NHL Rumor Mill – January 19, 2024
Will the Predators trade goalie Juuse Saros? Could Senators defenseman Jakob Chychrun be on the move again? Which clubs should look into acquiring Ducks forward Trevor Zegras? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
WILL THE PREDATORS TRADE SAROS?
TSN: Pierre LeBrun believes there’s a possibility the Nashville Predators could trade Juuse Saros. While it remains their priority to re-sign the 28-year-old goaltender, they’re getting lots of interest from clubs desperate to improve their depth between the pipes.
Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (NHL Images).
LeBrun said he’s been told the Predators feel they have to at least listen to offers for Saros. However, it would take a “serious, serious offer” to pry him away. A couple of first-round draft picks won’t do it. If a club like the Los Angeles Kings were to offer up someone like Quinton Byfield as part of a package, that would get the attention of Preds general manager Barry Trotz.
THE TENNESSEAN: Paul Skrbina poured cold water on the notion of the Predators trading Saros. He pointed out that the Finnish netminder surfaced in the rumor mill leading up to last year’s trade deadline and during last summer.
Skrbina believes those times would’ve been more ideal to move Saros as that’s when his trade value was higher, the remaining term in his contract at that time (two years at $5 million per) “was much sexier” and his struggles this season hadn’t happened yet.
“If the Predators couldn’t get the king’s ransom they reportedly sought for Saros in the past, they almost certainly won’t get it now,” writes Skrbina, who also noted the Preds are in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race. He thinks the only thing Saros will be moving toward is a pen to sign a contract extension with the Predators.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It makes sense for Trotz to at least listen to offers for Saros but I share Skrbina’s doubts that the Preds GM will receive a pitch too good to pass up. Never say never, of course, but it would have to be one hell of an offer to tempt Trotz.
COULD CHYCHRUN BE ON THE MOVE AGAIN
TSN: Darren Dreger said Jakob Chychrun could be on the move again a year after being acquired by the Ottawa Senators. It would be a positional decision by the Senators as they already have left-shot defensemen Thomas Chabot and Jake Sanderson signed to long-term contracts.
Chychrun is signed through next season. Senators management like him but there’s some work left to be done regarding a contract extension which would start in the offseason.
Dreger said teams are calling about Chychrun. However, it would take a substantial offer that is unlikely to come before the March 8 trade deadline. He thinks the Senators will continue listening in the offseason.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chychrun can play on the right side but the left side is his natural position. Perhaps the Senators would consider moving him for a right-side top-pairing blueliner.
SUGGESTED DESTINATION FOR ZEGRAS
THE ATHLETIC: Shayna Goldman suggested six trade destinations for Trevor Zegras if the Anaheim Ducks trade him. She believes the 22-year-old center’s exceptional offensive skill and creativity would be enticing to clubs seeking a young scoring forward.
Goldman listed the Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Washington Capitals and Boston Bruins as clubs that should give the Ducks a call about Zegras.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some pundits in Montreal and Philadelphia have suggested their respective clubs consider acquiring Zegras. Whether those teams follow that advice remains to be seen. Meanwhile, the Blackhawks need help everywhere and the Capitals could use an infusion of young talent.
I think the Red Wings need to do more to reduce their goals-against while the Bruins might prefer a center with better two-way abilities.
LATEST ON THE WILD
THE ATHLETIC: Joe Smith and Michael Russo report Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin could explore the trade market with defenseman Jared Spurgeon on long-term injury reserve for the remainder of this season.
The Wild will be able to exceed the $83.5 million salary cap by Spurgeon’s $7.575 million salary cap hit. Guerin will likely explore acquiring a defenseman on an expiring contract, one that could be flipped by the March 8 trade deadline if the Wild become sellers.
Guerin won’t want to burn up all that cap space on one player. They’ll need some of it for call-ups and minor-leaguers currently on the roster. He’s not interested in parting with first or second-round picks for a rental player. Options could include Marco Scandella of the St. Louis Blues, Alexandre Carrier of the Nashville Predators, and Erik Johnson of the Buffalo Sabres.
Could the Sens be enticed to trade Pinto? Luv to see him in Canuck colours.
What other young C’s with upside to be a 2C could be had?
Zegras + Torterella = disaster
Torts would hate Zegras’ play away from the puck and bench him every chance he gets, like he has done with Frost
Yeah, Torts hates flashy offensively creative players which Zegras is. To be effective Zegras needs the freedom to be flashy and creative, which I think hurts his defensive play.
I wonder how Zegras would perform on an Islanders team that is already a strong defensive team that needs an offensive punch?
Agree. Let Zegras be a free spirit & give him wingers to offset what he lacks. 1 has to be a good 2-way scorer to begin with & go from there. In NYI it seems offence goes into a black hole so not sure about a fit there.
In order to be effective players need to know how to play defence. This is the NHL we’re talking about, with no room for one dimensional players.
If Zegras can’t or won’t learn to play properly away from the puck he should play in the KHL.
What LJ said.
Most talented players can become a 200′ player and perform within the team structure, and not hurt the team’s ability to win. If they choose to.
I assume there must be guys that are simply too stupid, or too selfish to do it, but that has to be pretty rare.
Just because you don’t cheat for goals doesn’t mean you won’t score as many.
Any talented offensive player can be effective if they are put in the right situation. Tyson Berrie is a good example. He was a liability on the Leafs defence, but when he went to the Oilers he was more responsible because of the way the coach used him and paired him with.
If you put Zegras on a line with a talented but more defensive-minded player the two just might complement each other and both could thrive together.
The same Tyson Barrie that the Leafs and Oilers traded due to his poor defensive play outweighing his offence, Kevjam?
The same Barrie that the Preds now want to move as well?
And bearing in mind that Barrie’s defensive game is mediocre, as opposed to Zegras’, which is all but absent.
The same Berrie that the Oilers used to acquire an even better defenseman in Ekholm. That has nothing to do with how Berrie turned his game around in Edmonton. He was far more effective in Edmonton than he was in Toronto.
Averaging 60 points a season does not get you the freedom to be a defensive liability. If you are getting 90pts or more that is another story.
Plus they didn’t need Barrie anymore because Bouchard could run the PP as good or better. No idea how it’s going in Nashville.
Barrie was never “good” defensively, but ya, he stopped hurting them once he bought in or figured out, whichever it was.
My guess is Zegras will figure it out, or decide he needs to do it, when coach after coach tells him that he needs to.
He can keep his creativity, just keep it to the parts of the ice that make sense.
Teams that win don’t have top C’s playing a one dimensional game. That simple really.
We can differ on opinions, Kevjam, but the implication that it was Barrie for Ekholm isn’t debatable.
The trade:
Barrie, Shaefer, a first and a 4th to Nashville.
Ekholm and a sixth to the Oil.
Yup, two places Zegras would hate to play is Philly (Torts) and Vancouver (Tocchet). Both coaches would expect him to play hard in both ends of the rink which he currently doesn’t do.
I can only think of one team that has the assets that could come close to what it might take to acquire Saros from the Preds.
Chychrun, a top 10 protected 1st, and what else might the Sens need to add to get him?
The Sens need a goalie and Chychrun has been rumoured to be on the trading block again, and the Preds D-core could use some youth in it.
Who knows, the Sens could add a little extra and get the Preds to add Berrie, who is an RHD, in the deal who earlier this season requested a trade. Although I don’t know if Berrie is the type of d-man the Sens need.
Pinto signed for the reminder of the season @ minimum 775,000. He will be re-signed to a better contract in the summer.
Also rumours are that the Sens will ask Tarasenko to waive his NTC. I bet he will if he goes to a contender.
With this and almost zero chance of making the playoffs again, I can see the Sens spending the money to keep Chychrun and/or try to trade Chabot (doubtful unless there is a sweetener).
Tarasenko gone frees up the money for this season and the cap increase, and dead cap gone, and some UFAs leaving, the Sens can afford to make some moves finally.
theSaint, is Chabot really playing that poorly that it likely requires a sweetener? That can’t be good.
Yikes.
He’s not playing poorly… but he’s playing poorly for an 8 million dollar man.
Plus the injuries… I think all the years he was forced to play 25+ minutes every game has taken its toll.
Jets acquire Lindholm and Tanev for 1st round pick, Chaz Lucious, Logan Stanley and Alex Iafallo
What does Anaheim want or expect for Zegras? I haven’t heard what their needs are.
Habs have picks, prospects, goalie available and a coach to handle Zegras, he’s the kind of player HuGo likes to look at and the Habs need a top 6 forward.