NHL Rumor Mill – October 20, 2023
The latest on the Canadiens, Blackhawks and Jets plus an update on the Predators’ rumored interest in Conor Garland in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
LATEST ON THE CANADIENS, BLACKHAWKS AND JETS
FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy believes the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks and Winnipeg Jets could make some noticeable moves leading up to the American Thanksgiving on Nov. 23.
A source told Murphy there’s a market for Canadiens goaltender Cayden Primeau. The Canadiens are said to be listening to offers. The San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings and Philadelphia Flyers have expressed more than a passing interest.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens are carrying Primeau as their third goalie. They don’t want to risk losing him to waivers if they attempt to send him back to their AHL affiliate in Laval. I don’t think they want to move Primeau as they will need him if Sam Montembeault or Jake Allen become injured at some point.
The rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks are still in sell-and-stock mode. A pro scout told Murphy he keeps hearing that Tyler Johnson, Nikita Zaitsev and Jarred Tinordi are out there in the trade market.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t doubt that all three could be shopped at some point this season. However, those moves seem more likely to happen near the March 8 trade deadline.
Winnipeg Jets defenseman Nate Schmidt (NHL Images).
The Jets, meanwhile, could try to clear some cap space in the trade market. Murphy wondered if defenseman Nate Schmidt might help a depleted Florida Panthers blueline.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schmidt carries a cap hit of $5.95 million. The Panthers are pressed for cap space. I don’t think there’s a fit there even if the Jets retained some salary.
UPDATE ON GARLAND
THE FOURTH PERIOD: Dave Pagnotta recently noted that the Nashville Predators were among the teams interested in Vancouver Canucks winger Conor Garland. He also claimed the Predators would be willing to part with defenseman Dante Fabbro as part of a move.
SPORTSNET: In his latest “32 Thoughts” column, Elliotte Friedman believes Luke Schenn’s injury decreased the possibility of the Predators acquiring Garland. “If Dante Fabbro was the desired return, the Predators need him now,” wrote Friedman, who’s not as certain that they were as interested in Garland as originally believed.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schenn is for four to six weeks with a lower-body injury. Maybe the Predators will be more willing to move Fabbro after his return. By that point, however, the Canucks may have shipped Garland to another club. Then again, perhaps the Preds weren’t as keen to move Fabbro as some suggest.
Garland is this week’s Mathieu Joseph, a trade is not happening unless there is a big sweetener attached.
Disagree, however salary will have to go the other way and maybe even retaining of some salary depending on the contract/players coming back
Does anyone else feel like, as they read articles about all the teams that are supposed to be interested in Garland, and Vancouvers expected return, that we are reading stuff originally penned by the Canucks PR department ?
Cayden Primeau has looked good at every level but the NHL.
He’s the latest in a long line of “next ones” who were highly regarded in the Habs system which was usually stocked with good goalies.
Zach Fucale, Charlie Lindgren were sure things but didn’t make it.
The Habs have a bunch of goalie prospects in the system now but the reality is they may not be worth a bag of hockey pucks.
Only reason I wouldn’t trade Primeau is I doubt we’d get anything of value for him.
One source speculates that a Danault+ for Ullmark trade would be very beneficial for both teams.
Since the Bruins are winning w/o bolstering their center depth, and the Kings are desperate, that other asset going with Danault could be very good!
i dont really want bruins to trade either goaltender but because they could use another centre a trade something like danault and Pinelli for ullmark and lysell might entice the bruins
The Kings won’t trade Danault. The three headed monster of Kopitar, Danault and Dubois is the team’s identity. You have to stop three lines to beat the Kings. They’ll roll with average goaltending. Last year they had horrible goaltending and made the playoffs.
They do have Byfield coming up though. He could slot in for the third Line C
Ya, I make that deal if I am BOS, but not if I am LA. Danault is a really good player signed to a fair deal with 4 years remaining and ends at a reasonable time when he is 34. Ullmark has this year and next and is a UFA.
If LA’s tending doesn’t improve, they will have to do something, just not that big a swing IMO.
During the off season the B’s may have to move one of their tenders, depending how Swayman plays and how much his next contract will be. But I think Sweeney likes having top notch tending from both guys. Keeps them fresh too. You can win games if you play good D with that tending. We’ll see if they do.
would you do Ullmark for Byfield?
Byfield has not develop as of date, not sure where he is playing in LA is he the 4th line C or is he playing the wing?
Wow Caper, that’s a tough one.
High risk with possible high reward deal, that is all about the future vs now. Byfield isn’t ready to play top 6 minutes today. Heck might never be. Or he could be your top C for a decade if he develops to his physical talent.
Probably?
The reason I might is because we have Swayman, and Ullamrk is only signed for this year and next.
Kinda trade that gets you fired if it doesn’t work out, from either side.
Danault has a NMC, so unless he agrees to a trade he is going nowhere.
Yeah, it is next year that it turns into a 10 team no-trade list. Now I think he is going to stay no matter what anyone might speculate.
If I was the Bruins, I would not trade for Danault. He is as good as he is gonna get, and he is not a #1 center. He is a poor man’s #2C, or a good #3C, and the Bruins already have those. Pinelli is also similar to Poitras as a prospect, so I wouldn’t trade a Vezina winning goalie for that.
danault is a very good 2 way centreman signed to a good contract pinelli is good prospect that bruins could definitly use as for the kings sometimes you have to deal from strenght such as their centreman in order to get something that you really need such as a reliable goaltender i think its a win win situation i dont think either team really wants to trade their respective players but to improve your team you need to make tough decisions
I have a sense that changes are coming for the leafs, the signings they made are not working out, there is no cohesion,domi,klingberg seem to be lost when on the ice,Gregor is iffy,Reilly is suffering. Trades or d emotions are coming. This road trip will be the final straw.
I think you’re right to a degree, but it won’t be anything major.
Minten will probably go back to jr and perhaps Robertson or Holmberg will get called up.
I don’t think they will do anything with Domi and Klingberg, you would lose team faith if you trade them away after only 1 month of play time. Just MHO.
Crazy canuck, there has been chatter about that for the past few seasons, but the reality is, a lot of teams are smack up against the cap (recently joined by Ottawa – a team that, before the changes, was always notoriously below the cap limit), and so there is a limited market for high-cap hits without the receiving team finding a market for one of their high-cap players in order to free up the space.
With 5 players costing $48,005,616 off the cap, and the current cap set at $83.5 mil, the Leafs have roughly $35 mil to spend on the other 18 roster spots. LTIRs for Murray, Muzzin and Timmins can help to a certain extent, but if you factor in their next 4 highest cap hits ($18,200,000), they have $66,205,616 tied up in 9 players, leaving $17,394,384 with which to sign 14 (to keep the roster at 23).
Some teams (again Ottawa is a recent example, are in such a pickle that they have no other option than playing with roster less than 23.
Finding 14 players to ice at roughly $1,230,000 per doesn’t leave much room for error.
Also to add to it all, if you read between the lines you’ll see with a stagnant cap will result in zero roster movements or trades/changes.
If you’re a fan of a cap ceiling bumping team and a contender, congrats on that and good luck getting over the hump… if you’re not and a bubble team to make the playoffs, you better hope you have the players to get you in because that’s all folks! No helps coming.
toronto has been trying to play edmonton oilers of the 80s style hockey all offense but what they lack is a grant fuhr type goaltender who can make that enormous save to keep them into games unless they make a signifant trade for a reliable goalie its going to be the same leafs results great during the year but no defense to play playoff style hockey
Flyers already have Hart as well as Ersson and Sandstrom. Why would they want Primeau?
Garland? 5 million cap hit for a whole lot of nothing. Good luck moving that rotting carcass.
They have a couple albatross contracts there in Garland, Myers.
Boeser seems to be playing better, but I would be worried about Petterson contract status. Seems to be playing a wait a see.