NHL Rumor Mill – July 5, 2024
Check out the recent Rangers and Sabres speculation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
RANGERS STILL LACK CAP FLEXIBILITY AFTER FAILING TO TRADE TROUBA
NEW YORK POST: Mollie Walker suggests Rangers general manager Chris Drury could be looking at running it back next season with more of his roster’s core group than expected.
New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba (NHL Images).
The Rangers have little salary-cap flexibility after failing to move Jacob Trouba in a cost-cutting trade. That was a touchy subject that played itself out in the media. It’s also left them with limited cap room and restricted free agents Ryan Lindgren and Braden Schneider to re-sign.
Meanwhile, winger Kaapo Kakko remains a Ranger after signing a one-year, team-friendly contract at his qualifying offer price of $2.4 million.
Despite acquiring winger Reilly Smith from Pittsburgh and signing forward Sam Carrick, the Rangers don’t look very different.
Walker noted any additional roster-shifting moves haven’t happened yet and might not occur this summer.
THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh observed Trouba became the subject of criticism among some Rangers fans for putting his family’s needs above the team’s.
Baugh defended Trouba for exercising his contractual rights by not providing his 15-team no-trade list a week before his no-movement clause became a modified no-trade clause on July 1. That may have prevented the Rangers from making moves but none of it falls on Trouba.
“The 30-year-old captain never once violated the deal he negotiated,” wrote Baugh. “He is exercising the rights in the contract to do what’s best for himself and his family, and that’s beyond acceptable”.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s not Trouba’s fault that Drury painted himself into this corner. He reportedly had a deal in place to send the defenseman to the Detroit Red Wings before July 1. That might not be on the table anymore following the Wings’ recent forays in the free-agent market.
The Rangers GM could try to move Trouba to one of the teams not on his no-trade list. However, that could be difficult with many clubs using most of their cap space in the free-agent market.
Drury could try and peddle Kakko but he won’t provide much cap relief and there might not be much of a market for him.
ARE MORE MOVES IN STORE FOR THE SABRES?
THE ATHLETIC: Matthew Fairburn observed Buffalo Sabres GM Kevyn Adams acquired winger Jason Zucker and signed free-agent checking-line forwards Sam Lafferty and Nicolas Aube-Kubel on July 1 However, he wonders if Adams has anything else up his sleeve.
The Sabres GM seemed open to adding a top-six forward but he doesn’t appear to consider it urgent. Fairburn expects they’ll have plenty of salary-cap space after re-signing Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Henri Jokiharju, Peyton Krebs and Beck Malenstyn.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Adams could see what’s available in the trade market later this summer or during training camp and preseason. It wouldn’t be surprising if he banks that cap space to use during the season, perhaps in the lead-up to the 2025 trade deadline.
As of this morning, CapFriendly shows the NYR with 20 players committed to (14F 4D 2G) and $8,098,176 in cap space. with RFAs Ryan Lindgren LD,coming off a cap hit of $3,000,000 after 76gp 3g 14a 17 pts +22) and Braden Schneider RD coming off an ELC of $925,000 after 82gp 5g 14a 19 pts -1.
Is the cap reserve not enough to get both signed? How much could Lindgren be seeking? Are bridge deals not a possibility.
AFP Analytics projects the following:
Lindgren: 3 years @ $4,491,200 (round that to 4,500,000)
Schneider: a bridge deal of 2 years @ $2,046,880 (round that to 2,250,000)
Figure 6.75M for the 2 – leaves a little over 1.3M with the need to sign a cheap veteran 7th D to a contract no higher than 800K.
That would leave roughly 500K of cap space. The Rangers should paper transaction their waiver-exempt players (Cuylie, Rempe, Edstrom – Othmann if he makes the roster instead of Edstrom or Rempe) throughout the year to gain more space.
They could decide to keep only 22 skaters and have one of the waiver exempt players start in the AHL (most likely Edstrom although I feel Rempe would benefit more starting in the AHL) and start the year with a little over 1.3M in space & gain more via paper transactions. You can always call that extra forward up later in the year.
Lindgren’s qualifying offer is $3.6M which is a 20% increase.
Hopefully they can keep him under $4M.
Typical Sabres – sit in their hands while other teams act. This squad is actually worse than last year’s team.
I absolutely agree. Last year the Sabres really had a chance to really improve and they failed. This offseason is even worse, yet they seem to escape criticism. I think the front office needs a serious make-over, as this is a franchise that demonstrates that drafting high end talent is far from the be-all-and-end-all to establishing a successful hockey club. Take a look at Yzerman in Detroit who is quickly turning that ship around with a combination of youth and vets. I think they finish ahead of Buffalo and challenge TB for a playoff spot. Maybe no one wants to talk about Buffalo as it just makes one sad and slightly nauseated.
Lindsay, what’s really puzzling is that, after a flurry of UFA activity to bring in, for the most part, plugger types, they STILL have $18,924,485 in cap space with 19 committed to and 4 RFAs to re-up, none of whom are going to cut deep into that hefty reserve.
I wonder if they did try and get one or two of the bigger names but were rejected?
Possible George, but I have not heard much of that in the sports news surrounding the key free agents. To me, it is a real shame that they have an excellent young core that many GMs would dream of, yet they are really failing to add to that (significantly), to form a legitiate contender. Adding Zucker, Reimer, and Aube-Kubel, are steps backwards not forwards, especially when you consider the cap space they have. And when you look at their third line Dmen plus the 7th, talent takes a huge drop at that position. Add to that a rather unsuccessful team systems concept, plus a general lack of aggressive meaningful hitting, and you end up with players getting points, but the team not getting enough wins.
What was the point of unloading the Skinner CAP $’s if you aren’t going to use them?
Or maybe they simply wanted to save (real) $’s.
If so, that seems like bad timing as they might be just about ready to turn a corner.
Sabres fans may now wish that their team had sat on their hands. They just traded a top prospect, Matthew Savoie, #9 pick two years ago, for Ryan McLeod. A 3rd liner.
Every once in a while, a trade pops up that makes you want to scream WHAT THE F—-. McLeod is a solid 3rd liner, but he’s a 3rd liner. You just don’t trade a top prospect for a 3rd liner. What the hell are they doing in Buffalo. This is as bad as Erat for Forsberg.
Can anyone with a clue please explain the Sabres rationale for this trade?
They needed a 3rd line center and a guy that wins faceoffs. I don’t agree with the deal, but those are my thoughts.
Yeah St. Pats and I need a new dining room table. I’m not trading my house for one,
Howard – I am with you. Sabres want to win now, regardless of the cost.
Couldn’t agree more.
If there was ever a head scratching move/trade this is it.
Matthew Savoie for Ryan McLeod?
Baffling!
The one good thing Adams did in free agency is not sign any 30+ year old guys to 7 year contracts.
Buffalo has several top end prospects which may be regarded as projecting better at the NHL level. Savoie has succeeded in getting a bunch of points at the junior level, but he is also 5′-9″ and 175 lbs. Some players make it in the NHL at that size, but many do not.
I was surprised that Adams did so little. Im not that updated but to me they could have used some more veterans like RD Roy and some grit in the top 9
Who moved up to the top spot in the waiver wire after the sharks? Drury should be calling them.
The pecking order – for the next 10 after SJ – is Chicago, Anaheim. Columbus, Montreal, Utah, Ottawa, Seattle, Calgary, NJ and Buffalo
RIP, Capfriendly. You were a useful site.
Gives you me and whomever another reason to hate the Caps😎
I didn’t really need another reason…
So why would the Capitals want to buy Capfriendly? I am correct in that right, that Washington bought Capfriendly and now the NHL (or NHLPA not sure) are going to deny them access to the data on players contracts. Wouldn’t the Capitals already have access to that info so why buy Capfriendly? Is this a behind the scenes thing where the NHL/NHLPA wanted someone to buy them in order to deny them access, or something odd like that?
Spotrac offers the same detailed information that Capfriendly did.
I would prefer Puckpedia over Spotrac, but I would prefer Capfriendly over Puckpedia
Trouba most certainly screwed the Rangers. Yes Drury had a deal in place and then Trouba started crying about his wife’s residency. If it’s that important to him he can retire, problem solved. But Trouba (probably through his agent) gave teams the impression he wouldn’t report.
The Rangers will be rolling the same team as last year minus a 4th line plugger and a 3rd pairing left side dman.
Zac Jones will fill that 3rd pairing. One of Othmann , Bedard Sykora will fill the 4th line / 3rd line plugger.
Trouba isn’t going anywhere. At this point, why bother moving him? They going to use that 8 million on anyone left in UFA? No, no they’re not doing that.
A healthy Rangers roster is still more than likely winning the metro as constructed. Worry about filling the gaps at the deadline.
Lyle if Adams waits to the trade deadline than you are saying the Sabres won’t be in contention for a playoff spot…the team as it is now won’t be any closer to the playoffs at the deadline as they were last year. The organization is a dumpster fire and that’s why they can’t get the better players to come here.
The word has been around the league what a mess it is. Honestly, Pegula should sell the team to someone who cares and keep the Bills as his toy.
Kevyn Adams has slung the same BS each year with a smile and each year they finish selecting in the top 10 in the draft.
Washington bought Cap Friendly for the analytics. All teams have some form on staff . Washington just bought a company to handle theirs. Who I might add was excellent
Was Savoie going to start top 6 in Buffalo ? Sabres are young. You need some veterans and different role players. You don’t make a cake will all eggs
There is only so much room in the top 6. Approximately 6
Benson Peterka Cozens are the new age core up front. Young on the backend and in net as well .
Macleod is there for speed and to push a forecheck. Being Center doesn’t hurt either.
You can add Jack Quinn to that list.