Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – November 6, 2022
Will the Sharks sign or trade Timo Meier? What’s the latest on Bo Horvat’s contract talks? Could injuries force the Leafs into the trade market for a goaltender? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup
WHAT WILL THE SHARKS DO WITH MEIER?
THE ATHLETIC: Eric Duhatschek recently wondered if Timo Meier will become trade bait at some point in this season. The 26-year-old winger enjoyed a career-best 35-goal, 76-point performance in 2021-22. He’s slated to become a restricted free agent next summer with arbitration rights and will be a year away from unrestricted free agent eligibility.
San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier (NHL Images)
Meier is earning an average annual value of $6 million but he’s earning $10 million in actual salary for this season. That’s how much it’ll cost the Sharks to qualify his rights unless the two sides agree to a new contract with a salary-cap hit.
The Sharks could attempt to shop Meier before the March 3 trade deadline if unable to re-sign him before then. However, his backloaded contract could turn him into a rental player if the acquiring club can’t afford the $10 million qualifying offer.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The question, as Duhatschek observes, is whether Meier can be considered a $10 million per season player. Another season with 76-or-more points could make that case, though there are players who had over 100 points last season (Matthew Tkachuk, Johnny Gaudreau) who agreed to deals worth around $9.5 million.
Duhatschek believes Meier will be an intriguing player in the trade market if the Sharks decide to move him before the deadline. He would draw considerable interest but that $10 million qualifier could dampen that enthusiasm and perhaps hurt his trade value to the Sharks.
NO PROGRESS IN HORVAT CONTRACT TALKS
SPORTSNET: Jeff Marek reports “there’s been no moving of the needle whatsoever” in contract extension negotiations between the Vancouver Canucks and captain Bo Horvat.
The 27-year-old center is slated to become a UFA next summer and is earning an AAV of $5.5 million. Marek believes people are starting to get curious about whether the Canucks will decide if his future is in Vancouver or elsewhere.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Plenty of time still exists for the two sides to hammer out an agreement before July 1. Unlike most of his teammates, Horvat’s been a reliable presence on the Canucks this season with a team-leading 10 goals.
However, the Canucks’ performance this season could also be a determining factor. If they’re out of playoff contention leading up to the trade deadline, management could decide that a shakeup of the club’s leadership is required. That could lead to Horvat getting shopped before March 3.
WILL THE LEAFS SHOP FOR A GOALTENDER?
THE ATHLETIC: With Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov sidelined by injuries, Jonas Siegel wondered if the Toronto Maple Leafs might consider shopping around for an experienced netminder as their third goalie. Current third-stringer Erik Kallgren is struggling to establish himself at the NHL level.
Siegel suggested the Vegas Golden Knights as a possible trade partner. Logan Thompson and Adin Hill have played well thus far while Laurent Brossoit is currently with their AHL affiliate on a conditioning stint.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Siegel notes the Leafs have some cap flexibility with Jake Muzzin on long-term injured reserve to acquire a third netminder. For now, they’ve signed Toronto Marlies netminder Keith Petruzzelli to an NHL contract to tandem with Kallgren. If he and Kallgren don’t pan out, they could consider claiming a goalie off waivers or going the trade route.
“Apparently, TOR has signed G Keith Petruzzelli to an NHL deal. He was on an AHL contract, but will now be promoted w/Samsonov injured tonight. Was 6-0 with Marlies this year” Freidman
A better solution for the Leafies would be to trade for Karlsson now and a goalie!
Karlsson (2.5M retained) + Reimer at $1.125M (half salary) for Nylander, Holl, 2024 1st
Hi JZ
With Holl in the deal, Leafs would have to give up 3 1sts (all unprotected)… LOL
Joking aside….. even with retention on Karlsson…. Leafs go from just shy of 1/2 Cap for top 4 and 58% on top 5 to…. 52% (top 4) and 61% , top 5…. it’s already a problem…. Problem got worse
Leafs would need to incentivize Grier (still have to convince Karllson BTW) to take 50% on Karlsson…. and WW, Holl, 1st will have to be upped substantially IMHO
Let’s not forget how “hands on” and antsy (to buy a cup) Foley is….. Leafs might need to compete with an offer akin to….
Karlsson (@ 50%) for
Martinez; Lechyshyn; Miromanov; Cotter; 1st (‘23) and 2nd (‘25)
if the Leafs trade for Erik Karlsson, and Yes they need a Top paring RD man as they dont have one in there top 4…with offence, thats Big a Leaf problem⁉️
The Trade
Erik Karlsson at 40% to 50% Salary Retained, $4.6M to $5.75M for the next 4 years by the sharks….❓
They the sharks are going into a big Re-build
-A first round pick, (not protected)
-RD d/man Justin Holl @$2.M
-Alexander Kerfoot’s salary is $2,700,000, cap $3.5M
San jose can flip at the deadline for a pick🤔❓
or
the leafs send a young Prospect like
Roni Hirvonen, or big Curtis Douglas……..
Hi Willie
With Holl forced to be in the deal…. It would need to be much more than that offer
Karlsson @ 40-50 % retained…. Is going to cost the equivalent of 2 1sts, plus more
Kerfoot at TDL might get a 4th; but including Holl, the deal needs to be kicked up quite a few notches
Also Karllsson has full NMC….. so would need to agree….
And if he is weighing going to Knights (1st in NHL…. Much higher chance at Cup, AND gaining $1.5 M per year TAKE-HOME) or Leafs (currently not in a playoff spot , and having to battle with Bruins and Bolts, and Cats; and the fast/young/surging Wings and Sabres; and the up and coming Sens; AND losing $400 K per year TAKE HOME compared to staying in SJ( so Vegas almost $2M more take home a year than Leafs] ; and weighing the “glass house that is the Leafs” vs “hiding in the Vegas strip “ crowd…. he just may very well tell Grier to not even bother negotiating with Leafs
Hovat to Wings!
Copp + Johannsson + 2024 1st could get him. Then sign him for 7 x $7.5M ……if he continues his pace he will be worth more, so it may be more prudent to get him sooner….
@JohnnyZ
Leafs are not parting with Nylander .
I am not qualified as per to my opinions on the Marlies goalie that called up – 6-0 is impressive though
Vegas goalies , I haven’t a clue either on their ability
It will be interesting to see if other people’s thoughts on here on this topic and if they are in pursuit of another top pairing defenseman
@ KEN
Good commenst ken but I disagree with NT trading Nylander …next year is his last year on contract and he will command 9 or 10 million like his peirs did this year and teh Leafs can not do that ….it is harder to trade that player for highest retrun in a last year of contract as well….YOU HAVE TO TRADE HIM and upgrade size on that wing ..IMO this year or they will loose overall value in the next year on his return …his HIGHEST value is this year …THEY HAVE TO UPGRADE THIS POSITION IN SIZE and or AGRESSION …. …somehow…
I would like either to make a pitch for 3 players …JT MILLER or …ALEX TUCH
Id prefer to move both Sandin and Nylander to Buffalo so Sandin can play with Dahlin
Trade scenario
Nylander for Tuch and Pilut
Sandin for Kyle Clague and a 2nd round pick
Trade scenario #2
I another move Id like to trade Nick Roberstson for William Carrier and a 3rd pick from the Knights ….
This will add great size to top 3 lines with scoring capabilities all around and ability to WEAR DOWN TEAMS in a series ….
New lines would be
Tuch Matthews Marner
Bunting Tavares Jarnkrook
Carrier Kampf Malgin
Simmonds Kerfoot Aston Reese
I would also move out Engvall for ANYTHING !!!
But that’s just me …LOL…
I would make these moves yesterday …IMHO
@Kal El
Completely agree about Engvall. Get rid of him asap.,
If the Leafs are to trade Sandin I’d like to see them get Soucy from SEA. They need to replace Muzzin’s minutes and Soucy would be a suitable replacement. Mete or Benn could fill Sandin’s minutes.
The Leafs are thin at LW. I don’t have issue with trading Robertson but in return they need a dynamic LW that can play 18-20 minutes a night today, not 1-2 years from now. Timo Meier from SJ would be a nice LW with Tavares and Nylander. JT Miller would also be a good fit as I believe he can play C too.
Leafs definitely need a NHL goaltender ASAP.
One great way to have a bad team is to pay $6 million players $10 million.
Or two $750 K value D-Men, and pay them $7.5 M cash ($6.25 M Cap) and $4.1 M (cash and cap); respectively
The longer the Pens cling to the past, the longer the rebuild will be, as their assets, and potential returns, deteriorate.
Agree Brock
Owners told HexBurkie that they didn’t want rebuild yet… so extensions and bad trades happened
I truly believe if they had moved Dumo and not done the Petry trade…. Pens win 4 of those last 7 losses…..that would put them in 6th place OA (they are currently in 25th)
Matheson is off for 8 weeks (min)…. So Pens would have had
Tanger Pettersson
Friedman or Smith and P-O J
Friedman or Smith and Rutta
then when Matheson returned, he’d swap in for Friedman or Smith
…. and with Dumo and Petry not in and when Matheson back….. Pens would have $5.4 M EXTRA in Cap space
Kappy re-up …. For longer term and higher Cap hit than he would have got at Arb!!!! Ouch
What happened to the Russian goalie signed last year but was lost in waivers to arizona
Is he a “seat filler” (to impress the huge [sarcasm abound] TV audience ) on the bench seats (with the marching band) in the barn?
He’s on staff… so no $25 seat revenue from him
It should be painfully obvious to duba’s that his team isn’t structured properly when Simmonds has to play when the opponent is the bruins.
Hi CC
unfortunately the “painfully obvious” does not move the Dubas needle
“ If he and Kallgren don’t pan out, they could consider claiming a goalie off waivers or going the trade route.”
Unfortunately signing the AHL netminder Keith Petruzzelli took up the last SPC contract which the Leafs recently gained when kubel was picked off waivers so they won’t be able to pick one up anywhere unless it’s a trade where bodies are moved out.
It seems Leafs goalie luck might be evening out… they dodged the Campbell bullet but now have 2 ahl goalies as their starters. The latest, a rookie, just a handful of games and the other 2nd year player who was supposed to be their ahl starter.
Let the good times roll!
If I was Columbus I would look at Horvat. He isnt a C that directly makes his partners better but he is an excellent triggerman and an ace on faceoffs. And Columbus has prospects to send to Vancouver