NHL Rumor Mill – November 25, 2022

by | Nov 25, 2022 | Rumors | 20 comments

Which forwards could the Golden Knights target in the trade market? Should the Oilers attempt to acquire Kasperi Kapanen? Are the Wild in the market for more scoring? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TRADE TARGETS FOR THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Owen Krepps has Vancouver Canucks center Bo Horvat at the top of his list of six potential trade candidates for the Golden Knights to boost their forward depth. He admits, however, the Canucks could set an asking price that’s too expensive for Vegas.

Montreal Canadiens center Sean Monahan, Chicago Blackhawks forward Max Domi, Columbus Blue Jackets winger Gustav Nyquist, Edmonton Oilers winger Jesse Puljujarvi and Pittsburgh Penguins winger Kasperi Kapanen round out Krepps’ list.

Chicago Blackhawks forward Max Domi (NHL Images).

Krepps acknowledged the cap-strapped Golden Knights will have to shed some salary. One way could be shopping goaltender Laurent Brossoit ($2.3 million) as Logan Thompson and Adin Hill are playing well as the goaltending tandem. Another option could be shopping defenseman Alec Martinez.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I doubt the Golden Knights can free up sufficient cap space to acquire Horvat and they probably can’t afford the Canucks asking price in terms of picks and prospects. Monahan’s $6.4 million cap hit also probably prices him out of their market unless the Habs agree to retain some of his salary, and that will mean parting with a sweetener they probably can’t afford to give up. The same goes for Nyquist and his $5.5 million cap hit.

Domi ($3 million), Puljujarvi ($3 million) and Kapanen ($3.2 million) are more affordable and likely obtainable targets. Domi is the best of this bunch. While inconsistent, he’s putting up better stats this season (14 points) than Puljujarvi and Kapanen combined (nine points). However, the Golden Knights might not be able to outbid other clubs if he continues playing as well as he has for the rebuilding Blackhawks.

WOULD KAPANEN BE A FIT FOR THE OILERS?

THE ATHLETIC’S Jonathan Willis recently wondered if Pittsburgh Penguins winger Kasperi Kapanen might be a worthwhile “change-of-scenery flip” for the Edmonton Oilers. He pointed out Kapanen makes around the same cap hit as Jesse Puljujarvi and is signed a year longer. Willis noted he’s “better 5v5 scoring & finishing history, worse possession metrics.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kapanen straight up for Puljujarvi. Both might benefit from a change of scenery. Who says no? Provide your answers in the comments section below.

THE WILD ARE SEEKING SOME SCORING HELP

THE ATHLETIC’S Michael Russo tweeted on Wednesday that Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin admitted he’s looking for scoring help. However, he’s hoping the issue can be addressed internally.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Keep an eye on the Wild in the coming weeks. Guerin could be active in the trade market if he can’t find an internal fix for his scoring woes.







20 Comments

  1. Lyle, Guerin has to be a classic example of a GM trying to function in a cap world with one hand tied behind his back.

    While most other GMs are functioning under an $82.5 million cap, thanks to that $12,743,588 dead cap due to the Parise/Sutter buyouts, his limit is $69,756,412. That alone limits the calibre of what he can bring in through a trade unless he can swing a hockey trade whereby he gives up a player of equal cap value.

    Nor does it get any better next year and the year afrer that when those buyouts increase to $14,743,588.

  2. Yup. Do it. Yesterday.

  3. Swapping JP. For KK. Makes sense so that is the very reason why it won’t happen

  4. I gotta wonder if MIN would do Gaudreau and Dumba to the Habs for Hoffman and Dvorak?

  5. Always been a fan of Guerin, the player. So far, not a fan of his GM style. Buying out Parise and Suter…. talk about cash strapping your team. Choosing, MAF, as opposed to Talbot (Love MAF, but not sure that was the right choice to move forward) And basically telling the media that, “we don’t need Fiala or Talbot, time to move on”….. only thing he’s done well is get Karill to sign. And that’s a pretty big one, but that was more lucky that he was in the pipeline, than anything…..I how he gets a bit of humility into his GM- game.

  6. Should Oilers attempt to acquire Kasperi Kapanen❓
    A BIG NO……he is a Dud,

    JP contract is up at the end of the season, if they the Oilers cant trade him for a pick or player they Dont have to re sign him for $3.M in july 2023.

    Kapanen has 1.5 years left at $3.2M❓

    The Oilers Need to address there Top 4 Defence First

    • If I’m the oilers I’m looking at Robertson from the TML. What’s the cost?

    • McD! LOL
      I doubt there’s a fit there but if they aren’t going to play Robertson they should trade him.

      Hey no rumors regarding the panthers? They need to clear $2.5m to activate Duclair and what makes it worse is that most of their forwards are signed at a fair cap hit… they can move on from one of their top 4 d or give a good forward at a decent cap hit for nothing unless they want to move on from Duclair.

      Florida is basically forced to make a bad move…cap is working as expected, right?

      • Re ; Antony Duclair & $3.M cap hit

        Right now there are only 4 point separating Florida from 8th spot to 13th spot in the Eastern confrence

        they need to clear $3.M in cap space to bring Duclair back in December..?, But only the bottom 5 teams have +$3.M in Space so looks like a 3 team trade if the want to create cap space brining him back…?

        RW Patric Hörnqvist a UFA they would like to move but he is $5.3M and having a bad year 1 goal..❗️
        C Sam Bennett & LW Carter Verhaeghe are both about $4.2M
        After these 3…. if they dont move Duclair, it would have to be 2-3 players that =$3.M…. and there d is weak right now…..🤔

        PS
        BYU & Leafs Nick Robertson
        Oilers dont need a LW they need RW top 6….

  7. Does this mean Ryan Reaves wasn’t picked up by the Wild for his scoring touch?

    • Henry. Lol. He only scores when on TNT. For a cap strapped team, they were a surprise team taking that contract off NYR hands

  8. I find it fascinating that it seems only the teams that already have a lot of skill and firepower, and are right up against the cap, are the ones that want to add more firepower that is insanely expensive. Leafs, Oilers, Knights… do these rumours come about because no one will take them seriously enough to call them out?

    • theSaint, usually, when you do see names bandied about, they often amount to a collection of canoes – some not even experiencing water-contact yet – whose collective cap hits come close to or even exceed the battleship being sought.

      Rationalized by the reasoning that, if those canoes were on a team possessing a lot of skill and firepower, just that fact makes them a sure thing to make the receiving team better.

      • True. But a lot of teams are proving this does not work out. They then let those acquisitions go and suddenly the team improves again. IE Max Pacioretty and the Knights

  9. Hard to feel sorry for Florida, Ron. They knew heading towards this season that they’d have $6,575,000 in dead cap thanks to the buy-outs of Yandle and Darling to go along with the $9.5 mil handed to Tkachuk and the $1.2 mil contract of Colin White.

    Had Duclair not had off-season Achilles surgery his $3 mil cap hit would have forced them to make a cost-cutting deal before the opening whistle. They got 2 months of cap relief but now, with him due back soon, something has to give.

    Hardly a surprise development for them.

  10. Someone will take Duclair and likely will get a deal in doing so. The only other Florida option would be Hornqvist but that is a TD transaction at best and he has a m-nt.
    Bennett ? Reinhart? Don’t think so.
    What about Bob at 50% ?
    Panthers are in a tough spot.
    Maybe Duclair has a set back …nudge nudge wink wink

  11. Henry Richard

    Guerin acquired Reaves for “his biiiiiggggg personality. He’s got a lot of energy. He’s got swagger. We were missing that!” Now the Tyson Jost comments make sense!

  12. Ottawa should look to inquire Weager from Flames

  13. Bad trade for the Oil with regards to JP and KK.
    Kap isn’t a good player……at all. Fast? Yep. Anything else? Nope.
    Jesse is actually really good based on the advanced metrics……if you care about that, but he has great possession numbers, and way better potential. Remember, the kid is huge and it takes the big kids a little longer to get it all together.
    Now, if Jesse would only keep is tongue out of his nose he might start scoring.