NHL Rumor Mill – October 14, 2023
In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, we look at the latest on the Canucks’ Conor Garland, the Senators’ Shane Pinto and the Sharks’ Kevin Labanc as well as how the Canadiens could help the Blue Jackets alleviate their blueline logjam.
COULD THE PREDATORS BE A DESTINATION FOR GARLAND?
SPORTSNET (via NHL Watcher): During Friday’s “32 Thoughts” podcast, Elliotte Friedman wondered if the Nashville Predators might be a trade destination for Conor Garland. The 27-year-old winger was recently given permission by the Vancouver Canucks to speak with other clubs about a trade.
Vancouver Canucks winger Conor Garland (NHL Images).
Friedman isn’t saying that it’s going to happen. However, he noted that they have the cap space to absorb Garland’s $4.95 million average annual salary. They’re also looking for a player who would fit with general manager Barry Trotz and head coach Andrew Brunette.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators have $7.9 million in projected cap space so they can certainly take on Garland’s cap hit through 2025-26. The question is whether they see Garland as a fit and what sort of return the Canucks would want. He does play an aggressive two-way game that would be favored by Trotz and Brunette.
The Canucks want to shed salary so they probably won’t want a player in return, especially if they didn’t have to retain any portion of Garland’s cap hit. Still, they won’t just give him away as they’ll want something decent in return.
UPDATE ON PINTO
TSN: cited the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reporting Shane Pinto has left Ottawa and returned home to Franklin Square, NY. The unsigned center cited there’s been too much attention on him in Ottawa right now and he wants to focus on his training.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pinto’s decision also suggests there’s no progress in contract talks between his representatives and Senators management. General manager Pierre Dorion is reportedly attempting to clear some cap room for Pinto by shopping forward Mathieu Joseph and defenseman Erik Brannstrom.
THE LATEST ON LABANC
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Max Miller noted that the San Jose Sharks scratched Kevin Labanc from their opening-night lineup on Oct. 12. He wondered if this is the beginning of the end of the 27-year-old winger’s tenure with the Sharks.
Since signing his four-year contract in October 2020, Labanc hasn’t produced to the level the Sharks expected of him. He’s been the frequent subject of trade rumors but Miller believes his $4.725 million cap hit is the reason why he hasn’t been moved yet.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Labanc is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July. Barring a trade, this is going to be his last season in San Jose.
The Sharks might be able to trade Labanc (who lacks no-trade protection) during this season if they retain part of his cap hit. Otherwise, they might have to wait until the March 8 trade deadline when most of his actual salary will have been paid out.
COULD THE CANADIENS BE A FIT FOR A BLUE JACKETS DEFENSEMAN?
MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: That’s what Marco D’Amico suggested earlier this week following a recent report by Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli claiming the Columbus Blue Jackets were looking to trade one of their blueliners. They have a logjam on defense and need to make some room on the right side.
Seravalli suggested Jake Bean, Andrew Peeke and Adam Boqvist as potential trade options. D’Amico suggested the Canadiens target Boqvist, noting that they have the cap space to take on his $2.6 million cap hit. He pointed out that the Habs have “waiver-exempt prospects, draft picks and NHL-ready forwards” to dangle as trade bait.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maybe the Blue Jackets and Canadiens have discussed this possibility. We’ll find out in due course if that’s the case. The Habs might have other options in mind.
The cap sucks and always has in my opinion. I understand the need for some sort of ceiling on salaries but the NHL has taken it to the extreme. They need a more flexible system…
I agree. Better to put in luxury tax. So much % paid into league by teams over the cap and shared with all teams under the cap. Cannot buy cup anyway. As leafs and nyr have tried for years without success
Paul the inflexibility of the cap is not helping smaller markets like Ottawa. They have good players, no one really is over paid but here they are, a bubble team hard pressed against the cap.
I ranted and ragged how bad it was especially for us fans to have their great team forcefully get torn down to become cap compliant…see Tampa.
The league allows a third team to take on some cap hits to facilitate a trade, why not allow a team to trade cap space for a player they already have under contract so teams can retain their rosters?
I like being able to trade cap space if it has limitations. Only so much per year. Only one year at a time per deal. No cash allowed. Would be interesting. It would eliminate this whole third party thing which feels unnecessary
Cap is fine. It’s created parity in the league. Couple of organizations have also won their first cup ever in the last 10-15 years.
The only fans that want to see no cap are the large market fan bases. “No one can buy a cup.” Sure won’t stop toronto, NY, Chicago, and Montreal from trying. Keep the cap in place. Teams like Ottawa and Edmonton who have mismanaged their assets shouldn’t be used as examples as to why the cap doesn’t work.
Randino, Edmonton seems to have turned the corner since Holland. He has the patience required.
I agree on the cap. When you look at MLB, the big market clubs consistently do better on a whole, with some exceptions, but the data seems pretty clear IMO.
I disagree. I think the hard cap makes the league more interesting, where all teams have to manage their teams more carefully.
Perhaps one area where they could add flexibility is the buyout. Playing payers who don’t live up to contracts is where a lot of teams are getting hit. Maybe bring in more of a nfl type system where all the money isn’t guaranteed. It’s just like in other occupations, if you don’t live up to your contract, there are repercussions.
Owen, the current buyout offers flexibility. When the contract of a player over the age of 26 is bought out, the player only receives 2/3 of the remaining contract value. There is no guarantee on all the money.
I am sure the owners would prefer a much lower buyout percentage, but that’s the nature of a collective bargaining agreement.
Keep that defence you can never have enough . Werenski down couple of weeks as example
The market value will only go up peaking at the trade deadline
I am not even sure the Canes will move one any time soon
I don’t understand why the Habs would be interested in Boqvist when the one area the Habs have strength in is D prospects.
The Habs have Reinbacher, Trudeau, Lindsrom and Mailloux in Laval who could all play if the Habs think they need a R d. Given they are in a re-build, it’s not as if they are in a playoff push so giving away assets this for a marginal gain this year doesn’t make sense to me at least.
Agreed. The author of that piece was merely making a suggestion. Maybe the Habs looked into it or perhaps the Blue Jackets contacted them. It’s more likely that neither took place
Couldn’t agree more LJ. Defence is one position we are ok. Goaltending on the other hand…
D,Amico has written about Boqvist a few times …..the most injured team needs another slender D who’s often hurt. No thanks