NHL Rumor Mill – May 2, 2024
Are changes in store for the Kings following another first-round playoff exit? Would Leon Draisaitl be interested in joining the Bruins? What’s the latest on the Penguins? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
WHAT NEXT FOR THE KINGS?
ESPN.COM: Ryan S. Clark looks at what might be in store for the Los Angeles Kings following another first-round elimination at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers.
Clark pointed out the Kings had this season’s second-best penalty-killing stats but that turned into a weakness against the Oilers’ offense.
There could be a big turnover in goal this summer. Cam Talbot, David Rittich and Pheonix Copley are slated to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. Forwards Viktor Arvidsson and Trevor Lewis and defensemen Matt Roy are also UFA-eligible this summer.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was rumored the Kings attempted to acquire Linus Ullmark before the trade deadline but the Boston Bruins goalie used his no-trade clause to nix the deal. General manager Rob Blake could attempt to add a starter such as Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom or Nashville’s Juuse Saros this summer with Rittich retained as their backup.
Arvidsson’s injury history could lead to his departure via free agency. The 37-year-old Lewis probably won’t be back. Roy could be let go if Jordan Spence replaces him on the second-pairing and if Brandt Clarke is ready for full-time NHL duty next season.
THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens is critical of Blake’s management, pointing to his acquisition and signing of underachieving center Pierre-Luc Dubois. That move was among several questionable deals that left the Kings with insufficient salary-cap space to improve their roster at the March trade deadline.
Los Angeles Kings center Pierre-Luc Dubois (NHL Images)
With the Kings facing continued mediocrity, Stephens suggests a shift in course with someone other than Blake as general manager. He pointed to Blake’s inability to address his club’s goaltending after Cal Petersen failed to seize the starter’s job in 2021-22, leaving the Kings scrambling to find a suitable replacement.
Dubois hasn’t come close to unseating Anze Kopitar or Phillip Danault among their top two centers. He has seven more seasons left on his contract with an average annual value of $8.5 million.
Buying out Dubois would count against the Kings’ salary cap for the next 14 years. A trade would mean retaining half of his AAV.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stephens cited the positive things Blake had done (drafting and developing young talent like Quinton Byfield and acquiring Kevin Fiala) but the goaltending and the Dubois contract are the major blunders he believes have hamstrung the Kings. It remains to be seen if the Kings ownership shares his belief that a management change is necessary.
COULD DRAISAITL SIGN WITH THE BRUINS NEXT SUMMER?
BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy cited Georges Laraque telling a Montreal sports radio show that Leon Draisaitl is interested in joining the Boston Bruins if he doesn’t re-sign with the Edmonton Oilers.
Draisaitl is slated to become a UFA next July. Laraque cited someone “well-placed within the Oilers organization” claiming the high-scoring forward could leave the club next summer if they don’t go deep in the playoffs, adding “he’d prefer to be a first-line center in Boston.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl will become a hot topic in the rumor mill if he doesn’t sign a contract extension before next season. Nevertheless, he could be keen to stick around with Connor McDavid beyond next season. His future in Edmonton could come down to how much of a raise he’s seeking over his current $8.5 million AAV.
Assuming Draisaitl is interested in playing for the Bruins, they’d have to wait until next summer to get him as a free agent. They reportedly lacked sufficient depth in tradeable assets to acquire Elias Lindholm or Noah Hanifin before the trade deadline. They won’t have enough to get one of the NHL’s high-scoring superstars this summer or next season.
The Bruins have nearly $45 million invested in seven players for 2025-26. The salary cap could rise to over $92 million for that season. There would be plenty of room to sign Draisaitl for a long-term deal worth $15 million annually.
Oh, you thought it would be much less than that? Think again. Draisaitl has been underpaid for years. He will seek a new contract befitting one of the NHL’s leading superstars.
Still, that looks like plenty of cap space to accommodate Draisaitl, right? Wrong.
Team captain Brad Marchand will need a contract extension. They must sign goaltender Jeremy Swayman to a new contract (probably between $6 million and $7 million annually given his arbitration status), re-sign or replace Jake DeBrusk, and fill out the rest of the roster. Rumor has it they could pursue a center who can play on their top-two lines plus a top-four defenseman via free agency in July. They won’t come cheap.
Even if the Bruins could do all that with some cap room to spare, they won’t have enough for Draisaitl without shedding sufficient space to ensure they can win a bidding war for his services.
I’m not saying the Bruins can’t sign Draisaitl if he wants to come to Boston. However, it’ll take a hell of a lot of work to free up the cap space to make it happen without significantly weakening their roster depth in the process.
LATEST ON THE PENGUINS
PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: Jason Mackey suggested how Penguins GM Kyle Dubas can improve his club for next season and beyond.
One option is exploring the possibility of trading Erik Karlsson to the Ottawa Senators if they’re interested in reacquiring their former captain. Karlsson denied rumors of returning to Ottawa in March but Mackey didn’t believe him.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maybe Karlsson would agree to return to the Senators but I don’t believe their new ownership and management want to bring him back. Even if Dubas agreed to retain half of the $10 million of his $11.5 million AAV that the Penguins currently carry, the Senators are likely looking at younger, more affordable right-shot options for their blueline.
Mackey also suggested Dubas attempt to find a trade partner to take goaltender Tristan Jarry and his $5.375 million cap hit for the next four years off his hands. Another option is shopping a winger such as Reilly Smith or Rickard Rakell.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas seems intent on sticking with Jarry and call up promising Joel Blomqvist as his understudy next season. Trading Smith or Rakell seems a more likely option.
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski believes Ryan Graves’ contract would be a major sticking point in any attempt to trade the 28-year-old defenseman this summer. He’s signed for five more years with an annual cap hit of $4.5 million.
Graves’ struggles in his first season with the Penguins damaged his trade value. Their best bet is to hope he regains his former next season.
Re-acquiring Karlsson would not make the Senators appreciably better on D but it would undoubtedly increase ticket sales among the paint-your-face, logo-tugging rah rah element of the fan base – and their money is as good as any.
But another element of the fan base – the pragmatic let’s-do-things logically type (among which I cont myself) – would see it as a team distraction at a critical time when what is needed is vast improvement in team consistency of effort.
Karlsson will NOT bring that. His ship has sailed here.
“Jimmy Murphy cited Georges Laraque…. Laraque cited someone “well-placed within the Oilers organization” claiming Draisaitl could leave… adding he’d prefer to be a first-line center in Boston.”
Why Boston? Was he a Bruins fan as a kid? That’s comparable to all the Ontario born stars signing with the Leafs…. oh wait…
Make it up Murphy is at it again…
I heard Draisaitl slept in Bruins pyjamas when he was growing up in Germany
Never mind Make it up Murphy. Laraque is a “source “ i have minimal trust in at best,
Would love to see Leon in a Bruins jersey!He needs to get out from under Mcdavid and run his own show! Pasta would be great to play with!
George – O I disagree with you and I think Ottawa is the perfect place and maybe the only place Karlsson would waive his no trade.
He has a house there, his best friend Alfredson is the assistant coach there and maybe head coach soon, and is beloved there.
i know Ottawa wants to move Thomas Chabot and his $8 million contract. We could retain $ 1 million on Karlson making him a $ 9 million player.. money is close..
could do bigger deal by adding Tristan Jarry and Josh Norris but the one on one deal is doable.
The fact he has a home here and that his beloved friend Alfredsson is here have absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he would NOT improve the team in any appreciable way … and certainly not as his contract ages.
Pittsburgh … and DumbAss …. are stuck with him.
In your DREAMS! We don’t need Karlson. Hes only good on a team that is week on defense. Yes we need to trade Chabot but not for Karlson.
Dorion is gone and hate to admit it thank god because he made some shake your head decision to try and keep Melnyk happy.
Sens need a Good head coach and staff along with top 4 right shot defense and depth scoring.
Agree Caby … it may be “doable” but it ain’t gonna be “doneable”
Only a GM looking to lose his job will trade for Dubois. Blake is a moron for trading for him and giving him such an insane contract.
Dubois will start whining next year that he wants traded. But at 8.5 million for 7 more years, who would want his big baby? He burnt all the bridges now so L A you are stuck with him. Could be the lasiest player in the NHL. When is the last time he scored 30 goals? He hasn’t in the NHL.
Agreed Fred, Montreal dodged a huge bullet!
Let’s pump the brakes a bit on those people looking to crucify Blake for the PLD trade and signing. He’s played one season in LA. Way too soon to make judgments. Blake took a necessary gamble to improve his team. It didn’t help this year but who knows about next year. Let’s give it more time. If the next two years are as shaky as this one was, then let the brickbats fly.
Those “brickbats” are flying because Dubois forced his way out of Columbus with his indifferent play and left the Jets no choice to trade him because he refused to consider signing a long-term deal with them. He gets his big-money contract in Los Angeles and turned into the invisible man. He deserves all the criticism he receives until he actually improves.
Hello, Howard. I think that, being a Blue Jackets fan, I am totally qualified to be as negative about crybaby PLD as I wanna be. Though I will say one good thing about him. If he hadn’t forced his way off the CBJ, we might not have been in the position to draft Adam Fantilli.
As has happened in the past with a lot of high 1st round picks – particularly a huge C who, in excelling in his junior league, did so with an edge – GMs will continue to roll the dice that that player will “find” his pro game as part of their team.
Taken 3rd overall in 2016, the 6′ 4″ 225 lb C, with Cape Breton in the Q, had a 42g 57a 99 pts season in 62 gp while logging 112 pm while playing with a mean edge. He certainly drew attention that draft year. After being dealt to Blainville-Boisbriand part way through the next season he had 21g 34a 55 pts in just 48gp and in the playoffs logged 9g 13a 22 pts in 19gp.
His first 2 seasons in Columbus – 82gp in both – he came ip with a 20g 28a 48 pts rookie year, adding 2g 2a 4 pts in 6 playoff games, followed by a 27g 34a 61 pts season and in 10 playoff games added 2g 3aa 5 pts.
By then, unfortunately, his ego had taken over
Lyle when I wrote “let the brickbats fly” I was referring to Blake not Dubois. I agree that Dubois deserves plenty of criticism for his underwhelming play this year and his attitude over the years. However, it’s way too early to judge the trade or Blake’s wisdom in making it. More time is needed before the trade is written off as a bust for LA and Blake is labeled a bonehead for making it
Paul if we’re going to hand out credit for the Jackets being able to draft Fantilli shouldn’t Laine get some?
If Leon Draisaitl can’t get a deal done in Edmonton. (believe it when it happens) and he wants to sign in Boston, then Sweeney will make it happen.
Yes Swayman new contract will be $7.5 or so; and his Backup will be league min or $1.5 with Ullmark contract of $5m coming off the books, the bruins tandem will cost $9m that’s an increase of roughly $500g
Marchand will not be getting an increase over his $6.125m and Lohrie is the top 4 dman don’t need to sign one.
With the cap going up by another $2m or more no problem signing Leon!
It’s a pipe dream, not happening.
How much will Draisaitl sign for…after being under paid for most of his last contract will be around $13,5 million
Watching Pitt and Washington both slowly die on the vine, with these aging stars, is brutal.
Appreciate Sid, Ovechkin, Letang, Malkin, etc. but at what point do you move to a rebuild?
Less then 13 million in cap space this summer to fill out 9 players on your roster? Good luck with that Pitt.
The sad thing, is Pitt could get an absolute HAUL for Sid and Malkin. A return that would speed up their rebuild by years. But they will never do it.
Both teams Pen’s & Caps need to go into a Rebuild…❓
They are both Old,
The caps are Very very slow, both teams will go nowhere without changes
So they may as well start there rebuild now as they will both miss the playoffs 2024-25 season Again✔️
Washington at least started rolling over some of their older assets, and getting a bit younger on the backend. After the 24-25 season, Washington will only have 5 players over the age of 30 under contract, and all 5 are gone after the 25-26 season. Washington has picks in every round of the next 2 draft, with the exception of rnd 7, and their prospect pool ranks in the middle of the NHL. Pitt will have 9 players 30+ at the end of next season still under contract, and will likely resign Sid, making it 10, 30+ players. Their prospect pool is ranked in the bottom 5 in the league, and they have traded away a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th round pick, in the next two drafts. Brutal.
Pittsburgh would not be getting a haul for Malkin. His numbers fell off a cliff, and he’s never been a two way player. 2 years left at 6.1 cap hit, he’ll be 38 this summer and is in rapid decline.
Trade-able guy, but haul? That ship sailed 2 years ago.
I felt that Pittsburgh should have traded all of their aging stars at the deadline.
They could have sent Crosby to the Av’s for Bowen Byram and a 1st.
Instead the Sabres acquired him for Mittelstadt.
They could have sent Malkin to the Rangers for a 1st round pick and a prospect.
Instead Rangers ended up trading for Roslovic.
Dallas was looking to upgrade their defense at the deadline and would probably have been interested in Letang but instead settled for Chris Tanev.
Pittsburg could have afforded to take back money on these players contracts for a year or two or three as their departure would have opened up substantial cap space.
The picks and prospects coming back would have jump started the necessary rebuild .
Brian..Ovi looks like he is dying on the vine, and gassed.
Crosby had an amazing year 42 goals 94 points he is still the best overall 200 foot player in the game.
Malkin had 25 goals and has slowed not as much as Ovi but could slide in to the 3rd line center position
Letang played hurt badly most of the year. Still played 20 plus minutes a game. He will be under going serious surgeries soon. He will be back
Penguins just need to do a better job surrounding Sid. they will do that this summer with some good signings, moves and trades.
Buying out Dubois would count against the Kings’ salary cap for the next 14 years. A trade would mean retaining half of his AAV.
Really? How ever made this statement shouldn’t judge anything that Blake has done.
Dead cap space for 14yrs! I will say the last 7yrs @1.1m per will be less then league minimum.
He can come to Boston with LA holding half of the bag; not happening.
LA can’t get the equal value for what they paid.
Agree Brian that they would get some very nice assets for those 2, as would Washington for Ovechkin .. but in both cases of Sid and Ovie “sentimentality” will reign over practicality and logic.
They may retire as a Penguin and a Capital, complete with all the accompanying rah rah tributes and immediate entry into the Hall of Fame … but their clubs will be mired in the nether regions of the Metropolitan Division.
With the cup or cups those teams won those players retiring from their respective teams… as a fan I want that rah rah stuff for the rest of my life than a minimal chance increase at a cup sooner.
So, hero-worshiping, pedestal-placing over professional practicality.
I would love to see polls taken among fan bases to determine how they feel.
With the competitiveness of a guy like Sid, you have to ask, is this what he wants, or does he want to go compete for a cup at the tail end of his career?
I could very well see Sid, waiting for UFA and signing a 1 or 2 year deal to play with Colorado and Nate. It would be catastrophic if Sid doesn’t get moved then signs somewhere else next summer.
It means more to me as a fan to see Sid retire a penguin. When I reminisce about the pens that’s more important than the very small percentage chance that the assets returned in a crosby trade lead to a cup.
PGH moved on from Jagr and Francis(not homegrown i know)…
Sid to a contender would be something. The hockey world is better when the best players get to perform in the playoffs.
nothing tells me the aging Pens will be better next season
The Penguins can be better if changes on Sullivan’s coaching staff and the roster are made.
Mike Sullivan’s coaching staff for 2024-2025 and beyond should not include associate coach Todd Reirden. Reirden has coached an ineffective power play over four seasons, and how to implode in the defense zone. Reirden could be expendable with an expiring contract and being a candidate for a head coach gig.
The Penguins have roster needs. Kyle Dubas should have a needs list to address. He should be able to do more this offseason.
“There’s no scraps in my scrap book” *Sopranos line*
I’m happy for the player and organization when it’s time to move on. Watching Gretzky, Messier go out with a whimper was just sad. It also steals roster spots from younger players (Savard) that are instrumental in a rebuild.
Mcdonagh moved on in what I’d consider a top 3 Ranger fail trade. (Probably #1) but I was happy to see him win in Tampa! Well deserved and NY wasn’t going to get him there.
Why do fans want to watch players and teams rot is beyond me. Just not good business.
Exactly. Goes against the grain of what pro sports is all about – building the best team possible so the paying fans are getting their money’s worth.
Whether that’s through trade, UFA purchases, drafting is moot – do whatever it takes.
Would Pittsburgh fans be happy to see Sid retire as a Penguin and their team fall into the same endless wandering in the wilderness for 13 seasons as the Buffalo Sabres, for example … or the Ottawa Senators, now entering their 7th successive year on the outside looking in?
Nuts to that.
George–Are you not watching Sid had an amazing season and almost single handy marched the Penguins in to the playoffs.
Ovechkin struggled more..
we had two years of Hextall and Burke making tis team worse. Penguins will be better give Dubas a chance for god sakes
They will have $10 – $ 12 million
They can move
Tristan Jarry
Reilly Smith
Ricard Rakell
Thats $15.3 million
Ryan Graves was good in Colorado and New Jersey just struggled his first year in Pittsburgh he is 28 and movable limited no trade that’s $ 4.5 million
Trading Karlsson with some retention oh there are ways
Dont think Toronto /La Kings / Red Wings could use Jarry right about now not to mention Chicago
Move them where? Give me one plausible location where any GM with an ounce of brains will deal for those 3. Come on, man, being a devoted fan aside, there has to be room for logic.
Wow… playoffs are still on but we are already getting those “dog days of summer” rumours from those guys haha.
Why do so many of them think other teams want another team’s garbage? Pitt is stuck with Jarry and Karlsson… unless some rebuilding team wants EK to stay above the salary floor…
Dubas and Blake are neck and neck for worst moves when it comes to EK and PLD and these people think it will somehow be easily rectified.
Anyway… EK not coming back. That money is better spent on any other solid d-man.
Leon & Connor are very tight
They go on vacation together
There girlfriends are very tight both from Ontario
They are out in Edmonton together a lot…..
I can see them both signing similar contracts with the Oilers $13.M PA….❓
The Oilers have a very good young team, Skinner, Bouchard ect….
George Laraque who dose he even know in the Oilers organization that would say that……❓ Yes nobody 🙈
he is just trying to get his name out there in the media 🙈
I agree, big George trying to stay relevant.
how about a straight PLD for Couturier? PLD had best seasons with Torts….
You also remember how those two butted heads at times? Especially in his final games with the Blue Jackets with his indifferent play?
yeah good points, he was so good in the playoff upset though. how do you unlock that guy?
That’s a question that has eluded coaches in three NHL cities now.
As has happened in the past with a lot of high 1st round picks – particularly a huge C who, in excelling in his junior league, did so with an edge – GMs will continue to roll the dice that that player will “find” his pro game as part of their team.
Taken 3rd overall in 2016, the 6′ 4″ 225 lb C, with Blainville-Boisbriand in the Q, and considered a multi-dimensional top-ranked North American skater, he had a 42g 57a 99 pts season in 62 gp Cape Breton while logging 112 pm playing with a mean edge. After being dealt to Blainville-Boisbriand part way through the next season from Cape Breton he had 21g 34a 55 pts in just 48gp and in the playoffs logged 9g 13a 22 pts in 19gp.
His first 2 seasons in Columbus – 82gp in both – he came ip with a 20g 28a 48 pts rookie year, adding 2g 2a 4 pts in 6 playoff games, followed by a 27g 34a 61 pts season and in 10 playoff games added 2g 3aa 5 pts.
By then, unfortunately, his ego had taken over and was dealt to Winnipeg for another colossal disappointment named Laine – just in time for empty-arena Covid hockey and it’s been disappointment exceeding expectations ever since.
He might still settle in with L.A. but Blake had certainly better hope so because he’s on the verge of being ranked among the albatross cap hits scattered around the league – for various reasons.
Dubois claims he’s BFFs with Torts.
“Dubois says he didn’t ask for his first trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets because of John Tortorella. They’re still in touch and the relationship is positive: Dubois says he recommended Tortorella to the Winnipeg Jets during the team’s coaching search in 2022.”
https://theathletic.com/4960687/2023/10/16/pierre-luc-dubois-kings-winnipeg-jets/
That’s doesn’t mean it was all smiles and sunshine.
https://nesn.com/2021/01/john-tortorella-finally-rips-pierre-luc-dubois-after-trade/#:~:text=Tortorella%20benched%20Dubois%20for%20an,Jack%20Roslovic%20back%20to%20Columbus.
Anyway, it’s a moot point. The Flyers aren’t going to acquire an underachieving center like Dubois with seven years on his deal worth $8.5 million annually. They’re rebuilding and don’t want to saddle themselves with expensive contracts.
My point was more so to point out further how phony Dubois is; as if he’s actually be coached by Torts again. Flyers wouldn’t touch him with a 10 foot pole.
Please explain why Briere would do that? Especially since PLD hinted that Torts was the reason he wanted out of Columbus.
I was mainly thinking how the $ was similar.
can Torts and their captain co-exist?
And who will want PLD unless it is a salary/new scenery trade swap?
PLD is a career 48 points per season average. He put up 40 points averaging 3+ minutes less a game this year.
Why do people think players will get better with a larger contract? LA pretty much got what they overpaid for.
Be mad at Blake for overpaying, Not PLD!
PLD is not a player thats in Demand❓
He is a younger guy on his 3rd team and now looking to move him to his 4th team
@ only 25 years old @$$8.5.M for 7 more years 🤔
its got buyer beware writen All over that player
LA Kings
have a number of Areas to improve on not only Goaltending, and the Defence, but add fire power to the forward group
The Penguins resolved a problem. Associate coach Todd Reirden was fired after four years of coaching the Penguins’ power play and defense.
The Penguins’ power play, with a 15 percent success rate, was the third worst in the league during the 2023-2024 season. Ouch!