NHL Rumor Mill (Part Two) – March 7, 2024
With the trade deadline only a day away, check out the latest on the Panthers, Senators, Oilers, Rangers, Islanders, and more in Part Two of today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: George Richards reports Panthers general manager Bill Zito might not be done dealing after acquiring Vladimir Tarasenko yesterday from the Ottawa Senators. The Panthers have around $3 million in cap space available and could look to add a defenseman. Richards suggested options such as the Arizona Coyotes’ Matt Dumba or the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Andrew Peeke.
Ottawa Senators defenseman Jakob Chychrun (NHL Images).
OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning are believed to have “kicked tires” on Jakob Chychrun. However, that doesn’t mean the Senators are hurrying to trade him. General manager Steve Staios said they’re not actively shopping Chychrun. They want to move winger Dominik Kubulik, defenseman Erik Brannstrom and center Mark Kastelic.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson reports the Oilers still have about $1.88 million remaining in cap space to add a depth defenseman if the other team retains half of his contract. He suggested Washington’s Joel Edmundson as one option.
THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple wondered what’s next for the New York Rangers after acquiring Alex Wennberg yesterday from the Seattle Kraken. He pointed out that general manager Chris Drury still seeks a winger to slot alongside Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad. Trade targets could include Anaheim’s Frank Vatrano, Pittsburgh’s Jake Guentzel and St. Louis’ Pavel Buchnevich.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The New York Post’s Larry Brooks doesn’t want to see the Rangers trade away a promising young player such as Kaapo Kakko, Will Cuylle, Gabe Perreault or Brennan Othmann. That’s what it might take, however, to land that elusive second-line right winger.
Staple also noted the New York Islanders have $3.5 million in salary-cap flexibility with Scott Mayfield on long-term injury reserve. He wondered if they might consider adding a forward such as Anaheim’s Frank Vatrano or San Jose’s Alexander Barabanov.
As for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Aaron Portzline believes it will be a quiet deadline. Pending unrestricted free-agent forward Jack Roslovic seems the most likely trade candidate. Defenseman Ivan Provorov isn’t off-limits but the Jackets aren’t shopping him. Any bold moves might have to wait until the offseason.
Michael Russo and Joe Smith report Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin is working the phones as the trade deadline approaches. Brandon Duhaime, Connor Dewar and sidelined forward Pat Maroon are garnering some attention in the trade market.
Turning to the Chicago Blackhawks, Scott Powers noted that forward Colin Blackwell could be the only player they’re likely to move on deadline day. They’re also open to the idea of being a third-party broker
THE SEATTLE TIMES: Geoff Baker looked at other pending UFAs the Kraken could move by the trade deadline after shipping Alex Wennberg to the Rangers on Wednesday. Winger Tomas Tatar and defenseman Justin Schultz might garner some interest in the trade market.
I wonder if the Rangers would ever experiment with Wennberg as RW on the Zib/Krieder line. I believe he played wing a few years earlier in his career. He’s the pass-first type of player that line really needs.
Rangers 3rd line with Brodzinski has been playing fairly well as currently constructed.
Wennberg is no longer a top 6 player. The Rangers got him to play the position that he will be best at, 3rd line center. Good job !!!!
Of all the players NY could afford to move its Othman. Another LW’er that has a long line ahead of him on the depth chart.
However, 2-3 weeks ago. Othmann was shifted to RW in Hartford. I don’t think this ongoing experiment signals a desire to move him. Rather than a way to find a way to get him in NY’s lineup next year and beyond.
There’s not a player rumored available out there on the market that justifies moving any players he mentioned. Certainly not a rental.
A young NHL cost controlled RW or center (hello Turcotte or Zegras) with term? That changes things a bit. But I don’t see anyone fitting the bill that’s rumored to be available.
Trading Othman will be a serious long term mistake by the Rangers. Just like trading Buchnevitch has turned out to be. Buchnevitch would have been be the perfect fit on the line with Zinbanejad and Kreider for all of these past few years. Same is true with JT Miller. The Rangers seem to excel in trading away the future.
Miller
Buchnevich
Marc Savard
Zubov
Kovelov
Nordstrom
The list grows and grows.
Gorton should have been banned from any NHL job after that Mcdonagh / Miller trade.
To make matters even worse, I believe all that remain in that trade path to today is Henriksson . I believe that’s all that remains today. Tragic!
That is the one that kills me!
I’m no conspiracy theorist. But some odd coincidences leading up to the Hanifin trade.
Martinez play drops off of late, never leaves a game or appears to get injured during a game and ends up on IR 2 days before the deadline, same day as the Hanifin trade?
Hmmmmmm
That’s pretty convenient! Conspiracy? Convenient? Coincidence?
What do you all say?
The Stone thing is legit. Lacerated spleen is no joke and he might miss playoffs too.
The Martinez timing does raise some eyebrows.
But, Martinez was on IR earlier this year with a lower body injury. Not sure we know what it really was. Maybe a nagging knee or something. He missed a bunch of games, came back and played OK, then tailed off.
Timing is a bit suspicious, but maybe if its truly a lingering injury, he and the team decided to rest him up and try to get it 100% for post season. I guess that could be the justification between him and the team.
I’m sure the team could not just drop him on IR and stop playing him if he was truly 100% healthy and wanted to suit up.
What get’s done in Vegas stays in Vegas
rest your 36 year old Dman til april while the new guy gets reps and into the system.
not like Martinez was playing 19-20 minutes a night……………..
Martinez is on the IR not LTIR, his cap hit stays on the books. Being on the IR only opens up his roster spot until he returns. Unless Vegas switches Martinez to the LTIR where`s the conspiracy? IR is short term and doesn`t give a team any cap relief
You’re right about that, it does open a temporary roster spot. Interesting enough, Vegas just so happens to be at 23 with the addition of Hanifin and the subtraction of Martinez.
And not ONE single player on their roster can pass through waivers. Not one.
Flames might as well move Markstrom for uncertain future picks and no name Russians
Hanifin return weak . I can’t believe there wasn’t better out there . Two conditional picks and a project
I think they panicked
At least their fans can hope and wait for the current 16 year to crack the line up
Maybe they plan on spending in free agency this summer but I doubt it
Note to all 31 teams. You have been schooled once again by the Vegas Knights.
Vegas hasn’t won a single round yet. How are they schooling anyone?
Imagine the very real possibility Vegas doesn’t win the cup, or possibly gets knocked out early?
Nobody wins ANYTHING at the trade deadline or draft.
Unless we want to count paper wins?
Boston last year loaded up, as did Toronto. How did that work out?
Let’s revisit this conversation in June before we dust off the cup and call Vegas the clear cut winners.
Not just this trade but since they arrived in the NHL. 2 cup finals and a Stanley Cup victory. Besides the expansion draft they have been able to get a number one centre, number one defensemen by trades and FA signings. They go all in and make the tough decisions that most if not all GMs are afraid to make. Look at Toronto same core 4 the last 8 years one series win. No change.
Joel Edmundson Gone to the Leafs … nice job Sweeney
Edmundson is a Leaf now.
Leafs have even fewer draft picks in the next two years.
Do or die.
It will be die.
Toronto made a good deal for Edmundson, in isolation.
Problem is, Vegas, Colorado, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Florida all added significant pieces to rosters that, IMO, are better than Toronto’s.
The Leafs have traded away more draft picks to make a marginal improvement in their chances of the Cup. I understand that Treliving would have been roasted by Leaf fans had he not done more, but surely the better approach would have been to say: “we cannot keep trading picks away for marginal upgrades. Look to tomorrow.”
LJ, on the bright side for the Leafs and the B’s, they don’t play in the western conference.
That road seems a lot more difficult.
After the last couple days, you could make a reasonable argument that 4 of the top 5 teams are in the west. Heck, 5 out of 6.
There’s a non-zero chance that Vegas misses the playoffs. They’ve been fading of late, have a lot of tough injuries to deal with, and they’ve played a lot of post-season hockey over the last few years. They’ve got a pair of 4-point games coming up against Seattle and still have 3 games left against Vancouver.
Maybe true now Ray, but what about the very recent years when the beasts were all in the east: Tampa, Carolina, and surely now Florida.
One has to build a team to beat all comers, not just one’s own division or conference.
Was absolutely true back then LJ.
I think the Oilers are a better team than the Leafs, but you could make an argument the Leafs have a better chance at getting to the SCF than the Oilers do.
Ray: I think you are short changing your Oilers. Their three recent additions, and Perry, have given them depth they haven’t had before. The Oil may be suspect after Skinner, but otherwise, this IMO is year will be their best chance for a Cup in the McDavid era.
I am not going out of my way to throw stones at the Leafs, but it’s the same old, same old: Core 4 and no more.
Oil are my pick to win the cup LJ, might be biased because I live here. But they have been the best team in the NHL for long stretches this season.
I’m just saying the path in the west is really, really tough.
At least they continue to stockpile left handed defense lol
Die
Here is my two takes on Joel Edmundson
Bruins: just the type of player we needed, has size, physical, will scrap, protect his teammates and they’ll play a little bigger
Toronto: Big player, no offense, doesn’t add much, more of a liability when he’s on the ice, take bad penalties. Glad Boston passed on him.
Good takes.
Both defense acquisitions so far have been underwhelming.
When is San Jose going to empty the bucket?
They already dumped Karlsson on us
LeafsNet Headlines Tomorrow:
Luke Fox – Leafs/Caps Blockbuster Stacks Torontos Defence
Justin Bourne – Leafs Add #6 Defenceman, and Why it Matters
lol
In an article this morning in the Ottawa Sun, Tim Baines has an article titled Tanks But No Tanks in which he lists the pros and cons of tanking, summin g it up with “Ottawa isn’t going to tank to make it happen, but adding Celebrini to a team that has some terrific young players … Senators fans can dream, right?”
Let’s look at the record produced each year as of March 7 for the past 4 seasons by these “terrific young players” most of whom have since been given multi-year termd ranging around the $8 mil per mark:
2021 27gp 9 17 1 19 pts 74gf 105ga .352% pace Goals For Per Game 3.3 Goals Against Per Game 3.6
2022 55gp 19 31 5 43 pts 143gf 179ga .391 % pace GFPG 2.6 GAPG 3.3
2023 63gp 32 27 4 68 pts 199gf 198ga .540% pace GFPG 3.2 GAPG 3.1
2024 60gp 25 32 3 53 pts 196gf 214ga .442 % pace GFPG 3.3 GAPG 3.6
So, after a glimmer of hope for better things to come in 2022-23 it’s 3 steps backwards for these “terrific young players.” Can it all be blamed on coaching? Maybe a combination of that and the inability of some of these “terrific young players” to grasp the basis philosophy that results are better with consistent effort? Who knows … but one thing is certain – not ONE should be regarded as “untouchable” if the returns are right. We’ll see if Staios is any better at assembling the right mix as was Dorion.
I can’t help but feel like this Sens team is much like many rebuilding teams that have a setback while evolving.
A lot of excess fat will be trimmed this off season. The core may get a shakeup, but I think some major pieces will finally be put in.
Dorion was obviously devoid of any goalie scouting. I cannot recall another GM that has let go if THIS many goaltenders that went on to be STELLAR. It’s actually painful.
But I feel like Staios is going to avoid the “ooohhhh what a shiny player” crap that Dorion kept doing. Murray, Korpisalo, Debrincat, Duchene, Tarasenko (even though he turned out to be okay) all seemed to be more about the splash than actually making a constructive trade.
We will see. I feel like Staios wants to unload and take stock instead of trying to add anything now.
Sens have to get through the month of November & early December. Every year
Maybe it’s the curse of the Edmond Fitzgerald
I hope there some transaction left. Otherwise a long day Friday
I understand your frustration George. Rebuilds don’t go in a continual upward line: think Sabres, Rangers (except this year), Columbus (We got Johnny Hockey!) as just a few examples.
Not sure what the deal is with the Sens, although I do agree they seem to have handed out long, costly contracts too early on a few players, and they seem to have regretted acquiring Chychrun.
I wouldn’t put NY in the same category as Buffalo , Sens etc.
Ny threw in the towel February 2018 one point out of playoff position.
Missed the playoffs that year and the next.
Lost in the qualifying round 2020, missed the playoffs 2021.
Eastern conference finals 2022.
Lost last year to the devils in the 1st round in 7.
And have spent most of this year between 1-4 in the league standings.
Not a fan of HOW NY has “rebuilt “ this roster. But a far cry of the ongoing struggle rebuilds other teams have gone through.
Saying all that, I don’t believe NY as constructed can win a cup. But they could possibly once again reach the ECF’s because they won’t be seeing Florida , Tampa, Toronto or Boston until then. All teams I think beat NY.
Buffalo is in year 13 with no playoffs. I’m done hearing “this team could be really good this year”! Just not buying it anymore.
Sens are going on year 7.
These teams are not the same!
I agree, with the exception of Sanderson and Chucky. Verdict is still out on Stutzle. However, if Panthers and Lightning were the only ones calling on Chychrun, I’d hold off until the draft, as more teams with better assets might be in the running.
Hey, Don Sweeney did you forget to pay your phone bill? Is that why you’re not making any moves because you can’t contact any other team thanks a lot for doing nothing and will be lucky if we make it to the playoffs out in the first round again.
Brandon Duhaime Was another the Bruins were looking at … Bye
Deal close being completed – Penguins trading Jake Guentzel to Hurricanes. As part of the deal Hurricanes trading Michael Bunting.