NHL Rumor Mill – June 8, 2024

by | Jun 8, 2024 | Rumors | 28 comments

The Hurricanes are open to trading Jake Guentzel’s rights, the latest on Martin Necas and an update on the Rangers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

HURRICANES OPEN TO TRADING GUENTZEL’S RIGHTS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reported Friday that the Carolina Hurricanes are open to trading Jake Guentzel’s contract negotiating rights before free agency begins on July 1.

Friedman thinks the asking price could be “a mid-round pick.” He believes there is “tons of interest,” adding that teams must think they can get the 29-year-old winger signed to a long-term extension before July 1.

The Chicago Blackhawks could be among the interested clubs. Friedman said someone told him they’d like to move their rebuild along.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: Nate Brown believes acquiring Guentzel would boost the rebuilding Blackhawks’ anemic scoring. He thinks the contract concern would be over term more than dollars, suggesting a five-year contract wouldn’t be a deal breaker.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Jake Guentzel (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks have a projected cap space of $32.3 million for 2024-25 with 15 active roster players under contract. They could easily afford a hefty raise for Guentzel. However, it’s uncertain if he wants to join a rebuilding club. He could prefer skating with a contender.

THE LATEST ON MARTIN NECAS

SPORTSNET: Friedman also provided an update on Martin Necas. He said the Hurricanes are letting people know that they consider the 25-year-old forward a “budding star”, adding that they want “star power” in return. He indicated they’re not seeking a return of middling draft picks and prospects.

TORONTO STAR: Nick Kypreos recently wrote that the Montreal Canadiens were among many clubs calling about Necas. However, he thinks there’s “zero chance” of a trade given the bad blood between the two clubs over the Jesperi Kotkaniemi offer sheet in 2021.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens probably lack the roster assets that the Hurricanes would seek for Necas. I doubt it has anything to do with lingering bad feelings about the Kotkaniemi deal, at least from the Habs point of view.

Everyone directly involved on the Canadiens side is no longer with the club except for team owner Geoff Molson. I don’t see him preventing the current management from dealing with the Hurricanes.

UPDATE ON THE RANGERS

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears reports Rangers GM Chris Drury could be ready for a roster shakeup following his club’s elimination from the Eastern Conference Final.

We’re looking at a lot of different things,” said Drury. “And there’s different ways to get to where we want to go. To me, really, nothing’s off the table.”

Drury didn’t elaborate about his plans but Sears believes he has plenty of options to shake things up. Those could include moving Jacob Trouba, Mika Zibanejad or Chris Kreider after they struggled during the conference final. However, there are stumbling blocks such as their high salaries and no-trade clauses.

If Kreider and Zibanejad return, Drury should focus on finding a permanent right wing for their line. Winger Barclay Goodrow could also be a trade candidate given the Rangers’ need to free up cap space to re-sign defenseman Ryan Lindgren. Goodrow carries a 15-team no-trade clause.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It would be surprising if Zibanejad or Kreider get traded this summer. The same goes for Trouba, whose struggles were largely due to his playing on a broken ankle since March. Goodrow, however, seems a more likely trade candidate despite his modified no-trade clause.

Kaapo Kakko has surfaced in trade rumors following a difficult season. However, Drury defended the young restricted free agent, noting that Alexis Lafreniere was the subject of trade speculation at this time last year but has since enjoyed a breakout performance. He said the club will do everything it can to help Kakko reach his potential.







28 Comments

  1. I agree that the Habs don’t have the right assets to trade for Necas, just as they didn’t for PLD, and just as they don’t for Zegras.

    They need a partner who will part with a young player with offensive upside they can’t afford to keep, and who would want D and picks back.

    • LJ,
      Necas is a budding star and the Canes want star power in return yet the never have paid the guy and appear to not want to now either.

      If he’s a budding star, Canes will keep him and pay him.

      If the Canes see him as lacking consistency or taking too long, then they’ll trade him.

      Seems like they want it both ways, knock him down for lower contract and build him up for better trade return.

      Canes need some D, some are too costly, others are getting long in the tooth and their draft pool is very low as well and the Habs have plenty of both.

      • They do want it both ways. Always have. I’m a die hard Hurricanes fan and it always ticks me off how quickly they give good players away. Yet at the same time they pay Kotkaniemi almost 5 million. They let Trochek go and keep KK. There are several good players on other teams that used to be Hurricanes. When I see them doing well I try not to curse. Now I have to pull for the Panthers. Paul Maurice used to be our coach.

      • The problem is that Necas has all the talent in the world, but still hasn’t committed to playing defense. When he hits a cold streak, he’s not really contributing in other areas. He’ll put more pressure on himself, try to dance 3 defenders, turn the puck over, and create an opportunity against.

        Yes, he has all the skill to be a game-breaker offensively, but his overall game just isn’t there. The Canes see that. They know what he is, what his potential is. Perhaps they think he’s reached his ceiling in their system, and maybe he has. Not hard to see why they want a solid return yet are hesitant to give him a huge, long-term deal.

      • TB68, Well stated! I agree with everything you mentioned.

      • Habfan30,

        Two of Carolina’s top prospects Nikishin and Morrow are defensemen. The Canes feel Nikishin is NHL top 4 ready. He is 22 years old 6′-4″ 216 lbs. and led the KHL in ice time at 24:15 per game. He had 56 points in 67 games and was +32. The only problem is that his KHL contract is for one more year. Carolina is trying to get him here for next season. Morrow is under contract and will compete for a spot next season. Orlov and Burns contracts expire next year so they will need some additional D if they don’t sign Skjei, Pesce and Chatfield.

  2. Sounds like teams are eager to move people,problem is length of contract,salary,and NMC and NTC make trades tough to pull off!

  3. Trouba’s broken ankle clearly limited his ability to intentionally elbow opposing players in the noggin throughout the playoffs.

    🎵The ankle bone’s connected to the elbow🎵…

    • Nice one

  4. Does anyone know if Johnathan Toews is planning a comeback?

    • To the best of my knowledge, Caper, Toews isn’t planning a comeback. He hasn’t retired but said last August he was taking time away from hockey and there’s no indication he’s changed those plans.

      • One would think that he’ll have made his mind up re retirement , early this summer

        If he doesn’t formalize his retirement this summer, perhaps he is waiting for a late season signing (just at/before trade deadline) to play for a real contender for another Cup?

    • Thanks Lyle.

      Agree 8787, and if Toews healthy thought he could make team Canada.

  5. Re; Contracts

    Sounds like a number of GM’s dont want to give out long 7-8 year contracts for 29 & 30 year olds
    who will be playing on the 4th line washed up
    at 37 & 38 years old…❗️

    Maybe the NHL needs to look at reducing the Max contract lenth to 6 years…..🤔 and reducing the NMC on contracts down to 4 star players as this just semes to be a big stumbling block when trying to trade and move a player in the NHL today….

    • Great idea, it will protect teams from themselves. Max contract length almost always screw a team and it’s cap by a GM that is no longer there.

      I also don’t get that fans cheer on these higher salaries. It’s YOUR money there are spending. Higher cost of TV packages, tickets, concessions and fan gear are the result.

    • I agree completely. GMs bury themselves and their team by signing players to anything over five years. And why not? The GM gets the headliner he wants, knowing he will be gone by the end of the contract in most cases….

  6. I wonder if the Pens would be willing to move a 1st round pick in this draft to bring Guentzel back?

    • Horrible asset management for pens if so when they could have signed him for free. Don’t see that happening

      • “Horrible asset management”? *Checks Pens draft picks for 2024* Hmm

    • Good question Brock !! I dont think so.jaake wa ts $9 million..

      Everybody said oh Dubas got fleeced Bunting fit in perfectly will score 20-25 goals physical player, and 20 year old tearing up swedish league Koivunen and ponomarev who played this year in the nhl.

      I think he stays in Carolina or maybe god forbid the Rangers..lol

      • BlacknGold,

        I think you are really going to like Ponomarev. Hurricanes fans were hoping he wasn’t going to be included in that deal.

      • Re; Guentzel

        He wants to Win a Cup., I dont think he go’s back to the Pens…..
        They are on there Last Old Legs this up & coming season…., Sid will be gone to a contender in March

        They have 9 forwards signed & 4 d/men and they are lossing the bester of the 2 goaltenders 🤔
        they have in 28yr old Alex Nedeljkovic, and need to sign a back a good up

        They have $13.M in Cap to spend, if they give
        Jake Guentzel $9.M They are Hopped
        that leave’s them $4.M to sign some decent younger players…..( 6 in total )
        They have No 1st, & 3rd, & 5th in this up and coming draft⁉️ and Nothing coming up from the farm the last GM traded it all away…..
        Grim situation for the Pans & Sid.😩

    • Hey Brock,

      They have No 1st round pick this year and nothing on the farm, its Rought for the pens…
      and they have a small amount of cap space this up & comining season….😩

      • Yeah, I know they have no 1st, it was just a joke.

  7. GP..I did happen to see highlights of that game Ponomarev played he had a goal…looked good

    Hope your right we need some you ger talent to mix in..

  8. Hurricanes are good but have some decisions to make on Necas Pesche Skeji .
    They did lock up Brindamour.. great coach.

  9. To Hurricanes: Marner ($10.89)

    To Leafs: 2024 – 1st, #27 overall, Necas ($6 to resign), Kotkaniemi ($4.8) (equals ($10.8 matching Marner’s salary), the signing rights until July 1st to Brent Pesce.

    Leafs get Necas, a 1st line RW to replace some of what they lose in Marner, a 2nd/3rd line center in Kotkaniemi, if Pesce can be signed Leafs get a partner for Morgan Reilly.

    Bertuzzi – Matthews – Necas
    Knies – Kotkaniemi – Nylander
    McMann – Tavares – Kunin
    Holmberg – Dewar – ?
    Reaves

    I would like to see the Leafs offer Kampf ($2.45), Jarnkrok ($2.1), Robertson and Liljegren to San Jose for Mario Ferraro ($3.25), and Luke Kunin ($2.75)

    Reilly – Pesce
    MCCabe – Roy/Walker UFAs
    Ferraro – Carriere (UFA)
    Benoit – Timmins

  10. Allan

    Please revisit your line-up to exclude Bertuzzi and Kotkaneimi. Both players are over rated, and overpaid.

    With the money these two make you could replace them with guy from the Marlies and use the savings to try to sign Montour.

    Also, Liljegren is great as a 3rd pair defenceman. He’s still young and might improve with Berube behind the bench. Didn’t seem like Keefe liked him and may have affected his confidence.