NHL Rumor Mill – April 21, 2023
Could the Ducks’ John Gibson address the goaltending woes of the Penguins or Senators? Could this year’s playoffs be the last for several of the Jets’ key players? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
COULD GIBSON INTEREST THE PENGUINS OR SENATORS?
PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: Joe Starkey suggests Pittsburgh native John Gibson could address the Penguins’ goaltending woes. The club has come to a crossroads with pending free agent Tristan Jarry. Starkey believes they should move on and pursue a trade for the Anaheim Ducks netminder even if it means shipping Jake Guentzel or Bryan Rust to the Ducks.
Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson (NHL Images).
Starkey would bring back Jarry only if Gibson proves unattainable. He’d only sign him for a year or two at $4 million annually and believes the Penguins would also need a reliable veteran with starter experience to pair with Jarry.
Gibson is a franchise goaltender. While his stats have declined, Starkey believes that’s due to playing for a team that’s fallen to the bottom of the league. He’s been a workhorse who’s averaged 50-60 games per season for the Ducks. Gibson is signed for four more seasons at $6.4 million annually which fits into the Penguins’ perceived window.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gibson also has a 10-team no-trade clause but the Penguins might not be on it. He could jump at the chance to play for his hometown team despite their missing the playoffs this season but I don’t know if the Penguins can make the type of offer that would intrigue the Ducks.
Guentzel or Rust are good fits on playoff contenders but not on a team in the early stages of a rebuild like the Ducks. I think they’ll want a promising young player, a first-round pick or a top prospect as part of the return. If there were willing to acquire Guentzel they’d need assurances he’ll agree to a contract extension and that’s something he might not do.
OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports goaltending was the Senators’ Achilles heel over the past four years, one they intend to address in the offseason. He included Gibson among their possible options this summer.
Garrioch noted the Ducks would like to shed Gibson’s contract. There’s talk he’d like to be moved to a contender. Garrioch believes the Senators are on the verge of something special.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gibson could be a great fit with the Senators. They have the depth in promising young players and prospects to make a competitive bid to the Ducks. However, we don’t know if he’d accept a trade to Ottawa or any of the other Canadian franchises.
If Gibson is willing to join the Senators, they’ll have to move some salary in the deal or ask the Ducks to retain part of his cap hit to ensure sufficient cap space to re-sign Alex DeBrincat. If DeBrincat’s not interested in a long-term extension, perhaps he could be offered up in return for Gibson provided he’s willing to sign with the Ducks.
If they can’t re-sign DeBrincat and the Ducks aren’t interested in him, the Senators can ship him somewhere else and perhaps use the savings to take on the remainder of Gibson’s contract in a separate deal.
THE LAST DANCE FOR SOME OF THE JETS CORE PLAYERS?
THE ATHLETIC: Murat Ates recently suggested this year’s playoffs could be the last opportunity for some members of the Winnipeg Jets’ core talent to win a Stanley Cup together.
Since reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2018, the Jets have been in decline, missing the playoffs last season and barely qualifying this season.
Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and forwards Matt Scheifele, Blake Wheeler and Pierre-Luc Dubois are slated to become unrestricted free agents next summer. This postseason could be the last time some of those players could be in a Jets uniform.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets can open contract extension talks with any of those four on July 1. Whether they’ll do that depends on how they perform in the playoffs as well as their interest in sticking with the Jets beyond next season.
If Hellebuyck comes available I can’t think of many teams who would not be interested. Winnipeg should get a very nice return if he is moved.
The Jets will make major effort to re-sign Hellebuyck and Schiefele and I think they will. Wheeler is untradeable and will likely play out his last year and leave. Dubois on the other hand will be an interesting case.
At a cap hit of $6,166,666 there aren’t a whole lot of teams that could take him without first clearing cap space … and if that’s one of the assets going to Winnipeg it would need to be a very good player with term that they, themselves, could absorb.
According to CapFriendly they are committed to 16 players (including Hellebuyck) with $12,137,143 with which to sign 7. If they deal Hellebuyck his departing cap hit brings that to $18,303,809 to sign 8 – and one would then need t be a goalie.
Of their 6 RFAs, the big ticket, of course, is Dubois and his expiring $6 mil. The rest – Barron $925,000, Jonsson-Fjally $750,000, Stanlund $750,000, Samberg $925,000, and Stanley $900,000 – should come in at no more than $5.5 collectively if all are expected to be in Winnipeg next season.
And do they keep any of their UFAs? Including Rittich?
Move Helly + PLD to Montreal for Anderson, Dvorak, Allen, Fla 1st, and 2024 1st (top 10 protected)
johnny Z, I think that, if Winnipeg were going to move out both Hellebuyck AND Dubois in the same deal before next season, they’d want a WHOLE lot better than two under-performing Fs
(Anderson – 21g 11a 32 pts in 69gp and a -8 at $5.5 mil per for 4 more years – Dvorak – 10g 18a 28pts in 64gp and a -12 at $4,450,000 for 2 more years)
and a soon-to-be 33 y/o goalie whose best years are far behind him (Allen – 3.55gaa and 0.891 save % @ $3,850,000 per for 2 more years.
Not even Florida’s 1st (somewhere in the middle) and Montreal’s 1st (top 10 protected) would make up the difference there.
George, you are usually quite astute, and I am not suggesting that today you are not.
However, why on earth would the Habs give away that much to get Dubois when he alone isn’t IMO worth Anderson and or anyone else, plus this year’s first two rounders, when they can wait a year and pay just the contract price.
That assumes that Dubois is interested in signing long term with the Habs, which just reinforces the absurdity of them trading for him a year early when he won’t make a measurable improvement for the Habs next year.
Unless I am reading you wrong, that’s an incredibly bad deal for the Habs. The Habs have three picks in the top 37, and 11 overall this year – too many to be useful. I could see them giving # 17 and 37. But anything else and Hughes is a Jets secret agent.
LJ, you lose your arguement when you say PLD isn’t worth Anderson on his own.
PLD is a dominating Center who scored 27g and 63pts in 73 games this season; last season PLD had 28g and 60pts
Anderson who is 4yrs older his best season was in 2018-2019 when he scored career highs in goals 27 and point 47
this season he scored 21g and and 32pts his 32pts is his second career high.
No Josh Anderson is not of equal or more value than PLD. It’s not close
Anderson has one season over 40pts and he’s 28yrs will be 29yrs old May 7th. he is what he is.
PLD Has 3 seasons over 60pts 24yrs old and will be 25yrs old in June.
LJ, I agree re Dubois.
What I was responding to was johnnyZ’s proposed deal which would see Dubois AND Hellebuyck – currently one of THE top goalies in the game – going to the Habs for a trio of expendables costing $13,800,000 off the cap for at least two more years.
The 1st round picks mentioned wouldn’t even come close to making up for the talent exchange.
@GeorgeO, PLD’s known destination has the trade value at whatever the Habs consider “fair” with the Jets having little to no leverage.
On his own in a trade, yes, totally agree. Again, I was responding to johnnyZ’s proposed deal that would send Dubois AND Hellebuych to Montreal – hardly a throw-in there.
@Johnny Z
Dude you suck at trades, Anderson and Dvorak are pure garbage, No way does your trash offer gt PLD and Helly. And why would Hellebuyck want to go to that dump that just started a re-build. That trash doesn’t even get Pierre-Luc Dubois let alone adding Connor Hellebuyck to the deal.
Helly is now established as the next 10 million dollar tender. Seldom hurt and a work horse. Almost every contender would jump on him in free agency.
Are the Jets willing to go that high I don’t think so.
The club has to invest some draft capital to the position as we have been severely spoiled for years.
I expect a trade unfortunately but a good young goaltender must come back as its a very weak pipeline link.
Not sure we will see another 10 mil goal tender. The Gms realize you cant tie up that much cap space on the position for 1 player. Habs & Cats as examples, both wish they never made those deals for the lengths of those contracts.
I could see high end goalies getting around 8mil as a high number, but not 10mil.
I could see it going as high as 9 with the cap going up, however I do not think Helleybuyck is worth 9, but Sorokin could be.
The 2 big ones this summer is CH and Swayman, I just dont see Boston having the money to keep him, either that or move Ullmark.
🇺🇸 Re; The Ducks Gibsons Numbers…
They have not been that good over the past 4 years going the wrong way..
He is 30 yrs old this year and has 4 year left @$6.4M….. then he is at that age 90+%
of All Goaltenders are done by then and moved into a back up roll⁉️
Why would the pens trade for him…..
2019-20 Season Games, 51. GA,3.00 SV% -0.904
2020-21 Season Games, 35. GA,2.98 SV% -0.903
2021-22 Season Games, 56. GA, 3.19 SV% -0.904
2022-23 Season Games, 53. GA,3.99 SV% -0.899
The Pens Tristain Jarry 27 yrs Old , UFA making $3.5M….
looking at $5.5 to 6.5M Range as a UFA in this Cap World….
G GA SV%
2019-20 33 2.43 0.921
2020-21 39 2.75 0.909 |
2021-22 58 2.42 0.919 |
2022-23 47 2.90 0.909
Jarry’sNumber’s over the past 4 years are Way Better than Gibsons…
Both teams have poor D,❗️I would take Jarry
anyday over Gibson✔️
the pens dont have much in the way of Assets to trade, young prospect players and Draft Picks….
The New GM & the New President are going to have a Hell of a time fixing the Pens…❗️😳
If i was the Ottawa GM…. PD
I would set up a 3 way trade to get young Goaltender, Jeremy Swayman, go big or Go home❗️
its the Sen’s Biggest Hole we need to fill🤔
Talk to teams to see who would give
A 1.st & 2.d and 3rd pick for The Cat,
Boston need to Fill 12 roster Spots, they have a Mix of UFA & RFA at the end of the season with only $9.7M in Cap moneys avalable to them!
➡️The Trade
1/ 24 yr old Jeremy Swayman to the Sens,
2/ Alex Debrincat to Boston if boston dont want him
3/ send him to Team 3 ….
ie.
Detroit, Blues, CBJ, Preds, or Kraken…..⁉️
for the 3 picks required for Jeremy Swayman who will be 25 this year.
Pay Range for JS…. X 7 or 8 Years @ $8M …
I read that a 4.2 x 5 offer sheet is only a second rounder. Would be matchable by Boston but 4.2 for a back up or even a 1 b isn’t easy to stomach
Someone will offer sheet Swayman something like a 5 x $4.2M deal that will only cost them a 2nd rounder! The Sens do not possess their own 2nd rounder. 😏
Oh well.
Boston actualy has only has $5,287,500 in cap space. Boston has cap penalty of $4.5m in bonuses to Bergeron and Krejci.
Changes coming.
Grzelyk $3,687,500
Hall $6,000,000
Reilly $1,875,000
This would push the cap to $16,850,000
I could see it going as high as 9 with the cap going up, however I do not think Helleybuyck is worth 9, but Sorokin could be.
The 2 big ones this summer is CH and Swayman, I just dont see Boston having the money to keep him, either that or move Ullmark.
Swayman isnt worth 8, however why would he accept an offer sheet of 4.2 times 5. If you want him to sign it needs to start with a 6
Never say never, but offer sheets are rare for a reason.
I would be absolutely shocked if a team offer sheeted Swayman at $6M, or offer sheeted him at all. Just because teams hardly ever do. For good reason.
Hey his first 88 games have been excellent, but he’s never even been the starter. Kinda with chrisms on this one.
He is coming off his ELC, but is 24 so not sure if arbitration eligible.
I will guess $2.75 – $3.25M on a 2 year bridge deal.
That’s doofus talk. Trying to compare the defense of a team who consistently, until this year, has made the playoffs with a team that has been a bottom feeder for the last few years is ludicrous.
@Williew
How in the world do you suppose that Boston can afford to sign Alex Debrincat? He’s going to command close to 8 x $9,000,000 and they’ve barely $4,000,000 to spend once the bonus money is paid to Bergeron, Krejci and swayman. They can’t afford DeBrincat plus i don’t see him having any interest in a aging Bruins team.
While you might take Jarry over Gibson any day, Jarry isn’t available every day, and when he is, he always seems to be fighting through some injury or ailment. While I would prefer a healthy Jarry over Gibson, he is rarely “a healthy Jarry” anymore. I’d love for the Pens to take a shot at Swayman. I doubt they will, but he would be the better option.
if your going to offer sheet a Top young Goaltender….
You want to make sure you get him,
if you had the choice of one of these Goaltenders who would you pick, Age, Potemtial, Growth,❓
age at end of 2023..
Rumered to be on the trade block this summer…
Trade Market
30 yr old Gibson 4 yrs @$6.4M
28 yr old Demko 3 years @$5.M
25 yr old Carter Hart 1 yr left at $3.975M
** UFA Market,
27 yr old Jarry @$..❓
28 yr old Joonas Korpisalo@$..❓
RFA Goaltenders
under $6.1M offer is a 1st & 3rd
$6.2 to $8.3M is a 1st, 2nd, & 3rd pick
RFA’s Market
26 yr old Ilya Samsonov…? looks like he is the leafs Starter G42 GA 2.33 SV% 0.919
Or
24 yr old Jeremy Swayman
Boston 2 years of number like this
G37 – GA 2.27 SV% 0.920
Both of these young RFA Goaltenders are only going to get better with Age🤔
Willie, I think those numbers are a bit misleading. While it is true that the Pens D is nothing to brag about, the team in front of Jarry has been way better than the one in front of Gibson, who has faced many more shots and scoring chances than Jarry has for the past few seasons. If I was a GM in need of a number one goalie, I might take a chance on Gibson, while I would only consider Jarry a number two on a cup competitive team, or as a stopgap number one on a rebuilding one.
I love me some starkey but moving Jake for a gamble in net? Hell no. Now I’m not against Gibson being looked at but only if it’s for his actual value. 4×6.4 is tough to take on.
Willie W…..Tristan Jarry is not the answer and if you have been watching the last three years you would know this.
Is is a good goalie? YES
Is he a two time All star? Yes
Will he be cheaper than Gibson? Yes
Is he an Elite goalie? No
Has he been good in the playoffs? NO
Is he injured every other week? Yes
Has his play been inconsistent? Yes
Look Gibson plays in front of a s**t team…you put Jarry on the Ducks he will retire from over shot puck syndrome…he will get lit up like a Christmas tree…
I live here in LA and i see Gibson a ton and so many nights he stands on his head just keeping the Ducks in Games..
If we had Gibson last year vs the Rangers we win easily…
Gibson does make $ 6.4 million until he is 34 he is worth it….he is elite..
You move Jeff Petry out there is $ 6.25 off the books…
Plus the Penguins do have $ 21 million in cap space…plus if you buy out Granlund…that is also $ 4.2 million extra cap space next year off the books or you could include Granlund in the deal.
I know the Ducks like P.o Joseph
something like–
To Anaheim
-Michael Granlund
– P.O joseph
– a 2024 number one pick
To Pittsburgh
– John Gibson
– Max Comtois
You exchange 24 year olds in Joseph and Comtois, Penguins get the number one elite goalie who wants out, and a 24 year old power tough forward who scored 17 goals 2 years ago,
Anaheim gets a 24 year old 2nd pairing puck moving defenseman who is blossoming and playing well, a number # 1 draft pick, the take Granlund as part of the deal he will help their middle six.
Gibson is now past his injuries and started 53 games this year…….
Jarry is not past his injuries..it is time for a change in goal…whoever that may be
John Gibson a Pittsburgh native good story my number one choice
UFA Joonas Korpasalo another my 1 A choice playing well for the Kings.
Willie, I think those numbers are a bit misleading. While it is true that the Pens D is nothing to brag about, the team in front of Jarry has been way better than the one in front of Gibson, who has faced many more shots and scoring chances than Jarry has for the past few seasons. If I was a GM in need of a number one goalie, I might take a chance on Gibson, while I would only consider Jarry a number two on a cup competitive team, or as a stopgap number one on a rebuilding one.