NHL Rumor Mill – October 23, 2023
Could Patrick Kane return to the Rangers? Are the Blues Jackets still shopping a defenseman? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
KANE MIGHT NOT BE A FIT WITH THE RANGERS
NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks doesn’t believe the Rangers will bring back Patrick Kane when the 34-year-old free-agent winger is ready to return to action. Kane is currently rehabbing from an offseason hip resurfacing procedure and is expected to start fielding offers from interested clubs in early November.
The Rangers acquired Kane from the Chicago Blackhawks before last season’s trade deadline even though he wasn’t at 100 percent because of his hip ailment. Brooks claims the experience left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth despite the best intentions.
Free agent winger Patrick Kane (NHL Images).
Kane’s health would be the main concern. Brooks pointed out that Washington’s Nicklas Backstrom was a shell of himself when he returned last season from a similar procedure while former NHL center Ryan Kesler was unable to continue his playing career.
The Rangers would have the cap space to sign Kane to a one-year, $3 million contract without having to go through the salary-cap gymnastics to acquire him at last season’s deadline. However, his addition would mean a younger winger such as Alexis Lafreniere or Kaapo Kakko would see less playing time.
Brooks thinks the Buffalo Sabres (Kane’s hometown club) might make sense. If Kane wants to pursue a Stanley Cup, the Detroit Red Wings do not. The Florida Panthers have been linked to the future Hall-of-Famer. Kane is also said to be intrigued by the cap-strapped Toronto Maple Leafs but Brooks doesn’t think he’s what the Leafs need.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brooks makes a number of good points here, especially about the Rangers.
I disagree about Kane being a fit with the Sabres. They’re a team loaded with scorers that still have some defensive concerns that he can’t address.
Many of these clubs also possess limited salary-cap space which could make it difficult to sign him.
Still, we can never say never. One of those teams mentioned by Brooks could decide that Kane is worth the gamble if they can squeeze him within their salary-cap payroll.
THE BLUE JACKETS ARE STILL SHOPPING A DEFENSEMAN
THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reports Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen is still working the phones trying to trade a defenseman. They’re currently carrying eight on the roster.
Adam Boqvist and Andrew Peeke have been healthy scratches of late. They’ve been supplanted by David Jiricek but he’s the only one who can be sent to their AHL affiliate in Cleveland without having to clear waivers.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Interested teams might prefer seeing Boqvist and/or Peeke play a couple of games before committing to making a trade. Moving either guy could also be difficult because so many teams have limited cap space. Boqvist’s average annual value is $2.6 million through 2024-25 while Peeke’s is $2.75 million annually through 2025-26.
“If Kane wants to pursue a Stanley Cup, the Detroit Red Wings do not. ” Disagree with this statement. And if the Wings keep going in this direction and leading the NHL in goals, they do not need Kane but should pursue better quality defense.
Yes. What Detroit has not had to do yet is win those 2-1 / 3-2 games yet, as they will need to do sooner or later. They still can be dominated in their own zone at times, like Ottawa did in the 1st period on Saturday, or like Pittsburgh and Tampa did in a comeback attempts in the 3rd periods of those games. .
Iago, from what I observed in the Ottawa-Detroit game is that the Wings – a handful for anyone now –
are, perhaps, 1 defensively-dominant D and 1 good checking F away from being seriously in the mix.
Where Ottawa is concerned, they have to get better goaltending from Korpisalo than 3 goals on 9 shots.
Meanwhile, they continue to sit on a prime asset in Pinto, unable to get him in the line-up (to his and his agent’s satisfaction) without being able to move a current contract.
The fact nothing has happened yet suggests to me that Dorion is no more confident in the ability of Norris to last a full season than is the average fan. So he naturally procrastinates.
I agree George. I still think that, between Ottawa, Buffalo, and Detroit, the big question for each is defense and goaltending and defense, and I am not yet sold on any of these three teams back end. Buffalo still has a young defense, and, even though guys like Power and Samuelson are wonderful prospects, they are still inexperienced. And I am not sold on Levi as a number 1 goalie, who had only 7 games of NHL work under his belt. Same is true of Sanderson and Seider. Ottawa has 2 other offensively gifted defensemen in Chabot and Chychrun who have not exhibited D zone prowess. Neither have Walman, Gostisbehere, or the 9
Lets see who can defend the best out of those 3 teams. Which one can better than the others has the best playoff chance.
The 9 ? Where did that come from ? I meant Chiarot.
If Vegas could find the space, Kane is exactly a player they would target, and from his perspective they make total sense
Kane, Backstrom and a healthy number of goalies have not been able to continue playing in the NHL after having that surgery. He’s going to float around and wait for the puck to come to him.
I don’t think he’s a fit anywhere. He should retire.
I don’t pin that loss on Korpisallo. Weird game. Weird time. No flow. Strange officiating. Sens have looked dominant — until something doesn’t go their way then you see how young they all are. Like saturday a team wide “pout” occurred.
Stutzle is a tremendous talent but he needs to learn when to put the team on his back and do something game changing. Of late when he tries to do it all he often gets his pocket picked and it results in scoring opportunities for the opposition. The same thing happened last year, in the second half he played a smarter team game and it was noticeable.
My thinking is Kane will take a one-year prove-it deal and cash in the off-season when the cap goes up and more contenders will have the cap room to take him on
Dark G and Fergy22 – just some clarification on my post above.
I think it’s legitimate to single out Korpisalo on this one. He faced 23 shots in the game and wound up with a .783 save %. They weren’t all labeled. Husso, at the other end, face 37 shots and finished with a .946 save %.
Ottawa outshot Detroit 14-3 in the first period and 28-11 through two periods – and were down 3-1. One bad game doesn’t point to him as a bad goalie, of course, but I do think such performances can’t happen with any frequency.
Re Pinto, when I point to him as an “asset” it’s in the confines of a potential A-1 trade chip. IF Dorion was ever thinking along such lines, his reluctance to do so to this point has to be based upon nervousness over Norris’ chances if playing a full season, and some questions still surrounding whether Grieg is ready to step in and be as good a 34d line C – capable of moving up – as is Pinto.. Given Norris’ history so far, that’s understandable.
Dorion has until early December to decide on Greig’s ability to fill the bill and either pull the plug on a Pinto trade (for pick/prospect – not a salaried term player), or make the move necessary to get him signed. In my humble opinion.
George from what I have seen so far , and it’s only a couple of games, Greig is very capable of 3c thus allowing Pinto to be potentially shopped. This would be a shame but their hands are kinda tied now.
Korpisalo needs to be better, his last couple of starts he is good for the 1st and 2nd periods & then lets in soft goals in the 3rd. Not a trend yet but something to keep an eye on.
One thing to work on for next game …..stay out of the penalty box!
Re; Buffalo & Goaltending…
if buffalo ever got a Goaltender… They would be a very hard team to beat,
None of these three are the answer in the next couple of years…..🤔
# 1 and #2 are Back up Goaltenders at best.
#3 young Devon Levi, He need’s 2 years in the
AHL to develop and 2+ years in the NHL to inprove
his skill set…
1/ Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen,
2/ Eric Comrie,
3/ Devon Levi,
Buffalo could easy take on bostons #1 Goaltender Linus Ullmark Salary of $5.M, and
Give a 1st pick and a good prospect and player
for either goaltender…⁉️
That would give boston something to trade for a #1 centre from the flames….
Is Marchand the best leader in NHL ? Is Trent the most feared fighter in NHL? Is Charlie the the best all around D man in NHL?
A bit late but …..
Crosby
He would be in tough against Deslauriers / Reaves / MacDermid
MacAvoy is gonna to be great but I would rank Josi / Makar / Pietrangelo / Hedman ahead of him