Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – October 23, 2022

by | Oct 23, 2022 | Rumors | 35 comments

The Jakob Chychrun trade speculations keep rolling along, Hurricanes defenseman Ethan Bear could be on the move plus the latest on the Bruins in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup

THE LATEST ON JAKOB CHYCHRUN

SPORTSNET: Jeff Marek reports the Arizona Coyotes management wants to trade Jakob Chychrun, who has asked to be moved to a contender. However, their asking price for the 24-year-old defenseman remains high.

It’s essentially the equivalent of two first-round picks, plus. So, that would be a combination of prospects, picks and players as well,” said Marek. He indicates Chychrun remains sidelined as he continues to rehab from offseason wrist surgery but is expected to make his season debut in a couple of weeks.

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun (NHL Images).

Rumors have linked Chychrun to the Ottawa Senators for some time. However, Marek said they don’t want to part with “Shane Pinto or Ridley Greig or Jake Sanderson or anyone like that.” He wonders if another club deep in promising talent, like the Los Angeles Kings, could become more involved.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch claims the Senators, Kings, Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers, St. Louis Blues, Anaheim Ducks and the Columbus Blue Jackets are believed to have spoken to Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong about Chychrun.

DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin considers the Senators and Kings as the favorites to land Chychrun. He believes the Leafs are in the hunt while the Panthers and Vancouver Canucks are long shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I know some of you are growing weary of the constant Chychrun rumors. However, this is the way it typically goes in the early-season trade market in the salary-cap era. Too few players are available and too many teams have limited salary-cap space to make any significant moves.

That means whatever notable player becomes a trade candidate will be the focus of endless conjecture. Chychrun is the biggest name available because he’s asked to be traded and the Coyotes are trying to accommodate him. Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane occasionally surfaces in the rumor mill. That’s because of pundits speculating over his future and not because of anything Kane or Blackhawks management has done.

Chychrun will continue to dominate media trade gossip until he’s finally moved or other players of note become available or teams accrue sufficient cap space to start wheeling and dealing.

As for potential trade destinations, none of those listed should come as any surprise to those of you who frequent this site. Only the Senators and Ducks have sufficient cap space and depth in tradeable assets to acquire him and they don’t appear willing to meet the Coyotes’ asking price.

It will take some creativity on the part of those cap-strapped clubs to acquire Chychrun. It’ll have to be dollar-in, dollar-out or a three-team deal that spreads his cap hit around. I don’t see the Coyotes agreeing to the latter as they probably won’t want $2.3 million in dead cap space on their books through 2024-25, which is the final season of his contract.

WILL THE HURRICANES SHOP ETHAN BEAR?

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Carolina Hurricanes are expected to reach a decision soon regarding Ethan Bear. The 23-year-old defenseman has not yet suited up this season.

Bear wants to play but hasn’t been able to crack the Hurricanes roster. They’ve been shopping him and came close to a trade a couple of times. However, interested clubs want the Hurricanes to retain half of his $2.2 million salary for this season which they don’t want to do. The Canucks could be among the suitors.

Friedman believes the situation will be resolved soon. He believes a team will make an offer that the Hurricanes will find agreeable, or he gets into the lineup or ends up on waivers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bear was considered a promising young puck-moving defenseman when he began his NHL career with the Edmonton Oilers but struggled to adjust with the Hurricanes after contracting COVID-19 last season. Perhaps a fresh start with a new club can help him get back on track.

ARE THE BRUINS SEEKING A RIGHT-SHOT DEFENSEMAN?

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy believes the Bruins’ immediate focus will be shoring up the right side of their defense if they decide to explore the trade market. Charlie McAvoy is sidelined until December and Brandon Carlo is on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes have a right-shot defenseman they’re trying to move who might fit the bill for the Bruins…







35 Comments

  1. LOL. “Rumors have linked Chychrun to the Ottawa Senators for some time. However, Marek said they don’t want to part with “Shane Pinto or Ridley Greig or Jake Sanderson or anyone like that.”

    That you can file under “No S&*t Sherlock?”

    • George

      I think if sens really wanted to they could easily offer 1st. Zeitsev Formention and or batherson. Wouldnt include a 1st unless they take Z

      • So you are saying that the Senators aren’t seriously trying to get Jacob Chychrun? I disagree with Marek’s assessment of the situation. The Coyotes are listening to offers, but are not “wanting to move” him. It sounds like click bait to me.

  2. No thanks Ethan Bear is okay The bruins already have at least two equal to Ethan. Need someone a bit better. Chychrun, Wait til his trade value start to decline. Injuries and asking price have created a bit of conundrum for Armstrong. They asked for too much. It’s got to and eventually will come down.

    • Try 8 equal to Ethan. Pass on Chychrun. Not giving 1st plus top prospect and player. Fir a position we gave already too many LD . PIPE DREAM

    • No, he does not need to trade Chychrun. The only other scenario, which no one mentions, is he stays a Coyote. He has stated he likes the Coyotes and management, he just doesn’t want to go through a rebuild. What if the tear down concludes after this season and the Coyotes commit to being competitive?

  3. I am sorry but to say that “Chychrun is the biggest name available because he’s asked to be traded and the Coyotes are trying to accommodate him” and then asking for an extremely high outrageous price for him is not called “trying to accommodate him”. He is nothing more than an asset with a declining value to the Coyotes (as he wants out) and they are trying to get what they can before his price goes down. He is at best a good D-man who gets injured a lot. He is not the next coming of Bobby Orr!

    • Bingo dov. I’ve been trying to get that point across for weeks now but when I say it I seem to come across “all high and mighty.”

    • Let’s not forget, Arizona approached Chychrun last season about putting him on the market. His wanting to be traded now is mainly because he’s been put in limbo and he wants closure. Coyotes have no intentions of competing next few seasons ard trading Chychrun seems more as an internal budget move than anything hockey related. Toronto was mentioned yesterday and Kerfoot would be exact type of color ntract Arizona would take back. He’s got a 3.5 mil cap hit, but his actual money owed is less than 750K. Not saying there’s a trade there but using Kerfoot as an example of any team needing to clear cap space for a Chychrun deal. I’m going to go with Detroit as a possible landing spot. He’s still only 24 and even though Wings arent a contender today, they’re moving in right direction.

    • I think there’s a lot between, nothing more than often injured and Bobby Orr. Wouldn’t Chychrun be a top pairing D on all but maybe 10 teams? I think which ever team that snags him will be better off. His high price means he’s not crap and like any GM, you’re gonna try to get a team to break the bank if they want one of if not the best player you have. You’re telling me you wouldn’t do the same?

      • Sorry, Ron, but WAY too much risk for the current return demanded. I, for one, would not do the same … and I can only hope Dorion is thinking along the same lines.

        As for his high price, it neither means he’s not crap nor that he’s the second coming of Bobby Orr. It simply means that is what Armstrong is asking for a guy who, in his draft year, dropped from a projected top 1/2 pick to 16th behind such illustrious names as Jesse Puljujarvi, Olli Juolevi, Alexander Nylander, Logan Brown, Tyson Jost. Michael McLeod, Jake Bean and Luke Kunin.

        Either a number of scouting staffs/GMs were smoking something funny to let him drop that far behind that many busts (again, sorry, but Puljujarvi has not lived up to being a 4th overall pick), or there was legitimate concern about his ability to remain in a line-up. Missing 27% of his team’s games since then bears that out.

        Just – my – opinion.

      • Funny thing is I agree with a lot of what you said, all valid points but…I think the bottom line is when evaluating players, where your either acquiring one or trading one away is, can you win with a guy like this? Not just improve your odds.

      • George we might want to add Batherson name to that black cloud hanging over his head.

      • Caper, IF – and again this is all speculation – Formenton was involved in 2018 and the club has reason to suspect that’s true, then that would account for the complete lack of dialogue/conjecture and deafening silence as to why he remains unsigned.

        In that event – and only in that event – the fact Batherson is playing might suggest they are confident from their own information that he was NOT involved.

        The fact he did not sign an affidavit stating he was not involved means nothing in and of itself. As a lawyer observed, a healthy percentage of every criminal on trial for a crime pleads innocence, but in Batherson’s case his legal counsel could have simply told him he does not need to file such a claim if he was not there.

        https://www.cbc.ca/lite/story/1.6591533

  4. Mrbruin4, Dorion spent two years trying to land a top RW to go with Batherson – he got him – sort of – in Giroux who’s played that position before, and for a while some of us thought DeBrincat, who’s a natural RW, but who’s been installed at LW (where he also played in Chicago) in Formenton’s spot on the 2nd line.

    I doubt he would now want to deal Batherson, along with a 1st, in order to get D who’s out of the line-up over a quarter of each season since he joined the league.

    As for Formenton – I’m sure he would trade his rights (unsigned RFA) if there wasn’t so much doubt hanging over his head like a little black cloud due to that 2018 sex scandal.

    A week or so ago, someone mentioned that his name shouldn’t be linked to that through speculation. And while I agree that the adage “everyone is innocent until proven guilty” should apply until a firm determination is made, it’s hard to escape the feeling that the next shoe is about to fall.

    As I say, he’s the last RFA in the LEAGUE to be finalized, and while that, in and of itself, is not highly unusual – we’ve seen RFAs sit out well into a season (never does them much good) – in his case the silence is deafening.

    By that I mean, whenever an RFA is holding out there is at least constant chatter about “ongoing dialogue” and “he and the team are presumed to beX apart” etc. Tkachuk is a recent example in Ottawa, and there have been many more around the league over the years.

    In this case …. nada. Neither from Dorion nor Formenton and his agent. Or the media.

    • Also, as I mentioned yesterday, while dealing Chychrun would put Arizona under the cap floor by just over $700,000, they don’t need a Zaitsev and his $4.2 mil cap hit to get back over. It could be someone in the $2 mil range to get them comfortably over.

      So, if Dorion insisted that Zaitsev had to be part of a deal, Armstrong could legitimately demand an increase in the “sweetener” part of the package to accommodate him.

    • formenton is also the only player who has not made a statement regarding the 2018 sex abuse claim.

    • George
      I said Branstrom. Not Batherson 😊

      • Mrbruin4, you been into your own supply of Glenfiddich? 🙂

        ” Mrbruin4 on October 23, 2022 at 10:32 am

        George

        I think if sens really wanted to they could easily offer 1st. Zeitsev Formention and or batherson. Wouldnt include a 1st unless they take Z”

        Now Brannstrom as part of the deal with that ONE 1st (lottery protected) I’d consider.

      • George

        Not scotch guy more whisky. But ya my mind thought one name typed another. Senior moment I think 🤔

      • LOL. Been there – done that. Many times.

      • Cheers to that 🥃

  5. Way off topic but just have to mention the Buffalo Sabres are really good this year.
    Saw them play against the two Alberta teams and was very impressed. They have size speed and talent.
    I predict they will make the playoffs this year, and if their goaltending holds up will probably win a round.

    • Yes. Buffalo, Montreal and Ottawa are going to be interesting and fun to follow. I don’t expect them to make the playoffs but much closer than the +20pts they missed it last year.

      • Nor do I, Ron … but, at least in the case of each of Ottawa and Buffalo, they will be close … and no fun to play against for the most part.

        Looking at the final standings last season, and comparing the difference between team +/-, Ottawa had the less distance to cover to right that ship, and (for Ottawa fans anyway), hopefully did it with the best additions on offense (Giroux, DeBrincat, Pinto (absent all last season) and Motte) and less inconsistency in net.

        Ottawa – 227gf 266ga – minus 39
        Buffalo – 232gf – 290ga – minus 58
        Detroit – 230gf – 312ga – minus 82
        Montreal – 221gf – 319ga – minus 98

  6. Mid season trades with most teams close to the cap or using LTIR and are over it makes this trade market more difficult. Many teams feel this needs to be close to cap neutral.

    Buffalo could be in the market for a D given Jokiharju and now Samuelson injury. Bear could be one they look at.

  7. It still bothers you, huh George? Your point was delivered and received. You do realise someone is able to understand your opinion and still disagree. Are you really that high and mighty that you think if someone disagrees with you that they don’t understand your argument? These two things can exist at the same time.

    Yet since you seem to be bothered by it. I will address it. The comment I made regarding your “high and mightiness” was because you said something like how you couldn’t believe anyone would make the claim Chychrun is not injury prone. You expressed it in such a way that you implied those who make this claim are foolish even stupid. I felt this was directed at me as I was the one who made that claim the day before.

    It is not unreasonable to claim that circumstances happen. A player can receive multiple injuries over a period of time and have them all be unrelated. Chychrun’s injuries do not relate to one another. He isn’t like a Mat Murray who has constant injuries recurring around his hip/groin area for instance. The fact that a bone spur is being used to support an injury history is also kind of misleading as they can occur naturally with out injury and would be removed to prevent future injury and insure continual complete movement of the joint. (This was an ankle I believe) Now the Bone spur could of led to a recurring injury but it was remedied and is no longer a cause of future injury. In my mind it is no longer a concern. To those who claim injury proneness it remains a concern.

    Now I don’t disagree that teams and people will view his injury history as a negative in regards to his trade value. While Arizona will use Chychrun’s contract, age and position as pros in their demands for payment. If I was negotiating to get Chychrun I would use the injury history as a negotiating tactic myself. Yet I wouldn’t fear picking him up thinking he is prone to receiving more. Sometimes shit happens.

    It reminds me of Eichel. though not a recurring injury but the same mentality. Managers through out the league were concerned about how he would recover after surgery. I never shared this concern. I knew the replacement surgery would be the way to go that it was safe. I did acknowledge that like all things there was a small chance it would fail and the funny thing is, the fall back plan after disc replacement surgery doesn’t work is to fuse the disc like the Sabers suggested he do. However, fused disc results in a player who has to continue to deal with the issue and creates a recurring injury scenario. People with fused disc often have to have the procedure repeated post 10 years as it degenerates over time. This is not an issue with replacement surgery It appears Eichel’s disc replacement surgery went well and he is playing with no lingering affects. Surprise!

    You may think in you high and mighty views that someone like myself who believes Chychurn is not injury prone and that he has had a history of unfortunate unrelated injuries (beyond occurring while performing his profession) and that it is foolish to think these past injuries or new future injuries are not likely to occur any more frequently than injuries occurring in your average hockey player.

    I do not think your view of Chychrun being injury prone is foolish. I am not that high and mighty to make that claim. I simply don’t agree. Views like this are often felt by people as its and easy assumption to make with out looking deeper into the situation.

    Now if you any anyone read this all, I am also impressed. As I am not foolish enough to think anyone will.

    • Fine Jeff. Trying to make a point in text is never easy and, for the record, I did not intend that what I wrote was to suggest someone was “foolish or dumb.” So, do I remain convinced that Chychrun is one of those unfortunate players who will incur different injuries throughout his career? In a word “yes.”

      But, just to be clear, I have NEVER, ever suggested that Chychrun is not worth obtaining in a trade. What I have said – and from which I won’t deviate – is that he is not worth 2 1st round picks, a good roster player and a top prospect.

      And that’s the way I see it.

  8. E Bear can move the puck but he’s on the small side for a Dman if Bruins are looking I hope it’s for a Dman with toughness and size …. Thinking Carlo is one more head shot away from calling it a career

  9. I get why some folks insist on a right shot D playing the right side and left shot D playing on the left side, but it really doesn’t make a huge difference other than being accustomed to retrieving pucks on the backhand, quick corner turns and blocking lanes with one’s stick. Give 6 guys who shoot left or right exclusively and we’ll be fine.
    I’m pretty sure the big red machine only ran lefties for some time and they’re fairing well.
    Anywhoo, Jimmy Murphy and Haggarty don’t know the difference between F3 arrival and support and a can of BioSteel.

    • SOP

      I agree on the Haggs snd Murph evaluations Pretty sure neither held a hockey stick in their lives in any meaningful way

    • Although I agree that retrieving pucks on your backend can be a main issue, it’s the only one.

      Most D have a strong side in which they can pivot and cross over better. This is huge when your skating backwards and a fast player like McDavid is coming in fast on you. When he inevitably takes you to the outside, that Dman is forced to pivot and turn to try and keep up with the player, if it’s their offside, that pivot is usually much slower and not as clean.

      • Very true. Actually, ballet training helps with this, as it enables one to become more familiar with where one’s body is with regards to time and space. It also helps with the small reactionary muscles.

        We all have dominant sides of our own plane, but some nontraditional training methods have been known to help bridge the gap. Yoga is also beneficial.

  10. I can’t speak for everyone but the main issue I saw is upon puck retrieval in the corners where a lefty playing on the right has his back to the play, ie the winger rushing down the boards and has a disadvantage over a righty.

    • Not to mention the simple fact that a leftie skating up the left side carries the puck along the boards, rather than corralling it closer to the middle of the ice – if that puck gets chipped away from that player, at least the opponent has to start with it on the boards as opposed to skating down the middle of the ice with it. Small matter but such things can make a difference on any given play.