NHL Rumor Mill (Part 2) – October 6, 2020

by | Oct 6, 2020 | Rumors | 27 comments

Check out the latest speculation on the notable unrestricted free agents in Part 2 of today’s NHL Rumor Mill. 

TSN: Darren Dreger reports it doesn’t sound as though there’s a lot of interest in Taylor Hall’s rights in the trade market. That doesn’t mean there won’t be plenty of interest in the 28-year-old left-winger when the free-agent market opens on Friday. Dreger indicates Hall intends to take his time with the free-agent process and may not make his decision on where he’ll sign until Saturday or even Sunday.

Taylor Hall will take his time deciding where his next NHL city will be (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t blame Hall for taking his time. I think he wants to play for a contender and will carefully weigh his potential destinations, even if it’s just on a one- or two-year deal.

Pierre LeBrun reports it appears Florida Panthers winger Mike Hoffman is heading to market on Friday. However, if the Panthers can free up some cap space before then, they would circle back and make another offer to Hoffman. LeBrun believes the 30-year-old winger could interest clubs that fail to sign Taylor Hall.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hoffman led all of this year’s UFA class with 29 goals and 59 points in 69 games. He’s averaged 20-or-more goals and 48-plus points in each of the last six seasons.

NESN.COM: Ricky Doyle reported Monday that Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney acknowledged he hasn’t had any progress in contract talks with Torey Krug. The 29-year-old defenseman is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on Friday.

Sweeney, however, hasn’t ruled out signing Krug if the blueliner doesn’t find any worthwhile offers on the open market. “Several free agents have gone and tested the market and come back to the same place that they were at, and it’s something we would also considered,” he said, adding there was no animosity with Krug.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Krug’s departure is being treated as a foregone conclusion. Given the flattened salary cap for next season, however, we can’t rule out the possibility that he might not find better offers than the six-years (at $6.5 million annually) by the Bruins.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston reports re-signing Jacob Markstrom remains high on Vancouver Canucks’ GM Jim Benning’s to-do list. “We’re going to keep working with his agent and see if we can find common ground,” said Benning. Markstrom, Chris Tanev and Tyler Toffoli are unrestricted free agents. The Canucks GM admitted it would be difficult to re-sign all three if he can’t reshape the club’s cap situation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, if he can’t find someone to take Loui Eriksson ($6 million annual average value through 2021-22) or Brandon Sutter ($4.35 million for 2020-21) off his hands, one of those three UFA will be playing elsewhere next season.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: Charlie Roumeliotis lists the New York Islanders’ Thomas Greiss, Dallas’ Anton Khudobin, Arizona’s Darcy Kuemper, former Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist and Pittsburgh’s Matt Murray as possible replacements for Corey Crawford if the Blackhawks fail to re-sign him by Friday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Greiss, Khudobin and Lundqvist would be free-agents signings and likely affordable short-term ones. Kuemper and Murray would have to be acquired via trade. Of this group, Kuemper would be the best target. The 30-year-old goalie had solid stats over the last two seasons and carries an affordable $4.5 million AAV for the next two seasons. Recent reports, however, suggest the Coyotes aren’t as keen to move him as originally believed.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson reports Oilers GM Ken Holland will seek a short-term replacement for sidelined defenseman Oscar Klefbom via the UFA market. Klefbom could require surgery on his injured left shoulder that could force him to miss most or all of 2020-21.







27 Comments

  1. Signing Markstrom should be Benning’s top priority, unless Markstrom is asking for $10 million a year it should be done already.

    • Lehner signing for $5M may have set the market Brad.
      Should be close to what Markstrom would get IMO.
      Seems fair in a flat cap world.

    • I would suspect that next year’s expansion draft as to the reason why there is no deal done, especially if Markstom wants a NMC. Then that would mean that Demko would be the goalie left exposed in the expansion draft, and I don’t think any Canucks fan would want that to happen.

    • Still think the best move is to trade Markstrom’s rights for Ullmark and some picks to free up cap space….

      Ullmark and Demko would be fine and allow VAN not to get cap strapped.

      Maybe even the bold

      to BUF: Markstrom rights, Virtanen
      to Van: Ullmark and Tage Thompson & 1st 2021

      Basically Buff gets thier# 1 and have cap room

      • Not a bad deal

      • Hopefully y’all understand trading someone’s rights are not the same as trading the player.
        Markstrom is a UFA on Oct. 9th, no matter who has his “rights” between now and then. Everyone who thinks Marky chooses Buffalo as his next destination, take a Salo clapper to the shin.

    • SENS

      Interesting time to be a Sens fan ..somewhat jealous they can really turn this franchise around today..they have some great pieces as well to round a good team in the next few years as well.
      Colin White
      Connor Brown
      Chabot
      Tkachuck
      Formenton
      Batherson

      I think they would be crazy to pass on Goalie ASKAROV at the 5th pick ..

      The Senators have the No. 3, No. 5 and No. 28 picks in the first round, four picks in the second round and 13 selections in all,

      This is a year that you really need to pick up a Goalie in the rebuild …you have so many other picks to round out other positions ..this kid will be a star and will be a low cost pick for the next few years where he can really settle in ..and develop with the team and be really ready as the rest of the team comes together in year 3 and 4 …he will then be coming off an entry level deal …it really makes a ton of sense to me …

      Really looking forward to watching the Sens turnaround over the next few years.

      Take care

      Cheers

      • That would probably be a good pick for the Sens. Fills a need on a rebuilding club and isn’t really a reach.

      • Except, even with Nilsson questionable, they are deep in goalie prospects with Hogberg, Gustavsson, Daccord, Kevin Mandolese (who was THE top goalie in the Q) and Mads Sogaard, the 6′ 8″ giant from Denmark who’s with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL.

        Yes, Askarov is getting a lot of rave reviews – but right now he is still a prospect. Just like the others. There are no guarantees so why add one more to a long list of prospects in your system?

  2. Watch Bruins GM Sweeney really screw things up for the Bruins!
    The ONLY good trade he made was for Coyle ( then he went and signed him to too much money too long a term )
    Sweeney lacks the hockey smarts to recognize talent. Other GM’s take advantage of him big time.

    • You seem to be trolling B’s fans Tony.
      My have to try a new name and a new team as so far none have taken the bait.

      • Lol… I did But I’m easy

    • Tony I would like to disagree with you but I can’t …..Sweeney’s trades and his drafts for the most part have been a disaster….he’s hit on a few draft picks & a couple of trades but that’s it …..he’s been looking for big scoring wingers to play with #46 ever since Lucic & Horton left

      • 2011 still happened, should have gotten last year or 2013. 1 more Cup should have went to Boston but they couldnt get it done. Sweeney needs to strike now and realize that the window is closing on the core of this group. The big ? is how to move Rask and grab MAF/Korpisalo or someone else that could jump in cheaper. OEL on the back end? He’s solid cant miss on this one. Let Studnicka and Kase prove themselves both have upside

  3. You have to wonder if Yzerman isn’t setting the stage for a few big moves by waiving Abdelkader for purposes of buying him out. It will cost him $1,895,556 off the cap this year, $2,305,556 off the cap for the following 2 years, and then $1,055,556 off the cap for 3 more years.

    He now has $53,288,889 committed to 15 with $28,211,111 left to sign 8. He has 7 RFAs (Erne, Bertuzzi, Mantha, Timashov, Perlini, Ehn and Bowey) who, collectively (IF all re-signed) will eat into that (especially Bertuzzi and Mantha), but it will still leave him with a big chunk to dip into the UFA market OR, perhaps, become involved in a trade or two, perhaps involving some of those RFAs.

    • George perhaps he is ready to bail out TB and take Stammer?

      or Johnson & Killorn? or mutiple pieces from a former co-worker….

      • Stamkos to Detroit would be a big favor done, besides not sure Stamkos would waive to go to rebuilding team.
        Johnson’s value has been on a steady decline the past couple of years, I suspect $ would have to be held to move him.
        Killorn should be an easy flip. Good contract and proven playoff performer.

  4. Max Domi is now a Blue Jacket.

    • hope this works out for the Habs , I like Anderson but leery of a power forward with a messed up shoulder. The Montreal fans will love Anderson if he plays like he can.
      It will be interesting to see how well Domi gets along with Torts

  5. Sweeney should offer Moore, Rask & Krug’s rights for OEL and Try avoid sending picks with all their remaining CORE up there.

    Krug’s rights can be flipped for more assets.
    Rask gets ARZ out from long term OEL contract.

    Can buy out Rask or flip Kuemper for value.

    a stretch but won’t cost Sweeney anything just to offer that.

    • Wow. A goalie that may not play again. The rights to a player the bs can’t trade the rights of and a bottom pair d man for a true op pair d man? You’d have to explain that on to me.

      • I wanna hear the rationale behind that one too – especially from the Arizona point of view. I means, here’s a team that absolutely MUST clear cap space and so, ostensibly, the quickest path to that is parting with their $8,250,000 D-man.

        But in this case take back a so-so D-man making $2,750,00, a goalie who is quesionable making $7 mil and the “rights” to a D-man who is a UFA coming off a $5,250,000 cap hit and is likely looking for a lot more. The combined $15,000,000 cap hit doesn’t even take into account what Krug would want as a UFA, so they’d wind up taking on more than double what they gave up. How does that help their cap situation?

      • Truly think AZ owner’s are hurting for CASH

        by flipping to get assets to flip if nothing else offered is cheaper than locking up 8million for several more years.

        Buying out rask is cheaper
        flipping Krug potentially nets at 2nd rd and clears out over $56 off the payroll long term.

        More about long term solvency for ownership, particularly over the next few years in the questionable revenue sharing $$ amounts.

        Ideal to lose a solid player for nada NO not at all… Agreed….. but $56 m for a slow market like AZ in a scary new NHL world over the next 2 years and lower revenue $ sharing can hurt the AZ pocket book.

        It is why I also hear Schmaltz is potentially on the move too.

        Just IMO. The sprt world economy won’t bounce back as other industries when fan attendance is key for gate revenue. TV market deal is not that sweet for AZ as they don’t get many National games.

      • If krug rights could get a second Boston done it by now. Task buy out? For that cost Arizona could retain a little of oel to make him more palatable. And get a return that’s valuable. And Moore? Meh.

  6. I so bad want Leafs to get Askarov. Is this a reasonable trade (be fair LTC)

    If artillery available when Buffalo turn comes up:

    Leafs trade 15th, Andersen and either their 2nd rnd or Andreas johnsson to get BUFF pick .

    Buff is desperate to improve now and get to playoffs and Leafs can take back Ullmark if need be.

  7. Classy move on Sens puck with Trebek announcing. Ny daughters at uO and saw him at last year’s Oanda game

  8. Sorry Higgins , Leafs Bomb and take a player off the board, in Amirov , wrong Russian , should of traded up and grabbed Askarov .
    Talk about trading down , Leafs are unpredictable , to the point of being senile ….
    Very disappointing !!!’