NHL Rumor Mill – May 6, 2022
Check out the latest on Shea Weber and Jeff Petry plus a look at which players have skated in their final games with the Golden Knights in today’s NHL rumor mill.
LATEST ON THE CANADIENS
MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marco D’Amico cited TSN’s Darren Dreger claiming the Canadiens came close to shipping the contract of sidelined defenseman Shea Weber before the March trade deadline to the Arizona Coyotes. However, Coyotes management grew impatient over the amount of time it took to sort out the insurance issues and opted instead to acquire Bryan Little’s contract from the Winnipeg Jets.
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber (NHL Images).
Dreger feels it’s only a matter of time until Weber’s contract is shipped to the Coyotes or perhaps to another club interested in acquiring long-term injury reserve relief.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some readers have wondered why a team like the Coyotes would be interested in acquiring the contract of a player on permanent long-term injury reserve. In the case of a budget team like the Coyotes, they must spend to reach the salary-cap floor but want to keep their actual payroll as low as possible. Weber’s $7.857 million cap hit over the next four seasons would allow them to do so.
At the other end, there could be a handful of teams pressed against next season’s $82.5 million cap ceiling looking for an LTIR player to allow them to legally exceed the cap by up to the sidelined player’s annual cap hit. The downside to this is they cannot accrue cap space over the course of the season that can be put toward acquiring players by the trade deadline.
D’Amico also believes Jeff Petry’s improved performance after Martin St. Louis took over as coach should make it easier for the Canadiens to trade him in the off-season. RDS analyst Marc Denis thinks the Habs would still have to include a draft pick as a sweetener in the deal to make the 34-year-old defenseman more enticing in the trade market.
However, D’Amico pointed to Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes claiming he’d had conversations about Petry with several teams leading up to the trade deadline. Hughes indicated he came close to moving the veteran blueliner but the deal failed to materialize. Interest in Petry should pick up in the offseason, enabling the Canadiens to move him without bundling a draft pick or prospect in the deal.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Petry’s age and $6.25 million annual average value through 2024-25 remain sticking points. Hughes might have to work quickly to find a suitable trade partner willing to take the blueliner’s full contract off his hands without adding a sweetener before teams start spending their available cap space.
MONTREAL GAZETTE: Pat Hickey believes Hughes won’t be able to make any significant moves until he’s got more clarity about Carey Price’s status for next season. If the 34-year-old goaltender requires more surgery on his knee and misses part or most of next season, the Canadiens GM can place Price and his $10.5 million cap hit on LTIR.
Hughes will have to use the savings to bring in a goaltender. Backup Jake Allen struggles under a heavy workload while Samuel Montembault and Cayden Primeau aren’t up to filling the starter’s job on a full-time basis.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: We should learn more about Price’s status before the draft in July. If he’s going to miss substantial time again, Hughes will have to go shopping for a replacement.
Hickey suggested several options via the free-agent market. The St. Louis Blues’ Ville Husso, Colorado Avalanche’s Darcy Kuemper and the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Jack Campbell are among those who could be available this summer, but the Habs will have competition for their services.
WHO HAS PLAYED THEIR FINAL GAMES WITH THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS?
VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Owen Krepps looked at several players who have probably skated in their final games with the Golden Knights.
Reilly Smith is among the few remaining original Golden Knights. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. A consistent performer coming off a multi-year deal worth $5 million per season, the 31-year-old winger probably won’t be back unless he agrees to a pay cut.
The Golden Knights had a deal in place at the March trade deadline to ship winger Evgenii Dadonov to the Anaheim Ducks. However, it was overturned by the league when it was discovered his no-trade list was still valid and the Ducks were on it. He could be shopped this summer as a cost-cutting move.
Mattias Janmark, Laurent Brossoit and Nolan Patrick could also be cut loose this summer. Like Smith, Janmark is eligible for UFA status this summer. Brossoit and Patrick each have a year remaining on their contracts.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly shows the Golden Knights sitting at just over $83 million invested in 18 active players next season. Somebody’s gotta go if they hope to be cap compliant and ice a full 23-man roster when the season opens in October. Dadonov and his $5 million cap hit still make him their most-likely salary-dump candidate.
Until Weber & Price confirm they are done; everything is up in the air. Just because Weber was scouting this season means nothing. Denis Savard was made an assistant coach in ’93 when his season was done, got traded and ended up playing several more years, albeit not at same level nor due to the same injuries. Trading Weber to get cap space could be risky if he returns as Habs would have given up their captain and prospects, picks to see an active player on the other roster, Everyone thought Gary Roberts was done and he had several more years at a high level after his injury and time to heal/rehab it. Risky as it may be I say wait until he announces he’s done. As for Price, the waiting game and an announcement are also needed.
Weber is done. That has been made quite clear. The Price situation is obviously far from clear right now.
Once again, given Petry’s much Improved play under St. Louis, the Habs are better off keeping him. Certainly if relaxed Covid restrictions allow his family to remain with him.
As for the goaltending situation, the uncertainty surrounding Price makes picking up a UFA goalie practically impossible. If Price’s knee makes it likely that he will miss significant time next season but doesn’t yet rule out the possibility of a return after that, they’ll need a goalie for next year but it would be too risky to sign a UFA to a long term deal. Let’s hope the next few weeks will bring more clarity. The Habs May very well look at choosing a goalie with their second first rounder or an early second rounder.
Dear Mr Campbell,
Jack, dont get too down. We’re all behind you.
Regards,
The Pucks.
Wow, would you just look at the time. The days just flyin by. Its already 5 past Campbell.
I don’t think it takes a sweetener to move petry. I just think the return would be underwhelming.
Hronek for Petry and the Oiler’s 2nd (even if it moves to 2023)
Cap dump for Montreal and they get a much younger player. Petry is a happier player in Detroit and will finish his career there with a happier family as well. Good vibes all around!
Yeah no thank you on that trade for the Wings. Maybe if the Wings got the Habs 2nd round pick to take Petry as a cap dump without giving up anything but i sure as hell wouldn’t give up Hronek for it unless the Habs add this year or next years 1st rounder (which they wouldn’t do) instead of a late 2nd rounder from the Oilers.
Wings have to add a 2nd line center and build up the left side of the defense not waste money on an old defenseman passed his prime signed for 3 more years. Larkin and Bertuzzi will need new contracts and soon enough players like Raymond and Seider will need massive raises. Just because they have a lot of cap space now doesn’t mean being stupid with it won’t cost them later on when the rookie contracts start running out.
I think the Habs should not invest a lot in a goalie even if Price ( one of my all time favs) is done for the year.They should also resist the pull of putting an 18 yr old straight into a losing team. Molson has put an excellent management team and placed skillls ahead of language/culture. Time for patience maybe the year after as well.
There are a number of problem. contracts. When in doubt move them out but over the upcoming year and with this and next summer to do it.
This from a Leaf fan that likes Montreal. Not a whole bunch as I am a Leaf fan. But I a’dmire the franchise and many of its fans
Knights…. 18 active , but actually 20 contracts (Broissot and Nolan counting in total, but currently LTIR) ….$83.1 M
Dando going for sure…. With that move 19 contracts …. 4 to fill… $4.4 M to do it…. So technically the sky has not fallen Cap-wise
That said…. Coach v Starter issues; under performing contract issues; “hands-on” hyper motivated owner issues….. issues issues issues
IF… huge IF…. they could move Dando, Lehner, Martinez…. Leaves 6 contracts to fill… $14.7 M to do it
Theo, McNabb, Hague, Hutton …. Easily cover off LHD
They already had plans to move Dando
Moving Lehner….
…. Aggressive bid on Husso??
Something MUST be done
Hey Pengy! Do you have the same take I do on Shisterkin’s collision with Carter:
Yes, Shisterkin is a great puck stopper and a very talented and acrobatic actor as well! His super-duper embellishment on the Carter collision stopped any Penguin rally dead! LOL
Hi JZ
Well …. If I’m fair… I would have been asking for 2 minutes had it been a Ranger on Domingue
They were going to make contact for sure as Carter had already started his cut around the net; Shesterkin was playing the typical goaltender butt out…” you must thou goest around my butt” routine… all goalies do it
Hard to say if Carter truly could have made less contact
Embellishment…. Yep…. I’m sure he was aiming for more
Perhaps the fairest would have been 2 Carter, 2 Shesterkin for embellishment
Yep… that certainly sealed chances of a comeback…. Not sure they could have come back…. But certainly sealed the deal
To be honest… pre series… I had expected it to go back to Pitt, withRangers up 2-0
After game 1…. Well!,, The possibility was there for the reverse scenario
Tied after 1…. Was looking good
Down 3-1…. Ahhhh..had almost given up
Sid’s goal late in 2nd…. I had a very good feeling in thecomeback
Pens strong coming out in 3rd….. looking good for a possible comeback
Then the dagger back-breaker…. Matheson own goal (Credited to the Breadman)….12 mins left …. With Shesterkin in net…. Basically game over then
Too bad the Pens video guys didn’t have the far end camera feed in time to challenge the Kreider goal… ref gave them a good amount of time but they didn’t have the far cam feed until after…. The review committee (if challenged) would have had it, and would have had to deny the goal…. Sully didn’t have the full advice… didn’t challenge …. C’est la vie
If that goal is denied , add Sid’s goal…. Tied 2-2 after 2… Pens have a fair shot
Fingers crossed re tomorrow night
“Quit your whining”
Pitt wasn’t coming back. Down 3 with 2:04 left.
I still say…. Weber out… receiving team pays for that right (space) and NOT Habs having to pony up a sweetener
Weber add to Yotes… huge Cap hit relative to actual payments owed… and Yotes with all of those picks…. Come on!!!!
Maybe your right on Zona paying Pengy, but not so sure. They didn’t bite last year. Why not?
WPG paid an upcharge to move Little to them. A prospect who has a decent chance to play for the Yotes and already has. In return the Yotes gave a 4th back. So seems like it cost WPG a little bit. And Little only has 2 years left vs 4.
IMO the 4 years is a problem for every team other than Arizona. And maybe them too. There might be a few teams that think they won’t need that flexibility for the next 4 years, but I’m not sure who those are.
When you look at the bottom of the spend for this year, or the standings, there sure aren’t many that don’t see themselves spending to at least the floor in 4 years. So who is ARI competing with that would suggest they need to pay for it? Ya, I get their rev’s will take a hit, but rent is going down and TV rev is up for them.
And if the plan is to spend to at least the floor in 4 years for every other team why pay for Weber?
So, IMO it is a market of 1, Arizona.
Not sure who is all out there trying to move LTIR contracts, but if there isn’t any others then a deal can be made without much of anything moving I suppose.
Zona is at $49M next year with a roster of 17, so need 5. So should be at say $54M minimum.
If I had to bet MTL pays a sweetener. How much, no idea.
Hi Ray
Huge difference in Little trade vs Weber (if Arz trades for him)….
Little Cap hit $5.3 M, but still owed balance of this year at $6M, and still $8.5 M remaining after this year
Weber …. $7.9 M * 4 years at that Cap…. Max cost total to Yotes…. $6 M (over 4 years) less escrow
That difference is Huge
Yotes should be paying for that privilege IMVHO
Pengy, but little isn’t going to play, so risk of what he is owed is nil.
Someone mentioned Weber may play again, but seems like it isn’t an issue either, but I’m not the Dr who makes the call so who know.
So then wouldn’t the risk for Weber be higher?
IMO MTL needs Zona more than Zona needs MTL, unless MTL thinks they will suck for the next 4 years, and if so why not just keep him?
Knights trade Daddy and Martinez this summer for 3rd’s. They might have to retain up to a .5 million to do it tho. Capable guys for minimal assets.
Maybe trade Lehner to the Caps for Samsonov? and then then even Broissoit somewhere as well and go with Thompson, who seems a capable 1B guy.
I hope you realize that acquiring a player on LTIR doesn’t actually help you with the cap.
Let’s round off next year’s cap to $82 million, and suppose a team is right at it. They go out and acquire an $8-million player who will spend the whole year on LTIR. Now they have $8 million in extra cap room, for a total of $90 million, but they also have a $90-million payroll. The extra space is used up in acquiring the player.
When Vegas tried to trade Dadonov, the only cap relief came by getting rid of his contract – a valuable player on the active roster. Taking back Ryan Kesler did nothing to help the Golden Knights; it was just a cost of doing business, because the Ducks didn’t want to go on paying his salary.
Many fans, and (it seems to me) most people in the media, don’t understand this.