The latest on Pavel Datsyuk and Jimmy Vesey highlights today’s NHL rumor mill.
Datsyuk heading to Russia at season’s end?
Could Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk head to Russia next season?
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reported sources claiming Detroit Red Wings veteran center Pavel Datsyuk could return to Russia at season’s end to finish his playing career in the KHL. The decision is apparently being made for family reasons. There’s no comment from Datsyuk or the Wings. The two sides are expected to meet following the season. Because Datsyuk was over-35 when he signed his current contract, his $7.5 million cap hit would remain on the Wings books for 2016-17.
THE DETROIT FREE PRESS: Helene St. James reports Red Wings GM Ken Holland shrugged off Frieman’s report. “I hear lots of rumors. There were rumors last summer, there were rumors the summer before. There was rumors about Nick Lidstrom for about three years. It’s all rumors,” replied Holland.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: If Datsyuk does return to Russia next season, Ken Campbell suggests the Red Wings could trade the final year of that contract to a team like the Arizona Coyotes looking to reach the salary-cap floor for next season. They could then use that freed-up space to sign Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos if he decides to test this summer’s UFA market.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Datsyuk is indeed planning to return to Russia after this season, it will create a big gap in their lineup whilst leaving them with $7.5 million of what would essentially be dead-cap space. Campbell’s suggestion of shipping it to a club that needs to get to the cap floor for next season is a good idea. The Philadelphia Flyers and Boston Bruins employed that tactic last summer with the respective contracts of Chris Pronger and Marc Savard, sending Pronger’s to the Coyotes and Savard’s to the Florida Panthers. It could make the Wings a player in a possible Stamkos sweepstakes this summer, but they could also use those available dollars to invest in cheaper options. If Stamkos hits the open market, there’s no certainty that he’ll join the Wings.
Latest on Jimmy Vesey.
THE BOSTON GLOBE: Fluto Shinzawa reports the feeling around the NHL is Nashville Predators prospect winger Jimmy Vesey will sign with the Boston Bruins or Toronto Maple Leafs when he becomes a UFA on August 15. The Bruins are Vesey’s hometown team, but the Leafs drafted his brother two years ago and hired his father as an amateur scout.
TORONTO SUN: Steve Simmons claims a source told him a week before Vesey’s decision to become a free agent that the winger will definitely sign with the Leafs. “Guess we’ll find out on August 15,” said Simmons.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Last week, a Boston reporter cited what he claimed was a well-placed source with the Boston hockey college community saying Vesey was going to join the Bruins. Makes of these what you will.
Steve Simmions lol what possible real source would he have ?
Steve has an 8ball, a Ouija board, his local bartender fellow regulars & his mother is still a great source of insight for him.
between simmons and myrtle its embarrassing! lol if you want a good laugh go to hockeybuzz and read james tanner! lmao
I won’t even read James Tanner any longer. I’ve told Cordell & Lewis that if they include him in the Hotstove I won’t be reading that either. Ha-ha!
lol no doubt
No sympathy for Wings – if this happens, they knew it might happen. Clubs that take the contract should demand a #1 and more.
tired of talking about Vesey – what a bum
Ottawa got one of those a few years ago – Bobby Butler – award-winner in U.S. college – a flop in the NHL.
Bobby Butler was a great college player & even a Hobey Baker nominee but I don’t remember him being touted like Vasey. I don’t remember Hockey’s Future or the Hockey Hockey News ranking him in the top 50 never mind 11th or people like Mackenzie, MacQuire, etc touting him as 1 of the best players not in the NHL.
I should say George he was a Hobey Baker finalist not just nominee, a HE all-star & even looked like he might be an NHL player. Had a good rookie year in Ottawa & in his 2nd year regressed. Ottawa waived him & bought him out. NJ, Nashville & Flo all gave him a cup of coffee but something was missing from his game at the NHL level.
Vesey was drafted and opted not to sign, Butler wasn’t drafted – little bit of a difference there.
1st Detroit & Datsyuk would need to mutually agree to terminate the final year of his deal for him to be allowed to play in the KHL next season as he’s under contract in to Detroit & the NHL & KHL have an agreement to honor each others contracts.
Prior to the CBA being modified to make contracts signed by players over 35 not be be washed off the books even if a player retires I could have seen Detroit allowing Datsyuk out of his contract & I appreciate everything Datsyuk has done for Detroit. He’s 1 of a very small group of Russian players I admire but why would Detroit agree to mutual termination when faced with having to carry his 7.5 million cap hit for next season? Sure they could trade it but they would have to give up a fairly significant asset to have another team absorb it even though they wouldn’t actually have to pay it after an agreement to mutually terminate.
I hate these kids of rumors & wouldn’t even give it the slightest value except it comes from a souce who’s opinions I admire & respect. Freidman isn’t a sensationalist just spitting stuff out there to stir the pot but it just doesn’t make sense to me & I don’t see it happening. Like Holland says it’s a rumor & the vast majority never happen.
I dont think you can trade a players salary to another team and then have that player play in a different country, in a different league…but then again everyone and everything is assbackwards & all systems / owners are corrupt & greedy. What do I know
The only way what Campbell suggests could happen would be if Detroit traded Datsyuk to Arizona first, then Datsyuk retires. Arizona would then have his cap hit but wouldn’t have to pay any money. Then Datsyuk could do a Kovalchuk.
Boston getting hammered by Chicago 6-2 at the end of 2. What a colossal collapse by the Bruins down the stretch. Thursdays game may play huge against Detroit.
Boston has an easier schedule down the stretch. All 3 at home against Car, Det, & Ott but are under 500 at home. Detroit has Phi at home & Bos & NYR on the road.
The only exciting battle left in the playoffs. Phi, Bos Det & to a lesser extent NYI but their 2 games in hand & 2 pts on Det & Bos should pretty much guarantee them a spot.
I think it comes down to 1 of Det or Bos missing but it is exciting. West looks done although Colorado isn’t mathematically eliminated.
Sorry should read 2 on Det & 3 on Bos
MST nailed it. Always away to make it work just have to get a little creative.
The Datsyuk/Kovalchuk retirement/play in the KHL is something Druoin could threaten to do too.
The 20 year old could say:” I’m thinking of retiring from the NHL. I’m thinking I might retire somewhere in Europe. I hear Russia’s a nice place”.
Then Yzerman has 2 choices trade Druoin now for peanuts in hopes the new team might be able to convince him to change his mind before he inks with a KHL team. Or call Druoin’s bluff. In the latter case though Tampa gets nothing and Druoin still gets a big fat KHL deal worth millions.
If I’m Yzerman I’d swallow my pride and cave. At least l’d get something.
I’m not certain the CBA works that way precisely. Kovalchuk & NJ mutually agreed to termination. Who ever holds Datsyuk’s rights would have to as well. I don’t believe Yzerman would mutually agree to such a scenario.
Yzerman isn’t going to be pressured into doing anything by Drouin.
The Coyotes did not take on Pronger’s contract to reach the cap floor. The Flyer’s insisted on adding Pronger to the deal to rid themselves of the cap hit and took on Gagner in the process.
with stamkos and stralman hurt doesn’t look good for tampas cup run
Agreed bigbear. Brutal loses at the worst time of the season.
Trying to look at the positives it gives TB a chance to see what the forward group will look like if Stamkos moves on & that’s still pretty formidable. It’s to bad Stralman wasn’t in the mix as TB seriously misses his transition game. He’s TB’s best Dman at making outlet passes & helping to skate the puck out of their own zone. A very rare commodity found in most NHL Dman.
I assume Drouin will get called up now & this is a great opportunity to mend a ton of burnt bridges by both sides.
I can’t wait to see how this plays out & who steps up from the group of very young players already on this roster & the veterans to try & fill the void. Makes it interesting
both equally big loses but with stamkos out we will see how the next scoring line handles the number one checking line in the playoffs
sometimes that helps and causes the team to become more tight knit and go further then expected & when the injured players returns the team falters because they figure now their gravy and become complacent.
At least thats what happens when I watch the leafs 😛
I guess this throws a monkey wrench into Stamkos / Yzserman’s salary offer / negotiations of Stamkos. I’d suggest that if he does not accept the current offer. He gone.
or if they get put out early in the playoffs and see how much they need him!!
i aws gonna say that but didnt think someone else was assbackwards
I can’t see why Stamkos would resign with Tampa even if they offered the most money. They’ve cut his ice time way down and made him play wing. Both have severely hurt his output. They make him serve bench minors in a playoff game! And sat him in the last minute of a one goal playoff game.
They might as well have slapped him in the face and spit on him. Stamkos can play anywhere he wants. He’s never going back to Tampa!
good young team went to the cup final why wouldn’t he want to sign in tampa?? he could say to yzerman cooper goes or I do a lot of things could happen! never say never
Big Bear That’s the only way I see Stamkos coming back is if Cooper is fired.
I don’t care if Stamkos resigns with TB or not. He’s not worth being paid as 1 of the top 5 players in the NHL. He is certainly a superstar but he wouldn’t be in my 1st 5 selections of players if I were building a team today. He wouldn’t make my top 12 at least 1/2 of which would be defensemen.
The #’s don’t support your argument. Stamkos leads TB for TOI/GP & PP TOI/GP both this season & last.
We Know Cooper isn’t being terminated. He just signed an extension. Yes Cooper is a tough coach. The best always are.
I wonder if Julien gets let go after this season regardless if they make the playoffs or not? they are playing some ugly hockey down the stretch its looking like a leafs late season collapse! lol
Winnie the poo who are the Leafs what league do they play in can’t remember when they were relevant.
lol well does juliens head roll for this collapse or is it the terrible defense?
Bruins were said to be a lottery team nobody I seen had them a playoff Team. Julien was considered for coach of the year not long ago. Bruins need a couple of D- man or continue playing the young guys and suffer the consequences.
and that’s what they are konobi a lottery team right now
Of all the Stamkos rumors the one to Detroit seems the best fit for the player to actually be an impact star around a nice young veteran nucleus if he is interested in leaving.
Vesey – There is no credible source but Vesey himself. If he can’t sign until August, then he’d be a fool to sign any place before checking out his options. No doubt, the fact that he he told Nashville they they are now one of 30 teams who can make a pitch for his services shows that he is not a fool.