Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – August 7, 2022
Should the Avalanche forget about bringing back Nazem Kadri? What are their options if they do? Should the Islanders trade Mathew Barzal to make room for Kadri? What’s the latest on Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.
SHOULD THE AVS SIGN KADRI OR CONSIDER OTHER OPTIONS?
THE DENVER POST: Mark Kiszla doesn’t blame Nazem Kadri for wanting top dollar on the open market. However, he points out that Colorado Avalanche president of hockey operations Joe Sakic doesn’t have a reputation for overpaying talent.
Former Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri (NHL Images).
Kiszla suggests Kadri should fit in somewhere between Valeri Nichushkin’s $6.125 million annual cap hit and Gabriel Landeskog’s $7 million. He believes it would be foolish for the Avalanche to pay more than $26 million over four years for him. The Avs would also have to make a cost-cutting trade to fit him into their cap payroll for the coming season.
Sakic could opt instead to look outside the organization to replace Kadri. Former Avalanche center Paul Stastny remains available via free agency. Kiszla also suggested attempting to acquire Jonathan Toews from the Chicago Blackhawks sometime before next year’s trade deadline.
THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh also looked at possible options if the Avalanche can’t afford to bring back Kadri. Stastny, Sonny Milano and Evan Rodrigues remain on the open market plus he didn’t rule out going the rental player route at next year’s trade deadline.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche would love to bring back Kadri and he’d love to return but the cost of doing so is simply too much. They can’t afford him unless they ship out someone like Samuel Girard to free up the cap space and that’s apparently not something they want to do. So, they’ll either have to go with a more affordable option via free agency or the trade market or look within the organization.
The New York Post’s Larry Brooks reports that “the usual suspects” claim Kadri still seeks a long-term deal starting around $9 million annually. He believes that explains why he remains unsigned. Meanwhile, there’s been ongoing speculation linking Kadri to the Islanders. Speaking of which…
SHOULD THE ISLANDERS TRADE BARZAL TO MAKE ROOM FOR KADRI?
NYI HOCKEY NOW: Stefan Rosner believes the Islanders must soon decide if Mathew Barzal remains part of their future before it’s too late. The 25-year-old center becomes a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer and will also be a year away from UFA eligibility.
Barzal has said he views his long-term future with the Islanders but Rosner reminds us that John Tavares said the same thing before he signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He cited colleague Jimmy Murphy tweeting a hypothetical trade in which Barzal is traded to the Detroit Red Wings to clear cap space to sign Kadri.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello could surprise us by trading Barzal to the Wings or another club and use the $7 million savings for 2022-23 to sign Kadri. However, I don’t see that scenario happening. Lamoriello can find other ways to shed sufficient salary for Kadri such as shopping Anthony Beauvillier or packaging Josh Bailey with a draft pick or prospect.
Trading Barzal would be a rather extreme measure on Lamoriello’s part. Since he wouldn’t want to take back much salary in return, he’d be getting pennies on the dollar for a gifted playmaking center in his playing prime just to make room for a soon-to-be 32-year-old center seeking big bucks on a long-term deal.
UPDATE ON BERGERON AND KREJCI
THE BOSTON GLOBE: Kevin Paul Dupont reports Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci technically remain unsigned. However, the word around town is Bruins general manager Don Sweeney remains confident they’re done deals with the veteran centers to sign on for one year.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speculation since June has Bergeron and/or Krejci already having agreed to one-year contracts while Sweeney takes the time to determine how to fit the duo within his limited cap space. If so, the Bruins GM is taking a page from the Lamoriello playbook as the Isles GM has done the same thing in the recent past.
Truth may not be stranger than fiction but in Sweeney’s mouth it’s much scarcer. There’s something about this that feels like another Sweeney ploy. Everybody will signed before training camp. Sweeney will take a few hundred curtain calls then head back to bed, knowing he’s hoodwinked everybody The fans and the Jacobs family. Fans will realize Sweeney other than the obvious, hasn’t really done anything. Then the cycle begins again next season.
With all due respect, I wouldn’t put any value on what Kizla says/ or thinks about anything? He is famous for throwing everyone in Denver sports “under the bus” because he seems to want to just stir the pot. Jared Bednar is a “Ken doll” is an example! Yet, we are Stanley Cup Champions!! This guy dosen’t thoughts on hockey don’t even matter in my opinion
I think if the Avalanche wanted to bring Kadri back, they would have done so by now? I could be wrong and will say so if I am but I wouldn’t put much stock in anything Kuala says or thinks! I would listen to Adrian Dater, he has more of a better take on what’s transporting with the team. GO AVS!!!!
“transpiring with the team”. I hate texting, lol!!!
tommyboy, whatever Sakic decides to do, based on recent history it will turn out to have been the right decision.
Right now they have 21 signed with $3,910,000 with which to sign 2.
By position, CapFriendly shows 11F, 8D and 2G. I doubt he enters the season with 8D – Makar, Erik Johnson, Girard, Manson, Toews, MacDermid, Byram and Englund – so chances are one of them starts the season in the AHL – likely Englund and his $750,000 cap hit.
Add that to the $3,910,000 and he has $4,660,000 in the kitty, but needs to sign 3. Clearly, without another big contract leaving, that’s not nearly enough to bring Kadri back.
Sakic is one of the few GM’s (now ex GM) that really understands the ramifications of the salary cap. He knows he has to sign Mackinnon next year and I would bet he gets 12.5 – 15 million. So there is just no room for Kadri.
They also have to sign Byrum which could get a long term contract for 8 million.
For Sweeney to sign both now will tip his hand on the amount a cap space he will have to dump he will have a better idea once Zacha is signed. The less others know of cap the chance is there for a little better return when trading players With approx 16mil to start year on ltir. It could go along way in covering the bonuses in contracts k on 46 and 37 On a brighter note. According to DuPont of the globe. Lysell has added an inch oh height and a bunch more muscle to his frame. So should be interesting camp for him
When Marchand comes back and if 37 and 46 are signed and Lyell is indeed ready how about these line combos-Marchand -Bergeron-DeBrusk. Hall-Krejci-Pasternak. Lysell-Coyle-Zacha. Smith-Studnicka-Frederic
George O, I love Kadri but I think they would have worked something out with him by now because they wanted him back, too! But like you say, with that amount of money left and what Kadri wants, it dosen’t work! Unless behind the scenes there is something cooking or they do like some of these other teams have done, like Toronto, Florida, and I forget the other ones are doing, spending over the cap and worrying about it later? With MacKinnon to extend, I don’t think they will sign Kadri? But then again whatever Super Joe has in mind or Chris McFarland, the new GM, we trust. I am glad I don’t make those decisions. GO AVS!!!!!
tommyboy, do you think Eric Johnson has enough left in the tank to interest Dorion as the RD to play alongside Chabot for 1 season? You think they’d trade their A captain considering it would free up $6 mil (he’s a UFA after this coming season and will be 35 y/o).
I do George O think EJ has enough left in the tank and I see where you’re going. He is a great skater, brings good offense at times complimenting those young Avalanche dmen , he ‘s a leader on the team. Sometimes, he has injuries that have kept him a lot on the shelf but when he’s healthy a lot of people in the league, like the fans, don’t realize how valuable he is to the Avalanche! My thinking is maybe they considered that already moving him in order to bring Kadri back? However, then there’s the problem that would leave a hole on blue line where we need the beef back there to protect the younger guys and the Avalanche d generates the offense which EJ is a big part of! If he’s healthy, he is a big time contributor even if he’s not on the score sheet!
So, sorry for being long winded but I’m not so sure the Avalanche are willing to let him go either but who knows? I hope I answered your question. I think Kadri would have been back by now but unless he has secretly agreed to deal with Islanders and that whole Lou lamarillo way of doing things, there’s still a chance for the Avalanche to work out a short term deal with Kadri I suppose but it seems like all reports are saying he’s looking at 9M to start, WOW.
GO AVS!!!!
Johnson has a partial NTC. Can provide a list of 19 teams he’d be traded to. Not sure he’d want to go to Ottawa at this point. Would want to take another run at the Cup with the Avs.
Thanks for the fill tommyboy, he sounds like exactly what Ottawa needs for a season alongside Chabot while the younger prospect D continue to mature at the AHL level.
And Howard, he has his cup – what better way to start closing down your career than to be be a mentor on an up and coming team like the Senators? So why wouldn’t he approve a move there? It isn’t like he was going to Arizona or Philadelphia or Montreal, each of whom will be going through what Ottawa went through for 4 years – IF they’re patient. There’s no easy road back to respectability.
Pretty sure Mackinnon be one of the first players to get 15 million next year and set the bar for future players like Matthews and Draisaitl. I see in 4 years when McDavid is due he will be the first 20 million dollar player.
Will make the 10 million dollar players with long term contracts today look like bargains
Trade Barzal to make room for Kadri ?
Absurd. You get 6 years older on top of everything else. Barzal can play center.
Kadri is not worth $9m for any amount of term
I doubt the Avs are moving any D
Barzal is not going anywhere. The Isles are a better team now than they were when Tavares was looking to move. They’ll be able to sign him long term. His AAV is currently $7m., so could lock him up for about $1-2m. more than that.
100% Correct. Barzal is an untouchable.
Whoever wrote that nonsense must have been
dreaming or drinking!
Lou has his plan and I am quite confident in it and him.
If it’s essentially Bailey for Kadri, than that’s an upgrade.
I would be sad to see Bailey go, but hockey is a business. I’ve seen every game that Josh has played, since the Islander’s pretty much stunted his growth as an 18 year old.
He has always been a good Islander and he is a top six forward, who is near 1,000 games.
It will suck if he gets moved. Especially since I recall when Snow sent him down to the AHL when he was closing in on the 250 NHL game limit That right there cost him not hitting the 1,000 game mark last season.
Bailey is not an Andrew Ladd. You can’t give him away for nothing. My own feeling is that he ends up in Arizona. He has a 5 million cap hit (2 years, 10 million) but is only owed 3.5 million in real money. That’s attractive to a cheapo franchise that needs help reaching the cap floor.
I also think that Kadri got the shock of a lifetime with the amounts that he has been offered. The days of GM’s taking wild swings is over.
With cap space so precious, teams have stopped looking through rose colored glasses.
Reality Check. Kadri is a excellent player. He is not a superstar of franchise changer. He is a nice addition to a team that has other weapons. He will be 32 when the season starts.
His numbers have been artificially inflated by playing for a stacked team.
Does anyone expect him to duplicate last season’s totals, at any point during his next contract?
I think that 4 years at 7.5 is probably as far as anyone has been willing to go. Someone may offer 5 years to sweeten the pot. Maybe? Maybe not?
I would rather see LL sign Phil Kesell for cheap and stick him on Brazal’s wing. Phil is a natural shooter and a 2 time SC winner.
Finally I do not want to see Anthony Beauvillier traded for anything. One day this kid is going to explode onto the scene as a 30 goal scorer.
@ Silverscreen….Totally agree trade Barzal to make room for Kadri kind of stupid..
I know Kadri is a strong player but reports he still wants between $ 8 – $9 million hard to think he is worth that much.
Colorado Ny Islanders stoll think Sacik has something planned..
Both Bergeron and Krech will take what’s left after Don finished moving and adding players. Bruins can sign as Bad Brad and Charlie will be on LTIR until Xmas but will need to remove players when they come back. Lysell has a real chance to play next year but they may keep him back for another year. Personally I would build a kid line and move on from some of the old guys. Speed kills in new NHL
Speed kills but you need brawn to go anywhere in the playoffs when referee s swallow their whistles.
Trade Barzal for Kadri? Sounds right up Lou’s alley.
I say go for it!
Kadri has priced himself out of most hockey markets. That includes Colorado. Other than Newhook, Colorado does not possess much in the way of promising centre prospects. Compher could definitely become a cap casualty, freeing up 3.5.
Now, with that freed up cap space (In theory), they could pursue a centre. Teows is a possibility, but giving up a future asset on a 1 year gamble when you can sign him for next to nothing next year, is dicey at best.
They could go after Barzal, but again, there left with trying to resign both he and McKinnon next off season. You’re also most likely giving up future assets you’ve already depleted for Barzal.
Now, MTL has a centre who’s+50% in the face off circle. He’s also got 3 years left paying him under 4.5 mil. Christian Dvorak would be a much better option than Teows, to start the season at least. You can always circle back to Teows as a rental at the deadline.
There was a rumor that Yzerman made a fair offer for Barzal at the deadline. Some that he tried again at the draft. Not really surprising that the rumor pops up again with the Islanders rumored to sign Kadri.
Barzal is a gifted playmaker with speed but he does have some drawbacks. So far he’s been a 60 points guy (1 season over a PPG in his rookie season). He’s not very good defensively and is bad on faceoffs. He’s still going to want big money so that and the fact he doesn’t seem like a Lou type of player (good two way player), i can see why rumors are popping up.
I am skeptical of rumors when it comes to Yzerman and Lou. Neither GM allow things to be leaked with trades and there are usually no rumors before they happen. I’m not sure what a trade for Barzal would look like. Islanders do want a proven scoring winger and Bertuzzi (re-signed) would likely fit what they would want but the fact he is unvaccinated is likely a no go for No Facial Hair Lou. The only other player i can think of would be Vrana. I wonder if a one for one Barzal for Vrana would work. The Wings fan in me says no since i don’t want to lose Vrana. If the Islanders did add either Bertuzzi or Vrana along with signing Kadri, they would be a better team than just keeping Barzal imo.
Unless the Islanders put up their 1st in 2023 (unprotected), nobody is touching Bailey. Beauvillier could be easier to move but they will get almost nothing for him given his salary and the fact he is a 30 to 40 points player. Teams with cap space have all the leverage right now since none of them have to do anything and plenty of teams are in cap troubles. If all the teams left with cap space stick to a 2023 1st round pick and/or a top prospect to take any contract, what are the teams in cap trouble suppose to do? They will have to pay it to become cap compliant before the season starts.
Isles would need to clear cap in a Barzal trade if Kadri is Lou’s target. I do not see it happening, Pageau would be more likely but Detroit is most likely on his no-trade list.
So Barzal: ahem….Rasmussen, Jerid McIsaac, 2023 top 3 protected 1st, Blues 2nd for Barzal. This clears about $5.6M for Kadri. Which in turn Lou can offer up to about a $8.5M AAV contract to Kadri and still have room to sign his 3 RFA’s.
But a Barzal trade????
Islanders are in win now mode so Rasmussen, McIsaac and picks do nothing for that not to mention they don’t need a bottom 6 guy like Rasmussen. They will want a scoring winger back so they can replace Barzal with Kadri on top of adding a proven scoring winger.
I think if there was a deal to be made between the Wings and Islanders for Barzal, it would have been made already.
As a Rangers fan I dont mind the Isles making odd moves
they have a #1 goalie for the next decade and a decent D squad. But only a few younger forwards in the top 9(Barzal,Wahlstrom,Beauvillier)
they either need to get younger or keep going all in NOW