NHL Rumor Mill – July 15, 2022
An update on Nazem Kadri and an option on how the Avs might replace him, the effect of Johnny Gaudreau’s signing with Columbus on the Flames and Blue Jackets, and the latest on the Canadiens’ efforts to trade Jeff Petry in today’s NHL rumor mill.
WHERE WILL KADRI LAND?
COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Adrian Dater believes Nazem Kadri will return with the Colorado Avalanche. He believes both sides want to get a new contract done but there’s no indication of how close or far apart they are in reaching an agreement.
Dater thinks the Calgary Flames are a strong suitor for Kadri. They recently lost top-line forward Johnny Gaudreau to the Columbus Blue Jackets on the opening day of free agency.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kadri rejected a trade to the Flames three years ago when the Toronto Maple Leafs were shopping him, eventually landing in Colorado. Maybe things have changed and enough money could woo the 31-year-old winger to the Stampede City.
Cap Friendly shows the Flames with $18.5 million in cap space while the Avalanche has just $3.9 million. That means the Avs must make a salary-shedding trade to free up sufficient cap space to sign him.
The Denver Post’s Mark Kiszla suggests trading defenseman Samuel Girard and his $5 million annual salary-cap hit to free up the necessary space to sign Kadri or a suitable replacement as their second-line center. There would certainly be a market for the 24-year-old puck-moving blueliner, especially if the return is a low-cost one involving draft picks and prospects. Whether the Avs will go that route, however, is another matter.
Calgary Flames winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images).
THE EFFECT OF GAUDREAU’S CONTRACT UPON THE FLAMES AND BLUE JACKETS
TSN: Salim Valji believes the Calgary Flames must learn lessons from Johnny Gaudreau’s departure if they hope to avoid a similar fate with Matthew Tkachuk. He suggests general manager Brad Treliving meet with the 24-year-old winger to determine if his long-term future is with the Flames or elsewhere.
If there’s any hint Tkachuk is reluctant to stay in Calgary, Valji believes Treliving should trade him rather than risk losing another talented player for nothing to free agency. That’s what happened with Gaudreau as well as T.J. Brodie and Travis Hamonic before him.
Trading Tkachuk, a restricted free agent this summer who is a year away from UFA eligibility, would net the Flames assets that could be put toward a roster reset. However, that would also mean the club wouldn’t be competitive for a couple of seasons. It would also cast doubt on the futures of Elias Lindholm, Jacob Markstrom, Rasmus Andersson and Noah Hanifin in Calgary.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames must trade Tkachuk as soon as possible if he won’t commit to a long-term extension. Better to get the best possible return to put toward a retool that could lead to a quick turnaround in their fortunes (with players who want to be there) than a slow, steady decline of talent that ends with a long, painful rebuild.
THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reports the Blue Jackets’ signing Gaudreau has left them with insufficient salary-cap space to re-sign restricted free agent winger Patrik Laine. They are roughly $3.5 million under the cap, meaning they must trade someone to free up space for Laine.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Portzline suggested shopping Gustav Nyquist, who carries a $5.5 million cap hit and is eligible for UFA status next summer. The 32-year-old winger lacks no-trade protection and had 53 points last season. Perhaps the Jackets can find a playoff contender with cap space seeking a second-line forward to take him off their hands.
CANADIENS WAITING FOR THE RIGHT OFFER FOR PETRY
MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan reports Canadiens GM Kent Hughes intends to bring back Jeff Petry for the coming season if he cannot find a suitable trade offer for the 34-year-old defenseman. He indicated he had trades available but none that made sense for his club.
Hughes said he’s not in a position to retain any part of Petry’s $6.25 million cap hit. He’s also not interested in taking back another salary problem or parting with draft picks or prospects. The Habs GM felt his club would be better off with Petry as he can fill an important role on an inexperienced blueline.
THE ATHLETIC: Arpon Basu speculates the availability of John Klingberg in the free-agent market suggests there’s a depressed market for defensemen like Petry who play a similar style. He also believes Hughes wants a tangible return that will make the Canadiens a better team. Basu suggested the Nashville Predators as a trade partner given their cap space and need to balance their top-four defense.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Petry was also linked to the Dallas Stars but that deal isn’t happening if Hughes won’t retain his salary. The Predators could be an option but that doesn’t mean they’re in the market for a blueliner like Petry. Unless another club jumps into the mix, Petry will likely be with the Canadiens for their season-opener in October.
Petry will not be traded and that’s not a bad thing. I think we’ll see him play the way he did after MSL took over rather than the sleepwalk under Ducharme.
Hughes has handled the situation quite well. Obviously, the time is not right for the Habs to pursue even B level UFAs. At this point, he’d have to look to add a veteran LD at low cost to mentor the rookies and provide depth (Zdeno Chara?) and move out a winger. Of course, if Byron’s hip issues result on him going on LTIR and missing significant time, as it very well may, that part will take care of itself.
“ He indicated he had trades available but none that made sense for his club.” translation: Hughes expects more than just a bag of pucks…don’t hold your breath.
Pens have 2 bags of pucks…. Ruhweedel and Zucker
Detroit will go 3 bags of pucks + Oesterle.
Calgary is in a tough position..Would a Kadri contract persuade Tkachuk to stay? Would a Tkachuk signing persuade Kadri? It wouldn’t be surprising if Tkachuk is moved in a multi team trade.
What happened to that guarantee he was on his way to Ottawa as the RD being sought? Forgot who it was who guaranteed it … but it was a Habs follower 🙂
Who will be over paying for Kadri???? If I was him I would sign a 1 year with AVs. And try to repeat. Then cash out for most $$$
There is zero chance Kadri takes a one year prove me deal. He has already proven what he needs to.
5 years minimum on his next deal
I agree he won’t take a one year deal, Taz. But Khadri’s best season before this was in 2016-17. Some GM will overpay, but I am always leery about signing a player who has had a career season at 31. 32 when the season starts.
Very good second line center. First line center? Not IMO.
No disagreements there, he’s not a #1C but can fill in for one as he showed.
In Toronto he played on some really bad teams, until the time that the team got good and he moved to 3C.
I don’t think he’s gonna get 8M, but I don’t see how he is worth less than Trochek or Copp at this point.
Hoping that the Avalanche find away to bring Kadri back obviously a huge part of our success! I like Girard; however moving him out would be worth it to keep Kadri. McFarland, I think will find away just like the Avalanche found away to win the Stanley Cup. We are 2022 Stanley Cup Champions. Never gets old saying it. GO AVS!!!!!!
Branstrom and a 2nd and a 5th for Girard? Sign Kadri for 5 x $7M
Why would ottawa make that trade?
If anyone would be getting picks it would be Ottawa, because if Col is trying to clear cap space to sign Kadri then there are dealing from weakness.
Rather keep Brannstrom and his low salary unless Col is giving a 2nd up to move him.
they would make that trade since they are getting a really good player?
Just because there was that silly patcioretty trade, doesn’t mean that’s going to be the norm.
I don’t think the AVs would want to do Girard plus a second for Kadri at 7M. Makes no sense for the AVs.
I’d make it if I were Dorion – the 2nd could be the one they just got for Connor Brown from Washington – in 2024.
I’d rather keep Girard than Kadri. If the Avs trade Girard, who do they replace him with on the blue line? The D prospect cupboard got raided for last year’s cup run. The Avs were one injury away from maybe having to play either McDonald or McDermid in the finals.
I agree that the Avs don’t currently have a good 2C option (Newhook is the heir apparent, but he’s been inconsistent), but if you get a lot of scoring from your blue line, how big of a deal is it, really?
I thought Ben Meyers would be Kadri’s replacement.
Calgary, in a tough spot. Reminds me of 2012 when After SCF Parise left the Devs who lost their best player for nothing, then Kovy retired for no assets either and Devs have been wandering in the desert ever since. Hope Treliving can learn from that and either sign Tkachuk or trade him before he gets nothing….really a shame for Calgary fans.
Even if the Flames knew he was going to walk and this goes the same with Tkchuck, how bad or the odds be/likelihood of a GM during a playoff drive to just trade away one of their best core players at the trade deadline for I’m guessing would be futures?
That’s why you don’t let it get to that stage. The Flames were screwed, I always believed JG would not re-up. And I don’t think Tkachuk will sign long term there either. So deal when you have a strong hand, not when the player has total leverage.
Thats why you deal him now, or preferably at the draft that was. you dont wait until trade deadline
I dont think too many GMs would have handled it this much differently last summer. Remember Johnny was coming off 2 mediocre seasons by his standards and certainly was not lighting the nhl on fire.
Trading him then probably would not present a deal that would immediately help the flames. So you hang on and think you may do better at the deadline. No one forsaw a 115 pt season and the flames being a legit cup contender at playoff time last year.
Losing him sucks for the flames but i dont think you can critique too harshly on how treliving handled it. Just my opinion
Well said, 1oilderfan.
And once the Flames get over their disappointment they can get on with putting together a more balanced line up. Johnny Hockey is IMO too small to make an impact in the playoffs. His best point production was this past playoff, and that included 3 goals. Surely one should get more than that for the big bucks the Flames offered him.
Agreed, apparently Tkachuk was on a St Louis pod cast telling all how much he’d love to play in St Louis. Trelliving shoud trade him ASAP to either St Louis or Ottawa where he might be willing to sing long term. Maybe they send him to Columbus for Laine lol
Didn’t know he could sing 🙂 (gotta love auto-correct)
I noted late yesterday Kadri is a perennial 40-45 point player. If someone pays him $8m they will regret it,
Flames are in trouble . Have to trade Tkachuk. He will not carry the mail without Gaudreau. Who by all indications just wanted out of Calgary. Make the best deal now. We all know how it is going to end with him. Back to the United States
Use the cap space as a weapon.
Nah, he’s more of a 60-70 point guy as long as he’s getting 2nd line ice time. He’s great on faceoffs as long as linesmen let him take them. He’s the ultimate team guy – I still think about him pummeling Lindgren a couple of years ago after Lindgren cheapshotted Donskoi.
On the downside, did he keep from getting suspended this playoff because it was a contract year, or has he finally learned how to control his emotions? He also cheats in the d-zone like Pavel Bure and sometimes costs the team goals against.
At this point, most of the teams with more remaining cap space than the Avs aren’t a good fit for one reason or another. Unless you’re offering Kadri something the Avs can’t match, other GMs are probably wondering why they should waste the effort.
@SilverSeven
Kadri is a 2 tine 30G scorer and likely would have scored 30 this year if he played a full season.
He can play a finesse game or a choppy game too. As a centre he also plays a premium position.
Look at some of the players that have signed already that have had 1 decent year…
Marchment had 1 good year and got $4.75 M
Mikheyev has 1 21G season and got $4.75M
Whether you like Kadri or not he’s going to get a big payday. It may not be $8M but it will most likely be $7M+/season.
Nyquist to the Flames for picks, as they are going to miss on Kadri.
Maybe. Gus is the most likely Jacket to be traded, assuming Laine does sign. To have wiggle room on the cap, the Jackets need to send Gus and a $1MM contract. Which is either Danforth or Texier.
Debrusk and Reilly for Hanifin. Gives Calgary a LW.
lol
Nice try not even close, trade your garbage for a top 4 LD.
Dont think Boston has assets to get a trade done for Hanafin.
Liljigran for girard. Then move out Holl.
Lily + 2nd for Sammy, move o Holl and Sammy can play the right side. OK!
Smart play would be to contact St Louis and see what kind of deal can be made for MT.
Something along these lines i would guess.
Kyrou, Buldoc and 2 1st rd picks
for
Matthew Tkachuk
But why not wait 1 year, keep those assets and sign Tkachuk when he is a UFA?
Tarasenko, Bolduc, Brown, and 1st.
this is more along the line of what it would take but…..Tarasenko would have to agree.
Plus StLouis would have to add because there is no guarantee he would re-sign after this season.
A conditional 1st would have to be in play.
@MP, why would STL give all that when they can wait it out and just sign him as UFA?
Worked for Philly
good offer except that Stl would not have the cap to trade for and sign Tkachuk. As much as they might want MT they do not want to lose Kyrou who has developed good chemistry with Thomas.
Kyrou doesnt play with Thomas, Buch and Tarasenko play on that line with RT. Kyrou played a ton with ROR.
Tkachuk to Ottawa for Stutzle, Brannstrom and a pick. Money will work out in future once young guys get paid.
Stutzle? I don’t think so. If Dorion has the cap space – and who knows if DeBrincat will sign here long term so there could be a bundle available next year – why not just wait until Tkachuk is a UFA. Whether he’s kept in Calgary until then or deal somewhere in the meantime, if he wants to join his brother – and Dorion wants him – he’ll hold off signing anything until then,
Seems like a glut of d men
Klingburg, petry, one of pens ld, girard. Not a ton of teams with cap space.
Hi Chrisms
Pens now have more RHDs (5) than LHDs (4)
With that set up; the 2nd logical move (first being to punt JZ) is a trade out of Marino
SN, ESPN, TSN … All have previously mentioned how much Jimbo would like to have Marino on the ‘Nucks
No space right now for then….however , IF, they move JT Miller…. Definitely room for Marino
Too bad HexBurkie couldn’t have already done this…. Marino and Zucker out…. $9.5 M freed up… could have signed Dylan Strome for 3C
How long until people start up the old Matthew Tkachuk to Ottawa rumours again…?
I’ll start, MT for BT straight up!
lol
Hi AzWingsFan
I think the deal is much more likely BT for MT straight up
MT to STL.
New Jersey would be a good bet they have ample cap space and lots of young talent to dangle
Hi theSaint
Those rumours started (by Keith) the minute BT was made Sens Captain…LOL
One of the consequences of the Covid flat cap is that the roach motel aspect of the cap has been emphasized; if you have rostered players with less value than cap hit you have a difficult situation. Heretofore, a lot of FA contracts were made palatable by cap increases…yes a team had overpaid but there was still room to do things. Once upon a time it was possible for an agent to ask for max value and term; now one thinks it’s one or the other. The situation is likely to clear two or three years out, however, and I don’t believe contracts have inflators, so if we have several years of inflation totaling, say, 25%, that 8MM/year deal is worth 6mm real$ against your cash flow because you’ve probably been able to raise ticket prices, thus inflation adjusting revenues. This kind of calculation wasn’t an issue for the last decade, but I think it’s huge now: If the three Lightning players just signed to eight year deals are actually going to be playing at a 25% discount in the out years that changes the evaluation of them considerably. Does anyone know what it would take to reopen the CBA if several years of 8% inflation throws relative values seriously out of whack?
Almost every other NHL gm has improved their team for the upcoming season. Sweeney’s locked up in his TD office in the fetal position sucking on a Mini Swirl
Sweeney is on Cape Cod sipping on a Dark & Stormy
It actually Dark’N’Stormy
You better watch it Joe or Mr Vet ( so he says?) and now he’s the grammar police as well. Mr So called Vet will correct you. There are sports writers in Boston right now that are frying Donny Boy for his feeble attempts at getting together any semblance of a team. There are two mistakes Boston Made… not firing Sweeney and not firing Neely. This is going eat em alive. The press are sick of their antics.
The trouble with just wait and pickup M.Tkachuk for nothing is that the Flames will not wait. If they do Treliving will be fired . I am 100 % certain Tkachuk will not extend in Calgary and equally as sure will hold out until he gets the top end money he wants. No discount . Ask Keith.
Doesn’t matter if he’s dealt somewhere else – he doesn’t have to sign there – all they’d have gotten was a pending free agent.
MT is headed to St. Louis. Its just a matter of if Calgary wants some assets this season or lose him in UFA next season. MT is extremely close with Robert Thomas and MT has said publicly that playing for the Blues is the perfect scenario. Calgary has very little leverage in the next 12 months with MT. They can trade him at the deadline, however he is not going to sign an extension until he talks to St. Louis next July. If the Blues and Flames worked out a deal right now, its likely Kryou, Scandy (cap purposes) and a 1st. Honestly that is overpayment for a guy the Blues can get for nothing in free agency next summer.
the offer makes sense $ wise but I have to believe that if Treliving is offered a better deal from someone else he will take it . MT has limited leverage on where he gets moved this year.
It’s a shame what has happened to the Flames.
Thought for sure Acciari was going to sign with Bos ..to tighten up the 4th line a little …guessing it’s younger players time now
Joe I just don’t think there’s any younger players that are going to make a worthwhile contribution. I didn’t see much from Studnicka, Steen showed some promise, Frederick( waste of a 1sr rounder) he’s a bust Beecher another First round dud watched about six games the ncaa . He didn’t show anything also some providence games mostly invisible. Thanks to Sweeney their farm system is pathetic. The deal he made for Dacha is alright but the way the sportswriters have been talking about it you’d they landed the next Brayden Point. They haven’t even signed Patrice or Krejci yet. I’m not confidant in Sweeney doing anything worthwhile He always screws it up
This was a fun 4th line
Gregory Campbell Shawn Thornton Daniel Paille ….lots of energy
Just for fun :
Murray – not good enough to make the Senators
Gaudette – not good enough to make the Senators
Mete – not good enough to make the Senators
Scooby Dubas – welcome to Toronto boys.
Leafs new w have $750 K to sign both Engvall AND Sandin
After using my calculator for the last hour ; and with the knowledge that league min is $750 K….. mmmmmmm…. Going out on a limb here…. GMKD just may have to make a move …. Or 2 … or 3……. 💩😭👎
Pengy, you have to think some of those CapFriendly show as being with the Leafs will be assigned to the Marlies – Aubé-Kubel, Gaudette and Joey Anderson – there’s a couple of million there – on the other hand, their inclusion with the Leafs also has them at a 21-man roster with 2 to go to reach 23 – if they use that freed up money with what they have left in the kitty to sign Engvall and Dandin, after dropping those 3 down they’re to 18 with nothing left with which to fill out the roster. so, yep, something’s gotta give as Sammy Davis, Jr. once warbled.
Hi George
CapFreindly has Leafs @ 23 on Roster…. $0.75 M in space; Sandin and Envall yet to sign
Just Sending the two lowest of lowest contracts ($750 K ) down…. Leaves Leafs at $2.25 M space; 21 players; Engvall and Sandin to sign
Not a chance they get them both signed w/o a trade…. Their combined QOs were $2.1 M
As you pointed out… if somehow Aubet Kubel and Bunting cleared (not a chance Bunting does) and were sent down to Marlies (Anderson irrelevent as he has s already league min; so any replacement will be same Cap hit)…. That gets Leafs to $2.7 M to sign Engvall and Sandin…. Not enough
I still say move 1 of top 4…. And WW is literally only viable option
I didn’t mention Bunting – I said Aubé-Kubel, Gaudette and Anderson – (toss in Clifford as well)
By the way, where do you see CapFriendly showing them at 23 – here’s the link to the site as it is right now (6:35 pm) and it shows 21
https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/mapleleafs
Hi George…sorry about that…my bad re Bunting vs Gaudette…. Brain fart I guess…. Too much sun today!!!!
I can’t open your link (I can’t open CF at all right now), but it did show 23/23 just after the Jarnkrok signing
Either way … moves afoot…. and I’d like to see a significant trade…. Only 23 1/2 months until AM says B-Bye
How about a bit of time/research and post something correct for once? What a concept; after all, it only takes a minute to make sure your right and no time at all being lazy.
Some guys do by even providing links. It’s the least one can do.