NHL Rumor Mill – August 15, 2023
What are the Bruins’ options at center following the retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci? Could they involve a trade with the Flames or Jets? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
HOW WILL THE BRUINS REPLACE BERGERON AND KREJCI?
NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Nick Goss looked at the options available to the Bruins to offset the retirements of centers Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci.
One option is looking internally by using Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha as their top two centers. Prospect John Beecher could skate on the third or fourth line if he can crack the lineup with a strong training camp. Prospects such as Matthew Poitras and Brett Harrison are a year or more away.
Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele (NHL Images).
Regarding trade options, the two obvious targets are the Calgary Flames’ Elias Lindholm and the Winnipeg Jets’ Mark Scheifele. Both are slated to become unrestricted free agents next summer. However, Goss acknowledged the Bruins don’t have an abundance of quality trade assets.
Goss suggested Jake DeBrusk as a trade chip if he doesn’t re-sign before the trade deadline. Linus Ullmark could be an option if Jeremy Swayman establishes himself as the Bruins’ starter. Matt Grzelcyk and Derek Forbort are capable defensemen on expiring contracts.
THE ATHLETIC: Murat Ates noted that the Jets have two goalies eligible for UFA status next summer in Connor Hellebuyck and Laurent Brossoit. While swapping Scheifele for one of the Bruins goalies sounds like an easy fix, goaltenders aren’t fetching first-line centers these days. He also cited the Bruins’ limited number of tradeable assets.
Ates also believes building a trade between the Bruins and Flames involving Lindholm is more challenging. The Flames have no obvious need for a goalie and few Bruins skaters would be a fit on their roster.
SPORTSNET: Ken Wiebe was asked by a reader about the possibility of the Jets shipping Scheifele to the Bruins. Like Goss and Ates, he cites the Bruins’ lack of trade assets, specifically a top center or a top center prospect they could send the Jets in return.
Asked if the Flames might be a destination for Scheifele if the Bruins acquired Lindholm, Wiebe considers that to be a long shot. He cites the big bucks the Flames have already invested in Jonathan Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri and MacKenzie Weegar beyond this season, making them reluctant to sign Schefiele to a long-term contract.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets don’t seem to be in a hurry to trade Schiefele while the Flames are reportedly still discussing a contract extension with Lindholm.
If Scheifele and Lindholm end up shopped before this season’s trade deadline, I don’t think the Bruins have the assets to outbid other interested clubs. I expect the Bruins will be very interested in them should they become UFAs next July.
LATEST ON THE JETS
SPORTSNET: Ken Wiebe was asked by a reader if the Winnipeg Jets intend to re-sign Scheifele and Hellebuyck before they become eligible for UFA status next July. He said it’s challenging to know what general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has in store for those two, though Cheveldayoff didn’t rule out that option during his media availability on July 1.
For now, it appears both players will be in training camp next month and will start the season with the Jets. Even if Scheifele and/or Hellebucyk are traded, the Jets won’t get equal value in return. Cheveldayoff could use both as self-rentals for the season even at the risk of losing them to free agency next July.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cheveldayoff was probably listening to offers for Hellebuyck and Scheifele leading up to the NHL Draft in late June and free agency on July 1. The fact that both players are still with the Jets tells us all we need to know about the type of offers he may have received.
At this point, it appears the Jets will start the season with Hellebuyck and Scheifele and see how things pan out. Perhaps an improved performance by the club will convince one or both players to re-sign. Maybe Cheveldayoff peddles them at the trade deadline if the Jets are out of playoff contention.
As Wiebe noted, Cheveldayoff could hang onto them for one last playoff run. If they depart as free agents, he’ll invest whatever cap space he would’ve used to re-sign them toward retooling the roster with younger talent via trades and his prospect pipeline.
Pretty sure Colin White is unsigned and is from New England. Just a though for your second or 3rd line center. He’s defensively responsible and can produce when put with good players.
This Pens and Leafs fan would like Bruins to go with Coyle and Zacha; trade with Pens for Accairi (6th rounder, ‘26); Pens then sign Tatar and a healthy ( 🤞) Toews
Pengy, I don’t believe you know much about Noel Accaiari.
He’s like a Swiss army knife. He’s not a 1C, but he can fill in at 2-3C for an extended period if there’s an injury. Incredibly responsible and has decent hands and distribution skills. He’s not a huge man, but he plays like one. Lots of controlled jam and over average hustle while hunting, and coming up with the puck. He’s a very useful player.
He’d still be in Boston if we could have afforded him.
Smart acquisition by Dubas.
He might be the best bottom 6 signing this year for the pens. Not sure why pengy wants him gone so bad. Tip that with the devastating reputation damage dubas would get for signing a player then almost immediately trading them.
If Chevy kept Scheiffle and Hellebuyck as own rentals he should be fired. A team like Winnipeg needs to build through the draft and trading expiring contracts. That’s the reason those two need to be traded well before the trade deadline, or they need to be extended. If the team is in a good position at the trade deadline with both of them in the lineup, it wouldn’t be fair to the other players to trade the two at that point and risk a regression in team play, and risk not making the playoffs.
They are also risking a poor season or an injury to one of them. Trade them before the season starts, even if you have to retain salary.
Hi SOP
Recency bias for sure
Did watch tons of Panthers games a couple of years ago and he was OK; but nothing special
When he came to leafs…. and note, I watched all games….Definitely not impressed at all…..he played about akin to what Granlund did for Pens…. Accairi got 5 points in 23 GP
Dubas brought him in as 4C…. $2 M for 4C is just too much
He in no way is good enough to jump up to top 6 on wing let alone at C (if either Sid or Gino goes down)
Eller jumping up will be hard enough…. Accairi …. No
He’s fine at 4C on Pens….. but $2 M is too much for that position
Pitlick, Poulin , of Zoho at 4C saves Cap $’s with minimal change but more importantly frees up some space to go after Tatar
I keep flogging Toews…. And unfortunately it is sounding more and more like he’s retiring…. But if healthy…..,
Toews centering Tatar and Eller certainly gives Pens a productive 3rd line
Toews ill last year was still top 4 in face-offs in league and was on 82 G pace of 24-26-50 (on the lowly Blackhawks BTW)
Note…. Dooby currently has Eller slotted at 3C
Is literally the same size as Toews…. Both 6’2” , 206
Toews leaps and bounds better on the dot
Toews way better hands
3 Cup pedigree
Leader
And Toews 82 G pace of 24-25-50 on the lowly Blackhawks….. far better than Eller’s 10-13-23 (NOTE in 84 games and on better teams [than BlackHawks]… Caps/Avs
Age…..1 year and 9 days apart…. That’s it
Toews at 3C…. Again if healthy….. huge uptick over Eller
Pengy, I don’t think Toews is even looking to play, is he?
All I base that on is that his rep agency didn’t even list him as a available free agent and we haven’t heard a peep about him.
Not sure he is 100% healthy either. Maybe in a few months he feels better, changes his mind and gets in shape with his buddy Kane and gives it a go.
Now, here I thought Noel had a real solid playoffs last season. He’s not paid to ride shotgun with Matthews or Tavares and pot 20 pts in the playoffs. It would be neat, but that’s not his game. He’s out there to create low event shifts for the opposition, neutralize the top center on the PK, and lock his teams end up. Any offense is a bonus.
We will certainly have to agree to disagree on this players value on the ice and in the accountants books…….and that’s another thing that makes this site great!
Welp. I’m excited to have landed him. Type of player pens have lacked for awhile. Besides graves it was the only signing I got excited about.
I think the Graves pick up is excellent. He slots in with Letang and now that allows Karlsson to play his game with Dragon watching his six.
I’ll tune in when they play.
Hi Chrisms, SOP, Ray
Re Accairi
It’s not that Dubas signed him; it’s his Cap hit for what they signed him for…. 4C
If Carter wasn’t on the team; the overpay in Cap hit for Accairi is irrelevent
But Carter is on team; going nowhere…. Every Cap $ counts
Dooby didn’t choose well
He should have signed Poehling, who is stronger, better, 4” taller; 8 years younger; already familiar with Pens systems….. signed 1 @ $1.4 M
For an extra $100 K…. Bjug …. 1/2 year younger; but mist importantly…. Can play 3C; 15 lbs heavier; 8” taller
One of the biggest misses was Duchene…. 82 G pace last year of 26-39-65
He signed for $3M… note that’s for Stars….. no State tax
So Pens match would need to be $3.3 M for same take home (cite Gavin Group)
Duchene easily jumps up to 2C if either Gino or Sid gets injured
Very problamatic if Eller has to; no way for Accairi
Eller + Accairi….. $4.45 M…. In hook for 2 and 3 years respectively
Any Pens fan would rather have a 1 year commitment of $3.3 M on Duchene and ine year of $1.15 M on a UFA forward
Without even going outside ; Dooby could have had Poehling instead of Accairi
Don’t geg me started on Johhnnnson and Hinnesrozza signings!!!
Accairi is one of the harder to play against Pens forwards. they need him
Hi ds
He certainly didn’t shine with Leafs… and Dooby gave him a 69% raise; and for 3 years; all after he under performed for Leafs
If Dooby had re-upped him at 1 year; even say 2 at last year’s Cap hit…. And home for a turn around in play…. I can buy that move
60% raise, 3 years; after showing poorly on Leafs…. That was not a smart move by Dooby
Dooby also let other better options pass him by
@Pengy
i thought he looked better than Kerfoot who just got 2x 3.5
Hi ds
Kerfoot overpaid as well
That said…. Accairi is a defensive fwd; Kerfoot isn’t
Kerfoot can shuttle into top 6 in a pinch for a short stay
Accairi….Nyet
Kerfoot at $2.5 M; Accairi…. $1.25 M max; 2 years max
Hi Pengy
July 1, Penguins signed both centers Noel Acciari and Lars Ellner. Purpose of these signings w
make the Penguins bottom two lines more difficult to play vs while scoring a bit too. Also, as of now, Jeff Carter is another center and maybe Carter regains form from two seasons ago? Today is August 15, six weeks later from July 1 and notice not one single NHL team signed Jonathan Toews. Must be valid reason Toews is still free agent!
I wonder if any movement before camp starts September 20. We might not see these names with Calgary and Winnipeg traded until the quarter pole and trade deadline. They are respectively too important and could set the clubs back 5 years if not done right
The 8 year extension for Lindholm is an advantage . At the reported offer numbers of $9.2m he would be leaving a lot on the table if he goes to market. Does He hate Calgary that much
If I’m Boston, I let the season play out with what I have unless a favorable trade becomes available. Why pay up now when the Cap presumably rises next year, and substantially at that, and a fresh crop of Free Agents are at hand?
This is the way I’d go.
agree Sog
As a Bruins fan I’m all set with trying to make a move for MS. He may be an above average on offense but he’s below average in his own end. As for a deal with Cal the Bruins don’t have what the flams could use to make them a competitive nor do the Bruins have the picks or prospects to get a deal done imo. Bruins have already said Ullnark and Grizz are not on the table for trades. I expect an extension for DeBrusk is likely before season’s end. I see a lot of people saying the Bruins are done and won’t make the playoffs this year yet the new core of Pasta DeBrusk Zacha Coyle Mcavoy Lindholm Carlo Ullmark and Swayman are still here. That a pretty damn good core imo. I believe they sit pat give a few kids a chance and wait for FA next year. That’s the most reasonable plan and Sweeney has already said as much.
The Bruins should sit back and let this season play out. They have no picks in the first 3 rounds next year. See where you are at TDL, then trade your UFAs and maybe a player with term and stock up again. Your core is signed for a few more years, so you have an excellent foundation to rebuild with: McVoy, Pasta, Coyle, Lindmark, Carlo, Frederick, Ulmark, Swayman, etc. They have a ton of money coming off the books next year and can be players in the UFA market. if JVR gets hot and you don’t think we go far in play offs, flip him for a pick. As a longtime STH, I have no problem with this approach.
What’s a long time sth?
Season ticket holder
I think they owe it to Marchand to try and find a top 6 center!You also have a guy who scored over 60 goals! I m sure they Don t want a potential bridge year!Not saying give away the store,but Don t waste a year of their core players careers!
Nice touch by Hughes sending Petry home. I’m thinking he’s a real good person.
Nice touch but not good deal.
Mea Culpa folks. I guess I was wrong. I said Hughes wouldn’t just give Petry away. Well, he did.
Gustav Lindstrom is basically another Jonathan Kovacevic. And the first one is hardly anything to write home about. And a fourth rounder has about a one in ten chance of becoming an NHLer.
Had the Habs not retained salary it may have been a decent deal. But they’re on the hook for some dead space for two years.
Another way to look at it Howard is…..
Hughes converted $6.1 M in commitments for Hoffman and Pitlick
Into. $5.5 M ($3.6 M Petry retention, $1.9 M DeSmith)…. So saved $600 K; and ….
gained…..
A 2nd
A 4th
Legere
Lindstrom
That’s not too shabby
I think it’s more about doing a player a solid on a personal level and building reports and relationships with his fellow GMs.
Hughes has now had dealings with several of the more prominent managers around the league. He’s made very fair deals where he’s given a little here, taken a little extra there.
It all rounds out in the end asset wise, but it’s more about the friends he’s making along the way. When it’s time for something big, or even urgent, he’ll have allies to help him, just like he’s done for others.
He’s intelligent and values relationships.
I don’t like it one bit.
Recent 4th round picks for the Habs:
Cedrick Guindon
William Trudeau
Sean Farell
All three are performing well and are on a good trajectory, time will tell of course.
If Lidstrom is as solid as Kovacevic I’ll be very happy.
So far projects have worked out pretty well under the new Habs management and it remains to be seen if they keep it up.
I would have liked to keep Petry but he obviously doesn’t fit into HuGo’s rebuild.
I agree with 2422’s take on HuGo being intelligent and building relationships.
I agree with you Howard. It’s hard not to like Hughes as he seems like an intelligent and caring person but these last 2 trades leave me as bit baffled. Trading for Petry was a mistake. He demanded a trade out of Montreal just over a year ago so I bet he threw up in his mouth a little when he heard he was traded back. No chance he would play a game in Montreal so we all knew he was going to be flipped. The only thing of value is the 2nd round pick. The others are not likely to make it. No way Yzerman gives up on a 24 yr old defender for a 35 yr old if he thought there was any significant upside. Don’t we have enough defence prospects in the system already? Pengy if you add Lindstrom’s contract, Habs lost cap space for this year and next. To me it would have been better to keep Hoffman and Pitlick, bury them in the minors if needed and not have to carry Petry’s contract into next year.
Pengy, the first part of the trade was fine. The second part not so much. Should have gotten more for Petry.
Howard, I ama Detroit fan, but not so much of Petry. He may even be a healthy scratch sometimes, barring any additional moves by Yzerman. I am sure that Hughes did the best he could. I view Petry as a #6/7 defenseman, and Detroit might have overpaid to get him. Since neither of us is happy with this move, maybe it was a fair deal.