NHL Rumor Mill – November 23, 2022
A look at the early season trade targets in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
ANALYSIS OF THE EARLY-SEASON TRADE TARGETS
DAILY FACEOFF: Vancouver Canucks center Bo Horvat top Frank Seravalli’s first list of trade targets for 2022-23. He pointed out there hasn’t been much talk about a contract extension between the pending free agent and Canucks management since prior to training camp. Seravalli suggests “Colorado, Detroit, Boston and Edmonton” among the clubs that could use a top-flight center like Horvat.
Vancouver Canucks captain Bo Horvat (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford is in no hurry to decide what to do with Horvat. That’s understandable since the trade deadline isn’t until March 3 so there’s no reason for Rutherford to rush into a decision regarding his captain at this point.
Nevertheless, the longer Horvat remains unsigned the more speculation over his future will increase as the trade deadline approaches. We’ll find out in due course if those clubs mentioned by Seravalli actually get into the bidding for the Canucks captain.
Chicago Blackhawks forwards Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews sit second and third on Servalli’s list.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seravalli indicated the Blackhawks are expected to start a conversation with Kane in December to gauge his interest in a trade. He and Toews have complete control over their fates given their no-movement clauses.
Friedman wonders whether the Los Angeles Kings would make a pitch for Kane. He indicates they have the picks and prospects to make this move. Provided Kane is willing to accept a trade to Los Angeles, I question whether the Kings can comfortably afford to pick up the remainder of his $10.5 million cap hit.
Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun and Anaheim Ducks blueliner John Klingberg sit fourth and fifth on this list.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman reported the Coyotes are still asking for “two first-rounders (upcoming picks or recently-drafted prospects), plus something else.”
TSN’s Pierre LeBrun believes the Coyotes based their high asking price for Chychrun on what the Ducks received from the Boston Bruins last season for Hampus Lindholm. That package included a first-round pick and two second-rounders. He also cited the two first-round picks the Chicago Blackhawks received as part of the return from the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Brandon Hagel deal.
As for Klingberg, Seravalli reminds us that the pending UFA’s no-trade clause is lifted on Jan. 1. We can expect to hear his name more frequently in trade rumors between New Year’s Day and March 3.
San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier, Florida Panthers winger Anthony Duclair, Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov, Los Angeles Kings blueliner Sean Walker and Sharks rearguard Erik Karlsson fill positions six through 10.
Seravalli points out Meier’s expensive qualifying offer ($10 million) will have teams looking at him as a rental player than as a restricted free agent…Duclair is only on the list because the Panthers will have to shed salary when he’s ready to return from his offseason Achilles tear but he might not necessarily be the player who gets traded. He carries a $3 million cap hit.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Meier could be shopped unless he and the Sharks can agree to a new deal with a more affordable cap hit. Given his RFA status next summer, the Sharks can wait until the offseason to shop him if they don’t get any offers they like before the trade deadline.
As for Duclair, I think the Panthers intend to keep him after he rediscovered his game playing for them last season. They’ll have to shed around $3 million to become cap compliant.
Gavrikov is a pending UFA but I’m not convinced the Blue Jackets will move him unless contract talks go south before the trade deadline…Seravalli pointed out the Kings have a glut of defensemen. They don’t want to move Walker but he could be the odd man out given his injury history.
Karlsson would help any NHL club but, as Seravalli notes, his $11.5 million annual cap hit and full no-movement clause significantly limit the number of potential trade destinations. That could be a trade that happens in the offseason provided Karlsson is willing to waive his NMC and the Sharks retain a big chunk of his cap hit.
Blue Jackets center Jack Roslovic, Washington Capitals defenseman Nick Jensen, Blackhawks winger Andreas Athanasiou, Coyotes blueliner Shayne Gostisbehere and Sharks goalie James Reimer coming in at spots 11 through 15.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Roslovic’s inconsistency really hurts his trade value…The Capitals could peddle Jensen if they’re out of playoff contention leading up to the trade deadline. The same goes for Athanasiou and Reimer…I would place Gotisbehere higher on this list, perhaps in the bottom half of the top 10. The puck-moving defenseman had 51 points in 82 games last season on the offensively anemic Coyotes and has 10 points in 17 games this season. He should draw plenty of interest near the trade deadline from teams seeking offense from the blueline.
Canucks winger Brock Boeser, Blackhawks center Max Domi, New York Rangers winger Ryan Reaves, Canadiens center Sean Monahan and Pittsburgh Penguins winger Kasperi Kapanen round out the remainder of this list.
If the Canucks continue to spiral they could start unloading expensive contracts like Boeser’s…Reaves has been a healthy scratch in recent games. The Rangers wouldn’t want much in return as they’d prefer the cap flexibility.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boeser’s a scoring threat when healthy but his injury history could make him difficult to move…Domi would draw interest from contenders seeking a versatile depth rental…Reaves’ toughness should make him an affordable and enticing option for contenders seeking postseason grit…Monahan’s having a solid season (11 points in 17 games) with the Canadiens and would make a good depth center on a playoff contender…Kapanen’s trade value is so low right now that the Penguins probably couldn’t give him away at this point.
Kings would do good to not sell the farm to get the likes of Kane or Chychrun. Their problem is scoring goals is stopping goals. They need a scary shut down D man.
Walker is good and relatively cheap. Kings would be better off to hold onto him.
With Iafallo and Lemieux injuries, might be a good time to call up Turcotte and/or Byfield.
Meant to say, problem isn’t scoring … it’s stopping goals…
I get why Gavrikov is on this list. He’s a proven shutdown d-man who is a UFA at the end of the season. Of course, being a proven shutdown d-man is exactly why the Jackets are going to try to resign him.
With Bjork showing he’s capable of a solid two-way game and Jiricek likely to be called up around the All-star break, since he’s tearing up the AHL, look for either Boqvist or Bean (or potentially both) to hit the trade market after they return from injury.
Roslovic could be a good depth forward, since he can play all three positions, for a playoff bound team. Whether or not he gets traded depends on a number of factors, including whether Larson keeps his job beyond Christmas.
Boston could use Bo Horvat next season, I don’t see a trade coming for him this season.
At present the Bruins are setting their site on a final cup run for Bergy and Krechy.
Sweeney has his own ufa to worry about in David Pastrnak, who won’t be traded at the deadline signed or not.
Frank Seravalli’s method must be the same as Pengys where you have a bunch of players names on small pieces of paper and a board with a list of teams for those names to land on.
I don’t think he talks much to hockey executives at all by the looks of what he writes day in and day out…I bet he’s killing it on the page views though.
Once again no chatter about Ryan McDonagh?
One would think he would fetch a much better package than Nashville paid for him
Preds think they will contend in the next 2 seasons?
They probably do feel like they can contend soon because the West is so week.
San Jose fans – can you explain how Timo has a $10 million QO? I don’t see much of him being on the east coast. His stat lines are good, not great. I just don’t see him being anywhere close to a $10 million player. Am I missing something?
It’s the way his contract was structured. His average annual value is $6 million but he’s earning $10 million in actual salary in this, the final season of his contract. Because he signed that contract before the 2020 amendments to the CBA, he still falls under the old rule that made the qualifying offer the full actual salary in the final season of his deal.
Re; San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier Salary
The way his 4 year contract was set up was set up for his 4 yr $24.M contract.
$4.M
$4.M
$6.M
$10.M
For this year is cap hit is $6.M, But Salary is $10.M for this year,
Your 100% Right he is nowhere near a $10M player… more like a $6.M Winger… its a Money Grab⁉️
Leafs picked up a RD from Arizona – Connor Timmins, a 2nd round pick by Colorado in 2017 (32nd overall). Big Kid. Just 41 NHL games under his belt though.
Re; Bo Horvat
I think a number of teams may look to trade for him and try to get him Re-signed to an 8 X $7.M contract the way he has played this year is the best ever…..
Boston
will be top of the list as there two top Centres are Old and more than likely going to Retire at the end of the season..🤔
Patrice Bergeron will be 38
David Krejci will be 37, who came back for 1 more year,
A 1st pick and a Really Good prospect like RW Fabian Lysell
and a d/man salary dump like LD, Mike Reilly $3.M
Who could play for the canucks next year.
❓
No. We shouldn’t do that, Willie. Too much to give away. Just wait till July 1st and go shopping where it only costs money and not assets. You’re right on target with the style of replacements we need going forward though.
Wow Willie where do you come up with stuff like this (truth be told, stuff wasn’t the word I’d prefer to use but…) then defend it. Awesome.
The way Bergeron and Krech are playing not sure their done at end of year. Both easily could play a couple more years both think the game very well obviously.
Hello OBE,
Chatter over the summer 37 yr old David Krejci was coming back maybe for one more year….
and
38 yr old Patrice Bergeron signed a 1 year deal for $5M, $2.5 in Salary & $2.5M in Bonuses
Bo Horvat fits right in the with the younger Bruins the only thing they Dont have to take over is a 1st line Centre … 🤔 he is the youngest and best of the Centres avalable as a UFA in 2023…. im sure there will be at least 6-8 teams after him
and of courese the Maple leafs they are getting and signing everybody to a roster of 75++😂
Did Ryan Reeves get traded before or after this article?
What an unexpected mess the Senators are. I love all the people with hindsight 20/20 vision. No they weren’t gonna be perfect but they should be better than this.
Suckin hard, to get Bedard.