NHL Rumor Mill – April 27, 2021
Does Jake DeBrusk still have a future with the Bruins? Could the Penguins attempt to sign Ryan Getzlaf this summer? Check out the latest in today’s NHL rumor mill.
THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa believes Jake DeBrusk’s future with the Boston Bruins depends on whether they re-sign winger Taylor Hall. Acquired from Buffalo at the trade deadline, the 29-year-old Hall is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Bruins winger Nick Ritchie, meanwhile, is a restricted free agent while DeBrusk is signed through next season at $3.675 million annually.
Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk (NHL Images).
Hall has played well thus far with the Bruins and indicated a willingness to stay in Boston after this season. Meanwhile, DeBrusk is showing little sign of snapping out of his season-long slump. If Hall and Ritchie return, the Bruins could keep DeBrusk on right-wing or attempt to trade him in the offseason.
BOSTON HOCKEY NOW (via FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW): Jimmy Murphy cited an NHL source suggesting DeBrusk could be odd-man-out, citing David Krejci’s improved stats with a real top-six winger like Hall skating alongside him. The source also speculated they could try moving Charlie Coyle’s contract but isn’t sure they can.
SPECTOR’S NOTE:
Cap Friendly shows the Bruins with $50.4 million invested in 15 players next season with Hall, Krejci, Tuukka Rask, and Jaroslav Halak as their key UFAs. Ritchie, Brandon Carlo and Ondrej Kase are their notable RFAs.
If Hall and Krejci continue playing well together, especially in the playoffs, the Bruins could try to re-sign them if they feel their championship window remains open. They could also re-sign Rask to a short-term deal with promising Jeremy Swayman as his backup.
The Bruins were reportedly reluctant to part with DeBrusk over concerns he’ll blossom into a scorer elsewhere. However, they could be forced to shop him if they re-sign Hall because, as Shinzawa pointed out, there may not be room for both.
Jimmy Murphy cited colleague Dan Kingerski reporting the Pittsburgh Penguins were among several clubs to inquire into the availability of Anaheim Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf before the recent trade deadline.
An NHL management source told Murphy he can see Brian Burke, the Penguins’ president of hockey operations, circling back to see what Getzlaf wants to do. The source thinks the Ducks captain wants to win another Stanley Cup but that’s not happening in Anaheim next season. It would require some salary-cap juggling by the Penguins to make it work.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Getzlaf and his family are well settled where they are and he could be unwilling to leave them behind for a season to chase another Cup. Recent reports out of Anaheim indicate Ducks GM Bob Murray wants him to stick around after this season.
I think Getzlaf will either sign a one-year deal with the Ducks or retire. Nevertheless, I don’t dismiss the possibility he’ll a contender for one last shot at the Cup.
Would love to have Getzlaf in Pittsburgh especially when Malkin gets hurt next year and misses 40 games …
There is some validity to Malkin being moved potentially helping pens. But there are no indications he wants to and unless he does he stays. Which is also ok. Still a damn good player
Agreed…….They can only ask him !! He loves New York, his wife is a T.V. personality who knows.. Yes he is still a good player but you don’t want to hang on too long…
Crosby hasn’t slowed and keeps making his overall game better…He is 3 points from being third overall in the league in scoring.
Letang has lost a step, still drives me nuts with the turnovers, is more useful than Malkin..
It will be interesting to see who they will protect in the expansion draft. Do you know if a player is left unprotected and claimed does he have to go if he has a partial no move?
Because Seattle is a new tam and can’t be on any bodies teams not to go to list?????
Do you know?
Taylor Hall – I would love to resign in Edmonton
Taylor Hall – Im open to resigning with New Jersey
Taylor Hall – Id love to resign with the Coyotes
Taylor Hall – Resigning with the Devils is something Id want to do
Taylor Hall – I love Buffalo, definetely would consider resigning here
Taylor Hall – Resigning with the Bruins would be great
Pretty sure Taylor Hall will sign with whoever throws the most money at him….
So would most of us!
What is he supposed to say? I’m not really interested in continuing my career here and I am going to explore other options? That would be an unneeded distraction to any club.
Exactly JJB, show me one pending UFA that hasn’t said exactly what Hall has said.
You know what they think by what they do.
I don’t believe Coyle is on the market, at the time a thought it was a good signing.
Now i put him in the same class as Debrusk, waiting for the break out.
Then you think to yourself, wait until the playoffs that when they’ll kick it into high gear.
last year playoff neither did, so why would either do it this time.
Only if it was a simple as that; it’s the playoffs, a new season. Flip the switch, this is all that matters.
Maybe the switch is a dimmer and it’s stuck at the medium level, or it’s a switch that is already at it’s max brightness; need a new bulb.
I thought Colyle was OK in the playoffs considering his role. His line was the only one that didn’t get rolled by Tampa.
DeBrusk? I have no clue what will happen with him.
So if his play continues, which appears likely right now, do you protect him? Trade him prior for a pick/prospect? What is he worth?
I think you have to protect Coyle as I think his NMC is still in effect until the 2022 season.
4&4 seems like an option to consider for Sweeney. Tough call.
To me the issue that Sweeny is going to have is the fact that right now Coyle makes close to 6 mill and then you have to try sign Krejci for under that amount to get more players for next year and how can that happen when Krejci is the superior player at this point.
If the Bruins make the playoffs Coyle will hopefully have the impact he had last year.
Yep, Coyle is overpaid.
He needs to lead the shut down line and chip in offensively a little bit.
He should be earning what Lowry just got. But that is true for quite a few contracts that were signed when everybody thought the cap would be pushing $88 – 89M next season. At least.
The B’s are actually not too bad in that regard.
Overall the Bruins are in deadly shape cap wise IMO.
They have roughly 30 mill to spend with a few key things to figure out. Sign Carlo to a 6 yr deal, figure out what MaCvoy next contract looks like, sign Hall to a lower deal if possible, extend Krejci after the expansion draft and sign tukka to a 2 year deal after the expansion draft to a lower yearly deal.
I think they will look to trade DeBrusk which frees up more money and i would not care if Grez was picked up in the expansion draft.
Sweeney can sign 46 at around 6 mil Hall 6- 7 mil
carlo 4 mil ritchie 2 mil reilly 3 mil and let kuraly kase tinordi kampher go And still have $$ to do what else needs to be done Bruins are in a great spot Will loose a young d or 4th liner in kraken pick
I remember seeing Coyle for the first time playing for Minnesota in 2013. A big kid who had a wide skating stance who could skate like the wind and played both ends of the ice. I was high on his potential for a couple of years , his problem is that he lacks that scoring touch. How many times have you seen him carry the puck up the ice , blow by 3 defenders and miss the net by 10 feet ? like you guys have said solid 3rd liner but overpaid. Bruins need to $%it or get off the pot with Debrusk during the offseason. I believe they are reluctant to move him because he has proven he can score in the post season. If he lays an egg this year he is a goner. I have seen Debrusk for Virtanen posts on here so many times , it would be a good change of scenery for both.
Rest assured Hall will resign with Boston, Jake better do something quick or he’ll be upstairs looking down for the next week or more also if he doesn’t produce during the playoffs that is IF the bruins make the post season, he’s history. Right now that last game with buff I’ll give them a pass! 3 games in 4 days. Against Pitts. they were the rested team. if they don’t won tonight you can add Coyle to the pine as well as Kurally. Swayman is the man he’s already proven he is at least a backup to Rask or better.
I’ve been observing Hall for several years with the many teams he’s played for and he’s a one dimensional player. Which means if he’s not producing he’s a liability. What’s the point of having him cherry pick in the offensive zone if when he gets someone blowing past him and scores on his team. Who’s going to pop two to make up that difference? If he can’t do it you have to rely on others? It’s not an unlimited team salary structure. A salary cap, and a stagnant one at that screams buyer beware.
Hasn’t been a goal scored against the Bruins while he’s been on the ice thus far. Seems to be trying hard to suppress opportunities from other squads. He gets knocked down a lot, but I like what I’ve seen so far.
Hal has yet to be on the ice for a goal against as a bruin and problably saved 2 goals back checking last game alone Definetely not 1 dimensional
Has never palyed on 1 good team his entire career todate
When will he get a chance to do that?
Hey Chrisms, I saw the Bruins are a paper tiger comment the other day.
I was gonna chirp ya back, but didn’t as I am not completely sold either.
I lived in EDM for the Hall years. The talent is undeniable and seems to have found his legs and desire to play 200′. Hasn’t lasted before, we’ll see if it does now. Hopeful.
My concern is the B’s age at key positions. Top 2 C’s and in net. Playoffs are a grind for young guys let alone older guys. Older guys get hurt more and heal slower. I’m an older guy and I know it to be true.
Hopeful, but also would not bet a pay cheque on getting out of the east.
Cinderella story with Swayman getting hot if Rask’s back acts up? Would be swell, but again, my brains says unlikely.
But, Sweeney took a swing and it didn’t cost too much. Can’t argue with that. We gotta a shot!
You went far deeper than I did ray. I just wanted to give a quick chirp.
If getzlaf signs with pens next year he is gambling on them winning a 5th cup in 12 years. Pretty optimistic.
Chrisms.. We don’t need Getzlaf he is slow and just doesn’t fit our system. Stay in Anaheim.
He isn’t very good anymore…
5th cup in 12 years am i missing something? 4th cup yes 2009, 2016.2017
But they won the other cups back to back in 1991-1992-1992-1993.
All their Cup clinchers have been on the road Minnesota, Chicago, Detroit, San Jose , Nashville..be nice one at home..LOL
Oh bng. It was a lame attempt at sounding cocky. The implication being that the pens 4th is 2021.
Me and you really got to work on our communication
Bruins have over 31 million in cap space to start next season. I think they can easily get Krejci and Rask re-signed at lower cap hits, Hall signed on a much lower, longer deal (maybe incentives?), Carlo locked up long term, Ritchie and Reilly resigned and still have money to work with.
I don’t see Coyle being moved. When he has had to step up with Bergeron or Krejci out, he has seemed much more motivated.
As for DeBrusk, I hope this time in the press box helps him. I think he has decent talent but I wonder if he needs a change of scenery? He has been bounced all over all 4 lines, so his confidence could be shot. Reminds me a bit of Vatrano. He wasn’t happy playing the minutes they gave him and he has blossomed in Florida. DeBrusk isn’t getting those minutes away from Marchand, Pasta, Hall and Smith right now.
What if Sweeney contacted Francis to see how he could move Moore and DeBrusk to the Kraken at the expansion draft?
Swayman is the deal . How do you play him. How do you not ? Boston will make the playoffs . I would ride the hot goalie which is the kid.
DeBrusk for 2 seconds (same as Bennett). Gone at the draft
SilverS,
Jake Debrusk
2 seconds for a guy who has 4 goals, a cap hit of $3,675,000 and a salary next year of $4,850,000??? Good luck with that.
Kraken won’t take him in the draft, they’ll choose between one of the unprotected young D or goalies.
Bennett was traded with 4 goals and 8 the season prior. Also a first round pick . He never cracked 18 several years back and DeBrusk had 27 two seasons ago. Definitely worth 2 seconds . I suggested he will be Moved at the amateur draft and not taken by the Kraken expansion draft . Although not the worse pick they will likely make that day
Halls performance has been good in Boston but that’s hardly a reasonable sample of his entire lot of work. They teach back checking in pee wee. Starting to implement that in ones game in late 20s is indicative of a one dimensional player.
The last few years have been abysmal for him in terms of offensive production. Without producing at the level someone expecting 8 million plus a year, and having limited to no ability to contribute defensively, means he’s going to be a financial albatross on the team that signs him.
Frank, not sure what you mean about Hall lacking the ability to contribute defensively? Playing defense as a winger isn’t a mentally challenging task. It is more physically taxing and requires the will to do it.
You have heard the term “he cheats for his offence”. That was true about Hall in Edmonton and from what I have read and heard from former players from that time, he felt was entitled to be that way because of how good he was offensively.
Plenty of players have changed when they matured and committed to playing the right way. Plenty haven’t.
Right now Hall is doing that in BOS. Will he long term? We have no way of knowing that from the outside.
We can agree that he is he a risky guy to sign long term because of his history.
What happens if things take a turn for the worse with the teams fortunes? History would suggest Hall doesn’t help lead you out of it.
Or he is a changed player that you might be able to get on a good contract. Playoffs will be telling.
Hall has 588 points in 672 career games. He played this season on a 1 year 8 mil contract. Previous 7 seasons was 6mil per. I’d say he’s earned his money.
Earned his money…… good one
Chrismis..My bad yeah we need to work on that communication thing.
You really think Getzlaf is a fit for the Penguins??