Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – June 9, 2024
Check out the latest on Elias Lindholm, Linus Ullmark and Nikita Zadorov plus an update on the Senators in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.
LATEST ON ELIAS LINDHOLM AND NIKITA ZADOROV
THE ATHLETIC: In his latest mailbag segment, Fluto Shinzawa was asked what free agents the Boston Bruins could prioritize this summer.
He sees them making a big push for Vancouver Canucks center Elias Lindholm. He feels his style of play would make him an excellent fit at center. Shinzawa acknowledged Lindholm struggled after being traded to Vancouver but felt the arc of the 29-year-old center’s career remains high.
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman said the Canucks remain interested in re-signing Lindholm and fellow former Calgary Flame Nikita Zadorov. However, how negotiations go this month remains to be seen.
Vancouver Canucks center Elias Lindholm (NHL Images).
Friedman said Lindholm enjoyed his time in Vancouver. The Canucks could offer a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $7 million. However, Friedman’s not sure if they’ll get it done.
As for Zadorov, Friedman believes he might accept a little less than market value to stay in Vancouver. The Canucks aren’t far from that number but they haven’t reached it yet.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lindholm played with a nagging wrist injury during the season’s second half, which affected his performance. While that could adversely affect his market value, getting a seven-year offer worth $7 million annually is still a pretty good raise over the $4.85 million AAV of his current contract. Whether the Bruins or another club will get that high remains uncertain.
WHAT’S BRUIN WITH ULLMARK?
THE ATHLETIC: Eric Duhatschek recently looked at what the future could hold for Linus Ullmark. The Boston Bruins goaltender has a year left on his contract with a $5 million cap hit and a modified no-trade clause.
Revisiting Ullmark’s season-ending comments, Duhatschek pointed out that the 30-year-old goaltender prefers staying in Boston. Ullmark understands that if he stays in Boston beyond next season, it’ll likely be on a one-year contract unless he agrees to accept a big pay cut and a lesser role backing up Jeremy Swayman, which he’s unlikely to do.
Duhatschek wondered if Ullmark would accept a trade to the Los Angeles Kings. He said when talks at the trade deadline broke down, there was an understanding the two teams would circle back in the summer. The Kings might consider it if Ullmark agreed to a contract extension, but they don’t appear to be improved. Duhatschek also mentioned the Ottawa Senators or Detroit Red Wings as possible destinations.
NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman suggesting the Carolina Hurricanes as a destination for Ullmark. He noted that the Hurricanes and Bruins discussed the goaltender before the trade deadline.
Nichols believes the Hurricanes could win a bidding war for Ullmark if winger Martin Necas were offered up as part of the return to the Bruins.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ullmark’s situation is intriguing because of the reports that he supposedly rejected a trade to a team on his no-trade list (rumored to be the Kings) because he didn’t want to uproot his family at the time.
Ullmark’s comments following the Bruins’ playoff elimination suggest he’s not in a hurry to move out of Boston this summer. He has a 16-team no-trade list that drops to a 15-team list on July 1. He could still end up on the move if the Bruins get a solid offer from a club that is not on that list.
UPDATE ON THE SENATORS
OTTAWA CITIZEN: Bruce Garrioch reported last week that the Senators will go into next season with their young core of Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, Drake Batherson, Jake Sanderson, Thomas Chabot, Shane Pinto, Josh Norris and Ridly Greig. He also indicated that veteran Claude Giroux isn’t going anywhere.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is in response to speculation suggesting the Senators might listen to trade offers for Tkachuk. General manager Steve Staios rejected that talk as “pure BS”. Tkachuk’s not going anywhere unless he requests a trade and there’s no indication he’s even considered that possibility.
It’s expected Staios will seek a goaltending upgrade, trying to see what he can get in return for defenseman Jakob Chychurn, and improving his checking lines.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chychrun is a year away from UFA eligibility and has been frequently mentioned as a trade candidate. In return, Staios could prefer a goalie or a top-four, right-shot defenseman.
A league executive told Garrioch the Senators could try to trade forward Mathieu Joseph before the draft.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: That would be a cost-cutting move for the Senators. They have over $12.4 million in cap space next season with 16 active roster players under contract.
The Senators could push to sign Dallas Stars defenseman Chris Tanev if he hits the open market on July 1.
Looking at Lindholm’s recent play and overall numbers, and the fact that he’ll be turning 30 early next season, a 7 year deal would be a massive risk and a cap hit of over $7m. AAV would be ludicrous.
Boston all over this page with Ullmark and Lindholm talk! Bruins have a shot in retooloing their entire group this summer! Sweeney is in for a huge 3 months! He can make all his detractors and the ghosts of his 2015 draft soon! Let s hope he s up to it!
Amen to that But I am long over 2025 😉
Senators in a potentially dark place imo with the Red Wings and Sabres also desperate to move forward. With the Bruins, Panthers and Leafs all likely playoff teams, Tampa Bay needs to regress for there to be much room left at the dance…
With the right moves, I can see the Sabres and Sens overtake the Red Wings, their young players are just more of them and better
Assuming Yzerman doesn’t upgrade a few positions this off season, maybe.
Chychryn and Korpisalo to Flames and Coleman and Markström to Ottawa, 1m retained on Markström and Coleman each
Flames already have 3 NHL goalies, why would they take one back?
Makes no sense, neither Coleman nor Markstrom are cap dumps where Korpisalo would be & Chychryn is ok but awful injury prone. Unless that #7 pick is included this really doesnt address any of Flames needs or wants. Chychryn would be fine but he needs a new contract come July or he’s just another rental to be traded at the next TDL.
That 7 pick would be a huge overpay. Maybe their 25th. But highly doubt maelstrom is willing to head to Ottawa.
Whatever transpires over the summer in Ottawa, I’m betting right here that Staios will NOT trade for a goalie, using ANY pick.
He will go with Korpisalo fronted by an improved defensive system and improvements among the D (Chychrun and Brannstrom gone), and a proven veteran back-up goalie
and that’s where he might use one of his two 1st round picks – likely the 25th.
Having said that, I sincerely hope Tanev is NOT on Staios’ shopping list. The guy is a warrior but is, simply put, a repeat victim of his own fearless style of play, and we already went through that stuff in years past with a Tanev twin named Anton Volchenkov.
Coleman, a forward is a better player than Chychrun is a defenseman and Markstrom is a massive upgrade over Korpisalo.
Why on earth would the Flames make a trade like this??
Re; Carolina d Problems….❗️
With the Canes potentialy loosing ther whole 2nd paring d as UFA’s of Brady Skjei, & Brett Pesce❓
and
There 3rd paring d..
Jalen Chatfield and Anthony Deangelo,
and
UFA Brent Bunrs will be done at the end of the 2024/25 Season and Jaccob Slavin & Dmitry Orlov,
I can see them Needing to trade RW Martin Necas for a good top 3 d/man to help re-build the
Cane’s d…..🤔