Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – February 16, 2020
Could Joe Thornton accept a trade to the Avalanche? Could the Panthers peddle Vincent Trocheck? What’s the latest on Jake Muzzin’s contract talks? Could Max Domi hit the trade block? All this and more in the Sunday NHL rumor roundup.
LATEST ON THORNTON
OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch believes San Jose Sharks general manager Doug Wilson will attempt to move as many pieces as possible before the Feb. 24 trade deadline. Defenseman Brenden Dillon is expected to be traded, but there will be a lot of attention on veteran Sharks center Joe Thornton. He has a full no-movement clause, but there’s a belief he could waive it to join a Stanley Cup contender. Garrioch thinks the Boston Bruins and Colorado Avalanche are good fits.
COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Adrian Dater believes Thornton would be a good fit with the Avalanche. He’d be a short-term replacement for sidelined center Nazem Kadri and a potential playoff replacement for Tyson Jost or Vlad Kamenev. Jost hasn’t scored in 31 straight games. Dater also wouldn’t be surprised if Thornton returned to Boston.
Could San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton be a good fit with the Colorado Avalanche (Photo via NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stick tap to Shawn Lamba for the Dater link. Thornton hasn’t indicated his intentions except to say he’d think about it if approached about a trade to a contender.
Returning to the Bruins, where his NHL career began, would make a nice story, but he’s not the second-line scoring winger they need. The Avs could be a better fit, but GM Joe Sakic could have other options on their radar.
UPDATES ON THE PANTHERS
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports there’s talk Vincent Trocheck could be available as the struggling Florida Panthers search for a defenseman before the trade deadline. The 26-year-old has two more seasons left on his contract with an annual average value of $4.75 million, which Friedman feels many teams can handle.
OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch believes Trocheck’s contract could be difficult to move unless Panthers GM Dale Tallon agrees to pick up a portion of his annual salary-cap hit. He thinks the slumping Panthers could be ready to accept the reality of their situation and become deadline sellers. Pending UFA wingers Mike Hoffman and Evgenii Dadonov could be on the move.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tallon could go from buyer to seller if the Panthers fail to gain ground in the Eastern Conference standings. He’s made no secret of his wish to acquire a defense partner for Aaron Ekblad to bring some stability to his blueline, but that sort of player isn’t cheap or easy to find.
Dangling Trochek instead of a rental player like Hoffman or Dadonov could fetch that type of return. Given the Panthers’ limited salary-cap space, it would have to be a dollar-in, dollar-out move.
UPDATE ON MUZZIN’S CONTRACT STATUS
TORONTO SUN: Lance Hornby reports Jake Muzzin believes he’s close to a contract extension with the Maple Leafs. The 30-year-old defenseman is due to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Muzzin didn’t go into specifics, but it’s believed it could be a four-year deal worth around $5.5 million annually.
SPORTSNET: Chris Johnston reports the CBA tagging rule could determine when Muzzin and the Leafs reach their agreement. They can only commit so much salary following the season they’re in. That amount goes up by 10 percent on March 1, leading Johnston to speculate the contract won’t be completed until after that date.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sounds like this is a done deal, it’s just a matter of time. Assuming it’s $5.5 million annually, that will push the Leafs’ cap payroll for 2020-21 to over $76.8 million invested in 16 players. If the cap rises to $84 million, it won’t leave much to re-sign or replace their other free agents.
LATEST ON THE CANADIENS
LE JOURNAL DE MONTREAL: Marc de Foy expects defenseman Jeff Petry and winger Tomas Tatar will remain with the Montreal Canadiens after the trade deadline. He claims that the decision was made a long time ago. Both players have a year remaining on their respective contracts.
He speculates center Max Domi could be on the move, pointing to a recent rumor linking him to the Minnesota Wild. He thinks Habs GM Marc Bergevin could have a Wild defenseman, like Matt Dumba or Jonas Brodin in his sights.
OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch believes the Canadiens must lower their asking price of a second-round pick for winger Ilya Kovalchuk if they intend to move him by the trade deadline. He expects teams will come calling about Max Domi but doesn’t think the Habs intend to go that route.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The rumor linking Domi to the Wild came from The Athletic’s Michael Russo in a piece suggesting that several teams could be interested in Dumba and Brodin.
Here’s what Russo wrote: “The Canadiens would likely part with center Max Domi, maybe in a trade for Brodin because they have a surplus at Domiâs position and could use a quality left-shot defenseman.” He mentioned Domi because he feels the Wild would want a center in return for either blueliner. He’s not saying Domi is definitely on the block, he’s not saying it’s a Domi-for-Dumba swap, and he’s not saying the Habs are definitely pursuing Brodin.
All of the trade chatter about Domi seems to originate from a few Montreal pundits unhappy with the 24-year-old’s performance this season. They also suggest his RFA status (with arbitration rights) could complicate his future in Montreal. Perhaps that’s true, but GM Marc Bergevin isn’t under any pressure to move Domi at the trade deadline. If he decides to shop Domi, he can do it in the summer, when teams have more money and a willingness to make hockey trades.
MORE RUMORS FROM THE OTTAWA SUN’S BRUCE GARRIOCH
New York Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello is said to have mild interest in Travis Zajac. The New Jersey Devils center has a year left on his contract and history with Lamoriello.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zajac reportedly refused to waive his no-movement clause earlier this season when presented with a trade opportunity. Just because he has a history with the former Devils GM doesn’t mean he’s going to accept a trade to the Islanders.
Garrioch believes Ottawa Senators defenseman Dylan DeMelo will be on the move by the deadline. The Calgary Flames, Tampa Bay Lightning, Winnipeg Jets, and Vegas Golden Knights could be potential destination for DeMelo.
If the New York Rangers don’t trade Chris Kreider, Ottawa’s Jean-Gabriel Pageau could become the top forward available. Don’t expect the Senators to get a first-round pick for him.
Good morning
Lots to talk about today but I will start here
HABS
I dont see either Bergevin or Julien back next year
..and if either one is…then the executives making these decisions deserve to get what they get moving forward …this organisation needs a SERIOUS REBOOT / REBUILD!
This team feels like a bunch of patch work with no direction …and watching the video of players yesterday talk about the season …they are very dejected and at there end !
IMO…this off season should be about major moves and a new direction and an overhaul of evaluation of every position and a what they really want in the future !
For many teams a reboot or rebuild is very hard due to the demands of the fans. I know for years that the Rangers put up good competitive teams but rarely a winner. Ranger fans demand a competitive product on the ice and it’s hard to do a rebuild on the fly. When management finally decided to rebuild it was taken hard by some fans but I have to say that I enjoy watching the kids play and hopefully in 2-3 years this teams will be a Stanley Cup competitor. The Canadiens need to go through the same process. The question is will their fans support the team in their endeavor?
If muzzin deal is done then dermott can be part of the package for a right d along with kerfoot and bracco and later round picks the leafs have many of.
Panthers are quite in a mess. The all star break turned them ice cold.
But their play as of late isn’t that of just poor play, but of lack of effort.
This team could potentially look quite different next season.
Trocheck is a fan favorite but he lost his speed.
The defense has only seen Ekblad and Stralman as the only positives.
Goaltending remains an issue but after numerous goalies used over the years and the result is the same the Panthers need to fire goalie coach Tallas.
Panthers can try to clean up and again miss the playoffs by trading Hoffman, Dadonov, and others for picks and prospects. Or, they can bite the bullet and go after the dman that they’re looking for and lose offense.
Maybe Brodin.
I also would not rule out the Rangers as a trade partner, as they could use Trocheck, but NYT does not have a dman that would interest Florida outside of Tony D, who must be re-signed.
The Sharks could also interest the Panthers as they badly need a young center that can put up offensive numbers. Dillon and Trocheck could be the core of a deal.
The Dallas Stars could also use offensive depth, but may be more interested in someone like Kreider with playoff experience.
NYR could also make a bold move if they inch closer to the playoffs and actually become buyers. Maybe Kovalchuck who would fit with Panarin.
Montreal needs to retool. Not rebuild.
Move pieces and aim for young talent to form a new core of depth. Within two years Montreal can build around that core with profile players.
This could be a very active trade deadline week as you have teams that can be Cup contenders, teams that need to hit the reset button, and teams that need to move players for cap space.
@ DOV
Habs fans are arguably the most astute in biz…Iam sure they have no issues with a real and honest rebuild !
A real rebuild helps you to endear yourself to the build and watching the players grow and following the hardships…and seeing something come to fruition..I see those fans as craving a real way forward in comparison to whet they have been put through..my 2 cents anyways ….Id take what the Rangers are doing and the players they have over anything the HABS HAVE DONE IN THE SAME DURATUION…lol
@ Wendel17higgins
That may be the best way to go ….to be honest with you ..
I really wanted to see Bracco play with Matthews for a duration of time before he got the boot ….they both came from the USA program and are a bit familiar with each other …not to mention Bracco is an amazing set up man …and I just wish they had paired these guys up at some point to really see if there was any chemistry as my sports gut thinks there may be ! ….OH WELL!!
Mike, how does Kovilchuk fit with what Rangers have been doing the last few years? They where closer to playoffs when they decided to send out âthe letterâ. Also, canât assume players would do well together just because theyâre both Russian. Especially since they both play left wing. If Rangers make any trades, itâll most likely be for younger players. I donât see Trochek much, if at all. Domi could be a fit at 2C if Rangers dealt Strome.
LEAFS
Not sure if injury …illness or trade related
Mark Masters Retweeted
Toronto Maple Leafs
@MapleLeafs
·
28m
The
@MapleLeafs
have recalled forwards Egor Korshkov and Mason Marchment from the
@TorontoMarlies
(AHL).
Kal, most likely just a reward for good play in the minors. Both players are on 2-way contracts and the leafs have tons of cap space due to LTIR.
Hammer, here’s what CapFriendly says about cap space for each – From N.J. up to NYR would seem to suggest variations of “tons of cap space” – both current and projected – in comparison it’s a bit of a stretch to suggest the Leafs have “tons.”
https://www.capfriendly.com/
George, the Leafs have over $10 million in available LTIR. I consider that to be “tons of space”. And some of the LTIR players will NOT be available prior to the start of the playoffs. In addition, the players called up do not require waivers to be sent back down.
So CapFriendly is wrong?
Kal El,
From your mouth to Geoff Molsonâs ears!
At least we know that Habs will be trashy as they are. Molson wont change anything, Bergevin is still thinking that he is a good GM (maybe Ciarelli is worse, but only maybe). Habs will keep their old school coach. They cant even win lottery, and if they have an ok pick (3rd), they will waste it for players like Galchenyuk or KK. Good for the rest of the league and Bettman.
Gerard Gallant. If he’s not going to Detroit I could see him in Montreal.
Shultz for trochek would be a great trade for both teams. Pens deep at d and pens need more forward depth.
Schultz is the exact opposite of what the Panthers need in a dman. His play has considerably declined and is not reliable defensively.
Any team that has Jack Johnson getting regular playing time is not “deep” on defence.
Hi Ron
đđđđ
I was typing my post at the same time as you (see what I just posted) LOL
Iâm just slow at my single-finger typing on iPhone
Jj is a solid bottom pair guy. Very few teams out there can lose two top 4 d men and still be able to play as well as they have. If a team can plug schultz into the top 4, a legit top 4 d man, and jj, not a terrible temporary option, they are deep in d.
Hi Chrisms
I know we disagree big time on JJ
Per TSN he just recently set the all time record for consecutive games played in which a player has been on the ice for at least one goal against. Previous record held by a Columbus player; same initials; same DOB; same place of birth!!!!
Prior to the Bolts game; Pens had 6 + weeks in which the save percentage for either goalie was worse when JJ was on the ice ; in EVERY one of those games
IF, huge IF BTW, they can play him only bottom pairing, no special teams , less than 14 mins/game …. Pens OK…. heâs just an over-paid 3rd pairing D then
Earlier in the year when he was in games as third pairing; low minutes; he made substantially less mistakes; he played reasonably well
For the last 6 weeks playing heavier minutes; top pairing ; heâs been making gross (and costly ) errors including (but certainly not limited to) following his D partner into partnerâs corner (when partner already engaged with puck carrier) leaving a player uncovered in front of net; unforced icings; full eclipses of goalies on puck and shooter; deflections of shots into own goal; blown cross ice and/or breakout passes crimping Pensâ surges; etc etc
On top of that Sully has been brain dead in playing Ruhweedel ahead of Riikola on the depth chart??????
When Dumo and Marino return
If Sully gets brave enough to go
Tanger/Dumo
Marino/Pettersson
Shultz / Riikola
All good; that D line up gives them very very good shot at getting to ECF
If he must (?????) put JJ in ; heâs least brutal with Marino as a partner; so Marino Shultz flip and JJ in instead of (the far superior) Rikkola
If Sully can do that ; Pens might be OK
If he plays JJ top 4 after both Marino and Dumo return…. that would be the bonehead move of the year
Jimbo just did an âall in â move; why blow that by playing JJ top 4D?
Jj also is matched against the opponents top players and gets a significant amount a defensive end starts. Your âstatsâ there donât take that into account. Is he great as gmjr said? No. Stupid signing at 5 years? Yes. But an awful member of the team? Nope.
Hi Chrisms
To clarify; Iâve never said that he is an âawful member of the teamâ. From all reports; he is liked as a person by all.
I stand by my assertion re his playing
There are players on other teams that are also often against top players and disproportionate D end starts
JJ is just a brutal hockey player. I canât define it in any other way.
Again on the ice for the only GA today. He blew a 1/2 doz. passes; was again chasing Letang into Letangâs corner; when Letang already engaged; and Murray had three spectacular saves on almost full eclipses by JJ ; and JJ had another unforced icing
None of that had to do with where the face-off started or who he was playing against .
I am confident that JJ as a person is nice; we would have heard otherwise.
Sid went out of his way to ensure JJ did the opening ceremonial face-off at Miracle-on-Ice celebration night.
As a person ….I really donât think any dislike him…. we know Jimbo loves him
Most of the issues are solved once Marino and Dumo return if the play JJ bottom pairing ; no special teams and maybe 12-13 mins/game
Again, Iâm sure he is a nice guy; nice team-mate; he is just a horrific hockey player.
Iâve watched; played, coached for over 50 years. I watch about 225-250 NHL games a year; I watch a couple of dozen AHL games; quite a few junior games. I always watch the olympics and world jrâs. Iâm guessing that in my life Iâve probably watched and/or participated in closing in in 10 K games of various levels. I can honestly say ; hand on bible (and I am devout) that I have never seen a player so detrimental to a teams success and fellow team-mates success as JJ. Not a single player even remotely close.
There of course have been way worse players in individual games or even a small handful of games in an 82 game season.
JJ has been the worst Pen dressed (and by far) for a minimum of 45 games this year; and at least 75 last year.
Hi Brandon
Would love Trochek on Pens but :
1) Pens are (right now) very short on D (Dumo and Marino are out); and forced (well Sully chooses it this way) into playing the Leagueâs worst D-Man on the top pairing; and one of the Leagueâs next worst D-Man in the bottom pairing.
2) In addition Jimbo has limited resources to add in the trade (necessary for the UFA [Shultz] for term [2 years after this for Trochek] flip)
It would have to be after TDL…. this useless to FLA
Panthers apparently in search of an LD to play with Ekblad ….
I would think a Trocheck / Brodin flip (With sundries to balance the trade) more likely
Panthers downfall has in reality been poor goaltending (@ $10 M BTW)
trochek was a non factor yesterday. and bob is having an inconsistent season, at best. maybe he needs a year to adjust who knows???but they are paying him carey-like $$$$ and it seems Q has lost faith in him.and even though Barkov is still a force he seems slowed down after his latest injury.oilers played a very sound defensive game yesterday.
to NYR: Trocheck
to FLA: Staal
seems Rangers trade everyone south for the playoffs the last few years ….why break a trend.
adds another winger upfront for NY so Haley or Smith does not have to be deposed. Fast can slide back down and Toss in Trocheck with Strome & Bread.
Also coverage in case Strome, Fast & Lemieux contract negotiations take longer than expected since Trocheck is signed 2 more years.
Staal gets a chance at the playoffs if he is willing to move his NMC for the rest of this season and next. Playoffs are enticing to players at the end of their careers. Though FLA is only 2 pts ahead of NY currently, NYR can let Hajek come back up and get NHL level minutes again.
$ for cap might have to be worked out to balance it out.
I only wish you had some pull with the Florida management. I think this would be a steal for the Rangers.
Just funny how NY Rangers south is TB with Cally, Stralman, Girardi, McD, Miller all being sent south. Even Yandle is in South FLA .
Stralman still in south FLA so why not add Staal too lol
@ DOV
I agree ….Trocjek will be a steal for any team !!
Look more like Skjei+Strome for Trocheck.
Skjei is not what the Panthers should be looking at. Panthers need someone who is better at D and to pair with Ekblad.
Unless they feel that they can mold Skjei into that…
@DS
you do not think Skjei & Strome is a vast overpayment for Trocheck?
@ DS & NYR4LIFE
You guys are both assuming that the Rangers still want Strome in there plans long term …regardless of his recent up tick in play …this has not been consistent during his NHL tenure …
I dont think we have acknowledged yet that Gorton may use his up tick in play to get the most out the player in a deal as opposed to signing him longer term to a MOST LIKELY
$4 million AAv deal !
Are you paying Strome $ mill a year for 6 years because that is what he will cost most likely if not just a bit more if you ask me .
He is not going to ask for less than that as this is his last contract ! …IMO
I donât think Strome sniffs a 6 year deal.bi think he and his reps clearly understand that.
And right now , regardless of his past play, he is outplaying Trochek…..
For whatever reason heâs working in NY. Any guarantees that Trochek works?
Side note, does Trochek appear to look ANYTHING like he did a few years back?
So basically…. Strome on an up year is some cautionary thing….. but Trocheks falling isnât?
@ NYR 4 LIFE
Iam actually not talking about the proposed deal ..I really dont think that is in any plans for both teams…as they are both vying for the same playoff position…not going to help each other !
Iam just more along the lines re visiting the STROME evaluation….I dont see how his camp can do a short deal ..this is most likely his last contract …so if the Rangers want him they may have to look at TERM and this may not be what they want to offer !
So I think they are in a pickle with this player.
BUT …if he wants to stay in the NHL where he is having success he may take a shorter offer …yes you are correct ! ..
But I think hes looking for $4 mill for 6 years IMO
Strome is 26 years old and an RFA with arbitration rights.
Why would this be his last contract? Heâll be 27-28 if he hits arbitration and NY accepts it.
A hell of a lot lesser players have signed deals at 27-28 years old. Most rentals on the market are 28 or older and certainly will see deals with term.
Why would Strome be any different?
Ultimately, Strome will get what NY or an arbitrator give him. Or have to settle on a short term deal elsewhere or hope for an offer sheet.
@ NYR4LIFE
Its going to be his last contract because he is not good enough to get another one after this one longer term …IMO !
Players will pass him by ..he will not be a coveted veteran after 30 years old for a 4th line roll IMO
Lol. So heâs not good enough for a contract with term 2 years from now…. but heâs good enough for a 6 year deal today? Lmao. I want you to say that out load and see how silly that sounds!
If any GM sees your opinion as valid…. wtf would anyone consider giving him 6 years today if heâll soon be a 4th liner?
Bottom line, there is absolutely no merit to your opinion. The guy is on pace for 70 points. Is it possible heâs found his game? At this point it seems more likely than a player thatâs washed up by 30 and lucky to be a 4th liner.
@ NYR 4 LIFE
LOL…on edge today are we,,,holy smokes …
Yes I have spoken out loud…this is literally his 10th season in the NHL …and all of a sudden you make it seem as if hes been this budding star !
hes GOING TO ASK for a 6 year deal becuase thats what a 10 year veteran player does at 26 years of age that really has no security as a player from year to year ..Iam not sure what you feel his overall value is on the trade block …2 nd round pick straight up would be the market value …as it seems lately …
had this guy had not had a quality year this year …it may have been his last in the league …IMO …and he would be fighting for a year to year deal ….he s lucky he has had a quality year in a year where he needs a long term eal to stick around in the league …he is s dime a dozen player !
GREAT he has had a great year this yer …happy for him …your overvaluing him long term …IMO
Sorry …not trying to be offensive to you …but there are 300 other players in the league just like in his position !
First of all, this is his 8th year in the nhl… not 10th. Unless he was playing in the NHL at 16 and not drafted yet?
So I guess by your â10 year â theory…. heâll be seeking that deal with term in 2 years from now…. which is what I said.
Are you doing a 180 now or coming up with some other interesting non factor, non truth opinion based đ©?
The market is a 2nd round pick for a 50 point player projected to hit 70 points this year? Someone may want a do over on that Zucker deal….
And how am In overvaluing him long term? My argument is give him a 1-2 year deal…. to show heâs worth a longer term investment.
youâre the one lobbying for a 6 year deal for him!
Whoâs overvaluing? Lmao!!!
Did you want to talk about hockey…. or are you just making conversation/ arguments out of nothing today?
âhad this guy had not had a quality year this year âŠit may have been his last in the leagueâ
I think we could say that about a number of players. Stralman was on his 5-6th team, dumped by the devils from a pto before resurrecting his career in NY.
Strome hasnât been nearly as bad as you make it out to be. Heâs averaged over 1/2 point a game in his 8 (EIGHT) year nhl career. And I think most would agree was mishandled by both the islanders and Oilers .
@ NYR 4 LIFE
Did you want to talk about hockeyâŠ. or are you just making conversation/ arguments out of nothing today?
No offence Iam the least argumentative poster here …and its an unwritten rule of mine to be respectful..here ….
I think your the one looking for an argument..with such posts today as in ::::
Smh!
Aye aye ayeâŠ.
Literally worse and worse đ© every day!
&
Nyr4life on February 16, 2020 at 1:37 pm
Now we sit and wait for the terrible proposal with âthe money worksâ follow up.
Or as you like to respond to others with
yada yada yada⊅
Really dont care about Strome ….Good luck !
Iâm not looking for any argument. Nor do I think the copy and pasted comments reflect that….
To say the same one sided trade proposals here get old would be a gross understatement. I stand behind those comments!
When I comment on something, I usually like to know what Iâm arguing. Itâs fairly obvious you donât care about Strome…. or know very much about him…. but you still make comments? Beyond strange….
I thought the strange one sided proposals were a be of the biggest reasons to come here?
Agree NYR, Strome has been a great find for the Rangers. I wouldn’t say the Oil mismanaged him, at least the coaches didn’t. They tried him with McDavid, it didn’t work for whatever reason and he had settled at 3C. He wasn’t generating points because he had nobody to play with, but they were not bleeding GA. If their was any doubt PC was done in EDM, that trade solidified it.
My guess is arbitration for Strome. See if he can do it again, and then pay the man. Unless he takes a discount on a long term deal and then you take that bet.
Good for Strome, kept working and stuck with it.
I can’t see the Rangers not resigning him unless they have another plan to replace him.
That is why the Kreider decision is so interesting and will be telling.
How does it make sense for the Panthers to trade a young offensive center for an aging slow dman?
No.
Not one of these proposals make any sense…. Strome and Skjei for Trochek?
Yes take a center that is finding his way and has amazing chemistry with his line mates and throw in a dman with a reasonable contract for Trochek….
Smh!
Aye aye aye….
Literally worse and worse đ© every day!
That is a brutal trade for Florida. Never ever happen.
How good would Domi and Brendan Dillon look in Canucks jerseys?
Domi re-united with best friend Horvat
Dillon back in his hometown Vancouver
@ TYLER
Sounds good Tyler …but you need to send out $6.4 million in other ways ti take on those guys for this year …as both are RFAs ….so what ever you give up is crucial in the way of picks and prospects….
And you need to make room of $6 . 3 million …so if anyone wanst to eat an Erickson or Sutter contract that may be a way but hard to do ..it may cost you a guy like Boeser in a wider deal to make that work if you ask me …just sayin
I like Palmieri to the Canukcs instead …personally.
Just how do you propose the Capstrapped Canucks find room to add those salaries?
Trading Louie Eriksson does not qualify as a realistic answer….
Now we sit and wait for the terrible proposal with âthe money worksâ follow up.
Hi Ron
Iâve said it before and Iâll say it again
The best path forward for Canucks and Pens is to arrange a nice big greeting and huge hug from Marion Hossa on both Loui & JJ ; and hope something ârubs offâ
Problems solved!!! đđ€đ
I hope the Flames do nothing at the deadline and start a make over in the off season.
By all accounts everyone is saying this year is a deep draft so keep the draft picks. The flames are more than one player away from winning a cup.
I hope they seriously look at moving Gaudreau. Last night Chicago played a playoff style game, hard on pucks and physical. Johnny cannot handle that type of game, he just is not strong enough.
I would like to see the Flames trade Gaudreau to Philly for Konecny plus a draft pick
The Flyers decline….with malice….your # and email addy are blocked.
Konecny isnt going anywhere.
Famous last words,
âKonecny isnât going anywhereâ
Problem is, while they’re both smurfs, unlike Gaudreau Konecny doesn’t shy away or be affected by the heavy checking/hitting. He plays with an edge and a chip – just like he did with Ottawa in the OHL, No way he’s going anywhere any time soon.
George
That is your opinion which you and Ron Jull share and you could be right, but to say matter of factly some player in the NHL is not going to be traded is BS.
Any player at anytime could be traded if the right deal is presented.
Note that I was careful to add “any time soon …” I agree, a flat-out “he’ll never be traded” can never be said about any player as the history of the league has proven time and again.
But at this stage I seriously doubt that trading Konecny even remotely crossed their mind – unless someone came up with an obscene offer that would be dumb to turn down.
Unfortunately, I don’t think Gaudreau fits that description any longer – not at $6,750,000 for 2 more years after this.
Montreal keeps talking on a push for the playoffs yet there they sit a measley 2 points ahead of the feeble Sabres with Buffalo holding 2 games in hand.
If the Sabres are trash and out of the running how long will it be before Hab lovers realize their lineup of smurfs is just as nad if not worse than the Sabres.
Julien and Bergevin have to go, before the draft for certain. Gut the roster and start a complete rebuild.
Price is grossly overpaid for the results he gets. Weber is brittle. Domi and Gallagher are 2nd liners playing first line minutes. Tatar has been decent as has Kovulchuk.
@ RON JULL
I agree ..LOL …Quenville and Tallon are not quitters by any stretch and actually fail is not in there DNA in any capacity …these guys are not sellers ….they are right there …they may look to swing a few deals that are more with impact players …but they are not doing so to conceded ANYTHING …they will go for it right to the wire Iam sure !
You dont bring in a guy like Quenville to be sellers …..LMAO
Florida is 4 pts behind the Leafs with a game in hand for a playoff spot.
Why would they be sellers?
Hi Ron
I think Panthers are in a precarious position ; doing nothing and they may fall a point or two shy of Leafs and then out of playoffs.
Not saying a move gets them in ; but they are struggling
They shouldnât be âsellersâ as you have correctly stated; they are not in re-build mode
They shouldnât be âbuyersâ (inferring flipping assets/picks for UFAs) as that move doesnât necessarily get them in and weakens their out-year look
I think more appropriately they should be âtradersâ (true traders of term for term or if there is a UFA for UFA swap out there) with an effort to re-jig / re-energize roster in the hopes of getting past Leafs w/o compromising their future
Again, to me , biggest issue for Panthers is a goaltender that is having trouble keeping the puck out of the net (Bobo has lost 10 one-goal games; if Driedger had played in just two of those games …. FLA in 3rd ; Leafs out of a playoff spot right now).
Brodin/Trochek flip (with sundries to balance) might be a true âtradeâ in the right direction
Pengy, at the half-way point (41 gp) the Leafs sat 10th in the league with a record of 22 14 5 49 pts 146gf 132ga + 14 while Florida was 13th with a 21 15 5 47 pts 147gf 140ga +7 record.
In their 18 games since then the Leafs have gone 9 6 3 21 pts 63gf 62ga +1 while Florida, in their 17gp have gone 9 7 1 19 pts 54gf 58ga – 4.
In other words they’ve been shadowing one another from the get-go. It will boil down to who shores up the best at D – the one Achilles Heel of both.
@ PENGY
I REALLY like a Ron Hainsey Reunion with the Pens …this makes the most sense …not obligated to more years $$$$
And the familiarity …is a win win right now !
Low cost upgrade
Hi Kal El
Pens certainly need an LD right now with Dumo not even skating yet
I would much rather have Dillon though; younger and much faster
Dillon & JJ same hit; both Lefties; UFA vs term (3 more yrs for JJ)
Since somehow I seem to be the only one that knows how horrific JJ is to his team (every single Pen who has played at least 4 games this year; has ALL stats much worse when JJ on the ice with them…. Shhhh donât tell Wilson) then maybe Jimbo can pull the wool over Wilsonâs eyes….. Pens already all in….
JJ + Laffy + 5th
for Dillon
Until Dumo/Marino return
Tanger/Dillon
Shultz/Pettersson
Trottman/Riikola
Ruhweedel
When they return
Tanger/Dumo
*Marino/Pettersson
*Shultz/Dillon
Riikola
* Two sets of 2nd pairings instead of a 2nd & 3rd
Thatâs a strong D!
If GMJR canât get Wilson drunk enough to accept this …. JJ 50 % retained …. that should do it!
Yeah, um… no.
Hi dpf
Let me know what I need to add; Iâll give Jimbo a call
Pengy, why would the Sharks want JJ or Lafferty? I understand Dillon would be a good addition to the Pens, but walks with less than nothing. JJ is 33 has four years left @ $3.25M. Think we already have enough albatross contracts on D. I understand you want to get rid of him – I would too, but DW is not that desperate. Least, I hope not. The only way I would entertain a trade with JJ is if Tristan Jarry was included, and I highly doubt Rutherford makes that move.
Hi dpf
Well I guess weâre stuck with him ; cuz we canât give up Jarry
Thanks for letting me know the penalty for moving JJ
I was hoping those on the West coast wouldnât know how bad JJ was
The Best Coast knows. Have a good night Pengy.
A big PASS …thanks anyway
George, you mention the deciding factor between Florida and Toronto may be how they shore up their respective defences.
You could also make the case that the final standing will depend on goaltending. Both teams have had inconsistent starters to say the least and, if either Andersen or Bobrovsky gets hot down the stretch, that may clinch the deal.
Oh yeah, for certain – both are capable of getting “hot” for long stretches. But a shaky D prone to giveaways – which both teams are experiencing – would make it absolutely necessary that they get unbelievably hot – a much more difficult prospect – and if they are simply average to good that sort of D can deflate a bench in a hurry. Tallon says he’s really looking for a minute-eating stay-at-home D to play alongside Ekblad which would go a long way to solving some of their defensive shortcomings, and it’s hardly a secret that the Leafs need a reliable 1-2 pairing with Rielly out long-term.
So it boils down to – if both seek that fix who is prepared to give up the most to get it – IF such an animal is even available. I think they can both forget about obtaining one with term … it’s a UFA rental or nothing.
What about Bob ? A lot of money for that position. Costs you elsewhere in the lineup. Isn’t Florida’s 4th line made of defensemen ? I thought I heard they dressed 8 recently.
The sense I get from the Habs is they need some size up front and a little depth on the backend.
All their key forwards Domi, Byron, Drouin, Gallagher, Tatar are not physically enough and are small and fast. You need big and fast. Gallagher stirs it up but has limitations .
Gaudreau to New Jersey for a Palmeiri Wood and a pick package
SilverSeven, while the size faults you list for the Habs are accurate, the same fault is at the root of Gaudreau’s so-so performance this year. The pounding has obviously taken a toll, and now you want NJ to relinquish a bigger, more robust Palmieri who has 21 goals to Gaudreau’s 14 plus an even bigger Miles Wood who is just 4 goals behind Gaudreau PLUS a pick?
Why would the Devils do that?
Flames only have one Johnny. Habs have several. Agreed not sustainable and would be absent for playoff hockey. Maybe a Jankowski is added. I think there could be a deal between the clubs.
Last Deadline 23 deals. Over or under
Huh
When does the timeline start? Zucker count? Or is it 48 hours prior? 24?
What about Bob? đ
There were a few here who swore up and down that Bob was worth every penny, and how Columbus needed to re-sign him yada yada yada….
Trocheck to Sabres for a defensemen, get it done. Montour, Risto etc
Hi Matt
Certainly not out of the realm but Panthers reportedly looking for a D partner for Ekblad (who is RD); so seeking a Leftie
Montour & Risto are also Righties; not sure if Tallon would move on them
Vlasic
Good day all, sorry I didn’t read every post, so if this is in here, it will be a repeat.
Guerin recently said he wants a number one or two center for his team. The 26 year old Trocheck might fit that need, at least for a second line center. The Wild being the Wild, they would surely expect him to be the number one and put up 80 points every year, but in any case maybe he wouldn’t be a horrible fit.
Perhaps Jonas Brodin and Ryan Donato for Vincent Trocheck and a pick?
Remember, this is the Wild….
I would never trade Dumba for Domi … but Bill Guerin has shown that he isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer …
Ed, I’m looking forward to Guerin hiring a better coach than Bruce Boudreau. Nothing to it, right?
Would not surprise me one bit to see Babcock re-surface in Minny
More likely would be the Leafs and the Wild. I would offer Der-Arguchintsev, Kerfoot, Bracco and Hollowell for Dumba and a third provided the Wild keeps two million or more of Dumba’s salary each year for the whole contract. It might cost Robertson rather than Der-Arguchintsev but that would be worth it for the salary cap implications going forward. Saves some money to sign Muzzen and resign Reilly.
Imagine a blueline with Reilly at 5m, Muzzen at 5m, Dumba at 3.5m, Holl at 2m, Dermott at 2.5m, Sandin at 1.5+m, and Lilijgren at 1+m next year. After that some more money will have to be spent on defense.
Andy Greene just got a 2nd and a b prospect! Talk about overpaying!
I would like to see the Leafs look at a trade with the Wild. I would offer Der-Arguchintsev, Kerfoot, Bracco and Hollowell for Dumba and a third provided the Wild keeps two million or more of Dumba’s salary each year for the whole contract. It might cost Robertson rather than Der-Arguchintsev but that would be worth it for the salary cap implications going forward. Saves some money to sign Muzzen and resign Reilly.
Imagine a blueline with Reilly at 5m, Muzzen at 5m, Dumba at 3.5m, Holl at 2m, Dermott at 2.5m, Sandin at 1.5+m, and Lilijgren at 1+m next year. After that some more money will have to be spent on defense.
So, a parcel of maybes with one 4th liner for a big D-man – and Minn has to withhold some cash?
Some may be questioning Guerin’s intelligence over the firing of Boudreau …. but he isn’t that dense.
If Bobvrosky had provided even average goaltending the Panthers would be pretty much secured into 3rd in their division, leaving the Leafs battling for a WC spot.
Price- 10 million
Bob – 10 million
If one looks closely theres a message to evety GM in there.
NJ Coleman held out of game this afternoon… not because of injury could be on the move
Something to watch for. Thanks Joeman
There are reports out of Montreal that ownership will be holding a news conference and from what I am being told, GM Marc Bergev as well as scouting director Trevor Timmins are being fired.
Coleman for Foote and Van 1st. The price for Kreider going up
That is what I was thinking but since STL is down Dman perhaps
to STL: Kreider (50% retained) & Staal
to NYR: Kostin, Blais & 1st
Blais is depth forward and leaves room for Tarasenko when he comes back. Staal fills in for J-Bo while he gets healthy. Insurance for next year too.
Blais is the fiery guy i’d love on the opposite wing of Lemieux with Howden in the middle.