NHL Rumor Mill – September 14, 2022

by | Sep 14, 2022 | Rumors | 19 comments

An update on Jason Robertson’s contract talks with the Stars plus the latest on the Canadiens and Oilers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON JASON ROBERTSON

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Matthew DeFranks reports Stars general manager Jim Nill remains hopeful that Jason Robertson will be at training camp when it opens next week. Contract negotiations continue between Stars management and the 23-year-old restricted free agent winger.

Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson (NHL Images)

Robertson is coming off his entry-level contract and a career-best 41 goals and 79 points in 74 games. Nill indicated he’s in constant communication with the winger’s representatives. The club has around $7.2 million in salary cap room depending on the final roster makeup.

DeFranks suggests that means a long-term contract is off the table, speculating Robertson could get an average annual value of $7 million on a three or four-year deal. The Stars can create more cap room for the coming season by carrying a smaller roster or trading players such as goaltender Anton Khudobin ($3.33 million) or forward Radek Faksa ($3.25 million).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The bridge deal seems the most likely option here. How much Robertson gets could depend on whether Nill can find a taker for Khudobin or Faksa.

Their respective AAVs aren’t that expensive. Nevertheless, it’ll be difficult finding a trade partner at this time of year when most clubs have limited cap room.

UPDATES ON THE CANADIENS AND OILERS

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy cites TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie reporting Canadiens defenseman Joel Edmundson is garnering interest in the trade market as training camp approaches. Lavoie claimed there’s a lot of interest around the league for a blueliner like him.

Lavoie doubts Edmundson, 29, will be traded now but thinks the 6’5”, 229-pound rearguard is drawing some attractive offers and could garner more as the season progresses. He missed most of 2021-22 with a back injury but can bolster his trade stock with a healthy, productive season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As Murphy suggested, it’d doubtful he’ll be moved before the 2023 trade deadline. Unless the Canadiens get a mind-blowing offer they’re not trading Edmundson now. They recently made him an alternate captain and value his experience and leadership among their young blueliners.

TSN’s John Lu took to Twitter reporting Canadiens goaltender Jake Allen admitted he’s “had communication” with management regarding a contract extension. However, he offered no further comment on the subject.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given Carey Price’s uncertain future and the ongoing development of Cayden Primeau, it’s unsurprising the Canadiens are interested in discussing a new contract with Allen. They’ll need some veteran stability in goal beyond this season if Price’s career is over and Primeau isn’t ready for prime time.

Lu’s colleague Ryan Rishaug tweeted on Monday that he thinks the Edmonton Oilers are waiting to hear an answer from winger Jake Virtanen regarding a professional tryout offer.

He also indicated they’re exploring all cost-cutting trade options for winger Jesse Puljujarvi. They can still start the coming season with what they have if they don’t move Puljujarvi but it could create salary-cap complications later in the season.

Rishaug doesn’t see Tyson Barrie as a trade candidate. He expects the Oilers will start this season with what they’ve got on their blueline and see how things go.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On the one hand, avoiding arbitration with Puljujarvi by signing him in July to a one-year, $3 million contract provides cost certainty when attempting to trade him. It seems no team wanted to take on an unsigned restricted free agent with consistency issues with arbitration rights.

On the other hand, most teams have limited salary-cap space. Puljujarvi’s $3 million cap hit is a tight squeeze for many clubs right now.







19 Comments

  1. Some folks think that people sign/trade for players just to use as trade chips. GM think that this player I’m hotly pursuing is an answer to a shortcoming. He’s not thinking at the time what he’ll bring back in a trade.

    • totally disagree,

      case in point, anaheim signing klingberg.

      guarantee that verbeek signed him to fill a hole but also knew he could flip him at deadline for a 1st to a playoff team when he eats half the salary.

      • I agree the ducks will flip him at the trade dead line and retain 1/2 his salary 3.5 mil to a top team, so the ducks have bought a 1st round pick in the 16-32 range for 3.5m, seems like a good gamble to me

    • Someone has never heard of GM Bill Armstrong

    • Two names i was throw at you are Andreas Athanasiou and Max Domi

      I believe the main reason Davidson sign them, is to be able to move them at the trade deadline for further assets. Personally i think it’s a very good move by the GM.

  2. I guess Montreal Hockey Now has had their fill of Christian Dvorak trade rumors and have moved on to the next target. No way Edmundson is traded anytime soon. The Habs need to add a veteran D-man now, not trade one.

    • maybe if they still had romanov i could see a trade, but they are thin on defense. It Will be there weakness this year for sure, and most of there forwards dont appear to be defensive minded. So it will be a long year for the goalies in montreal this year.

    • Howard,

      D’amico read a blog on Dvorak pointing out that despite being injured and slump, his production matched previous levels.

      More importantly he will have read that Dvorak was the highest point producer in the last quarter of the season.

      Aside from having the best faceoff % on the team he just might benefit from a full year under MSL.

  3. Stars are in a pickle . Kyrou just received 8 x 8. Robertson worth every penny of the same even on a bridge. He might miss camp and into the season until they can dump some salary. A must sign

    • Yes, and if they sign Robertson to a bridge deal at 3-4 years at 7mil then he’s a UFA or close to it at the end that contract and the cap might be $125m by then, with the Kyrou contract St.L has him for 8yrs until he’s 32, but I’m with you I think they gotta figure out how to give Robertson that 8×8

  4. That’s what I see with Sweeney’s pendulum swinging. he always stops to think The Problem is he never starts up again.

    Problem no.1 no one to take over once krecji and Bergy are gone.

    #2 Foligno if at first you don’t succeed,I suggest you don’t play Russian roulette

    #3 Trent Frederick believe me he is the new Zach Senysyn.

    #4 Cap issues; if I was Sweeney I’d fire the Cap consultant or whatever he’s called in his case 1 and 1 really does make 3

    • Rick, i don’t get the comparison between Frederick and Senyshyn?

      Two very different players; Zach a total of 16 nhl games over 4 seasons totaling 1g and 3pts. Presently without an NHL contract.

      Frederick 119 NHL games over 4 season 12g and 23pts.

      Both play a very different style.

      Zach an extreme over reach by your Buddy Don

      Frederic, some toughness and can pop a few goals.

      Frederic draft you would say boy if we had of drafted Debrincat, who went 10 spots later.

      • Hey Cappy both players stink and both disasters as draft choices. Trade Trent along with Foligno you’ll be lucky to end up with a pill box full of belly button lint.

      • Speak of the devil…..Senyshyn signed a PTO with NJ, where he hopes to become a Devil….

    • Couple of things.

      1. After this year (assuming no trading in for contract) the bruins will get a lot of cap space in the coming year. Yes they have to sign pasta but still will have space.

      2. I am really hoping that Foligno has a bounce back year in a FA season for him. Key word Hope.

      3. As a Buins fan next year in FA i can only hope that he is able to replicate the year that the Bruins signed Savard and Chara which changed the direction of the franchise IMO.

  5. I did not see any bruins news in todays post. Must be my eyes now that I am a senior.👀

  6. MB4, it’s all there – you just have to learn how to decipher it.
    Jim Nill is code for Don Sweeney. Jake Allen code for Linus Ullmark. Cayden Primeau code for Jeremy Swayman. Jesse Puljujarvi code for Nick Foligno. I could go on, but you get the idea.

    • I would not mind if they waived both Faksa and Khudobin…i really don’t think any team would take either. Maybe some one like Anaheim or Arizona might have interest in Faksa. Worst case scenario, they both drop down and play in Austin for the Texas Stars to clear some cap space

  7. Harry

    Ya. I am slipping a little. 🏒