Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – March 6, 2022
Check out the latest on the Canadiens plus updates on Claude Giroux, Tomas Hertl, Hampus Lindholm and more in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.
UPDATE ON THE CANADIENS
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Montreal Canadiens are trying to move Shea Weber’s contract. The 36-year-old defenseman has been sidelined this season amid speculation his playing career may be over because of injuries. He has four years remaining on his deal worth an annual average value of nearly $7.9 million but only $6 million in total actual cash. They could attempt to move him to a cap-strapped team seeking long-term injury room or a club hoping to reach the cap floor that doesn’t want to spend very much over the next couple of seasons.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Vegas Golden Knights could be a club that could be interested in Weber’s LTIR space. They have $82.3 million already committed to next season’s payroll. Teams that could use Weber’s contract to reach the cap floor after next season could include the Arizona Coyotes, Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres and Ottawa Senators.
MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marco D’Amico cites a well-placed NHL source claiming the Canadiens and Dallas Stars are engaged in trade discussions. The Stars have been linked to Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry in the rumor mill. They’re believed to be exploring trade options for pending free-agent blueliner John Klingberg as well as how to replace the right-shot rearguard.
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I still don’t see the Stars shipping out Klingberg while they’re still in the thick of the Western Conference playoff chase. That could change if they slide out of contention over the next week or two. If they’re reportedly unwilling to invest over $7 million annually on the 29-year-old Klingberg on a long-term deal over concerns his performance will decline, it’s puzzling why they would consider adding a 34-year-old blueliner carrying $6.26 million annually for three more seasons.
LATEST ON GIROUX
SPORTSNET: Jeff Marek reports Philadelphia Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher and his staff were scouting their AHL farm team’s recent game against the Charlotte Checkers, who are the farm team of the Florida Panthers. Marek mentioned speculation linking Flyers captain Claude Giroux to the Panthers, suggesting the Flyers staff were scouting winger Owen Tippett.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers general manager Bill Zito was believed seeking a top-four defenseman. Perhaps he’d consider instead adding a versatile two-way forward like Giroux if efforts to land a quality blueliner don’t pan out. I expect he’ll make a significant move before March 21.
UPDATES ON SOME NOTABLE PENDING FREE AGENTS
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the San Jose Sharks are taking a real run at trying to sign Tomas Hertl to a contract extension…The Anaheim Ducks are leery on term for Hampus Lindholm…Things are quieter regarding Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg and Calgary Flames winger Johnny Gaudreau…The Vancouver Canucks have been testing the trade market on some of their notable players. They’re also evaluating what it could cost to re-sign those due for new contracts. What could be the tipping point is if the Canucks can get a young defenseman out of this.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lindholm cap could seek a seven or eight-year deal while the Ducks could be considering something around five years. Term is also said to be important to Hertl.
Predators GM David Poile recently denied a report claiming he was shopping Forsberg, insisting he’s trying to sign him before the March 21 trade deadline. Assuming the Flames and Gaudreau haven’t reached an agreement by the trade deadline, I don’t see them trading him. He’s been invaluable to their improvement this season.
The Athletic’s Thomas Drance and Rick Dhaliwal recently reported the Canucks priority is to carve out salary-cap space to improve their roster this offseason and beyond. They’re also seeking draft picks, prospects and younger players between 20-25 at multiple positions.
They indicated the Canucks inquired about Arizona’s Jakob Chychrun but didn’t call back once they heard what the asking price would be. There’s also speculation linking them to Colorado Avalanche blueliner Bowen Byram.
Drance and Dhaliwal also reported winger Nils Hoglander was garnering interest around the league, with the Los Angeles Kings and Minnesota Wild said to be interested. However, the team sees the 21-year-old Hoglander as the type of young player they need more of going forward.
DUCKS SHOPPING COMTOIS?
SPORTSNET: Jeff Marek reports Ducks winger Maxime Comtois is starting to be heard in the rumor mill. He’s been hampered this season by injury and COVID-19. Comtois was the Ducks’ leading scorer last season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maybe Ducks GM Pat Verbeek packages Comtois with one of his pending UFAs by the deadline in hope of landing a bigger return including a promising young player or a high draft pick?
Leafs need to replace Campbell and Mrazek with a Shooter Tutor or a Mr Sieve.
If Campbell switched to Geico he’d save more.
Campbell is with Progressive, and won’t switch because he prefers Flo over a lizard.
Ken Dryden with that D would not stand a chance
Campbell would look stellar and be a Hall of Famer if he had Robinson, Savard and Lapointe in front of him instead of turnover machine pylons like Reilly, Muzzin and Holl.
Re: Campbell
Let’s all take a breath here. Campbell is struggling but there have been plenty of tip-ins and rebound goals over the past several games. That’s an indication of the defencemen in front not clearing lanes.
The Leafs need a defenceman ir two that are willing to clear the crease. Holl is the Leafs biggest defenceman at 6’4”but doesn’t use that size to his advantage.
They have too many defencemen that are similar…smallish puck moving defenseman. Lyubushkin was a nice pick up to provide physicality but they need one or two more.
Mayfield and Soucy would be nice additions. They’re both big and mobile. Both are signed to reasonable cap hits next year too.
They should keep Muzzin on LTIR until the playoffs and use his cap space to bolster their line-up. They may never get this opportunity again.
agree 100% with Daryl
But even if they added 2 2nd pair D not sure its enough to beat Tampa Florida Carolina.
Daryl,
You are absolutely right when you say the leafs should keep Muzzin on LTIR. As I mentioned in another post this model of cap circumvention is becoming the norm.
Why wouldn’t teams especially rich teams not take advantage of this.
If they kept Muzzin on LTIR they could easily go after Chiarot and maybe someone like Braun.
It’s amazing how there’s all these Leafs comments that have nothing to do with Lyles story lines.
And while it’s fine to say the Leafs should go after Chiarot and someone like Braun – they’d certainly make that D look a lot different – what do they have – and be willing to relinquish – that Montreal and Philadelphia would want?
Forget dangling “someone like Holl and Liljegren …” – they’re not going to interest either of those teams, and even their 1st round pick is upper third in a draft that barely goes 10 deep, with Russian players fading out of the equation.
The leafs can have Smith straight up for Campbell. That way the Oilers can let him walk at the end of the season and would also be rid of Smiths contract for next year, lol
Campbell has never played more than 31 games in a season. He has neither the talent, track record, or mental strength for the grind. He is a backup, and looks frightened. I hope for his sake they get a starter because the poor guy has zero confidence and looks like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders.
Let’s be honest, Toronto has more roster problems than tradeable assets to fix them. Terrible management team too. This team is headed for a first round exit, front office firings, and a rebuild this summer. There is no way to fix that mess.
Pete, although sitting 7th overall they are also perilously close to that never-never land in the overall scheme of things – 15th – with 3 teams – each with better goalies and D – nibbling at their heels (Calgary, Boston, St. Louis), and 4 more not that far off the pace (Washington, Los Angeles, Nashville and Vegas).
When a team settles in at 14 to 16, it becomes clear they are not good enough to be among the top echelon, but just good enough to edge into the playoffs and find themselves picking in the middle of the pack – IF they’ve retained their picks.
@George O
I find it interesting that you say that the Canadiens or Flyers wouldn’t be interested in a player like Holl, Liljegren, or their 1st round pick.
When the Leafs traded for Muzzin they gave up a 1st round pick (22nd), Sean Durzi (52nd) and Carl Grundstrom (57th).
A 1st round pick always has value to it. It’s debatable whether Chiarot is worth a 1st pick?
A serviceable defenceman on an inexpensive contract like Holl would have value to both those teams. Holl plays top 4 minutes in TOR. I’m sure he could play top 4 in MTL or PHI too. Liljegren would have value also as a young RHD. He’s a RFA that’s a former 1st round pick.
Moving Liljegren isn’t a bad idea as they have a similar RHD in Niemela that could take his place in a couple years. You don’t think Liljegren and a 3rd would get you Mayfield?
Holl and a 2nd couldn’t get Chiarot? Hopefully Chiarot is not on the Leafs radar…MTL could always flip Holl for another pick…2nd round maybe?
There are teams that are in need of different things. One team’s surplus could be another teams need.
At this point I’m not sure there is anyone untouchable prospects on the Leafs.
Petry for Klingberg?? Maybe if the Habs have a 7-year contract in their pocket for Klinger and maybe if they retain $1M on Petry?
@ Darryl Holl is a bum and wouldn’t mske the Habs top4 Defenceman! If the Laffs go after Chiarot you can bet Gorton is asking for Sandin + n return , Dubas is desperate and is ripe for a fleecing !
Sandin for a rental doesn’t fly. You’re delusional to even suggesting such a stupid trade.
@John
Get a grip!
In the last two seasons Holl has averaged 20 minutes a night and he’s been a plus player both years +16 and +12 Career +41
In the last two seasons Chiarot has also averaged 20 minutes a night and he’s a minus player both years. -16 and -19. Career -14.
So…who is the bum…🙄
Holl is also signed for another season at only $2M
If Dubas is trading Sandin it’s for a much better defenceman than Chiarot.
Doesn’t Shea Weber and his contract scream ARIZONA!!
After there won’t be much gate revenue in a 5000 seat arena.
A few years in a small rink might have some real benefits for the yotes. Tickets will be prized for the first time in franchise history, great sight lines, close to action for all fans, better location, provides some unique elements that contribute to home ice advantage. If they can survive the economics until a new arena is built (failure to build means the relocation) the yotes could come out of the small arena with some franchise momentum.
Gonna be awesome when the Coyotes PA announcer announces the 23rd consecutive sellout in their 3500 seat arena.
Thank you fans!!!
Caper. That seams like a perfect fit. Win win
Lyle, when you include Ottawa among the teams who might be interested in Weber’s contract in order to get to the cap floor, I assume you’re looking at their projected cap space of $41,385,180 for the year after next.
But that does not factor in the deals reached with this coming year’s RFAs (Norris, Formenton, Mete, Brannstrom) and the 2 upcoming UFAs they’ll likely re-sign (Paul and Forsberg), whose combined cap hits this year total $5,985,833. When that dust settles they’re likely looking at a total cap hit in excess of $18 mil. And that does not include what they’ll need to dole out to RFAs Stutzle and Pinto who come due the year after next, and UFAs Connor Brown and Artem Zub who they’ll want to retain.
George-I’m horrible at managing money, so I try to avoid wasting any of mine by spending most of it on having fun. My frugal mind suggests that the Wild would be interested in acquiring Weber’s contract to offset the $4.7 million dead cap space they incurred from the Parise and Suter buyouts. Is my vision of Bill Guerin delighting in spending that money blinding me to the mathematical technicalities of the cap world?
Francis S – I suppose acquiring Weber’s $7,857,143 LTIR would make some significant difference to Guerin. Next season he loses $12,743,568 to those buyouts, and the 2 seasons after that it jumps to $14,743,588 so, being behind the cap 8-ball for the next 3 seasons in the amounts of just over $5 mil for 1 year and around $7 mil for the 2 seasons after is, I guess, “better.”
I just watched Tippett the other night in Hershey. He had an empty net goal. Didn’t play too badly, but no skater really stood out. Spencer Knight had a 44 save shutout. He was excellent.
Wow, would you look at the time. Its 5 past Campbell already.
Very confusing all this talk about how the Leafs need to upgrade their goaltending.
Dont they already have an All Star Vezina candidate in net? How do you upgrade over that?
Nothing worse than a can of cold soup well past its expiry date.
No team needs Weber’s contract more than Vegas. It is very obvious they had no intention of trading anyone to put Eichel in the lineup. I am sure one of their plans was always to trade for Weber’s contract.
Montreal might even get lucky depending on how desperate Vegas becomes that they actually get a late round draft pick for his contract.
The Tampa model will become the norm not the exception when it comes to using LTIR
You mean Tampa, Montreal and NYI’s model?
They were all over the cap last year. It just somehow gets lost.
This year, probably 8-10+ teams are over the cap.
Yes, captain Obvious
Your handle is very appropriate lol
I’m just sayin. Somehow only Tampa gets that label. Montreal also made a final over the cap. Yet that usually gets conveniently lost.
How many teams have carried dead cap space even before last year.
I get that Gaborik’s Conn Smythe performance last year was pretty impressive, but cmon. It could have just as easily gone to Drouin.
And if it was so “obvious “ why didn’t you mention it? Lmao
Technically its the Chicago model. They did it first with Kane back in 2015, and like Tampa, won the cup because of it.
Not sure who’s decision it was to put Pasta on 2nd line I’m assuming Bruce but it definitely has worked out. Wouldn’t want to have to play Boston in7 game series a very solid team with a young confident goaltender.
Watch out Leafs,here come the Bruins!
I just read where #46 was questioning why wasn’t this done last year so he could’ve had Pasta on his wing
At Last Nights Oilers & Habs Game
Mike Smith Played Just Brutal yet again…..❗️
This Guy Needs to Retire he is done… and he is pulling the Oil down with Him…
They need to bring up young Stuart Skinner before its to Late. ⁉️
Smith has only Won 5 of his 15 games so far this season and been out HURT for 41 games so far in Total so far…..
He has lost 10 in his 15 startes…with a Brutal 3.59 GA average❗️
With Vancouver Canucks Surging & with young Demo playing Great again
Dallas, +2 games & Nashville,+ 1 game in hand
Vegas, Vancouver, Edmonton, Anaheim, Winnipeg, are in tough
All 7 are All Fighting for the last 3 playoff spots it looks like the Oiler’s will miss it again this year…😭
We need a Starting Goaltender…PLEASE…..🤔 Not 2 Old Washed up Back ups
Weber’s contract is slightly less than Suzuki’s contract extension starting next. MTL can use the LTIR space BUT (hat tip to RDS) the rumour is to get Weber’s contract, another player with term must be part of the package, thus providing the Habs wiggle room as well.
Habs fan. NYR will gladly take Suzuki off your hands. Plenty of wiggle room after.
I agree with Pete’s above comments !
Campbell looks frightened !
Which is not disgracing the guy , but “fact” playing in the fishbowl in Toronto ..
Also Toronto’s – 1st round pick will look more acceptable , as they are gradually , but surely falling out of the top third in the standings , Boston will for sure, take over the number “3” spot in their division very soon ..
A team trading with Toronto for a 1st round pick will be picking in the teens , come the draft .
Leafs have a weak schedule upcoming , but with present goaltending deficiency will squander a lot of points , as they have already
Their goaltending is sitting dead last , as per late 2021 .
It’s a “mess” this organization , very frustrating
Good news Ken. You have 31 other teams you can be a fan of. The Leafs have too many as it is, right!
Ron, I really don’t know what this means ????
It means ANY criticism of the Leafs – opinions, facts, whatever – is intolerable to some.
George
There was no negative comment made about the Leafs
Scroll up and view some of the comments made about the Leafs
This Moore guy always has some assanine comment to make…
He doesnt understand hockey , maybe soccer is his sport !!
Enlighten the idiot !
After reading Lyle’s storylines I may as well close the link. Wading through irrelevant Leaf chat etc.