NHL Rumor Mill – October 12, 2022
Check out the latest on Patrick Kane, David Pastrnak, Jakob Chychrun, Bo Horvat and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
TSN: Pierre LeBrun believes there’s a “decent chance” the Chicago Blackhawks trade Patrick Kane by the March 3 deadline. He indicated that the 33-year-old winger wasn’t ready to have a conversation about a trade during the offseason. LeBrun believes Kane’s agent and Blackhawks management will circle back to that sometime in December or January and see where things stand.
Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane (NHL Images).
LeBrun noted Kane’s no-movement clause gives him full control over this situation. He suggested the New York Rangers and New York Islanders as “decent possibilities.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes the Rangers could be the most likely destination for Kane.
Assuming Kane accepts a trade to the Rangers or Islanders, both clubs lack sufficient cap space to acquire him. The Blackhawks will have to retain half of his $10.5 million cap hit for this season to make it work, and even then, it might take getting a third team involved to spread the remaining half of that cap hit around to make it palatable to the Blueshirts or Isles.
TSN: Darren Dreger reports there’s a strong appetite by Boston Bruins management and David Pastrnak’s camp to reach an agreement on a contract extension. The 26-year-old winger is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July.
However, Dreger suggests there’s no guarantee a deal can be made. He thinks the starting point could be something comparable to the eight-year contract ($10.5 million annual average value) that Jonathan Huberdeau signed this summer with the Calgary Flames, pointing out Pastrnak is younger than the 29-year-old Huberdeau.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pastrnak is probably going to get at least $10 million annually on his next contract. That’s the market value for a player of his skills. It’ll either come from the Bruins or another team next summer via free agency. And no, he won’t accept a hometown discount to stay in Boston.
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports Jakob Chychrun still hasn’t received clearance to resume practicing with his Arizona Coyotes teammates as he continues to recover from a wrist injury. He wonders if anyone is willing to trade for the 24-year-old defenseman before he’s fully healed.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given the high asking price the Coyotes have set for Chychrun in the trade market, the answer appears to be “no.” Otherwise, he’d have been moved by now. Friedman said there’s definitely interest, noting the Ottawa Senators have been closely following this situation. However, I think those interested parties want to see how Chychrun plays once he returns to action before getting serious with trade offers.
Elliotte Friedman said a couple of sources used the word “stalemate” to describe Bo Horvat’s contract extension talks with the Vancouver Canucks. However, Friedman isn’t taking that too seriously, pointing out how the Canucks were reportedly unwilling to commit to an expensive long-term extension for J.T. Miller before they ultimately signed him last month.
Friedman used Sean Couturier ($7.75 million AAV) as a comparable for Horvat as well as for Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin. He thinks anyone who believes the AAV on Horvat’s next contract will start with a six “is in a Wizard-of-Oz-style dreamland.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Agreed. Unless things really go downhill, I expect Horvat will be staying in Vancouver starting at something over $7 million annually.
No two contract negotiations are the same. Nevertheless, I don’t think the Canucks will risk letting their captain walk away next summer, especially if he has another solid performance this season.
TIDBITS FROM FRIEDMAN’S LATEST “32 THOUGHTS”
The Toronto Maple Leafs will continue exploring waiver-exempt or waiver-cleared defensive depth due to three preseason injuries.
Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin will keep an eye out for scoring help but will give his talented youth the opportunity to prove themselves.
10 mill’s a lot of money but, I have to begrudgingly
agree if it’s in that vicinity Pastrnak’s taking one for team. Now I think I’ll lie about weather as well. These insane contracts. If Foligno scores a goal tonight he a Bruin for life ..ugh!!
Pastrnak all ready took one for the team in his last contract ….even saying so VERY publicly …
He has been one of the best goal corers playmakers in the league since then and SHOULD cash in on every penny on this contract …
Hope his agent is Taylor Halls agent …that would be horrible !!!
LMFAO
Happy Hockey season !
I wonder who is more important to a hockey organization anymore – the head of amateur scouting or the head of cap management/planning?
We see now why Chychrun hasn’t been traded. It’s not just the asking price. Unfortunately he has a hard time staying healthy. No team will give up what’s necessary to pick him up seeing as how he will likely miss numerous games to injury each year.
There is a video on Youtube (don’t want to post a link, but you can search it yourselves), and it is EA Sports NHL 23 staff interviewing NHL players. They show some of the new features, and the share with the individual player their in-game rating. Of all of the players interviewed, Chychrun was the only one who showed physical disappointment about his rating, thinking it should be higher. Now when I see all of the re-posts of rumors and all your posts here, I giggle, thinking about that video.
a better team could see chychruns stock rise as well his injury woes reduce as he will have a bit more insulation playiong on a team who properly supports a player trapped in his zone.
Hey Jeff,
I posted this a week or so ago.
What young player that was traded from the Coyotes lived up to their potential? Max Domi? Brendan Perlini? Dylan Strome?
The Coyotes don’t have a good track record for developing their young players. Chuchryn, who was picked 16th in 2016, was the only defenceman picked in the first round that draft year who went right into the NHL. Sergachev who was picked 9th overall spent an extra year in the OHL before he made the NHL full-time.
A GM has to be aware when making a deal with the Coyotes. They have a bad reputation for bringing their young players into the NHL to early.
valid point. No one comes to mind to answer you question
I don’t think a better team changes injury fortune.
Crosby
Letang
Malkin
Stamkos
Savard
Forsberg
Kariya
Lindros
Lemieux
All play or played for pretty good teams, but had or have pretty brutal injury histories.
Some players are just very injury prone. Playing on a bottom dweller or Stanley cup champion doesn’t change it.
Trade Horvat for a good RD
JZ. How about we give you an average ctr Coyle and avg puck moving d Rielly and a signed orr jersey
i don’t get it, the golden knights traded for Eichel with a serious medical condition on the line but others won’t trade for Chychrun because of him healing from a wrist injury? Am I missing something?
Educate me please? I don’t see that there is that big of a risk. I would trade for him, hell if I was the Avalanche, I would trade for him. He’s going to be really good if he isn’t already. from the little I have seen him play; he would be worth it. What do you think, George O, Ottawa should be all over that don’t you think? Opening night for Avalanche. Hope they have recovered from Stanley Cup hangover because it starts for real tonight. Speaking of Kane, hope he doesn’t find the back of the net at least for tonight. GO AVS!!!!!!!!!!!
Personally I don’t think the injury thing is as big a factor as the price Arizona is demanding.
As far as that Eichel thing. I never understood Buffalo’s position. Way back during that fiasco it was reported that disc replacement surgery was well studied and athletes in other sports have received it. Non athletes have received it and people who received the disc have been in traumatic accidents afterwards like vehicle accidents and not once in all those incidents has the disc ever been compromised.
Look at Pinto. It isn’t like that kid doesn’t have injury history. He got hurt slightly during this years camp. Sanderson himself has his history with injuries. Do you think Ottawa will be pushing to move either guy to avoid that injury prone bug. You know trade for guys with no history.
Chychrun’s injuries are all different. Nothing is recurring. it could very well be that once he is on a team with better support for the puck carrier that the frequency he is hurt drops dramatically.
Arizona’s asking price is the issue. If Chychrun was a true RD I think teams would pay it. RD seem rare these days.
“Chychrun’s injuries are all different” – that’s the very definition of “injury prone” Jeff! And it’s not like he’s only had a couple. He’s missed 27% of Arizona’s games since joining the team with a wide variety of dings. Would he be better off with a better team where he’d be “insulated?” Who knows? And what if he is moved and the injuries continue? Is the GM that gave up a King’s Ransom for him then labeled an idiot?
You can’t compare Pinto and Sanderson. Both have had ONE significant injury. If they continue to go down with varying injuries, then we’ll start looking at them as “injury prone.”
It’s a mixture of Chychrun’s current injury, his pattern of being unable to play a full season due to injuries, and the absolutely INSANE asking price. If Dorion paid what AZ is asking for, he would lose his current position as hero for the Sens hehe.
I’m not so sure the “insane” asking price has ever been confirmed. I do see a GM who doesn’t have to trade him not wanting to just give him away. Other factors are wanting to do right by a player that doesn’t have a trade clause but seems to have a healthy relationship with GM. Finding a team that can fit the cap hit while Arizona needs to stay above cap floor. They’re already retaining salary on OEL. Not sure they want to do same for Chychrun. Actual salary goes up next season as well as a partial ntc kicking in.
Well then, you should advocate for a Girard + 2025 2nd for Chychrun trade. It saves the Avs cap for a TDL move, and gives AZ a valuable trade piece for more futures. Win-win!
I would consider that but I’m not sure the Avalanche have a 2nd? I think the cupboard is a little bare. Chychrun is strong and tough . I like Girard but he gets pushed around easily, if you can catch him, lol!!!!
I’m not so quick to say Pastrnak won’t take a discount as previously mentioned above he did on his last contact.
With Charlie McAvoy not taking a discount and imo overpaid going into this season; may lead to a less willing Pastrnak to take a hometown discount.
I wonder what a sign and trade deal would look like for Pastrnak?
Likely Bergeron and Krejci last season, who will be dishing the puck to Pastrnak; Studnicka, Coyle, Frederick or some to be announced player.
If that to be announced player is someone like Mark Scheifele, then ok.
Otherwise maybe its best to sign and trade and go from there. No sense spending $10m + and not being a playoff team.
Caper
I think Pasta will probably not squeeze all he can from. Bruins but will be the highest paid player on bruins. I doubt both 37 and 46 retire next year either especially if un injured and have productive season
I’ll bite.
Horvat, OEL ($1M retained), Pearson +1st for Pasta ($10.25M x 8) and Carlo
We’ll just wait for Matthews to become a UFA Johnny.
Ray, I be happy to see that happen
Zub being listed DTD in Ottawa may put some pressure on Dorion. Time will tell. One thing Ottawa must hope for is for their top two guys to not sustain any serious injury.
I think that hope applies to all 32 teams Jeff. I can’t think of one that wouldn’t suffer significantly from long-term injuries to their “top two guys.”
I think you are just wanting to disagree. Calgary would be fine. Tampa would be fine. carolina would be fine. toronto would be fine. the rangers would be fine. I could probably name more. lets see if boston is fine with out Mcavoy
I team like ottawa who is already wanting to pick up a top 4 D can ill afford losing one of their top 2 for extended periods
True that George, and that’s the concern for us B’s fans with McAvoy and Marchand out for a significant stretch to start the season.
Another injury to a guy like Lindholm or another top line forward and we got a big flippin’ problem for a couple months. Makes it tough to stay close enough to make up ground and get in.
Jeff, why do you sluff off key, devasting injuries as “just wanting to disagree,” I’m, sorry. but simple common sense says that Calgary, Tampa, New York and especially Toronto would be crippled by the loss of their “top two guys.”
No team in the NHL would be fine if one of their top players is their goalie and they lost him for an extended period of time. That goes for Calgary, Tampa Bay, and the NYR.
One day agents and players will be able to do math…. Fans will never be able to and neither will GMs….
83 mil divide by 23 is a tad under 4 mil per roster spot. With a near 1 mil minimum you are left with every slot you fill with someone between four and 7 is a leag min guy to counter… Every 7-10 is two league min guys. Every 10+ is an entire line of league min guys… You better have great scouts and development staff to make those rookie deals year after year to pay for the over paid guys you sign long term because they need to over produce big time consistently
What would happen, for example, to Colorado, should they lose both Makar and Toews? Or Tampa lose Hedman and Cernak, or Florida lose Ekblad and whoever he’s paired with this year after Weegar’s departure.
its not both silly. it’s losing one of their top 2. Ottawa can’t afford it.
You said “top 2 guys” …. silly. Not me.
Why does every potential trade player, Patrick Kane, either goes to the Rangers or the Bruins. The last time I checked there were 30 other teams in the NHL
Actually, Horvats regular season ppg Is same as Couturier… In playoffs Horvats is higher. More than 2 years younger as well.
Trade him to Boston for Coyle and Studnicka
I will take that trade in a ny minute.If trade get s held up offer Carlo instread of Coyle!
If Chychrun was considered injury prone as some experts here claim weekly…..the ask wouldn’t be so high and the Coyotes would be happy to unload him.
If he was considered to be a risk, teams would be steering clear.