NHL Rumor Mill – August 7, 2024
Check out the latest on the Rangers and Oilers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill
THE ATHLETIC: A reader asked Arthur Staple if there is any clear indication that the New York Rangers will attempt to trade or buy out Jacob Trouba after this season.
Staple replied that Trouba submitted his 15-team no-trade list valid until July 1, 2025. There’s nothing set in stone but both sides understand that the Rangers need salary-cap space next summer.

New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers attempted to move Trouba before his no-movement clause ended on July 1 and became a 15-team no-trade list. He waited until July 1 (as is his right) to submit that list.
Both sides say there is no bad blood and they’ll work together this season. However, this season is likely Trouba’s last with the Rangers and he understands that. Whether they find trade partners willing to take on his $8 million cap hit for 2025-26 depends on his performance this season.
Asked about Kaapo Kakko, Staple believes he’s not a player other teams are coveting now, speculating the Rangers may be getting offers but nothing worthwhile. He considers the 23-year-old winger a “buy-low player” in the trade market.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: That would explain why Kakko hasn’t moved despite plenty of offseason trade speculation. He’ll likely start this season with the Rangers. Improvement in his performance will boost his trade value but could also give them second thoughts about moving him.
THE ATHLETIC: Allan Mitchell looked at some Oilers storylines to follow for the remainder of the summer.
He believes no news is good news regarding contract extension talks with Leon Draisaitl. If things were going poorly, the Oilers would drop hints about trade options. As things stand, Mitchell considers the signing inevitable and possibly not far away.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: General manager Stan Bowman said talks have become and there’s nothing negative to report. Draisaitl’s contract situation gets interesting if the season begins without him putting pen to paper. Until then, it’s not worth fretting about.
The Oilers remain over the $88 million salary cap with restricted free agents Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg to be signed.
One way to address this would be placing Evander Kane (hip injury) on long-term injury reserve to start the season but they’ll have to be cap-compliant when he’s ready to return. If he’s coming to training camp, Cody Ceci or Brett Kulak could be traded to free up cap space to sign Holloway and Broberg.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ceci carries a $3.25 million cap hit this season while Kulak’s is $2.75 million annually through 2025-26.
Let’s not assume that this will be Trouba’s last season with the Rangers. Even a 15 team no trade list gives him a lot of control. When you subtract the division rivals to whom he’ll never be traded, teams that don’t need a defenseman and teams that couldn’t take on his cap hit, the teams that remain could fill the no trade list.
No way the Rangers get anything of value for Kakko. All they can do is play him and hope he becomes a useful player for them. If he continues to regress, he’ll be cut loose next summer.
And a Happy Sid Extension Day to all Pens fans!
Re Kakko, Howard, the key question is, what do the Rangers consider a “worthwhile” offer? We have no way of knowing what the offers received entailed.
Yes, he was a 2nd overall pick and, despite not exactly getting prime minutes since joining the Rangers for the Covid-shortened season of 2019-20, in his 300 games played he has 82-game averages of 16g 16a 32 pts, and also has 15 games playoff experience (1g 1a 2 pts). He also costs $2.4 mil off the cap and is an RFA next year.
The Rangers appear to be hung on the horns of a dilemma, having to decide on whether “what you see is what you get” and so move him for the best return possible, or keep the faith and wait for his anticipated break-out year. The problem with the latter is, if it doesn’t transpire his value plummets.
George – I’m not sure what the going rate is for 16 goals scorers, but a slight raise from his 2.4 would be fine, I would think. Unless the return is decent, I’m not sure why the Rangers would give up on the secondary scoring. I understand where he was drafted and what the expectations were, but here we are. I have zero investment in the kid or the NYR; it would be refreshing to see a team say,” Yeah, he didn’t quite turn out how we expected, but we’ve adjusted our expectations and are happy to have the secondary scoring that is so hard to come by in this league”. However, how many GMs want to see their miscalculation every game?
Habola, I think you’re bang on and that’s exactly the Rangers’ thinking. Even if he doesn’t blossom into what one would expect from a 2nd overall (and he wouldn’t be the first that’s for sure), he is contributing in the bottom 6 role (except for his rookie season when he was a -26 he has been a consistent + player since) and isn’t clipping them for some disproportionate % of the cap.
The only caveat I’d add is the approach to be taken by his agent when his RFA negotiations roll around who might argue that, while he may not have produced as expected from such a high pick over 4 seasons, he also did not get much time to prove himself by playing top line minutes and PP time.
Be interesting to watch all that unfold when the time comes.
Re Oilers,
it looks like it could be Ceci the RD man that gets traded first,
But…Thats if Kane comes back to play,
but it wont be Brent Kulak, he is the Anchor on the 3rd d pairing👍 and can move up to the 2nd pairing when needed,
Broberg looks like he can play both LD & RD,
i think they play him with his countryman
Mattias Ekholm for a year of 2
Broberg could turn out to be very good 👍
So Nurse third pairing ? Or with Bouchard .
I think Kane goes on LTIR to start. I believe that is 21days or 10 games at least . Gets them into November . I am sure teams will be looking by then.
If not then it would be a pure salary dump to a team with space. And may cost them a pick or prospect for a pick if it is Ceci.
With Kane’s, reputation and inconsistencies I doubt too many teams will be willing to take on his $5.125 salary for 2 more years.
Any team with cap space will likely want a 1st round pick or “B+” – “A” prospect to take Kane off the Oilers hands.
Happy 37th Birthday Sid
Hoping and praying for a Crosby contract today
Some in Media have speculated 3 years @ $10 M
He’ll want “87” in the cap somewhere
3 years , each year with salary $878,878 and each year with $9 M signing bonus??? Cap hit $9.878787????
However, After he leaves; they won’t be spending to the cap for many years
Why not make it 8 years …. Salary: 7 years @ $878,787 , 8th year at $1,144,491 ; AND still with $9M Signing bonus EACH of first 3 years. No difference to Crosby for those 3 years.
Crosby retires at 40, basically gets very close to 3 @ $10 M; Cap hit is $4.287M (87 in Cap hit) . Pens have more room for UFAs for those 3 years.
Pens still get dead Cap hit of $4.287 M for 5 year; but 3 yrs of which they will be wallowing at the bottom and not spending anywhere near cap ceiling anyway; last two years MAYBE they are near Cap, but at that time Cap will be North of $110 M
Sid won’t do that, 87Dopplepenger87. What’s the incentive?
$10 M per for 3 years; cap hit has 87 in it
Financially it fits
Superstitions covered
Why not?
Winning.
Also, why would he limit his next contract? If I was him, I would want the $$ in the least amount of term.
Agree ShoreOrrPark
Absolutely winning is an incentive
This won’t be happening here with Dubas at the helm.
No hard feelings if Sid moves on
That said; he’s publicly repeated several times that he wants to remain here and end his career as a Penguin
I was coming up with s suggested contract that met the proposed (media) 3 years at $10 M contract
Perhaps (hopefully) Crosby has already agreed verbally to terms but told Dubas he won’t sign until a roster improvement (Laine??) is made
Still we are nervous he hasn’t signed yet
Ray
How about the $27 M in signing bonus as
Yr 1 – $14 M
Yr 2- $10 M
Yr 3 – $3 M
Crosby will be on a 35-plus contract. They cannot contain signing bonuses beyond the first season or a year-to-year salary decline.