NHL Rumor Mill – August 8, 2023
Could the Golden Knights trade Jonathan Marchessault before his contract expires at the end of this season? Do the Penguins need to add another defenseman in the wake of the Erik Karlsson trade? Get the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
COULD THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS PART WAYS WITH PLAYOFF MVP MARCHESSAULT
VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Chris Gawlik wondered if the Golden Knights will attempt to trade Jonathan Marchessault before his contract expires at the end of 2023-24. The 32-year-old winger won the Conn Smythe Trophy leading the Golden Knights to their first Stanley Cup championship.
Vegas Golden Knights winger Jonathan Marchessault (NHL Images).
Gawlik cited Marchessault’s recent interview with TVA Sports in which he indicated that contract extension talks have not yet begun with the Golden Knights. The winger acknowledged that sometimes management takes their time with such negotiations.
The Golden Knights could shop Marchessault before his contract ends next summer rather than lose him to free agency. Gawlik noted that general manager Kelly McCrimmon has previously parted with popular Golden Knights players such as Marc-Andre Fleury, Reilly Smith and Ivan Barbashev.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: As the MVP of the 2023 playoffs, Marchessault’s trade value will never be higher than it will be this season. We can’t rule out the possibility that he gets moved before the March trade deadline depending on where the Golden Knights are in the standings by then.
Marchessault carries an average annual value of $5 million but in actual salary, he’s earning an affordable $3.5 million this season. He also has a five-team no-trade clause that gives McCrimmon some leeway when it comes to trade destinations.
SHOULD THE PENGUINS ADD ANOTHER DEFENSEMAN?
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski praised Penguins GM Kyle Dubas’ acquisition of Erik Karlsson but believes he still must do more to bolster the club’s defense corps.
With Jeff Petry and Jan Rutta traded away in the Karlsson deal, Kingerski observed that the Penguins’ right-side blueline depth beyond Karlsson and Kris Letang is Chad Ruhwedel, Mark Friedman, Ty Smith and Will Butcher. If Karlsson and Letang are sidelined by injuries, Ruhwedel becomes a top-four defenseman and Friedman would be on the right side on the third pairing.
Kingerski believes Dubas has time to address this issue. Nevertheless, he thinks the Penguins GM must add another right-side defenseman or run the risk of a blueline collapse.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Karlsson and Letang didn’t have a history of lengthy health-related absences this wouldn’t be such a cause for concern. With Jake Guentzel not expected to go on long-term injury reserve to start the season, the Penguins lack sufficient cap space to address that issue. It could end up being a dollar-in, dollar-out move.
Dubas has proven time and again to be adept at salary-cap gymnastics. It’ll be interesting to see what he does regarding that potential blueline depth concern.
Dubas has certainly NOT shown that he is capable of salary cap gymnastics.
He has shown that he can get himself into big salary cap trouble with having too many top salaries on his team, which results in teams with stars and no depth who can’t win in the post-season when depth and roster construction is quickly exposed.
Why PIT entrusted this loser with their franchise leadership is truly questionable. He is repeating the mistakes of his previous incarnation and it will clearly lead them nowhere.
As per Pete
I would have to agree …
Deja Vu all over again …
Treliving must have many sleepless nights
Little to No dialogue with Matthews and Nylanders camp
2 more years of Tavares and 11 mil/per
Not sure what a buyout would look like after the upcoming season
Tavares contract is the not the biggest issue in Toronto. He has been a point per game and almost 60% faceoff guy who gets more D assignments than Auston(who gets Selke votes because he finally backchecks..)
a few less game 7 chokes and a real goalie =no one thinking about JT deal.
The Tavares contract is basically buyout proof, it would basically be a cap hit of 10.4 million for the year because of signing bonuses.
Any talk of trading or buying out Tavares just isn’t going to happen. He has complete control and the contract was designed that way so they couldn’t screw him over in any way.
“Dubas has certainly NOT shown that he is capable of salary cap gymnastics.”
Sure he hasn’t.
Dubas hasn`t, Bob Pridham is the mastermind for Toronto`s cap juggling. Dubas just steals the credit for Pridham`s work. That`s why Dubas was hoping Pridham would join him in Pittsburgh, but he didn`t (smart man). Dubas didn`t hire Pridham in Toronto, so the loyalty factor really isn`t there and Pridham decided that being an AGM in Toronto was better than being a puppet GM in Pittsburgh
Sure he did…
I think it’s great! Go Isles!!!
@ ds
I like Tavares , but the chore has to be addressed
The balance of the lineup cannot be in sync to compete or win
I am aboard with your opinion on the goaltending as well
i agree! LGI!
@yogi
To say Dubas hasn’t been able to do gymnastics with the cap is not an accurate statement.
The GM no matter what happens always gets the credit. He also gets the blame when things don’t turn out. Every GM has a cap guy or several cap guys, it’s not unique to Dubas in Toronto.
Dubas practically invented to method of ahl stashing to keep teams cap compliant. But your lingering jealousy over the pens sustained success prior to last year is a healing balm after said year.
Pridham is the master juggler not Dubas. Everybody gives Dubas the credit for the work Pridham does. It would be nice to see Pridham get the credit he deserves, instead of seeing Dubas taking all the credit for it. Dubas is like a politician
I find it it interesting watching viewers opinions shifts as a person moves from one team to another be it a player or a GM.
Boggles the mind that widespread opinion is that it was a slam dunk win for the pens. there was little to no interest in Karlsson- of course salary was huge part but salary is part of the player. Does’nt hide the fact that he played little over 50 games a year for the previous 4 seasons.
So Dubas unloaded some bad short terms contracts for 1 giant long term deal. If Karlsson was a free agent and a team signed a 33 year old to a 4 year 40 million dollar deal after having a career year- they would be ridiculed.
Well at least Crosby Malkin and Letang arent injury prone.
Dubas isnt a bad gm- but he isnt a particulary good one either, he was able to correct his own mistakes in Toronto but left the mess for someone else to clean up in the long term.
To this day he has not made 1 hockey deal where he acquires a player in his prime. He inherited a core and tinkered with over the hill players being added for nothing- so jury is still out on him…
Truth be told be told only really bad deal was Granlund and he was clearly ok with ditching a 1st round pick. He could have dealt that pick for someone to take Granlund and even Petry with salary retained for a year- then go sign Dumba to a 3.9 mill deal 1 year deal. Team would have been better off. Karlsson would be a good add for a team that didnt already have Letang and not at 10 mill a year
I think Dubas is trying to make a homerun swing for the Pens. We won’t know until after puck drop if this is the case. Of the UFA class of right handed shots still available, Ethan Bear would be the best add.
In the meantime, I think Kent Hughes made in worst case, a solid veteran add for less money in Petry. The best case would be to package him with Jake Allen to CHI for picks and/or a prospect. CHI has be adding veteran talent since drafting Bedard and still have the cap space to add these to veterans at their current sticker price. But again, hanging on to Petry is not the end of the world.
As it stands right now, Pitt has 13 Forwards, 7 Defensemen, 2 Goalies, 22 players total, and is 80K over the cap.
With the news that Jake G is not going on LTIR to start the season, Pitt is going to have to do some roster gymnastics to be cap compliant.
Brian, waive one player and the Peguins are cap compliant with a 21 man roster; includes the injured Jake G.
OR waive Alex Nedeljkovic and bring up one of the goalies making under $1 M; now have 1 healthy player up in the gallery.
OR maybe another player or 2 becomes injured during training camp and needs a short rehab stay on Robidas island.
As of today, the 80k overage is a minor issue; would be much better if Pittsburgh was 80k under the cap.
Heard yesterday Guentzel might only miss 5 games.
Agree the Pit D is thin. Ty Smith might be ready which helps
Re Pens… Guentzel…. LTIR
Drs said…. “Re-evaluate in 12 weeks”…. That’s re-evaluate…. Not “can play” in 12 weeks
Guentzel certainly could heal faster; have his evaluation sooner ; skate on own sooner; then yellow jersey, then play
12 weeks from surgery…. 25/10… means 5 games missed until (per Drs) “re-evaluation”
Dooby is projecting his best hopes
Dooby does not have to actually declare Guentzel as roster or LTIR until opening day…. If we believe the Drs “re-evaluate” projection… he won’t be playing the day after
10 days after 25/10…. 4/11…. Is Pens 10th game
On Season opening eve if Dooby gets the sense that “maybe” Guentzel could play 4/11 or outside chance, the game before…. He should put Guentzel on LTIRfor the outside risk of losing two games played vs the advantage of having LTIR to begin the season
We’ll see how things progress in September
Re Dooby and Cap gymnastics… he was the face of Leafs management and big moves…. The ups/downs and Cap shenanigans credit needs to go to Pridham…. Why do you think Dooby wanted him as a Pen
before Pridham worked his AHL up/down magic…. Botteril had already been in full swing with Pens doing the same
Re
“
Dan Kingerski praised Penguins GM Kyle Dubas’ acquisition of Erik Karlsson but believes he still must do more to bolster the club’s defense corps.
With Jeff Petry and Jan Rutta traded away in the Karlsson deal, Kingerski observed that the Penguins’ right-side blueline depth beyond Karlsson and Kris Letang is Chad Ruhwedel, Mark Friedman, Ty Smith and Will Butcher. If Karlsson and Letang are sidelined by injuries, Ruhwedel becomes a top-four defenseman and Friedman would be on the right side on the third pairing.“
This is so very true…. It’s the point I keep trying to make…. Pens are vulnerable because Sully discriminates against the far superior Friedman in favour of Ruhweedel
A change must happen
Dooby can take that decision right off of Sully by doing one of three things (he could do more than one of these BTW)
1. Easiest… waive and send Ruhweedel to WBS. No team picks him up; and this decision is solely that of GM and NOT the coach
2. Sign one of Foote or Bear to $900 K or less….. no coach ANYWHERE would play Ruhweedel over EITHER of those two (both righties; both way better at D; both are faster and stronger; they are 7 1/2 and 7 years respectively younger; Bear same height 10 lbs heavier; Foote 4” taller and 20+ lbs heavier)
P-O J with Friedman or Bear or Foote; with Smyth as 7th D👍👍👍👍
Ruhweedel on the Penguins NHL roster…..tragedy waiting to happen 👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎
Again…. The above two are ALL in Dooby’s control
Worst case…. $900 K for either Foote orBear; Ruhweedel in WBS…. Extra $50 K on Cap…. Already over by $80 K…. So has to make move anyway…… in an emergency …. Pitlick or Accairi down to WBS replaced by any WBS forward…. Under (NOTE: still only at 21; still no 3C; no third line quality players
My personal hope (yes longshot) is a healthy Toews signing as 3C for $1 M Sal (plus appropriate PBs)
The PBs (if earned) can be pushed to next year (Carter is off books)…. Bruins did low Sal, plus associated PBs on Berg and Krejci !!
For this year… only his (Toews) Sal on Cap…. $1 M
Accairi moved for “future considerations”…. $2 M out; $1 M Toews in…. Frees up $1 M in Cap space….that puts Pens Under Cap, could bring up a player from WBS…. ORcould sign UFAs at league min (Comtois, N Ritchie as examples)
OR…. Dooby tries to pull the Rabbit out of Verbeek’s hat…
Henrique…. 50% retained by Verbeek; another 25% by a middle team
Obviously going to Ducks is Accairi and O’ Connor plus a prospect not named P-O J, Smyth, Pickering; Poulin; Yaeger
Middle team… likely Pitlick or Nieto plus a prospect not named P-O J, Smyth, Pickering; Poulin; Yaeger
Dooby…. You had Sid; Tanger; Gino reach out to EK…. Can’t you ask Sid to call Toews….. only a phone call… and it just may prove to be a very promising call…. If he says no…. It’s no…. Give it a shot at least
“2. Sign one of Foote or Bear”
was supposed to be
“2. and 3. Sign one of Foote or Bear”
Pengy, Guentzel on season opening LTIR is a last case scenario for the Pens. It only helps a team if a player will be out for a long period of time. Otherwise, it reduces flexibility because it decreases a team’s Accruable Cap Space Limit (ACSL).
To make the most out of LTIR, a team needs to use as much of the relief as possible on opening day. Pens are only 80k above the cap with 21 healthy bodies. Add 2 more at $1 M each to reach 23. Now they are only using $2.1 M of Jake’s $6 M LTIR space.
A lot of pundits say the Sharks got shafted. They actually saved, rough math $25 millionThat’s worth something