NHL Rumor Mill – October 7, 2024

by | Oct 7, 2024 | Rumors | 34 comments

Check out the latest on the Islanders, Bruins and Blue Jackets in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears examines the Islanders’ stunning decision to place Pierre Engvall on waivers Sunday. The 28-year-old forward is entering the second season of a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $3 million.

New York Islanders winger Pierre Engvall (NHL Images).

Sears expects Engvall will clear waivers today and likely start the season with their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. The Isles will only get $1.15 million in cap relief.

The Isles would like to find a trade partner for Engvall. However, his 16-team no-trade list combined with the years remaining on his contract makes that unlikely. A club willing to trade for him could demand a draft pick be included in the deal, which the Isles would find unpalatable.

Sears suggests Engvall’s contract could go down as one of the worst in Islanders history, one they could be dealing with for a while. Buying him out next June would cost $1 million annually against their cap through 2035. If not, they’ll be dealing with his $3 million cap hit through 2030.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Engvall’s contract makes it unlikely another club will claim him off waivers.

The Isles could attempt to swap him for a player with an equally toxic contract in the trade market in the hope the change of scenery would improve the performance of the incoming player. However, that also seems unlikely.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Christopher Hurley observes the Bruins have just over $386K in cap space after signing Jeremy Swayman yesterday to an eight-year, $66 million contract.

Hurley believes the Bruins have more roster juggling in store with PTO invitee Tyler Johnson still unsigned and several other players on the bubble.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That could mean demotions to the minors or a cost-cutting trade. They could send John Beecher, Matthew Poitras or Mason Lohrei to their AHL affiliate. They’re on entry-level contracts and waiver-exempt.

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline believes the Columbus Blue Jackets will be worth watching near the March 7 trade deadline depending on the club’s performance this season.

The Jackets have several players heading into the final season of their contracts. They include forwards Sean Kuraly, Justin Danforth, Mathieu Olivier and James van Riemsdyk, plus defensemen Ivan Provorov and Jack Johnson.

Portzline isn’t suggesting all of them will be traded but some of them could, especially if younger players push those veterans for playing time.







34 Comments

  1. ” Pierre Engvall on waivers”

    WOW, Sweet Lou pooped the bed on that contract, eh!!!

    • Engvalls stats don’t lock that bad. Similar to those he had in Toronto.
      Did he really play that bad?
      “Excellent” signing by Lou. Especially the term… 😀

      • Engvall is a third liner who can score 15 goals. A good thing to have and a 3m. cap hit is not cheap completely out of line. But giving him 7 years and a 16 team no trade list was nuts.

      • On an 82-game average basis that works out to 15g 16a 31 pts … which is almost exactly what he produced in his best season in Toronto in 2021-22 when he played in 78 games.

        His best deal there was $2,250,000, so what Lou gave him was a $750,000 raise – but over 7 years.

        If they don’t want him on the Island I’m sure there’s a team that would take him if the Islanders withheld $1 mil per.

        With 6 seasons to go. that would cost them $6 mil. Better than paying him $18 mil to play on their farm team in the AHL since no team is going to claim him off waivers at the full cost.

      • Unfortunately, any such trade isn’t going to happen any time soon with the added idiocy of letting him co,pile 1 SIXTEEN team no trade list (over half of what’s left in the bloody league!).

  2. Provorov the only player worth mentioning as pending UFA with Columbus . He would have lots of interest at the TD

    I am sure Boston knew what to accrue for Swayman. He wasn’t landing less than $8m

  3. Engvall’s deal may well go down as ONE of the worst in Islanders history … but it will take something a whole lot worse than that to surpass the Rick DiPietro fiasco.

    That was way before Lou Lamoriello, but Is Engvall another example that today’s NHL has left Lou in its wake?

    What had this guy do anywhere along the way to suggest that a 7-year deal at $3 mil per would be a bargain?

    • “What did this guy do … ” or “What has this guy done …” – only 1 cuppa so far – sheesh

    • How ’bout that Alexei Yashin contract? That was a peach.

    • George,

      That was Garth Snow as GM, no???

      • That was him all right who signed Rickety DiPietro..

      • I believe the culprit was know it all Mike Milbury!

      • If we’re talking about Yashin, then yes, that was another of Mad Mike’s doozies.

        If we’re talking about DiPietro, Mike Milbury was GM from Dec 12, 1995 to June 8, 2006 – replaced temporarily by Neil Smith from June 8, 2006 to July 18,2006, at which point Garth Snow took over and held the job to June 5, 2018.

        DiPietro was signed to that deal on September 12, 2006.

    • The John Spano deal was pretty bad.

    • George, always blows my mind what Lamoriello gets away with. He is “in” on every major trade or UFA and gets no one and then continues to overpay for middling role players. Not going to question as to whether or not he was a good gm but man he accomplished a lot with Brodeur and Niedermayer. Hey, at least his players are clean shaven and have short hair.

  4. Bruins cap space is just under 2 million after recent cuts

    • Mrbruin4, with $1,961,667 to spend and a roster of 21 of 23, the door is now open to offer Tyler Johnson a contract.

      That would bring them to 13F 7D 2G and a roster of 22. Depending upon what they give Johnson, the 23rd roster spot will either be filled by an ELC call-up …or they go for now with 22.

      • That is correct George. Now let the season begin

  5. Engvalls worst islanders contact..? What about Yashin and DiPietro’s contracts..? Those were some whopping ideas of Wang.

    • Well, to be fair, Sears did say his contract “could go down as one of the worst in Islanders history” – not THE worst … just “one of the worst”

      • Jeannot was given a similar contract in Tampa and they unloaded him to LA I believe!

      • Tampa gave Jeannot $2,665,000 … but only for 2 years … just 1 to go in L.A.
        \
        Engvall has 6 years left.

  6. 3m isnt that terrible, a 7 year deal with 16 team non trade deal is.

    Just a question/thought, why is it that many of these bad contracts are done by the Isles? Coincidence?

    • Lou is highly over-rated. This contract made no sense when he offered it. Engvall will be bought out next season at a cost of 1M per year of contract.
      Lou’s only master stroke was getting Roy to come to the Island.

    • Engvall is one of those enigma players he’s big fast shoots well, he’s the whole package when he puts it all together. He leaves everybody wanting more, similar to Joel Armia

  7. Toronto has signed Pacioretty (1 year $873,770) and Steven Lotentz (1 year $775,000), as well as Marlie D Cade Webber (2 years $1.65 mil). They now sit $4,344,999 over the cap with that amount to be covered by pending LTIRs.

    Detroit signed Austin Watson to a 1 year 2-way deal, while Ottawa has “loaned” Carter Yakemchuk to the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL.

  8. Staios’ explanation for the Yakemchuk decision

    “Carter had a tremendous training camp, but we made this decision in the best interests of his long-term development ,,, we had a healthy conversation with Carter this morning and we expressed that we have a plan for his development that will allow him to thrive once he arrives in the National Hockey League on a full-time basis. We are excited to watch his growth and trajectory in Calgary this season.”

    Translation: we did not want to lose 1 year of his free-agency.

    • As a Leafs fan i can say that kid is the real deal , Yakemchuk does not look intimidated at all! They should have gave him his 9 games, he deserved that at least

      • Agree totally.

    • Smart decision by Sen’s GM, SS….

      Carter Yakemchuk will make the team next year 100% he will improve and get better in defence and will grown a bit @ 6.ft3 & 205lb now

      Next year he will play with Chabot or Sanderson the 2nd pairing,
      then they can move out RD Nick Jensen @$4.M for 1 more year

  9. Jean-Gabriel Pageau contract is far worse than Engvall’s. but JPG does pk and takes faceoffs?
    Lou with his lifetime achievement GM of the year awards has not done great things with the Isles. Toes-Dobson would of been a great tandem

  10. Jimmy Vesey NYR to go on LTIR and Tyan Lindgren on IR

    Detroit waives Austin Watson after just signing him, likely figuring no one would claim him anyway – now they have their “muscle” nearby in the AHL

    Cole Schwindt claimed off waivers by Vegas and James Reimer by Anaheim

    • And Washington signs p.t.o Jakub Vrana to 1 year $775.000 deal