Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – June 11, 2023
Check out the latest on Connor Hellebuyck, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, Brett Pesce, Carter Hart, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Noah Hanifin and many more in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup
THE ATHLETIC (subscription required): Insiders Pierre LeBrun, Eric Duhatschek and Michael Russo reported the latest trade rumors on the following:
Connor Hellebuyck will not sign a contract extension with the Winnipeg Jets. “That ship has sailed. His next contract will be with a new team.”
SPECTORS’ NOTE: Hellebuyck, 30, has a year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $6.166 million and lacks no-trade protection. The Jets could retain him for more shot at a playoff run but it seems more likely that he’ll be moved, perhaps by the upcoming NHL draft on June 28-29 in Nashville.
Speaking of the Jets, agent Pat Brisson reportedly informed management that his client, Pierre-Luc Dubois, isn’t interested in a contract extension. Brisson is willing to work with management to find a suitable trade partner. The Montreal Canadiens have engaged with the Jets but aren’t likely to overpay in return or contract.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes last week said that Habs captain Nick Suzuki’s $7.875 million cap hit was not the club’s cap ceiling for adding players via trade or free agency.
There was some speculation linking Dubois to the Boston Bruins. However, Boston Hockey Now’s Jimmy Murphy cited an NHL executive saying the Bruins lack the cap space and the tradeable assets to acquire him.
Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).
Brad Treliving, the new general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, prefers to keep the club’s “core four” (Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and captain John Tavares) intact. Signing Matthews to a contract extension this summer remains his priority. He also hasn’t mentioned Marner’s name when talking with other clubs.
Treliving also wants to sign Nylander, whose agent also represents Johnny Gaudreau. Given that history when Treliving was Flames GM last year, he won’t allow Nylander’s situation to play out all year as he did with Gaudreau.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The trade chatter regarding Matthews, Marner and Nylander has cooled significantly in recent weeks. If Treliving plans to move any of those three, he’ll have to do it before July 1. That’s when the no-movement clauses for Matthews and Marner kick in along with Nylander’s 10-team no-trade clause.
The Carolina Hurricanes hope to re-sign Brady Skjei and Brett Pesce to extensions this summer. It’s possible the Hurricanes trade Pesce (who recently changed agents) if his contract demands aren’t what management has in mind.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pesce’s AAV on his current deal is $4.025 million. The 28-year-old is slated to become a UFA next summer. He could seek between $6 million and $6.5 million annually on his next deal.
Flyers GM Daniel Briere is listening to trade offers for goaltender Carter Hart and forwards Travis Konecny and Scott Laughton.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: That doesn’t mean those three are certain to be traded. However, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman also reported many teams spoke with Briere at the draft combine in Buffalo last week about Laughton and Hart.
Friedman also mentioned last week that the Flyers are aggressively shopping defenseman Tony DeAngelo.
Briere showed a willingness last week to make bold moves with that three-team deal that sent Ivan Provorov to Columbus. We can’t rule out the possibility that he’ll move at least one of those guys for the right offer, one heavy with draft picks and quality prospects or young players that accelerates his rebuilding program.
The New Jersey Devils traded the rights of pending UFA defenseman Damon Severson last week to the Columbus Blue Jackets, who promptly signed him to an eight-year contract. The Devils could also peddle the rights of UFAs Ryan Graves and Miles Wood.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: As with the Severson deal, the asking price will likely be a draft pick.
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reported Calgary Flames GM Craig Conroy is fielding offers for Noah Hanifin. The 26-year-old defenseman is earning an AAV of $4.95 million and is slated to become a UFA next July.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames have shaken up their front office and coaching staff this spring so it’s no surprise the focus is shifting to the roster. It’ll be interesting to see what Conroy has in store this summer. Forwards Elias Lindholm, Mikael Backlund and Tyler Toffoli are also eligible to become UFAs next summer.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber reports the Washington Capitals have let teams know that forwards Evgeny Kuznetsov and Anthony Mantha are on the trade block. Both players are coming off disappointing performances this season. The Capitals hope to shake up their roster and create some salary-cap flexibility.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Moving either guy won’t be easy. Kuznetsov is signed through 2024-25 with an AAV of $7.8 million and a 10-team no-trade clause. Mantha has a year left on his contract and lacks no-trade protection but carries a $5.7 million cap hit.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Nick Horwat recently cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman claiming Tristan Jarry is looking for a six-or seven-year contract. The 28-year-old Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender is eligible for UFA status on July 1 after coming off a three-year deal with an AAV of $3.5 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: With Hellebucyk, Hart and the Anaheim Ducks’ John Gibson surfacing in the rumor mill of late, the Penguins could pursue one of those as a replacement for Jarry.
Jarry could find difficulty finding a long-term contract within the NHL. His injury history and underachievement in goal, especially in a contract year, provide teams the ammunition to offer a short-term, near league minimum deal. It is possible Jarry has played into a secondary goaltender role or out of the NHL.
The Penguins upgrading their goaltending tandem with a proven primary goaltender is one of several offseason priorities.
I’ve been reading them PLD to Boston tweets from fans and media.
Give me one solid trade proposal that works?
The player is a hab fan so Boston wouldn’t be a priority.
No cap Dollar
All players have no move claus.
Winnipeg wants players not prospects and draft picks.
Boston has no draft picks.
For fun there is one trade that could happen if PLD agreed to sign long term.
Charlie McAvoy nmc doesn’t kick in until July 2024
McAvoy for Pld and winnipeg 1st.
Lol I wonder how Charlie would feel.
In other words PLD or Mark Scheifele are not going to Boston.
The Bruins as a possibility for PLD or Schiefele hinges on whether Bergeron and Krejci return. But it’s a bit of a Catch 22. If they do return, the Bs will not have the need or the cap space for him. If they do not return, they may have the need and the cap space, but not the pieces necessary to do a deal.
I seem to be the only one to suggest that the Bruins keep Taylor Hall and move him to center. He was actually drafted as a center if I remember correctly. Anyway he is a very good set-up guy who has the skating ability to back check.
Scheifele or Wheeler to Boston is not that far fetched but they cant get PLD in his prime for the assests they have.
WPG needs a reboot so i would think the summer turnover will be high. the question is which players do they see as the future leaders? I would not pay market for Scheif or Wheeler at this point and PLD could do a sign and trade yet ask for another trade in 3 years. I would still want PLD even with that baggage
You don’t think WPG would listen to Zacha, Carlo and either Lysell or Lohrei for PLD?
Zacha, Grezlik and Swayman for PLD.
Then Winny trades Helly to whoever.
PLD for Swayman and Frederic. There you go.
We can add Logan Stanley and Boston adds Carlo.
Graves for Mantha straight up..
The more I learn about Severson’s contract, the less I like it. It’s going to be close to impossible to trade him after the four years of a no trade clause when, in year 5, he has a 20 team no trade list and the final 3 years have a 12 team no trade list. Mid-30’s with just shy of half the league on his no trade list? I can see the GMs lining up now. (Yes, that last sentence is sarcasm.)
Severson really struggled defensively when playing in the top 4 for the Devils, his play was “shielded” by playing on the bottom pairing. No way he deserves 8 years nevermind the $6M+ cap hit, Jackets will be regretting that deal soon into that contract.
the 3rd string scrub the Jackets play in goal will be seeing a LOT of rubber when Severson is defending in front of him
Double Minor, it’s an assumption on my part that Winnipeg is on everyone’s ntc.
Carlo has a ntc.
Whether Zacha ntc claus kicks in now or later at 4.75 and schedule to be the 2nd line C, he isnt being moved.
You would need a sign and trade deal that is going to pay PLD $8 to $8.5
Boston would have to send contracts back.
Carlo and Zacha (maybe) have to waive their ntc.
Yes that’s a good package for a player leaving. I would also force Winnipeg to take Forbort.
Clearing 11.875 in cap space.
After signing PLD would leave $3.3 then sign Bertuzzi.
Pipe dream, nice to dream.
I don’t think Carlo’s NTC has kicked in yet.
Jarmo spiked the price for average second pairing D men that won’t wear well in 3-4 yrs and reeks of desperation to save his job. The jackets now don’t have enough cap room for a more needed 2C as well, and the Jackets still won’t make the playoffs.
I don’t think Boston is moving Charlie.
I don’t think Zacha’s NTC kicks in until July of this year.
What about Zacha and Carlo for PLD (contract extended). Maybe add in a prospect from
Boston.
I think Zacha is good core piece in Boston. he just found his game and could get even more productive
i dont think he is on the table easily
I realize that’s not an easy one. I think he’d be an intriguing chip for WPG, that’s all.
Zacha also one good season and with czechmatess… might not translate elsewhere
Why would PLD want to go to Boston? To be in a rebuild situation in two years?.. Interest = No, picks = No, desirable players = No = Not happening.
With Mcavoy,Pasternak and Swayman for starters there will be no rebuild but a reconstruction in Boston! I would think a center would love to play with Pasta the rest of his career!
Can the Avalanche do a sign and trade like NJ & Columbus did with Severenson re: Compher? If that is the case, I would do it if Compher has no intention of resigning with the Avalanche? I’m not sure what his intentions are because no one is reporting on that circumstance. I’d like the team to keep him but if he won’t sign a long term 4.5-5 M AAV , then I would do the same as NJ did
So Shanascam, I mean Treliving is going to run it back with the Core 4.
Which means more of the same bottom 6 shuffling, no improvement on defence or in goal.
Why even hire a GM if Shanahasnoplan is actually calling the shots?
so true but there is hope—holl and kerfoot are gone and mathews and nylander will play harder for contract—next year is our last good year for leafs—unfortunately one of nylander or mathews will walk for nothing—morons—like sundin—and we will get nothing—and set leafs back for a long time as usual—
You’re dreaming. They’re not leaving for nothing.
Shanahan is the one that should be fired. They are sticking with the core four after all these failures? Although I love seeing the leafs lose every year, it’s mind blowing they are not planning to shake things up. Giordano will be 40 when the season starts, Muzzin will turn 35 during the season.
They have 9.1 million in cap space with a roster size of 15. They also need to sign Samsonov, who had a 27-10-5 year. That’s not going to be cheap to re-sign.
I would be trading Marner, you will get the most return for him with two years remaining on his contract, and would get a very good return for him.
Does anyone have the feeling Shanahan would only choose a GM that committed to the core four remaining intact?
Marner for Toffoli and Weegar and a 2024 2nd
Brad hangs up the phone.
Dave, the way it breaks down on CapFriendly, they have $74,356,450 committed to these 17 players:
\
8F: Matthews, Marner, Tavares, Nylander, Jarnkrok, Lafferty, Knies and Robertson
7D: Rielly; Brodie; McCabe; Liljegren; Tommins; Giordano; Muzzin
2G: Murray, Woll
If Muzzin never plays again, he becomes LTIR relief with his $5,625,000
For now, however, that leaves them $9,143,550 with which to sign 6
Samsonov is their only RFA of any consequence and he’s coming off a pretty good season and an expiring $1,800,000 cap hit. He’s likely looking at something closer to $3.5-$4 mil and, if signed, brings the total left to around $5 or $5.5 mil to sign 5.
Among their 10 UFAs, Bunting is looking at a big jump from his expiring $950,000 after potting 23g 26a 49pts in 82gp. Even a $3.5 mil bridge deal drops what’s left to $2 or $2.5 mil to sign 4.
If they don’t re-sign Samsonov or Bunting they have to find a goalie somewhere since there’s no way Woll and yet another cheap back-up can can carry the load. And they can’t rely on Murray – obviously.
Forget O’Rielly and they couldn’t re-sign Holl and Kerfoot even if they wanted to!
And the Leafs have guys that are graduating from the minors who despite their low salary or injuries they couldn’t be one this past year otherwise they would. Anyone that knows the team knows they aren’t in as tight as a pickle with the cap anymore than their likelihood of being a 100+point team for a third straight year with a flattened cap.
George O, Muzzin would actually be crazy to play professional hockey again. It was his second neck injury, and at this stage of his career, why risk your long term health. His long term health could already be in jeopardy.
With the players you posted as signed for this year, if they retain the core four, they will not be a better team than they were last year.
Also factor in the lack of draft picks, and it could very difficult to add at the deadline.