Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – April 23, 2023
Check out the latest on the Canadiens and Red Wings in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.
WHAT WILL THE CANADIENS DO THIS SUMMER?
SPORTSNET: In his recent mailbag segment, Eric Engels was asked if he expected anyone on the Montreal Canadiens to be bought out or traded this summer.
He sees Mike Hoffman and Joel Armia as the only two buyout candidates but admits he doesn’t anticipate the Canadiens will exercise that option. Trading both players could prove difficult given their contracts. Hoffman has a year remaining with a $4.5 million cap hit while Armia has two years remaining with an average annual value of $3.5 million.
The Canadiens could package Hoffman with one of their three fourth-round picks as an incentive to get teams to take on his full cap hit. They could also retain $1.5 million of his cap hit.
Montreal Canadiens winger Josh Anderson (NHL Images).
Engels is confident that defenseman Joel Edmundson will be traded this summer. He acknowledged winger Josh Anderson’s wish to remain in Montreal but doesn’t rule out the Canadiens trading him if the right opportunity presents itself.
The Canadiens will look at every opportunity to improve their goaltending. Engels doesn’t rule out the possibility of moving Jake Allen and bringing in a replacement who fits into their long-term plans. He doesn’t believe Sam Montembeault will be moved.
Engels speculates the Canadiens might want to attempt to acquire Winnipeg Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois this summer rather than wait until next summer when he becomes an unrestricted free agent. He thinks there’s no guarantee Dubois will walk to them next July and a lot can change between now and then. However, if the cost of acquiring him proves too expensive, they could wait until free agency.
MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: In his recent mailbag, Marc Dumont would prefer the Canadiens retain as many assets as possible and rely on Dubois making his way to Montreal as a free agent rather than via trade. It’s risky but better than paying too high a price in a trade with Winnipeg.
Dumont doubts Hoffman will be traded this summer, suggesting the rebuilding Canadiens still need shooting talent. He felt Hoffman’s production was reasonable this season on the injury-ravaged Habs and it could improve on a hopefully healthier roster next season. He also hasn’t heard of much interest for the 33-year-old winger in the trade market.
As for other trade candidates, Dumont doesn’t think Edmundson will garner much interest given his struggles this season and nagging back injury. He believes Armia is headed toward a buyout. Center Christian Dvorak could have value if he returns to the form he displayed once Martin St. Louis took over as head coach but doubts a team will offer the Habs assets for him at the moment.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: A couple of interesting takes regarding what moves the Canadiens might make this summer.
Regarding Dubois, I’m in the camp of waiting to sign him as a UFA if he’s determined to join the Canadiens next summer rather than waste assets acquiring him in a trade. That being said, we don’t know whether the Habs brain trust of Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes see Dubois as someone that fits into their rebuilding plans.
Everything tying Dubois to the Canadiens is speculation based on comments made by his agent last summer about his client wanting to play for Montreal one day. Gorton and Hughes wisely kept silent to avoid getting penalized by the league for tampering. Hughes has only made the generic statement that every GM makes about exploring every option to improve his team without mentioning any player on another club.
That doesn’t mean Hughes won’t make any significant moves this offseason given the deals he pulled off last summer. Maybe he’ll find a way to pry Dubois away from the Jets without giving up too much in return. Perhaps he’ll find takers for Edmundson, Hoffman and Armia. Maybe he’ll move Anderson or maybe he won’t. Your guess is as good as mine.
We won’t get a clearer picture of Hughes’ intentions until June. Even then, he’ll probably surprise us.
WHICH RED WINGS PLAYERS WILL BE MOVING ALONG THIS SUMMER?
THE ATHLETIC: Max Bultman recently looked at which Detroit Red Wings will be staying or going during the offseason.
The Wings could face decisions on Filip Zadina, Pius Suter, Alex Chiasson, Gustav Lindstrom and Jordan Oesterle.
The sixth overall pick in 2018, Zadina has struggled to reach his potential as a scoring winger. He’s signed through 2024-25 with an average annual value of $1.825 million. Bultman cautioned against giving up on the 23-year-old winger, citing Buffalo’s Casey Mittelstadt’s breakout performance this season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zadina’s cap hit isn’t expensive and the Red Wings can easily afford to carry his contract for another season. Give him one more shot and if it doesn’t pan out they can peddle him at next season’s trade deadline.
Suter, Chiasson and Oesterle are unrestricted free agents this summer while Lindstrom is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. Some of them could be retained for the right price depending on whether the Wings see younger players in their system moving into the roster next season.
Bultman expects pending UFAs such as Alex Nedeljkovic, Robert Hagg, Adam Erne and Magnus Hellberg will be on their way out.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nedeljkovic, 27, is the most notable of this group. Acquired two years ago from the Carolina Hurricanes, he never panned out as hoped as the Wings’ starting goaltender. He spent most of this season with their AHL affiliate.
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So far what PLD has brought to Winnipeg in the playoffs, you can have him.
Only physical with smaller players, takes bad penalties and zero drive.
I’ve been supportive of PLD but he has been extremely disappointing so far.
Winnipeg needs him to play the way he can. Right now he’s playing like he rather not be playing at all.
Caper, from yesterday, I did not say that Anderson by himself would be a fair trade for PLD.
But given your comments today, maybe you now think so. Whether you do or don’t, with Morressy hurt I think it is more unlikely that the Jets advance. There will be significant off season changes for the Jets as they just cannot keep flopping in the playoffs year after year.
they will not need PLD if they get Bedard or Fantilli!
Canadiens will likely miss the boat on DuBois if they don’t pay the piper. If he gets traded to LA or Boston or some other destination city, no reason to think they couldn’t sign him instead.
I’m with you Brock. Teams have to strike when the iron is hot. Anything can happen in a year. If they can pick up PLD for a reasonable price, do it. I’d figure a first, either Florida’s this year or the pick they’ll get from Calgary in the Monahan deal. Plus Dvorak for cap reasons. Throw in a mid level prospect if necessary.
May be worth it to retain up to $2m. to trade Hoffman. Will save some space and open up a spot for a young player. No chance of trading Armia. I’d look at a buyout. Cap hit will be almost nothing next year and not much the following year. Would have $1.4m. in dead space for two years after that but the cap will likely be higher by then.
As for Edmundson, won’t get a first for him now. I’d consider a trade if Hughes could get a second. Would be better off playing the young D-men.
You say nothing about what PLD would want when he becomes a UFA after next year, Howard. How much does Caulfield get signed for, and how does that affect matters?
I cannot figure why people keep chanting “PLD now” without those considerations aired, nor why the Habs are better off having PLD one year earlier at the cost of picks, prospects or roster players.
No one player is going to elevate the Habs from bottom dwellers to legitimate Cup contenders in one year and no collection of several deft moves by Hughes will make that happen in one year.
So I ask again, where is the sense in PLD next year? How is this not one step forward, two steps backward?
Anyone?
LJ,
I think you’re bang on here as the Habs aren’t contenders with one hole to fill.
There are prospects at C, LW and RW and a boatload of draft picks to grow into roles assuming HuGo make good talent decsions.
At this point I’d rather they looked at a couple o vets to teach the kids. Suzuki learned a lot from Nate Thompson, Caufield learned a lot from Corey Perry.
Finally, a voice of reason.
By the way HF30, you were keen on Trudeau in pre season if I recall correctly. You will have caught the recent Gazette article singing his praises for his season with Laval this year.
LJ, HabFan,
It goes without saying that there would be no trade unless a long term extension is agreed to.
With Price on LTIR the Habs should have enough cap space to fit new contracts for PLD and Caufield. Especially with the cal likely to go up a fair amount in the coming years.
I realize that the Habs are not one player away from contention. But they’ve accumulated a fair amount of solid prospects who are or will soon be ready to step in. There comes a time when a team has to be willing to use their depth in prospects and picks to add a solid player, if they can swing it, it’s worth it because as I said who knows what could happen in a year. Obviously, though, they cannot overpay and the price has to be reasonable.
At this point, the Florida pick is likely to be #17. I did a quick check on #17 picks from 2007-2018. Less than half have become impact players. Far from a sure thing when you get to the bottom half of the first round
idk, idk, idk.this could go either way. he comes in and suddenly becomes the ultimate power forward and, like reggie once said theyll name a candy bar after him. but if he wilts under the huge spotlight in montreal he’ll be thankful to get out of town.
Heh. Wouldn’t it be hoot if Dorion got involved in acquiring Dubois once he unloads DeBrincat?
He hails from St.-Agathe-des-Monts which is north of both Gatineau and Montreal and about equal distance from both, and not only does the Ottawa-Gatineau region have a large Quebecois population (not as large as Montreal, of course, but pretty significant), but the Senators have more Quebecois than do the Habs with Giroux, Joseph, Gauthier, Brassard (probably re-signed as the 4th line C), Chabot, and prospects Philippe Daoust, Maxence Guenette and Kevin Mandolese.
George you mentioned this before but the habs had a fair share of quebecois/ francophone this season with in Drouin, RHP, Matheson, Savard, Motembault, Belzile, Byron. I agree with you that it would probably not be a factor for PLD.
Jets Could Loose 3 MAJIOR Players at the End of the 2024 Season…🤔
➡️ Pierre-Luc Dubois…gone to montreal for sure✔️
➡️ Mark Scheifele❗️Gone….
➡️ Connor Hellebuyck…‼️ gone….
and 2 of there Top 4 D-men Brenden Dillon & Brenden Dillon
I dont think the GENERAL MANAGER:
Kevin Cheveldayoff has done enough to get the right players to make a Run for the Cup over the past 3 season’s …. ❗️
2023/2024 Season will be the last one for a long time in the Peg for them to contend……🤔
It won’t be the last competitive season if Chevy makes big trades involving all of those players.
Bye the Time Chevy gets round to making a tradein Winnipeg
PLD will have Scored his 1st 3 goal game for the Habs….😳❗️
I said if, not when. We’ll see if Chevy sees the writing on the wall or not.