Updates on Steven Stamkos, Kevin Shattenkirk, Ben Bishop and many more in your NHL rumor mill.
Stamkos, Shattenkirk, Bishop, Reimer.
The fate of Steven Stamkos remains a hot topic at the NHL Draft.
TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos, a pending unrestricted free agent, can now speak with other clubs. However, Lightning GM Steve Yzerman said all avenues remain open to re-sign him. He also didn’t rule out doing a sign-and-trade.
Darren Dreger notes the Detroit Red Wings shipping out the final season of Pavel Datsyuk’s contract ($7.5 million salary-cap hit) makes room for Wings GM Ken Holland to pursue Stamkos on the open market. Dreger said the Wings could table a seven-year offer worth at least $10 million annually.
Bob McKenzie believes Stamkos wants to return with the Lightning, but now that the window is open to speak with other clubs, why not listen to what they have to offer. While the Lightning reportedly offered $8.5 million per season, there’s no state tax in Florida, meaning that could go further than a $10 million per season offer from Toronto. James Duthie, however, points out Stamkos could make around $3 million per year through endorsements in Toronto.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s looking increasingly likely that Stamkos will depart Tampa Bay. If the Wings don’t land him, they’ll certainly have the cap space to chase one of the other top players in this summer’s UFA market. Toronto and Buffalo are also expected to be among the suitors for Stamkos.
Dreger reports the Edmonton Oilers will continue shopping for a defenseman. The asking prices are very high, but with the Oilers selecting Jesse Puljujarvi with the fourth overall pick in the NHL draft, perhaps that makes it easier to move someone like Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins or Jordan Eberle for a blueliner.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s going to cost the Oilers one of those three forwards if they hope to land a quality defenseman. Of the three, Hall would fetch the best return. Now that they’ve kept the fourth-overall pick to select Puljujarvi, this should bring the “P.K.Subban to Edmonton” speculation to a close. That pick was supposed to be a key part of those rumored deals for Subban.
LeBrun believes Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli will have to step it up if he wants St. Louis Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, Blues GM Doug Armstrong said the offers he’s currently received for Shattenkirk aren’t anywhere close to what he’s seeking. Armstrong is willing to be patient and wait for the right offer.
McKenzie reports Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Ben Bishop and Pittsburgh Penguins netminder Marc-Andre Fleury could be staying with their current clubs for the time being. The Calgary Flames acquisition of Brian Elliott means there’s no club right now willing to pay up for top goalies such as Bishop or Fleury.
Frank Seravalli reports Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving might not be done shopping for a goalie after acquiring Brian Elliott on Friday from the Blues. With Elliott signed through 2016-17 at $2.5 million, Seravalli suggests San Jose Sharks pending UFA James Reimer might be an option to form the other half of the Flames’ goalie tandem.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Acquiring another goalie suggests they lack confidence in RFA netminder Joni Ortio, which could put his future with the Flames in doubt.
Fleury, Kulikov, Bonino, Strome.
SPORTSNET: Prior to the opening round of the NHL draft, Elliotte Friedman wondered if the Carolina Hurricanes might be a destination for Marc-Andre Fleury, suggesting a flip of Cam Ward or Eddie Lack for Fleury.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s an interesting suggestion, but I think the Hurricanes will stick with Ward and Lack for next season.
Friedman also wondered how the Florida Panthers re-signing Keith Yandle could affect blueliner Dmitri Kulikov. He’s been linked to the Boston Bruin, Colorado Avalanche, Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Team may be interested, but in recent days various reports out of Florida claim Kulikov isn’t available.
Teams could contact the Pittsburgh Penguins to inquire about center Nick Bonino. He has a year left on his contract ($1.9 million cap hit) and will be due a big raise.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins are currently over the $73 million cap ceiling for next season, though they could get under that ceiling if Pascal Dupuis officially retires and his $3.75 million cap hit comes off the books. Still, that won’t leave much room for other moves. Moving Fleury’s $5.75 million cap hit would address that issue, but there doesn’t appear to be a market for him this summer. GM Jim Rutherford could be forced to consider other moves, though I’m sure dealing Bonino is not something he wants to do.
New York Islander GM Garth Snow said he’s not interested in moving forward Ryan Strome.
Oilers, Ducks, Rangers, Bruins and Senators.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson reports the Oilers and Minnesota Wild had discussions on the draft floor yesterday, most likely about center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins going to the Wild for a young defenseman such as Matt Dumba or Jonas Brodin. He claims nothing came of it and Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli declined to discuss the specifics of their talks.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: No indication if the Oilers and Wild will revisit those discussions today. Doesn’t sound like it.
The Buffalo Sabres reportedly had some interest in Oiler right wing Nail Yakupov. It’s believed the Sabres wish to move winger Tyler Ennis to free up more cap room for a run at Steven Stamkos via free agency.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: At $4.6 million per season through 2018-19, Ennis could be a tough sell. I doubt the Oilers would agree to a swap of Yakupov for Ellis.
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: Eric Stephens reports the Anaheim Ducks didn’t move defenseman Cam Fowler because GM Bob Murray didn’t receive any satisfactory trade offers. Murray acknowledged teams are making calls but he was never close to a deal.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s assumed Murray wants to move out Fowler’s $4 million cap hit to make room for Hampus Lindholm’s new contract. This could be something that percolates beyond the draft weekend.
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS: Pat Leonard reports a source said Rangers GM Jeff Gorton “looked into potential suitors for either or both of defensemen Dan Girardi and Marc Staal” before the opening round of the 2016 NHL draft. It is not believed either player was asked to waive their no-movement clauses. Leonard also learned Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk is willing to take a discount on any contract extension signed with the Rangers if he ends up traded to New York.
NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks reports the Rangers aren’t pursuing a defenseman like Shattenkirk who has only one year left on his contract. He also claims a deal that would’ve sent the Blues defenseman to the Edmonton Oilers fell through.
CSNNE.COM: Joe Haggerty reports a source claiming Shattenkirk would end up with the Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyer or New York Rangers for 2016-17. Haggerty notes that Bruins GM Don Sweeney said other teams’ managers asked him “to include both of his 2016 first round picks and more to swing a deal for a defenseman.” Winger David Pastrnak’s name came up in those discussions, but Sweeney isn’t willing to part with him.
OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Senators GM Pierre Dorion will today focus on trying to move defenseman Patrick Wiercioch and winger Alex Chiasson. The Sens have until Monday to decide if they make qualifying offer to the two restricted free agents. Wiercioch would cost $2.7 million while Chiasson would cost $1.2 million.
Please stop with these Shattenkirk to Philly rumors, the Flyers don’t need any more defensmen
Actually, they do. They need a veteran D-man with some grit who can move the puck. Right now, they have prospects and that’s all they are is “prospects”. If the Flyers can move Streit, that pretty much leaves Del Zotto and Schultz as the only experienced, guys. I think Hextall would like to move Schultz too. ….. Shattenkirk would be a good fit especially since Hextall is trying to build from the back end out. … I think the Flyers are going to trade Schenn. If so, it very well could be for a d-man like Shattenkirk.
There is no way Philly will bring in a defenseman, they need to drop a few so they can bring in the young guys
You guys actually do need D. Only defensemen worth mentioning on the Flyers is Gostisbhere. The rest are either awful or your everyday dmen.
You’d definitely have to get rid of some of those nobodies before you get another Dman though.
Wiercioch is untradable in his current situation since any team acquiring him would have to extend the same qualifying offer and so, wherever he plays this coming season – if it’s anywhere – he won’t be getting anywhere neat $2.7 mil. Chiasson may not be as costly to qualify, but although he showed signs of finally “getting it” towards the end of last season, so did a few others in the organization like 6′ 6″ Buddy Robinson who was just extended on a 2-way deal at $750,000, and 6′ 4″ Nick Paul who came with Chiasson in that deal for Spezza.
I don’t see Hextall going after Shattenkirk this season. In fact, with all of the young’ns coming through the pipeline, they actually would probably like to make space on the blue-line for someone to come up (like Provorov and/or Morin).
Why would Dupuis retire. He would be required to forfeit his final season of his contract & that’s not happening. The same reason Ohlund stayed on TB’s books, or Savard, Pronger, Clowe, Horton, etc. for their respective teams currently.
He would retire so he could move on to the next chapter of his life. Coaching. I look for him to retire and then turn around and be hired by the Penguins either as a assistant coach for WBS or head coach for Wheeling. His days as a Player are over but Coaching is just about to begin. Not all players are money staved aholes.
& give up 3.75 mil. I don’t think so.
3 mil in salary
He retired mid season just has to make it official i guess. Fyi
Dupuis hasn’t retired. If he had his cap hit would have been removed from Pittsburgh’s cap hit & he wouldn’t show up on the NHLPA player registry.
You sure assume to know a lot about players meanwhile proving you know less than anyone else.
Not sure about savard but pronger signed his long term deal after a certain age, keeping that on the salary cap hit was the fu to teams signing 12 year deals with 1 million dollar four year terms at the end to drive down the cap hit. An easy way to avoid this garbage would be if a player is making 5 million this year his cap hit is 5 million dollars this year.
The Penguins will be 3 million below the cap when Dupuis goes on the LTIR. They have no FAs of note that need to be re-signed except for Shultz if they can get him for 2-2.5 which I think they could sell him on. There is nothing to really worry about or panic and trade someone as valuable as Bonino. Next year Kunitz and Dupuis officially come off the books. That will open up 8 million in cap space to sign Dumoulin, Bonino, and Pouliot. They are in fine shape roster wise despite being up against the cap. They have what seems to be an endless supply of decent forwards in the AHL to call up for injury relief. So they can trade Fleury to Dallas, or Buffalo, or anyone else and comfortably take one of the othe teams goalies back in the trade to increase the value of the assets coming bsack with him. Pittsburgh is finally doing the right things to stay successful for at least 5 more years.
Dupuis’s contract & place on the 23 man roster count until opening day. Players can’t be put on LTIR when teams are required to submit their 23 man roster the day prior. Pittsburgh might just have enough wiggle room to get through but it’s tight. Sheary, Rust & Kuhnhackl all need to clear wavers to be sent down. Sundqvist, Wilson, Pouliot & Murray don’t. None of these players are being paid any real money all well below a million.
Pittsburgh still needs to sign 2 Dman, they only have 6 under contract at the NHL level currently including Pouliot who isn’t even ready for a full time role nor is their another D prospect in the system any where near NHL ready. Something has to give between now & Pittsburgh submitting their 23 man roster & be cap compliant.
Opening day free’s up Dupuis hit but not before.
Wow your just a negative ray of sunshine aren’t you.
Not at all Ray. Just providing the facts. You just won the cup, Rutherford won GM of the year. Things couldn’t be brighter in Pittsburgh currently
U r allowed to be 10% over cap in off season and can place should on life once season starts so no problem
Peter Chiarelli should circle back to try and acquire Travis Hamonic and offer Garth Snow Jordan Eberle and Griffin Reinhart and take back $1-1.5 salary of Eberle.?
That ship has sailed. Islanders were not willing to include him for Taylor Hall so what makes you think they would trade him for a lot less?
JT did not need a player like Hall in the playoffs did he…
Please , let’s not get crazy, Hall is not going for Hamonic. Every NHL expert has said Hall brings a lot more than Hamonic. Hall is a top 3 l/w player the last few years . He has been the top scoring left winger in the NHL. Is Homonic top in any catorgary , no he is not. Is he a top 10 d man, no. He is a solid d man , a very good d man even.
The Isles would love to have Hall , they have a star center that is slowly getting tired of having to do it all. Watched an interview with him the other day, clearly he is not happy with the way his team is letting go some important forwards for his team.
Tavares is not “slowly getting tired” of having to do it all
thats 1000% edmonton oiler fan fantasy with absolutely no basis in reality….its well known that Tavares is privy to Garth Snow’s plans and within minutes was on the phone with Keifer Bellows to welcome him to the team and to invite him to train with him this summer….Oiler fans are delusional. they are not getting a top defender for what they want to move. not from the Islanders,not from anyone
Actually I think the Oilers will get a decent d man. Probably not a super star d man, but like PC said there are only 12 true #1 d men in the league.
RNH is still a kid, I’m hoping they don’t trade him, I’m ok with Eberle being traded because of the draft.
And before you say I don’t know what I’m talking about. Check Eberle’s scoring record , for a team that doesn’t score a lot , Eberle is consinstanly in the top group for right wingers. You are losing your top right winger for nothing, ouch .
Considering Edm paid almost 2 1st’s, 1st; 16th overall, & the 3rd pick in the 2nd round; 33rd overall, to get G. Reinhart from NYI & not Hamonic at that time, you think Edm is now going to give him; Reinhart, & Eberle for Homonic & eat 1 to 1.5 of eberle’s contract? NYI doesn’t want Reinhart back, they were happy to rid themselves of that draft pick mistake. Now Eberle & eating 1 to 1.5 isn’t getting Hamonic. Hamonic isn’t moving. A #2 Dman for 4 more years at $3,857,143 that can play against the other teams best forwards 24 minutes a night; lead NYI Dman in TOI/GP at 23:49, seeing almost no power play time.
Good luck. Again the only way teams trade these assets is if they have absolutely no choice.
Hamonic is not a #2 d man,#4 maybe a #3 and is not worth anywhere near what the people in here thinks the nyi should get for him or he would have been gone last year.Is he an important d man for what he does,of course he is and the contract is good!
What else is coming back to Edmonton? Eberle for Hamonic alone is a ripoff from an Oilers perspective. Hamonic isn’t that good.
What an anticlimactic draft day. I expected something to happen. Elliott, Eller, Shaw & Holland raping Chayka wasn’t it. Arizona paid more to move up a few spots than any other team paid; a mid 2nd round pick 53rd, & took Datsyuk’s cap hit for free. Most other teams paid a 3rd to move up. weird. Good for Holland & Detroit.
Did Benning look like he was dying on TV, chastised by the NHL for speaking out on Lucic & Subban publicly, I can only assume a fine is forth coming & then walking to the podium looking like he’s been shot, his pick gone to Columbus at #3.
The NHL putting a gag on Benning is absurd. He didn’t say anything that no one all ready knew. Like Wilson in 2009 talking about the Sedins
So anyone in any NHL front office can’t say they’d trade for Crosby if he became available. Some things are obvious.
We’ll just continue to get plain generic answers. Stupid move NHL. At least Van gets karma,they whined about Wilson to the tune of a 25g fine.
I wager the NHL will fine him personally 25K+ & the Canucks in excess of 100K for his remarks.
Benning is an idiot. Not qualified to be running an NHL team. Almost clueless.
No, no one can talk about another teams assets while they are under contract without permission. Period. Benning acted like a bull in the china shop, and considering a team was hit with fines for targeting the Canucks players 5 years ago, he should have known better.
Any GM should no better.
Striker:
Benning, in two short years has assembled one of the leagues best young d-corps with a high level goaltending prospect, doesn’t sound clueless to me. BTW, do you have a job, or is this your job, just curious.
Really what young Dman?
Yes I work but have a ton of idle time. Travel extensively, living in airports & hotels with very little to do.
I agree on Bennings track record. While it could improve, I dont think its off to say he has made some questionable moves. I think he is a bit like Snow, Snow got better over the years as he was brutal at 1st.
As for the gag order I know no one is supposed to talk about other players or execes under contract. I think it is a stupid archaic rule. Like I said if you ask any GM if they would deal for Crosby they cant say they would ?? It’s such an obvious answer but they cant say it. That turns my stomach as lying is what Bettman does.
Flames need Reimer, Elliot will not ” Carry the Mail” for an entire season……RNH for Dumba makes sense. The Oilers will be hard pressed for a better deal. …. Clearing Datsyuk cap is huge. I think Stamkos lands in Detroit. Still close to home.
Elliott has posted solid #’s for 5 years in STL. Top 10 easily.
2011-2012. STL 38 36 23 10 0 4 972 58 1.56 914 .940 9 2,235
2012-2013 STL 24 20 14 8 0 1 526 49 2.28 477 .907 3 1,292
2013-2014 STL 31 25 18 6 0 2 681 53 1.96 628 .922 4 1,625
2014-2015 STL 46 45 26 14 0 3 1,150 96 2.26 1,054 .917 5 2,546
2015-2016 STL 42 38 23 8 0 6 1,113 78 2.07 1,035 .930 4 2,263
They don’t need Reimer now. They go sign a solid back up with upside as a potential future #1 like Erhoff. Calgary isn’t StLouis so Elliott’s #’s will take a hit & he hasn’t shown he can stay healthy but he either secures the #1 job over the course of the season or not. If not, they trade for another goal pre expansion draft.
Stamkos isn’t going to a ghost town like Detroit.
If what hags reported is true, the cost of a dman their two first an Pastrnack, then by all means walk away. But you take a guy at 29th, that on all scouting reports was ranked in the 40’s you. My question is if this is the guy you target, then why not trade down and get another draft pick.
Agreed. Perhaps no 1 was willing to pay to acquire the 29th pick. Your getting into an area of this draft where the difference between 29 & 50 is very muddled.
Edmonton’s top 6(7…) is so young and skilled-its almost a joke. If they do not move 1-2 of them(plus future 1st round picks) to shore of the D…
Proof they ruin forwards- Eberle/Hall Points-per-Game down last three seasons.
Connor McDavid
Taylor Hall
Iiro Pakarinen
Leon Draisaitl
Jordan Eberle
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
How can you include Pikarinen on that list. 7th round draft pick of Florida in 2011 will be 25 in August. He doesn’t even qualify as a prospect any more but a suspect. 13 points in 63 games. Will he even play in the NHL next season?
Late bloomer?
I meant Puljujarvi not Pakarinen!!!!!!!!
Hahahahha. That makes sense. Sorry. I had a debate with someone here about Pakarinen a few times. He may well be a late bloomer it happens on the rare occasion but more a suspect for me than a prospect.
Ruin forwards? lol So I guess that means the Av’s have ruined McKinnon and Landeskog? Grow up.
Draisaitl was insane last season. You’re smoking to much my friend
Lars Eller’s acquisition probably means the end of Marcus Johansson in Washington, as I had suggested 2-3 weeks ago.
If somebody wants cam Fowler they are gonna have to overpay – Brodin may be a better option
Why does this mean the end of Johansson in Washington?
Considering we never see these types of assets move; Fowler, unless teams are confronted with no choice & Anaheim may be confronted with no choice; with expansion looming & Fowler 2 years from UFA status I would think a trade is available for 1 of Anaheim’s D but not necessarily. As stated previously even with these dynamics in play any Dman with a chanced of being a legitimate top 4 has significant value at any time, top 2 significantly more so.
Anaheim could simply choose to protect, Lindholm, Fowler, Vatanen & Bieksa under the 8 skater formula potentially exposing Rackell & Despres baring trades.
Johansson won’t be in Washington on opening night
Sabres get Kulikov for Pysyk and draft picks going both ways
Solid acquisition by Buffalo. UFA status in 1 year is concerning but Buffalo has the money to resign him. Florida is confusing me. Ekblad, Yandle, Matheson & ? who are their top 6 D never mind top 4 next season? This is a great young up & coming hockey team but as most teams have shown dressing a really young inexperienced d is dangerous.
Nashville being a rare exception but the did so progressively seasoning & breaking them into the NHL slowly.
Buffalo gets tougher to play against and Florida adds a lesser version of Yandle?
A lesser version of Yandle? That’s a lot like saying D. Moore is the lesser version of Crosby.
Pysyk : A defenseman with excellent skating and speed. Not very large. Smart on the ice. Has a decent shot. Lacks size, strength and physicality.
And with 26 career points
I like Pysyk but he’s just not physical enough.
Lesser version of Yandle? At least do your scouting ds.
Pysyk is basically a Kulikov type of D. Except not as good and he’s a righty. He’s got tonnes of potential and could be a top 4 for years to come. Great analytical score as well for the Cats.
Essentially free. Doesn’t make sense.
The draft seemed to turn out quite well for most. Very happy to see Ottawa get Brown. They are pretty deep at Centre now and can likely use one of those guys down the middle in a trade. Hopefully White and Brown join the team in he near future. If not this year, next year. But heck if only one does and we epwait for the other it’s ok. Being able to put Zabinejad, Lazar or Pageau on thhe trade market might finally start to create a decent trade possibility,
They need to find another C named Black.
Lol
Deangelo moves for 37 after being selected at 19 only 2 years ago. Weird times we live in.
that trade was all about his off ice issues, they were a concern at the time he was drafted, but they continued in the AHL…..this was all about not wanting a problem…..marvelous talent but thinks he’s smarter than everyone else……everything is an issue with Anthony….sometimes coaches prefer you just do as your told without adding your two cents
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sarnia-s-anthony-deangelo-suspended-for-slur-directed-at-teammate-232527684.html
and theres much more than that too that wasnt made public
that was 2 years ago. if there is more, kid obviously doesnt get it.
Edmonton takes a forward in the draft? Next thing you know someone is going to tell me the sun is hot and waters wet?
How iCould they not
They could have – and SHOULD have – worked harder to deal that pick for a quality D and then used the pick from whichever team they dealt with to take the next best available D. They remain “top heavy” with nothing to strike fear in the opposition when they cross their blue line.
The top D in the draft are all lefties and won’t really help Edmonton. They need a righty. After those top 3 or four any ther D they drafted would take time, a couple of years to enter the league. You are also assuming a top 2 D was actually available. I don’t really think any are, Edmonton should not trade a huge package for a mid pairing D. They need to get a mid pairing rig handed shot since no top rig handed D is actually available. Sure Shattnekirk but he is either signing with the blues or going east it seems.
What they did was drafted a guy that is much bigger and ore physical than a lot of their skilled top 6. They drafted a guy who very probably can play in the up coming season. They added to their depth at forward and created more options if a top pairing D does come available.
You all must love how Edmonton actually won he lottery again this year.
I don’t see how they could of made any other decision. Face it no top 2 D is actually being traded,
Well now we wait for the UFA market to open on July 1st. That draft turned out to provide the same amount of excitement as previous drafts, that being essentially nothing.
Toronto picks up Kerby Rychel for Scott Harrington and a conditional 5th rd. pick. Not sure which year tho. Not a bad deal for Toronto
How is that classified as “not a bad deal” for the Leafs? In exchange for a D prospect – of which they are woefully short – they acquire a F who has all of 2 goals and 12 points in 37 games played.
Harrington was never gonna play for Toronto and Rychel was never gonna get much of a chance in Columbus. Rychel has a chance to play 3rd, 4th line minutes. It may not be much, but a fringe forward right now in Toronto is worth more than another 7th/8th defenceman. Rychel learning is a lot better than Boyes taking up a roster spot and you do have to have something to expose in the draft.
That’s an accurate assessment Yogi. Not all Torontos prospects are going to work out. Those who think every one of Torontos prospects are crap are just haters. Like all teams, some prospects work others dont. Toronto has a great handle on their prospects and your assessment of Harrington is no doubt exactly what the Leafs thought.
If I’m Chiarelli I’m holding onto all these forwards.
They are all maturing and will get better.
Sign a veteran defenseman or two as UFA till the younger defenseman mature.