NHL Rumor Mill – March 25, 2022
What could the future hold for Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Dylan Strome? Could the Sharks trade a goaltender in the offseason? Read on for the latest in today’s NHL rumor mill.
WHAT NEXT FOR THE BLACKHAWKS?
THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun recently reported agent Pat Brisson, who represents Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Seth Jones, would meet this week with Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson. It’s felt Brisson will want to discuss his clients’ futures and where they fit into the Blackhawks offseason plans. LeBrun believes a number of teams would be drooling over the possibility of Kane becoming available this summer.
Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Davidson recently indicated he’ll keep an open dialogue with Kane and Toews regarding his rebuilding plans. Kane didn’t want to discuss his future with the media by saying that’s a topic for discussion in the summer. Toews, meanwhile, admitted he’s mused about the possibility of playing for another club but insisted he still enjoys living and playing in Chicago. I expect Jones remains a big part of the Blackhawks’ plans as his new eight-year contract kicks in next season.
Kane and Toews are both signed through next season with identical $10.5 million cap hits and full no-movement clauses. That gives them full control over their short-term futures while their respective cap hits would be difficult to move even in the offseason.
NBC SPORTS CHICAGO/THE ATHLETIC: Charlie Roumeliotis and Scott Powers wondered what the future holds for Dylan Strome. The 25-year-old Blackhawks forward was a fixture in the rumor mill but wasn’t moved by the trade deadline. His performance improved over the second half of the season but it remains to be seen if that’ll translate into a new contract for the pending restricted free agent.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: A solid finish on Strome’s part could improve his value in the offseason trade market or it could convince Davidson to sign him to a one-year deal and see how next season unfolds.
SHARKS COULD TRADE A GOALIE THIS SUMMER
THE ATHLETIC: Corey Masisak speculates the San Jose Sharks’ addition of goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen from the Minnesota Wild at the trade deadline could result in James Reimer getting shopped in the offseason. Reimer and Adin Hill are signed through next season while Kahkonen is a restricted free agent. Management doesn’t intend to carry three netminders next season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vegas Hockey Now’s Sheng Peng cited TSN’s Pierre LeBrun indicating the Sharks were getting some calls about Reimer at the trade deadline. His solid performance this season could draw attention this summer from teams that sought goaltending depth this season. The Edmonton Oilers, New Jersey Devils and Washington Capitals could be among the suitors.
Peng also reported the Sharks were dangling Matt Nieto and Nick Bonino at the trade deadline. Both forwards have one season remaining on their contracts Perhaps management will revisit efforts to move them during the summer.
You might have wanted to sell high on Reimer.
So far It looks like Giroux may be a home run. Still maintain Ekblad is needed for them to win the cup or potentially win the first round
As long as refereeing doesn’t ruin it we are in store for an epic playoffs .
Was watching Oilers game last night, Sharks get called for cross check oilers score on pp. A few minute later Kassian cross checks Karlsson who falls down and Draisaitl picks up puck and scores. No penalty, looks like refs will decide who wins cup this year.
Same thing happened in Carolinas game last night. The exact crosscheck the refs and player safety said they were going to enforce this year. Dan O’Rourke was looking directly at the play and decided not to call it and then called Trochek for complaining about the non call. During the course of the game O’Rourke decided which of the identical crosschecks he was going to call. That’s not player safety!
Off subject but which contract is the worst in your humble opinion?
Jeff Skinner
Erik Karlsson
Tyler Seguin
Carey Price ( if healthy)
John Tavares
Skinner seems the obvious because of his production dropoff but Karlsson’s amount with age/injury history is tough. Seguin is close .
But I still say Burns the worst. he will be 40+ when his ends
Karlsson. Too old, too long.
Relatedly, Sharks are a trash team and Wilson should have been fired years ago.
What!? No Lucic! Lucic’s last 2 seasons in Edmonton all we Oilers fans heard was that Lucic had the worst contract in the NHL.
I would say Erik Karlsson. He has the 4th highest cap hit and and hasn’t come close to earning it.
I totally agree, Karlsson plays like he doesn’t care, just coasting. Price’s contract a very close 2nd.
You forgot ullmark?
TAVARES…easily. Supporters will say he still gets his points. Hockey people wonder why Dubas deviated from his rebuild to throw superstar money at a guy who has never won anything…and WILL NEVER win anything. With a NTC, he’s nailed to the floor and can’t be moved.
Tavares, but Price is close.
The ones mentioned above all have their warts, granted, when looking at worst contracts, but with the exception of Price all are at least playing and contributing to their teams. And where price is concerned, this is the guy who was probably most responsible for their unexpected trip to the Cup finals last season.
Tavares has played 62 games with 20g 38a 58 pts – damn near a point a game, Karlsson is at least back in the line-up with 10g 21a 31 pts in 41gp, Skinner, in 62gp, has 24g 19a 43 pts, Seguin, in 62gp has 19g 18a 37 pts, and Burns, in 64gp. has 6g 35a 41 pts.
No, not what you expect perhaps for the amount of their respective cap hits and, most importantly, term left … but they ARE playing and contributing.
Unlike Matt Murray who, since joining Ottawa and getting that $6,250,000 per cap hit to be their # 1 goalie, and with no prospect of returning this season from his latest trip to the IR (always for a different reason), he will have appeared in just 34% of their games played.
With 2 years left on the deal and no way to get anyone to take him in a trade, he’s become a liability albatross contract.
All of them, and throw in Burns, Suter, and Parise.
From what I heard the Oilers were trying to get Allen added to the Kolak deal but weren’t able to make things work. I would prefer they revisit an Allen deal in the offseason over Reimer. I like the sound of a Skinner and Allen duo over Skinner and Reimer.
I wonder what the sticking point would’ve been. Allen would’ve been a damn good pickup!
I’m not sure, I haven’t heard what the Canadians were asking.
supposedly:
Habs
Mikko Koskinen
Dylan Holloway
William Lagesson
2022 2nd round pick
Oilers
Jake Allen (50% retained)
Brett Kulak (50% retained)
So basically Holloway and Koskinen for Allen.
Is that what the Canadians asked for? or what the Oilers offered?
Pretty sure it wouldn’t be what the Oil were offering KevJam.
Can’t blame the Habs for asking but wasn’t gonna happen with Holloway included.
Kulak looks good and comes as advertised. Good skater, poised with the puck. Ain’t gonna make the highlight reel in either end of the ice very often.
Stoney Plain kid, wonder if they try to keep him to allow Broberg to season one more year until Keith is done.
Kulak for Lagesson, a 2nd and a 7th is way better for Montreal so I assume it was an Oiler that was refused.
Hasbs didn’t retain salary on any deals.
Reimer yet another victim of flawed leaf management logic.
I love how he handled the TO media, which for me, is half the battle of playing there. He was a pretty steady goalie for them. So was F.Anderson. But Toronto management insistence that steady reliable defensive defending isn’t important will keep them far from silver cups and will keep a steady roulette of goalies going through.
Amazing forwards though.
I agree. Interesting to look at the career records of Reimer, Andersen, Campbell and Mrazek because, overall, they are quite similar
Reimer – 422gp 2.79gaa 0.913 save% with 25 SO
207 w. Tor, 46 w. SJ, 122 w. Fla, 47 w. Carol
Andersen – 437gp 2.59gaa 0.916 save% with 22 SO
115 w. Ana, 268 w. Tor, 44 w. Carol
Campbell – 126gp 2.53gaa 0.916 save % with 8 SO
1 w. Dallas, 57 w. L.A., 68 w. Tor
Mrazek – 293gp 2.64gaa 0.909 save % with 24 SO
166 w. Det, 17 w. Pha. 92 w. Carol, 18 w. Tor
But it seems the greatest expectations from them came/come from Toronto sources which, with the possible exception of Detroit, have always had their D/defensive systems singled out more than any of the other teams involved as their weakest link.
As I say in the other thread, their success/failure in this year’s playoffs will boil down to which Campbell they get – the one who played very well in the first 2 months of the season – or the one who floundered over his last 2 months of work.
And when looking at Mrazek, his 24 SO have come with just over half the games played by Reimer and Andersen.
Mrazek seems to runs hot and cold. If he gets on a heater, and he can or at least has, he can be a valuable guy with Campbell out. He’s won a playoff round in the past.
Tenders are hard to predict, especially an aggressive goalie like him.
Oilers are just happy they got rid of Lagesson and it cost them a second to do it. Kulak no super star but a hell of lot better Lagesson and a good fit.
Maybe a first (instead of the second) with Allen would have done it.
Holloway noway
Mrazek can’t stop a beach ball.
That contract is one of the worst on Toronto followed by Tavares (who should be making no more than 8-8.5 million not 11).