NHL Rumor Mill – July 15, 2024
Check out the latest on Hurricanes winger Martin Necas and Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
THE ATHLETIC: Cory Lavalette reports all signs pointed to Martin Necas getting traded this summer. The 25-year-old Carolina Hurricanes winger is a restricted free agent who filed for salary arbitration on July 5.
The Hurricanes shopped Necas before and after the 2024 NHL Draft, getting into deep discussions with the Columbus Blue Jackets before talks fell apart.
Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas (NHL Images).
Lavalette believes it’s more likely Necas will return with the Hurricanes for 2024-25. Most NHL clubs have done their heavy offseason lifting. There’s a path for the two sides to a one-year deal between $5.5 million and $6.5 million via negotiation or arbitration.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: We can’t rule out the possibility of a trade once Necas has a contract for this season. Interested clubs could be waiting to see how that shakes out.
Recent rumors had the Hurricanes talking with the Winnipeg Jets about a possible swap of Necas for winger Nikolaj Ehlers, who has a year left on his contract with a cap hit of $6 million. Nothing’s materialized yet and there’s been no further speculation.
The best opportunity to move Necas may have passed. PuckPedia indicates that 18 clubs have less than $7 million in projected cap space. If any teams interested in Necas are among that group, they won’t have much room to take on his new contract and have enough to finish filling out their rosters unless it’s a dollar-in, dollar-out scenario.
THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reports Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell remains hopeful of finding a trade partner for Patrik Laine. The 26-year-old winger requested a trade last month following a difficult season with the Jackets.
Laine is still in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. The Jackets can trade him while he’s still in the program. However, neither they nor another team can speak directly to him. Waddell indicated interested clubs want to talk to Laine before making trade offers.
Portzline thinks the prime time to move Laine has passed but Waddell remains optimistic. He noted the lack of depth in the free-agent market could have clubs with cap room seeking scoring forwards to look into the trade market. The Jackets GM said he knows some teams remain interested.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking with Laine once he exits the player assistance program is the easy part. Moving him could be challenging. He carries an average annual value of $8.7 million through 2025-26 and a 10-team no-trade list. Laine’s injury history hampered his production, affecting his trade values. Interested clubs could also want the Jackets to retain part of his AAV.
Lyle,
What is the scoop with being allowed to trade or not trade someone while in NHLPA substance abuse program? Everything I read concerning the Avalanche and Valeri Nichushkin is that they can’t trade him while he is in the program. Why is it different with Laine?
This is from the web:
“Aaron Portzline of The Athletic: Patrik Laine remains in the player assistance program. He’s asked for trade but teams want to talk to him before trading for him, but no team is allowed to while he’s in the program.”
A classic Catch-22 if ever there was one.
Which is what I wrote almost word-for-word from Portzline’s column, George.
Tommyboy: the difference with Nichushkin is he’s been suspended for six months. Laine has not.
Which is why I repeated it – for emphasis – in response to the question.
Nichushkin is in the program but he’s also under a NHL suspension. Can’t trade a player under suspension
Hurricanes can’t even afford to lose Necas so this trade talk is ridiculous.
They lost
Guentzel- 30G
Teravainan- 25G
Noesen-14G
They signed:
Roslovic- 9G
Carrier- 6G
Robinson- 3G
Jost- 3G
Replacing 69G with 21
Necas had 24 G increasing the differential to 72.
What can they get in a trade to make up that differential? Not prospects, draft picks, D-men, they need a scorer, a much bigger one if they lose Necas.
Laine could help their inconsistent powerplay .. i would think he sinks or swims with Rod as a coach
CBJ could trade Laine(50%)+ a young center for Necas
OK, I’ll bite:
Laine (25% retained) and Chinakhov for Necas….But will Necas sign with CBJ ????? That is the Question of the day. I don’t see it because CBJ has sooooooo many C’s already and Necas wants to ply C!!
good points..i thought same on the center situation for CBJ. does anyone there look like a sure thing to be better than Necas? Fantilli+Necas a nice combo
Habfan
if anything i see the Canes trying to keep the 25 yr old RW, Martin Necas moving him to Centre and his 25 Goals if the want to make the playoffs….❓
Then going after the Jets Winger Nikolaj Ehlers,
to help with offence for the Cane’s….🤔
if not they are going to have a very hard time scoring goals this season….! along with losing there Very good 2nd pairing
habfan30, I agree, Carolina can’t afford to lose Necas. If they trade Necas they need a goal scoring top 6 player in return. In addition they have 10 UFA’s at the end of this season, most of which they will not resign.
Ok, thank you lyle! I didn’t realize that! Thank You everyone!
Re; Patrik Laine.
I don’t see meny teams taking a shot at the 26-year-old winger, the Flames, Ducks, Wings, Sharks look like team that have cap space unless its a 3 way trade…..🤔
lots of teams still have RFA players to resign and some like the Oil that are Cash Straped….
Laine has been a bust with the Jets & CBJ they have both given him lots of chances
At $8.7M for 2 more years it maybe next trade deadline befor he gets traded at 50% retained
as a salary dump❓
CBJ could take back a contract in a trade.
Laine a bust???
204 goals, 184 assist in 480 games!!!
Is Clayton Keller also a bust???
Laine had 136 G in his first 4 seasons, but that isn’t the same guy available today.
He has 64G in the last 4 years at $8.7 million and that makes him a bust.
Keller ha a 112 G n the last 4 years at $7.15 million and steadily increasing.
Remove last season, Laine only played 18 games.
The previous two seasons:
Laine 108 points in 111 games.
Keller 149 points in 149 games.
Their stats are pretty freakin’ even to my eye.
To call one a bust & the other not, is a huge stretch IMO.
IMO, Laine like Kessel, can contribute to a team in a big way, just don’t ask either one to be the face or a leader on the team. They are great wingmen, but not pilots.
Allowing players to play their proper role comfortably, allows the player to be successful. Trying to pound square pegs into round hole will never work.
Of course you ignore the 1st of 4 years when he only scored 12 G.
His two good years you hold as an example….48Gin two years.
He’s 25y/o with a nosediving career, in player assistance earning a ridiculous $8.7 million.
Brind’Amour would resign if they signed Laine.
You said he was fading, a bust, yet you claim his most recent seasons, excluding the past season where he played only 18 games as his best???
I’d say that contradicts each other.
I didn’t claim that any of his recent seasons were his best so don’t put words in my mouth.
Bottom line is he had 4 very good seasons but isn’t the same player anymore, not worth $8.7 million in the past 4 seasons.
This isn’t a 35y/o player in decline, it’s a 25y/o who has declined since the age of 22 and is in player assistance for 6 months and counting.
Ottawa and Edmonton just made a minor league depth deal – Ottawa sends LW Robie Jarventie – 6’2″ 185 lbs taken in Rd 2 – 33rd overall – in 2020, and a 2025 4th Rd pick in exchange for C Xavier Bourgault – taken in Rd 1 22nd overall in 2021 – 6″ 0″ 175 lbs and RW Jake Chiasson taken in Rd 4 116th overall in 2021.
The Senators also re-signed giant goalie Mads Sogaard to a 2-year $1.55 mil deal
George,
A good trade for both my teams,
Oil get a good big 21 yr old LW Robie Jarventie & 4th round pick
Sen’s get Xavier Bourgault, who was #1 C in Backo,
until the Oil traded for Carter Savoie who is 12-16 months away from making the NHL team and big winger RW Jake Chiasson,
im surprised the Oilers did not trade big 6.ft4 215lb
RW Raphael Lavoie yet….. as he is 24 in Sep and on his last shot to be an NHL player…
We keep hearing he is close now for the past 3 season….
Oil still looking to trade Kane or Ceci
to clear cap space and re-sign Broberg & Hollywood
williew, Ottawa has also been playing Jarventie at C in Belleville and when they called him up for a few games he filled n at C there as well. And didn’t look out of place in doing so. Be interesting to see where Edmonton sees his further development – Wing or C
After reading his scouting report Jarventie sounds like the type of player that recently departed Foegele is.
Big, fast and can chip in with offence at NHL level. If he can play C as well, even better.
Lyle,
I thought the party that didn’t select arbitration was able to select a 1 or 2 year term. Can Carolina select a 2 year term for Necas?
Ray
Jarventie has a good scouting report, the Oilers need 2 or 3 Biggar Wingers in the next few seasons 2025/26 seasons….
Kane will be gone in a year,
Carter Savioe will more than likely take his place,
as a winger for a year then they will move Nuge back to 3rd line centre and add speed on the top line,
then The Oil need to fill out the 3rd line with a Big winger and a Big 4th line winger for toughness and scoring i think thats where hollywood comes in somewhere in the top 9…..
I think thats were big Jarventie comes in on the 3rd line, top 9 also
They could unless Necas is a year away from UFA eligibility. I don’t believe he is because the first two years of his ELC slid forward to age 20. Nevertheless, the team can opt for a one-year deal.
I just read that Evgeny Kuznetsov is leaving Carolina for SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL. Makes me wonder if Carolina has worked out a deal for Nikishin, who plays for the same team, to come to the NHL a year early.