NHL Rumor Mill – November 4, 2022
The Canadiens are talking trade with the Capitals regarding a forward plus the latest on the Leafs and the Penguins in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
CANADIENS TALKING TRADE WITH CAPITALS AND OTHER CLUBS.
TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Montreal Canadiens have been talking about a trade with the Washington Capitals though they haven’t progressed beyond the discussion stage.
Montreal Canadiens winger Evgenii Dadonov (NHL Images)
Washington winger Connor Brown is out six-to-eight months, given the Capitals $3.6 million of cap space to work with. For now, they’re content to explore their internal options to replace Brown, including their recent recall of winger Sonny Milano.
LeBrun reports the Canadiens have also reached out to several other teams looking to create a trade market for their glut of forwards. He mentioned Evgenii Dadonov, Jonathan Drouin and Mike Hoffman as trade candidates.
MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marc Dumont suggested the Canadiens could grease the skids to moving one of those forwards by agreeing to retain 50 percent of their salary-cap hit. That would mean Drouin would only cost the Capitals (or another club) $2.75 million. Dadonov would come in at $2.5 million while Hoffman would be $2.25 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens have placed Dadonov on injured reserve for now though earlier reports claimed he was suffering from a non-COVID-related illness. They could demote Juraj Slafkovsky to their AHL affiliate in Laval because he’s waiver-exempt but it appears they’d prefer to keep the promising 18-year-old rookie winger in the lineup.
Dadonov, Drouin or Hoffman could also be placed on waivers and demoted if they go unclaimed, though that would only provide the Habs with $1.125 million in cap relief. The preference for the Habs seems to be getting their entire cap hit off their books. Dadonov and Drouin are eligible for unrestricted free agent status next July while Hoffman is signed through 2023-24.
Dadonov’s and Drouin’s pending UFA status could make them enticing to contenders as rental players, especially at 50 percent salary retention. The rebuilding Canadiens could seek a draft pick or a prospect for either guy or perhaps a young, affordable defenseman.
The problem, however, is Dadonov, Drouin and Hoffman aren’t playing well this season. Maybe their production would improve by joining a playoff contender with a deeper roster but that doesn’t make them any easier to move.
LATEST LEAFS SPECULATION
TSN: Chris Johnston speculated the Toronto Maple Leafs could be in need of a defenseman if Jake Muzzin should become sidelined for the season with a neck injury. That would provide them with additional cap space ($5.625 million) to play with.
THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun believes the Leafs should go the trade route if things don’t improve instead of making a coaching change. He acknowledged the difficulty of making moves this early in the season under a flat cap but pointed to the recent moves made by the Vancouver Canucks in acquiring center Jack Studnicka and defenseman Ethan Bear. “Nothing big, but they’re tweaks that could help the team,” he wrote.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: LeBrun wrote this before the Leafs’ win over the Flyers on Wednesday. Nevertheless, he thinks it’s too early for panic in the Toronto market and anticipates they’ll soon reverse their fortunes.
As for Muzzin, the Leafs are still awaiting clarity on his condition and how long he could be sidelined. If he’s out for the season, however, I think they’ll go shopping for a suitable replacement, preferably by the March trade deadline when the market has improved.
NO TRADES COMING FOR THE PENGUINS?
THE ATHLETIC: Following the Pittsburgh Penguins’ loss to the Buffalo Sabres, Josh Yohe wrote that he didn’t expect they’ll be making a big trade anytime soon.
“Who are they going to trade? Who would they be willing to part with that another team would covet,” wrote Yohe. He believes the only solution to their six-game losing skid is for them to start playing better.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: After winning three of their first four games and picking up points in each of those contests, the Penguins have been in free fall. Their best players simply haven’t played like it for long stretches. Worse, they’re looking slower than their opponents, which could be the kiss of death in a league that’s trending toward speed and skill.
As for trade candidates, Pierre-Olivier Joseph was a frequent topic of media trade chatter throughout October. However, the 23-year-old defenseman hasn’t been mentioned much recently in the rumor mill over the past week or so. Regardless, he won’t fetch the type of significant return the Penguins need to shake things up and reverse their fortunes.
Maybe the Capitals are thinking Lars Eller 2.0 in form of Armia? I could understand if they were sniffing around Monahan but the Habs are eating those three contracts mentioned above. Drouin’s history is too long. Hoffman has been terrible since arriving in Montreal.
I doubt that there is any interest in Drouin, Dadonov, or Hoffman around the league. Montreal would have to add a sweetener even with 50% retained, and a bigger one to offload their entire cap hit. I think they will probably wind up hanging on to Drouin and Dadonov for the whole season and let them walk afterwards, and consider adding whatever is needed to get rid of Hoffman so his cap hit isn’t a dead weight for another season.
The 3 players have 1 goal between them.
Im sure Montreal would like to move on from them, none of them at present would be taken at full contract and the return would be mininal at the moment.
Dadanov still put in 20 goals last year. I’ve seen other guys get huge contracts or a lot in assets in a trade back after that. Has he fallen off that bad or is it he doesn’t contribute much else if not scoring?
Under no circumstances should HexBurkie consider moving P-O J…. Absolutely no circumstances
6 game losing streak…. Best Pens D during that time …. Pettersson; then P-O J (note…. Thise 3 are Pens youngest 2 D on the 23 man roster)
Petry is just doing awful and taking bad penalties… he just must not be in the line up right now
Dumo has lost it
Rutta has been inconsistent
Tanger was off sick; but when in; paired mostly with Dumo…. could be part (most ?) of his woes
Pettersson has impressed so far this year
P-O J is performing above his expectations
If they can’t trade either Petry or Dumo…. sit Petry (he has an NMC so can’t go to WBS) and demote Dumo to WBS
Bring in Smith and Freidman
Tanger/Pettersson
Freidman/P-O J
Rutta/Smith
Lol. Sit Jeff Petry and send Brian Dumoulin to Wilkes. Neither of those things is ever going to happen. Ever. I can usually ignore these ridiculous rants but c’mon man.
No negative Zucker comments. Some of this has to be his fault too, no?
Agree Randino that Sully extremely unlikely to do that… but it is a viable able solution
Dumo struggled last year and is again struggling this year…. Dumo down and Friedman or Smith up… actually saves cap…. Buried Dumo cap > than EITHER Freidman OR Smith individual cap hits
Petry started out so so; had a nice game; then so so… last 6 …. Ouch
He (re contract) can’t be sent down; but CAN go to press box
So is it the right move… yes
But this is Sully that allowed JJ to play throughout; INDIVIDUALLY costing 8 games; and sharing in 3 others. Sully refused to sit him a game… actually only sat him 1 shift all that last year (note Sid was sat for 3 or 4 shifts that year)
Then playoffs…. Finally sat JJ for a game; D played great… but team just couldn’t get a victory…. Sully brings him back … and he alone causes the loss… and lest we not forget the penalty; then coming out of the box only to get an interference call 10’ from Penalty box; and 2 seconds after hr left it…. Sully didn’t even bench him for that
So…. Yes Randino…. Odds that Sully does the right thing in this …. About the same as Yotes odds of Cup in ‘23
Now… HexBurkie can trade either Dumo or Petry without Sully input
Will they????
Something has to change…. The moves/extensions over last 5 months clearly moved any rebuild down the road…. missing playoffs this year…. devastating IMHO
Re Zucker resurgence …. That has surprised me. I’m hoping he keeps it up… fingers crossed
That said…. With the media bandying a Kane acquisition (@50 %) and Zucker (and futures going the other way..see below)….I’d be OK with that
https://thehockeywriters.com/penguins-blackhawks-potential-trade-partners/
Thanks for Marino!
Pengy, you’re right about Dumo and last year. He seems to have definitley lost a step. You’re also right that sully is not going to sit either of them.
LOL as well … sit Petry? utterly ridiculous … Pens had a chance to rid themselves of Kris LeTurnover and resigned him until he turns 41 … Doumalin is scuffling, he’s the one who needs to sit … Pens real problem is their 3rd & 4th lines … no scoring and zero energy … I can’t believe Brian Burke is putting up with having zero physical players on the team … he must have no or little say in the roster construction. Josh Archibald and Brock McGinn??? An old and slow and injured Jeff Carter? Kasperi Kapanen has 3 goals in his last 50 games! Rutherford traded a #1 for him and another #1 and Cale Addison for Zucker… those two trades have set the team back to where they are now. And now Jarry & DeSmith aren’t playing well. Pens are a mess.
Pengy agreed..Peterson Rutta Joseph have been decent.
I can understand back to back losses on the road at Edmonton Calgary but crap losses at Vancouver and Seattle when you shod b fired up and the blow a 5- 2 lead at ho.e to Bruins..awful stretch right now.
Im going after John. Gibson and jakob chychrun whatever it takes.
Also players like Max comtois 23 Anaheim
Max domi 27 Chicago 4 goals 3 assists 10 games could help this pathetic l
No heart li e up
Regarding the Habs & Trade dead line moves,
Drouin@$5.5M Will be Very Very Tough to move❓
Dadonov @5.M, RW/LW can be a great 3rd line addition for a contender who can score✔️
Paul Byron @2.8M RW/LW a good depth-4th line addition for a contender, they will have to move him at -75% SR to beef up the 3rd & 4th lines for a playoff Run
Hoffman maybe a bit harder to move as he has one year left at $4.5… however if he starts playing beter and Scoring like Hoffman can…100 goal over the past 4 season… 🤔
He could well be a Great adition to a contender 3rd line and the PP⁉️ it could cost a team a mid round pick but they would have to retain 75% SR just for this season to get Hoffman…
His new team would be on the hook for the last year of his contract @$4.5M….❓
if they could get this done it would give them
$13 to $17M in Cap space plus if the caps go’s up $4.5M that would give them over $20M to help look for a future starter goaltender,
and Sign
“Cole the goal Caufield” To a 3 year bridge deal or Long term deal………⁉️
You can not retain for only one season . Retention is for the rest of the contract and maximum is 50%.And a team can only retain on the three contracts at any one time
Byron hasn’t played a game all season: he is on LTIR and probably will retire when his contract is up at the end of the season…
I would assume that Monahan is their biggest trade chip, and could net the most return (since he is on an expiring contract; it makes sense for them to retain). I doubt the Canadiens will retain on Hoffman’s longer term deal.
Drouin and Dadanov would need retention, and while even then they may be a tough pill to swallow, never underestimate a GM’s ability to do something stupid. We see it time and time again. And as Brian Burke always says, “They only give out one Stanley Cup per season.”
Wouldn’t mind seeing Dadonov or Hoffman on the third line for the Pens. It’s really struggling right now.
Agreed dadinov..could provide depth