NHL Rumor Mill – March 22, 2024
Could Jake Guentzel return to the Penguins? Which notable players could become buyout candidates this summer? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
LATEST ON THE PENGUINS
THE ATHLETIC: In his recent mailbag segment, Josh Yohe was asked whether Jake Guentzel might return to the Pittsburgh Penguins as a free agent this summer. He initially felt that was next to impossible but he isn’t so sure now after talking with team sources. Yohe believes Guentzel could be in play if his asking price is within $8 million annually rather than $10 million.
Could Jake Guentzel return to the Pittsburgh Penguins this summer? (NHL Images)
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Never say never but Yohe admits he thinks it’s unlikely. Guentzel might be open to an offer from the Penguins if he goes to market on July 1. However, he’ll likely receive more lucrative contract proposals from other clubs. His time with the Carolina Hurricanes could convince him that it’s time to close the Pittsburgh chapter of his career and carry on elsewhere.
Yohe was also asked what the first order of business should be this offseason for Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas. He believes Dubas should attempt to move veteran wingers Reilly Smith and Rickard Rakell to clear cap space to make room for younger, hungrier players.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Yohe noted that the salary cap is expected to rise significantly next season, making it easier to move those players. Smith and Rakell have eight-team no-trade lists for next season and $5 million cap hits. However, Smith might be the easiest to move. He has a year left on his contract and a Stanley Cup championship on his resume. Rakell, meanwhile, has four more seasons remaining on his deal.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Jacob Punturi believes the Penguins need to find a way to shed Ryan Graves’ contract. Signed last summer to a six-year, $27 million contract, the 28-year-old defenseman has struggled in his first season in Pittsburgh. He has a 12-team no-trade list.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Moving Graves won’t be easy despite the salary cap rising by a projected $4. 4 million. His $4.5 million cap hit isn’t the issue as the remaining five years of the deal. The Penguins could stick with Graves for next season and hope to improve his game.
BUYOUT CANDIDATES FOR THE COMING OFFSEASON
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau looked at five players who could be in consideration for contract buyouts during the two-week buyout window in late June.
San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic tops his list. The 36-year-old blueliner has two years remaining on his contract at an annual average value of $7 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks could hang onto Vlasic for one more season before going the buyout route. That way, they’ll only have part of his cap hit on their books for two seasons rather than four.
Philadelphia Flyers center Ryan Johansen is next. He has one year left on his deal with an $8 million AAV.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: That will depend on Johansen’s health. He reportedly has a hip injury that has prevented the Flyers from sending him to their AHL affiliate. If Johansen is still recovering from that injury in June, the Flyers won’t be able to buy out his contract.
Justin Holl of the Detroit Red Wings, John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks, and Jeff Skinner of the Buffalo Sabres are Proteau’s other three buyout candidates.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Holl has two years left on his contract. However, the $1.133 cap hit per season for four years might not be difficult for the Wings to carry with the projected increases in the cap for the next two seasons.
The Ducks will likely try again to see if they can trade Gibson. If they have to retain salary over the final three seasons of his contract, it’s better than carrying $2.133 million annually for six years.
Given Skinner’s $9 million AAV for the next three seasons, he seems the least likely to be bought out. Proteau pointed out the Sabres would get a $1.44 million cap hit for next season, rising to $4.44 million for 2025-26 and $6.44 million for 2026-27 before dropping to $2.44 million annually for the final three years.
Re; Jake Guentzel
I dont think he is going back to the Pen’s….❓
I Think he would like to go to a contender he probly see’s the writing on the wall they are going into
A long long Re-build with a very poor prospect pool in the AHL its going to be a long one maybe about
7-8 years
he will pick where he wants to go on Julys 1st…, next season when they look like they are missing the playoffs again, before next years trade deadline KD will start to trade and Dump players for picks and prospects including Sid🤔
No way he goes back to the Pens! Free agency 7-8 years,one shot deal to cash in!
Nothing would be more hysterical than Guentzel going back to Pittsburgh. It would show everyone that this team is more dysfunctional than we thought !
Malkin
Letang
Add Karlsson
Bring back Guentzel?
Lol, this hasn’t worked in 6 years in a row and counting, let’s try it one more time! No way it goes bad again?
Maybe NY can trade Ruhwedels rights back for a 1st and conditional 3rd?
Why buy out Holl when you can put him on waivers and if he gets through, his $1.1m will just about be off your books without doing a buyout. What am I missing? I doubt they gave a $1.1m player a NMC.
Johansen is intriguing. If the Flyers buy him out, that might be the best thing to happen to him. Signing a new fresh deal for a lot less money MIGHT be what helps him get out from under the weight of expectations after signing that big awful contract which he failed to live up to.
But buyouts generally suck for teams in this hard cap era. Any amount of dead cap space (via buyouts or retention) is a real disadvantage in the short term. Well, they got that part right with the cap…too bad it seems to be hurting teams that need the most help.
Trade Holl (1/2 salary retained) with a 2nd or a middling prospect to a rebuilding club.
Burying him leaves $2.3 M cap on big club for 2 years; saves no cash
Since his roster space has to be replaced; the buried savings of $1.15 M is replaced by at least $0.775 M; so true Cap savings is really only about $375 K for next 2 years; zero cash savings
Conversely a buyout saves $2.3 M in total Cash; nets $2.3 M in Cap space in each of next 2 years; at the expense of $1.1 M dead cap in 26/27 and 26/28 when Cap ceiling is much higher
If they retain 50% and trade; $3.4 M total cash savings; and $1.7 M Cap savings in next 2 years
Also by retaining 50% they may get a mid rounder for him
59% retain and trade (if they can) to me, is best option
Never mind, I thought Holl’s cap hit was just over $1M. Seemed too low to be bothered with but his cap is much worse…bad signing there.
Makes no sense to buyout Jeff Skinner, is he over paid? yes. however he is still productive, last season he had 35 goals and 82pts, this season he is down in both goals and points but still has 24 goals in 63 games.
Why would you buyout a guy and have money on the books for 6 more years and hope to replace him with a 20 plus goal scorer who plays solid defense.
Skinner has played 995 career games, he is about to eclispe the 1000 game mark with zero playoff games. That is 14 season and no playoffs.
Will skinner when he gets to the playoffs become the next Ron Hainsey?
Re; Jeff Skinner
The Sabers need good older player’s like Skinner, he is only 31 yrs old.
over the past 2 years he has had 33 goals & last year 35 Goals, this year he has 24 to date, Think he will will finish with about 30 goals thats good on a young Re-building team🤔
They should bring in an older shut down d/man about 28 to 31 to help develope the young d core on july 1st….
At the draft they should pick a centre at 7-10 where they will pick, as they dont really have anything
good coming up after Tage Thompson or Dylan Cozens at Centre…..❓
I would add Nate Schmidt to the potential buyout list. He has one more year at just under 6m AAV and is a frequent healthy scratch. I don’t think there is much market for his abilities though he has a reputation as a low maintenance ‘glue-guy’. A buyout would cost the Jets 1.6m for 2 years
*2.7 mil in year one, 1.6 mil in year 2 AAV for a Schmidt buyout.
Add oilers jack campbell to the buyout list.
Too much for too long Richard. Oilers aren’t in a position to do that IMO.
On the bright side he has been playing really well for a while in Bakersfield, good attitude too. Just maybe, he’s found it again?
He’ll start the year in Edmonton next season is my guess, as an expensive backup. Some folks have suggested for the playoffs in these parts, but Pickard has played really well, and the team plays well in front of him.
Guentzel back on Pens is unlikely I believe
Yes makes Crosby happy; and team offensively better; but does not address overall team issues (age, size, overall grit/strength)
I can’t see a viable trade win that moves Rackell or Graves
Karllsson IS moveable at 50% retained; and should be done. He has an NMC, but what NHL player has no desire to win the Cup; Karlsson is not getting one with Penguins
Forget about what was given up to get him; those are “sunk” costs
Retain 50% and get max return
Parlay 50% retained on Karlsson; must include Accairi; get youth/size/strength in return
Retain 50% on Smith; add the late round scraps received at trade deadline and maybe a Pens mid rounder to Vegas and get back a surplus D etc (they will have surplus next year if they sign Hanafin):
Say Smith 50%, 4th , 5th, 6th
For Whitecloud OR
Korchuck + Sapivalov
Oh, and immediately fire Rierdon. That much tallent on the PP and team near bottom of league…. Not good