NHL Rumor Mill – June 15, 2024

by | Jun 15, 2024 | Rumors | 10 comments

Will the Oilers sign McDavid, Draisaitl and Bouchard to expensive new contracts? What’s the latest on the Rangers and Canadiens? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

OILERS TO SPEND $40 MILLION ON MCDAVID, DRAISAITL AND BOUCHARD?

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples cited Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli predicting the Oilers will invest $40 million in new contracts for Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard. Seravalli made those remarks during an appearance with Bob Stauffer on “Oilers Now”.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

Seravalli believes Oilers management has already started contract extension talks with Draisaitl. The 28-year-old forward can become an unrestricted free agent when his contract expires next July.

Bouchard, 24, is a restricted free-agent defenseman this summer with arbitration rights. McDavid’s contract expires in 2026. The earliest the Oilers can re-sign him is next July.

Stauffer asked Servalli if he saw McDavid getting an average annual value of $16 million, Draisaitl $14 million and Bouchard $10 million. “Yup. That’s my projection,” replied Servalli, pointing out that the NHL salary cap will be at $100 million in two years’ time.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will take big-money contracts to re-sign McDavid, Draisaitl, and Bouchard. Not because of the location but because the amounts Seravalli cited are what those three will likely get on the open market.

The $100 million cap projection for 2026-27 may seem a little bold but there’s no question the NHL’s hockey-related revenue has significantly grown, raising the salary cap with it. It’ll be in the neighborhood if it doesn’t reach $100 million by then. The higher it goes, the easier it is for teams to re-sign their stars, provided they’re willing to spend to the cap ceiling and have the space to do so.

UPDATE ON THE RANGERS

NEW YORK POST: Mollie Walker believes the Rangers must answer some pressing questions during the offseason.

Questions linger about whether the Rangers can win with their current core. “The track record says no, but the team says yes,” writes Walker.

She doesn’t see them blowing things up but she wondered if a big move or two is necessary.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been suggested the Rangers consider trading team captain Jacob Trouba or a star forward like Chris Kreider or Mika Zibanejad. Their respective contracts come with financial and no-trade restrictions, complicating attempts to move them.

The return each could fetch is the bigger issue. If you’re not getting something back for one of them that will make them better now and in the long run, they’re better off sticking with those players and trying instead to improve the supporting cast.

Another question is determining how much Igor Shesterkin’s contract extension will cost. “The floor for negotiations appears to be $10.5 million, while the starting point is looking like $12 million.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shesterkin will become the NHL’s highest-paid goaltender starting in July 2025. He’ll likely get between $12 million and $13 million annually on an eight-year deal.

The Rangers recently re-signed winger Kaapo Kakko to a one-year, $2.4 million contract. However, Walker wonders if they’ll be patient with the 23-year-old former first-round pick or peddle him for a regular, impactful skater to replace him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Having Kakko under an affordable contract for next season should improve his trade value. Still, the Rangers might not receive suitable offers that can help them right away. It wouldn’t be surprising if Kakko’s in their lineup next season. 

THE LATEST CANADIENS SPECULATION

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marc Dumont recently suggested the Canadiens look into moving Carey Price’s contract to free up cap space going forward without relying on long-term injury reserve.

Price is on permanent LTIR due to a knee injury and hasn’t played since 2022. He has two years remaining on his contract with an AAV of $10.5 million.

Teams that use LTIR often cannot accrue cap space during the season leading up to the trade deadline. That affects efforts to add players to their lineup through waivers, trades, or free agency.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Price has a no-movement clause but he’s unlikely to block a trade given that his playing career is over. He’ll still be getting paid regardless of which team owns his contract. Despite the salary cap rising by $4.5 million for next season, finding a club willing to take on his hefty cap hit will be challenging.

TVA SPORTS: Vincent Duquette listed seven young forwards who could become prime trade targets for the Canadiens.

They include Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson, Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell, Vegas Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev, New Jersey Devils winger Alexander Holtz, Winnipeg Jets forward Cole Perfetti, Detroit Red Wings right wing Jonatan Berggren, and Nashville Predators winger Phil Tomasino.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trade rumors have swirling around most of those young forwards at one time or another this season. Whether the Habs can land one of them in the coming weeks remains to be seen.

The Panthers are unlikely to part with “Baby Barkov” Lundell. Perfetti was mentioned a lot in Jets rumors but I think they’ll remain patient with him. The Golden Knights probably won’t part with Dorofeyev unless it’s in a package deal for a big-name player.

Johnson, Berggren, and Tomasino split time this season with their parent clubs and their AHL affiliates. Holtz seemed to struggle under former Devils head coach Lindy Ruff. He’s been mentioned as a possible trade chip if the Devils pursue goalie Jacob Markstrom.







10 Comments

  1. There has been a lot of talk lately about NHL players benefitting from playing in a non income tax state. That distinction only applies to a state income tax, they still must pay a much higher federal income tax.in addition they are assessed state taxes when they play in a state that has such a tax.

    • Because these no state tax teams play other no-state tax teams, the players save on well over 50% of their paychecks anywhere from 4-9% of the gross on those checks. It is pretty significant when making 7 and 8 figure annual incomes!

  2. Rangers don’t have to change much.

    Oilers will pay Mcdavid and Draisaitl
    Bouchard seems a little on the high side . Although Nurse is getting $9.2 -yikes !

    I sure hope there are some real transactions heading our way in a couple of weeks .
    A GM would be smart to pull the trigger early to allow the players involved to find homes schools etc. and get settled in general
    Markstrom and Ullmark as examples.

    Marner is riding it out until the end. A lot of unnecessary noise for the next 54 weeks

    • The question may well be: Will Marner’s cream puff character and personality along with his immaturity allow him to survive the abuse that will be heaped upon him for the next 54 weeks by Leaf Nation and the Toronto Sports Media.

    • how do the Rangers not have to change much? I totally disagree. The goal isn’t to be a good regular season team. It’s to win it all. The Rangers are not built to win the Cup. Their lack of full time effort, tenacity, physicality, will continue to hinder them. IMO, they need more fierce & competitive players like Trochek, Trouba and Goodrow and less mentally & physically soft players like Kakko, Kreider and Miller

  3. Cole Perfetti is a good hockey player.

    Totally misused by Bowness.

    19 goals in 71 games.

    Unfortunately for Perfetti and single mistake got him staple to the bench and scratched the next game.

    Hopefully Arniel will utilize this talented LW or send him to Boston.

  4. Regarding the talk yesterday of Dvorak and Harris for Laine, I’d do it for any of the young guys mentioned above though I doubt Lundell or Perfetti are being traded.

    • Dvorak and harris will not get us any of those players mentioned

  5. Nine u.s. states have no state income tax and only 4 states have an NHL team.with the current schedules teams may only play 1 or 2 games a year in those states. How they would save 50% of their gross paychecks is a mystery to me.

  6. Bouchard definitely not worth 10 mill maybe 4 Broberg is a keeper trade Bou hard,