NHL Rumor Mill – March 26, 2022
In today’s NHL rumor mill: the Canadiens came close to moving Jeff Petry at the trade deadline, possible offseason goalie targets for the Devils, and what could be in store for the Ducks this summer.
THE CANADIENS ALMOST MOVED PETRY AT THE DEADLINE
MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marco D’Amico cited Kent Hughes’ intermission appearance on TSN on Thursday during which the Canadiens general manager admitted a club was very interested in acquiring Jeff Petry before the trade deadline. However, a deal couldn’t be reached that would benefit both teams.
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry (NHL Images).
D’Amico also noted Hughes saying he’d had conversations “a group of teams” regarding Petry. Most of the teams interested in dealing for the 34-year-old defenseman were close to the salary cap, making it difficult to take on his contract. The Habs GM suggested trading Petry could be an offseason move.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Petry earns an annual average value of $6.25 million through 2024-25. He also carries a no-movement clause and a 15-team no-trade list.
It won’t be easy moving him this summer but Hughes could have a better opportunity to do so with teams carrying more cap space. He’ll have to do so before free agency begins on July 13 as most teams will quickly burn through their cap room soon after the market opens.
OFFSEASON GOALIE OPTIONS FOR THE DEVILS
THE ATHLETIC: Shayna Goldman recently examined potential offseason options for the New Jersey Devils to bolster their goaltending depth. Mackenzie Blackwood’s development as a starter has been slowed in part by injury while there’s no guarantee with backup Jonathan Bernier following his hip surgery. They could stick with Nico Daws in a backup role but that depends on how management wants to handle his development.
Goaltenders who could be available via this summer’s free-agent market include the St. Louis Blues Ville Husso, the Colorado Avalanche’s Darcy Kuemper, and the New York Rangers’ Alexandar Georgiev. Trade options could include the Blues’ Jordan Binnington or the Anaheim Ducks’ John Gibson.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ve singled out the more notable of Goldman’s suggested free-agent and trade targets for the Devils. Follow the above link for the full list and her detailed analysis of each goaltender.
Husso could be available if the Blues feel he’ll be too expensive to retain with Binnington already on the books. That seems more likely than moving Binnington, who’s struggled this season and has a full no-trade clause on a contract carrying a $6 million annual cap hit through 2026-27. Husso could be a more affordable option than some on this list but he only has this season as an NHL starter under his belt.
Kuemper could end up re-signed by the Avs if he backstops them on a deep playoff run. Signing with the Devils would cast Blackwood’s future as their starter into doubt. Georgiev could seek a starter’s job and might not be keen to fill a backup role in New Jersey.
Gibson’s situation with the Ducks could get interesting if he doesn’t want to be part of what could be a long rebuild. He’s signed through 2026-27 with an AAV of $6.4 million and a 10-team no-trade clause. The Devils have the cap space to absorb his cap hit and sufficient depth in prospects and young players to entice the Ducks but that would depend on whether he’d agree to trade to New Jersey.
DUCKS GM ANTICIPATES A BUSY OFFSEASON
THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens expects Anaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek will be busy in the coming offseason as he embarks on a rebuild of his roster. With a number of draft picks acquired in recent trades, Verbeek indicated it’ll provide him with options to perhaps acquire players “that might be moved down the line in their development”.
Verbeek also indicated he’ll be looking at this summer’s free-agent market for players that can improve the roster. Stephens speculated the Ducks GM could also look to the trade market with his draft capital to perhaps acquire a player like the Arizona Coyotes’ Jakob Chychrun.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: NHL players like Chychrun who are 25-or-younger could be Verbeek’s offseason targets. I doubt he’ll pursue a big-ticket free agent this summer as he won’t want to invest expensive contracts in aging talent. It’ll also be interesting to see if he shops a veteran on a long-term deal like John Gibson or Cam Fowler.
Lindholm looked very good in his debut outstanding in his own end showed some offensive flair Sweeney still should have picked up another GOOD forward. Swayman was good but has looked better. Don’t put in Ullmark today only use him on back to back games.
If Haula plays the way he has lately they will be ok at forward.Lindholm looks like an excellent addition.Best d partner that Mcavoy has had in his career.Agree on Ullmark,only play on back to back games.
It he need for another forward was not nearly as pressing as a left d shot with grit, experience, skill and one who could make the fist pass out of the d zone up to the forwards. Also there were hints that Lyell could be coming soon-this year.
It is confirmed Ullmark starts today
You’re a regular bad news bear aren’t you?Let’s play library, you be the silence sign.
Go B’s. Go Ullmark.
And he won too! But I guess some will now chirp that he shouldn’t have given up the 2 goals 🙂
Sieve, lol
He’s won 4 in a row the loser.
That can’t fill the Bruins hierarchy with much hope for the playoffs.
I think it will be a very busy off season. In particular for the Golden Knights.
They will have to conduct a fire sale in the off season to get themselves under the cap.
All their moves seem to be blowing up on them. Eichel probably can’t believe his bad luck thinking he was going to a cup contender to missing the playoffs again.
According to capfreindly Vegas is about 1.33 million over the ceiling and that is assuming the cap goes up by a million and they only have 16 players signed for next year.
If people thought Dubas messed up the cap he is a beginner compared to Vegas.
This could be the downfall of Vegas as their early success lured them into a very aggressive quest for the cup without taking into cap considerations.
Again it is just beyond belief how something that is so obvious is ignored in team building.
Hi FF
The CF table is always confusing…. The 16 is only players (right now) not on IR or LTIR
At next year start, one would expect the others to be able to play…. Using that… signed for next year… 21 players….83.9 M….with Cap reported to be 82.5…. That’s 2 to sign (re-sign) and over by $1.4M
They already showed they are willing to move Dadonov…. Him out….78.9 M….for 20 players…. $3.6 M for3 players… certainly doable
Yes, not a pretty picture, but much better than CF confusing tables that infers 16 players and already $1.5 M over
From the way the tables in CF are set up, it also infers not enough space right now; to bring back (from LTIR) Stone or Martinez…. But that is actually not the case
Right now….14 F, 7 D, 3 G (24) AND 3 IR (Patches, Lehner, McN)… that’s 27…. with annual Cap hit of only $74.2 M …
So Martinez …. If healthy, could immediately come back on
McN has been on IR since 6/3…. LTIR criteria is min of 28 days/10 games …. If Knights feel he won’t return before 3/4 (28 days)…. Knights can put him on LTIR retro to 6/3…. Meaning 71.7 M…. AND already over 23 (at 24 healthy…. see above) on roster (which per CBA can’t actually happen)…. Meaning McN on LTIR , then Stone can immediately be brought back on
No denying they are in hell right now…. But do have an easier remaining schedule (10/15 v non playoff teams; only 3 games in which travel greater than 1 time zone (Dall, St L, Chi…. 2 hours… and only done once as that is a 3 day road trip, once in the time-zone, no change) than those they are trying to catch
Knights in or out this year just may come down to the game in Dallas
The big difference of course, is that Vegas has won more playoff series in 3 years than Toronto has in 2 decades.
Winners get paid, that’s why it’s harder to maintain a contender in the cap age.
Bazinga DoubleMinor!
Amazing how Martinez was able to stay on ltir for so long. For a laceration that’s been healed. And he’s been skating with team for awhile. They tried to trade Dadonov but got mixed. Miraculously once Smith went to ltir, Martinez is ready. Nothing to see here.
Hi Slick
Martinez could have been added back on even without Smith on LTIR
Pengy, why exactly would CapFriendly list team with 1.65mil in current cap space(with Smith on ltir) if what you say is correct? Is it possible you’re missing something? And why did they wait on Martinez then?
Why all the hate for Ullmark? To me he wasnt very good at the start of the season but after that he has been fine, what am I missing?
And yes, Swayman has been better
I agree, maybe his rebound control could improve but I think he’s been fairly good too
Vegas has manouvered themselves into a total cap disaster not only for the present but for next year as well. Players will have to be waived and if unclaimed will require heavy sweetners (prospects and picks) to be added in any trade. The entire NHL knows theyre screwed and will take full advantage of their desparation.
McPhee and Macrimmon dont look so smart now that the NHL charity wheel has stopped spinning. This mess will set the Knights back for years trying to recover from wasted picks, prospects and chasing every shiney new toy that becomes available.
Fleury in the playoffs and Vegas out just oozes and reeks of karma.
Looks good on them.
It will be interesting over the next few years to watch the different strategy used by the expansion teams.
I was pretty hard on Francis earlier for his poor draft strategy but he was obviously playing the long game.
It may take 10 years to see which strategy is more successful.
If Seattle drafts well they could very well win a cup in 5-10 years while Vegas could go into a rebuild after being in the league for 10 years.
Let’s keep the comments pointed at hockey, not personal opinions on othersh
I agree 100% Ron
Hard to disagree – even for their most devoted fans, as I illustrate in the other thread with what might be considered their “optimum” line-up, in the sense that they gave them those contracts. Looks like they never considered anything beyond the time of the signing of the deals.
Hi Ron
See above for my response to FlameFan that shows the math… CF is so confusing in it’s display it leads/infers very misleading pictures
They are certainly in a pickle now… but technically for next year; if they move Dandonov (which they just tried to do… so would not be surprising)…. Knights would have $3.6 M to fill 3 spots…. doable
How do you calculate that Pengy? Here’s what I posted as their “optimum” 23-man roster if all their signed deals were available
Eichel $10 mil, Stone $9.5 mil, Pacioretty $7 mil, Karlsson $5.9 mil, Marchessault $5 mil, Dadonov $5 mil, Stephenson $2.75 mil, Janmark $2 mil, Carrier $1.4 mil, Patrick $1.2 mil, Howden $885,000 (and an RFA), Roy $750,000 (and an RFA), Amadio $750,000 for a total F complement of 14 costing $57,135,000 off the cap
Then, on D, there’s Pietrangel $8.8 mil, Martinez $5.25 mil, Theodore $5.2 mil, McNabb $2.5 mil, Hague $791,667, Coghlan $762,500, Whitecloud $725,000 (which jumps to $2,75 mil next season) for a total 7-man D complement costing $24,029,167.
In goal you have Lehner $5 mil and Brossoit $2.325 mil – total of $7,325,000
That adds up to #88,489,167 – putting them over the cap by $7,989,167.
Even if they can move Dadonov in the off season, they’d still be over by close to $3 mil – and they still have to negotiate new deals for Howden and Roy who will certainly come in at something well north of their combined $1,635,000 (probably closer to $2.5 combined), and you still have to factor in Whitecloud’s jump to $2,750,000 next season – so, even with Dadonov gone, they’ll have a roster of 22 and still be over the cap by something in the area of 8.2 mil! Any other demotions to the minors to get under would leave them with a roster below 20.
Trades? Who and to whom? That’s a cap mess rivaling that of Minnesota.
Hi George
Setting aside “optimum” player roster… just players with contracts (as at now)…. If Dando is moved…. They’ll have $3.6 M for3 spots… so they can get 23 and be underCap
“Optimum” roster is a “game” to maneuver for many teams
I was only pointing out that cap-wise… they really are one move away from being compliant
Again… this is just going on current under contract for next year… 21 (the players are all,shown in above the line; IR and LTIR right now) @ 83.9 … Dando out… 20 players at $78.9 M…. Next year’s Cap is projected at $82.5 M…. So that’s $3.6 M for 3 spots
Don’t re-sign Janmark; and they won’t be able to afford Smith without a big move
I think it is tight but possible re-up Hague, Roy, AND one of Howden OR Kolesar …. For a total of $3.6 M
That’s 23
Out Dando and Janmark and Smith
It is Doable
Likeable… no
Doable … yes
I have said all along Lindholm might be the best TD acquisition this season. Giroux a close second but Florida did not need him in their lineup as much as the Bruins needed Lindholm in theirs. Sweeney did well.
If it is Bost -Toronto again first round match-up I am going to puke. (and I don’t have a dog in that fight)
Looks like Monahan traded at the draft,money held or bought out day one during the period
As a Leaf fan this is the match up I would want. One way or another they will have to beat a great team to exercise the first round demons and I like their chances better if they can avoid the state of Florida. I would say it is even money against the Bruins.
I think the Oil missed the boat if there were any chance of landing Gibson, if Pulliarvi and a 1st would of got it done with 50% retained. I would have done it. Have a good weekend
If Leafs vs Bruins, MotorCitySmitty, who do you see handling the bulk of the goaltending for the Leafs?
George,
David Ayres.
I would think whichever Leafs goalie was on the bench for the game 1 loss would het the chance for game 2, and so on and so forth. No clear starter, no clear trust in any of their tenders.
Re; The St louis Blues Back up goaltender Villi Husso &
The Blues Jordan Binnigham #1 Goaltender has a
“No Movement clause”
JB. He is Signed $6.Million for 6 more years…❗️
Husso wants to be a Starter on a Good Team, he will get some interest as a UFA in july…along with Avalanche’s UFA Darcy Kuemper, and the New York Rangers’ Alexandar Georgiev.
The Edmonton Oilers🍁 have been down there to
St Louis and watched Husso play… There were storys out there they tried to trade for him but
it did not happen in time…? the Blues wanted to keep him for the Playoff Run
The Oilers have been very open they will look for a starter in July when UFA opens up… as they will need a Starter in net as Miko Kosiksan is contract is over.
The often injury old guy Mike Smith will more than likely Retire ⁉️
Too early to tell who handles the bulk of the goaltending for the Leafs …
Still a decision in progress …
We still have a month to evaluate
This a very “touchy” topic …
George, I think Campbell will get his game back by better defence in front of him. If not I would go with Kallgren Woll or Mradek. I think any of which can improve due to the best top 4 d TO has had since 93
Well, a lot of Leafs fans will be hoping you’re right. Last night Kallgren had 17 shots on him and let 3 go in, while the Top 4 were a collective -4. Against the 32nd place team ion the league that is riddled with injuries.
Allen standing on his head make 46 saves may have been the difference in this one