Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – August 15, 2021

by | Aug 15, 2021 | Rumors | 22 comments

The Senators are linked to several notable centers, the Hurricanes could be looking for another top-six forward, and the Jets are eyeing a former Red Wing. Details in this edition of the Sunday NHL rumor roundup.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the Senators are still trying to add a center or winger via trade or free agency. Defenseman Erik Brannstrom could be used as a trade chip to add a winger or another center in order to move someone to the wing.

San Jose Sharks forward Tomas Hertl (NHL Images).

The Senators kicked tires on Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel but the asking price and contract are expensive. Internet rumors claim they’ve had talks with the San Jose Sharks about Tomas Hertl, who’s a year away from unrestricted free agent eligibility.

New York Rangers center Ryan Strome could be a good fit if they acquire Eichel. The Chicago Blackhawks are trying to move Dylan Strome and the Senators are mildly interested. The Sens would like to move center Logan Brown as it hasn’t worked out for the two sides. They’d prefer to get a player in return rather than a future asset.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks could shop Hertl if he intends to test the market next summer. A rebuilding club like the Senators could seek assurances he’ll re-sign with them. Unless you’re a playoff contender interested in Hertl as a rental player it makes little sense for the Senators to waste assets on a player who could depart as a free agent soon afterward.

A deal for Dylan Strome seems possible. Earlier this month, Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times speculated Strome could be a cost-cutting candidate to free up cap space for new contracts for Brandon Hagel and Alex Nylander. They’re already over the cap by $2.1 million. With Brent Seabrook off their books, they can only draw upon the $3.9 million of Andrew Shaw as long-term injury reserve cap relief.

THE ATHLETIC: In a recent mailbag segment, Sara Civian was asked if the Carolina Hurricanes still need another top-six forward. She believes they do, adding they seem to be looking for one.

They’ve been linked to St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko. Even if they can’t land him, she still thinks they’ll make a trade of some sort, pointing out they’ll still have some cap space left after signing Andrei Svechnikov.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes currently have over $12 million remaining. Assuming they spend up to $7 million on Svechnikov, there’s enough wiggle room to add another top-six forward. That depends, of course, on ownership’s willingness to spend toward the ceiling and which forward they target.

Tarasenko’s $7.5 million annual average value is a lot to take on. They’ll have to ship out a salary in that deal, swing a separate cost-cutting move or convince the Blues to pick up part of his cap hit.

 







22 Comments

  1. Don’t follow the Hurricane—what would be the offer to get Tarasenko??

    Necas?

    Nino?

    Gardner?

    Picks/Prospects?

    • Honestly, I wouldnt pay anything. He has done nothing the last two years and have had 3 shoulder surgeries, results of the last one is unknown. If they send something back its to lose salary, its a buyers market

      • Kent. Result of last surgery seems to be that going outside of team doctors and finally fixing issue. He played 2nd half of season and playoffs. Went on to play for Russia after being knocked out of playoffs. Havnt heard of any issues since.

      • Kent, beware. The Blues are telling everyone that Tarasenko is healthy and it’s not true. All off-season they’ve desperately tried to move him. First by exposing him to expansion and then by trying to trade him to the Islanders, Devils, and the Canes. St Louis refuses to retain as they are cap tight and they still need to sign young star forward Robert Thomas who is an RFA but until they open up cap space, cannot do so. What’s worse is that star defender Colton Parayko will be a free agent after this season.

        So the blues are desparely trying to move Tarasenko and his $7.5M cap hit and swearing his 3 time surgically repaired shoulder is ‘’healthy” when in truth not even Tarasenko knows if he can ever recover. 7 goals and 34 games played over 2 years says it’s not a gamble most GMs would take. Especially when Armstrong won’t retain anything.

      • Bill, they’ve tried to move tarasenko all summer because tarasenko asked to be moved.

    • Gardner for senko seems fair

    • I think it would be a mistake for Carolina to trade for Tarasenko.

      The Canes won’t trade Necas because he has an upside similar to Aho. Nino is a UFA after this year and they exposed him in the expansion draft so that wouldn’t surprise me. Carolina should keep Nino and trade him at the deadline if necessary. Adding Tarasenko and losing Nino would double down on the mistake.

      I doubt St Louis has any interest in Gardiner.

    • @iowa prince, The answer is Gardiner (picks or prospects) he can’t crack the D rotation and giving either Nino up or especially Necas won’t happen in a thousand years also would be addition by subtraction of forward depth which is the issue the Canes are trying to solve.

    • If Seattle took a pass when they could have picked him up for free and then traded him then it is fair to say he presently has zero value.
      If he is that unhappy in St. Louis then he can go to the KHL and prove himself healthy for the Blues to trade him.
      Right now they would give him away if only to get the cap space.
      Shoulder surgeries for snipers don’t bode well for continued success.

      • Isn’t there an agreement between the NHL and the KHL where players under contract in either league can only sign with a club in the other league when given approval by the club with the existing contract? Run on.

      • Not quite. Seattle chose Vince Dunn over Tarasenko. So, that means Dunn’s value was deemed to be greater than Tarasenko’s. Many clubs would love to have Vince Dunn on their defense. Lots of room between VD’s value and zero.

      • Glad this comment was made, Hammer. I was thinking the exact same thing when reading. Vince Dunn was just the more intriguing option but that doesn’t mean Tarasenko has zero value. Tarasenko has a huge ceiling and a very low floor in value at the moment. Somebody will take a chance on him OR he will have to prove himself again on the ice before some team makes the leap.

    • Ottawa won’t trade for Eichel, cheap skates.

  2. 4 sure not Necas…

    Considering Seattle did not draft Tarasenko, his trading value is low.

    Considering the price to unload big salary with the flat cap, his value is low.

    Considering his performance coming back from his 3rd shoulder surgery, his value is low.

    You get St-Louis to retain 1/3 and another team to retain 1/3, you send a 2nd and and Gardiner.

  3. Iowa Prince. I don’t follow Blues, what would be there biggest need in a trade? What would you want back in a trade for Tarasenko?

    • S62

      I think that Armstrong would still love to add a BIG top 4 d’man to add more of a physical presence. They have several puck moving , offensive d’men, but need some size and toughness.

      However, in replacing Tarasenko, he may feel the need to add some additional scoring.

      ps. The Blues have a real poor prospect pool!

      • The Blues dont have to make any trade. More likely Tarasenko plays for the Blues this season, as his actual cap is 7.5 his salary is 9.5, drops to 5.5 next season. Oskar Sundquist will be placed on LTIR as he is still recovering from surgeries, and he will likely remain there until lat december, giving the Blues more then enough cap space to resign Robert Thomas. They will have nearly 19 million next summer to resign Perron and C. Parayko.

  4. Logan Brown’s trade value is at an all time low. Either he comes in to camp and earns a spot or he gets moved for another underachiever or a later round pick. It is now or never IMO.

  5. Carolina also has to extend Necas and Trochek next year. Im surprised they haven’t already worked out an extension with Trochek. Thats not a good sign.

  6. Out of those centers Ottawa should trade for exactly, Hertl under contract. D. Strome doesn’t move the needle and I’m not sold on R. Strome. Yeah, he stepped up, but his linemates were way better and he is terrible in the faceoff circle and area Ottawa needs to improve on.

    I’m not convince SJ is ready to trade with Ottawa yet… particularly if the return is a Swedish Defenseman known for his offensive game.

  7. Its interesting that the sens are looking into Hertl. I thought Norris was the #1 guy moving forward and Pinto projects to be the long term 2C. I think it makes sense to give Pinto another year or 2 and that fits the 1 year left on Hertl’s deal, however, are the sens looking to get him long term?
    I can see the argument for Eichel since he, when healthy, is elite.

    • If you can get Hertl and lock him up long term, it just adds to your depth and there is still years of control left with Pinto & Norris on their contracts. Adding a center like Hertl or Dvorak, who is young and can be part of your long term core, just makes the team stronger. Norris is going to be a #1 or #2 guy. Pinto, actually has enough upside to get all the way to #1. But he can still be a #2 or #3 guy. Round some combination of them as your top 3 C and it makes you a deep and strong club.