Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – August 18, 2024

by | Aug 18, 2024 | Rumors | 18 comments

Would Nazem Kadri be a good fit with the Jets? Could the Flames dangle Rasmus Andersson ahead of the March trade deadline? What’s the latest on Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

THE WINNIPEG FREE PRESS: Ken Wiebe believes Nazem Kadri is just what the Jets need to fill their second-line center position.

Kadri, 33, is in the third season of his seven-year contract with the Calgary Flames. He carries an average annual value of $7 million plus a full no-movement clause until 2026-27 when it becomes a 13-team no-trade list.

Calgary Flames forward Nazem Kadri (NHL Images).

Wiebe acknowledged Kadri’s hefty contract and no-move protection. Nevertheless, he speculates the veteran center could prefer a change of address depending on how the rebuilding Flames perform this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kadri has stated he enjoys living in Calgary and doesn’t want a trade. He might change his mind if the Flames are looking at several years of rebuilding. For now, it’s safe to assume he’s not going anywhere

If Kadri becomes receptive to a trade, the Jets wouldn’t be the only club pursuing him. That’s assuming they’d be interested in the first place.

Kadri’s age and contract will be significant concerns if he becomes available in this season’s trade market. Interested clubs could ask the Flames to retain part of his $7 million AAV. His NMC gives him full control over which teams he would consider acceptable trade destinations. The Jets might not be among them.

THE ATHLETIC: In a recent mailbag segment, a reader asked Julian McKenzie what value Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson would have at the March trade deadline.

The reader believes Andersson could have some significant value as a “top-4, arguably low-end top pair, right-spot defense on a good contract.”

Andersson, 27, is signed through 2025-26 with an AAV of $4.55 million.

McKenzie believes Andersson could be someone the Flames dangle but only if the price is right. His play this season will dictate his value in the trade market. However, the Flames don’t have to move Andersson this season unless they get an irresistible offer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames were big-time sellers last season as they began to rebuild their roster. Andersson’s name surfaced several times as a trade candidate leading up to the March deadline.

Andersson doesn’t have to be moved this season but teams could be interested in landing him because he has another season left on his contract. A solid performance on his part this season combined with that extra year on his deal could make him an enticing trade target for playoff clubs seeking a right-shot blueliner.

One sticking point is Andersson’s modified no-trade clause kicked in on July 1. He has a six-team no-trade list.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: David Dwork dismissed the recently suggested trade ideas about Aaron Ekblad that have surfaced in the media.

The 28-year-old Florida Panthers defenseman is in the final season of his eight-year contract with an AAV of $7.5 million. His no-movement clause changed on July 1 to a 12-team no-trade list.

Dwork acknowledged Ekblad could price himself out of the Panthers’ market on his next contract. They could consider moving him before his UFA eligibility next July. He also mentioned the possibility of Ekblad accepting a pay cut to remain with the Panthers.

Some of those trade ideas have Ekblad going to teams like the Detroit Red Wing and Toronto Maple Leafs. However, Dwork noted those proposed deals don’t take into account how Panthers GM Bill Zito has built his club.

Any players coming to Florida must understand and fit into the systems employed by Panthers coach Paul Maurice. They must be hardworking character guys who would be welcomed into their tight-knit dressing room.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some pundits claimed the Panthers were shopping Ekblad since early June. There’s no indication they’re close to a deal. Of course, we wouldn’t know about it until the trade went down.

I believe the Panthers intend to hang onto Ekblad this season. Trading him would leave them thin in experienced right-shot defensemen capable of playing top-four minutes. He will be crucial to their defense of the Stanley Cup this season.







18 Comments

  1. Once Montour moved on, I figure that Ekblad is safe.
    Florida’s blue line would be highly depleted if they moved Ekblad without getting a suitable replacement in return.

  2. Ekblad, Nurse, Trouba ,all defensemen that have contracts that are strangling their teams! Anderson s contract and his value is one of the best in the NHL!

  3. as we’ve seen, it’s impossible to trade players with term at high AAV and have the trading team keep salary, it almost never happens. It especially won’t happen for Kadri who has been average in Calgary.

    maybe if CGY takes another similar AAV back they’d do it, but if the Flames are rebuilding, why take back another vet that they might not be able to trade this year (because of AAV and term) ? just another pipedream

    still don’t see Ekblad getting traded, he is by far the Panthers best overall dman. Who else is going to run their top PP ? They lost a lot of depth this summer.
    I think they have to let Bennett leave, they won’t be able to afford to keep a guy who is average in the regular season

    • mikeP, looking at Bennett in detail, I have to agree that, given their situation on D, they can’t really afford to keep a F costing $4,425,000 off the cap whose seasonal production, reflected in 82-game averages, works out to 18g 20a 38 pts – or .46 pts per game. Over 83 playoff games, that .46 pts per game increases only slightly to .67 pts per game.

      He also has a tendency for brain fart actions when en it comes to infractions.

      But with no no-movement clause protection there is probably at least one team prepared to take him in a cost-cutting deal for the one year remaining on his current deal.

      • Bennett will be heavily pursued by the Leafs.

      • With Hakanpaa and his $1.5 mil per cap hit not yet activated, and RFA Robertson still to be re-upped – actions which would put them significantly over the cap – there is no way they have room to take on Bennett and his $4 mil + cap hit … and Florida won’t be taking back anything in the way of a similar cap hit.

        Unless, ds, what you mean is, they’ll pursue him as a UFA next summer.

  4. Agreed that Kadri would be an excellent fit with the Jets but his age and 5 more years on his contract scare the hell out of me. If the Flames were to attach Andersson along with Kadri might help to entice the Jets to make the bigger deal. Thinking the Jets would have to offer Perfetti, Pionk, McGroarty or something like that at least. Still not sure if he would waive to come to the Peg regardless but if so there could definitely be a fit for both teams. Calgarys going to be looking to rise back up with the opening of their new building in a few years while Jets are in win now mode.

    • no chance WPG trades Perfetti, McGroarty or another one of their prospects (Lambert, etc) in a deal for Kadri. First, would Kadri really waive his NTC to go to WPG? sadly players aren’t lining up to go there.
      Secondly, to my point, teams don’t want to acquire vets, especially over 30 y/o, with high AAV remaining over multiple years, and 100% would not trade prospects for his contract.

      Rasmus Andersson would probably net a big return if the Flames decide to trade him, he is a top 4-dman at a very reasonable contract ($4.55M AAV) with term left. And he is only 27.
      That is a player (and contract) that would return a 1st rounder and prospect(s)

      Flames would probably want to trade Weegar instead but considering he is 30 and has term and high AAV left, good luck on that

    • Moving to the Jets is not going to increase Kadri’s chances of playing for a contender, especially as the Jets would have, as you point out, to give up assets.

      Any why would Kadri see daylight with the Jets? They haven’t won a playoff series in the last three years, won 1 in the last 6.

      A few years ago I was pulling for them as the Canadian team with the best chance for a Cup. I sure don’t see them that way now.

      • I saw them going deep this past playoff … and suddenly the Vezina favourite, Hellebuyck, couldn’t stop a beachball in a series loss to Colorado where they were outscored 22 -12 in a 5-game series.

  5. We agree, that’s why I said the Flames would have to include Andersson in any Kadri deal for Wpg to consider it. I think Andersson is a very underrated player.

  6. Someone has to play on these teams
    Flo also loss ole.
    Andersen not available anytime soon unless a massive overpay. His salary and term alone is worth a first & third. His age and position a grade A prospect . His current performance a middle 6 roster player .

  7. “Flo also loss ole.”

    lol SilverSeven, did you have a hot potato in your mouth when you jotted that down?

  8. So the Calgary Flames are giving up on the regular season before the preseason starts.

    • Caper, your comment above got me to thinking … how many teams look towards a coming season in a way which suggests that they are, in fact “giving up on the season” … but from just two differing frames of mind?

      One would be to look at the overall make-up of their roster and see a young, relatively inexperienced group in terms of playoff hockey several years into a complete re-build and, while naturally hoping for a break-through year, realistically see it as one more year to accrue experience at the highest level and build team chemistry. As such, those teams may or may not look at deals to further speed up the process.

      The other would be to look at their roster and see an aging core with far too many question marks and holes to fill to realistically harbour any real hope of even being able to squeak in, and so – perhaps reluctantly – realize they need to start shedding some of that aging group when, where and however they can in order to begin building a deep pool of young prospects and/or picks.

      Both management – and fans of the teams – have to come to grips with where their team fits.

  9. Calgary Flames,

    Yes 100% the flames are in a Re-build, 3-4 mopre years…
    they picked up a dandy of a offencive R d/man in
    Zayne Parekh, they have 4-5 good young LD&RD men coming after the trade dead line and NHL draft…

    2 High picks in the 2025 1st round & 2 More in the 2026 1st round,
    Along with $19.M in Cap space⁉️ today im sure they will pick up more picks again this year
    they also have RD man Rasmus Andersson to trade and or sign in the next 2 seasons❓

    The Flames need an other top centre the may finish last and pick the top centre in the 2025 draft
    James Hagens🤔, then pick up an other top RW as they are short on both position’s apart from young 20 yr old centre Connor Zary, and 2 picks so far in the 2nd round, they will keep Nazen Kadri around to train the young Centres.. as kadri really like’s it in Calgary
    As
    for Huberdeau that contract for 7 more years @10.M is not tradable the way he is playing….

    • Calgary owes the Habs a 1st rounder this coming draft.

      • Calgary still has two firsts in 2025 after delivering one to the Habs. They have to give up either their own pick or Florida’s, depending on about a zillion conditions, but they also have the Devils’ 1st (top-10 protected).

        Unless the Panthers the playoffs and the Devils finish in the bottom 10, the Flames will be drafting twice in the first round next year.