“likely with Ladd”), as the club also must re-sign pending restricted free agents Mark Scheifele, Jacob Trouba, Adam Lowry and Michael Hutchinson.
WINNIPEG SUN: Ted Wyman reports Andrew Ladd won’t discuss his contract status with the media and could shut down contract negotiations with the club once the puck drops on their regular season. It was assumed the Jets would get their captain re-signed before the season began.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The status of Ladd and Byfuglien will be the “elephant in the room” for the Jets throughout this season. There’s simply no escaping it. Perhaps Jets management wants to evaluate their respective performances before committing to new deals. Maybe Ladd and Byfuglien want to see if the club is making real progress as a playoff contender. If the Jets are out of contention near the trade deadline, you can bet the trade speculation over these two will ramp up in a big way.
Nikitin to the KHL?
EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples recently cited a report out of Russia claiming Nikita Nikitin’s old KHL team, Avangard Omsk, is interested in signing him and negotiations have already begun. The Oilers recently demoted Nikitin to their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield. It’s up to Omsk to contact the Russian Federation so they can obtain Nikitin’s transfer card from the Oilers. However, there are reportedly no plans by the Oilers to loan Nikitin to the KHL for the season. He will still count against the Oilers’ cap and their 50-player roster.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nikitin cannot sign with Omsk as a free agent unless the Oilers terminate his contract. So far, it doesn’t appear as though the Oilers are going that route.
Highlights from Friedman’s latest “30 Thoughts.”
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman wondered if the Edmonton Oilers “was at all interested in Derek Roy after he was cut by Washington.” It would probably be for less than what the two sides discussed before free agency, but Friedman claims that idea “was shot down.”…Martin Havlat’s PTO with the Florida Panthers still hasn’t had a clear ending. It could be decided by their season opener on Saturday…The Winnipeg Jets claimed when Alexander Burmistrov returned that they weren’t getting him back to trade him, but Friedman wonders about where he’ll fit in among their rising young forwards.
Byfuglien will be dealt early New Year if no D r injured is my guess.
Hate to see Winnipeg lose their captain. It seems that if they lose him could be the start of An exodus out of town.
That said having him hit the UFA market would be interesting. I would see a good fit for the second line of the sens. Brings in carachter and goal scoring abilities to the LW. Maybe that’s a trade for the deadline between winni and Ottawa.
I have no issues with that idea Broken Hip. I wonder what the Peg would want in return from the Sens. Greening? haahahahahaha. I know I try, but I am the only one that thinks I’m funny.
If it was me, I would be looking at Lazar, Prince or Peumpel coming back as the main part of a return. Lazar would be my first choice as I think he has the skill set and potential to be a great two way player. While the Sens would likely balk at Lazar, I think they are going to eventually have to make a call with thier C’s – either keep Zibanejad and Turris as the 1/2 and go for a cheap 3 or move one to the wing and bring Lazar in.
Well it’s always hard to put forward a decent proposal without any homerism. Truth be told there’s so many variables. Does Ladd actually want to stay in Edmonton? If not then it’s a game of really not losing his value. Mind you there are many teams that would put proposals on the table to acquire him as he is very serviceable.
Depending if he signs with an agreement with an extension also.
I think you could see if he comes with an extension a mix of peumpel, a first round pick and possibly a depth prospect. If he comes without any guarantees than maybe pumpel with a mid to late pick or just a first rounder. Depending what time of the year he comes at and actually how much we’ve seen peumpel this season and what has he brought to the table. Of course Prince may be interchangeable in this deal. But you get my drift.
Its an interesting dilemma for Winnipeg. how close are they to being a cup contender? Their top line of Little, Ladd and Wheeler have peaked, how much longer before they are on the decline? Got some excellent prospect emerging but when will they be ready to make it a 3 line team? Winnipeg can not afford to let both nor either one walk at the end of the season for nothing. If so the cupboard become bare quickly and you go back a step or two in building the franchise. They need players for these two not prospects. They have to make a decision quickly and determine if they can resign one or both or if they want to; but letting both walk for nothing is the worst decision.
After listening to Ryan Whitney’s interview on TSN 1260 the question that should be asked is, does Nikitin want to go back to the KHL? the travel in that league sounds very sketchy.
Imagine playing for either Vladivostok or Khaborovsk – the two franchises farthest east. They are 600 miles apart and the CLOSEST other franchise to either is Novokuznetsk – some 1,800 miles way. It’s over 3,500 miles to Moscow,6,000 to Helsinki and 7,000 to Zagreb.
The jets are in a pretty decent situation though, their team isn’t terrible but it’s not amazing either. The loss of either of those guys wouldn’t hurt too bad unless there was no return for them. I think they should do what the islanders did with Moulson and trade one of them soon for a good return and move forward with that team. I honestly think they should keep Laad and trade buff because the return they’d get would be huge and their D isn’t terrible without him.
Best return for Winnipeg is to move guys at the deadline.
question for Blackhawk fans I only got to see panarin in one preseason game and flipped back and fourth lastnight. But this kid looks really good! any hawks fans let me know what they think of him?
Not a Hawk fan but if you don’t mind. Panarin, Teuravainen and Dano are three guys up and coming on that Hawks roster which will enable them to get yet another cup.
Panarin should be good, I tossed around which one would be best and decided to take Teuravainen (sorry for spelling) as my last pick in my keeper league. I will be watching that Panarin kid.
ya I got panarin and dano in my keeper league too