Potential Flyers trade candidates, whether the Oilers should trade for Toronto’s Tyler Bozak and speculating on possible Bruins moves in your NHL rumor mill.
Oilers and Bozak.
Don’t expect to see Tyler Bozak in an Oilers jersey next season.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples notes a recent interview by Sportsnet’s John Shannon with Oilers Now fill-in host Brendan Ulrich. Shannon dismissed the suggested notion of the Edmonton Oilers dealing for Toronto Maple Leafs center Tyler Bozak if they trade away Ryan Nugent-Hopkins this summer. “What they’re trying to do in Edmonton is change the culture, and the key word in the culture change is ‘winning’ and I’m not sure that anybody that comes out of the Toronto Maple Leafs organization is somebody you want,” Shannon said.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I expect the Oilers will trade Nugent-Hopkins this summer, but they won’t pursue Tyler Bozak as his replacement. There’s no reason to make that move.
Flyers trade and buyout candidates.
CSNPHILLY.COM: Tim Panaccio doesn’t expect the Philadelphia Flyers will re-sign UFA defenseman Evgeny Medvedev. It’s expected the Flyers could try to move veteran blueliner Mark Streit ($5.25 million salary-cap hit) to both clear cap space and create room to promote a young rearguard such as Ivan Provorov.
Panaccio also speculates the Flyers could shop disappointing winger Matt Read. Veteran winger R.J. Umberger expects to be bought out.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Streit’s cap hit and age (38) could make him difficult to move, as will his partial no-trade clause. The Flyers could end up picking up part of his cap hit for next season to get a deal done. I’m expecting Umberger to be bought out.
Bruins.
BOSTON HERALD: Stephen Harris wonders if Bruins GM Don Sweeney might buy out defenseman Dennis Seidenberg during the buyout period later this month. “If the B’s elected to buy out Dennis Seidenberg, who has a $4 million hit each of the next seasons, they would pay him $1.17 million per year for the next four years according to generalfanager.com — and have salary cap savings of $2.833 million next season and $1.833 million the following year,” writes Harris.
He also wonders if Sweeney, who has two picks in the first round of the upcoming draft, might use the first one (14th overall) as trade bait to bolster the blueline.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The number of years for a Seidenberg buyout could prove unappealing for Sweeney. They could keep the veteran defenseman for another season and consider buying him out next summer. If there’s to be an expansion draft next summer, he could also leave Seidenberg exposed in hopes an expansion club will take the defenseman and his remaining contract off the Bruins’ heads.
Not that I agree that Bozak makes any sense for the Oilers but…”I’m not sure that anybody that comes out of the Toronto Maple Leafs organization is somebody you want,” Shannon said. Is a rather broad statement, Im sure the Pens are having no issues with Kessel, and Polak and Reimer have fit their roles for the Sharks pretty well.
Shannon’s comment is in the “pompous ass” category, one with which he is regularly familiar.
Shannon speaks the truth, not sure the Oilers need more of the same if they want to climb back to respectability.
i agree jeff of the players the leafs want to get rid of cant see many teams thinking those players would be on there want list
Ottawa seems pretty happy to have Phaneuf as well, especially to start a season paired with Ceci, and until he began suffering concussions, MacArthur was a decent contributor up front. As for Kessel, he’s found his niche and is a r eal force for the Pens.
Still bothers me the way MacArthur was treated in To.
And don’t forget Steen and Stepniak who have done well elsewhere. If anything, what cramps the play of those on the Leafs as a season gets into the tough going has less to do with their talent and more on the so-called “fishbowl” existence, almost to the point where a misplaced fart becomes the topic of discussion on umpteen panel shows/
I agree Shticky. He should have been resigned. He would have taken less money than what Ottawa paid him. I hope he can stay healthy & help Ottawa make the playoffs next season.
I think I know what scribe you are talking about George.
listen to george he knows i mean this is the same crybaby that left on here and said i will never be back look at murray george the biggest windbag in hockey
getting phaneuf was a mistake for Ottawa he is way overpaid and more of a 3-4 dman than a 1-2 should have waited till the offseason and signed a dman as good or better for less money
Speaking of gasbags, john, WHEN did I ever say I would never be back – Lyle, any record of that? I thought your tone of juvenile “my dad can beat your dad” “skulking in your parent’s basement” type of comments ended when the Sun newspapers stopped allowing comments on their sites.
No Edmonton wouldn’t want Morgan Rielly.
Is that a mis-type and did you mean to say Bozak? Because I can’t think of too many teams that wouldn’t want Rielly.
It’s sarcasm.
LOL. Good one then.
He did not mean that,sure you would want Rielly,are you going to get him? “NO”He was talking about castoffs that the leafs did not want.
Gee, ya think?
The only difference with the others you mentioned is that those teams already had a winning culture, to so with the Oilers. Although Bozak would add some nice depth at centre for the Oilers if/when RNH is traded.
Last year plenty around here said that the culture in San Jose and Pittsburgh was a culture of choking in big games….It seems to me culture only applies when teams dont win, teams dont win because they were built wrong and is missing pieces (management) or poorly coached not very often is a team not good because of its “culture”. Imo
Leafs signed Bolland from a winning culture… he turned out great!! You don’t just sign cup winning teams cast-offs and voila you have a winner, that’s just stupid to even think. Bozak is an excellent 3rd line center, wins over 50% of his draws and plays a good two way game. To say that the Oilers wouldn’t want him because he comes from Toronto is just ignorant. I guess that means no one will want RNH, Yakupov, Hall or Eberle because they come from the Oilers culture…. lol
I think that it’s time for Shannon to hang em up.
That was an insulting, ignorant comment. Toronto hasn’t done much winning lately but that doesn’t mean their players can’t help a winning team.
Let’s see, Reimer is keeping his spot on the bench warm and Polak is -4 in the playoffs. I guess if that was what SJ wanted from those two then yep, doing pretty well. Can’t say that is a ringing endorsement for other Leaf players.
Philapdelphia will have no trouble moving Striet with 1 year left even at 38.
Streits, actual salary is 4 million next season & of that 2 million is a bonus due & payable on July 1st. Philadelphia will have to pay that bonus incure the cap hit & the team acquiring him will only have to pay him 2 million.
Moving Streit at 2 million regardless of cap hit is a walk in the park & numerous teams need what Streit can provide. Philly might even be able to get the team acquiring streit to pick of some of the bonus paid if allowed under the CBA after it’s actually paid.
Is Matt Read really disappointing? Or is what we are seeing the real Matt Read?
Not sure about Streit – I thin some teams can take the full contract, but the Flyers can’t expect much back in return.
Agreed. It’s essentially a cap dump. Nominal draft pick, maybe a 3rd but most likely less & a C grade prospect that most likely never plays in the NHL.
@striker-Philly can pay the bonus at July 1-and trade Streit afterwards. They would NOT have any cap hit on the bonus paid.
Scott so how would that work? Surely if Philly pays the 2 mil bonus then trades him they incure that 2 mil against the cap & the team acquiring him the other 2?
Although little makes sense in the CBA as it relates to salaries & cap hits so I really have no idea.
@Striker-the bonus paid out in July ’16 is already accounted for in the $5.25M salary cap hit.
If he is traded the flyers could retain part of the cap hit-but that’s independent of the bonus payout
Copy that Scot. Makes sense. Thanks. That means Philly would have to eat some portion of that 4 million salary & cap hit to facilitate moving Streit.
Thought about it and you are right, he should be able to be moved. Arizona only has 2 signed D on their roster from last year. A good fit if Streit agrees to waive his no trade clause. Same with Seidenberg the NTC stands in the way.
I find it laughable that some bloggers will post ” the Red Wings will have no problem moving Datsyuks $7.5 mill contract to a team that needs to reach the cap floor” and than in the next breath think that it would be a stretch for the Flyers to trade a decent player like Streit because he has a $5.25 mill cap hit
The difference between Streit and Datsyuk is a team trading for Datsyuk wouldn’t have to pay a dime to that player while they would with Streit. A team that loses money every year might find getting a cap hit to hit the floor or get profit sharing more appealing if they don’t even have to spend a dime on a player. For example lets say Arizona is 4 million below the floor or amount needed for revenue sharing. They can take Streit which would get them there or they can take Datsyuk and not pay a cent for it. They would only take Streit if they feel he can contribute for the money spent while with Datsyuk they don’t care because they won’t be paying him anything. They could possibly sign someone cheaper to be in the lineup if needed or go with one of their cheaper youngsters to save money. All a team loses by taking Datsyuk’s contract is one year of dead cap space which for budget teams, is nothing at all.
Perhaps Carolina with the legal battles down their will look to shed salary and get out of the rid the next few years. Adding 7.5 mill of cap could help them do that.
It amazes me Shannon has a job. He fits perfectly with my idiots are born every day. You can’t take anything he says seriously.
Yeah. He also said Fleury should get the crease last series because “he was their guy.” McDavid will provide enough winning culture for the whole team next year.
Striker, I posted the link to your comment yesterday in regards to Trouba contract demands, if you haven’t already read it.
Thks Caper, I’ll go back & read it. Who reported his demands originally, was ot a reputable source?
Tim Campbell Winnipeg Free Press very reputable.
Very much so. I’ll read the article. Thanks.
The dreaded league & player sources. Ha-ha!
It just makes no sense that Trouba would make this type of demand or his agent. On what grounds? Who would he use as a comparable? There isn’t a single Dman coming out of his ELC that has ever been paid this much money & term & numerous others, dozens over the last decade who are & have been significantly better than Trouba have signed for far less.
Trouba will be lucky to get 4.5 on a bridge. Based on last seasons performance he may have to take a 2 year bridge at or near 4 to help establish better value for himself.
The worst part about Shannon is Rogers ensures he is on every platform and show. A regular on PTI, Fills in on Hockey Central at Noon, and is on most of their pregame and post games shows. And they wonder why ratings are in the garbage
I refuse to watch Sportsnet or Hockey Night in Canada. I get my hockey talk on the NHL network via satellite XM91. I watch TSN; It’s terrible they lost the national rights to the NHL, they are the best in the business at delivering hockey.
I watch games on NHL Centerice, or listen to broadcasts via satellite & I read a ton from a variety of sources.
Pretty much everyone at sportsnet feels like tsn rejects. You could point to every one of them and point to a superior equivalent broadcaster at tsn.
Boston would be better off trading Seidenburg, shouldn’t have to retain any salary. This guy isn’t totally done and is still better Miller or Mcquaid. Even if you have to retain salary depending on what is coming back, would be no more them 1m per season, which is far better then the $1.17m per year for 4 years.
I don’t see Boston buying Seidenberg out. He was injured to start the year missing all of training camp & significant portion of games out of the gate; 21. He never really got back on track after returning from injury. Even at 35 IN July I’ll give Seidenberg a pass on last year due to injury.
As long as Boston signs Yandle or Goligoski as UFA’s or trades for a comparable Dman I like Boston’s D next season. I want to see C. Miller & Morrow play more & Seidenberg & Chara should start to sit when ever Boston plays back to back games where they play 4 games in a 7 day window.
Acquiring a top 2 Dman reduces the load on Chara, K. Miller, Seidenberg & McQuad, pushing each down the depth chart 1 spot. Roles all are better suited for. The development of all the young players Boston dressed last season, 11 players with 3 or less seasons of NHL experience, the majority less than that, will also help team defense not hanging the D & Rask out to dry as often.
Yandle/other, Chara.
Krug, K. Miller.
Seidenberg, Mcquad.
C. Miller, Morrow.
Boston has the cap space to resign Krug, extend Marchand & sign Yandle as a UFA as long as they let Eriksson walk. I support promoting Vatrano full time in his place & I think Vesey signs in Boston.
If Eriksson is retained Boston might even be able to squeeze it all in. It would be tight but not impossible. Although in that scenario I couls see Boston moving out a salary in trade or buyout, possibly even Seidenberg.
No way, shape, or form do I consider Yandle a top D-man. When, repeat “WHEN”, we get someone, It has to be a 1st pairing LD that plays a defensive game and helps with the O.
any names Don? I agree Yandle isn’t a top pairing 3-zone dman and everyone seems to think Krug could be the same as Yandle and I would suggest Krug has the desire to be better in his own zone. I’m not totally against Yandle as he cost nothing other then cash but I wonder if Boston would be better served with Demers or Goligoski who shoots L but will be 31 in July. If the choice is Shattenkirk or Yandle, the latter only requires cash. Hopefully there is a bigger deal to be made.
It isn’t happening. K. Miller, McQuad & Seidneberg are there to provide defense. Krug & Chara good 2 way play contributing to both offense & defense & Yandle will be brought in to help the transition gam & man the #1 PP with Krug. Morrow looks to have future 2 way ability & C. Miller certainly can provide offense but neither are ready for solid minutes & need to be worked in slowly in sheltered roles.
The asset you want is virtually impossible to trade for. Every team wants 1, the problem is they are the rarest commodity in hockey.
I should state Goligoski is my 1st choice of UFA Dman; solid 2 way guy, but I believe Boston will sign Yandle for 6 years at or near 6.5 mil per.
would like to see the Bruins sign Demers who can play both ends of ice and a lesser ( $) stay at home Dman
Sweeney even came out a week ago & said what he wanted in a D. Yandle fits his wants to a T.
How many defensive D does 1 team need?
well they might need a few more they were terrible in the defensive end this yr! had no problem scoring goals but couldn’t keep it out of the net
Bigbear.
My argument is that sitting 12th worst for goals against with 228 allowed on the season, which is 8 off the median league average, the blame can’t be solely be placed at the feet of the defense.
11 players played regular roles for the Bruins last year with virtually no NHL experience, 3 of which were defensemen that had to play significant roles. Trotman, C. Miller & Morrow. 2 others had very little experience. Krug in year 3 & K. Miller in his 2nd full season.
With youth & inexperience comes mistakes. Boston started a rebuild last season, Sweeney undertook a major change of direction & to have even finished as high as the did in the standings considering leaning on so much youth was impressive.
Blame the D if you wish. I choose not to look at all factors. Boston’s D is significantly better than many teams in the NHL now with out an upgrade & I see significant improvements coming as that youth develops, learns & matures.
most teams have that much youth on there team boston was not impressive especially in the weak east! you can stumble around that bostons defense wasn’t the problem but most hockey guys pointed directly at the defense and yandle is not gonna improve that hardly at all
I am not big on Yandle as a fit for the Bruins. Very good offensive player but I don’t like the term and $’s he will demand and get on the open market for where the Bruins sit today. Any team that signs him will overpay due to the fact that he plays the position in greatest demand.
I have no problem overpaying him for the first 3 years of the deal, not the last 3. In 3 years you have to expect 2 of the 3 drafted last year will be getting significant time. Chara will be retired and he will still be their best D Man. Likely Zboril and Carlo with Lauzon being the wild card. C Millar, Krug and Morrow also playing significant minutes. Leaves McQuaid and K Millar filling limited time. Yandle will be a the contract we debate on how to get rid of.
Go after someone like Campbell if you want to get give it another go next year.
I am of the belief they are not real cup contenders and are destined to middle of the pack with or without Yandle. I would prefer they they begin the rebuild in full now and not in 3 years.
If Sweeney feels like they can contend now have at er, then go after Yandle. I am in the other camp.
I’m with you ray that defense is much more of an upgrade than yandle! And that Miller signing was a waste of a contract
Yep, what it says to me is that Sweeney thinks he can win now. Or ownership wants the playoff gate and couldn’t care less about a cup.
As a 47 year Bruins fan I have seen this act before.
Finishing between 7-10 in the standings for the next 3 years is a recipe for finishing between 7-10 for another 5 years.
Even with Yandle you still have no top 2 D men. You get them in the draft and not at 14.
I may be proven wrong and they go on a run next year with Yandle if they go that route.
I would be bet a paycheck that they don’t.
Don’t look now bigbear, but the “weak east” is on the verge of winning the cup
Lol George as whole you can’t disagree about the east being weak!
I wouldn’t buyout Siedenberg either. Trade or keep him he isn’t that bad.
Don’t like Yandle for the money he will get.
I think Shattenkirk would be the best option Trouba second.
I would even wait a year for Shattenkirk and save the assets.
If rumours are true regarding Oilers pursuing Bozak then I don’t know how much sense it would make for Toronto to go after RNH as Leafs prospects like Marner, Nylander are already small skilled forwards. If I’m Toronto I would try and package something, Bozak, Gardiner/Percy and Pittsburgh’s first for Edmonton’s 4th overall. What makes sense in Edmonton pursuing Bozak is that he comes with a cap friendly contract, along with the point production and work ethic to back it up, not to mention his ability to win faceoffs. With Edmonton having some players tied down with larger contracts and other players due for raises, getting a guy like Bozak would then give the Oilers room to make further moves towards acquiring D using players like RNH, Eberle, Etc. Just my opinion
How many teams are searching for their reclamation project Defensemen after seeing two teams break the recent mold of strong top 3-4D and piece together Cup contender with some castoffs?
Though Olli Maata looks like Dan Girardi did against the Kings a few finals back-
Cowen is a great reclamation project ! lol
I could see Ottawa trading for either streit or seidenberg.
They are in need of a veteran bottom pairing d-man and wouldn’t hurt to get a player with a cup ring like seidenberg to bring in some vet leadership. I wouldn’t expect much in terms of return but it seems like the type of players that would fit.
Possibly, with Ottawa however it comes down to money. How much will Boston hold back for Ottawa to be able to stomach having Seidenberg as a bottom pairing guy.
Streit and Seidenberg – I cant see too many teams really excited at acquiring either of these guys, even if their current teams retain salary. There’s just not enough room under the cap for overpaid players past their prime. The days of teams acquiring old, tired players are over – unless Philly and Boston are willing to add sweeteners, real assets.
I would suggest you good look through all 30 teams in the league & sort them by Dman; NHL.com works very well for this, & look at all the D that played in the NHL last season by team. Numerous teams dressed a # of Dman that shouldn’t even be playing in the NHL in 1 game never mind entire seasons. Streit & Seidenberg are easily legitimate top 6 Dman on almost every team in the NHL higher on almost all.
No question they can still play – but the cap doesn’t allow for overpaid guys, it just doesn’t. Just about every team has one player on their roster that is overpaid. Gonna take on more without getting a sweetener?
I agree 4th Hanson. The issue with the majority of these onerous contracts is they were signed in a run away cap world. The breaks got hit hard & most teams didn’t heed the advice they were given about the cap.
I my industry we started accounting for the decline of the Canadian dollar more than 3 years ago & advising our Canadian clients of such. Most listened & put systems in place to help mitagate the impact. They hedged production; selling future sales at predetermined prices years into the future, they bought significant US & Euro currencies, started scalling back exloration & projects well in advance of the decline.
Gary Bettman said almost a year ago the NHL had advised the member teams the Canadian dollar was facing significant preasure. These are diversified businessmen & most should have known what was coming.
FOr non cap teams like the islanders, Arizona, Florida or Ottawa, veteran leader like Streit who can play the PP @ $2M per year cash hit-is a no brainer.
Agreed. For me the best fits are Arz & NJ. Both need help on the PP at the point.
Arizona – I see because they do not have alotta defensive depth in their system.
$2M is not overpaid, cuz the Flyers will have to eat that much to get rid of him.
would rather see the Bruins go the FA route for a DMan or two, draft picks on DMen ( did draft 3 last year ) take a long time to get ready to make the jump to the NHL, would like to see them use their 1st pick in draft on a power forward who can score,skate and take the body..
The Leafs really are not likely to deal Bozak or any of the other guys aged over 22. Bozak has earned a pretty good reputation with Babcock, and continues to put up points no matter who his linemates are. If he were to go anywhere, it would likely be in a trade that helps another team with with a cap issue. With McDavid, Drisatl and RNH, there really isn’t room…of course if the Oilers want to shed a couple of million in cap space and get a steady #2 center who plays both ends of the ice, there might be something to build around…but the Oilers have a year or two before they really need to worry about cap space. In the end though, I don’t see Babcock wanting to dump Bozak and I don’t see Charelli worrying too much about getting more mature and responsible players for the second and third lines…at least not for Bozak’s salary.
RNH will end up going to either NJD, NYI or the Wild.
The Oilers have been horrible for what ten years now? Last year they finished DEAD LAST + 1pt vs. a team that finsihed DEAD LAST after it started a rebuild by tearing apart it’s team. The Leafs made the playoffs in 2012, what about Edmonton (see hint at start).
John Shannon by saying that about the Leafs, has directly implied the same about Edmonton; even more so. What do the Oilers have to offer; 2 massive 1st OA flops in Yakapuff, and RNH (no one can remember his real name).