NHL Rumor Mill – January 27, 2021
Vince Dunn’s days with the St. Louis Blues could be numbered plus the latest on the Leafs, Canadiens and Ducks in today’s NHL rumor mill.
DUNN COULD BE DONE IN ST. LOUIS
TSN: Frank Seravalli last night reported Vince Dunn could be on the move. The St. Louis Blues have engaged in conversations with many clubs regarding the 24-year-old defenseman, who signed a one-year, $1.875 million contract last year. Seravalli said there was a belief Dunn would be traded during training camp, adding the blueliner was expected to be a healthy scratch in last night’s game.
SPORTSNET: In his latest “31 Thoughts” column, Elliotte Friedman noted Dunn was taken off the Blues second power-play unit during Tuesday’s practice. While the defenseman has had a rough start his talent is respected. Friedman also indicated the Blues had a lot of trade talk about him during the summer. It’s believed they’re seeking a first-rounder in return.
St. Louis Blues defenseman Vince Dunn (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dunn was a healthy scratch from last night’s win over the Vegas Golden Knights. That could indicate a trade could be in the works. Whatever the reason behind Dunn’s struggles this season he should still draw lots of interest in the trade market.
A skilled mobile blueliner, Dunn was once considered a promising part of the Blues defense corps. He’s tallied 23-or-more points in each of his first three seasons, including a 35-point performance during his sophomore campaign.
MORE TIDBITS FROM FRIEDMAN’S LATEST “31 THOUGHTS”
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman repeated his report from last Saturday claiming the Toronto Maple Leafs are looking for forwards with Joe Thornton and Nick Robertson sidelined by injuries.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs are already pressed for salary cap space so they’ll have to do a dollar-for-dollar swap if they’re looking to significantly boost their injury-depleted forward lines.
He also repeated his report that Montreal Canadiens defenseman Victor Mete is having trouble cracking the Habs’ deep blueline corps.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens haven’t assigned Mete to their taxi squad because a rival club will likely pluck him off waivers. They probably prefer hanging on to him for now in case injuries strike their blueline. Still, they could trade him for the right offer.
Friedman reports the Anaheim Ducks are looking for scoring.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s understandable as they enter today sitting dead-last with a goals-for per game average of 1.71. They were reportedly among the clubs interested in Pierre-Luc Dubois and Patrik Laine before they were swapped for each other last Saturday. No word as to who else they’re interested in or what they’re prepared to offer.
What the heck could cause the complete 180 by the the Blues concerning Dunn. Where there is smoke there is usually fire. Buyer be ware…
If all it takes is a first round pick the Penguins should be all over Dunn.They are desperate with all their injuries to d s.
They don’t have one till 2022. And that is a big overpay for a d man in the dog house. Doubt any team on the league no matter how desperate pays that.
Utterly ridiculous … Rutherford has already given up too many first rounders for bums …
Rutherford resigned
Pens need help! Dunn for…
Are blues looking to shed cap? So prospect pick type trade? Or do they want a player now?
DeAngelo for Dunn. Let’s do it Iowa boy.
The Iowa Boy Swap Shop is open for business—considering all reasonable offers.
Regarding DeAngelo=no Lindgren and 2nd=??
The Blues cannot take on any $$$s
Pick/ top tier prospect please
You seem overloaded on left side. DeAngelo and we’ll take back another salary besides Dunn to make it work
Top tier?
Rangers are going for 1st overall, they don’t need to trade.
DeAngelo is a mess. Kid needs to take a break from social media and focus on being a good person and teammate. Sad part is, that he’s a decent offensive defenseman.
He’s off social media
Even his burner accounts?
The young man needs to embrace maturity and stick to concentrating on hockey.
Re Dunn
Not sure what happened there…. his play can’t have magically dropped off that fast. Hitting on teammates’/coach’s spouses?
If Dumo (Pens) is out for a bit…. Pens will gladly take Dunn
If Dumo out… Pens left with only 2 LHDs (up or in taxi squad) that have a total of less than 20 NHL games between them
1 is a rookie with 3 games and the other hasn’t had an NHL game in 7 seasons
I have liked Dunn’s play
He had 23 pts and +15 last year; 35 points and +14 two years ago
Gladly take him on Pens
Chrisms
Sorry just realized ur post now re Dunn on Pens
Gotta do something
Hoping Dumo just a slight injury and good to go tomorrow or worst case next game
Hey Pengy,
I wouldn’t mind us revisiting our McCann for Dunn trade discussions. The Blues can add De La Rose, but the Pens need to come up with a draft pick, which they don’t have—-problem!
Any ideas??
McCann for Dunn straight up is fair value. But that means salary to blues. If it’s a salary dump in d say pens 2nd and a depth d.
Or poj. I don’t think he needs to go through waivers to get sent down to taxi squad but I could be wrong.
Hi Iowa Boy
Pens can’t afford to give up McC and Blues need to at best come out Cap neutral on a trade
Per CapFreindly , above the line (NHL level) Blues have 5 LHD and only 2 RHD; and two LHD on the taxi side
So at least an RHD must come back
It won’t be Tanger or Marino; and I can’t see Blues accepting Ceci
So it would be Ruhweedel ( 😄) to start and then probably adding Maniscalco ; and maybe even adding another (Lafferty?)
If Dumo out
Tanger/Dunn
Marino /P-O J
Ceci/ Czuczman
If Dumo back or when he returns
Tanger/Dumo
Marino/Dunn
Ceci/P-O J
To free up anymore space for Blues… it is a multiple player swap deal….
Say.
Boz (40% retained) and Dunn
For
McC , Ruhweedel , Lafferty(?)
That nets about $1.3 M in Cap space for Blues
Boz with career winding down, could be tried at 3C for Pens
Before he finally got a goal last night; the way Zucker was going; I would have thrown out
Zucker ($0.5 M retained)/ Ruhweedel
For Boz/Dunn
Basically $1.2 M Cap freed up for Blues
Yannick Weber! Pens are fixed!
Chrisms
Are you posting that Pens signed Yanik Weber or are you suggesting they sign him
I’m fairly sure he is an RHD
Not even sure if he is in USA or at home…. if back in Switzerland he’d have to quarantine
Pburgh sports radio said they did sign him.
Thanks Chrisms
Strange
I looked him up; he IS a rightie???? WTF ???
Maybe that’s why Jimbo resigned… realized he was getting forgetful … knowing he need a Left Hand Defenceman … signed a righty … Doh!
Toronto has Vesey, Simmonds and Thornton on one year deals. They won’t have the money to give them raises or term after this year.
Who are they going to give up that will provide an impact beyond the top four fourwards that make half their salary cap?
To fix this mess, they either have to trade one of their top four, or make hard decisions such as trading Andersen now rather than losing him to free agency. He’ll make 8 mil on the open market, even 8.5 for a desperate taker. Leafs can’t afford that. Better to get a lesser tier goalie with term for equal or less cap hit, and maybe something extra.
My pitch would be to offer him to Pittsburg for Tristan Jarry and 1st rounder in 2022.
Andersen will not command nor be offered 8-8.5 million per season.
It simply won’t happen with the current climate in the NHL. He’s a good, but not great goalie, and no one can afford to pay tenders that much right now.
As for Jarry and a 1st? I’ll leave that to Penguins fans, but I’d guess that’s a high ask for a goalie of Andersons ilk.
Not sure it is a complete mess in TOR. They are 6-2 and just swept Calgary, in Calgary.
So far so good if I am a Leaf fan.
Did you catch Muzzin’s puck flip?
The meltdown afterwards was interesting. I’m thinking Matty T was more angry about his teammate’s not sticking up for him than the classic show of disrespect by Muzzin.
I was entertained by it.
How about that hip check by Sid on Debrusk? Perfect example of separating a man from the puck without headhunter tactics. It was a thing of beauty.
Ya, too bad for Jake, but good hit.
As I live in Edmonton, not a Tkachuk fan. It took a few weeks of being called a turtle (TSN 1260 actually has a catchy tune!) for him to answer the bell against Kassian after he cheap shot’d him multiple times.
I liked the move by Muzzin, funny as hell IMO. More teams should do that too him. Relentlessly mocking him is a good plan.
That is beyond ridiculous for the Pens … it never ceases to amaze me on this site, fanboys giving up their trash for other teams treasures .. wow
Aren’t there some clouds somewhere for you to be yelling at?
No mess, Frank, that’s why teams have taxi squads. The guys that have come up – Engvall, Boyd – have done a good job.
No question, though, after watching Boston – Pittsburgh last night, the Canadian teams have some catching up to do.
Hi Frank
Since I’m a fan of both (my two favourite teams; and watch all of both teams’ games) Leafs and Pens…. I will give my unbiased take on that swap…for sure Leafs have to add to Anderson to get Jarry… absolutely for sure
Both are starters
Jarry is 25 and at $3.5 M for two more years after this
Freddy is 6 years older; $5M now, and an upcoming UFA(nothing guaranteed)
That alone would mean Leafs have to add to the deal
Setting age, current $’s; and out-year $’s (what Freddy would re-sign at, IF he re-upped with Pens)…. Freddy has been consistently slightly better in reg season but does have issues closing deciding games; but if I’m looking for next year and the year after… I’d choose Jarry over Freddy
Leafs would need to add something(s) to Freddy AND retain; for a Freddy/TJ swap to happen
I don’t see this trade manifesting
The Leafs are in win now mode. While they aren’t favourites by any stretch. Dubas correctly IMO has identified that this is the Leafs’ best chance to make a deep run. 3-4 years from Matthews may be long gone.
Freddy will probably be leaving via the FA but I see no chance of the Leafs trading him this year for a downgrade/futures.
I wouldn’t take him and a first for jarry.
I am happy with Montreal’s start this year but do wonder about them overall … Juulsen lost on waivers and now Mete more or less in the same position. I suspect Mete’s almost development was good fortune, as he wasn’t overly heralded coming up, but it hasn’t really panned out. But it seemed they had expectations for Juulsen. Poor development, poor drafting? And what would anyone actually give up for Mete? Seems most organizations have their own version of the player.
Shaun,
Juulsen has barely played on account of concussions, puck to the face twice. His development was fine to that point but NHL readiness became questionable. It was surprising to lose hum to waivers.
Mete has played up and down from first pairing to third, skates like the wind and is cheap.
He easily fits in anywhere if a D is injured, he has filled in at forward too.
He’s a swiss army knife that fits anywhere for now
Juulsen’s departure doesn’t mean that he was a poor draft choice. He had a spot on the roster a couple of years ago, before he had this incredible bad luck : two slap shots in the face, in the same game. Poor guy lost two years; Habs had no place for him on the roster, but hoped he’d clear wavers, and get his game back, playing in the AHL. Florida took a chance on him, I sure wish him the best.
I don’t know much about Dunn, but I’m sure he could help the Oilers defence. Just don’t don’t know who they could trade for him. Also the Oilers would need to clear about $700k of cap space if it’s prospects and/or draft picks.
Kevjam
Just a thought:
Puljujarvi for Dunn??
Maybe a year ago…maybe.
Currently, JP is playing on Oilers top line and appears ready to start realizing some of his potential. No way Oilers bite on that.
Yeah, that is tempting. I just don’t know. The Oilers have just under $1.2 million of LTIR cap space that they can use. So it would work that way, plus Puljujarvi makes less than Dunn, so St Louis would be taking less salary back. But at the same time Puljujarvi has been looking good on McDavids line.
That is a tough one, you do need to give something up to get something in return… I just don’t know.
Puljujarvi has 2 assets and is a minus 4 in 9 games. He’s a dud with zero trade value. Puljujarvi is a bust just because he was a high draft pick doesn’t mean squat other than the Oilers have a very poor draft record.
Oilers need to keep the puck out of their own net, they score enough to win.
Dunn isn’t that guy. I think they miss Klefbom’s ability to defend, and Barrie isn’t bringing that.
Nurse is a good player but if he is forced to play 29 minutes like he did last night, you have a problem.
Actually, I think they are missing Benning more than Klefbom. Benning is very underrated. I know it’s a poor stat to judge players on, but Benning has always been on the plus side of the +/- column.
Could be right KevJam, didn’t think about him.
While +/- has it’s flaws (EN Goals), I think it is a great stat. Line mates help/hurt etc, but if getting more goals than the other team is how you win, I would think that +/- is kinda important.
The NHL career +/- leaders say something about the stat. It reads like a Hall of Fame roster.
https://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/records/nhl-players-all-time-plus-minus-leaders.html
That is telling DM.
Shows how good Bobby Orr was.
Going by his average career plus per game he would average +72.6/season over 82 games.
Way less parity back in the late 60’s early 70’s though so the good teams crushed the weak ones.
Great link DM
# 1 on the +\- list all time …Robinson …. played more than twice the number of games Orr did
Orr at averaging +73 per 82 games is leaps and bounds ahead of Robinson (+43 per 82 GPs)
He (Orr) was absolutely something else to watch
I was mesmerized as a kid
I played Centre and would loved to have been able to go around ALL 6 opponents (including goalie) in a rush as Orr would do from his own red line…. don’t forget ….as a D…. and against NHL players
I still stick with my assertion that Orr is the best hockey player ever. Period. End of story.
Lyle,
Any news on George
Over a month now since I’ve seen him post (unless I missed it)
Hoping he’s OK
Haven’t heard anything.
Thanks Lyle
Fingers crossed that he is Ok
what about NY and Wendell?
Dunn for Bjork, fills a need for both teams as they’re getting pushed out of the line-up. Bjork will be scratched once Pasta comes back.
Agree. Good take on the Bruins situation. Also Bjork will probably be exposed in the expansion draft.
Spoked,
The Blues are having trouble getting Sammy Blais in the lineup (even before Tarasenko tries a comeback), I don’t think Bjork would fit in either. I do think the Blues are lacking depth in forward prospects—jkust don’t think Bjork is the answer.
First off, was Dunn partnered up with Pietroangelo cause if so that would explain a lot.
Secondly, I think this is a great time for a Marner trade.
Dunn was a third pairing, sometimes second with parayko, never Pietrangelo.
Something doesn’t seem right to have fallen below Scandella on the depth chart.
The Penguins are one-deep at just about every position, and will certainly sustain additional injuries as the season goes on. The team has no position of strength from which it can trade to shore up a position of weakness, or to replace every player that sustains an injury, and it has little to give otherwise. Maybe, it’s time for the Penguins to surmise that trying to do so is just throwing good money after bad .
The Flyers are probably a better bet to land Dunn than the Penguins. The Penguins could be relegated to signing a waived utility player. Claiming Greg Pateryn and trying any other defenseman on the left until the injured players heal couldn’t have been worse than was acquiring Jack Johnson at $3.5 million.
Pengy. Rutherford resigned
😄👍
Thanks for the good news Slick
Who is the interim GM?
Maybe their Asst. GM … Allvin?
Holy smokes!!! Bye bye Rutherford!
Hi Chrisms
My sentiments as well
What moves he has done over the last two years have been (as a whole) quite detrimental to Pens on ice performance and future
The JJ signing hurt big but his (GMJR’s) repeated accolades and defence (excuse the pun) of JJ when he was crippling all teammates performance ; was really bad
Then he throws Murray and all players not named JJ under the bus; defends JJ after the second loss to Habs ; and then after being begged by them to not play JJ; and after series loss… Jimbo fires Martin, Recchi and Gonch … basically for them consistently reaching out re the JJ problem and GMJR trying to publicly make it look like the loss to Habs was all their fault; and nothing at all to do with JJ ????? Wow!
Oh… and JJ bought out anyway
Had he been bought out in June of ‘19 after the Isle’s series debacle AND the horrific and profound detrimental effect JJ had on all team mates’ performances during 18/19; then JJ’s cap hit in 19/20would have only been $225K (due to the structure of his contract) ; Pens would have had an extra $3M in space; a far better (and happier) team AND more importantly would have been contenders
GMJRs sporadic acquisition then trade (shortly thereafter) of several players that then “showed” that they should have stayed with Pens (with their performances with the “new” team after trade …. cite Big Jamie O; D. Grant just to name two) was not good
His recent trades he has overpaid (cite Zucker… 1st and Addison !)
Jimbo had certainly lost his touch
Hoping (and praying) that next GM learns from Jimbo’s mistakes
Dunn to MTL for Kulak, Mete and a 3rd.
Craig,
we all ready have Dunn’s, Schwartz’s and Momesso’s in Montreal and will keep Kulak, Mete and the 3rd. 🙂
https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/jim-rutherford-resigns-penguins-gm-due-personal-reasons/
Thanks TFV
Fingers crossed that Allvin can do some magic in the very near future
Penguins sigh Yannick Weber. JR’s last work? If interim GM means kane-duck GM, how much leeway will Allvin have to make future moves?
Hi Francis
I responded to Chrisms above re Weber signing….
perhaps Jimbo resigned when he realized he was losing it….
down 4 LHD; down to (NHL roster and taxi squad) only 2 LHD…. with a total [combined] less than 20 NHL games… one with his first and only 3 NHL games in the last few days; the other hasn’t played an NHL game in 7 years
So ABSOLUTELY need an LHD
But he goes out and signs a RHD
He (Jimbo) realized it was time to hang it up when he didn’t know his left from his right
Extremely sudden… left Pens not only with problems he created; but in a lurch
😡🤬💩
i missed Chrisms’s alert. He must have a hot line to Mario to have known so soon.
I can’t fault Rutherford to the extent that you do. Some of those failed trades were well received by hockey minds when he made them. For instance, after he acquired Brassard, his engineering of the complex deal was heralded, and I remember reading here that some cup contenders felt the balance of power in the league had shifted toward the Penguins. Many also praised him after he acquired Ryan Reaves.
It may be worth noting that neither Klim Kostin nor Calen Anderson, the cost of a couple of his trades, are playing in the NHL It probably hurts him to know, though, that the draft selection he gave up to get Dave Peron turned out to be Barzal (through Edmonton).
I think there was a rift between Sullivan and JR, and that it involved Sullivan not liking and not using players JR acquired. The most senseless of JR’s mistakes was firing the assistant coaches but retaining the guy who told them what to do–or didn’t tell them what to do. Perhaps, that was due to Mario. Sullivan had just been signed to a new contract, and with the Penguins experiencing covid financial difficulty, as explained a few months ago by Frank Servilli, Mario may have stayed JR’s hand. Some have said JR signed JJ as a favor to Crosby, a friend.
I suspect that that same financial difficulty may in some way be involved in JR’s resignation. It’s one less person on the executive payroll.
Meant to say Kostin et al are NOT playing..
Hi Francis
The Brassard acquisition was fine…. Brassard didn’t click… not Rutherford’s fault
The Reaves acquisition is another one of what I’m talking about
He goes out and gets the player; doesn’t keep him (Jimbo oft inferring performance/value relative to Cap not there) and then that player goes to another team where he is worth to Cap value has not fallen off as per GMJR
Sundquist + first (Kostin)
For Reaves + Zack Lauzon (never played in NHL; has retired)
Reaves later traded for Linberg… who at that time (and now , and forever) only had/has/will have 6 NHL games
So 58 games of Reaves cost Pens Kostin (very good propect now with Blues) and Sundquist (already nigh 140 games for Blues in a solid bottom 6 C position); has done well in playoffs
Kostin is also on Cusp of NHL
So the Reaves trades (and not keeping him) was one of the worst things Jimbo Ever did
Addison not in NHL but on the cusp
He is only 20 (Dmen on average, start their NHL careers , 2 or so years after the average forward)
Last season he was > 1 PPG …. as a Defenseman
A fist and Addison for Zucker was overpay at the time
Super overpay wrt Zucker’s current performance
Not keeping Jamie O
Huge overpay and term for JJ
not buying JJ out after first year
Praising JJ (who was the problem) and blaming everybody else
His last move (ever)…. yesterday….. signing an RHD player that hasn’t played in quite a while; must get green card AND quarantine ; when the absolute urgency is for a LHD….. just nuts
Etc etc
List goes on and on
Not good
Then leaving suddenly at a time (Covid, Cap, mounting injuries, tight division) when an active and prudent GM is what the Pens need most right now….. not a good move
…. and he didn’t retire (which infers he is leaving door open for a return) and didn’t explain why he was leaving????
Not good 👎👎👎👎👎🤬😡💩