NHL Rumor Mill – August 17, 2022
The latest on Nazem Kadri and the Islanders, the Canadiens reportedly express an interest in Anthony Beauvillier and an update on Tyler Motte in today’s NHL rumor mill.
IS KADRI SIGNING WITH ISLANDERS COMING SOON?
NYI HOCKEY NOW: Stefen Rosner cited NHL insider John Shannon saying he believes the New York Islanders could soon sign Nazem Kadri, perhaps by the end of this week. Appearing on the Sekeres & Price podcast, Shannon felt the holdup was general manager Lou Lamoriello has to free up sufficient salary-cap space for Kadri’s contract.
Free agent center Nazem Kadri (NHL Images).
Information about a player acquisition rarely leaks out from a team run by Lamoriello. Shannon expressed amazement that it had, adding he got the info “from a very good source” that it’s going to happen soon.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shannon is among the more reliable NHL insiders. He isn’t the only one linking Kadri to the Islanders but is the first to suggest the 31-year-old center could be signing with them by week’s end.
The Islanders have over $11 million in salary-cap space with restricted free agents Noah Dobson, Alexander Romanov and Kieffer Bellows to re-sign. It’s rumored they’ve offered Kadri a seven-year (!) contract worth an average annual value of $7 million.
They’ll have to shed a significant salary to free up enough room for all of them. Josh Bailey ($5 million AAV) and Anthony Beauvillier ($4.15 million) are the rumored cost-cutting trade candidates. Speaking of the latter…
CANADIENS INTERESTED IN BEAUVILLIER?
MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy reports the Canadiens are believed to be among the teams with an interest in Islanders winger Anthony Beauvillier. However, the Isles’ unwillingness to retain salary is a sticking point in these exploratory discussions.
Murphy points out the Canadiens are pressed against the $82.5 million salary cap for the coming season. They’d have to send a roughly equivalent salary to the Isles in return, with Mike Hoffman ($4.5 million), Christian Dvorak ($4.4 million) or Joel Armia ($3.4 million) as possible candidates.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Beauvillier is considered by some observers as a “good fit” with the Canadiens, in no small part because he’s a Quebec native. However, the Canadiens have plenty of top-nine wingers in Hoffman, Cole Caufield, Josh Anderson, Brendan Gallagher, Jonathan Drouin and Evgenii Dadonov. That’s assuming top prospect Juraj Slafkovsky doesn’t crack the lineup this season.
Unless they’re shipping one of those guys (Hoffman?) to the Isles or another team, I don’t see where Beauvillier fits into their lineup, especially given his cap hit.
UPDATE ON MOTTE
CANUCKS ARMY: Mike Gould cites CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal recently reporting between four-five teams have shown a serious interest in Tyler Motte. The 27-year-old checking-line winger spent last season with the Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers. Dhaliwal explains financial constraints are the hold-up as teams are trying to shed salary to make room.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Motte earned an annual cap hit of $1.225 million on his previous contract. He’s not that expensive to sign but the limited increase of the salary cap for the coming season has made it difficult for teams to add affordable depth talent.
I hope it happens by “this week’s end”? Tired of this ongoing saga! As an Avalanche fan, very sorry to see Kadri go but I hope McFarland is laser focused on a good replacement. Like to see them pursue Rodrigues from the Penguins. From what I have seen, he can really skate and although Kadri’s production will be hard to place, I think perhaps he can easily produce what he did in Pittsburgh or more on a better Avalanche team? Let’s get it done. GO AVS!!!!!
Stasny is your man!
I agree with Stastny. He just seems like a good fit.
I know Start by is a good two way player but he’s older and slower. The Avalanche are all about speed and Rodrigues is fast, get’s involved and seems to have some good skill. That’s what losing Kadri means. He gets involved but has some serious skill. Got great hands. I watched him play live and on TV. That’s what stands out to me. Shot and ability to dish are
awesome! I guess I will settle for Stastny but if I had my choice, I would prefer Rodrigues. Start by is a great two way player but can he keep up? Oh well, will see
Stasny would be a 1 yr deal to free up cap for Mickey K. If Roddy goes for that 1 yr deal, he may be in. I would guess yes, because of a cup chance.
Beauvillier makes sense in Mtl. He. Hold flourish there
I think a lot of deals are to be made only when teams can park LTIR money. Not Sue of that date . Preseason starts Sept 24
Price LTIR??? A big contract is moved??
I guess every French Quebecer who may become available will be rumored to go to the Habs.
This is not happening at this time. The Isles cannot take back salary and the Habs will have to unload salary.
Obviously, the Habs have a glut of wingers now. But Drouin, Byron and Dadonov are on expiring contracts and Hoffman has one further year, all of those guys except Drouin are in their 30s. They’re not in the teams long term plans. So it’s possible that Beauvilier would be an option for the Habs next year – if he’s available and if that Pierre Luc Dubois thing doesn’t work out. But right now it’s impossible.
LOL….7 years for Kadri. Ya that will age well.
Don’t add to the frustration. As an Islander fan I’m excited about the possibllity of Kadri on our team. Age be damned! I’m very anxious to see how Lou balances the books. Have a feeling it may get even crazier before camp. Would love to see Milano on the roster as well. New faces to stir things up!
Kadri signs with Flames ?
I think history shows Lou will feel that kadris contact will only age well. The hold up right now is probably cause Lou is uncomfortable with how young kadri is.
Really?
Fun fact;
Average age of NYI’s roster 29.53 (2nd oldest average in the league)
Average age of Pittsburgh’s roster, 29.32 (3rd oldest average in the league)
When he finishes his 7 year deal for NY, maybe he can sign another 7 in Pittsburgh?
Who is the oldest Captain? My B’s are probably up there too.
No thanks 7 for 7 for him is way too much. I like Beau hope he stays young and fast. Kadri is a nice player but not at that term and price. I would go 5 x 6 max . Isles are deep at center they need a winger who can play with Barzal.
They need to make changes! Kadri on wing- Barzal to wing. Even Nelson to wing. Need to make moves! Move on from Bellows, Bailey & Beauvillier- maybe Varly too! Add Milano, give Dufour & Aatu Raty every opportunity to make this roster. BOOM! We’re younger, faster & more skilled. Combined with this teams defense & goaltending the sky’s the limit..,,,IF they play up to capabilities. Unlike last season!!
NOT RB – but TB
They have a Rookie coach, and the team is still old. They only got by because of the Chemistry. One 32yo center off a career year with the best team in the NHL is a massive mistake. Add in 2 young new rookies and you are on a re tool. They NEEDED a scoring sniper!!! Not a center. Lou is doing something just to shut up the fan base. The team will be bad. Kadri is a dirty player,not a sniper, and had a career year playing with snipers. It will be 7×7 for a 32yo who will get 40pts with a non scoring team like the islanders. The team is older and slower and the D is not complete or good! We all will be screaming fire Lou after the 1st 20 games
Quite simply, without some MAJOR roster moves, 26 teams have no room for what Kadri is seeking, with 13 still over the cap by varying amounts ranging from $7 mil down to just over $1 mil):RB, Wash, Edm, Vegas, Fla, Van, Pha, Bos, Clb, Tor, Pitt, SJ, Car).
3 more (NJ, Mtl, StL) have less than an ELC available; 2 (Nash, Cgy) are in the $2.5 to $2.7 mil available area); 2 (Col, Minn) have around $4 mil; 1 (Wpg) has $6 mil; 2 (Chi, Ott) have $7.5 to $7.9 mil); – and not only do some still have RFAs to re-up, but even if they entertained the thought of signing Kadri, the market is equally limited for anyone off their roster they’d need to move to make room.
So, barring some unexpected and unforeseen move, it appears that, if Kadri wants a contract it’s going to have to be for a lot less than he thinks he’s worth and for a much shorter term than he’s looking at. Because even some of these 6 teams that do have anywhere from $9 mil to $20 mil to spend have key RFAs they still need to finalize: Det, Dal, NYI, Anah, Buff, Ariz).
George
Great stats. Under that information. Kadri would be wise to just sign a 1 year deal with AVs. And try to run it back. Similar to what Klingberg is doing with ducks
George, this is awesome info.
When 90% of teams (all figures approximate) seem to be right at or over the cap, it feels nearly impossible for any deals to be made, signings OR trades.
If Price goes on career LTIR, it all changes and a new team with space opens up the logjam, but otherwise, it seems unlikely any team can/would take the Habs’ contracts so theye could get Beauvillier, which then bottlenecks the Isles, etc etc
George, from your stats I would say it will be almost impossible to move this $4.5 million contract or that $5 million contract as many pundits suggest. Most of the rosters are set for the upcoming year.
Some teams have room.
Bruins for example have over $19M that will not be available to start the year, and coming back at various times. All they need to do is put Grz on LTIR before the season starts to be complaint. They can then accrue Marchand and McAvoy for a couple months if Sweeney puts them on LTI after the season starts, which will give them space to play with moving forward.
Vegas has over close to $13M that won’t play this year, so have some room. Not enough to do anything other than fill out their roster with inexpensive players, but have a route to start the season OK.
Wash has Backstrom and Wilson who won’t be ready at start of year. Close to $15M
Most of the teams will have to pay to move guys, perhaps the cost to do that goes up considerably this season? Or maybe some simply roll the dice and start the season with smaller rosters, which is risky.
Gonna be interesting as I can’t remember a time with this many teams still having to do something.
George, I’ve mentioned this to you before. The Jackets are only over the cap because of a few guys haven’t been sent to Cleveland. For example, Daniel Tarasov is currently listed on the Jackets’ roster. But that’s only because he’s been on the LTIR while recovering from hip surgery. Probably before training camp, he’ll be moved to Cleveland’s roster, where he’ll be the starting goalie this year, with an invite to the Jackets training camp to get in some work. Another guy definitely headed to Cleveland is Carson Meyer, a classic tweener. Plus they have 8 d-men on the roster.
So, while you are technically correct, reality is that the Jackets will be under the cap by about $2MM maybe halfway through camp.
I could see the red wings making a play for Tyler motte. I’ve always liked the energy he brings to a lineup and I’d bet he would look great with Dylan Larkin.!
No room in DET
Rather have Motte than Erne.