NHL Rumor Mill – June 10, 2022
A look at Daily Faceoff’s top offseason trade targets in today’s NHL rumor mill.
DAILY FACEOFF: Alex DeBrincat tops Frank Seravalli’s list of this summer’s top-25 trade targets. He considers it a question of “when”, not “if” the Chicago Blackhawks trade the 24-year-old left winger. Seravalli believes he’d be their best trade chip to stockpile futures for their rebuilding process. It will also cost them $9 million to qualify his rights at the end of next season.
Chicago Blackhawks winger Alex DeBrincat (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: NBC Sports Chicago’s Charlie Roumeliotis believes Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson could seek a return comparable to the two first-round picks and two NHL players he got from the Tampa Bay Lightning for Brandon Hagel. A high first-round pick and/or an A-level prospect would have to be a priority. He suggested the New Jersey Devils could be worth watching as they’re willing to part with their first-round pick (second overall) in this year’s draft.
Whoever pursues DeBrincat must be prepared to pony up big bucks to re-sign him after next season. He’ll be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights who’ll also be a year away from unrestricted free agent eligibility.
Minnesota Wild winger Kevin Fiala, Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun, Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller and the Devils’ second-overall draft pick sit Nos. 2 through 5 on Seravalli’s list.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fiala, Chychrun and Miller have been fixtures in this year’s rumor mill. Seravalli thinks Fiala could be a good fit with the Devils alongside Swiss countryman Nico Hischier. The Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders have also been linked to Fiala.
The Coyotes’ expensive asking price for Chychrun remains a sticking point. The Canucks are expected to try and sign Miller to a contract extension this summer but could end up shopping him if that’s not possible.
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Tony DeAngelo, Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson, Edmonton Oilers defenseman Tyson Barrie, Devils forward Pavel Zacha and Nashville Predators defenseman Philippe Myers come in at Nos. 6 through 10.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeAngelo enjoyed a bounce-back performance this season but the Hurricanes might end up shopping him if they can’t re-sign him. Seravalli said Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek quietly floated Gibson’s name before the trade deadline. However, his contract could be difficult to move. He carries a $6.4 million annual salary cap hit through 2026-27 with a 10-team no-trade clause.
Barrie could be shopped by the Oilers to free up cap room for other moves. Seravalli suggests Zacha, a restricted free agent with arbitration rights, could be used as a trade chip by the Devils to bring in help elsewhere in their lineup. He also thinks Myers could be useful for a cap-strapped team to acquire and buy out because of the way his deal is backloaded.
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry, Pittsburgh Penguins blueliner John Marino, Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov, Vegas Golden Knights winger Evgenii Dadonov and either Oilers forward Jesse Puljujarvi or Kailer Yamamoto come in at Nos. 11 to 15.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The cap-strapped Canadiens tried to fulfill Petry’s trade request before the trade deadline and could shop him this summer to free up cap room. Seravalli suggested he could be a solid backup plan for the Penguins if Kris Letang departs via free agency. He’s also been linked to the Dallas Stars. However, the three years left on his deal at $6.25 million could be a stumbling block.
Marino, Varlamov and Dadonov would also be cost-cutting trade candidates. There’s speculation the Canucks could be interested in Marino. Varlamov’s 16-team no-trade clause could complicate attempts to move him. The Golden Knights unsuccessfully attempted to move Dadonov before the trade deadline. They will likely try again this summer.
Seravalli believes the Oilers’ limited cap space could force GM Ken Holland to choose between Puljujarvi and Yamamoto. Both are restricted free agents with arbitration rights.
Florida Panthers winger Patric Hornqvist, Seattle Kraken defenseman Carson Soucy, Canucks forwards Tanner Pearson and Jason Dickinson, Detroit Red Wings forward Filip Zadina, and the contracts of Oilers defenseman Oscar Klefbom and Canadiens blueliner Shea Weber are shoehorned into Nos. 16 through 21.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers need to free up cap space and Hornqvist has only a year left on his contract. Seravalli believes GM Bill Zito will be able to find a taker for the veteran forward as he did with Anton Stralman and Brett Connolly last season.
Seravalli doesn’t see any push by the Kraken to move Soucy but could listen to offers if they won’t re-sign him after next season. Pearson and Dickinson would be salary-dumping moves by the Canucks. Zadina might need a fresh start after struggling with the Red Wings.
Klefbom and Weber are on permanent long-term injury reserve. Seravalli points out that the Oilers and Canadiens would like to move those contracts as having them on LTIR prevents them from accruing cap space during the season.
There’s an assumption the Canadiens will try again to peddle Weber’s contract to the Arizona Coyotes after a rumored deal fell apart before the trade deadline. He carries a $7.857 million annual cap hit for four more seasons but will be paid just $6 million total in actual salary over that period.
Montreal Hockey Now’s Marco D’Amico explains that would allow the Coyotes’ ownership to save millions in payroll, especially as they’ll be playing in a tiny university arena over the next three or four years while awaiting construction of their new arena. However, they could insist on draft picks in the 2023 and 2025 drafts be included in the deal if they’re still willing to take on Weber’s contract.
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Justin Holl, Hurricanes blueliner Ethan Bear, Canadiens winger Josh Anderson and Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele round up the remainder of the list.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Like so many on this list, Holl would be moved in an effort to trim payroll. Bear, meanwhile, fell out of favor in Carolina and was a healthy scratch in the playoffs. I don’t see the Canadiens shopping Anderson though it wouldn’t hurt the rebuilding club to at least listen to trade offers.
Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff last week indicated he expected Scheifele to be back next season. Seravalli acknowledged moving him probably isn’t high on Cheveldayoff’s list and considers it difficult for the Jets to get equal value in return.
@Pengy
You were accurate as always , predicting before the playoffs started
New York Rangers as the dark horse, sleeper going into the playoffs ..Going DEEP !!!
I predicted Minnesota , Most liked Carolina’s chances .
Good knowledge on this site , but Pengy is tips on his class !
IMO
Typo ….
Tops in his class
MOST Blues fans (except 1) continue to hold out hope for obtaining Tkachuk this summer. I, however, see Chychrum (or PROVOROV) being a much greater need/priority!
what is your deal for provorov?
mp
Maybe Barbashev, Perunovich, Kostin, and a 2023 2nd.
ip
Not basing this on anything concrete, Iowa Prince, or even local rumors … but it wouldn’t totally surprise me to see Tkachuk wind up in Ottawa with his brother IF – and that’s a big IF – Calgary decides to move him purely for pending cap reasons.
In that event, the Flames could not afford to bring back a big-ticket item in return so, IF a trade went down, perhaps something like the 7th pick overall + LW speedster Alex Formenton, coming off an ELC of $747,500, and D Erik Brannstrom, coming off an ELC of $863,333 – both RFAs with no arbitration rights. Meaning both could be re-upped for affordable bridge deals totaling no more than $4.2 mil combined – less than half what it’ll cost them to re-up Tkachuk.
Well I doubt Calgary would want to do it, but if Tkachuk won’t sign long term its a very good place to start a conversation. And playing with his brother would seem like a reason to sign long term in Ott.
Careful George, youre bordering on making sense.
Does a brother combination make sense? I think it brings the risk of creating a threat to the coach’s authority, and possibly team cohesiveness.
What happens if the coach has to take one, or both of them on over an issue? What happens if the team wants to trade one?
George if they would trade him to Ottawa i would start with,
Formenton, Sanderson 2 1sts to start, possibly more.
As a big Sens fan myself, I do like the idea of uniting the Tkachuk Bros. They do have to be weary of the cap space though; resigning Norris will eat up a good chuck of that, plus Stuetzle in a couple years.
Luckily, the likes of Connor Brown, Hamonic, and Del Zotto will come off the books next year for a combined $8.6M.
Zaitsev’s and Murray’s contracts really hurt, but at least they are only for 2 more years, if they can’t move them before hand. and Colin White at almost $5M makes for an expensive 3rd liner.
The core pieces are there to make for a very promising team, but how they build around them will determine their overall success
LJ, there have been lots of brother acts with the same NHL team and I don’t recall any of them being considered a risk to their coach’s authority
The Richards, Bentleys, Plagers, Howes, Espositos, Hulls, Stastnys, Mahovlichs, Sedins, Niedermeyers, Potvins, Maloneys, Plagers
mp, my point in the thought above is based on IF Calgary decides that, due to cap restraints, keeping Gaudreau, etc., they simply cannot afford to qualify Tkachuk, and so deal him, they’d need to do it – and do it fast – on the basis of the best return possible. And I seriously doubt any GM is going to fork over the equivalent of what you think they’d demand from Ottawa.
Thy mention Sanderson and two firsts and Dorion just laughs.
I like how the Tkachuk’s play even though I can’t stand Matt.
That’s a bunch of $ on 2 wingers IMO.
Lots of good young talent in OTT that they may want to lock up long term in the next 2/3 years.
Patience running out amongst fans in OTT George?
Ray Bark, I think if they can lock up Norris and Stuetzle to reasonable deals, plus a healthy Pinto as 3rd line C, then they can afford to spend a bit more on quality wingers.
Plus, the potential of having some combination of Sanderson, Bernard-Docker, and Thomson joining Chabot and Brannstrom could give them a very solid D corps
Like any team though, they have several poor contracts that need to be addressed, and spend wisely so as not to price out their young prospects
Nope mp. George’s 1st offer much closer. This due to them only trading mt if it’s the only way to keep Johnny and or mt makes it clear he won’t sign an extension. A top ten pick a replacement top 6 winger and a prospect is a very fair return
George,
I believe that Tkachuk is EXACTLY Berube’s type of player. I also think that it would be a “comfortable” reunion with Robert Thomas. BUT I think the cost, both in contract and prospects lost, would be too great for the Blues! Ottawa can have him.
Ray and Alaric, as matters stand now, Ottawa has $24,206,786 with which to sign 9. Of the RFAs to re-up this summer, the biggest hike by far will be that of Norris – likely around the $7 mil mark if a long-term deal – closer to $6 if a bridge deal. Either way, with what’s left they’ll have more than enough to ink the others – Formenton, Brannstrom, Gambrell, Gaudette, Joseph and Mete. And if a deal for Matt Tkachum did go down and included Formenton and Brannstrom, they then become Calgary’s negotiation.
Next year, when Stutzle and Pinto become RFAs, most – if not all – of their UFAs will come off the books: Connor Brown, Watson, Hamonic, Del Zotto, Holden who, collectively, will free up $11,400,000 (although I’d like to keep Brown and maybe Watson).
Hmmm. If DeBrincat is qualified at, or gets an offer close to, 9 million, surely that pushes Gaudreau closer to 10 million plus as a comparison. Johnny Hockey had a great season but surely such notions give the Flames ulcers.
With so many cap strapped teams I just don’t see the logic for such big money for either of them. Be an interesting off season.
Excuse my ignorance but how would acquiring and buying out Myers help a team near the cap ceiling?
As Frank Seravalli explained, “Because Myers is 25 and his deal is backloaded, his buyout would result in a $616,666 credit on next season’s cap, followed by a $633,334 charge the following season.” That’s because buyouts for players 25 and younger are at one-third instead of two-thirds the remaining value of the contract.
Another night in the friendly Garden:
https://nypost.com/2022/06/10/video-rangers-fan-punches-lightning-fan-at-msg-after-game-5/
Total gutless and classless move. But I wouldn’t call this type of incident common at the garden.
Oilers need to free up cap space but also need to fix their goaltending situation. Islanders need a top-four defenseman after getting rid of Leddy. Could a Tyson Barrie for Varlamov trade work for both teams?
Varlamov is an interesting target Joe, and that trade kind of makes sense.
The 1 year left is good too IMO, try to keep if it works out and Skinner falters.
But, since only 1 year, is Barrie worth a little more? NYI add?
Problem is supply of tenders is less than D-men.
Isles make tenders look good, but his #’s have been good most of his career and everywhere he played.
I think I said it before but the way to stop Brady from attending Matthew Tkachuks games is to trade Matthew to the Leafs.
Why not a brotherly rivalry? I like my biased idea better George. 😉
LOL. That would be interesting, Unfortunately, the last thing Dubas could afford it to bring in yet another contract in or around $9 mil. And the return to Calgary couldn’t include a Nylander or other big-ticket item since the primary reason for moving him would be to clear cap space,
I struggle with the idea of Detroit moving Zadina. Zadina has really only played one full season in the NHL, and he’s only played 2 seasons with all his time combined. It’s hard to gauge his development based on that short of a time frame. His offense also didn’t thrive under Blashill’s coaching (other aspects of his game improved though).
Brett Connolly would probably be a good example for how Yzerman will handle Zadina. Yzerman didn’t move Connolly until other young players kept leaping over him on the depth chart. That took 3-4 years. Right now, as far as youth, only Raymond has surpassed him on the depth chart, and there’s no certainty it will stay that way. Raymond could have a sophmore slump, and Zadina could come out of his if given the right playing time on a line with Vrana under a new coach.
Can’t see Brannstrom in Calgary . Sutter likes his D big and at least aggressive .I do like Formenton . Works on finishing his chances and a solid player with high end speed . Still young
M Tkachuk would like to be State side
I believe. Thomas was a billet at the Tkachuk household . Good fit with the Blues having some options.
Not bringing back Perron sending
Schenn picks and prospects back.
If big and aggressive describes what he has now it didn’t do him much good against Edmonton.
It certainly got them into the playoffs and to the second round.
Edmonton swept and the Flames would have been as well