Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – July 21, 2024
Check out the latest on the Kings and Sharks in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.
THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens is asked by a reader if the Los Angeles Kings might break down their roster if they’re floundering by the 2025 trade deadline.
Defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov would be the most natural trade candidate as he’s in the final season of a two-year contract. He also carries a full no-movement clause. The 28-year-old defenseman would have value as a minute-munching shutdown blueliner. Recently acquired forward Tanner Jeannot could also become a trade candidate.
Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty (NHL Images).
Stephens believes captain Anze Kopitar intends to finish his career as a King. He wondered if management would gauge whether Drew Doughty and Phillip Danault would prefer finishing their contracts with teams closer to Stanley Cup contention.
The rising salary cap might make Danault easier to trade. Doughty’s $11 million average annual value through 2026-27 would be difficult to move in any trade scenario.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings went sideways last season after two promising years where they seemed poised to break out as a contender. This season could determine the club’s direction under general manager Rob Blake.
Players eligible to become unrestricted free agents next summer (Gavrikov, Jeannot) will be shopped if the Kings are out of playoff contention by the March trade deadline. Moves involving aging players like Doughty or Danault would likely occur in the offseason.
Those moves could signal the Kings intend to rebuild around younger talent like Quinton Byfield and Brandt Clarke. That could also mean they’ll consider moving players in their late twenties like Kevin Fiala (if he’ll waive his no-movement clause) and Adrian Kempe.
NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: Sheng Peng cited multiple sources claiming the San Jose Sharks could seek a right-handed defenseman.
Options in the free-agent market include Tyson Barrie, John Klingberg, Justin Schultz and Kevin Shattenkirk.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: All four are now past their prime. Klingberg only played 14 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs before undergoing season-ending hip surgery.
Trade possibilities include Cody Ceci of the Edmonton Oilers, Trevor van Riemsdyk of the Washington Capitals, Zach Whitecloud of the Vegas Golden Knights, and Aaron Ekblad of the Florida Panthers.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ekblad’s been floated in the rumor mill recently but Peng acknowledged it’s unlikely that he’s available. He noted that the Panthers blueliner has a 12-team no-trade list and there’s no reason to believe he’d accept a trade to the rebuilding Sharks.
Peng noted the Golden Knights don’t need to move Whitecloud and his $2.75 million cap hit right now. However, he pointed out that they always seem in need of shedding cap space. I wouldn’t rule out Whitecloud being available later this season if the Golden Knights go on another shopping spree to bolster their roster for the playoffs.
Ceci and van Riemsdyk are more likely to be available this summer as cost-cutting candidates. Peng suggests there’s less urgency now for the Capitals to shed salary following Evgeny Kuznetsov’s contract termination, freeing up $3.9 million in cap space.
Kings will be alright and even a contender if Kuemper bounces back and Clarke is ready
Oilers have to keep Ceci . Don’t they ?
Fairly thin back there . Any injuries to any one of the top 6 who is next up ?
SilverSeven, the math says Edmonton has to move somebody if they have any hope of re-upping RFAs Holloway and Broberg since all they have in cap reserve is $354,000. Neither has done anything which suggests a hefty increase from their expiring ELCs ($925,000 for Holloway and $863,334 for Broberg), but even modest raises will bring them closer to $2.5 mil combined.
If not Ceci and his $3.5 mil deal, then who? I doubt they can move Kane. Maybe Arvidsson and is $4 mil deal?
And the thing is, if it is Ceci who is moved, whatever comes back has to be in the nature of picks/prospects since they can’t take on any significant cap, and no one is giving up a young, established F or D on a cost-controlled ELC.
Being a RD, Ceci’s replacement would have to be from among Stecher, Kemp or Brown.
Re the Oilers
for overage in cap money $354,00
To Re-sign Broberg & Hollaway they neede about $2.1M
Side note, Broberg can also play RD……
2 choices to clean this up,
1)Kane at $5.12M is the first choice
2)Ceci at $3.25M But if we lose Ceci the d is a little weak
-Utah could be a team that could use ether one..
-CBJ could be a team that could use ether one..
-Red Wings could use Kane on LW a they are tight there….and need scoring help
The dark horse is Darnell Nurse…..
if he has a better season this year they could move him to a re-building team
Above I implied that the Oilers had just $354,000 in cap space … my mistake as williew pointed out they are $354,000 OVER the cap, making it imperative that they move somebody.
Willie’s,
Detroit will not have cap room for Kane after signing Seider, Raymond, and Berggren.
And if they did, they need a #2 RD way more than an oft injured problem scoring winger like Kane. No thank you !
BTW, we already have one Kane – no need for another.
LA has some intriguing pieces if they want to reconfigure their roster! Fiala a little expensive,but there would be-a lot of interest in Kempe! Top 6 forwards are tough to come by!
Hi Lyle
This was my go to site however the new advertising pop ups drives me absolutely crazy.
I Get you have to make money but there has to be a better solution.
I have no idea why this is an issue for people.
I went to Sportsnet to watch a video and the first of three advertising videos popped up first. One is left with a choice of either waiting until they end, or exiting early. Same for TSN.
Here one can scroll past the pop up ads and still read content – free.
As Lyle clearly pointed out it’s that or a pay site, which few, including me, would pay for.
This site contains a lot of good information, and some good posts (not you 8787), so may we please can the complaints about the easily navigated ads?
I go to this site from a laptop, tablet, mobile phone ect. The ads don’t block the content. There is no issue unless you were born in generation where you holler at an object to change the song.
100% agree. Also, “Holler at an object to change a song”… Literally made me LoL!
The only solution, Jeff, is that I make this a pay site. I experimented with that in the past and few folks were willing to participate. The ads are the only way I can keep this site free while still making a living from it. Otherwise, I’ll have to shut it down and I don’t want to do that. I’m doing what I can to try and limit the number of ads here. In some cases, however, I have little choice because it’s based on the agreements I have with the ad providers.
It’s fine, Lyle. People get a quality product for free and they still complain.
You do a ton of good work, pretty much every day of the year. You’ve explained your situation several times now, put your feet up.
Sounds like a plan! Cheers, LJ.
Lyle,
I’ve avoided commenting on this whenever it has come up but to be honest I’m sick and tired of the complaining.
You aggregate the news and rumors, supply smart commentary and opinions, and discuss disagreements intelligently.
Kudos to you for providing unbiased news/rumors and herding cats.
LOL, herding cats…Thanks!
How would a trade proposal look between LA and Toronto with Doughty and Marner being the centrepieces?
Toronto needs a minute munching RHD…This also moves Rielly to 2nd pair.
Salaries are close to the same.
Marner might thrive in LA without all the media attention.
I know both players have NMC…
Just fun to toss ideas around.
Probably the most realistic trade scenario I’ve seen so far. Both have NTC, so both would have to be on board first.
Trade a 27 year old top 10 winger (Marner) for Drew Doughty who will be 35 years old in 4 months (December 8th).
That would be another Tanev (6 years for a 35 year old ) and Ekman Larsson (4 years for a 33 year old).
Surely you jest!
Doughty (retain $1.5M) and Kaliev for Marner
Why?
@Daryl
I am a big fan of Drew Doughty!
Whether it’s Marner or at the deadline , it would be awesome to see Doughty as a Leaf
LA would have to take on a chunk of of the cap
Leafs will have an abundant of cap space the following season
So all of a sudden we’re back to trading up and coming or un their prime players for the over the hill gang. Drew is no longer the minute cruncher he once was (19:19) and his foot speed. If you thought Marner wasn’t worth the money, welcome to a declining Drew for 3 more years at 11 per. If they can’t resign Marner to a reasonable contract, then let him walk. The 11 million cap space is worth more than an aging Drew
Sounds like the Suppan for Weber trade! Ouch!
@Yogi
I guess I would have to agree with you , as per your note .
Playing on a contender might inspire him , I didn’t realize there was 3 years left on Doughty’s contract
I like what Treliving has done lately , I am sure there will be tweaking to the forward lineup .
Perhaps Berube can inspire Nick Robertson – had 14 goals , with limited games played , ice time etc
As far as the the highly touted junior prospects cracking the lineup , I feel it’s away too early . They need time to develop with the Marlies
Although Wickenheiser’s comments are : Almost NHL ready , something to that blurb .
Joseph Woll , a Vezina candidate , with a 6’8” giant to give him relief
I am sure there will mixed emotions on my Vezina remark
I agree with you that it won’t hurt the kids to spend some time on the Marlies. Woll can play, but can he stay healthy. I think that’s going to be the big question for him. I was never a fan of Keefe, so seeing how guys like Robertson, Liljegren and Knies play under Berube will be interesting. The whole team will have some structure under Berube, instead of the scrambly kaotic Keefe’s invisable system. That will benefit the defence and goaltenders. For those that think Trevling hasn’t changed much, Berube may make it look like he’s changed everthing
You like that Treliving signed a 35 year old Tanev to a 6 year deal and a 33 year old Ekman Larsson to a 4 year deal?
You like that Treliving signed Woll to a $3.75 million dollar deal when he has yet to prove he can stay healthy and has never played more than 30 games in a season?
Seriously??
Any chance the Habs and Rangers would have a Caufield for LaFreniere deal?
Why would Montreal do that? The French-Canadian thing? They’d be trading away a young goal scorer for Alexandre Daigle part 2. Although, Daigle had 156 points through his first 4 seasons versus Lafreniere’s 148 (in 35 more games than Daigle).