NHL Rumor Mill – September 27, 2023
Check out the latest on Patrick Kane, Trevor Zegras, Mikael Backlund, Shane Pinto and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
UPDATE ON PATRICK KANE’S REHAB
TSN: Darren Dreger reports Patrick Kane is doing well as he continues to rehab in Toronto from his June hip resurfacing procedure. The 34-year-old unrestricted free-agent winger and his representatives remain committed to his four-to-six-month recovery period.
Kane’s agent Pat Brisson is getting calls from multiple teams seeking updated medical information on his client. However, it could be mid-to-late October at the earliest before he can begin interviews with select teams.
Chris Johnston pointed out that limited salary cap space will be an issue for many of the clubs interested in signing Kane and there aren’t many mechanisms available to help them clear sufficient cap space. They can’t sign him to a 35-plus contract because he’s ineligible to receive one.
Anaheim Ducks center Trevor Zegras (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes have been suggested as possible suitors. A wild rumor making the rounds earlier this month claimed the Toronto Maple Leafs would be interested but that was based on comments made by TSN’s Dave Poulin that were misinterpreted by several rumor sites.
ARE THE DUCKS LOW-BALLING ZEGRAS?
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports there doesn’t seem to be much movement in contract talks between the Anaheim Ducks and Trevor Zegras. TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie recently reported the Ducks were offering the restricted free-agent center between $3 million and $4 million annually.
Friedman believes there was a time when the two sides were willing to agree to a three-year deal. If so, he thinks that AAV has to be higher. Zegras isn’t arbitration-eligible now but he will be on his next contract so it defies logic that he would get an AAV below $4 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zegras is the rebuilding Ducks’ most skilled forward and their most marketable star. He’s a foundation piece going forward. It makes no sense to low-ball him.
The Ducks hold all the leverage right now with Zegras coming off his entry-level contract. I’m not suggesting they should overpay the 22-year-old center but they have to be reasonable or risk alienating their franchise player.
Perhaps Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek’s first pitch to the Zegras camp was between $3 million and $4 million. I’d expect a high initial offer while the player’s representatives and then the two sides negotiate toward something in the middle.
It’s not like the Ducks are pressed for cap space. They’ve currently got $17.5 million available for this season. For 2024-25, they’ve got just $44.2 million invested in 11 active roster players. They can afford to sign Zegras to a short-term deal with a reasonable average annual value.
Zegras is going to demand much more on his arbitration-eligible contract and he’ll get it one way or another if he develops as projected. He could also decide that he only wants a short-term deal to take him up to UFA eligibility.
FLAMES AND BACKLUND TALKING CONTRACT EXTENSION
TSN: Chris Johnston reports contract extension talks have started between Calgary Flames management and Mikael Backlund. The 34-year-old center was noncommital about a new deal following last season’s disappointing performance by the Flames. However, the positive environment brought about by new head coach Ryan Huska has made Backlund consider committing to a new contract.
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman predicts Backlund will get a three-year deal with an AAV of $5.5 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perhaps that also has some effect on potential extension talks with center Elias Lindholm and defenseman Noah Hanifin. Like Backlund, they’re slated to become UFAs next July but they have indicated a recent willingness to discuss new contracts with management.
SENATORS TRYING TO SHED SALARY FOR PINTO’S NEW CONTRACT.
TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Ottawa Senators are trying to free up some salary-cap space to re-sign 22-year-old center Shane Pinto. He believes the restricted free agent could accept a two-year deal worth $2.5 million per season. LeBrun mentioned that Senators forward Mathieu Joseph has been in the rumor mill.
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman indicates the Philadelphia Flyers have an interest in Joseph but they won’t make it easy. He claims they’d want a high-level prospect or the 2024 first-round pick sent by Detroit in the Alex DeBrincat trade. The Senators, however, aren’t willing to do that at this point. Friedman also wondered if the San Jose Sharks might be interested.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators GM Pierre Dorion signing Vladimir Tarasenko in July before getting Pinto under contract has become a big headache right now. It’s not doing Pinto any good as he’s already missed a week of training camp. This could end up costing the Senators a lot more than cap space the longer this drags out.
3 max on Backlund and then make him the captain. Not sure about that dollar amount. He is an older third liner
Pinto is getting pulled off the market. When he gets hit from behind he explodes
Took me a few minutes but I just got your Dad joke about Pinto cars… nice one.
He is older but so far he can still skate really good and he did have his best point season ever if I remember correctly, but I agree, 3 years max
Backlund takes a 4 x $5.3M and the captaincy.
Zegras signs a 2 x $4M deal and demands a trade at the next contract, if Verbeek remains pig-headed.
Joseph gets traded with a 2nd round sweetener or with a Boucher and a 3rd round pick comes back to the Sens
its a bad look on Dorion , he has to trade Joseph or Kubalik plus add a prospect / pick to get the cap to sign Pinto. Not sure if he did any balance sheet review when he signed Tarasenko. I like Tarasenko but that 5 mil messed with the cap space.
Trading Boucher is not a gaff but picking him at the #10 spot in 2021 was.
I thinK PD has one foot out the door. The only thing that can save him is if the team makes the playoffs and performs up to or exceeds expectations.
Joseph is a good role player he just makes 500k too much and was signed for 4 years instead of 2-3, that’s on Dorion as well.
The good thing about training camp is you get to showcase guys. We shall see how it works out in Ottawa.
They have Creig who likely could slide into Pjnto’s spot.
Though not ideal especially with the jury concern to Norris. They could move Pinto in a package. Free up cap space and bring in another centre and finnaly ink Bailey to a deal .
I don’t think this is a job risking mess.
Ottawa also have D young D who should be of interest to teams.
Brannstrom, Thomson, Bernard-Docker, Kelvin.
I don’t think it’s too bad of a mess for Dorion. He is being patient, which he can afford with Pinto. I wouldn’t give up a first, but try and package a young D. One of them is going to have to clear waivers anyway, so may as well put one in the offer. Lassi or JBD comes to mind. That still gives you a lot of good D coming up.
Personally, Joseph has looked good in preseason and is a very solid player when healthy, but his cap hit is probably the easiest to make things work. If I was Dorion, I would consider moving Zub. We have a bunch of good young D coming up, and we should actually get a good return on moving him. If not, that tells you all you need to know about him.
I think Dorion waits to see if an early season injury pops up, and if not then you make a deal.
“Zegras signs a 2 x $4M deal and demands a trade at the next contract, if Verbeek remains pig-headed.”
How do we know it’s Verbeek being pigheaded and not Zegras asking for 3x$8M?
Yeah, I am not entirely sure Dorion did Tarasenko before Pinto. Other than the fact Pinto could not go anywhere and Vlad was a free agent.
I do wonder if PD was hedging his bets on the health of Norris though…
Also, Joseph could go and not really be missed. There are any number of players on the bottom six that can do what he does for far less cash.
@ Jeff Noel , I agree Greig could replace Pinto on an interim basis but that should never have been the plan. Moving Pinto in a package would make me lean even further to firing PD. Lastly trading the D you noted won’t bring back the cap space required to get Pinto signed if Pinto is looking for 2.5 . If they trade Kleven thats another nail in the coffin , he will be a full time Senator in the near future, if not this year then next.
On the dark side , perhaps as the Saint noted , Norris may be heading to LTIR again. That would only be an interim solution and an unfortunate one at that. Once he is ready to return they are in cap hell again . Maybe there is news soon to be released about player suspensions from the Hockey Canada investigation. Dorion may know if Batherson is on the list and may not be available.
All I know is that it is a messy situation , they are most likely going to have to go with a 20 or 21 man roster.
The lack of any news about the Hockey Canada report is mind boggling honestly.
I agree. Are they waiting for all involved to retire from their lengthy NHL careers before releasing the damaging information? 5 years is far to long complete an investigation and deliver a verdict.
When you look at the teams that have the space to trade for Joseph, he makes the majority of them better.
I get tanking and all, but you also don’t want to suck too bad as it is a detriment to your young players you are trying to develop.
I think they will be able to trade Joseph for less then what Philly is asking for. The only reason I say that is because that is what almost always happens.
I suppose all those teams could take the same hard stance as Philly, but that would be new for a guy that is a still a quality NHL player, perhaps over paid by a few hundred K.
It just usually costs less, if it doesn’t it’s a bad gamble, but we will see what happens I guess.
Agree Ray, Joseph’s a decent player who had a down year. Something will likely get done prior to the start of the season and it won’t be completely lop sided.
Hi everyone I was wondering has anyone heard from George O lately I miss his comments on Ottawa
Zegras- think Boldy, Cozens, Caufield, doe Verbeek think he’s below those guys?
Hardballing him on a bridge deal instead of locking him up long term will bite him hard.
Pinto situation was there for all to see and it’s an own goal by Dorion. He may salvage the situation but he shouldn’t be in it in the first place.
Rumour making the rounds was Zegras and Drysdale for Rasmussen Dahlin.
With an abundance of centres Buffalo could then ship one to Winnipeg for Hellybuyck and they would be in playoffs for sure.
HF30 , good comparisons re Zegras
Backlund signs extension with the Flames.
Good thing Johhny Z isn’t the Calgary GM.
He suggested Backlund would take a 4 x $5.3M deal and the captaincy.
Half right, he was named captain.
But only 2 years @ $4.5 M. Mikael is earning $5.35 M in the final year of a 6 year contract. Only scored more than 20 goals 3 times in his career.
Last 20 goal season was 5 years ago; at the start of his extension, Backlund will be 35 years old.
2 year @ $4.5 M seems about right.