NHL Rumor Mill – October 13, 2022
Which Flyers could become trade candidates this season? Is Jonathan Drouin on the outs in Montreal? What’s the latest on the Avalanche, Kings and Flames? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
WHICH FLYERS COULD BECOME TRADE CANDIDATES?
THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: Who becomes trade bait is among the 15 things Gustav Elvin will watch regarding the Flyers this season. There’s a real chance this turns into a rebuilding year for the club which could lead to a roster shakeup.
Philadelphia Flyers winger James van Riemsdyk (NHL Images).
Winger James van Riemsdyk is likely to be moved by the March 3 trade deadline. Winger Travis Konecny and defensemen Ivan Provorov and Travis Sanheim have also surfaced in trade speculation. Trading Sanheim seems far more unlikely but (like van Riemsdyk) he’s in the final year of his contract.
PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: San Carchidi also believed van Riemsdyk will be shopped by the deadline. He also believes defenseman Justin Braun will be a trade candidate by then.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is shaping up to be a difficult year for the Flyers unless they surprise the experts and thrive under new head coach John Tortorella. Pending UFAs like van Riemsdyk, Braun and perhaps Sanheim could hit the trade block if they’re out of playoff contention heading into next March.
Provorov and Konecny are both signed through 2024-25 so they could have roles to play in a potential rebuild. However, that could change if general manager Chuck Fletcher (or his successor) decides to tear it all down in a full-fledged roster rebuild. They could also be useful as trade chips as teams could prefer acquiring good players in their mid-twenties with term still remaining on their contracts.
IS DROUIN ON THE OUTS IN MONTREAL?
MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan took note of Jonathan Drouin being a healthy scratch for the Canadiens’ home-opening win over the Toronto Maple Leafs last night. The 27-year-old forward is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer and carries a $5.5 million cap hit this season.
Drouin has struggled in Montreal and dealt with numerous injuries. Cowan believes it’s obvious he doesn’t have a future with the Canadiens beyond this season and expects GM Kent Hughes will likely look to trade him if he can.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t see Drouin as part of the Canadiens after this season. However, they’ll have to play him if they hope to boost his stock in this season’s trade market. His cap hit and three-team no-trade list will also be sticking points in any attempt to move him.
LATEST ON THE AVALANCHE, KINGS AND FLAMES
THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun believes the Colorado Avalanche will be the most aggressive team at the March 3 trade deadline. He thinks they’ll leave no stone unturned in trying to repeat as Stanley Cup champions.
LeBrun also believes the Los Angeles Kings will trade one of their right-handed defensemen but not anytime soon. They’re stacked with right-shot blueliners but management could prefer to be patient and see how the season unfolds before moving one of them.
CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Steve Macfarlane reports the Flames are still seeking a forward for their third line. Sonny Milano and Cody Eakin weren’t successful in their training camp tryouts so it’s unlikely the Flames will circle back to them.
Drouin being on the outs in Montreal is hardly a secret. Not completely his fault but he has unfortunately become the face of what went wrong with prior management. But I agree that they’ll have to play him to increase his trade value. At this point they’ll be lucky to get a 3rd for him even if they retain salary.
I don’t see his cap hit or no trade list as being a hindrance. He’ll likely be dealt close to the deadline with the Habs retaining salary, thereby reducing the cap hit. And I doubt he’ll object to being traded to a playoff team.
Probably to avs to play with old teammate Nate
Drouin being on the outs in Montreal is hardly a secret. Rightly or wrongly he’s become the face of what’s went wrong with the prior management. But I agree that they’ll have to play him if they hope to get a decent return. At this point they’d be lucky to get a 3rd for him.
I don’t think his cap hit or no trade list will be a problem. He’ll be traded close to the deadline and the Habs will retain some salary. And I’m sure he won’t block a trade to a playoff team.
Howard, here’s a guy who, courtesy of Tampa Bay, went from an ELC cap hit if of $894,167 to $5,500,000, ostensibly on the basis of anticipation following a 2016-17 season in which he potted 21g 32a 53 pts in 73gp (to go along with a -13).
Then came the ill-fated trade with Montreal. His first two seasons there weren’t too bad with 13g 33a 46 pts in 77gp in 2017-18, and 18g 35a 53 pts in 81gp in 2018-19 (to go along with a -28 and a -8).
He’s also appeared in 33 playoff games (with both teams) scoring 6g 15a 21 pts and a -4.
When you break his career (427gp) down into 82-game averages it works out to 14g 34a 48 pts – hardly what anyone wants to be forking over $5.5 mil per for.
Is he an unfortunate example of yet another player who simply wilted under the pressure of playing in a fish-bowl atmosphere? I saw a lot of him in games against Gatineau Olympiques in the Q when he and MacKinnon were almost unstoppable for Halifax in 2012-13, and the argument back then was always “who of the two was the catalyst for their dominating presence on the ice?”
And quite a few had Drouin pegged as the driving force in a season in which he had 41g 64a 105pts while MacKinnon had 32g 43a 75 pts.
As Lyle says, dealing him anywhere at the deadline has no chance if he doesn’t get to play and at least show he still has something to offer, and even then (unless he somehow catches fire in which case they probably don’t deal him), Montreal will have to hold back a sizeable chunk of the cap.
I’ve often wondered what would happen if he and MacKinnon were reunited in Colorado where he could play and function out of the glaring spotlight.
Hey George,
It was Bergevin / Montreal that signed Drouin to his contract. Not Tampa.
The idea of reuniting Drouin and Mackinnon is interesting, but I don’t see him unseating Rantanen or Landeskog. I don’t see Colorado trying to recapture chemistry from 10 years ago and breaking up that top line.
Drouin has been a bit of a problem child his entire NHL career. I don’t see gms lining up for his service. Unless it’s very cheap. Maybe a desperation deal at the deadline?
Gleep! You’re right … how the heck did I put it down like that!
I stick to my point, though, about him possibly wilting under the pressure of not only playing in a market where there is intense and relentless focus on all aspects of the team, but also with the unstated but nevertheless present (among aspects of the fan base) expectations of being the next Francophone mega-star MIGHT have contributed to his inconsistency and, not least, his personal issues. “Here’s $5 and a half million per, kid, now go out there and dominate … no pressure.”
This article covers that aspect well
https://awinninghabit.com/2021/09/16/montreal-canadiens-pressure-quebecois/3/
He could very well blossom somewhere else out of the media glaze – if not Colorado then another U.S. location.
Chuck Fletcher is the luckiest Executive in sports. There is no way he should have lasted 9 years in Minnesota, but to be given a second chance and last this long in Philly is just beyond belief.
When he was hired I mentioned on this board that was a big mistake and it is proven to be true.
I cannot believe the Philly fans haven’t revolted yet as he took an up and coming team and turned them into a lottery team.
Some people are just luckier than others and Chuck is the luckiest
I firmly believe the Flames are a better team this year. However
They seem to fall into a very annoying pattern of making then missing the playoffs.
When they make the playoffs they usually have a very good year and everything goes right. When they miss nothing goes right.
I feel they can overcome this trend this year and go far but as a fan I am always a little guarded.
The Flames schedule to start the season is very tough playing some very strong teams, so I will be holding my breath it isn’t disastrous. If it is, next year will be great.
I’m not sure what to expect from the Flames this season.
The questions I have: How will Weegar do without the calibre d-man like Ekblad? Is he really as good as people are saying he is?
How will Huberdeau react to Sutter’s defence-first hockey? Can Huberdeau handle top-line minutes and go up against the opponent’s toughest lines? Not being shielded by Barkov anymore. How will Kadri do without Nichushkin and Burakovsky on his line? Dube and Mangiapane are not the same calibre of linemates. Can Kadri and Huberdeau duplicate the career-best seasons they had last year on a new team?
Weegar was a big reason Florida still did well when Ekblad was out with long term injuries. You can take that him off your list of concerns.
Weegar was the leagues most disruptive defender last season. (Without Ekblad)
what? the Habs scratching a French Canadian player, and letting him leave as a free agent? Sacrilegious! Habs fans will be rioting in the streets!
Hey Bruins go get Tanner Jeannot….protect your assets
Yes! Great target, Joe.
He’s excellent. Nashville would want equal value in return, but my guess is that Poile won’t be interested in moving him at all.
I find it enjoyable to watch the Leaf brass, media and fans protect Murray’s confidence so.
Murray/Samsonov = up grade over Campbell/Mrzazek
Murray on “better” team = return to form
Murray loses opener, 5 goals against = Leafs left him out to dry.
Looks like murray can do no wrong in leaf land. Good spot he landed. Though I’m pretty sure I watched three shots go in right over his glove hand. No concern at all. It’s all because of the team that plays in front of him.
4 goals – not 5 … but that glove hand did look a little slow
He needs to play with a lead weighted glove in practices.
it’s interesting that LeBrun’s believes that the Avalanche ” will be the most aggressive team” on March 3rd? That could possibly be so, by then they should have a good idea of how the loss of Kadri and Burakovsky has affected them. Hopefully, we have figured it out before then he could be right?
I like Captain Obvious and George O’S take on Druin. I’m not sure if he would be a good fit unless he has an attitude adjustment because I don’t believe Bednar would tolerate that type of attitude in the locker room? I’d rather have Burakovsky any day of the week. I think he’s a much better player than given credit for. I would’ve kept him but it’s a big chance to see who can replace some of that production, will see!
GO AVS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
tommyboy, how do you see them being aggressive at the trade deadline?
Today, CapFriendly shows them with 21 active players and just $642,937 in cap space.
12F (Rantanen, Nichushkin, Lekhonen, Compher, Rodrigues, Cogliano, O’Connor, Meyers, Newhook, Sedlak and Blidh) account for $37,345,844
7D (Makar, Johnson, Girard, Manson, Toews, MacDermid and Byram) account for $30,481,667
2G (Georgiev andFrancouz) account for $5, 400,000)
They have 2 players on IR (Landeskog – $7,000,000) and Helm ($1,250,000) and one on Season-Opening IR (how they differ I have no idea) – that being Jacob MacDonald with his cap cost shown as $354,563.
That’s negligible wiggle room so, barring season-ending LTIR injuries between now and then, of course, how do you see them as being “aggressive” without trading away a cap hit (or hits) equal to that being brought in? And, if so, who do you think they’d try and move?
George O,
I’m not sure, it seems like they always say around this team that they would move Girard but I am not sure? The more I agreed with that the more I realize the Avalanche love Girard despite some of his drawback’s , he is very valuable to the teams attack mode from the back end because of the speed! Compher perhaps but he is underrated I feel but maybe my bias. To be honest, I don’t know but I guess I do agree with LeBrun, they might be aggressive with someone out there that might fill a need?
🇺🇸Top 4 players Philadelphia Flyers could become trade candidates this season?
First a lot will depend on Carter Hart … he is going to be 25yrs old and $4.M salary he has had one good season ….⁉️🤔….IF he can become consistant and be the #1 Goaltender i dont really know where Hart is going…
2nd how the team plays, they are not that good and they are Right at the CapQ!
Who becomes trade bait, they have some Expencive Old Guys hear
1) 33yr old James van Riemsdyk $7M
2) 33 yr old Cam Atkinson $6.M
3) 31 yr old kevin Haynes $7.M
Dont think they will trade young 25 yr old Winger Travis Konecny
on Defence they will trade
1)Travis Sanheim he is a UFA $4.7M
2) Justin Braun UFA $1.M
100% This turns into a Re-building year for the club which Will lead to a Majior roster shakeup starting with The General Manager Chuck Fletcher,
100% this guy should be fired this guy is a waste of space
They pick TOP Five in the NHL 2023 Draft✔️
Not sure how you trade JVR , Hayes, and Cam.
JVR would require holding 50% at the deadline and would net us jack squat.
Hayes we would have to hold 1 or 2 mil off that contract for the next 4 years just to make it moveable. not worth it to me, honestly i wait until next year and see if boston is interested in making a deal.
Cam is the easiest to move and prob my first move if i would find the right deal. maybe a 2nd & 3rd rd picks.
Sanheim needs to be shopped now and the asking price is same as Chy from arizona. 3 assets, one being a 1st rd pick top prospect(perfer rd)another assets maybe 2nd or 3rd pick.
TK should def be shopped also if the price is right. Same deal 3 assets coming back to make this move.