Updates on the Tampa Bay Lightning, St. Louis Blues and Buffalo Sabres in your NHL rumor mill.
LIGHTNING STILL FACE DECISIONS
A trade of Ben Bishop this summer seems unlikely.
ESPN.COM: Matthew Coller examines some remaining notable offseason decisions for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Re-signing restricted free agent winger Nikita Kucherov remains the priority. Coller speculates he could receive between $6-$7.5 million per season. If Kucherov seeks full market value, the Lightning could be force into “tough future decisions. Coller doesn’t expect the Lightning will trade Kucherov. A bridge deal is possible, but not the best option.
The Lightning could get salary-cap relief by trading goaltender Ben Bishop. However, Coller notes several factors (Bishop’s no-movement clause, $5.9 million cap hit for 2016-17 and the Vezina nominee’s value to the Bolts for a championship run next season) work against it. There’s also not much of a trade market for goaltenders right now.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Kucherov won’t accept a hometown discount and the Bolts are forced to make a trade, the assumption is players such as center Valtteri Filppula or defenseman Jason Garrison could become trade candidates. Much will depend, of course, on Kucherov’s new contract. A goalie like Bishop would usually attract considerable interest in the trade market, but it’s rumored the Dallas Stars were the only club reportedly pursuing him at the draft. However, they would first have to move either Kari Lehtonen or Antti Niemi to make room for Bishop provided he’s willing to accept a trade to Dallas.
NO TRADE OF SHATTENKIRK THIS SUMMER?
ESPN.COM: Craig Custance reports St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said earlier this week he expects defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk to be in the Blues lineup at training camp and beyond. Armstrong downplayed the trade rumors that swirled about Shattenkirk earlier this summer, adding he expects the rearguard to have a good year with the Blues.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sounds like Armstrong is trying to walk back his intent to move Shattenkirk at the draft. Shopping a playing like him – even just fielding offers – is a significant decision. Armstrong’s asking price was reportedly very high, and with Shattenkirk eligible next summer for UFA status, I suspect the clubs interested in his services weren’t willing to pay up too much for a player they had no certainty of re-signing before next July. Depending on the Blues’ needs throughout 2016-17, we can’t rule out the possibility of Shattenkirk being moved by the Feb. 28, 2017 trade deadline.
UPDATE ON EVANDER KANE
THE BUFFALO NEWS: Bucky Gleason examined the bind Sabres GM Tim Murray finds himself in regarding troubled left wing Evander Kane. Gleason feels the last thing Murray needs on his rebuilding club is Kane becoming an unnecessary distraction. A contract buyout is out of the question as that window of opportunity closed on June 30. Gleason notes the trade rumors linking Kane to the Vancouver Canucks have been burning for weeks, but the winger’s off-ice troubles makes him less attractive and hurts his trade value.
Anybody trading for Evander Kane is an idiot…Jim Benning, youre up.
Take your anti-paranoid pills.
I’ll take things said by Tim Murray in Feb 2015 for 500 Alex
You don’t trade players like Kane? That’s exactly what the Jets did
Here’s a thought maybe Evander Kane won’t be traded because no one wants to take the risk, and it has little to do with how valuable a guy is who generally doesn’t (never has) play a full season his team generally doesn’t like him and is good for maybe 20 goal (1 season) he is 25 on his 7 th season and 3 Rd city in the NHL which is not exactly a spring chicken just learning the ropes
I’d gladly take E. Kane on my team warts & all. He’s not the only NHL player to have off ice issues nor will he be the last, many we almost never even here of as those who hear respect the unwritten code. The stuff I have seen NHL players or other celebrities do in my life time is shocking. Not to mention myself, friends, acquaintances & for that matter total strangers. Just because their celebrities doesn’t mean their not human. E. Kane is young, immature, a premadona & apparently can’t control his alcohol consumption & loses all sense of self control. He should admit himself into stage 1 of the NHL/NHLPA’s drug & alcohol recovery program.
All charges are misdemeanors. If not dropped he gets a slap on the wrist regardless. These aren’t criminal charges & the NHL can do nothing as such. These plaintiffs most likely take civil action like the last plaintiff that had her charges dropped against Kane regardless of the legal proceedings outcome.
Perhaps Buffalo should get E. Kane a full time chaperon like Chicago did for P. Kane. Note to Stan Bowman. Said chaperon should be with P. Kane 365 not just during hockey season. Ha-ha!
Agree with what you are saying Striker, lots of guys do dumb sh** when they are out having a good time. Some of us were those guys, and most of us know those guys. But the thing that would make me concerned as a GM thinking of trading for Kane, or if I was Murray, is that issue in Winnipeg. Again, nothing that I am sure others have not done, but it is how his team mates reacted and how they seemed to genuinely just wanted him gone. They didn’t like him, in the least.
It is one thing to go out, have a good time and have some dumb sh** go down. It is another to be an idiot jerk as well.
That is a big problem. I would (and I am sure they are) be talking to my team and have them reach out to their bud’s that were on that team. There you will find the truth.
Striker, you have to be a goal starved NHl team lacking size in the top 6 and doesn’t feel the CAP hit, the media, pressure, and are comfortable that your present locker room guys can enstill all the necessary guidance for Evander to fall in line. (I am not going to question the Jet’s team leaders, but let’s not forget they didn’t get through in their attempts.)
All that and by adding E Kane (even at a uneven give back in the new team’s favor) you still just re-ordered your salary structure pecking order.
Any forward below his 5.25 million payday is going to look at his deal and if they feel they have accomplished more in all phases, they will use that argument in their negotiations, or at very least FEEL that pecking order.
I can’t think of many NHL teams willing to get on board for what could be a rocky ride, unless the sabres take little and pay a large portion of the salary.
And even if he IS a model citizen with a contract pretty much based on his developmental upside, it won’t be long (2018-2019) before he is going to be demanding EVEN more if he does a boy scout act until then.
Does he (has he) actually make linemates better from Stlanta Thrashers on?
Buyer beware, no matter what the possible upside is.
That’s the thing Ray it’s not just he was drunk and stupid (tho that’s an issue too) it’s also he isn’t really a team guy either or else I doubt he would have been moved out of Winnipeg to begin with. So basically he is an issue both in and out of the dressing room, and excuse me if I don’t exactly have any faith in the NHL the PA and their programs that judging by their track record and the majority of their clients has about as much chance of making a difference as an episode of celebrity rehab. How many times did Averey go thru some type of program? Still an idiot right?
lol sorry I was agreeing with what you said if that part wasn’t clear
I wouldn’t take him on my team solely because of the nonsense. But what hasn’t been talked about is his play. Yeah, he gets hits and shots, which is good for your fantasy team, but it’s not the same in real life. He takes a lot of soft wristers from the outside, he takes so many shots that yeah, some of them are going to go in, at like a 7.5% rate (average is 9%). If he’d start doing what coaches are asking him and start driving the middle of the ice, and cleans up the nonsense, I’ll be convinced he wants to be a team player. Only then will I say I want him on my team.
I wouldn’t want him on team if he was gretzky 2.0. He “supposedly” grabbed a woman by the throat and tried to shove her in a car. But hey… I don’t want ray rice on my team either.
The key word there is “supposedly” – if that had actually happened there would have been criminal charges. Much like the other Kane’s problems last year in Buffalo – hearsay that was ultimately tossed out of court. Seems to me that trying to cash in on Buffalo sports figures could be a budding “cottage industry.”
Striker, you can have him and his 20-25 goals. How much more is that than the replacement you would otherwise have – 5, 10 goals tops? And how much do you lose on the flip side from a poisoned or at least distracted atmosphere in the room? How much less do you get out of prospects that learn to rely on their raw talent instead of develop their skills through hardwork and dedication?
Not that it’s any kind of accreditation or endorsement of Pat Kane (personally I think the guy is probably a piece of self entitled garbage but…), there is no questioning his talent, skill or the fact that no one in the Blackhawks organization has ever had an issue with him as a team mate. The same can’t be said for Evander.
You never know what to believe when celebrities and money is involved. Let the courts decide.
There is only one question; are you a better team with or without him? He is a talented good, not great player.
In my opinion, if you consistently break team rules, brush it off, piss off your team mates and basically act like an arrogant idiot, you hurt the team. There will be resentment and it will fester and effect the performance of the entire team. That is a fact.
There is evidence of that becoming as issue Winnipeg.
Possibly evidence that is not yet sinking in with Kane in Buffalo.
To quote Schticky – Can’t cure stupid.
I’m with striker on Kane I think a lot of teams would be interested the guy is still young a lot of ppl on here should think how they acted at that age
20 goals in 65 games. 271 shots. He’s not going any where until it is determined what his next contract demands are. That’s almost 2 years out.
He is Buffalo’s #1 LW with no challengers & with no 1 to replace him.
You don’t trade players like Kane in this situationm
Weren’t you the same guys making the same comments about P. Kane.
Enough already. He got drunk, belligerent & made a bad choice. Come October he’ll be skating with O’Rielly & Okposo helping Buffalo Ame the playoffs.
Not sure that the majority of people have been arrested for being at the very least obnoxious to other at 25 and have had their co-workers throwing their stuff in the shower (because they are obnoxious to them too) at work but if that makes you feel better about yourself… lol
Aren’t you the same guy who said Subban Weber Hall wouldn’t be traded and the Jets already traded him once so for a guy who seems so sure of himself lol
Evander Kane was brought up as an option to replace some of the offence lost thru the Taylor Hall trade & Benoit Pouliot was the name that came up as going the other way but that rumour died out pretty quick.
I said it here before. On the face of it trading Fowler for Kane looks stupid. However, if the talk concerning Fowler is true than make it happen. If you put Kane on a line with Getzlaf and Perry he will have no choice but to perform! These two bring proven success to the table that Kane cannot deny! Byfuglien tried to straighten him out but his antics simply rubbed Kane the wrong way. Also with Carlyle back in the fold his crap attitude will not be tolerated! Remember he only has two years left on the deal. That in itself is not enough motivation for Kane to realize he needs to demonstrate improvement if he ever hopes to get another top contract beyond this one. This is the best option regarding Evander Kane. I actually would like to see him reach his full potential as it would be good for the game. Nobody I spoke to this spring did not enjoy the Kessel revival; Penguins fan or not. Grant it Kessel and Kane demonstrate clearly different off ice persona. Kane’s talent going to waste like it has is a real shame!
That’s what they said about Marshawn Lynch in the NFL when the bills got rid of him. Boy were they wrong… notice how the Chicago Blackhawks held onto Patrick Kane Who is another knucklehead
The kid obviously needs some help. He’s a talented player, but he’s going to bring baggage wherever he ends up. Vancouver has young players to, so I can’t see why they would want his Tom foolery there
No cure for stupid
I think StL. has the ability to resign Shattenkirk if so inclined & as you know I don’t see Dman moved often, especially these types of Dman, except in extenuating circumstances & this certainly qualifies as such. Based on the contracts of Dman signed in the last 3 years in a stagnant cap world it should only cost 6 to 7 mil per. Shattenkirk is some what 1 dimensional but we have seen E. Johnson, Seabrooke, Vatanen, Krug, Barrie, Goligoski, Yandle, Savard, Jones, Green, Sekera, Boychuk, Leddy & numerous others all land in this basic range & even the leagues best with the exception of Subban are all in this range & Shattenkirk isn’t Subban. Not even Subban deserves what he’s being paid but that’s what happens when ownership meddles in hockey operations.
Not all are direct comparisons & it’s hard to do so regardless as each player has his own strengths & weaknesses & is some what unique. The advantage to Shattenkirk is he has leverage being a UFA come July 1 & even though teams have shown restraint the last 2 summers no Dman has hit the market like Shattenkirk; 28 in Nov, that I can remember & following the expansion draft numerous teams will be in a position to spend even some teams that have historically been tight with cash. Many teams may be willing to spend some of the expansion revenue windfall, approximately 15 mil per team after NHL fee’s that have historically had internal budgets.
Even from an expansion perspective StL can make it work, they simply choose the 8 skater option protecting 4 Dman & 4 forwards. They lose a decent forward; Lehtera or possibly Stastny if exposed or Dman; Gunnarson, but nothing earth shattering. Assuming Steen is resigned their 8 keepers are Tarasenko, Schwartz, Steen, Stastny or Lehtera, Petrangelo, Bouwmeester, Shattenkirk, Parayko & Allen.
Bouwmeester will not be protected with his $5.4 annual salary which ends in 3 years which is the 2018-19 season.
Well sign me up for Bouwmeester if I am a GM.
Still an elite skater with great size which equals elite defender that can eat tough minutes.
Never gonna put up big pints but will play against all the top lines.
Guys like that don’t grow on trees.
Boumeester would be a great pickup for a lot of teams looking at a lot of the defense groups around the league
Man I can’t wait for the World Cup…or just anything new hockey related, no wonder you needed a fishn’ trip Lyle gotta be a struggle trying to find new things to talk about in early August. Wonder who the next GM that will come down with amnesia and trades for Kane will be?
If it’s not August 15th, we just talk about August 15th, the Jimmy Vessey Deadline day.
Can’t wait to watch the Leafs and Canucks next year.
Here is another example of what I was speaking to Dan about.
Don’t even acknowledge the existence of that dufus, Shticky. It’s what he thrives on.
Western Conference Finalists….
vs Eastern Conference Finalists
Who wants to watch the Sedins? And who else do you want to watch in Vsncouver?
The only way I see anyone taking a chance on Kane is if Buffalo buys him out next off season. I can’t imagine anyone taking that cap hit for an underperforming player with off-ice issues.
I do not see anything in Vancouver going the other way for Kane. They can not take on full salary at $5.2. Maybe Miller goes home again ?
5.2 for 60ish games a year max, that Kane is sneaky.
No way does Miller aka Mr. Softie come back to Buffalo. He’s an average goalie who had 1 great season (Olympic year). With a child now in the picture he’s gonna stay on the West Coast or just walk away from the game.
If the Canucks want to take a final run at the Cup with the Sedins, they need to take the risk on Kane like they did on Loui Eriksson. They could roll a top six of Henrik, Daniel, Eriksson, Kane, Brandon Sutter, and Bo Horvat, with Virtanen and the kid at I think Michigan in support roles. Then roll Julevi, Edler, Tanev, and the kid who made the team last year, as a top 4, and you have a team that can compete for the Cup. It would better if they kept Hamhuis and didn’t trade Jared Mccann, but find me a more talented top six forwards for next season than that. Put a good 3rd line together, have your young D and goalie play over their heads in the playoffs like Pittsburgh, and you can win the Cup next year with that team.
Sedins are getting old so they may as well take their shot next year. Could be the next Sharks.
I would say Edmonton has a better top 6 then that … and so do a lot of other teams. E Kane does not make Vancouver a cup contender …
Run at a cup? That’s a dream. Canucks will be lucky to make a run at the very last playoff position even with Kane.
The ONLY thing the Canucks will be “taking a run at” Ru by, is respectability. And even there they will likely be in the hunt for the # 1 pick next spring.
Stop smoking crack!!!
Canucks will be closer to worst than first. Only Stanley Cup playoffs they will see will be on the tv.
Canucks for the Cup? Come on man.
Crack is a hell of a drug
I’m a Canucks fan and even I’m at a loss for words!!! The Canucks have no chance in hell at reaching the Cup in the near or distant future. C’mon man you’re making us all look bad.
Huh? Canucks have ZERO chance of any Cup run with the Sedins in the lineup.
Stricker,
I agree with you on Shattenkirk, think StL would be wise to extend him before or during this season. He’s a defenceman that, in today’s game is what you need to succeed. He’s only 28, so even a 7 year deal would bring him to 35.
They could then expose or try and move Bouwmeester.
The idea of having Pietrangelo,Shattenkirk, Parayko as your top 3, is solid.
Evander Kane is Buffalo’s #1 LW, by trading him for lesser value does not help the Sabres. Kane is 25yrs old and is time for him to get a control of his actions; with that said the other Kane is 27yrs old and hasn’t mature yet but you don’t see the Blackhawks trading him; I’m only comparing the two in maturity not skill. If I’m Boston and lose out on Vesey (or land him) I’m calling Murray to see what the cost of trading for Kane, but I doubt Murray wants to deal within the division. Marchand, Belesky, Kane and Vesey patrolling the left side sweet.
St Louis must be picky on what they want, there plenty of teams that can use a D Man like him.
Tampa Bay at this point isnt trading Bishop for the value he had pre draft. They’ll need to accept it, especially if Kucherov isnt budging on a home town deal.
E. Kane needs a team with established senior player leadership, and not in a rebuilding campaign. His problems are going to follow him, but they are fixable with the right oversight. It’s not like his career is over. The right team with some established prestige could get a steal for him.
Ladd Little Wheeler Big Buff…Id say he has been on a team with some good leadership and they didn’t like him.
Ben, I think both St Louis and T Bay believe they are cup contenders. I think they are too.
Bishop is T Bays only proven #1 goaltender, too risky to put all your eggs in the other basket until he has another year and many games under his belt.
Same is true for St Louis, if you can’t get a player in return that can make your team better now, or a package of young high upside player(s) that blows your doors off why trade him?
Like Ladd Wheeler big Buff Little…oh wait a second
I don’t think it’s an issue of not many teams being interested in Shattenkirk. The issue is that he’s a UFA at the end of next season and GM’s are apprehensive of giving up the asking price for him with the uncertainty of knowing whether he will resign long term or walk at the end of the season.
Just like Anaheim which I have been saying all along. How does he answer to Getzlaf, Perry, and Carlyle every time he screws up!
The heart of the matter: Evander Kane lacks character. We know this from the history of reported incidents, some of them even self-reported on Twitter. We don’t know what hasn’t been reported, but we suspect that the unknown is worse as it always is in these situations. So, that’s it. He’s a bad person, bad team mate.
You get 20-25 goals, maybe for a few more years, but you corrupt your youth and poison your room to unknowable effects. The Leafs management has preached quality of character in the players they bring in – that seems rational for a building process. The corollary is that you don’t take a bad apple like Evander, no matter what.
To Tampa Bay – Ryan Miller, Lucas Sbisa
To Vancouver – Ben Bishop, Jonathan Drouin, 2017 1rst round pick, 2018 1rst round pick, conditional 2019 pick, becomes 1rst round if Miller wins Vezina, Sbisa wins Norris or if either Miller or Sbisa win Hart or Conn Smythe Trophies
Tampa isn’t trading Bishop to bring in Miller. That’s just the tip of the iceberg as to why this trade has no legs at all.
Crack is a hell of a drug
You’re kinda like Letterman with the running gag.
I think the Conn Smythe is a new twist.
This is a joke; right?
I don’t really see a bad attitude being contagious like the flu. Avery had PLENTY of young and upcoming players around him in NY and it didn’t spill over to them.
Umm how many teams Avery play for pretty sure in LA he had an effect on the team and for sure he was just an ace for the Stars…lol
I still don’t see that as this trickle down effect as some put it. What players in LA went off the rails because of Avery? And I think his time in Dallas was SHORT. Too short to really create any negatives on the younger players.
Callahan, Mcdonagh, Anisimov, Dubinsky, Stepan, Girardi, Staal all VERY young when Avery 1st came around. And managed to not be derailed or catch the Avery virus that’s going around. Not to mention, they actually brought him back to NY for a 2nd stint. So it didn’t seem to be quite as catchy as it is made out to be.
And don’t get me wrong. There were plenty of moments other players were displeased with his on ice antics. The “Avery rule” incident comes to mind. I believe either Shannahan or Drury expressed it to him as it was happening, and after the game. But that’s not the same as “poisoning ” players around him either.
But if there is no effect then how come is it that he could ware out his welcome so quickly? Why would teams need to make specific rules just for him? It has to have had an effect or else he wouldn’t have been moved out quite so much
The Avery rule was a league rule, not a team specific rule.
And Torts hated Avery.
But my point remains. It’s not a virus that other players catch. None of the above named players went on to be “Avery like” in their careers. Danny Heatleys team mates didn’t go on to drink and drive and kill someone. Free will is a beautiful thing.
No they didn’t but no one questioned his attitude really towards the team and his team mates it’s one thing to drink and party most do those kind of things it’s another to be a jerk no one like having around. There is no programs for being a d1ck that I know of (and I’m pretty sure if there was someone would have signed me up for it by now) no it’s mot catching like the flu and suddenly the room is a bunch of jerks but no matter where you are employed isn’t work just a little better and a little easier to deal with when these types are not around? Maybe that’s why he was waived by the Stars the first yearbhe was there or why his stays in Detroit LA were so short.
Schitcky-I agree with you Avery was a cancer to young players. Its been documented that he basically bullied Dutin Brown in the Kings dressing room. He was sent out of LA as they were concerned about the permanent damage this could have on Dustin Browns career.
So Avery ruined Browns career? Or did Brown go on to “bully” other players and their wives? Again, Averys behavior may have been a distraction at times, he may have displeased coaches, players, gm’s …. League officials. But his antics didn’t rub off on the players around him. Which is what I’m getting at.
Shtick , I need to be signed up as soon as one comes around.
Pretty sure brown would have mopped the floor with Avery if he was bullying him not many legs to that story
What does that have to do with anything?? Not that it matters much but the 2 are pretty close to the same size and I’m sure that Avery had more fighting majors than Brown so while your view of who would win or “my dad is tougher than your your dad” is nice and all I don’t think it’s any indication of if the story (which has been put out there by a few sources) has “legs”
brown wouldn’t have a problem with Avery let’s be real here shticky
Your opinion of who is tougher doesn’t have any bearing on the truth of the matter. Brown himself has said Avery antics (bullying him) affected him Brown himself said these things as well as others so what does it matter that you think Brown would win a fight with Avery? what difference does it make?
No players came out and said that brown wouldn’t take that from Avery just wouldn’t happen
He was with Detroit as well and they got rid of him also.
Jeez big bear just google it Brown (who was in his rookie year unlikely to fight a team mate who had been on the team/league longer than him) was bullied by Avery about his lisp Ian Lappiere has said it former teammate Brown has said it Browns wife has said Stoll (team mate) has said it coaches have said it …your opinion of how tough Brown is doesn’t matter. He and his wife were bullied by Avery it’s fairly well known common knowledge.
A Kane deal, if it happens, will involve the Sabres retaining part of his salary and the Canucks offering a minor prospect. Perhaps Gaunce and 800,000 in salary retention by Buffalo for 2 years. That would make him 4.5 per year for Van. In 2018 Kane becomes an UFA. This could work for both teams. Not to mention if Kane is “home” , maybe he can his personal $%#T together.
I think VCR would have to throw in a pick like a 2nd and Gaunce and Buf retains $800,000 and now Kane is someone else’s problem.
The best option the Sabres have is start the season with Kane on the roster and hope that playing with O’Reilly and Okposo produce good stats and to get his trade value back up. I don’t see GMTM as one that will eat crow say he was wrong on trading for Kane and take less just to trade him at this point in time.
I think the owner should get a few former Sabres and Bills stars who had issues and turned it around to speak to Kane.