NHL Rumor Mill – February 27, 2023
An update on Patrick Kane, the Capitals remain linked to Jakob Chychrun, plus speculation about the Wild and Senators in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
UPDATE ON PATRICK KANE
TSN’s Chris Johnston reported Sunday that all indications suggest a trade of Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane to the New York Rangers will eventually come to fruition. However, the deal likely won’t be executed until Wednesday. He suggested it could even come down to the 3 pm ET deadline on Friday due to the salary-cap implications.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers are juggling their roster to squeeze as much projected deadline cap space as possible here. They trade Vitali Kravtsov on Saturday to the Vancouver Canucks and demoted Jake Leschyshyn to their AHL affiliate after he cleared waivers on Sunday. They also benched Ryan Carpenter and Braden Schneider yesterday for cap purposes.
The bigger question is which team will become the third-party broker and what will it cost the Rangers. The Blackhawks are expected to retain half of Kane’s $10.5 million cap hit but the Blueshirts need a third team to pick up half of the remainder. They’ll likely have to part with a draft pick in that deal to make it happen.
CAPITALS STILL LINKED TO CHYCHRUN
THE ATHLETIC: On Saturday, Tarik El-Bashir noted TSN’s Darren Dreger reporting that Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun was a “player of interest” for the Washington Capitals. It’s unclear if Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan will meet the Coyotes’ asking price but a source said Chychrun is exactly the type of player he’s hoping to add in the coming days.
Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun (NHL Images).
El-Bashir pointed out that the Capitals hold two first-round picks in this year’s draft. MacLellan could be willing to include the pick he received from the Boston Bruins last week in a deal for a player such as Chychrun. He doesn’t want to move his own pick as that could become a very high one depending on how the rest of the season plays out.
MacLellan is also receiving calls for players on expiring contracts. However, he’s not interested in moving them for meager returns. He could even re-sign them for the right price.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Coyotes reportedly seek two first-rounders as part of the return for Chychrun. If they don’t budge off that we won’t see him suiting up with the Capitals by March 3.
WILL THE WILD MAKE A BIG DEADLINE MOVE?
TWINCITIES.COM: Dane Mizutani believes Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin must make a big swing at a deal before the Friday trade deadline. The Western Conference appears wide open this season and the Wild are within striking distance of the first-place Dallas Stars in the Central Division.
Mizutani felt all options should be on the table even if it means paying a big price for a rental such as Patrick Kane or a player with term on his contract like the Vancouver Canucks’ Brock Boeser. If Guerin goes the latter route, it’ll mean moving out a player signed beyond this season given the Wild’s salary-cap crunch starting in 2023-24.
THE ATHLETIC: Joe Smith reports the Wild’s improved play of late has motivated Guerin to be “very active” at this year’s trade deadline. He’d ideally like to add a forward.
Guerin has maintained his position that he doesn’t want to move his first-round picks or top prospects, which took them out of the running for someone like Timo Meier, who was traded yesterday by the San Jose Sharks to the New Jersey Devils. Smith indicated the Wild aren’t in on Kane and it appears unlikely they can make the dollars work to bring Boeser home to Minnesota.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Guerin’s twice used his cap space to broker third-party deals involving Ryan O’Reilly and Dmitry Orlov. With over $11 million in projected cap room (as per Cap Friendly), he can afford to add one or two players to his roster. However, he could end up having to settle for depth players if he’s not going to part with a first-rounder or a high-quality prospect.
SENATORS WEIGHING ALL OPTIONS AS THE DEADLINE APPROACHES
OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Senators GM Pierre Dorion and his staff are considering all their options as the Friday trade deadline draws near. They could buy, sell or stand pat depending on the club’s performance during two crucial games this week against the Detroit Red Wings, who are ahead of them in the race for a wild-card spot.
The priority remains to find a No. 1 defenseman but there aren’t many available and a number of other clubs are in the market for the same commodity. They have no new discussions with the Arizona Coyotes about Jakob Chychrun though that could change if the Coyotes are willing to reduce their asking price of two first-rounders and a high-end prospect. Asking prices are also high for Nashville’s Mattias Ekholm and Vancouver’s Luke Schenn.
If the Senators become sellers they could peddle pending free-agent goaltender Cam Talbot. However, they’d need to get a goalie back to help them finish the season. Winger Austin Watson could also draw some interest in the trade market.
Senator fans. Can Watson play hockey? Or is he just a typical 4th line guy that is only good enough to play 5 minutes a game and drop the gloves?
Trade him to Tampa for 5 picks. Think GM Breezy is in a flow.
Does Tampa have any picks left for the remainder of this decade ?
Tampa has hit almost every trade the past what 5 seasons?
is this the year the universe balances it out?
He can play a solid game and if you saw his goal against Montreal the other night you can see that he’s effective in close on the net.
If Watson had been skating on even the 3rd line, rather than 7-8 minutes a game on the 4th line, I believe he could have close to 10 goals.
He won’t back down from anyone. I know they loved him in Nashville, as much as he loved the city, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see Dorion make a deal with Poile to get him back there.
So Watson would be a good add for the Leafs. Going up against TB and the Bruins
Watson was a first round pick….hoping he could be like a Tim Kerr or some other big body to stand in front of the net. I’m not sure, whoever scouted him in Nashville saw him actually skate–he cannot. Yet, DJ Smith has used him with some effectiveness on the PK. How can a guy who can’t skate be effective running around on the PK? He doesn’t run around..he sorta chaotically flops. He has a big reach. He gets in the way and is unpredictable. As a big hitting goon, he’s not very good at that either. Average to below average fighting skills. Nice guy. Not an NHL player.
Of note: Bruce Garrioch is on the team unofficial payroll. He gets his meals and perks paid for to deliver team friendly sound bites “Question Period” and other tidbits that even casual fans have known for a while. Or it’s BS which fans also smell a mile away.
I’d like to see the Sens trade away Watson, Hamonic, Talbot, Joseph. Waive Kelly. And that’s even if they win both against Detroit.
There is nothing more boring than the NHL Trade Deadline.
Deffinately a 4th line plug that brings leadership, forcheck, brings the physicality and although drops the gloves doesnt win many if any.
Hopefully the NHL will fix these no trade clauses so that once a player agrees to waive they can be traded anywhere.
If I was Chicago I wouldn’t trade Kane for pennies on the dollar just to do Kane a favour, The only reason to move him is to try to jump start the rebuild, moving him for spare parts does nothing.
Tampa have traded away there neary All picks for this year
A 1st, 2nd, 3,rd 4th, & 5th picks for 2023..
and
They have traded away there 2024
1st, 2nd, and 3rd picks so far……⁉️
and
the 2025 1st pick
Tampa has No Cap space left this year O
and
$3.1M in cap space for 2023/4 season with
6 UFA players to replace for next year🤔
I dont know how they are going to sign Tanner Jeannot next year….⁉️
willie w
I can understand how Tampa is operating.
By going after young players under team control they can keep their talent pool stocked with a known NHL commodity rather than tte unknown of a late round pick.
It makes sense if you’re finishing at the top of the league…not so much if you’re clinging to a WC spot.
When their stars like Kucherov, Hedman, and Stamkos start to age out they may have some regrets.
Willie, that 2023-24 analysis is slightly misleading. It appears that you have included Brent Seabrook’s contract. He will remain on LTIR.
So, 14 contracts and $73 M
or 15 contracts and $74.5 if Philippe Myers is included. They will need to sign the rest at an average of $1 M.
Pretty much the same composition as the current Leaf roster.
Doing Kane a favor? The guy that has played his whole career in Chicago and helped win 3 cups? The guy you won’t bring back next season? He hasn’t waived his ntc. He’ll waive if his ok with where he’s going, otherwise he’ll wait till FA. He’s earned that. Pennies on the dollar is better than nothing. I’m sure Chicago will take what they can.
Next two games against Detroit determine if the Sens are buyers or sellers. If the lose, Talbot, Brassard and Holden gone. Watson has no value to any playoff team other than depth. Very little hockey skills
Brassard will be playing his 1000nth game as a Sen.
AND he will be re-signed for next season,
Agree George, Brass has played well in a multi use role on a very affordable contract. Betting Harmonic will likely also be retained seeing as they are so thin at RD.
But neither team learns anything if they split the two games.
Based on what Tampa paid for Jeannot; Arizona ask for Chychrun seem underwhelming.
Hypocrisy among some NHL pundits is next level. Anyone in their right mind would call Jeannot’s price a delusional overpayment but because Tampa did it- it- “they must know something”, nauseating. Can’t imagine if it was Holland or Dubas what the media would be saying. Seravalli went on a rant that the price for Oreilly was too much, what does he say to this? So many guys get free passes, is there any neutral viewpoints left in the media these days..
Sad reality is that Tampa can afford to be their payers 20%-than they would get somewhere else..Of course they are a great team but it’s clearly an unfair advantage, especially when a hard cap was put in place to paralyze teams like the Rangers and Leafs.
its time for an “after tax cap’ based on the team you play for-
Pay your over burdening taxes or move to the FREE state of Florida!!!😆
nope time for players to factor that in when signing contracts. Take less you become a better value and more valued. Eat up all that cap and you better lead the league in categories to justify it. Teams like Tor and NYR may have high tax but they are huge banks of cash and pay contacts up front thus freezing out other teams from those talents. Effective GMs use every tool they have at their disposal.
@azhockeynut true buts its an uneven playing field that was created because there was an even playing field lol. How can you compare? Players can naturally take less in tax free or low tax states . you are 100 percent correct they do pay players more money up front but it pales in comparison to teams being able to pay 20% less than everyone.
Thats just my two cents..or 1 cent in Florida
It’s just one of many advantages some teams have over others. You can’t fix them all. How do you take the shine off the original 6 teams to make non original six as attractive? How do you make snowy Winnipeg as attractive as Dallas?
Just compare the crime rates.
Another valid point. Lots of reasons why places are more attractive to some and less so forever.
@sam:
“Thats just my two cents..or 1 cent in Florida”
Bahahahahaha – that’s the funniest thing i’ve read today – thanks man – I needed that today!! lol
Sam, I agree 100%. The cap should reflect the tax situation. For example, if the state/province has a 10% tax then you can spend 10% over the cap. If the player is traded, the contract is adjusted to the new tax situation. It’ll still cost the team more, but it’s better than the current cap.
If, as they claim, the point is parity, this makes the most sense.
@chrisms but its a very easy fix.. top end cap is 85 million, Tampa should be at 78 and cap hits should be after tax cap hits – done. Then everyone is equal. Stamkos makes 8.5 mill in Tampa would have to make 12 in Montreal to take home the same money.
but we digress i get it- cant control all of it- but why put a hard cap in place to screw the big markets and then allow advantages on the other end…
@westbrantKid 100% i
You think NHLPA goes along with that? No way. You get traded from Winnipeg to Dallas and your pay gets reduced by 20%. Don’t think so. Creative idea, but not going to happen. All players get paid in US dollars as well, which would further compound the pay cut, in terms of buying power.
A hard cap doesn’t screw the big markets though… it just doesn’t let those markets screw the others.
So you are advocating a sliding cap hit for every team and player in the league. Players pay taxes in each location they play in, not just their own city. So a Toronto Maple Leaf pays local taxes when he plays in New York, Boston, Miami, Tampa, etc. So what you are advocating would take a staff of accountants for the league office and each team to confirm the actual tax adjustment for each and every game.
Sounds like a huge adjustment and expense for the league.
I remember the pre-cap era in the NHL. It was a time when small-market teams like the Oilers and Flames couldn’t compete with the money teams like the Red Wings, Rangers, and Leafs were throwing around. Yeah, it’s not perfect, but it’s better than the alternative.
Moves like this will catch up to the Lightening. There is only so long a team can afford not to be drafting players. Look at their top players and how they were acquired. How are any of those players acquired? Through the draft. Since the Lightning drafted Anthony Cirelli in 2015, their drafting hasn’t been all that great. Even before they drafted Anthony Cirelli in 2015 their previous draft pick that had any impact on their team was Nikita Kucherov in 2011.
@Eagle77
nothing to do with the actual pay – its the cap hit wont affect the player but I hear you won’t happen..
Get a kleenex
So says Mr. Phony Snarl.
Aren’t all the other teams just waiting for Florida to sink?
Guering wants to be active and get a forward but wants to pay peanuts….. Somehow that equation doesnt work unless you live in Never Neverland
Nick Bjugstad to the Wild in 2021 for a conditional 7th from the Pens. I’d say that qualifies as getting a forward for peanuts. Will it happen again this season? Probably not, but, it can happen and Guerin’s done it before.
Getting that team out from under the Parise and Suter contracts all the while keepint hat team competitive. Imo, Billy G has done a fine job in Minnesota.
The true test is the next couple of seasons with those dead cap hits.
Hermann Geuring?
Kudos to Poile for getting tons of picks for a 14 goal guy. He got more picks than Barbashev value, Tarasenko value and others. Good for incoming Trotz.
Much Kudos to Fitz for not giving up their top prospects like Hughes or Nemec or young guys like MErcer, Holz or Segenthaler or significant picks. Amazing job Fitz did especially if he can’t resign him. Just Wow.
Most overrated gm history. Has won a lot of games as gm but nothing ever meaningful. Preds fans rejoice.
I know he needed center space but highly disappointed he sign Johansen and Duchene to those deals. I like MacTruck but acquiring his long term contract also hurt them. Fiala forced his hand and he had no choice due to those center contracts.
All hindsight but overall I think he has done a good job over the years to keep them team really competitive. Glad to see Trotz get his chance add GM. Is. Guessing they may move on from heinze ketchup as their coach as they update. Can you say Boudreau?
Hi Ihatecrosby …
Re; Tanner Jeannot only has 5 goals this season and 9 Assists….in 56 games…❗️
Meant to put 14 points. Thanks for the check.
Great move for Nsh
Theres one possible hang up on a Kane to NYR deal. Getting a third team to assume part of the cap hit. The Rangers would like to add Kane and the Hawks would like to get something for him. They may take less for him so as to accommodate Kane for all he’s done in Chicago. But a third team has nothing to lose. It’s not entirely impossible that things could fall through because the potential third teams want too much.
The suspension coming to Miller will be a serious hang up too!!! 🤣
But yeah, it was accidental…. 🙄
According to PuckPedia, retaining 1/4 of what’s owed Kane in actual dollars is worth a 5th rd pick. Doubt Rangers would offer more than a 4th. Or perhaps a b prospect. NY had 3 players request a trade this season. 2 are gone. They still have Hajek in AHL.
Wow. Niederriter equals one pick.
Jeannot equals 5 picks and a former first rounder. I guess Nashville got ripped off on the Nino deal? Lol
He should send back that second along with Duchene and Johansen for wheeler lol rally give Trotz a blanks slate.
Weird how nino couldn’t get more maybe from the Canes.
I think the part that the Lightning have figured out that is that it is better to be the best you can be and at the top of the league…or the worst you can be and at the bottom of the league. In the past decade and a half, the Lightning have been at both extremes. They’ve been the envy of the league by this latest mini-dynasty of cups but they got that way by being terrible and getting some of their high picks becoming superstars and some savvy drafting in a few later rounds. They’ve now kept that window open by mortgaging the future. When that window closes in a couple years at most, they will be right back down at the bottom of the league looking to find their next Stamkos and Hedman to start the cycle over again. I don’t love the strategy from a fan perspective but it works. Being in the middle of the pack and doing okay…but never winning more than a round or two in the playoffs is a long painful process too. Teams like the Preds were decent for a long time but they never felt like cup contenders…and never got a game-changing draft pick because they were ‘too good’.
IDK….just my two cents. For full disclosure, I have been fan of the NHL for my whole life and am the same age as the Canucks. I’ve followed them for about 4 decades now and they have never had that bad team/good luck combo to win the draft lottery. Nor have they ever been quite good enough to win it all. Burke kind of did his best to move up to draft both Sedins which made them good for a while once they matured. Now, I think they are doomed to be in this constant state of re-tooling but never tearing it down and starting over. Maybe it helps the bottom-line for the owner to be seen as always trying to make the playoffs…but as a fan it is frustrating to see constant mediocrity (at best).
Armadillo Ed – very astute analysis of the modus operandi of both teams.
Thanks George. 🙂
I don’t post often but I read the comments and content of this site nearly every day. I’d like to think that I ‘know hockey’ but I am also also old and wise enough to remember that the NHL, like most institutions, are constantly evolving so what I know today might not be true in the near future.
I like seeing other people’s opinions (no matter how right or wrong I believe them to be). This site seems to have some fairly astute people putting forth their ideas for critique. I’m glad to be a small part of it.
Cheers, to you all.
Read a Vancouver article that stated the Canucks were loaded at left wing and they might be wise to sell high on Beauvillier. He could help the Pens 3rd line. How about McGinn, Joseph and a 2nd round pick?
Not sure anyone is ever going to “sell high” on Beauvillier.
They should offer Schenn 50% retained and Garland for Doumolin and mcginn
Then send mcginn to Minnesota for a 3rd.
Van gets cap space
Pitts upgrades 3rd line and gets defense to offset Doumolin
Lafferty and McCabe heading to Toronto for picks and prospects.
Taz, should be more activity. Leafs adding $4.5 million in salary.
Someone has to go
OR
Is Murray done for the season?
Don’t see Murray being done as then it would be a crapshoot bet on Samsonov staying healthy for the next 4 months.
Just saw the final details – Chicago retains 50% of McCabe’s salary. Jake still has 2 more years on his contract – huge win for Dubas but also a significant cost in terms of draft picks.
Kyle is actually considering next year’s roster.
Gotta trade Brodie now! 🤣
Considering what TB gave up for Janneot. I’d say Dubas did really good. Lafferty could be the same type of forward and they got a defenceman. Regardless of who the GM is, Matthews, Nylander have 2 years and Marner 3. The time is now. You can recoup all the draft picks by trading them in there last year before becoming UFAs if things don’t work out.
Yes Guy, Nylander & Matthews only have one more year, Marner & Tavares 2 years.
Was still counting this year.
I would trade Engvall before Kerfoot to make cap room.
Dubas is going all in this year. Prospect pool is not that great and they seem to be trading away all of their high picks. But he has no choice. If the Leafs lose in the first round again this year, future draft picks will be the next GM’s problem.
How would you compare McCabe to Orlov or Gavikrov
Lafferty has 4 short handed goals this year ..
Nasty bottom 6 in Tampa
@Ken
Even with some speed issues on Tampa’s bottom 6….those are some tough minutes.
Toronto vs Tampa 1st round going to be a great watch and especially when not a fan of either.
Pretty good trade by Dubas only 2 million a year for another two years on McCabe after this year all in year for a lot of teams in the East wow
The east is getting ridiculous.
Wonder what the Canes are up to, awfully quiet so far.
I wonder if we’ll see something from them out of nowhere, like Flip Forsberg going there.
Doubt Larkin is available with where the standings are, but what if….
On a lesser note, maybe Brayden Schenn?
@Taz agreed
JT Miller? Rod want to coach him for the next 7 seasons?
Ken,
the leafs may need to Add a Nasty bottom 6 player to deal with TB….🤔
Get Wilson from Washington. And wait for the gurgle … which would be Pengy
Hear me out
To EDM: karlson, reimer 50% retained, Bonino 50% retained
To Sj: PJ, Barrie, Campbell and two 1sts
Cap is close.
Add in top prospect and sj can hold 1mill
Sj can flip barrie and PJ to Pens .org other contenders for just picks and expiring contract
Edit
Prospect flip to 3rd team like AZ for holding the 1m
Oil should be goin all in. 2 great players just burning their primes. If they no get to finals in next couple years 97 will want to be a Bruin 🤡
McD and Matthews should sign in AZ for 16×7 just to stir the pot.
If ya gunna lose might as well get paid and pay less taxes doing it. Besides with Hossa, datsuyk, pronger and Weber on the team what could go wrong?
I think next year they go all in MB4. Let Bouchard and Broberg season a bit more, so more effective and still at a bargain rate, plus cap should go up season after.
But might be a deal coming soon here. They have no cap space, so $ in, $ out makes it tougher.
Maybe Gavrikov if the price comes down. Like a 2nd and 3rd, or even just a 2nd? Plus they take some $ back, so depending who that $ is going back determines the give from Edmonton.
Running out of buyers for Gavrikov yet?
Will see the B’s here in EDM tonight. Early start 6:30 local, should be a good one. EDM is a dangerous team when they are playing with structure. B’s will expose them quickly if they don’t, so methinks they will. Plus the B’s often lose when I am in attendance.
Matthews. 2nd line ctr 🙄 on yotes after that signing
Tampa Bay has managed to build around a core group of players that they pay handsomely and then “overpay” to plug the perceived needs around trade deadline.
BriseBois understands the window he has with his core and pro scouting has been successful in identifying the players, going for them and setting the market.
Kudos to a working strategy.
Wow, some serious trades going on in the east? Maple Leafs and Bruins huge moves. Makes me laugh TB what they did because they just focus on winning, they plug guys in. Interesting to see if the Lighting make it again, it wouldn’t shock me, they have a helluva team! Wondering if the Avalanche will do anything? Nieto was a good move an Johnson perhaps, too. However, wonder if E.J. is going on LTIR? Will that let the Avalanche make a move or two of significance? I don’t know? The big think about the Avalanche is staying relatively healthy. GO AVS!!!!!!
Well well, Joel Edmundson is back ! Wonder how that’ll go 🙂 Guhle is back too so we would be okay if big Joel leaves
Proposed trade:
Toronto trades Alex Kerfoot to Tamp Bay for 1st round draft 2026, 2nd 3rd and 4th in 2027, 1sr and 3rd in 2028 and two 2nd rounders in 2029.
Leafs have one pick in the first two rounds over the next three years.
That cupboard is going from slim to none.
Silver Seven
The Leafs prospect pool is just fine.
They have several good prospects on the Marlies. They also have a couple guys in NCAA and CHL… and some in Europe too.
If the Leafs weren’t a top team a few of them would be in the NHL
Leafs one first round pick in the last 4 drafts plus the stated next 3 drafts. There is a dry spell coming. They are ranked #19 currently with Knies and Robertson. A third has about a 12% chance of playing a fourth 10%. Etc.