NHL Morning Coffee Headlines and Rumors – August 5, 2024
It’s a holiday Monday in Canada so there’s little hockey news to report. Here’s a brief look at the notable remaining unrestricted free agents plus a look at whether Patrik Laine would be a fit with the Bruins.
DAILY FACEOFF: recently listed the top remaining players in this summer’s unrestricted free agent market.
Right wing James van Riemsdyk tops the list, followed by defensemen Tyson Barrie and Tony DeAngelo.
Former Nashville Predators defenseman Tyson Barrie (NHL Images)
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barrie was in his hometown of Victoria, BC, on Saturday hosting a charity concert featuring Grammy Award winner Sarah McLaughlan. There’s no word if he’s in discussions with any NHL teams for next season.
As for DeAngelo, SI.com cited Hockey News Hub claiming the blueliner was reportedly signing with SKA St. Petersburg. No official word yet from him or the club.
Right wings Tyler Johnson, Kevin Labanc and Mike Hoffman, defenseman Oliver Kylington, left wings Max Pacioretty and Jakub Vrana, and blueliner Justin Schultz rounded out the top 10.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: These players have occasionally surfaced in free agent rumors over the past month as options for NHL clubs seeking affordable depth. However, no reports suggest any of them are close to signing.
Other notables include defenseman John Klingberg, goaltender Kevin Lankinen, left wing Nick Cousins, goalie Antti Raanta, and wingers Cal Clutterbuck and Filip Zadina.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s been no updates on Klingberg since he underwent season-ending hip surgery in December. The latest on Cousins is he’ll be having his day with the Stanley Cup on Aug. 20 but nothing on talks with NHL teams.
THE BOSTON GLOBE: Kevin Paul Dupont pondered the possibility of the Bruins looking into acquiring Columbus Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine. With the offseason departure of Jake DeBrusk, he believes the 26-year-old Laine could be a good fit among the Bruins’ top-six forwards.
Laine’s contract, however, is a significant obstacle. He has two years remaining on his deal with an average annual value of $8.7 million. The Bruins currently have $8.6 million in cap space but most of that will be taken up signing goaltender Jeremy Swayman.
To bring Laine to Boston, the Blues Jackets would have to retain some of Laine’s cap hit. Doing so, however, means the Bruins would be forced to ship out equal bucks.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dupont believes Laine will most likely suit up with a club that has the cap room to acquire him. He suggested the San Jose Sharks and Detroit Red Wings as the best bet given their depth of exciting young prospects.
I still hope the that Red Wings have progressed to where they no longer have to take a flyer on every reclamation project or be rumored for every bad contract dump in the league. Laine went from star to “I don’t know if I’d take him for free at half his contract.”
Trent Frederic + Ian Mitchell + a 2nd rd pick for Hatrick Laine @ 25% retained.
Doesn’t leave enough to sign Swayman.
Since entering the league 8 seasons ago for the 2016-17 season, Laine has consistently recorded an average of 66 points per season as follows:
In his first 4 seasons with the Jets he played in 305 games with 138g 109a 247 pts for 82-game averages of 37g 20a 66 pts. In doing so he missed just 3.8% of the Jets games.
In his past 4 seasons, starting with 1 gp with the Jets before moving to Columbus in 2020-21, he played in 175 games of a possible total of 302, missing 42% of his team’s games for various reasons, with 66g 75a 141 pts for 82-game averages of 31g 35a 66 pts – so, in comparison to his first 4 seasons, down on average of 6g but up on average of 6 assists. The most he has registered in a full season of 82 games is 44g 26a 70 pts.
At $8.7 mil off the cap for 2 more seasons the questions any interested team would have to ask themselves is, is that worth the 66 pts average established over 8 seasons and, given his lengthy injury history and personal issues, can he reasonably be expected to stay injury-free/free from personal issues and even come close to his one-season high of 44 goals.
And by the way, that 44-goal season came 6 years ago.
Here’s a list of his injuries
https://www.foxsports.com/nhl/patrik-laine-player-injuries
I doubt they could get him for that,but with only 2 years left on his contract and with CBJ retaining some money and a 1-3 year expectation of Marchand playing, I feel it may be worth a risk! Possibly Frederic,Lysell or Merkulov and a 2nd rd pick!
And this is the guy who stated on draft day that he was going to make the Leafs regret choosing Matthews over him as first pick. How his stock has falen.
LOL. And I bet the Leafs have been gnashing their teeth ever since over that missed opportunity.
Joking aside, that draft year was a continuous series of more misses than hits when you consider Dubois (Columbus), Puljujarvi (Adm) and Juolevi (Van) went after Laine before Calgary got Matthew Tkachuk at # 6 and Arizona nabbed Keller at # 7.
After that the 1st round picks turned out to be best described as ennh at best, or complete busts except for the odd exception like Sergachev 9th (Mtl), McAvoy 14th (Bost), Chychrun 16th (Ariz), Thompson 26th (StL) and Frederic 29th (Bost)
In fact, that 2016 draft has to go down as one of the leanest in terms of even eventual serviceable bottom 6 F, 5/6 D and G these 8 years later.
From Round 1 through 7 there were 224 picks and, aside from those mentioned above, the best include DeBrincat, taken in Rd 2 39th overall by Chicago, Ryan Lindgren, 49th overall by Boston, Hronek, 53rd overall by Detroit, Gustavsson, 55th overall by Pittsburgh, Woll, 62nd overall in Rd 3 by Toronto, and Adam Fox, 66th overall by Calgary
And this is the guy who stated on draft day that he was going to make the Leafs regret choosing Matthews over him as first pick. How his stock has falen.
George Laine and Dubois are both legends in their own minds!
Why???
I’m of mixed mind about Laine.
There’s no question he had the talent and ability to be a top star in the league but somewhere the wheels fell off.
I don’t know what it will take to get him back on track but I’m guessing it’s a team that let’s him grow ito the needed confidence he lost.
I’ve said I don’t want him on the Habs but on second thought I’d send an underperforming player tat I like, Josh Anderson straight up for Laine.
Glad to see you are coming around HF30
Patrick Laine in my opinion hasn’t played with a quality centre since his days in the Peg where he was lights out. Not sure where he would fit in Boston but I would definitely welcome him at a discounted price for sure.
In my blurb above the caution I expressed wasn’t about his ability to produce – that’s pretty much evident in his points consistency … when he’s playing. It’s that latter that raises alarm bells.
If you look at his injury history in the link provided, that too has been consistent over the past 4 seasons, along with his personal issues. I doubt a change of scenery is any guarantee that that pattern would automatically disappear.
Just don’t see how bruins make $$ work. Even with including Frederick in the deal as Swayman will be eating most of the remaining cap$
Bridge Swayman, or hope for an offer sheet as high and ridiculous as the 9+mil that’s been bandied about.
I want to see a bigger sample from him before he gets shares in the club.
Oliver Kylington was another pretty solid signing for Colorado. He can play on the third pair and provide a little offensive upside especially with a full training camp under him.