NHL Rumor Mill – March 22, 2022
The 2022 trade deadline is history but that doesn’t mean the trade and free-agent rumors have stopped. Check out the latest on the Canadiens’ Jeff Petry and Jake Allen, the Bruins’ Jake DeBrusk and the Islanders’ Semyon Varlamov in today’s NHL rumor mill.
CANADIENS
MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan reports Jeff Petry will be staying with the Canadiens for the remainder of the regular season as general manager Kent Hughes could find a suitable deal for the 34-year-old defenseman that worked for both sides.
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry (NHL Images).
Petry made it clear he wanted to be traded after struggling on the ice this season while his family opted to remain in Michigan. He’s in the first season of a four-year contract with an annual average value of $6.25 million.
Hughes said he tried to move Petry before yesterday’s trade deadline but could find a suitable deal. He said he’ll try again in the offseason but it will have to make sense for both clubs.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was speculation suggesting some teams had an interest in Petry prior to the trade deadline. Hughes might have better luck finding a suitable trade partner this summer when teams will have more cap space.
TVA SPORTS: Canadiens goaltender Jake Allen was happy he didn’t get traded yesterday. “I was confident that I would stay here until the end of the season. This is where I wanted to be. I didn’t want to be traded,” he said.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was a rumor before yesterday’s trade deadline linking Allen to the Edmonton Oilers. Maybe he’ll be moved in the offseason if Hughes gets a suitable offer. Otherwise, he’ll return for the second season of his two-year contract as Carey Price’s backup.
BRUINS
BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Prior to yesterday’s trade deadline, Joe Haggerty weighed in with his thoughts on the Bruins signing Jake DeBrusk to a two-year contract extension despite his standing request since November for a trade.
Haggerty suggested the new contract could make DeBrusk “a more tradeable asset with cost certainty,” a view shared by TSN’s Pierre LeBrun ahead of yesterday’s deadline. LeBrun also noted the 25-year-old winger had not rescinded his trade request.
NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Nick Goss also mentioned DeBrusk’s new contract in his review of the Bruins’ failed efforts to land a notable forward before the trade deadline. He suggested the streaky winger’s new contract could make it easier to move him in the offseason, “but is anyone confident his performance will improve come playoff time?”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was a recent report suggesting some teams were leery of taking on DeBrusk because it would’ve cost $4.85 million to qualify his rights this summer. The annual average value of his new contract ($4 million) is a little more affordable. However, teams could be reluctant to take that on if, as Goss observes, his performance doesn’t improve down the stretch and into the postseason.
ISLANDERS
NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears reports Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello decided not to move Semyon Varlamov at the trade deadline based on the goaltender’s play and the growth of young starter Ilya Sorokin. The two netminders get along well together. He indicated he didn’t want to give up a goalie to make another position better only to create a bigger hole in net.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 32-year-old Varlamov was the subject of considerable trade speculation involving teams (like the Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights) reportedly seeking help between the pipes. His $5.2 million cap hit through next season and his 16-team no-trade clause, however, was also noteworthy sticking points in any attempt to discuss a trade with Lamoriello.
Story behind the story of an inconsequential trade that makes fans in Montreal happy.
Nate Schnarr picked up for Andrew Hammond……who and why?
6″3 centre from AHL and will play in Laval, but has some pedigree.
He played with Nick Suzuki and went to the Memorial Cup, was high scorer on that team.
A late bloomer identified by HuGo while collecting prospects.
Much respect to Kent Hughes. Sending Hammond to a team where he will get playing time to continue to resurrect his NHL playing career.
Habs did extremely well this trade deadline. A little draft luck this year and next. Who knows. There’s still a lot of really young good teams in that division though so will be tough. 2 potential franchise players in the 2023 draft.
habfan30, while I recognize the natural tendency to always look at the positives when it comes to the team someone follows most, other than the fact Schnarr is a 185lb 6’3 C, what makes you think he’s anything more than an OK addition to Laval?
Taken in Round 3 of the 2017 draft Arizona, he was part of the deal with NJ that sent Taylor Hall to Arizona for Kevin Bahl and Nick Merkley.
While both Bahl (11 NHL games) and Merkley (27 NHL games with NJ & SJ) have both been tested at the NHL level, Schnarr has yet to see one minute of NHL ice time. He has played in 119 AHL games and has 22g 36a 58 pts which works out to an 82-game average of 15g 25a 40pts. Barely OK for the AHL if seeking notice from NHL scouts.
Any pedigree comes from a decent season in Major Junior … but in the hockey world that’s a dime-a-dozen.
I truly hope the kid does eventually blossom into something useful at the NHL level … but right now he’s clearly headed to Laval and is nothing more than that.
George,
I don’t recall saying the kid was going to play in the NHL did I? As a matter of fact I said he’ll be in the AHL with Laval.
Similar sized players on the Sens.
Tim Stutzle 6’1- 187
Alex Formenton 6’2 184
Thomas Chabot 6’2 190
Essentially the guy was picked up for nothing and I merely pointed out that there was a reason for the apparently inconsequential trade..
BTW I think the Sens got a sleeper in Michael McNiven.
He’s a very good goalie who just never got a fair shake in Montreal and was jerked around a lot despite winning at all levels.
He was undrafted and never got respect.
OK, get your point … but they didn’t really “get him for nothing” – the Hamburglar might be offended at being referred to as “nothing” 🙂
The McNiven trade was generated by an injury to Kevin Mandolese in Binghampton, leaving only Mads Sogaard and with Murray likely done for the season, it looks like Gustavsson will share duty with Forsberg the rest of the way (although Dorion did say that the giant Sogaard will get a game or two in Ottawa before the end.
All in all, I think both the Habs and Senators did very well in the past few days, all things considered.
this was supposed to Sweeney’s swan song he didn’t get it right
He’s not going anywhere
He’s going out the door
Sweeney is deflecting with the Fabian Lysell news
Fabian will be a star in this league but he’s not exactly tearing up the whl either maybe he can get it done in the nhl but that’s remains to be seen. That what Don’s good at deflecting. That is how he’s kept his job
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9mHQfzu34M
Lysell was taken 21st overall – looking back to 2000 just at Fs from Major Junior taken 21st there isn’t one “star” among them, and some of them had eye-opening Major Junior stats … and believe me, it’s no better with those from college ranks or Europe. So, why is a 5′ 10 172lb pick with modest (to be charitable) Major Junior stats going to be a star? Based on what?
Look at pasta taken 25th 👀
For sure Mr.Bruin4 – and some very big stars taken a lot later, I was just showing all the 21st F picks since 2000 and there is not one “star” among them – so the odds don’t favour Lysell breaking the mold. He might well yet prove to be the exception – but other than he must be simply because Boston picked him there is stretching things just a tad. His Major Junior performance is underwhelming compared to a bunch taken there – and not one of them can be looked upon as a “star” NHLer – decent average careers some of them but nothing outstanding: e.g. Colby Armstrong, Wojtek Wolski, Stefan Noesen, Frederick Gauthier, Robby Fabri, Julian Gauthier
Those who played at U.S. Colleges and in Europe, as well as D taken there haven’t really stood out either in terms of being dominant – which, I guess, is the definition of a “star”: D-men Anton Volchenkov, Anton Babchuk, Mark Stuart, Bob Sanguinetti, John Moore; U.S. College picks” Riley Nash, Riley Sheahan, Mark Jankowski, Colin White – Eurpean pick: Anton Gustafsson, Filip Chytil
Those taken 2018 to 2021 are still developing so we’ll have to wait and see if any, including Lysell, step into the “star” category: Ryan Merkley, Samuel Poulin, Yegor Chinakhov
I suppose the best taken 21st – all factors considered – would be G Tuuka Rask – but would he be now categorized as a bona-fide “star?” I suppose so.
But as you can see, the odds don’t favour Lysell becoming dominant.
Does he have to be dominant? How about just being impactful? Kailer Yamamoto isn’t a star or dominant, but he does have an impact on the team and his line. He’s a little smaller than Lysell, and was drafted 22nd in 2017. Isn’t this what you hope to draft in the 1st round outside of the top 10?
There may not have been any star players that were drafted at 21st, but there have been a lot of impactful players drafted around the 21st pick that last bunch of drafts.
KevJam – no he doesn’t have to be dominant – but since that is what a “star” usually does – dominate – (and I didn’t use that term to describe him above) – I simply wanted to show that, if he indeed turns out to be in that category after being taken 21st he’d be the first in 21 years to be picked there.
Or, more precisely, the first in a quarter of a century when you look at these players taken 21st:
Nick Boynton (1999); Mathieu Biron (1998); Mika Noronen (1997); Marco Sturm (1996); Sean Brown (1995); Evgeni Ryabchikov (1994); Saku Koivu (1993); Libor Polasek (1992); Trevor Halverson (1991); Martin Brodeur (1990).
So, in that era only Sturm, Koivu and Brodeur meet the definition of a “dominant” player” – and you have to remember there were a lot less teams picking in those days.
LOL. I got my own curiosity aroused, so I went back to 1980: not a “star” among them – mostly duds
Steve Bancroft (1989); Jason Muzzatti (1988); Peter Suberlak (1987); Kim Issel (1986); Glen Seabrooke (1985); Selmar Odelein (1984); Nevin Markwart (1983); Patrick Flatley (1982); Paul Boutilier (1981); Mike Stothers (1980)
All this to say if Lysell turns out to be a star – and I’m not saying he will or won’t – he joins some very rare and elite company taken 21st over the past 40 years!
As trade clock tick closed to deadline moment it was rumored that St. Louis and Boston were in on Rakell; then you hear he’s traded but not to either of them, the penguin jumped in with a better offer and got their man.
If you couldn’t replace Debrusk scoring then you have to keep him.
Sweeney was correct not to give up his top 2 prospects.
Boston defense with McAvoy, Carlo and Lindholm is now set, there is room for Lohrie on the left side but he could be a couple seasons out.
Boston with the addtion of Lindholm and Brown have an abundance of Dman. With the two addition Sweeney added size Lindholm 6’3 and Brown 6’5″.
R side: McAvoy, Carlo, Brown, Clifton
L side: Lindholm, Grzelcyk, Forbort, Reilly
Some folks not going to be happy, until and injury.
Last night Clifton with a goal and assist, showing he wants to stay in the lineup.
Maybe Clifton and Reilly against skill and Brown and Forbort against size
Caper. That is a good post with insight and you simplify it for RWM. 😜
Where are all the trades?
Ive said before Jake needs to grow up and play way more physical he has all the tools. He is doing better on the top line but who wouldn’t playing with Bad Brad wow what a player. Personally I think Jake should apologize to his teammates and stay but knowing what I do of him he will be traded in offseason and who cares. Lysell is the real deal and I believe he could play now on top line instead of Jake but a year of seasoning won’t hurt. Swayman is a stud and Boston’s top four is pretty awesome also. Sloppy game last night probably didn’t deserve the win but good teams always find a way.
Agree Obe, they were careless with the puck last night and were lucky it didn’t cost them. Not Bruin like.
Marchand looks like he is back, slump may have been caused by no sleep with a newborn in the house.
Let’s give Haula some props as well. His patience with the puck set up both Marchand’s goals. The guy can play with skilled players.
Lysell might be the real deal, will have to wait and see when he starts playing pro. Might want to have him hit the gym and put some meat on that frame before throwing him into an NHL playoff game.
It is in DeBrusks best interest to play hard and play well, so I think he will. Then he gets his wish. At least he was pragmatic enough to realize he wasn’t going to get traded unless he negotiated a reasonable contract.
Obe…Jake sure does need to apologize to his teammates, asking for a trade way back in November, mad because Cassidy tried to light a fire by sitting him, not doing much on the ice to up his value, then gets a 8 million dollar contract for who knows why, as far as his move to the top line 2 pts in his last 10 games isn’t doing it…..Kudos to him for getting 1st/2nd line winger $$$ while putting up 3rd line numbers …. It’s what PC used to do
The #’s for LW’s suggest 2nd player Joe.
Here they are and he has played most of the year on 3rd line.
There are 32 teams.
Points 59th
Goals 45th
AAV 21/22 – 52nd for LW’s
AAV 22/23 – 41st for LW’s that are signed. Obviously UFA’s will sign in off season and push him down the list for AAV and will end up on the low end of 2nd line LW’s. Where he should be.
Jake has his warts and isn’t a perennial all star, but other than last year he has been a productive player. Can’t all be super stars. He is what he is; a good player who seems to be immature.
Well Ray he seems to be a good player when he’s in the mood if you ask me, lot of his points come in bunches then he disappears for long stretches like he’s doing now …again Cassidy saw this one month into the season sat him down and then he wanted out probably because his feelings were hurt
Why don’t you and your twisted sister MB give Debrusk a few pointers you two well according to Scott appear to have all the answers.
And you don’t? Jaysus man, read your own posts
Who is Scott?
That’s me …
Montreal getting rid of Chiarot and Kulak for draft picks came at the expense of team toughness on the back end. A lot of other players that should have been considered before these two but hopefully the picks pan out for them.
The teams who improved the most in my opinion are as follows:
1. New York Rangers…three great playoff additions that complement their team really well and will help them more defensively. Andrew Copp alone is an incredible addition.
2. Carolina…,well coached, well disciplined team gets even better with additions that will blend in and augment team approach.
3. Tampa Bay…..gets tougher.
4. Florida….Giroux and other moves last year strengthen even further.
5. Colorado….gets tougher and more sound defensively.
Next tier of improvement at the “B” grade level:
1. Pittsburg
2. Minnesota
Last tier at the “C” level which shores up some holes and leaves other areas exposed, which can likely lead to a potential early exit in the playoffs:
1. Toronto….improves defense but leaves forward toughness and goalie vulnerability exposed.
2. St.Louis….standing pat (unless you found Leddg trade as a barn burner) while others get stronger.
3. Edmonton….inconsistency in net and overall team defense in question. Kulak and Brassard will help but everyone has to by in unless they plan to win 7-5 hickey games in the playoffs.
I gather your assessment looks only at teams in a playoff position – or close to it.
Where would you put the Kings and Knights?
Kings could be without Doughty for the rest of the season. Yet didn’t do anything to help their top d-pairing… Chychrun? The Kings actually did very little.
Knights needed to shed cap space, yet the only move they made could be cancelled because they didn’t do their due diligence on their player’s contract and this NT list. Where will this put them when Stone and Martinez come off of LTIR?
FYI, since Woodcroft took over as coach, the Oilers are one of the top teams at 5on5. Last night they held the Avs to their second least amount of 5on5 shots this season.
“but everyone has to buy in” this relates to every player changing teams this TDL.
Hi Frank
Here is what I would have ranked the improvements (this is what they have now vs 2 weeks ago, and not where I think they rank in cup probability)
1. Cats…acquired top UFA Fwd (who will play wing but can and does take face-offs at a very high success rate, and is great two-way) that moved in the last 2 weeks; ditto re D-Man …. Then strengthened depthD… Haag….2 top adds, plus Haag…. Of of current playing roster… only lost Vitrano
2. Wild… added the most sought after UFA goalie , and Jost, and Delauriers and Middleton….Losing off roster… only Rask and Sturm
3. Blue-shirts …. Add Copp, Braun, Motte, Vitrano… and unless I’m mistaken… did lose any roster players?
4. Avs ….Manson (very tough D) , Lehkonen, Sturm, Cogs in… Jost & Barron out
5. Bolts…. Hagel, Paul, Nash in…. Joseph (that they were not going to afford) , Raddysh and Katchouk (both having played sporadically in bottom 6) out
Setting Bias aside…. Pens flipping ZAR and Simone to get Rakell (when Pens were absolutely struggling to get secondary scoring) ; ranks as an equal improvement to that of Canes (Domi add to an already “sound “ set of forwards)
The above of course is “current/immediate” improvement
Certainly the list is different when talking long term improvement
Re Knights and potential reversal (nullification) of trade
Just looked at CF…. 25 players showing “above” the line (top 3 sections… i.e. NOT on IR & NOT on LTIR)…. Total….$56.3M….take out the two lowest Cap hits ( $1.5 M) to get to 23 man roster) …$54.8M
Patches, Lehner, Smith, McNabb, Dando (all on IR)…. 5 players …. Total $24.5…. But those 5 have to replace 5 already in the 23 above…..take out lowest remaining 5 cap hits above….so true net is $20.5 M
$54.8 + $20.5= $75.3 M ; leaving $ 6.2 M in space with all regular players counting on Roster and towards Cap….except the two current LTIRs …. Stone ($9.5 M) ; Martinez ($5.25 M)
Knights have played Ok without Martinez….. so if he stays LTIR to season’s end; and knowing that Stone in, means another lowest Cap player must drop off to get to 23 man roster (net $8.7 M [$9.5 M – $0.8 M] )
$8.7 M + $75.3 M… $84 M…. Only $2.5 M over (and that’s with all players dropping being the lowest capped players… any higher than that and gap is less than $2.5 M)
Result…. absolutely ANY Knight making $2.5 M or more (and there are 10 of them that are not named Stone or Martinez) placed on LTIR…. and Stone can come off LTIR
Or…. (Just for logic…. Certainly not his fault in this)…. Waive Dando (save $1.07 M) and drop down any 2 two-way players (going then with 21)… and Stone can come off LTIR
So…. Although I think Knights screwed the pooch on this…. There is an out…. Odds are that another player will go on LTIR soon
This one could get weird Pengy.
Reporting from Sportsnet suggests VEG was led to believe that Dadonov did not submit his NT list by July 1 to the Sens when VEG traded for him on July 28.
If true, now what? Lots of water under bridge since that happened and where does the responsibility lie with regards to due diligence by team acquiring – VEG – and proper disclosure for the team moving him out – OTT.
Isn’t Howard a lawyer?
From Sportsnet below:
At the centre of the issue is a no-trade clause in Dadonov’s contract which, as Friedman reported on Monday, says Dadonov cannot be traded without first being allowed to submit a 10-team no-trade list. The contract also stipulates the list for the year had to be submitted by July 1, 2021.
Dadonov was traded to Vegas from the Ottawa Senators on July 28, 2021. Friedman reports that on that trade call, the Golden Knights and NHL were led to believe the no-trade protection had expired or was not filed properly, making Dadonov eligible to be traded anywhere — including Anaheim, which is believed to have been one of the clubs Dadonov did not want to be dealt to.
The circumstances around the clause and whether or not it was properly disclosed were disputed shortly after news of the trade broke, with the Golden Knights saying they had “become aware of an issue” with respect to the trade and were consulting with the league office.
Hi Ray…. To me it is already weird
Who knows how they rule on this
Also Still pending is the outcome of the Kane dismissal
…. The next day or two after the League findings ( and his signing with Oil)..,, there was speculation that an Arb could rule that Sharks on hook for ALL out-year $’s and Cap; and this year’s loss (what Oil paying him; plus already rec’d from Sharks this year…. Taking that sum from what he WAS supposed to receive in total 21-22)
Those two are weird
The other extremely weird one (no fault; no mistakes)…. Was how Waddell got Domi at 25% and netted only giving up a 3rd (‘21)…. AND getting his Eastern foe Zito; to pay $340 K in actual $; eat 25% of Domi’s Cap; help Canes Cap wise and basically allow that only way deal gets done….. all for a soon to be 26 year old, middling KHLer….. THAT was weird
Outside of compromising photos of Zito; or Waddell sending a Horse’s head to Zito’s home (cite The Godfather)…. What in Hell’s half acre happened to get Zito to do this?
Is there a gentleman’s agreement that if they meet in the ECF; that Waddell promises Rod the Bod will pull their goalie for 5 minutes; period 2; game 1 in Raleigh????
Yep, gonna be/is interesting Pengy.
Methinks Lyle will have more info on it, and George may get the poop in OTT.
Check this out Ray & Pengy
https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/correspondence-emerges-proving-evgenii-dadonov-filed-no-trade-paperwork-correctly/