NHL Rumor Mill – December 19, 2023
The annual holiday roster freeze goes into effect from Dec. 20 to 27. Check out the latest on the Flames Elias Lindholm, the recent goalie trade speculation and updates on the Senators in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
COULD THE AVALANCHE PURSUE ELIAS LINDHOLM?
COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Evan Rawal cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman saying during his latest “32 Thoughts” podcast that some people believe the Colorado Avalanche could target Elias Lindholm in the trade market.
Lindholm is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July unless he and the Calgary Flames agree to a contract extension. The 29-year-old center carries a $4.85 million cap hit for this season and lacks a no-trade clause.
Friedman said some people are waiting for the other shoe to drop after the Avalanche shipped Tomas Tatar to the Seattle Kraken last Friday. He thinks they’re looking at Lindholm but is sure they could be also looking at others in the trade market.
The Avalanche have some roster and salary cap issues to sort out. Friedman believes they might have to wait but they’re “lurking out there.”
Calgary Flames center Elias Lindholm (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avs have a glaring hole at the second-line center position. Lindholm would be a good fit there but acquiring him won’t be easy.
They possess $4.825 million in cap space with Gabriel Landeskog, Pavel Francouz and Artturi Lehkonen on long-term injury reserve. However, they can’t accrue any cap space plus Lehkonen is expected to return to action at some point this season.
The Avs might have to send some salary to the Flames or convince them to retain part of Lindholm’s cap hit to make the deal work. They’ll also have to offer up a suitable package to tempt the Flames. Lindholm’s value as a two-way center could prompt a bidding war involving several clubs near the trade deadline.
LATEST GOALTENDER TRADE RUMORS.
SPORTSNET: During Monday’s “32 Thoughts” podcast, Elliotte Friedman said the uncertainty over Frederik Andersen’s status has forced the Carolina Hurricanes to “cast their lines” into the NHL pond in search of a goaltender.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following Friedman’s comments it was reported that the Hurricanes signed free-agent Aaron Dell to a professional tryout offer. Over the weekend, they assigned Antti Raanta to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves.
Friedman also reported he’d heard from a couple of sources suggesting the possibility of the Columbus Blue Jackets and netminder Elvis Merzlikins deciding it’s time for him to try somewhere else.
Merzlikins is signed through through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $5.4 million and a 10-team no-trade clause. Moving him could be difficult given the high number of clubs with limited cap space this season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bear in mind that Friedman sources aren’t stating for certain that the Blue Jackets are shopping Merzlikins. It’s just speculation right now.
Nevertheless, there could be changes coming for the Jackets before the end of this season. Peddling their starting goalie before the March 8 trade deadline could be among those changes.
The Los Angeles Kings are looking for goalie depth with backup Pheonix Copley lost to injury. However, Friedman doesn’t expect them to make a big move for a netminder until closer to the trade deadline.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings called up David Rittich over the weekend to back up Cam Talbot. Unless one of them gets hurt before Copley returns, they’ll likely wait as Friedman believes until the deadline to bolster their depth between the pipes.
Teams to watch include the Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been well-documented that those teams are each carrying three goaltenders, prompting speculation they could move one. The Red Wings have taken a hit with Alex Lyon sidelined and Ville Husso suffering a leg injury last night.
NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols believes that John Gibson is available in the trade market. He noted that Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald has “re-engaged” with the Anaheim Ducks regarding the 30-year-old goaltender, who carries an AAV of $6.4 million.
Nichols noted the Hurricanes, Kings, Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs are in the hunt for help between the pipes. He also pointed out that the Canadiens, Sabres, Red Wings and Blue Jackets are carrying three goalies this season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given Gibson’s hefty salary through 2026-27 plus his 10-team no-trade clause, he’s more likely to be moved during the summer when clubs have more cap room than in a season where teams are pressed for cap space.
UPDATES ON THE SENATORS
OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the Senators will make a wide search for a new full-time head coach after replacing D.J. Smith as their bench boss with Jacques Martin on an interim basis.
Sources suggest the front-runner is John Gruden, the head coach of the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. Gruden is a former Senators defenseman who also has ties with Sens owner Michael Andlauer and president of hockey operations Steve Staios.
I don’t see the Jackets trading Elvis any time soon. Spencer Martin is one of the dime-a-dozen back up goalies. Tarasov is very injury prone and hasn’t even proven that he can handle playing in the AHL. And Jet Greaves, while promising, is still developing with Cleveland.
While certain hockey operations types who shall remain nameless are probably afraid of losing their jobs and, therefore, prone to panic moves, ownership would probably override any attempt to trade Elvis.
CBJ ownership does not override trades, they pay hockey minds to do what is right to build a team. Plus, I don’t think they are close on changing management. That said, I doubt that Elvis is on the move unless it brings back a center which can play in the top 6 now. Teams that need goalies won’t be trading that type of player unless it is part of a rare 3-way deal. Martin and a defenseman might move soon.
There’s another 31 teams the Sens can look to poach a coach from. The last ex-leaf didn’t work out, in fact most of them didn’t.
As for goalies, although it’s still early, but if Martin Jones can prove he can play and be effective, would it make sense for the Leafs to trade Sammy since I don’t think Jones will get past waivers.
The problem with trading Sammy is – who wants him ? He was basically handed the Leafs starting job, and was shown to be lacking ability to handle it. Why would anyone trade for him now ?
Iago maybe the Leafs crest is distracting you. No where am I’m saying he will be a highly sought after guy but given the names out there as a choice, I would think he would be a better choice to many plus it’s no risk since he’s only signed until this season. There’s a lot to like about him regardless what team he is currently on.
He might get interest as a backup, but, at $3.5M, it is hard to see anyone paying full cap hit without a sweetener.
Agree with Lago. Samsonov is not an attractive trade target.
You can pretend he’s being unfair to your team because it’s the leafs, but Samsonov is not an NHL starter.
On a human level I commend Samsonov for publicly discussing his struggles with Mental Health. This is an important societal discussion.
The reality is that it also hurts his tradability. Fair or not, that’s a fact. No one wants to trade for the next “Jack Campbell”.
Any objective hockey person looking at Samsonov’s stats will see that he’s a sub-900 save percentage goalie, which puts him at 54 of the 57 NHL goalies who have played more than 10 games this season. (He is 50th in GAA, and tied for 45th with 10 other goalies in wins.)
No one is being unfair to Samsonov. At 3.55M he is overpaid for what he is, and statistically unlikely to help a contender win a championship as anything more than depth, and he’s too expensive for that too.
Pete,
I am a Leafs fan and couldn’t agree with you more!
I commend you for being open and analytical about your own team.
Every team has players that fans would like to get rid of for something better.
Every team also has fans that can’t see their team and its players through an objective lens.
Good luck to Samsonov in his life and career. The sooner you have a better goalie and defense you’ll have a better shot in the playoffs.
Bruins should probably sit down with Ullmark before his trade value takes a big hit and see if he’ll agree to be moved to a team that will use him as their #1 goalie … say a Ullmark/DeBrusk and whatever for a legit 1st line center … also try to find a Dman … they have 3 NHL Dmen and the rest are AHL Dmen
Joe do you have Ullmark 1 and Sawayman 2 in NHL or Swayman 1 and Ullmark 2 ? If I’m Boston not a chance in hell I move Swayman to good to young. If I move Ullmark it’s for a bundle no great goalies available would take a haul to move him great team guy.