NHL Rumor Mill – September 28, 2024
How will the Kings replace the sidelined Drew Doughty on their blueline? What’s the latest on Flyers goalie Alexei Kolosov? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman wondered how the Los Angeles Kings will replace sidelined Drew Doughty. The 34-year-old defenseman requires surgery to repair a broken ankle and is listed as month-to-month.

Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty (NHL Images).
Friedman pondered which right-handed defensemen remain available in the free-agent market, mentioning Justin Schultz and Kevin Shattenkirk. He also suggested a rearguard could become available via waivers.
The Kings could also promote Kyle Burroughs, Brandt Clarke or Jordan Spence as Doughty’s replacement. Friedman doubts they’ll move Clarke because they added Joel Edmundson to pair with him.
THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens also examined the Kings’ options to replace Doughty.
Stephens thinks it’ll have to be a collective effort by the Kings blueline to offset Doughty’s absence. He noted they already planned to lean more on Clarke and Spence this season. He Stephens also suggested Tyson Barrie, Shattenkirk, or Schultz as external free-agent options if Doughty is out long-term.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings have over $1.7 million in cap space to put toward adding a defenseman via waivers, trade, or free agency. They could also exceed the cap by placing Doughty and his $11 million annual cap hit on long-term injury reserve to address that issue.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Kings address this situation. They could look to within but it wouldn’t be surprising if they also opt for an affordable veteran addition.
RG.ORG: Sergey Demidov cites a source claiming Alexei Kolosov returned to North America to personally meet with Philadelphia Flyers management to terminate his NHL contract.
The source said the 22-year-old netminder’s goal is to negotiate the termination of his contract and return to KHL club Dinamo Minsk, where his salary has been reserved for this season. He doesn’t want to play in North America, but the KHL won’t allow him to play for Dinamo while under an NHL contract.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kolosov participated in the Flyers’ practice on Friday. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes he might get into one of their four remaining preseason games and could start this season with their AHL affiliate. The goalie also has a European assignment clause and could return to the KHL if he hasn’t played in the NHL by a certain date.
Plenty of mercenaries to replace Doughty short term for small money! Defensemen that are named would cost 1 million at the most! Always veterans hanging around willing to play that one more year for the veteran minimum!
If you look closely at that L.A. roster at Puckpedia it becomes evident that the Doughty injury, on top of the one to RW Kaliyev, presents a host of problems beyond just losing one of their best players for a lengthy period.
Barring a trade or two, right now they’re shown with $1,271,666 in cap space with 21 of 23 slots filled – 11F 7D 3G. Since it’s highly unlikely they intend to enter the season with 3 goalies (Kuemper, Rittich and Copley) one will be optioned, probably Phoenix Copley. That move opens up one more slot among the D and F.
Projected F lines seem to be Laferriere – Kopitar – Kempe; Fiala – Byfield – Foegele; Moore – Danault – Jeannot; and likely Akil Thomas filling the LW position with Turcotte and Lewis. So, 12 F.
On the back end it looks like Gavrikov with Jordan Spence (who did play 71 games last season with 2g 22a 24 pts and a +5; Anderson with Burroughs; and Edmundson with Clarke, who was up for 16 games last season (2g 4a 6 pts and a minus 6) with impressive AHL totals of 50gp 10g 36a 46 pts and a minus 3. LD Andreas Englund looks to be the 7th D.
In losing Doughty, a RD, they also lost a position at least half the league seems to be trying to fill somewhere among their D corps, leaving them with Spence, Burroughs and Clarke to carry the load there – again, barring a deal.
Until that happens, dropping Copley and his $825,000 ELC and elevating Akil Thomas and his $775,000 contract leaves them with cap space of $1,321,666 and 21 of 23 positions filled, and needing at least one more F to get them to 22 of 23.
Starting the season with Doughty’s $11 mil per on LTIR gives Blake some room to manoeuvre and it will be interesting to see which direction he takes – a deal for a decent D, bringing in one of the remaining unsigned D, or moving up at least one more rookie F.
Cam Fowler can play the RS. A deal for hi at 1/3 to 1/2 retained would be a solution as Fowler could easily be moved at the reduced salary when and if Drew comes back.
Or, they could give a call to one of Justin Schultz, 34 y/o 70gp last season with Seattle or Kevin Shattenkirk 35 y/o 61 gp last season with Boston, both experienced RD who’d likely sign at basic rates for one more crack.
Hell, with the ongoing uncertainty over the injury to RD Artyem Zub, Ottawa should consider Schultz or Shattenkirk.
I say say that because, if Zub is out for any serious length of time, they have few internal options. One would be to keep rookie Carter Yakemchuk, but that could wind up hurting the kid’s development beyond repair.
The projection for the D had LD Sanderson – RD Zub as the first pairing, LD Chabot – RD Jensen the 2nd pair, and big LD rookie Tyler Kleven skating with RD Bernard-Docker.
The 7th D is right-side Hamonic.
I don’t think they want to disrupt the Chabot – Jensen pairing, nor does it make sense to elevate either Hamonic to the 1st pairing. So, what’s the answer?
Skating alongside someone like Sanderson might work for Bernard-Docker for however long Zub is out, but they’d better have a contingency plan in case that fizzles out because there’s no one in Belleville who could be called up to play regularly.
Having experience like Schultz or Shattenkirk couldn’t hurt.
I should mention that RD p.t.o. Calen Addison is still here and could, conceivably, be retained to be the 3rd pair RD with Kleven if Bernard-Docker moves up, but Addison’s shortcomings were exposed by that Buffalo AHL team the other night when, in 21.44 of ice-time he coughed up the puck on one goal against and wound up minus 2 on the night in the 3-2 OT loss.
Justin Holl to the LA Kings for a bag of pucks.
If drew is going to be out till the playoffs…. Someone I know has about the same cap hit and could be available by the playoffs. Dd and ek your top two rd in the playoffs would be a tough challenge.
Heh. That technicolor sky where you are right now must be beautiful, chrisms!
By the way, yesterday you admonished Sr for suggesting Crosby was instrumental in the acquisition of Karlsson, saying “He didn’t get Karlsson contract.”
Something about that bugged me because I recalled hearing or reading something at the time that suggested otherwise.
Here’s one article saying both he and Letang gave their “stamp of approval” to Dubas’ pursuit of Karlsson. You have to wonder if Dubas would have demurred without their blessings to go ahead
https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/2679389
The post was mostly tongue in cheek George. But one can dream. But crosby had nothing to do with karlson contract. He signed it in San Jose. Acquiring him though? No doubt he was asked his feelings on it. Just like he pretty much names his linemates. No illusions there. But you if he didn’t give his approval for a trade that was all our bad contracts and a 1st for your star player with a million held then he’d be outta his mind.
Doughty plays have the game and in all situations . They will need two journeyman to replace that.
There will be something on the wire