NHL Rumor Mill – February 16, 2023
Check out the latest on Patrick Kane, Jakob Chychrun, Timo Meier, Vladislav Gavrikov, Jonathan Toews, James van Riemsdyk and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane must let teams know where he’s willing to go (if anywhere) and allay concerns over his nagging hip injury.
Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane (NHL Images).
Friedman thinks the Edmonton Oilers have reached out and the Dallas Stars have considered it. He also wondered about the Vegas Golden Knights while the Toronto Maple Leafs want to know if they’re in the mix.
TSN 1050: Carlo Colaiacovo recently said the people he’s spoken to regarding Patrick Kane claim the two teams on his trade list are the Rangers and Maple Leafs.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane has been playing of late like he’s still in a daze over the Rangers opting to acquire Vladimir Tarasenko instead of him. He seems to have acknowledged that his future isn’t in Chicago. The Rangers may have been his preferred choice, perhaps even his only one.
The Toronto Star’s Nick Kypreos believes Kane could shut it down this season for health reasons and focus on getting ready for next season. With the trade deadline just two weeks away, we’ll soon find out what his intentions are.
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman looks at why Jakob Chychrun hasn’t been moved yet despite being held out of the lineup by the Arizona Coyotes since Saturday for trade-related reasons.
Rumors have tied Chychrun to the Los Angeles Kings but nothing’s happened yet.
One theory has the Kings made a standing offer that the Coyotes deem insufficient, while another has some contracts needed to be moved and the two clubs couldn’t make it work. The Kings have also made clear that they’re not moving top prospect Brandt Clarke or promising center Quinton Byfield.
Friedman looked at other possible trade partners for Chychrun. He said the Boston Bruins have considered the idea but he doesn’t know how likely that is. The Winnipeg Jets and Columbus Blue Jackets could be destinations but Chychrun probably wouldn’t be happy with going to a non-contender in Columbus. Meanwhile, the Oilers, Florida Panthers and Maple Leafs appear to be out of the running.
There was speculation that Karel Vejmelka would’ve been included in the trade. However, it’s believed adding him to the deal made it too complex.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chychrun would be a great fit for the Kings. Coyotes management knows this, however, and seems to be trying to squeeze the Kings for a bigger return. Sufficient time remains before the March 3 trade deadline for the two sides to work something out or for another club to swoop in and meet the Coyotes’ asking price. For now, the waiting continues.
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes the Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils are pursuing San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier. The Maple Leafs have checked in and Friedman wonders about the Vegas Golden Knights and Bruins. The Dallas Stars have been mentioned but Friedman isn’t sure they can do it.
TORONTO STAR: Nick Kypreos also mentioned the Devils and Hurricanes but also wondered about the Winnipeg Jets. He points out they could have the fund to sign Meier to a contract extension with Pierre-Luc Dubois wanting out while Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler are on contracts that expire in 2024.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets coach Rick Bowness has praised Dubois’ performance and been quite vocal about his hope of convincing the center to re-sign. Maybe adding Meier and putting him on Dubois’ wing could convince the latter to stick around.
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports Vladislav Gavrikov doesn’t make sense for the Kings unless he signs a contract extension. The Blue Jackets defenseman has drawn interest from the Bruins, Oilers and Leafs to some degree.
Mark Spector suggested Gavrikov and Montreal Canadiens defenseman Joel Edmundson among his list of affordable trade options for the Oilers. They carry more affordable contracts than Chychrun or the San Jose Sharks’ Erik Karlsson. However, the asking price is said to be a first- and a third-rounder for both.
THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline believes the Blue Jackets set a first-round pick as part of their asking price for Gavrikov as a starting point but it could prove difficult to land one. They could also be in the market for a prospect or prospects, particularly at center. They could also retain part of Gavrikov’s $2.8 million cap hit or take back an unfavorable contract in return.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This could provide the Oilers with an opportunity to move Jesse Puljujarvi and get something in return. The Jackets will likely want a first-rounder or a high-quality prospect to take that contract off the cap-strapped Oilers’ hands. The same goes for the Bruins and Leafs if they want the Jackets to take on a contract in return.
MORE “32 THOUGHTS” TRADE RUMORS
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports all remains quiet on the Jonathan Toews trade front until he returns to the roster. He’s currently sidelined by an illness.
There are lots of discussions about the Blackhawks’ defensemen but it’s quieter about the forwards. They haven’t found a club willing to meet their high asking price for Sam Lafferty. Meanwhile, there’s definitely a belief that Max Domi wants to stay in Chicago.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jake McCabe is the Blackhawks defenseman garnering the most interest. He carries a seven-team no-trade list that includes every Canadian team except the Maple Leafs.
Potential suitors for Philadelphia Flyers winger James van Riemsdyk include Dallas, Minnesota, Vegas and Winnipeg. Friedman doesn’t believe they want to move Travis Konecny unless they get a significant offer. Defenseman Nick Seeler has come up in rumors but the Flyers might not be in a hurry to move him.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Athletic’s Charlie O’Connor believes the Flyers could get a conditional second/third-round pick for van Riemsdyk.
Arizona Coyotes defenseman Shayne Gotisbehere is among several options that could interest the Oilers. GM Ken Holland has said he’s wary of players with health issues, which is why Friedman thinks he’ll hesitate on Joel Edmundson or Detroit Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi, who’s drawn interest from Dallas and the Tampa Bay Lightning.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: For all the chatter about the Oilers looking into acquiring Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson, that’s a move I don’t see happening until the offseason. His $11.5 million cap hit is simply too difficult to move right now plus we don’t know if he’s willing to waive his no-movement clause to go to Edmonton. That’s why I see Holland considering more affordable options like Gostisbehere.
The Calgary Flames are looking for a winger who can create space for playmaking winger Jonathan Huberdeau as Anthony Duclair did in Florida. Friedman doesn’t see the Flames shopping MacKenzie Weegar but he wants to see how they feel about it later on.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I assume he’s referring to how they finish the season. He’s in the final season of his current contract with a $3.25 million annual cap hit and lacks no-trade protection. However, his eight-year, $50 million extension (with full no-trade protection) kicks in on July 1.
Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas is believed looking for a forward. He could also attempt to add a defenseman but his roster is deeper on the blueline.
It’s believed the New York Rangers are seeking as high a draft pick as possible for winger Vitaly Kravtsov.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: ESPN’s Kevin Weekes believes they could get a third-round pick or a prospect in exchange for Kravtsov.
The Wild could gauge the trade value of winger Jordan Greenway leading up to the March 3 trade deadline or at the June draft.
There is a high asking price for Sam Lafferty??? Bwahahahahaha
The asking price is high for Lafferty because several teams have been calling about him. G.M.”s and coaches value what he can bring come playoff time. It”s not just about points!
Maybe a 2nd or 3rd pick for Sam Lafferty….🤔❗️
the oilers like him for the 3rd line
Jets need to diversify their scoring by getting a winger that plays inside or down low (Meier or JVR). I could see Meier as a long term solution to maintain a strong top six as PLD expected to be dealt at draft.
Also ideally add a third line center who could add some offence. Jonathan Toews would be ideal but not sure why he is on IR. Winnipeg media is enamoured with Adam Lowry but he would be better used on the wing as he holds the team back from having a legitimate top nine.
Yesterday Jason Gregor tweeted that the Oilers sent a trade offer for Karlsson and they haven’t heard back at that time. If the Oilers do acquire Karlsson there does need to be retained salary. There are conflicting reports about Grier’s stands on retained salary from zero retained to willing to retain up to 50%. Also, I don’t want either Bouchard or Broberg added to the package.
Here is the link to Gregor’s tweet. https://twitter.com/JasonGregor/status/1625938738537984000
FYI, Gregor does have an inside guy on the Sharks. His nephew plays for them. No, I don’t think Grier talks to Gregor’s nephew about trades, it’s just an interesting bit of useless info. lol
The Kings should tell Armstrong that they’re done with him and move on to the Wild and Dumba. Although with the Kings in the same division as the Oilers, I would love them to weaken themselves by acquiring Chychrun.
The Edmonton Oilers should look at
Hawks Jake McCabe…….
This could be a big trade as the Oilers need a forward’s also, they have been looking at 3rd line
C, Sam Lafferty & RW Taylor Radish👌
Trade
▶️ A 1st pick, & 2nd pick, Jesse Pulijarvi,
K Yamamoto, and prospect, Raphael Lavoie Or Carter Savoie for all 3
if not its a 2nd & Pulijarvi for Jake McCabe
The Ask for Erik Karlsson is just Way to Much..⁉️
He will be 33 in a few months,
EK is like a China Cup and Very Fragile… look at the last couple of years…
hope the Oilers dont go this way the Above 3 would work much better…..
The past 3 seasons
RD, Erik Karlsson, 40, & 22 & 35 in points
Is that much better than
RD, Tyson Barrie ? 39, 48 & 41 points ….
ok this year he is have a good year but Really…..
Don’t Do it Oilers…⁉️
Maybe re look the AZ team to see what they are asking for Chycrun now…❓
Or
Shayne Gostisbehere LD/Rd …. if they are looking for a puck mover at lesser cost maybe Jesse Puiljarvi & A 3rd pick for Gostisbehere deal
then do a trade with the Hawks for 3rd line
C, Sam Lafferty & winger RW Taylor Radish who played with connor back in jr 🤔❓
One of McCabe’s biggest weaknesses is his skating. His defensive play is also comparable to Gavrikov. He is a hard no from me.
Holland needs to be patient right now. Wait for some of the current bubble teams like Florida to fall further from the playoff line and become sellers. They will have better players to sell off. That will also me more players to choose from and price will come down.
It’s believed that McCabe has all Canadian teams except Toronto on his “no trade” list.
As per rumours…if ARZ is willing to retain on Chychrun why wouldn’t the Oilers try that route? While not the same type of D-man as Karlsson Chychrun is much younger and would require less assets to acquire or try to move to fit Karlsson on the roster. Oilers are in “win now” mode. A couple firsts aren’t going to help them until McDavid and Draisaitl are in their 30’s
Patience is the key!
Number 8 on Frank Seravalli’s trade target list is who the Oilers need to target hard!!!
https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/blackhawks-jonathan-toews-tumbles-outside-of-top-10-in-latest-trade-targets
Carson Soucy!!!
Hey KevJam,
Who is your Top 3 LD men for the Oilers as LD is what we really Need,..❓
Ken Holland is slow maybe to Cautious in Trade’s and can miss out on the right thing,
Both AZ and SJ what to get a deal done asap, same with the Hawks….
Florida has no LD man that would work for the Oil,
The Nashvile preds maybe out too & have
Ryan McDonagh & Mattias Ekholm Both at
32 & 33 yrs old, Getting payed $6.25M & $6.7M
for 3.5 more years So they are both out❗️
I really hope we dont give away the farm for RD man Erik Karlsson thats a Bad and Expencive move
What i like about Mcabe is he is a steady d/man moves the puck well out the zone and the can play both LD & RD and he is signed for 2 more years at $4.M
Maybe re look the AZ team to see what the latest is on Shayne Gostisbehere LD/Rd and
Jakob Chycrun ❓
IMO Chychrun is at the same level as Bouchard. Last season was Bouchard’s first full NHL season and he got 40 points. It took Chychrun 5 seasons to get his first 40-point season.
As per Puck IQ
Percentage of ice time against the strength of competition.
Bouchard – Elite 17.8%. Middle 40.9%. Lower 40.3%
Chychrun – Elite 26.1%. Middle 33.6%. Lower 40.3%
Bouchard – Corsi 57%. Fenwick 56% (5on5 from Money Puck)
Chychrun – Corsi 50%. Fenwick 50% (5on5 from Money Puck)
Carson Soucy is a LD.
Carson Soucy should be the Oilers #1 target.
Willie w, honestly these are terrible homer trades. Puljujarvi is an overpaid 4th liner, the Oilers will need to pay to get rid of him. I don’t know why you keep including him as a positive asset the Oilers own. Puljujarvi and a 2nd for McCabe isn’t even EA Sports worthy
Hi KevJam,
would love to get local boy Caron Sucey.👍
i dont see them moving him they really like him in Seattle,
But if they fall below the cut of line and that could very well happen with how the oilers have inproved over the past 10/12 games
if and i dont know if it will be the flames⁉️ it maybe Minnesota go on a winning streak
if they may want to Trade Sucey before they loose him as a UFA … maybe for a 3rd pick & a player of equal dollar value dare i say JP….😳
he is going somewhere, JP not on the ice at practic this am…
Nick Leddy for the Oilers. Solid puck mover, with offensive ability, and isn’t awful defensively. He’ll be motivated. Blues are sellers. Stop peddling Poopliarvi. Pay the price get a good D man.
Maata re-upped… 2 @ $3M??
They got their Olii. The cost doesn’t Maatta.
Excellent!
Nice one … LOL
Nice move by the Wings. Maatta has been a very pleasant surprise, and has fit in well on our 2nd pair. I’m glad we are keeping him.
So, if Rangers were the only team Kane would accept a trade to, wouldn’t any return be better than no return? As Kane stated: he has a ntc, not a 6 team ntc. He doesn’t need to do anything. Assuming NY has no interest in Chychrun,( who I think is a bigger need) I wouldn’t rule out Kane still being in mix. Tarasenko is playing on top line with Zib and Kreider. Vesey is currently RW on Trochek/Panarin line. Could easily move Vesey down to 4th. Rangers would need to get a 3rd team involved for cap purposes.
That wouldn’t be very good for the rest of us.
The Lightning, Leafs,Canes, and now the Rags are all serious contenders. The Rags scared the crap outta me by adding another trigger man. The thought of the Canes adding more firepower is also a downer for me.
The East is a beast this season.
Ya SOP, it was tough enough already, now getting tougher. Rags are a tough out because they are a hard team, and their hard guys can play. And a great tender. And they can defend.
Add the snipes, and they will be a problem.
West is looking pretty wide open right now. If Avs get healthy, still team to beat IMO.
I like the Kings, Ray. They have great depth up front, and they all come to play. Goaltending is suspect, but they’ve got a guy who’s been there before and is more than capable of shutting the door for an extended period.
Kings know how to play, but ya need tending.
Same for the whole Pacific?
Oil can play, have elite scoring who were dominant last year in playoffs. But their tending is actually worse this year than last when they had Smith and Koskinen. So need one of their guys to step up, that looks to be Skinner these days. Campbell played well for a couple weeks, had a tough one last night again.
Same with Vegas who lost their starter, heard Broissoit is healthy for the first time in a while and starting to feel like he has found it. We’ll see. He can be good.
Seattle is hanging in there, and their biggest issue is in net as well.
Calgary- Markstrom has been brutal, so Vladar becomes the starter and hope?
Crazy division.
@Shoreorrpark
If B’s add Barbashev….thats not good for the Rangers
Barbashev will cost us, Fredric, maybe more. I’d do it because I like the formers’ offensive ceiling more than I like the latter’s toughness and grit.
Alot of people are forgetting New Jersey. I would say the Bruins, the Lightning, Canes, Devils, Knights or Kraken. I don’t see the Leafs making it out of the conference, maybe even their own division (Bos,TB)
confused my friend
‘Chychrun,( who I think is a bigger need)’
a 4.6million dollar 3rd pair D? Lindgren is not moving away from Fox and Miller is only getting better
slick seems to ignore my posts anyways
I agree ds,
I think they need Chychrun like they need a hole in the head. 2nd highest scoring d needs to add a guy on the 3rd pairing putting up points?
The other day I compared it to Yandle and Shatenkirk. But actually it’s worse because at the time NY had those 2 they needed PP qbs. So they had 3rd pairing pp guys. Now , they have Fox, Miller and Trouba so it just makes zero sense.
More importantly as I pointed out last time, where do they fit that cap next year? Chytil and Miller are getting at least 6-7 combined. After that, there isn’t much room to re-sign or replace the other UFA’s or rfas.
My opinion, NY should concentrate on a 4th line center and winger for depth and move on.
Captain Obvious
agreed
at minimum need a 4th liner or 3rd line who this coach trusts.
this summer will be a tough one for the Rangers with new deals for miller, chytil , kakko and laf+
Kakko has one more year remaining.
The other 3 will cost 9 per combined? That leave 6 million. Take out 4.6 for Chychrun? NY has 1.4 no now sign 5-6 and a backup goaltender.
Answer, trade away Miller and Chytil?
Please just trade Chychrun already…don’t bleeping care where….so tired of his name being rumored about.
Nobody is going to pay Anderson’s asking price. Until this sinks in he isn’t going to get moved.
Are you talking about Josh, cause if that is the case you are right, he is not available, it was only said that that’s what it would take to make Hughes even think about it. I think it would be time to get over it
Whoosh!
@Mike
Bill Armstrong
Sorry, I was mistaken about Coyotes Gm’s Last name.
Are teams allowed to retain salary for just some years of a deal?
For example, could SJ agree to retain 75% of Karlsson’s salary for this year in order to get a deal done, but then no retention in future years? The new team would then have the offseason and new year to figure out their roster/cap totals going forward.
Or does a team have to retain the same % for the entirety of the contract when traded?
If I’m San Jose, I don’t want to withhold any of Karlsson’s salary in future years, especially since his contract runs through 2027.
The amount of salary retained is constant throughout the length of the contract and is limited to 50% per year.
HI JZ
The amount of Salary retained is ONLY constant if the contract has a constant/same Salary
What is constant is the amount retained.. So the Cap hit retention is constant….
For instance if somehow (won’t happen) Grier agrees to 50% retention;
The Cap for both teams for 23/24 through 26/27 is 5.75 M
However the cash retention is:
This year @ TDL– approx. $500 K in Sal still owed; Grier retains (still pays) ~ $250 K and new team pays same
next year— $1M SB and $10.5 M in Sal— Grier retains $5.75M ; new team pays same
Following year $1M SB $10M Sal— both sides eat $5.5 M
25/26 split is down to $4.5 M each
26/27 only $3.75 M each
So… Grier agreeing to 50% retained @ TDL is on the hook for a total of around $19.8 M over 4 plus years (average $4.9 M) but Cap his constant at $5.75 M
This is the reason that Meyers contract will be like gold to Yotes (if they can arrange) come 2/7…. his SB is paid on 1/7; only owed then $1 M in Sal; and there is escrow….. Yotes need cheapest way to Cap floor…. they would get $6M in cap hit for only around $900 K in actually Cash outlay.
The amount of percentage of salary retained is constant throughout the length of the contract and is limited to 50% per year.
Correct 👍
Nope
Jesse Puljujarvi never hit Waivers today. He’s also not on the ice. What’s happening, Oil fans?
I heard they aren’t sure about Yamamoto’s health yet. He’s due to come off LTIR, but this same problem with his neck has been lingering on and off all year, so likely why JP isn’t on waivers. If Yamo is out come playoff time, they need all the FWDS they have.
Where he is today? I dunno, might be chasing the Bison at Elk Island again. Beauty sunny day today in these parts.
In my opinion you upgrade your team with defense first and that’s solid stay at home defend D men. Second you add grit and toughness hard to play against players. Third add goaltending if need be and than fourth offense.
I’d like for the Bruins to snag Conner Murphy. I’d pass on the Russian and the oft injured Chychrun.
I read that Yamamoto is good to go, at least, according to his coach and former child star of the great series, The Littlest Hobo, Jay Woodcroft.
They won’t give Puljularvi away and as a result won’t put him on waivers. Two of the 3 youngsters will be sent down. Until playoffs or injury. Too bad they all earned a spot . Hasn’t been hurting the results either Broberg might stay.
This is what makes me laugh that the Oilers are going to add Karlsson in 15 days. Cant keep an entry level in the lineup
I feel like Klingberg may be overlooked as an option for EDM? I know he’s got more of a salary, but if the right pieces added to keeping 50% of his salary (he’s UFA at the end of the year) and sending Pulju the other way to make salaries match give or take.. could be a decent gamble, without having to give up a monster haul for EDM.. no? thoughts?
I know he’s not been as great as expected.. but I would think he’s the type a change of scenery to EDM could really benefit…