Updates on Pavel Datsyuk, Travis Hamonic, Ben Bishop and Jonathan Drouin in your NHL rumor mill.
Latest on Datsyuk and Hamonic.
TSN (via TODAY’S SLAPSHOT): Citing “some intel” he’s been getting from the Detroit Red Wings, Darren Dreger believes center Pavel Datsyuk will return with the Wings next season and complete the final year of his contract. He claims speculation regarding Datsyuk leaving the Wings and returning to Russia for family reasons has floated around for the past couple of seasons. Dreger believes Datsyuk is leaning toward staying with the Wings.
Will the Edmonton Oilers pursue NY Islanders defenseman Travis Hamonic this summer?
Dreger also believes Edmonton Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli will have to “bite down hard” to part with the return the New York Islanders seek for defenseman Travis Hamonic, that being a good young defenseman with a comparable contract. That could mean parting with Oscar Klefbom, though on his own he’s not enough of a return for the Isles.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think Datsyuk could return and finish the final year of his contract. After that, his NHL career is over as he’ll certainly head to Russia after next season and finish his playing days in the KHL. As for Chiarelli “biting down hard” on meeting the return for Travis Hamonic, I don’t think that’s going to address the Oilers’ needs. If it’s going to cost them Klefbom in a package deal, I think Chiarelli would consider other options.
Updates on the Lightning.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson reports there’s talk the Calgary Flames might attempt to acquire Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop this summer. The asking price could be steep, with Matheson believing promising young forward Sam Bennett as part of the return.
SPORTSNET: Despite all the trade hype surrounding Lightning left wing Jonathan Drouin this season, Chris Johnston isn’t 100 percent convinced Drouin will be dealt this summer. “I got a sense from being around the situation that maybe some of the, whatever bad blood there was, or hurt feelings or whatever you want to term it as… everyone’s been able to set that aside,” he said. If Drouin remains with the Lightning for their final games of this season, he’ll burn off another year of his entry-level contract.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bishop is eligible next summer for UFA status, which likely explains why his name is occasionally surfacing in the trade-rumor mill. However, that’s not a certainty. Much will depend upon his performance in the upcoming playoffs, as well as the type of return a rival club is willing to pitch to Lightning GM Steve Yzerman. Bishop’s played well this season and Yzerman could consider hanging onto him for another shot at a Stanley Cup run next year and then try to trade him before the expansion draft.
As for Drouin, he’ll have to have one helluva performance in the upcoming playoffs to convince Yzerman not to trade him. That’s assuming, of course, Drouin actually wants to keep playing for head coach Jon Cooper. Regardless of his play, if Drouin still wants out, Yzerman will move him at this year draft in June.
I know this is a rumour mill; but I have a nagging question so please bear with me. The coaches challenge as per the offside, I think it might be the most used challenge by the coaches and more often then not it relates to the back foot not being on or behind the blueline or it’s not on the ice. My query is why do we care if its on the ice or not? As long as the back foot is either behind or on the blue line then so be it, I find it absurd that a goal is disallowed because the back foot was in the air. The league and media complain that scoring is down and yet the league takes away a goal because the back foot isn’t on the ice surface. This offside challenge is going to cost some team a playoff game.
I hear you Caper. This “challenge” routine is getting to be a drag on the game and often simply takes away any momentum a team might have generated while they spend minutes viewing the tapes. I have also wondered – when it comes to the wish for more goals – why they continue to disallow a goal scored because of a “kicking motion.” So what? A goal is allowed if it deflects in off a head or an ass so why should a kicked in goal not count? Especially with so many Europeans in the game now and their soccer backgrounds. I don’t buy into the “it’s there to prevent injury” crapola since equipment now is like a frikken suit of armour. And many do it anyway – it’s just disallowed. I do draw the line at hand-slapping a puck into the net but I’ve seen goals scored when players simply deflect a shot using that portion of the stick where the puck goes in off the back of the glove.
Agreed, if the puck goes in the net across the red line in the air it’s a goal. There has been time when it is Ina. Goalies glove and completely over the red line and called a goal and the puck never touches the ice in the net. The foot above the blue line should still be considered on the blue line. . Yet I disagree with George regarding the kicking rule. I beleive the rule is there so that players don’t go kicking away around the net with the blades on their feet. It is a safety thing. I think due to that fact and to clean up any discrepencies, if the puck goes in off any part of a players body and not directly off a stick it should not be a goal. Heck it is how the boys and I do it in floor hockey. Haha. However I am not concerned about low scoring games and low goal totals. It never bothered me. The only thing the league should worry about is scoring chances not actual goals. Increase the scoring chances, the goals will likely come but don’t worry about actually increasing goal totals,
You sound like a soccer fan! A goal a month will do nicely.
Yeah, soccer is an exciting game able to hold millions of fans attention. Great comparison. I am like a soccer fan.
I gave up soccer completely. I was a die hard fan in the 90s.
No way Bennett for Bishop unless it includes Drouin in a package
Bennett isn’t moving atleast for another year,
One if the flames when Mathews, that could make Bennet available.
Bishop isn’t getting traded this summer, Vasi is still unproven. Bishop is already getting paid close to $6 million and will be seeking at least $8 to $9 million in his next deal and no way does Calgary give him that kind of money.
I agree. One of the flames biggest problem is that they are only a 1 line team. Trading Bennett would only add to that problem.
Where is the talk of Bishop coming from? The segment they did during a Flames broadcast a little while back?
I see no point in going after a $6 mill goalie when there are cheaper younger options that would be better long term. Let the play offs finish and go after Murray, Vasilevskiy, Subban someone like that if possible.
Absolutely! First of all Bishop has a no trade clause so he would have to be convinced to go to Calgary.
But all Calgary has to do is wait till next year when the expansion draft happens and then teams with 2 good goaltenders have to trade one or potentially loose the other in the expansion draft. This will create a huge glut of quality goal tenders that will be on the trade block forcing prices way down. Especially since there are only two teams (Toronto and Calgary) that really need goal tending.
You mentioned Murray and Subban. Perfect examples, their teams cannot protect them due to the no move clauses of Fleury and Rask so unless those clauses are waived, Pittsburgh and Boston will be forced to trade Murray and Subban. There are also teams like Tampa Bay and Anahiem with two good goalies. Once again their teams will have to choose one and trade the other or risk loosing one for nothing. So you have 2 buyers and 4 sellers, supply and demand would dictate the prices for these goal tenders won’t be very high.
The point is the goalie market is and will be very cheap going forward. Look at the return Reimer got at the deadline. Given the other players in the trade, Riemer was basically given away for free. And he’s a really decent goalie this year.
In fact Calgary would be far better off going after Reimer in the UFA market then they would by giving up Bennett for an aging Bishop, with 1 year to UFA status, a $6 million cap hit, and a no trade clause!
Some of these “rumors” just make absolutely no sense!
I don’t think the Bruins have to be concerned about losing Subban. Given the fact that a team can only lose one player, the B’s have a number of other guys, who would likely be selected ahead of Subban. However, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them move Subban this season, as part of a package deal, involving a young d-man, who is already playing at the NHL level and who has top four potential.
If there are 2 new expansion teams then each team can loose 2 players. What 2 players do the Bruins have, need to be protected, that Boston can’t protect, that are better than Subban? I can’t think of any?
Dollars to donuts there won’t be 2 teams added – maybe a 2nd a year or two later but not next year.
Hard to predict where Boston’s roster will be come expansion if held in the summer of 2017 & I believe 2 teams will be added. To many teams need the money.
If either Eriksson or Marchand are resigned then it would effect Boston’s keepers.
Trying to extrapolate based on today’s contracts not dealing with an contract extensions to UFA’s & assuming players with NMC’s have to be protected I see this.
Krejci, Begeron, Belesky, Spooner, Pastrnak, Hayes, & Connolly at foward. Chara, Krug & C. Miller at D. Rask in net.
If Marchand is extended bump Connolly. If Erikson is retained bump Hayes. If they make a trade or sign other players bump in same order.
I assume the 1st player selected would be Sedenberg or McQuaid.
Those of us who saw Lecavalier eventually come to terms with Tortarella are not 100% sure that Drouin won’t come to terms with Cooper. The majority “wisdom” has been wrong at every turn in the story so far. It’s not about a relationship with the fans and the press, it’s about privately convincing the coaches & locker room that he understands what he did, why it impacted each of the parties, and that he is sincere about rebuilding relationships and his play.
There have been players return to teams after worse transgressions and eventually earn trust again. We also don’t know from whom (if anyone) he got his bad advice, and whether or not that person has been purged.
Extraordinary talent, if he proves it at the NHL level, may justify extraordinary effort by both the player and the team.
It often seems to me that a lot of the carping critics essentially want to acquire a “cheap asset” for their team, at Lightning expense. If they want Jo, why shouldn’t the Lightning? Is there any other GM that would give up assets for him, without needing the same change that the Lightning need for him to be productive and worth a serious contract? Are the critics saying the Lightning org is full of putzes, and moving players from this “gang that can’t shoot straight” will automatically improve them?
Drouin scored a game winning goal for the Bolts last night and apparantly will be on the roster for the playoffs. If only those who predicted that were permitted to comment this would be empty space.
On the other hand, Yzerman might be persistant enough to get the value he drafted out of the young man as a player for his team. 19 was always a great captain.
I would still trade him – letting the “kid” get away with disrupting the team is a bad standard to set. Let him walk out on someone else
Maybe the realization that both parties did not handle the situation in a proper professional manner will allow the open wounds heal and Johnathan remains a Bolt !
I think with that expansion draft on the horizon and how it seems wit will ne structured, plus withsome of the UFAs this year the market for goalies snt going to require giving up a player like Bennett, even if it is a guy like Bishop. It would be a better option to sign a guy this year or trade for a guy with a short deal and wait it out to closer to next season when teams have to start thinking of what goalie they want to protect and what goalie they might lose for nothing….at that point the price would drop dramatically.
I just can’t imagine any circumstances where you’d be willing to move Bennett for Bishop – it seems like a vast over payment to me.
And honestly Id be kinda hesitant on doing a deal that drastic untill I see what the change in equipment does to some of these guys and besides maybe Ryan Miller, Ben Bishop would be the top of my list about curious to see what he performs like when it happens.
I realize 6’7 seems big but for a guy that tall to be just over 200 lbs (215) thats an awful lot of pants shoulder and chest when you see him in net.
Crazy to give up Bennett, especially with Riemer available this summer. A lot better to overpay Riemer than trading Bennett
I have stated repeatedly how I thought this Drouin situation would play out & is playing out. I’ve taken a ton of flake for my opinion which is all good but I’ll say it again. This situation with Drouin is salvageable & if Yzerman can’t get proper value & what he wants in return Drouin is not being moved until he creates proper value for himself & someones willing to pay what a 3rd over all pick is worth.
Drouin will be the player he’s supposed to be. He just needs to pay the development time, learn to play the NHL team game & he will eventually be a stud & exactly the player he was drafted to be. Like Hamonic in NYI he may have to bide his time, pay his dues & help himself get traded if that’s his stance when all is said & done.
I see the Cinderella story playing out. Drouin steps up makes a significant contribution helping TB at least get out of the 1st round. Their 1st round draw is Det or Bos & even with out Stamkos, Stralman & potentially Callahan TB has enough talent to beat either of those 2 teams. In the 2nd round, should they advance they look to draw either Flo or NYR based on current standings & although unlikely they can beat either of those 2 teams with their current injures it’s not impossible. I see Drouin as a .75 points per game player moving forward until TB is eliminated from the playoffs. That will help create solid value should Yzerman finally decide to move him.
Well if Drouin does step up and plays well and the team gives him the ice time he feels he deserves then yes this could all fade away. Afterall Drouin felt he wasn’t getting a chance a 3rd pick normally receives and felt he was buried behind the depth of a solid team and wanted out to join a. Team where he can have a bigger role and show his stuff and make that big contract,
If Cooper and the Lightning don’t provide Drouin with the role he beleives he deserves then we’ll Drouin will be traded cause he won’t want to stay and will do another hold out.
i think it is far more likely Drouin will be traded. However I will not be surprised he isn’t and fail to understand why people are reaching for bragging rights on whether their prediction of an event that can have any outcomes comes to pass. Trust me all. If he is not traded ever, this summer, next season, in a few years, wins the playoff MVP or gets benched duri the playoffs after the first period and never sees the ice again, non of it will surprise me. It is all possible. Sure feel free to gloat over me when Tampa and Drouin hig and make up. I still think his time there is running out,
The way Cooper treats his players is disgraceful. What he’s done with Stamkos (telling him to play wing, cutting his ice time, not playing him with the best available linemates, making him serve bench minors in playoff games, benching him in the last minute of a 1 goal playoff game, the list is endless). And the way he’s not been remotely fair with Droiun. Drouins scoring rate and possession numbers were among the best on the team he didnt deserve such little ice time. Copper should never be allowed to coach again.
Stamkos will be free of that jerk July 1. As for Druoin If I were him I’d announce my plan to retire from the NHL just like Kovalchuk did. If Tampa trades me I’d come out of retirement if not I’d collect millions in the KHL!
Took some serous flake. Payback time.
actually Striker you said let him rot in hell. You never said for Yzerman to call him up.
will Calgary try for MAF in leu of Bishop then? Since Murray is the future of the Pens…..
MAF has term…extremely reasonable contract/cap hit….Pens get cap space.
Just not sure what the return would be…
MAF isn’t going any where if he doesn’t wish to. He has a NMC & I can’t see him waving it under almost any scenario & certainly not to go to Calgary.
Flames will trade their highest pick ever in franchise history, Center Sam Bennett, who just had a very good year developing in the pros, for a goalie at the end of his career? Haha that’s funny.
Maybe they would however trade Lance Bouma and/or Matt Stajan…
Look for teams with extra draft picks and a couple young players to make a pitch for Drouin.
There were doubts TB could get a 2nd before.
I think they get a mmid-late 1st and a kicker or two.
If the Bolts don’t go deep Bishop might be shopped to save salary. For resigning Stamkos. If your expecting Toews/Kane/Kopitar money than Bishop getting dealt is over 50% of the solution. Now a new backup would be required behind Vas but that only pares down the % to the 45% range at worst. Bishop plays great but on thus team he is expendable. Remember Yzerman played it DET where the focus was not on goaltending. Save for the Hasek/Cujo tandem. That is his model.
There’s no way Stamkos resigns with Tampa as long as Coppers the coach. Stamkos has played roughly half the games as a right wing and half as a center this season. He scored 30 goals at center and only 5 as a winger. Yet Cooper still insists on playing him on the wing.
Stamkos’ perceived drop off is solely the result of Coopers coaching. Stamkos doesn’t like playing wing and he will choose a team that will let him play center.
Bishop on the block? I guess anything is possible and especially if he’s coming upon free agency after next season. That would be quite the high profile move. The team does have Vasilevsky, so I could certainly see this happening but maybe not with the Calgary Flames if it involves Bennett…
One of Bishop or Vasilevsky will be picked up in the expansion draft. So they may as well get something in return. If they intend to sign Bishop-then sign him and deal Vasilevsky
Makes sense if one of them is likely to be be picked up in expansion draft… I wonder then if a team like the Bruins will entertain moving someone such as Rask or Krejci this off season. I think an expansion draft is going to have teams fielding offers on a lot of players that most of us wouldn’t typically think of or speculate a team trading.
The only reason I bring up Rask is because of the chance the Bruins miss the playoffs again this year, team will see some major changes and moves in the off season. First of all the most obvious candidate will be Julien, unfortunately he’ll take the majority of blame for the collapse down the stretch because of what happened last season as well, both seasons Bruins were in playoff picture for 85%-90% of the season and then collapsed at the end. Didn’t seem like Julien had the team ready to go each night, a lot of line shuffling, no consistency with the lines… that’s on the coach. But I bring up Rask or Krejci because I think aside from Julien likely being let go if they miss the playoffs (85% chance) then I think Sweeny and Neely look to move a major player on the team for some blue line help.
rask has a no movement clause so they have to protect him and expose Subban
scott,
Yeah I saw that earlier the NMC… I guess if they were able to convince him to accept a trade. As a Bruins fan I’m a bit perplexed with their direction regarding goaltending. The defense and the prospects upcoming I see and understand, offense and talent as well but the talented goaltenders in Providence including Subban who they burned a 1st round pick on, although he hasn’t been the greatest… just interesting I guess when you think about it. Rask just turned 29… on a long term deal, who’s coming up behind him at this point is my argument. No clear cut up and coming goaltender to take over…
Reimer is the best free agent goalie out there. Calgary would do good but personally I would like to see them trade for Bernier because I want Reimer back in TO. Can
My favorite UFA goalie is Enroth & he should be able to be had for nominal money & term. He’s earned the chance to be a starter.
Can’t see any team paying over 7 million for a goalie. Bishop may be surprised when he renegotiated?
Lundqvist is in the 2nd season of a 7 year 8.5 mil per deal.
Bobrovsky got 4 years at 7.425
Rask is on a long term at $7m per… Seems to be more common now with teams and goaltenders they deem as a #1 but I do think Bishop could see a contract around $7m per from someone (Tampa or elsewhere).
On the Hamonic front the kid is a warrior and Klefboms staph infection is scary….Necrotizing Fasciitis, can kill you. and it is resistant to antibiotics. Klefbom has no ordinary virus…and from what I was told by a doctor friend. once you have it, you are susceptible to a recurrence.
every indication is that Oskar is progressing well however, so thats good but its not like once its cured its no problem. he’ll need to be wary of it the rest of his life