NHL Rumor Mill – January 12, 2023

by | Jan 12, 2023 | Rumors | 45 comments

Updates on the asking prices for the Coyotes’ Jakob Chychrun and the Ducks’ John Klingberg plus the latest on the Blackhawks in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

UPDATES ON CHYCHRUN AND KLINGBERG

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the Arizona Coyotes remain patient on the Jakob Chychrun trade front. With the 24-year-old defenseman signed through 2024-25, they don’t have to move him before the March 3 trade deadline.

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun (NHL Images).

The Coyotes’ asking price for Chychrun is believed to be two first-round picks plus a prospect. However, LeBrun writes that they’re willing to be flexible regarding the quality of the prospect.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s also talk that the Coyotes are willing to accept a first-round pick plus a former first-round pick. The quality of the latter, however, will still have to be high. A first-round bust won’t suffice.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy also reports the Coyotes are willing to be more flexible on specific prospects with interested teams. The one constant is the addition of another 2023 first-round pick. Murphy also reported the Los Angeles Kings, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers have been scouting Coyotes games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Coyotes have just one pick (their own) in the first round of this year’s draft. It’s understandable why they’d want another as the 2023 draft pool is considered to be a deep one.

They’ve also got seven combined picks in the second and third rounds of the 2024 draft and four second-rounders in 2025 to draw on for trade bait if necessary. Perhaps one or two of those get added to a larger Chychrun deal if it comes to pass.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau listed several other Coyotes who could be shopped leading up to March 3. Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, goaltender Karel Vejmelka, forwards Nick Bjugstad and Nick Ritchie and blueliner Troy Stecher could become trade candidates. Proteau also speculated they could weaponize their cap space to become a third-party broker for cap-strapped playoff contenders at the trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gostisbehere, Bjugstad, Ritchie and Stecher are all unrestricted free agents this summer so it wouldn’t surprise me if they’re all skating on other clubs by March 3.

Vejmelka, however, has two more seasons left on his contract and is playing well for the Coyotes. I don’t see them moving him unless they get one hell of an offer.

THE ATHLETIC: LeBrun reports the Anaheim Ducks’ asking price for John Klingberg starts with a first-round draft pick. However, he doesn’t expect anyone will pay that much given the 30-year-old defenseman’s struggles this season.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: Lisa Dillman reports Klingberg knows that he’s trade bait this season. He’s also seen an improvement in his performance since the holiday break in December.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: LeBrun believes Klingberg, who tallied 40-plus points six times in his eight seasons with the Dallas Stars, could regain his form on a playoff contender. The Ducks would probably retain half of his prorated $7 million cap hit if a club meets their asking price. Nevertheless, I don’t see anyone parting with a first-rounder for him unless his production significantly improves over the next couple of months.

LATEST ON THE BLACKHAWKS

THE ATHLETIC: Scott Powers reports Max Domi would like to remain with the Chicago Blackhawks beyond this season. An unrestricted free agent in July, the 27-year-old forward inked a one-year, $3 million contract with the Blackhawks last summer.

Domi understands he could still end up traded to a playoff contender by deadline day. Nevertheless, he said he’d like to stay with the Blackhawks and be a part of their rebuilding program.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The well-traveled Domi seems to have found a home in Chicago. He’s been among their few bright spots in an otherwise miserable season, leading them with 28 points 39 games.

Blackhawks management could move Domi if they get an enticing return that helps them with their rebuilding process. However, I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of him coming back to Chicago next summer as a free agent.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: Charlie Roumeliotis wondered if Blackhawks backup goaltender Alex Stalock would draw any interest in this season’s trade market. He’s put up solid numbers this season with a 6-5-1 record, a 2.54 goals-against average, and a .923 save percentage. Stalock is also among the league’s best puckhandling goalies and carries an affordable $750K cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stalock could indeed draw the attention of cap-strapped playoff contenders looking to bolster their depth between the pipes for the remainder of the season. It’s difficult to tell right now which clubs would make that move but the picture should become clearer in about four-to-six weeks.







45 Comments

  1. Re interested parties in Chychrun per above

    Kings, Sens, Leafs, Cats; Oil

    Yotes want a first (actual pick) plus another 1st (can be former)…. Basically rules out Cats…. No 1st in next 3 drafts

    Sens for 100% sure would never offer ‘23 1st without lottery protection

    Oil (in playoffs now), aren’t guaranteed a playoff spot…. Would have to also have lottery protection

    Teams are now seeing what happened to Cats(did not lottery protect the pick…. And Habs sitting back and hoping for continued Cats’ slide to increase their Bedard odds) and trading firsts this year (unless you are Bruins or Canes) should ALL be lottery protected

    Free m the above teams; I think Oil would benefit most

    Giving it a ships ‘n giggles shot:

    1st (‘23, lotto protected) , Yammo. Schaeffer, *Ryan for

    Chychrun

    That’s 3 firsts plus depth UFA Fwd

    *adding to Yammo Cap to balance Chychrun Cap coming in

    Oil fans, thoughts?

    • That is still too much for Chychrun. That is an asking price for a true all-around number 1 d-man. Not an injury-prone borderline top-pairing d-man.
      IMO I would prefer to pay the price for Dumba.

      • Ho Kevjam

        Noted, he is injury prone, but Oil do need D upgrade

        How would you alter my proposal (for Oil) to acquire Chychrun?

        What offer should Oil make for Dumba (note UFA)

      • Remove both Schaefer and Yammo and stick with the single 2023 protected 1st with maybe Puljujärvi. Yes, I know Spec said no busts, but Puljujärvi isn’t a bust in the true sense of the word. He is a true NHLer and may benefit from a change of scenery. He is a good 3rd line with good puck position numbers.
        Schaeffer has the potential to be a good 3rd line agitator with good size. You don’t want to trade him. Yammo is a streaky player production-wise, but when he isn’t producing he is still doing the smaller things and working hard and fighting for the puck in the corners.
        It sounds like Dumba may be cheaper and is the better d-man IMO. The downside with Dumba is his contract and he’s a UFA at the end of this season.
        Right now Chychrun is a top-pairing d-man on one of the worst teams in the NHL. IMO that means he would be a second-pairing d-man on a playoff team. Why would any GM give two 1st round picks plus a top prospect for a second-pairing d-man? The Coyotes have worse defensive numbers than the Oilers with getting better goaltending. I am not sold on Chychrun being this defensive savour.

      • Agree on your points Kevjam

        I just don’t see your proposal of 1st (Lottery protected); JP and Ryan nabbing Chychrun

        Agree re schaeffer…. Should not move him…. But Oil absolutely need to do something re D now…. Could miss playoffs

        What’s your offer to Guerin for Dumba?

      • That actually seems pretty fair to me Pengy. Word in these parts is the Oil scouts and management don’t view Chychrun as the type of player they need. They score enough, and skate just fine on the back end. Problem is the type of player they need is really expensive too, and may not even be available.

        Gavrikov and Edmondson are the type they need and should cost less than Chychrun. But CLB is looking to re-sign Gavrikov and Edmondson likes MTL, and MTL likes him, plus he has another year left so they might just keep him unless somebody agrees to get hosed by Hughes.

        Chychrun makes the Oilers better today, much better, he just costs too much and has the same holes in his game that many other Oilers do. Turnovers at the wrong time in the wrong place. So an improvement, but not what they really need.

        Maybe he has improved that this year, and maybe the Oilers scouts agree. I dunno, don’t watch the Yotes.

        If he has, my guess is the Oil would have done the deal Pengy suggests by now. If I had to guess ARI is holding out for something like: 23 1st, either Broberg or Holloway, and then a guy like Yammo, JP or Foegele.

        Holland has no leverage right now as the Oil are treading water and everybody knows what he needs, and hope he over pays. They will wait til the end before they come down. The Oil need to go on a run and turn the heat down. And also prove they are a team worthy of their GM making a move for.

      • For Dumba, I’m not sure. I have been a Dumba fan since his time with the Red Deer Rebels. I have always said don’t trade a 1st round pick for a UFA, but I have a bias for Dumba. I’m not sure the Wilds need right now. If they are wanting a defence in return maybe Broberg or Barrie and a 2nd. Bourgault if a forward is needed?
        There is the issue of Dumba’s M-NTC as well.

      • All this chatter about who should offer – and what – for Chychrun – keeps avoiding the one salient fact based on his history.

        Should, for example, the Oilers, Ottawa, L.A., Leafs – whoever – come up with an expensive package meeting Armstrong’s approval and the deal goes down, followed not long after by yet another trip to the IR or, horrors, LTIR (NOT out of the realm of possibility given his history), what will we armchair GMs then be saying in these pages?

        And are those who might say “go for it” if Armstrong likes the offer then going to be magnanimous, in the even of another injury, and say “well, it was worth the gamble?” I bet not.

        Now, as matters currently stand, would he be a potentially very good pick-up? Yes, of course. But NOT at the price being demanded – under ANY bloody circumstances.

      • Prediction: Chychrun doesn’t get traded because GMs get smart enough to not pay such a high price for a guy who spends nearly as much time injured as he does on ice.

      • Hi Ray

        Agree… offence is not what Oil needs and parlay that with Chychrun cost; health; risk/turnover…. Yes Edmunson (in Edmonton LOL) is the better choice

        Kevjam

        Re Dumba and “Broberg or Barrie and a 2nd. Bourgault if a forward is needed”

        I do like Dumba but to me a lottery protected 1st is less in value than Broberg plus s second

        When you say Bourgault; are you saying in place of either Broberg OR Barrie or are you saying:

        2nd/Barrie/Bourgault OR
        2nd/Broberg/Bourgault

        Again, also s fan of Dumba…. But UFA; and large cap hit…, might be overpay

        George

        With you on that…, all trades are risk moves; any player traded for could potentially get injured game 1 with you

        All GMs will have a risk/mitigation strategy on trades and an associated tipping point /walk away offer for any deal

        Add to that , Cap considerations ; self interest (GM job security); player bias; owner AND fan pressure…. Deals and focus are complicated

        Personally…. For any team , the risk compared to associated ask for Chychrun, would have me low balling an offer and likely walking away from either the current firm stance ask or it’s likely high counter offer

        Good offensive player; young. Size. good Cap hit and for 2 more years

        But… injury history; and tends to be a D liability

        Take the cheaper route that has less risk (with associated lower expected performance)

        Multiple assets including 2 firsts….

    • Considering the asks from Billy from the Blues last year for Chychrun:

      Thomas or Kyrou, plus a pick
      2022 1st, 2023 1st, Hofer, Neighbours, and Bolduc

      Billy is bat crap crazy. The ask from the Bruins was so far out of the box that the Bruins said it was “cheaper” to acquire Lindholm for a 1st, and two 2nds, and a prospect.

    • Hi Pengy,
      I don’t think the Oilers Need a Chychrun type right now for the 2nd paring LD position.

      The Oilers need more of a Big Physical shut down defencive d/man type…like one of these 3 ….
      Habs Joel Edmundson, or CBJ Gavrikov or the Hawks Jake McCabe, would love to get one for a 2nd round pick, but i think its going to be a 1st pick and
      $3. salary going out in Pulijarvi going the other way…. JP maybe to play with Patrik Laine with Rebuilding CBJ🤔

      Pengy,
      part 1,
      if i was making a trade for Chychrun,
      it would be Nurse right up..⁉️ and the Oiler would need to make 2 trades to /Re shape the Defence
      if they dont get there *hit together,

      Part 2 trade for Chychrun $4.5M
      1-1st round pick,
      2-Broberg, LD
      3-Puljujärvi, RW $3.M
      and one more salary player to make the cash work for the Oilers, Minimum of $1.5M…❓
      Willie.

      • Hi Willie

        Fully agree… go less risky move; more D oriented D-man; less fragile

        Edmunson in Edmonton would work…. Must convince Habs

      • When you look at the Oilers defencenen and see names like Ceci, Barrie, and Kulak at the top of the list it doesn’t matter if Chychrun is considered an offensive or defensive defenceman he’s better than all of them.

        EDM is spinning their wheels with two of the highest scoring players in the NHL in their prime. You can tell Draisaitl is getting frustrated by some of his post game interviews.

        Their entire team defence needs addressing.

        If they have to include a 1st round pick to acquire a couple upgrades so be it. The first round pick is not going to help them this year or likely the next few years. They just can’t miss when they trade it.

        Puljujarvi had very little trade value in the summer. Couldn’t even get a 2nd round pick for him. He’s unlikely to get more at the TDL.

        If EDM can get a 24-27 year old legit top four D-man for a 1st, A-prospect, and Puljujarvi that trade needs to happen now.

        To ARZ: 1st pick, Schaffer, Puljujarvi
        To EDM: Chychrun

    • But it said no Busts. Yammo has been no where near the #1 drafted superstar he was supposed to be.

  2. other than Chyrchrun, none of the players listed deserve a return of a 1st, including Klingberg.
    GM’s would be desperate to do so, but intelligence is usually lost on deadline days

    • Hi Mike

      Agree with possibly one exception….. outside chance Vejmelka gets an unprotected 1st…. 2 more years at $2.8M; numbers certainly not great re other starters, but look at team around him…. If hr is in Most other teams… that should boost him by 0.150 to .025….. so .918 to .928 …. @ $2.8 M for next 2 years; if you have struggling goaltending…. 1st (lottery protected) is not out of the realm of possibilities

    • You are right on both points.
      Only Chychrun deserves a 1st (and honestly, likely only one 1st).
      But your comment “intelligence is usually lost on deadline days” usually prevails over wise asset management.

    • Hi Pengy,
      The Hab’s need to clear cap space….JE is $3.5M
      They have 9 NHL d/men and too many young d/men, they are not moving
      Savard is a RD
      And they are not trading Matheson…..
      The only one is LD, Edmundson….

      They have lots of forwards to move , just not sure what they could get they lots of Dead Wood in Montreal….❗️

      • Why do Montreal need to clear cap space?

  3. If last year’s (stupid?) deadline deals are any indication, Klingberg will likely draw a 1st plus something else.

    • LOL … like it foleyd7

      Panicking GMs on TDL day typically lose their minds (or are on crack? OR both??)

      • The deadline day that ray shero traded for iginla I was at a Fridays at the bar and he was sitting across from me. On the phone the whole time.

      • Chrisms

        How many rounds did you buy him ?

  4. Proposal

    Dumo (39% retained) for Nemeth

    Zero cash and Cap difference this year

    Big gain for Yotes next year….. they are haemorrhaging $’s, must meet Cap floor next year…. Ideal contracts are cash Cap hit

    Nemeth next year owed $3.5 M; Cap hit of $2.5 M; Dumo UFA…, so no cash commitment

    Ideal for Yotes next year is to trade for (after SB is paid) Tyler Meyers…. After SB paid and escrow accounted for..,, Yotes pay ~ $900 K but benefit with $6 M in Cap hit

    Pens gain…. Get better on D now; and (relative to this year) save $1.6 M in Cap next year. The extra cash for Nemeth (Sal $3.5 M vs Cap $2.5 M) is irrelevant to Pens owners

  5. I think the value of Chyrchrun will drop slightly only because of the amount of good defensemen available.

    Teams that are tanking for Bedard will make most of their players available to get another pick in a very deep draft. On the flip side teams in the playoffs will be reluctant to trade their first this year because of the depth.
    One scout said the top end of last years draft would not go until the back half of this years draft.

    GM’s don’t turn stupid until the day before deadline day.

    • Hi FF

      RE “will be reluctant to trade their first this year because of the depth.”…. agree…. Most first offers would be ‘24’s ; however teams like Bruins (likely offering up 31st or 32nd OA)…. Might believe some player is worth it

      Re “GM’s don’t turn stupid until the day before deadline day.”

      Agree for the most part; however , there have been GMs showing profound stupidity in off season ; and mid season as well

    • “GM’s don’t turn stupid until the day before deadline day”. Au contraire, Flamefan. Say hello to Bill Zito of the Florida Panthers, who parted with a first-round pick in this year’s draft as part of the return for Ben Chiarot a full five days before last season’s trade deadline. If the Panthers win the draft lottery, that pick belongs to the Montreal Canadiens. Yikes!

      • Not to mention a couple of days later Zito traded a 2024 1st round pick to Philly for Giroux.

      • Lest we forget Jimbo on the morning of 1/7/18…. 5 year and overpay for a player that had no other offers…. We all know what happened from there

      • Said player left Pittsburgh and went on to win a Stanley Cup?

      • Hahah,
        Lyle and Pengy right on, the GM stupidity disease does infect some guys early

        Will be interesting to see who gets infected with it this year

  6. Tuesday I was watching the Ranger game and they flashed to the Arizona game showing Chychrun take a slap shot to his left knee.

    He couldn’t even stand on his own and struggled to get off the ice and was escorted to the locker room.

    Any update? Is his iron man streak lost? Nothing showing on capfriendly.

  7. So many keyboard strokes the past 2-3 months on this Chychrun guy. Somebody, anybody just make the trade. Enough, he ain’t no Bobby Orr folks.

    • Unfortunately, that’s the kind of return Armstrong seems to be demanding.

      • You can ask whatever you like, but that doesn’t mean anyone is buying.

        True story, right now on eBay,

        “ONE OF A KIND Cheetos Jesus Holding A Baby In The Sky.”

        For the low price of 49.99, but nobody is buying it.

        Something tells me that Cheeto is more durable than Chychrun.

    • Hi RR

      no one was, is, will ever be, another Bobby Orr

      But your point is well taken

      Ask is sky-high; # of viable suitors (for trade by TDL) low.., somethings gotta give

      Armstrong also runs the risk of the oft injured Chychrun, re-injuring himself…. Plummeting the value

  8. I dunno, RE: Ottawa and acquiring assets and players…it feels more and more realistic that nothing will happen until the off season and draft/free agency.

    The team is not really on any cusp except that of being .500 on the season. The acquisitions have looked pretty good and the young guys are definitely maturing and learning and gaining experience.

    The new ownership will very likely be announced sometime in March, and it feels like that will be after the trade deadline. I feel like Dorion will hold off on spending any money until he knows whose wallet the cash will be coming from.

    I expect Dorion to qualify Debrincat for a year, try to acquire some defenseman not name Chychrun, possibly re-sign Talbot or attempt another goalie in free agency, and try to cut off some of the extra fatsev.

    The new owners and a slightly higher cap will determine decisions. I see very little movement until then.

    I will HAPPILY eat crow if I am wrong though 🙂

    • I wonder about DeBrincat theSaint. He’s going to be expensive. If I’m OTT, and think he is worth investing in, I would be trying get a longer term deal done now vs just a QA he can accept at $9M and hit UFA. Is he the guy to invest $9M in long term? I dunno, but he isn’t scoring goals at the same pace as when he played with Kane, which is understandable. If he hits UFA is also likely gets that much.

      Anyway, if he won’t commit to long term, I think OTT should consider moving him this TDL when his cap hit is still lower and get some assets that can help down the road when they get closer to contending. Either playing for them then or as tradable assets.

      Carolina could use some scoring.

      • Yes good points for sure.

        I think I was entertaining the idea of a bridge and then seeing just how much the cap DOES go up in 2024. And a few of the dead weights being dropped at the same time.

  9. Re; Armstrong’s Wanted Return and whats in his corner of value today..

    1- 2.5 years of Chychrun’s Contract at $4.5M
    2- A Healthy 24 yr old 2nd paring LD

    Now we are talking AZ hear, They are consistantly not the smartest bunch in the NHL,🤔 GM is going to sit on this more than likly To Long….and its value going down and Not get a trade done till next year and to end up with

    – 1st pick in 2024? or 2025? when the relocate to
    Houston
    – Prospect of some kind
    – A salary swap of players

  10. My question is, if Provorov is available why are we even talking about Chychrun.

    Better player cost control for 3 more years and doesnt miss a game barely at all and yes is a top pairing Dman.

    • I wouldn’t trade him. I’d find him a capable partner.

    • No

      Privirov is 2 years older and has a much higher cap hit $6.75M

      Chychrun is in play because he wants out of ARZ and his salary is only $4.6M

  11. I am struck by the fact that a prolific writer like Penn can’t spell out oilers. Maybe he has a small keyboard.