NHL Rumor Mill – August 13, 2024
Updates on Oilers forwards Leon Draisaitl and Evander Kane plus the latest on Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples cited the “2 Mutts Podcast” claiming they’d heard Leon Draisaitl’s contract talks with the Oilers were “going great.” The 28-year-old center is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July.
Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).
They said there was talk Draisaitl’s camp would seek an average annual value of $14.5 million but he’s willing to accept less than that to remain in Edmonton. They speculate he’ll receive an eight-year contract with an AAV between $13 million and $13.5 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl’s contract extension negotiations are among this summer’s hot topics given the dearth of hockey news at this time of year. He’s been underpaid over the past five seasons with an AAV of $8.5 million and many observers believe he’ll get between $13.5 million and $14.5 million.
Recent reports by other insiders indicate the push is on by the Oilers starting with team owner Daryl Katz to get Draisaitl signed. Money isn’t considered an issue but the length of the deal could be a sticking point. Some think Draisaitl will want the full eight-year contract while others suggest he might push for a four-year deal to cash in again as a UFA while still in his prime.
The podcast also claimed Evander Kane would be ready for training camp in September. The 33-year-old winger was nursing a sports hernia throughout last season. Their sources claim going on LTIR isn’t part of the plan. They also claimed the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings were interested in Kane but he’s not waiving his no-movement clause.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This report came out before the latest news (see today’s Morning Coffee Headlines) indicating Kane could start the season on LTIR after all.
As for the rumors linking him to the Ducks and Kings, I don’t believe he would fit with either club if he was available via trade.
The Ducks are a rebuilding team that doesn’t need Kane’s baggage becoming a distraction for their young players. The Kings, meanwhile, already have Quinton Byfield and Trevor Moore as left wings on their top-two scoring lines. They also lack cap room to acquire Kane’s $5.125 million cap hit.
WINNIPEG SUN: Scott Billeck recently reported that Jets head coach Scott Arniel approved of winger Nikolaj Ehlers suiting up for his native Denmark in Olympic qualifying later this month.
Arniel noted that the 28-year-old winger “had a tough go” in training camp over the past two seasons. However, he got off to a good start to the season when he participated in Olympic qualifying in 2021.
The Jets head coach is hoping this will be a good jumpstart to this season for Ehlers, pointing out they need his goal-scoring.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ehlers was the subject of trade speculation in the lead-up to the 2024 NHL Draft in June. However, those rumors faded as the offseason progressed. Arniel’s remarks suggest that the Danish winger will be part of the Jets lineup when their season opens in October.
underpaid on a contract he and his agent agreed to. Like every other chump. they have no plans to return ticket fees to fans when they are overpaid or return money to the club or to former players priced off the team/out of the league. It’s not even close to a legitimate point.
Are you close to a point? Cause it’s gone over my head.
Under paid / over paid is a statement regarding their current production compared to what others with similar production make. In other words a players current market value.
No one has a crystal ball to accurately predict outcomes.
I don’t know why any team in the NHL would be even remotely interested in Kane. I find that very hard to believe.
He was a locker room disaster in Winnipeg, Buffalo, San Jose and now Edmonton. He’s aging and regressing and not worth the gamble for any team.
Perfect choice of words Dave. “gamble” indeed. Which is one of Kane’s bigger issues. Put him on LTIR, give him some more money to go and lose and right him off the books.
I’m not sure the two players that St.Louis is attempting to get are worth the contracts they’re offering. But the offer sheets have been signed by the players or we wouldn’t be at the “announcement” phase.
AZHockeyNut, I agree that’s the contract he agreed too, but I also agree he was underpaid. I think the point is, he’s not going to agree to being underpaid again even though he will accept less than he could get on the open market to remain in Edmonton.
The superstars that agree to long term, 8 year contracts early in their career will most likely be underpaid by the time their contracts come due.
Marchand has been making 6.125 million, Mackinnon was making 6.3 million until the last contract, Jack Hughes making 8 million for the next 6 years will be a steal. That’s on the players for signing such long term contracts. I also realize it works the opposite for players like Dubois, but he didn’t have superstar potential when he signed his deal.
St. Loius put in offer sheets on Holloway 2 x 2.29 and Broberg 2 x 4.58, that could make things interesting
It sure will…puts the squeeze on Edmonton. More moves to follow ?
It sure will with them sitting $354,167 over the cap now.
Maybe – just maybe … other teams will start to look at other current RFAs whose teams are sitting near or over the cap.
Easy to see why the Blues went down that road. They were sitting with just over 7 mil in cap space and 23 players committed to, and these offers total $6,871,374.
If they go through they’ll simply drop a couple of ELCs to the minors and still have around $1.2 mil in cap reserve.
Nothing ventured … nothing gained.
Interestingly the blues had to reacquire their own 2nd back from pens and did so by swapping their 26 2nd and Ottawa 25 third. Also got a fifth rounder back from pens.
Regarding other possible offer sheets in the wake of the St. Louis initiative, there are only 2 teams immediately vulnerable when it comes to the cap:
Nashville, with less than $1 mil in reserve, still has to sign C Philip Tomasino, a Rd 1 pick – 24th overall – in 2019 who, in 41gp this past season, had 7g 13a 20 pts and in 148 career gp has 23g 47a 70 pts – and C Jusso Parsinen, a Rd 7 pick 210th overall who, in 44gp had 8g 4a 12 pts and in 89 career gp 14g 23a 37 pts.
L.A., with less than $2 mil in reserve, still has 6″ 2″ 210 lb RW Kaliyev taken 33rd in Rd 2 2019 who, this past season, played 51 games with 7g 8A 15 pts and in 188 career games has 35g 36a 71 pts.
Could re-building teams such as Anaheim, San Jose or Utah, who each has significant cap reserves, see any of those as an opportunity to fill their depth a bit faster?
As for the other teams still with RFAs to re-up, given what they have in cap space they are far less vulnerable … but those 3 teams with lots of cap space could also make it interesting there as well, especially if they have need of Centers – who doesn’t – no less than 6 in this grouping
Boston – $8,640,000 in cap space – still to sign goalie Swayman – 2:15gaa 0.933 save %
Buffalo – $8,450,000 in cap space – still to sign 6′ 186 lb C Peyton Krebs
Carolina – $6,440,000 in cap space – still to sign 5′ 10″ 175 lb C Seth Jarvis
Columbus – $10.9 mil in cap space – still to sign 6′ 1″ 200 lb C Cole Silinger
Detroit – $17,650,000 in cap space – still to sign 5′ 11″ 188 lb LW Lucas Raymond and 6′ 3″ 205 lb RD Moritz Seider
NJ – $4,980,000 in cap space – still to sign 6′ 180 lb C Dawson Mercer
Seattle – $6,370,000 in cap space – still to sign 6′ 2″ 178 lb C Matty Beniers
Winnipeg – $5,780,000 in cap space – still to sign 5″ 11″ 185 lb C Cole Perfetti
Oilers have two options two re-sign Hollywood & Broberg and fix the $345,000 cap
They need $7.1M
$5.12M
put Kane on LTI, and do a Vegas Stone move & bring him back with 2-3 weeks to go.
$3.25M
Trade RD man Cody Ceci out
You Save $ $8.37M
Or
A Fan favourite Trade out Darnel Nurse
and his $9.25M… Thousands of Oilers fan’s have been asking for this for 18 Months now
Oilers dont need to lose there two Best 1st round prospects……as the is nothing in Bako reading to take there spots this year
As an Oiler fan, easy decision, keep Holloway and move on from Broberg. I dont like Broberg at that contract. Not 1 bit. And this is not one of those signings where you hum and haw about it either. In no realm of reason do you take on that contract as a contender. It is unfortunate as it robs the oilers of a cost controllable young dman.
Well played St Louis.
Broberg is harder to replace than a depth forward imho. his age and mobility
I know edm would not be able to move the players for 1 year if they decide to match the offers. Could they move them before the 7 days is met?
Meaning could they trade Broberg to a team willing to accept the st louis deal but willing to do better than the 2nd pick compensation? Or for the same compensation just to spite st louis?
Nope.
According to this article in The Hockey News
https://thehockeynews.com/news/what-comes-next-as-st-louis-blues-tender-offer-sheets-to-two-oilers-youngsters
“The Oilers have seven days to decide whether to match either or both offer sheets, known as exercising their “right of first refusal” in section 10.3 of the NHL and NHLPA’s collective bargaining agreement. They cannot trade either player during this time and assign that right of first refusal to another team.”
It’s also stated elsewhere on the Web that
“The CBA also notes that if the Oilers match an offer sheet, they cannot trade that player for one year from the date they exercise their right of first refusal.”
Thanks Chrisms and George O.
The more and more i think about it, if i was manager i think i would let St Louis land both.
Broberg has the ability to be the one that comes back to bite ya but it cannot be overlooked he twice asked to be traded when he could not secure an nhl role
Pens now got Hayes a second and a third for a fifth. Not bad. Good asset management for a retool/rebuild
Try and convince 8787 of that … please!
When I’m done solving the crisis in the Middle East I’ll give it a shot.
LOL
Wow didn’t see those two offer sheets from St. Louis to Edmonton for Broberg and Holloway….Bad blood Armstrong/Bowman?????
Look wanted to throw this out there not to cause /stir/make controversy but to see others/hockey minds opinions on this subject.
I kept this list fairly modern 70’s to now
I also didn’t include Mc David, McKinnon, Matthews, and Makar because they are in their prime right now and I’m sure they will be on this list someday soon.
Based on overall offensive production, awards (Norris Hart etc) durability, making others better, being a leader, being a captain, great in the locker room, winning division championships, winning Stanley Cups, international success, gold medals, being o total player.. not just offensive etc.
Top 10 players of all time-
1. Wayne Gretzky
2. Mario Lemieux
3. Bobby Orr
4. Gordie Howe
5. Sidney Crosby
6. Mark Messier
7. Nick Lidstrom
8. Steve Yzerman
9. Jaromir Jagr
10. Alex Ovechkin
11. honorable mentions Larry Robinson so many Cups, tons of ice time was a huge force dominant on defense could play anyway you wanted, on the ice for the Canadiens
Bobby Clarke (as a penguins fan hard to say but well deserved) He never seems to get enough credit as a leader he was a captain, tremendous leader and heart, 2 Stanley Cups, over 1,000 points lead an inferior Canada cup team in the 70’s to a summit series victory, hacking them, scoring and beating the better Soviet Team
Ray Bourque he was so good both offensively and defensive, could skate and knock your head off if needed. total package