NHL Rumor Mill – January 8, 2020
The latest on the Bruins, Lightning, and Senators in today’s NHL rumor mill.
WILL THE BRUINS PURSUE A SCORER?
NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Joe Haggerty recently suggested the Boston Bruins need additional scoring depth after winning just four of 15 games following their 4-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. He pointed out there’s a problem with consistent offense beyond the top line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and David Pastrnak, averaging just 2.6 goals per game during that 15-game stretch.
“Maybe it’s Chris Kreider from the Rangers, or Tyler Toffoli from the L.A. Kings, or Kyle Palmieri from the New Jersey Devils, but it’s clear the B’s need them sooner rather than later,” wrote Haggerty.
Could the Boston Bruins attempt to acquire New Jersey Devils winger Kyle Palmieri? (Photo via NHL Images)
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins general manager Don Sweeney hasn’t been afraid to make a move or two before the trade deadline to try and bolster his roster. He acquired Rick Nash in 2018 and Charlie Coyle and Marcus Johansson before last season’s deadline. I expect he’ll be in the market for someone like Kreider or Toffoli.
There’s no word out of New Jersey suggesting Palmieri could be available. Cap Friendly indicates he’s signed through 2020-21 with an annual average value of $4.65 million. He also has an eight-team no-trade list. The Devils could consider moving Palmieri for the right offer, but they’re under no pressure to move him before the trade deadline.
WILL THE LIGHTNING BE BUSY AT THE TRADE DEADLINE?
THE ATHLETIC: Joe Smith reports there’s lots of interest over what the Tampa Bay Lightning will do at the trade deadline. GM Julien BriseBois stood pat last season, but Smith believes he’ll make a move this year, pointing to the Bolts’ $3.5 million in salary-cap space. He suggests the Lightning target Rangers winger Chris Kreider, noting the two clubs have a recent trade history.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: BriseBois’ been more of a seller since taking over as the Lightning’s GM in 2018. His biggest moves were shedding salaries, such as shipping J.T. MIller to Vancouver and Ryan Callahan to Ottawa.
With the Bolts rising in the standings, he could stand pat again or make a minor acquisition. Nevertheless, the Lightning could be worth monitoring as the calendar flips to February. Their current cap space is $4.75 million and their deadline cap space is projected at over $10 million.
LATEST SENATORS SPECULATION
OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch recently speculated on possible moves by the Senators in the weeks leading up to the trade deadline. Most will involve decisions regarding pending free agents such as Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Mark Borowiecki, Ron Hainsey, Dylan DeMelo, Vladislav Namestnikov, and Tyler Ennis. Garrioch believes veteran goalie Craig Anderson will only be dealt if other NHL teams show interest, but it’s unknown if that’s the case yet.
Borowiecki said he wants to know if he’s staying or going. He indicated he’s hoping to stay in Ottawa. Garrioch believes the Senators will try to trade Hainsey, but the future of DeMelo remains uncertain.
Pageau is expected to draw plenty of interest if he and the Senators fail to reach an agreement on a contract extension. Regarding Anderson, Garrioch suggests the Montreal Canadiens, Florida Panthers, and Toronto Maple Leafs as clubs that could attempt to upgrade their goaltending by adding an experienced backup.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Anderson’s $4.75-million cap hit and 10-team no-trade list could complicate efforts to move him. The Canadiens have the cap room for Anderson but the Panthers and Leafs do not. Even if the Senators agreed to absorb half of Anderson’s AAV, the Leafs and Panthers would still have to shed salary to afford him.
I find it lol that the teams mentioned for Anderson are Montreal and Florida, teams that have 7x$10M+ goalies.
Great contracts there guys…
Thats what happens when you overpay the over rated….
I believe Anderson has a home in florida. I would also assume toronto or Florida will move a goalie in the trade or a seperate trade to help free up room. I do not believe ottawa will be too willing to help Toronto’s playoff run. Perhaps they shouldnt worry about it but when it comes down to holding back salary. Melnyck is cheap as it is. I doubt he’d do it for Toronto or montreal for that matter but the habs i have room under the cap. Maybe for florida if Anderson wanted to go their.
So if Melnyk is “cheap” what are the Montreal and Florida owners for sanctioning those bloated contracts for Price and Bobrovsky? Stupid? I mean, if we’re going to label owners for their approaches to the game, let’s at least be consistent.
I don’t agree that Boston must act quickly, have until the trade deadline as more players may come available; also when a team is struggling you tend to trade away more because your dealing from a need out of desperation.
with SJ struggling would
to SJ: Backes, Moore & prospect & mid pick
to BOS: Kane
work?
IHC i’ll give you credit you are consistent, you always have Backes and Moore in every deal.
Why would SJ do that trade, maybe they could put Backes on defense, at least they would have someone to stand in front of their net.
ihatecrosby…although he would be a nice player to have and would help the Bruins the 6 years …7 mill contract is a big turnoff at 28 years old
@Caper
SJ may do it to buy out Backes at year end and create significant cap room to rebalance the roster.
BOS doesn’t need Moore.
They can trade Moore at the deadline if a team is in need or use him to flip to another team for a different asset.
SJ has some reshaping to do. Not just in net.
that is why i made the suggestion the way I did.
🙂
@Joe
i get the term & $ you are concerned with
Why i packaged 2 guys not in the long term future of the team. Keeps them in win now mode too.
Krejci is only signed 2 more years and Bergie only 3. As younger forwards come into the picture and Kane can be their winger. Or Coyle takes over as #2 C.
Kane is a win now trade and partial 2nd line scoring depth for future as well.
Agree Caper. To quote Lou “if you have the time, take it”.
Caper…I agree that more players will become avaialable closer to the trade deadline but of course if the right player is there now they should make the move…if they are just looking for a goal scorer and dont care about size good but they will still have to add a player who can add mix it up……
Montreal signing of Ilya Kovalchuk, well maybe not a brilliant move, but a very good one. Nothing to lose and can only gain.
Kovalchuk 3pts in 2 games Montreal lost. If Kovalchuk produces and Montreal doesn’t improve they may turn this nothing signing into a 2nd round draft pick if he fails oh well nothing lost.
can go from a player no one wanting to potentially getting you a decent draft pick.
Something tells me kovy didn’t insist on a ntc for the very purpose of getting back in the league and being moved to a contender.
2nd round pick lol pass the koolaid
I bet, when the dust settles, Carolina gets more out of Justin Williams – just signed to a 35+ $700,000 deal for the remainder of this season.
Garrioch getting us all up to speed on information most of us knew BEFORE THE SEASON STARTED.
I’d like to keep Pageau, Demelo and Nasty 90.
Hainsey has served his purpose. As has Ennis.
I’d be shocked if Anderson gets moved.
watching the Bruins game last night and seeing Chara get into it with Trenin wasnt pretty…..Trenin kept his head down almost the whole fight but what he did do was kept on throwing punches & he did catch Chara with a lucky one and almost dropped him ……..There’s nobody on this Bruins team that will take the fight & its a shame Chara has to do all the dirty work….
Chara picked that fight.
It was in response to a nice, clean hit.
No one forced him to do it. Just like the others this year. He chose to do it.
We need more guys that can score and play fast, heavy hockey.
Having a guy on the roster to fight Wilson, Johnston, or whomever after a big hit won’t stop the big hits from coming.
It won’t intimidate them either.
I get what you’re saying, I’d just like to add that, there’s more than 1 way to skin a cat, and scoring goals is the best way, imo.
Chara caught a clean one for sure, and he recently got the screws taken out of his jaw that got infected. Good on him for recovering.
With Shoreorrpark, Chara made that decision, and there are many Bruins that would have done the same thing, perhaps just not as tough as Chara. He just happened to be right there and went for it.
Seems to me that most Bruins deal with their own sh** unless the other guy is in trouble or unable to. Kind of expected. Pastrnak, Bergeron, Marchand,and even guys like Krug will mix it up. Good on them.
Come playoff time you don’t want the reaction penalty so you see less of the payback until there is a scrum.
Joe I agree and have said many times Bruins need a big strong tuff player like a Wilson Chara can’t be expected to dance with every tuff guy he will but shouldn’t have to. Getting Miller back would help but it’s time to find a young tuff fighter who can skate.
I doubt Miller comes back and even if he does how long before he gets hurt again …was on the the goal scorer with size & toughness add but now it looks like maybe the Bruins need should go the goal scorer route without or with size in addition to a tough guy who will drop the gloves
I believe the Leafs should ( if they can) trade AJ Johnsson to the Oilers for Pujarvi + late draft choice. That creates cap space which is a major asset and allows them to trade draft choice for Hainsey, which should be a smooth transition. Thereafter keep cap space as a standard practice. You lose too much flexibility if you don’t have it.
OBD, that is a totally reasonable suggestion on the trade.
I think Hainsey ends up on a contender, still a steady solid defender.
Teams will want quality depth on D, and he brings valuable experience as well.
So Garrioch says Craig Anderson will only be traded if there are teams interested?
Wonder how he figured that out ?
I don’t think the Leafs need Hainsey. Had him before the defense was the same
Since when in recent years has the ability to drop the gloves helped teams win games? Now a power forward that can play tough and score… sure. But if you are any team besides my own… please please waste a roster spot on a scrapper.
Didn’t say dropping the gloves wins hockey games what I’m saying is having players on a team who can skate.score & and willing to do that just might slow teams down from taking runs at your at your important players …Bruins have one player willing to protect and he’s 42 years old who just got screws & plates removed from his jaw and very surprised he don’t have another broken jaw …
This has been proven false over and over again.
Joe let me think Bruins 2011 won cup Nathan Horton Milan Lucic Shawn Thornton Johnny Boychuk Zdeno Chara Adam McQuaid all could throw them pretty good.
Who could throw them good on the recent pens cups? St. Louis? This is a losing argument for anyone who thinks a fighter has any place left in the game.
Well the Blues coach could sure throw em. Good old boy from Callahoo AB:! I actually know his 1st cousins a little bit.
Other than that some guys that are tough, but doesn’t mean fight all the time.
Fights are even more rare in the playoffs. Bottom line is if you can’t play you don’t. If you can play and play tough, meaning get into the dirty areas, win puck battles, don’t back down when it gets physical, then ya, your a valuable player. But you need to contribute offensively, defensively, or even better both.
Since Anaheim is not going to be a contender again with the current group of core players, Boston should pursue Jakob Silfverberg .. on pace for nearly 30 goals this season, he would be a tremendous fit on Boston’s second line. But what would it cost?
I think Backes has to be one piece, as their salaries are identical.. that makes the money work. In addition, I suggest Boston’s 1st round pick, Karson Kuhlman and Jakub Zboril. On paper it might seem steep, but Silfverberg has five years left on his deal and is 29 years old. He fits the exact mold of a scoring winger that is still productive, and Boston is in win now mode and will be for a few years yet.
Never even thought of Silverberg Augustus. Is ANA ready for the full rebuild? Tough market to lose in as attendance drops.
I think they should be, but they may want a faster one and Silverberg is a good player to give up.
The return isn’t that bad when you consider they have to swallow the Backes deal for all of next season, although the buyout isn’t terrible in the off season.
I wish I could watch more Providence games so I had a better read on Zboril.
Actually seems pretty fair IMO.
evander kane implodes every team he plays on. Why would you wish for the beloved Bruins to implode by acquiring the loser kane???
Or maybe you’re a Shark fan and think that the Sharks could play up to their Stanley Cup contender ability without the loser kane? Good point!
I’m shoreorrpark, and I approve this message!
Don’t have to fight but the threat needs to be there a team can’t win being pushed around and out hit St Louis pushed Boston around a bit I still say it was the difference in winning and losing. Pasta is being targeted last few weeks can’t always be Chara standing up for him.
I thought the b’s started great in game 7, Binnington was also great, multiple great chances. and the game turned on a late period goal on a high deflection and a 2nd goal with a few seconds left in the first.
B’s couldn’t come back.
They lost game 7 of the SCF to a very good team. Was toughness the reason? I dunno.