NHL Rumor Mill – December 10, 2022
The latest trade speculation about the Canadiens Joel Edmundson and Josh Anderson, skepticism over the Oilers’ rumored interest in Erik Karlsson and an update on Jesse Puljujarvi in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
LATEST ON EDMUNDSON AND ANDERSON
MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marco D’Amico recently cited TSN’s Ryan Rishaug and The Athletic’s Arpon Basu discussed how the Canadiens’ Joel Edmundson would be a good fit with the Edmonton Oilers’ blueline and what it might cost to acquire the veteran defenseman.
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Joel Edmundson (NHL Images).
Basu believes Edmundson would be a better option for the Canadiens to acquire a first-round pick than center Sean Monahan, citing the 29-year-old’s playoff history. If that’s not possible, they might accept a former first-round pick, prompting Rishaug to suggest prospect Xavier Bourgault, who was chosen 22nd overall by the Oilers in the 2021 draft.
In a follow-up piece on Edmundson’s trade value, D’Amico responded to those skeptical over Edmundson fetching a first-round pick or a former first-rounder. He cited the return the Canadiens received from the Florida Panthers for Ben Chiarot at last season’s trade deadline as one example.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes also got a first-rounder from the Calgary Flames for Tyler Toffoli last February and convinced the Flames to include a first-rounder when he acquired Monahan in August.
That’s raised expectations among Canadiens fans that Hughes can pull this off every time he flogs a player in the trade market or acquires one from a club looking to shed salary. They should prepare themselves for the possibility that he might not get a first-rounder for Monahan or Edmundson though I don’t rule it out. Still, landing a promising prospect who can fit well within their system could be just as worthwhile.
A recent episode of the “Ray and Dregs Hockey Podcast had TSN’s Ray Ferraro and Darren Dreger discussing the speculation around the league over what the Canadiens will do with Josh Anderson. Dreger believes any team in the market for a scoring forward would look at the 28-year-old Anderson.
Both analysts agreed the Canadiens aren’t in any hurry to move Anderson as they don’t have any salary-cap issues to deal with this season. Dreger felt the winger could be a good fit with the New Jersey Devils but the cost of the trade could keep the two clubs from reaching an agreement.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s a sense that Hughes will peddle Anderson sooner or later. He’s signed through 2026-27 with a $5.5 million annual cap hit and an eight-team no-trade clause. That’s a move that seems more likely to occur in the offseason when teams have more salary-cap flexibility.
UPDATE ON THE OILERS
OILERS NATION (stick tap to Kevin Littlefair): Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli dismissed a rumor from TSN’s Darren Dreger regarding the rumored interest in San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson among some in the Edmonton Oilers front office.
Seravalli said the report of the Oilers’ supposed interest in Karlsson came as news to the Sharks’ front office. He also pointed out the difficulty in moving the 32-year-old blueliner’s contract. If the Sharks retain any portion of it, Seravalli doubts they’ll get much of a return and if they don’t retain any of it they won’t get anything.
He also believes the Oilers would reject an offer of Karlsson with 50 percent retained salary in exchange for Jesse Puljujarvi because they still have to re-sign Evan Bouchard next summer.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’m summarizing the key parts of what Seravalli said but I agree with his overall assessment. It’s worth noting that he wasn’t disparaging Dreger’s report but merely doubted that the Oilers could afford Karlsson.
Would the Oilers like to have Karlsson on the blueline? Of course they would, who wouldn’t? However, his hefty contract (assuming he’d waive his no-movement clause) makes that deal almost impossible to pull off.
Speaking of Puljujarvi…
NHL WATCHER: cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman saying the Oilers have tried moving Puljujarvi in the past but didn’t receive offers to their liking due to his lack of production. Given the winger’s recent comments questioning whether he has what it takes to be an NHL scorer, Friedman thinks they might not have much choice but to move him for the best deal they can find.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Puljujarvi’s comments could further tank his trade value. While he’s under a one-year contract worth $3 million, there might not be many takers for a once-promising winger filled with self-doubt over his scoring ability.
My how time changes. As early as last year JP could have been swapped for DeBrusk Thank god that never worked
Puljujarvi has been given plenty of opportunities in Edmonton. Not sure he’s really earned them…?
Perhaps it would be wise to send him to the AHL and see if he can regain his confidence? Puljujarvi has all the physical tools to be a good player but a lack of confidence could be undermining all that.
Holland should have taken whatever he could get for Puljujarvi in the summer.
Disagree Daryl, JP is a useful NHL player. He is struggling to score and maybe never will to a top 6 level. I dare say unlikely, but he can play on my 3rd line all day and he will start to chip in offence again. The guy is a very good defensive player who is big and hits more than any Oiler.
But at $3M he is overpaid unless he produces more than he is. So if the choice is to trade him for a mid round pick or keep him for playoffs, keep him.
I can also see him included to make $ work on another deal, and signing an extension with new team at a reduced salary.
There is a player in there, hopefully for him he figures it out. Seems like a super good guy.
Good post Ray. Was about to post something similar when I saw yours. Unfortunately for Puljujarvi, his NHL totals to date, when looked at in the context an 82-game calculation (287gp 46g 57a 104 pts) works out to 13g 16a 29 pts, and while that would be viewed as quite satisfactory for a 3rd/4th liner costing no more than $1.5 mil off a hard cap, the fact he was a # 4 overall and is costing $3mil off the cap brings special attention.
Bottom line, and from the unfailing advantage of hindsight, he was a poor selection at the time with, of course, comparisons to some of the names selected later that draft: Matthew Tkachuk, Clayton Keller, Mikhail Sergachev, Charlie MacAvoy, *Jacob Chychrun, Tage Thompson, Trent Frederick, Alex DeBrincat …
Had he been a lone such example among Oiler draftees, chances are they might have moved on from him long ago, but unfortunately for them he’s pretty close in terms of draft years to another flop pick – Nail Yakupov – a # 1 overall who, by comparison, had marginally better 82-game average stats over his 350 NHL gp – 15g 17a 32 pts – and the most he cost anyone off the cap was $2.5 mil.
That might have resulted in Oilers mgt stubbornly clinging to the fading hope that Puljujarvi might still live up to being a # 4 overall pick.
Seems to me that, if he wants to continue his NHL career after this season, when he becomes an RFA with arbitration rights, it will probably be somewhere else, and at a cap hit a lot less than $3 mil per.
Edmonton Oilers hunt for a LD/man ?
What are they looking for sounds like a 2nd pairing LD d/man to play with RD Tyson Barrie as
Brent Kulak is more siuted to 3rd pairing LD,
The Habs big LD/man Joel Edmundson would be a good fit on the Oilers’ blueline as a big shutdown defenseman in a 2nd pairing, $4M Salary
A trade with the habs to include one of the Oilers top prospects C/RW Xavier Bourgault plus salary like A Jesse Puljujarvi $3.M & d/man Murray $750,000 to make the cash work❓
The Oilers are NOT… looking at Erik Karlsson and his $11.5M contract, they dont have room on the team for a $6.M dollar d/man contract❗️
A more realistic d/man contract is $3-4M range,
any deal now is money out money in with 24 of the current teams as they are All at the Max salary Cap unless of course there is a 3rd team willing to take on salary, then its gets messy…
Ther are a few LD/men avalable via trade,
Why would CBJ not give Jesse Puljujarvi a look with his old jr line mate Patrik Laine for the rest of the year ?
Gavrikov is a UFA and probably not going back same as Puljujarvi the cash works….🤔
LD men avalable
Vladislav Gavrikov, CBJ
Joel Edmundson, Habs
Jakob Chychrun, AZ
Or
The Oilers look at the UFA Market next year when they have more money & cap space🤔
If I’m the oilers I’m doing everything I can to get parayko from STL. What’s the cost?
Colton Parayko has seteled in St louis, he has a NTC for his whole 8 year contract,
Would love to get him home to Edmonton/St Albert but there is Zero chance he like’s it there to much that why he has the Full NTC.
What defenseman would you send back not named Nurse ?
Puljularvi has very poor shot(s) for NHL standards . Wrist slap snap and back . Good size good mobility and from all other respects a pretty good player. No confidence and pass happy.
Edmundson and Anderson for Puljularvi , Bourgault and Yamamoto . Likely have to add an upper round pick-2-3
Firstly, the idle chatter that the Habs should move a power forward that can score on a team that struggles to score is just that.
Nonetheless, re your proposal, SS:
Why on earth would the Habs want Puljujarvi, who recently was quoted as saying he doesn’t think the NHL is the league for him, and whom no NHL team seems to want? What value does he bring with his one goal in 28 games?
Yamamoto? A small player with one goal in 16 games. Again, why would any team want him, let alone in a return for Anderson and Edmunson?
As for those scoffing that neither Edmonson or Anderson would bring a first round pick, I repeat from a few days ago:
Any solid NHL player that fits the perceived need of a legit Cup contender can bring a first round pick in return. Cup contenders are high in the final standings and will get a low first round draft pick, little different from a high second.
If the receiving team can resign such a player that boosts their roster they get a guaranteed NHL player who contributes for the next several years of the trade.
That cannot be said of a late first round pick, which is always a gamble. We could play this game all day long but just as a sampler do the names of Kotkaniemi, Yakupov, or Nolan Patrick ring any bells?
Again, I ask: how many times must we be surprised that a GM gives up a first round pick at the deadline to start wondering why they do so, or are surprised they do so? Should we be surprised at sunrise tomorrow?
One of those three is not like the others…
Edmundson (salary retained) and a third to LA for Sean Durzi.
Many scoffed at TB for trading No.1 picks+ for Goodrow and Coleman but they helped them win their Cups!
Sjpp in the end, that’s all that matters.
Never any guarantee that a trade will work out.
If Boston traded Lysell and won the cup, i be ok with that.
If Boston traded Lysell and didn’t win the cup, i be wanting Sweeney fired.
Funny how that works .
Yamamoto was a first and not that long ago . There is also $9m in cap with Edmundson and Anderson . Picks only I don’t think will cut it. You can always let Puljularvi walk back to Helsinki next year. Personally I would keep Anderson. The demand for contenders will be for D and center
@SilverSeven
In complete agreement about Puljujarvi. It seems every GM in the league knows his value except Holland.
EDM would be wise to let him go just for the additional $3M cap space and roster spot.
Any contender needs depth on defence to make a long run in the playoffs. Injuries are bound to happen.
So Montreal wants to trade a big, physical, fast winger who is third in goals on the team, only behind Caufield & Suzuki??? Actual he leads the team with game winning goals.
Someone in the media wrote he doesn’t fit the Habs system & others decided, yah, yah that’s it???
I call BS on this rumour, but if they do move him , someone will pay dearly in compensation for his rights.
Caper
I do give TB credit for going out and getting different players after ‘19 when they realized that leading the league in points means nothing come playoff time. The Pens and Bruins are in similar situations. Trying to get one more Cup out of their all time greats. Puts them both in a tough situation because they are both trying to win now but they don’t want to leave the cupboard bare for the future.
Edmundson would be a good fit in Edmonton. But I think if he is on the market St Louis should look into bringing him back to play with Parayko again.
RCR
Total agreement.
I would be GREAT if the Blues could add Anderson as well. They would add some size and needed toughness. What the heck, the Blues can bring back Jake TOO 🙂
O’Reilly? Tarasenko? Krug?