NHL Rumor Mill – October 21, 2024
More suggested goalie options for the Avalanche and more proposed trade destinations for Leafs defenseman Timothy Liljegren in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
THE DENVER POST: Corey Masisak recently examined the Colorado Avalanche’s goalie woes.
Masisak thinks starter Alexandar Georgiev still has enough of a track record to sort out his inconsistent play. Their internal options aren’t great if Georgiev doesn’t improve. Backup Justus Annunen is a wild card and it would be risky to make him the starter for more than a short period. Kaapo Kahkonen has never proven to be a No. 1 goalie for a significant period.
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev (NHL Images).
Options in this season’s trade market could include pending unrestricted free agents like Washington’s Logan Thompson or Charlie Lindgren, Detroit’s Alex Lyon, Calgary’s Dan Vladar, San Jose’s Mackenzie Blackwood or Vitek Vanecek, and Utah’s Karel Vejmelka. The latter four would require salary retention to fit them within the Avs’ limited cap space.
Masisak also looked ahead toward this summer’s free-agent market where the pickings are slim assuming the New York Rangers re-sign netminder Igor Shesterkin.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s also been suggested the Avs attempt to acquire John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks assuming the Ducks retain half of his $6.4 million cap hit through 2026-27 and also accept Georgiev in return.
The Avs are in a bind with no immediate solutions given their cap constraints and the lack of suitable options in the trade market this early in the season.
SPORTSNET: David Morassutti proposed several trade destinations for Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Timothy Liljegren following his season debut against the Los Angeles Kings last week.
Liljegren’s future has been a topic of speculation after sliding down the Leafs’ blueline depth chart. His $3 million annual average value through 2025-26 could also create a salary-cap headache for management.
Morassutti suggested the Utah Hockey Club, Dallas Stars, Chicago Blackhawks, Anaheim Ducks, Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets as potential destinations for Lilejegren.
Utah’s blueline got thin with Sean Durzi and John Marino sidelined by injuries. The Stars’ defense could use more depth on the right side. The Blackhawks and Ducks are rebuilding teams that could benefit from a veteran rearguard in his mid-twenties. The Penguins need to bolster their defense and the struggling Blue Jackets have the cap space to add to their blueline.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs reportedly aren’t rushing to move Liljegren partly because of the uncertain health of their own defense corps. That could change as the season advances but it’s difficult to find suitable trade partners for a defenseman carrying a $3 million cap hit if he’s spending most of his time in the press box.
Pens could really use Lilejegren
Please Toronto trade this kid!You would think you are talking about aNorris Trophy candidate not a 6-7-8 defensemen that is way overpaid by TML!Let s talk about someone else!
The Jackets may have the cap space, but do they have the desire? Even with Gudbranson injured, they have 7 defensemen with NHL experience on the roster and up to 5 good to excellent prospects in Cleveland. Provorov is trade bait, nearer the trade deadline. Why would the Jackets trade him to Toronto when they’re bound to get better returns elsewhere? Severson might be available, but Toronto can’t fit his salary under the cap. Jack Johnson might be available, but his slow start suggests that the Jackets signing him only served to keep Mateychuk in Cleveland. If the Jackets will accept a bag of pucks, he might get traded.
All in all, I just don’t see a viable trade scenario between Toronto and the Jackets.
Agree that Columbus and Anahiem don’t make sense. Just because they could fit him under the cap, doesn’t mean they want/need another defenseman. Both teams have young D of their own that the need to assimilate. Adding Liljegren wouldn’t make sense.
Now Utah is another story. I liked them as a surprise playoff team this year, but the long term injuries to Durzi and Marino put them in need of immediate defensive help. I can see them making a quick deal for Liljegren or another D.
I’m trying to figure out where and why Morassutti has come to the conclusion that Liljegren has “slid down the Leafs depth chart.”
Perhaps in the overall D structure that may be the case, at least to the extent that paying a 3rd pairing or even 7th D $3 mil per seems a little excessive.
But he’s a RD, and judging by how many teams seem to be constantly sniffing around for a RD I would think – given the status of their own RD situation – they’d be careful.
At the moment, the listed right-shot D are Tanev, Hakanpaa, Timmins and Myers, and I’d bet there were some anxious moments early in the last game when Tanev left the bench for a while. He did return, but this guy’s gutsy style of sacrificing his body to block a shot makes him a injury risk every game.
After him, the other listed RD are Hakanpaa – currently on LTIR – Timmins and Myers. Are we to believe that, in the eyes of the coaching staff, Liljegren has been surpassed by Timmins and Myers?
Maybe there’s one among the Marlies cache of RD who’s expected to be elevated soon (Danford, Niemala, Villeneuve, Mattinen), but if not, they could find themselves trying different bodies all season to fill the hole left by Liljegren should they move him.
Leafs fans, what say you?
The problem with Liljegren seems to be a lack of confidence. Keefe did a real number on the kid and right now Liljegren needs time to regain that confidence, but with a 3 million price tag it`s not easy for a team that needs to clear cap space. Myers had a good camp, Rafai had a great camp, he was sent down because Toronto gave him a 2 year extension, the poison pill, so teams wouldn`t grab him. Like Columbus and Anaheim, Toronto has prospects. But until they`re in the NHL and playing regularly, they are only prospects. People seem to think that if they have 6 prospects all 6 will play in the NHL, if only it worked that way. If 2 out of the 6 make it you`re laughing. Timmins, Myers and Rafia are bottom pairing dmen, Liljegren still has the potential to be a solid 4 guy, that`s why Toronto is hesitant to trade him, but the lack of cap space makes it hard to keep him. Yes prospects are nice, but like the old saying a Bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush
Hey George you make good points but those players you mentioned are still years away from being cons regular.
There’s a certain calm and composure successful dmen have which comes naturally to some like Makar but for most, it’s gained through playtime. Lilijegren was drafted 17th overall so there is something there and like a lot of young talent, it needs to mature and in others it gets to a point and you have what you have. In his case it might be either though many believe you have what you see which is bold to say for a guy playing one of the toughest positions in hockey with under 200 games under his belt.
In my opinion, which quite frankly means nothing, he needs to be more confident and consistent. He can skate, make good passes, can shoot the puck, has some hockey strength but needs to learn to use it more effectively and correctly consistently. His brain farts are due to inexperience and knowing his job isn’t secure, well a lot more insecure than others on the team anyway.
For a position of weakness for the Leafs and many teams, you want to hold onto RD any chance you can…unfortunately the the unfair question is at $3m is he worth it to a team whose window is open and bumping up against the cap?
Right now there isn’t an urgent need to move him but that’s right now and won’t be the case soon. My hope is that if they do move him and hopefully with a winger they get a center/winger and a prospect D (project type) in return maintaining some of the depth in the organization. Easier said than done.
Salary Cap! The cap was introduced to make it an equal playing field. However the teams that draft well and produce great players will end up losing those players because of the cap. My thought is that teams should get a percentage of cap space relief when signing or resigning their drafted players. Maybe then “Salary Cap” wouldn’t get more coverage and headlines as a McDavid or Matthews.
Interesting idea there. It would also make draft picks more valuable to a team. Would lead to a strategy shift for teams like Tampa. Boston etc trading pics for rentals
I like that idea, Yes guy. High time for the NHL to introduce some common sense.
Would like to see the league do something about all the NMC and NTC clauses in everyone’s contract!
This is an incredibly intriguing idea. Would mean that teams would not have to rely on the possibility of a “hometown discount” from their draftees that flourish.
Would mean Edmonton could possibly have held on to a couple of their drafted players…
Not to mention Tampa.
@Yes guy, the cap was introduced to control owner costs. The ceiling, in theory, levels the playing field but that is not its primary function.
As Chrisms points out, bigger markets would also benefit more since they could easily leverage the relief.
I get your interesting idea doesn’t actually increase the cap, but it does increase spending. I don’t see owners going for it though it would make for an interesting dynamic in how teams manage their rosters.
Also it would be complicated. What if teams trade prospects. When is a player considered home grown? The draft? Completing their elc?
There would literally be needed “definitions” up the yin-yan. But still doable with tweaks. And would further open up the need for each team to employ a dedicated “cap expert” … so, in essence, a job creation initiative.
A 10% reduction in cap hit on home-grown players in their FA years! 👍
I do like your suggestion Yes Guy
It would be hard (logistically) to implement and would require some sort of scaled benefit (retain/sign your own 1st round draft pick vs 3rd round pics, etc).
However, it definitely should (long term) result in more players being drafted/developed/and end up playing (at least through ELC and one more contract) for one team; and mitigating some current advantages/disadvantages
And further to everyone liking the idea – but it being complicated….it’s ALREADY complicated.
Think of the Sens. Signing big deals to Chabbot, Tkachuk, Stuzle, Sanderson, Batherson, Pinto. all home grown. Be a nice tidy cap discount to be able to get a second Jensen who’s turned out to be pretty handy.
Yes I’ve beat on that drum many times but I don’t see that happening even though it makes sense in that why must a team be punished for being good at one particular aspect of business such as drafting?
The cap really is about not allowing rich teams to hoard all the talent and one way is teams able to sign their own UFAs to 8 years vs 7 and the hard cap makes it easier to have any 7 yr contract a lesser amount than an 8yr one.
Increasing the cap due to higher revenues is not a solution to smaller market teams and eventually we will be back where we were before the cap, ie, talent walking away from small markets regardless of how good a team is…see the Jets.
The salary cap was introduced to prevent 2 teams from driving the rest out of existence
Intriguing but still benefits the wealthier teams more than others.
The NHL should do what the NBA used to. Have an exception to the salary cap, also known as the Larry Bird Rule. You can sign one player, probably who you think is your cornerstone superstar, and his salary wont count against the cap. That would give Edmonton and Toronto like an extra 12 million bucks a year.
Yes this idea might be better but there is probably no one simple solution especially considering how much teams will do everything they can to find loopholes.
Remember, the idea isn’t to help big markets but smaller ones but whatever the solution is, it shouldn’t take away from those that have already invested throughout generations to be where they are…we need to preserve those teams too (against other leagues)
Even as simple as that seems, it isn`t. What happens if that player gets injured or you want to trade that player. Gets complicated in a hurry, you might as well just say your highest salaried player doesn`t count against the cap. More flexible and far less complicated in the long run
My top 5 takes on NHL so far this year
1- Nathan MacKinnon best player in NHl
2- Cale Makar best D man really not close
3- Igor Shesterkin most complete Goaltender
4- Stamkos worst UFA signing this year
5- Winnipeg Jets are real deal
Makar, I’m not sure he’s the best defenseman in the league. I suppose it’s all from what perspective you’re looking at it from. Offensively? Probably. Defensively? Not remotely.
I’d also say McKinnon would be very debatable. Draisaitl, Mcdavid aren’t better? Kucherov?
Shesterkins numbers are top 5 n almost every category over the last few years. But 12 million? Most complete? Possibly, but going to be brutal to ice a team around him. Hopefully, he can score 20-30 goals and maintain his goalie numbers?
Stamkos? Too early. I didn’t like that fit from the get go. But way too early.
Jets? Too early. Let’s see where they are in December .
So Colorado has the best forward and defensemen in the league!Now they will have time finding a goaltender and a team psychologist to get them going!
Colorado has lots of injuries and not much depth they top line is unreal and Makar is just wow
I have wondered if the NHL couldn’t introduce something along the lines of a “Franchise Tag” like the NFL.
Each team is permitted one and the designated player’s salary wouldn’t count against the cap?