NHL Rumor Mill – February 12, 2024
Check out the latest on the Penguins, Flames, Stars and Sharks in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
SHOULD THE PENGUINS FINALLY MAKE CHANGES?
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski believes the Penguins’ constant self-destruction in recent games leaves them unable to control their destiny. He believes it’s time to shake up the roster and that includes trades.
Kingerski believes general manager Kyle Dubas must do something or else the Penguins can kiss this season goodbye. If he cannot get Jake Guentzel re-signed and if the club isn’t going to compete for the playoffs, trading him could fetch a first-round pick lost in last summer’s Erik Karlsson trade as well as a solid prospect.
TRIBLIVE.COM: Mark Madden believes the Penguins can’t swap any futures in a vain attempt to win now. He feels the club is going nowhere and Guentzel should be shopped before the trade deadline.
Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel (NHL Images)
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is defying Father Time with another terrific season while defenseman Kris Letang is playing well. Goaltender Tristan Jarry leads the league with six shutouts and is among the league leaders in save percentage (.916) and goals-against average (2.44). Guentzel is also enjoying a fine performance with 51 points in 49 games.
However, the rest of the Penguins are a mess as Kingerski and Madden pointed out. They’re currently seven points out of a wild-card spot. At their current pace, they won’t make the playoffs. If Dubas can’t get Guentzel re-signed before the trade deadline, he has no choice but to move him and start building for the future.
On Saturday, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported the Penguins are content to see how the rest of this month pans out before deciding on Guentzel. Nevertheless, I don’t doubt that Dubas has been getting inquiries into the availability of the 29-year-old winger.
WHAT COULD THE FLAMES GET FOR TANEV, HANIFIN AND MARKSTROM?
SPORTSNET: In a recent mailbag segment, Pat Steinberg was asked what kind of return the Calgary Flames could get for goaltender Jacob Markstrom and defensemen Chris Tanev and Noah Hanifin.
It’s been reported the Flames won’t move Markstrom unless they can get a massive return. However, Steinberg points out how perilous trading for starting goalies has been in previous trade deadlines.
Steinberg believes the Flames would seek a first-round pick, a top prospect and a roster player who can step in right away. Meanwhile, it’s believed the Flames are holding out for a first-round pick for Tanev.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I agree with Steinberg’s assessments. As far as trading Markstrom goes, a playoff wannabe like the New Jersey Devils could overpay to get him before the deadline. Steinberg’s colleague Elliotte Friedman reported the Devils had discussions with the Flames last week. However, he said those talks stalled over the Flames’ asking price and retaining a portion of Markstrom’s $6 million annual salary cap hit.
POSSIBLE TRADE BAIT FOR THE STARS AND SHARKS
THE ATHLETIC: Saad Yousef recently noted the Dallas Stars’ need to improve their blueline depth for the playoffs. He speculated that defenseman Nils Lundkvist and forwards Radek Faksa, Evgenii Dadonov and Ty Dellandrea could be used as potential trade bait. They could also offer up draft picks if they’re unwilling to part with prospects such as Mavrik Bourque, Logan Stankoven and Lian Bichsel.
Assessing the San Jose Sharks’ trade candidates, Eric Stephens believes they’ll attempt to move pending UFAs like goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen, defenseman Calen Addison and forwards Alexander Barabonov and Anthony Duclair. Stephens also doesn’t rule out Mario Ferraro, Luke Kunin, Jan Rutta and Jacob MacDonald becoming trade candidates but believes they’re probably not moving.
A Markström trade is a chicken race due to so few goalies having been traded.If Im Conroy Im moving Markström if I also trade Hanifin and vice versa.
Connie will move at least one of the two defensemen. Maybe even Markstrom as well. Whoever gets him gets 3 runs out of him. That in itself has tremendous value.
I expect the Flames to eat some salary on all three if they move them, because that’s how they’ve set themselves up.
Lots of room for that, and that makes everyone have even more value than they normally would.
doubt Hanifin wants to stay with the Flames when he can be signed by his hometown B’s in the offseason, so Conroy should trade him.
More of a risk with Markstrom especially if the Flames are within distance of a playoff spot. Better to trade Vladar if they want to open a spot for Wolf. And Markstrom can always be traded in the offseason if things don’t work out
Vladar has very little value due o poor play this season
You have a full year to decide on Markstrom. No rush unless you get a King’s ransom this year
Not sure where those rumours started
It’s not a fire sale.
Tanev for sure. Hanifin not so sure
Re; Goaltender Market
Avalable starters.. Markstrom $6.M & Ullmark $5.M
Its Very Hot Right now there are 3-4 teams in the east that need Starters in in a bad way.
and
maybe LA in the West, as they are running with 2 back up also..but who know with them they are maxed out with the cap space in LA….
$6.M in LTI and $1.6M on IR
The first 2 team’s 100% need to get one if they want to go anywhere in the playoffs….??
in order
1/ NJ
2/ Carolina
3/ Ottawa, they have horable over payed goaltending, with
Joonas Korpisalo $4.M for 4 more years
Anton Forsberg $2.75 M for 1.5 more years
4/ Buffalo, have very inconsistant and young goaltending but are a very young defence team
Maybe they are growing in to the there goaltending with there d….?
Can’t really understand why Ottawa has overpaid goaltenders. Defensive adjustments and tighter system and goalies will be OK
Penguins are starting to circle the drain.
Crosby has had a great season but its over in Pittsburgh.
Ron jull
I could see Guentzel,Smith,Karlsson, and Rakell all going!
Can see the Pen’s staring to go into a re-build
They are sitting in 12th spot with 53 pts, going 3-4-3 in there last 10 games
Wings & Leafs in 7th & 8th spot with 60 pts
if dubdy cannot get Jake Guentzel re-signed and the club isn’t going to make the playoffs, and thats the way it looks right now..??
They should trade him, if not he walks for free
at 29 yrs old he can still get a Great contract with a contender team out there out there
pens are in for a long re-build as the pool of talend in the miniors is Very week… no supperstars coming from that pool….
Boy, I really miss Pengy at times like this!
His Old Buddy—IP
Havent seen a Pengu post in forever, him and George.
Yes me too IP.
Pengy was going on Vacation and never came back,
I wonder what happend to her….??
Lyle any thoughts hear…?
wouldnt it of been a perfect time for blue jackets to of mAde a few trades right before the all star break and right after. they aren’t going anywhere this year. get some new blood in there and give them plenty of time to practice and get use to new teammates. also time to take advantage of getting younger players time to getting use to the nhl. seriously what is cbj management thinking..
Hey norman.
Its Now time for a New GM in Columbus,??
they have been botttom dwellers for way to long now, they are still a bad team The GM has made some poor trades, they need to draft beter & move out Pat Lainie @ $8.7M for 2.5 more years!!
CBJ have $11.M in Cap Space for the deadline they can take salarys on in 3 team trades for picks to help speed up there Re-build,
They have Centre Jack Roslovic $4.M they could also move who is a UFA ,
They also have 2 or 3 d/men they have been lots of chatter about them moving…?
They also have team captian Boone Jenner @$3.75M for 2.5 years..?
Im sure ottawa would like to have him for there leadership team
i agree
Provorov and Jenner for Cerreli and a 3rd.
CBJ gets younger, TB gets 2 proven vets.
Cerreli’s trade clause does not kick in till July and he is the most valuable piece in the trade.
Tampa is not making a knee jerk reaction to losing Sergachev, this trade has panic written all over it .
Tampa has previously gone through spans ( in some cases a full season or playoff run) without Kucherov, Stamkos , Hedman etc. without hitting the panic button. I don’t see them hitting it now, and certainly not at the expense of putting themselves in further cap hall by adding another 2.3 million (with term) to their cap struggles
Provorov (retain $.5M and Roslovic then for Cerelli…No cap hell there
Proverov can be flipped in the summer if need be and TB can resign Stammer with Cereli’s cap hit gone.
To NYR: Crosby 50% retained and Joseph
To PITT: Kakko, Jones, Goodrow and 2025 & 2026 1st
Help Pittsburgh rebuild and give Sid a chance to win cups
Why would he go to NYR if he wants to win more Cups?