NHL Rumor Mill – October 16, 2024

by | Oct 16, 2024 | Rumors | 22 comments

Check out the latest on the Leafs, Oilers, Flames and Kings in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TSN: Darren Dreger reports Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Timothy Liljegren is expected to be in the lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings. Liljegren, 25, was a healthy scratch from the Leafs’ first three games.

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Timothy Liljegren (NHL Images).

Dreger speculates it could fuel recent trade speculation about Liljegren or maybe some of it will fade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Score’s Josh Wegman listed the Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, Pittsburgh Penguins and the Kings as logical destinations for Liljegren. All five could use depth in right-side, right-shot defensemen.

Turning to the Oilers, Dreger believes the frustration surrounding the team over its poor start to this season is coming externally rather than from within the organization. He claims there’s no sense of panic among management at this stage. They’re not pointing fingers at any one area but believe the team as a whole must improve.

Nevertheless, Dreger suggests they could use an upgrade on defense. He pointed out that Kevin Shattenkirk remains available in the unrestricted free-agent market. The 35-year-old defenseman is a right-hand shot who wants to chase the Stanley Cup and wouldn’t be an expensive addition. Dreger is surprised that Oilers general manager Stan Bowman hasn’t embraced that opportunity.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was reported the Oilers reached out to Shattenkirk earlier this month. Maybe he’s asking for more money than they can afford or perhaps Bowman had second thoughts.

Pierre LeBrun believes Calgary Flames GM Craig Conroy doesn’t understand why people expect him to be a seller this season. He claims Conroy has done all the fire sales that he’s going to do over the past 12-15 months.

LeBrun points out that the core Flames people believe could get moved (Nazem Kadri, MacKenzie Weegar, Blake Coleman) are under contract beyond this season. Conroy believes those players want to be part of the club’s transition and he wants them to be a part of it.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kadri and Weegar are also on expensive long-term contracts with no-movement or no-trade protection. Coleman is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $4.9 million and a 10-team no-trade clause.

LeBrun also noted that Los Angeles Kings GM Rob Blake is in the final season of his contract. However, he’s comfortable with this situation as he has a great relationship with Kings president Luc Robitaille.

Blake did the same thing with his previous contract and was re-signed. There could be more pressure on him this time as the Kings failed to advance past the first round of the playoffs in the last three seasons. Nevertheless, he’s comfortable seeing how this season unfolds before having contract discussions.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blake’s critics cited his recent string of questionable moves during the offseason. Another early playoff exit or missing the postseason could prompt a management shakeup.







22 Comments

  1. If RD Gudbransson is out long-term for Columbus they might like to consider a deal for Liljegren, although I rather suspect they might choose instead to bring in one of the RD UFAs still looking for jobs such as Justin Schultz or Kevin Shattenkirk.

    • They have Jiricek to call up.

      • And Matty. No need to add a D at the moment. Jackets need to worry about goaltending.

      • According to CapWages.com he’s already up

      • Besides, what I was alluding to is, Gudbransson is a veteran D and that they might prefer to find a veteran replacement rather than put that sort of pressure on a rookie.

  2. Liljegren to Pens would be very refreshing; and provide a needed boost.

    Dubas, Just find out what Treliving needs to swap either (A) Grzlyck for Liljegren or (B) Accari for Liljegren
    and make the move

    • Uhh, I think it’s been pretty well understood that, IF Treleving is to shop Liljegren it will be as a salary dump in order to free up some soon-to-be-needed cap space.

      Why then would he take back either of two players you seem to regard as stiffs – one costing $2,750,000 and the other $2,000,000 off the cap??
      Forget “sweeteners” – the need to perhaps move Liljegren is but one of several options he has to manoeuvre around the cap issues facing him, and while he’s likely looking at getting back picks or prospects the last thing he needs is yet another body needing to be moved.

      Seriously, if Grzelcyk or Acciari are, as you paint them, drawbacks to the Penguin’s roster, why in Hell would Toronto want either?

      • The biggest problem in Pittsburgh is Sid, with Sid there they seem to think the window is still open for them. Sid is still a great player, but he can`t carry a team on his back and there`s not much left in Pittsburgh but Sid. Pittsburgh can only retain salary on 1 player this year and there`s about 20 that need to go

      • George, you forget that any move made by Dubas has to involve 9 teams, all retaining salary somewhere, draft picks, every “junk” player the Penquins have, pierogies, pucks, Primanti sandwiches, and a note from everyone’s mother to work correctly.

      • He is trolling you about those trades

      • Oh I agree no one wants them; that’s why I asked what was needed to be added

        The flip (with sweetners) wouldn’t be a complete dump but a partial one

        We do need an RD

        Demoting both Accari and Gryzlyk frees up $2.3 M

        What is the cost of Liljegren with $700 K retained ($2.3 M coming in)

      • Yogi

        We finally agree on things

        However the statement “The biggest problem in Pittsburgh is Sid” is misleading

        Obviously he’s not s problem

        However, as you’ve pointed out; and I do agree; Crosby’s presence on the roster gives artificial hope to Pens (with the current surrounding roster)

        Now not playoff bound for at least 3 years

        That said; this IS on Dubas

        Hayes; Grzylyk , Accairi eating up almost $8.4 M in valuable Cap space

        Where P-O J; plus ANY 2 of

        Lorentz, Pearson, Vrana, Tomosino, Spring, Frk, Gregor, Poulin, Pomorinov

        Would have had Penguins bigger, younger, faster, much better AND sitting with at least an extra $5.5 M in cap space AND, most importantly; that would have given Pens at least a fighting chance at playoffs next spring

        This mess is on Dubas

      • Thanks Kent

        Yes I know he is

      • Better fix the Jarry problem first. He just let in 3 on 5 shots!!!!!!🤢

    • @8787

      As per Yogi’s input the other day

      Liljegren straight up for Cosby

      Pens retain 50%

      I think this would be more than fair , as per you R a fair guy as well with your offer !

    • If that is indeed the case, then all he does is troll because I have yet to see one specific trade proposal (and just to underline – ALL his proposals involve specific players, usually of the multiple variety that we haven’t seen since the advent of the cap) and usually where he’s advocating leaky canoes for battleships.

      But I’m not so sure he is trolling. Like his (denied) alter-ego Pengy, there is no such thing as a simple realistic deal to address the specific positional needs of both sides. And it almost always points out that the failure of the GM to see the logic in his proposals calls into question their qualifications for the job.

  3. Liljegren is supposedly playing tonight against LA

    I am sure there will be scouts in the crowd observing the player

    LA, being 1 of them.

    • Another one of Blakes mistakes, letting Roy go.

      Friend or not, Blake is hanging loose

  4. Does anyone when team have to be cap compliant?

    • Everyone is cap compliant already. It had to be done before the season started.
      If you are seeing them as OVER on Puckpedia, there should be a corresponding contract on LTIR that accounts for the overage.
      For example, the Capitals are $10.665M over the cap. However they have Backstrom ($9.2M) and Oshie ($5.75M) on LTIR which is allows them to exceed the cap by that amount.

      • Thanks, that was exactly what I was looking at.

    • Day 1.

      A number are projected to be considerably over the cap at some point when current LTIRs giving relief return to the line-up … as some will because they are not in the nature of a Shea Weber, Backstrom, etc., “permanent for the extent of their contract” types.