Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 10, 2020

by | May 10, 2020 | Rumors | 28 comments

More speculation over Alex Pietrangelo’s future plus some suggested blueline trade targets for the Canucks in the Sunday NHL rumor roundup.

WHAT WILL PIETRANGELO DO?

THE SCORE: John Matisz recently examined the questions swirling around St. Louis Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo. The 30-year-old defenseman could be the best player potentially available in this year’s unrestricted free agent market.

St. Louis Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo (Photo via NHL Images).

The Blues’ limited salary-cap space means they must shed a salary or two if they intend to re-sign Pietrangelo. That could involve buying out the final year of Alex Steen’s contract ($5.75-million annual average value) and trading goaltender Jake Allen ($4.35 million). Re-signing him could be expensive, as Nashville Predators’ captain Roman Josi’s eight-year, $72.5-million contract could be used as a benchmark. Given Petrangelo’s age, a seven-or-eight year deal would be an overpayment.

If Pietrangelo goes to market, the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vegas Golden Knights, and Winnipeg Jets could be among his possible destinations. The Leafs need a right-side defenseman, but they’ve already got half their payroll tied up in a small group of players. The Golden Knights and Jets require a true No.1 defenseman.

STLTODAY.COM: In a recent live chat, Jim Thomas suggested the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, and Boston Bruins are among the Stanley Cup contenders with sufficient salary-cap space to take a run at signing Pietrangelo. He dismissed a suggestion from one reader proposing the Blues trade away Jaden Schwartz and Ivan Barbeshev because it wouldn’t free up sufficient dollars to re-sign the captain.

Even with a flat or lower salary-cap, Thomas doubts the market for Pietrangelo will be that depressed. “Boston, Colorado, Calgary, Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, Montreal all have sufficient cap room to make a run at Pietrangelo.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A lot of clubs will have sufficient salary-cap space to make serious offers for Pietrangelo on the open market. Toronto and Vegas aren’t among them. The Leafs have nearly $77 million invested in 16 players for 2020-21, while the Golden Knights have over $73 million tied up in 15 players. Unless they dump some salary, they can’t afford Pietrangelo, who could see a long-term deal worth around $9 million annually. Even if a flat cap forced him to accept $7.5 to $8 million per season, that’s still too expensive for cap-strapped clubs like Toronto and Vegas.

The Bruins appear keen to re-sign Torey Krug, who’d be more affordable than Pietrangelo. The Flames have $64.5 million committed to 13 players, but most reports out of Calgary suggest they won’t pursue a big-ticket free agent. While the Wild ($65.2 million in 17 players) have the room, GM Bill Guerin could be reluctant to saddle himself with another big-money contract when Ryan Suter and Zach Parise already take up so much of his club’s cap space.

The Canadiens and Panthers could afford Pietrangelo, but he might not be keen to go to those markets. The Habs usually have difficulty attracting top free-agent talent, while the Panthers could shed salary if they miss the playoffs again. The Jets have room (nearly $66 million invested in 13 players), but Pietrangelo is likely too rich for their blood.

The Avalanche and Stars have the cap space, but they’re also stocked with good young blueliners. The Avs already have Cale Makar as their first-pairing right-side defenseman, while John Klingberg fills that role for the Stars.

Pietrangelo will attract plenty of interest if he becomes available, probably from several of the aforementioned clubs, and he’s going to get a lucrative deal. Finding the right fit on the roster and payroll, however, could be challenging.

POSSIBLE CANUCKS’ BLUELINE TRADE TARGETS

THE ATHLETIC (subscription required): Harman Dayal recently proposed several trade targets to rebuild the Vancouver Canuck’s blueliner. With Chris Tanev likely to depart via free agency and Troy Stecher facing an uncertain future as a restricted free agent with arbitration rights, they must address the right side of their defense corps.

Dayal proposes realistic options such as Florida’s MacKenzie Weegar, Tampa Bay’s Erik Cernak, Washington’s Nick Jensen, and Buffalo’s Henri Jokiharju. He also suggested left-side rearguards like Edmonton’s Caleb Jones or St. Louis’ Vince Dunn if suitable right-side blueliners can’t be found.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With nearly $64 million invested in 14 players next season, and with Tanev, Stecher, Jacob Markstrom, Tyler Toffoli, Jake Virtanen, and Tyler Motte to be re-signed or replaced, the Canucks don’t have the cap room to suitably address their blueline needs via free agency. Going the trade route for young, affordable options is the best bet.

I don’t know If those targets suggested by Dayal would be available, but they provide a template for the type of rearguard the Canucks could pursue following this season.

 







28 Comments

  1. Agree with you Lyle… Petro on Leafs just no feasible

    Now $40.5 M on 4 players…. then make it close to $50 M on 5!!!!

    Would love him as a Leaf…. just not happening

    I still say most likely …. Army works his magic with roster/Cap; Petro lightens his ask …. Petro re-signed

    • Dearest Pengy,

      ANOTHER day of Petro discussion. I know that Lyle is doing this to make me MORE crazy!

      Regarding “Army magic”–I HOPE YOU’RE CORRECT

      • LOL, iowa boy. Because Pietrangelo is considered the best player in this summer’s UFA class, he’s going to garner growing media speculation over his future. The longer he remains unsigned, the more his name will surface in the rumor mill.

      • As I’ve said before, this reminds be of David Backes 2.0 from a few years ago—almost identical.

        Why would I expect a different outcome?

    • Pengy, leafs trade MM to Ottawa for their 2nd first round pick, plus.. use that money to bring in Petro

      Toronto has enough skill to survive MM loss.

      But I don’t think Ottawa wants a $10m forward.

      • Uh – no thanks? Don’t get me wrong. I love Marner’s game – but not $10 mil worth!

  2. Surprised when Blues traded for Faulk- and then gave him extension with full ntc? I can’t see them letting Pietrangelo walk. Maybe they’ll look to trade Parayko? He lacks any ntc. Can’t see 3 guys on right D totaling about 20mil per in cap hit. There’s also expansion draft to think about.

    • Slickster

      Over my dead body—I think Faulk or maybe Dunn could be options to gain some CAP room. Not Parayko!

      Realistically, I’ve got to think Allen and maybe Bozak would be the 1st steps to freeing up $$$s.

      • Iowa boy
        I agree, Parayko wouldn’t be my first choice. But, as I said, Faulk has a full ntc! He’s not going anywhere. My guess is to keep Pietrangelo , it will cost minimum 8 per. (And that’s being really generous. More likely he can get at least 9m on open market.) plus Parayko 5.5 cap hit?
        Bozak has a 10 team ntc, which won’t totally keep them from trading him. But, how much of a market is there for a 34 year old 3C making 5M? And what will teams be willing to give up for a player with only one year left on contract? Allen trade most likely. A guy like Parayko could bring in a nice haul. Maybe a decent young left D?

    • Much to Iowa Boy’s chagrin

      I will take my Bromance Parayko on Leafs or Pens….anytime!!!

      Just let me know the cost 😁

      • Soucy is feeling jilted—you two-timer

      • But Soucy any team can get with giving up ZERO assets…. UFA (at 25 BTW)

        CP still knows how I feel about him

        Both on either Leafs or Pens ….👍👍👍👍

  3. Faulk trade and deal tells me the Blues are preparing for Pietro’s departure. Not that I agree with it, but the ground is prepared for such an event.

    Leaf’s salary concentration on a handful of players makes in very difficult for them to add any dig dollar free agent. Tavaras was their big free agent signing for the coming years.

    • Yes, he was – and a mistake of a signing at that price.

  4. Until Pietrangelo situation is dealt with there will be tons of speculation . He is THE blue chip UFA. I believe he will also set the new standard for contracts for the class of Covid.
    The Canucks need to focus on the backend and build around Hughes. Very good young pieces in place with Pettersson Boeser Horvat and addition of Miller. Their window is currently open

    • SS

      I agree with your assessment of the Canucks. How would you feel about Vince Dunn for 2nd round pick in 2021?

      IB

  5. I wouldn’t move Dunn. A second rounder himself . All those development cost and still good upside . He will take a bridge . Allen is the one if they can and unfortunately Steen on a buyout . He will invariably get hurt. It is time to retire but you will have to pull the sweater off his back ! Keep him with the organization in some role.

    • I agree.
      Vince Dunn is a “Strikers Stud!”
      Great wheels and sense.
      I’d keep him around.

      • I really like Dunn too, but it may be a necessary cost measure to trade him for a pick!?

        I may be very wrong, but I’m hoping that Perunovich (college player of year) that they signed brings a similar skill set and could be a replacement. I like Mikkola too–needs more of an opportunity.

  6. I am beginning to think that Dubas wears those Harry Potter because he has tunnel vision. He blew any vision for success when he signed Marner.

    During Marner’s period of being unsigned I think I wrote the answer was to offer sheet Brandon Carlo and as soon as he had Carlo (signed 5 X 5) then trade Marner for futures, maybe a young forwar and a draft choice.

    That applies to today’s subject as it was a way to get what was needed signing Petrodiangelo or chase Doughty). Dubas has made some good moves. He was not experienced enough for the job he got. It is a pretty high level for on the job training.

    If all goes well for the Leafs, the length of the Matthew’s contract I think will turn out to Dubas’s achille’s heal. I think they come up short again.

    • OBD, over in the Headlines thread Lyle quotes Dubas as saying, re the draft “We’re just going to try to prepare as though it’s going to happen … It’s not going to be normal regardless of what it is, so we’re fine with whatever is decided.”

      Not difficult seeing as how he doesn’t have a 1st, will pick somewhere in the middle of the 2nd round, has no pick in the 3rs, will pick somewhere in the middle again in the 4th round, and doesn’t have a pick in the 5th.

      Unless, of course, he can make a deal for a pick or two involving a roster player – which may be precluded by one suggested draft formula.

      • George, Dubas did well with a second round pick last year. The kid plays in Peterborough. You may have seen him.
        As for a Parayko trade, yes please.

      • Yeah, BCLeafFan, that could well turn out to be a good pick – but at the same time he is slight at 5′ 9″ 164 lbs and does turn 19 in September. So, until he shows he can handle the NHL and maybe add some size (Jack Hughes had trouble this season doing so) he is – like someone constantly reminds us in here when we tend to get overly excited about a pick – still just a prospect.

        And while his 55g 31a 86 pts was certainly nothing to sneeze at, last year the 67s had a guy – Tye Felhaber 5′ 11″ 190 lbs – who racked up 59g 50a 109 pts, was an undrafted signing by Dallas and who struggled in the minors this season.

      • @George if they hold the draft before the season`s finished there won`t be any trading of roster player. The only trades will be picks and prospects making it a very boring draft

      • I realize that Bob, which is why I added “which may be precluded by one suggested draft formula.” Hopefully, in the end, saner heads will prevail once they realize that most fan “excitement” on draft day comes when Bettman steps to the mic and says “I have a trade to announce …”

        If trades come back into the picture, I could see Dubas arranging one to a) free up some key cap space and b) get back into the 1st round somewhere.

    • Dubas blew is when he signed Tavares, especially at that price. They didn’t need more goal scoring, so, in effect, signing JT solved a problem they didn’t have. Toronto has been scrambling ever since, although overpaying for MM, AM, and WN only made things worse

      • Geez don’t say that on here! I’ve been saying that since Tavares signed, a team needs to have balance between forwards and defence and 4 forwards making half the cap ( which could be for a few more years ) isn’t going to win in this league

      • So does Johnny T get the compliance buyout?