NHL Rumor Mill – November 12, 2024
In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: the Bruins could be planning a shakeup, the latest on Trevor Zegras, the Leafs could use another center, defensemen potentially available at the trade deadline, and a coaching rumor involving the Canadiens is debunked.
ARE THE BRUINS PLANNING A BIG CHANGE.
RG.ORG: James Murphy reports a belief among some NHL general managers that the Boston Bruins could be on the verge of a big change.
Murphy cited “a well-placed, NHL executive” telling him to “be on the lookout” for a potential shakeup move by the Bruins. It’s uncertain if that’ll be a coaching change or a trade.
The source claimed it’s no secret Bruins general manager Don Sweeney wants to add a top-six winger but he could also snag another top-six center.
It was rumored Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo drew the interest of the Columbus Blue Jackets. However, their recent addition of Dante Fabbro likely shelves those discussions for now.
Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras (NHL Images).
Another source told Murphy the Bruins were talking to the Utah Hockey Club and the Anaheim Ducks. The latter raised the question of the availability of struggling forward Trevor Zegras.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: A coaching change seems more likely than a major trade at this point in the season. Nevertheless, it’s still early in the season and the Bruins are currently among the top eight in the Eastern Conference.
Sweeney could conduct diligence in the trade market by calling to see who’s available. However, he could remain patient and give his team time to improve.
Speaking of Zegras…
TRADE RUMOR TIDBITS FROM THE ATHLETIC’S CHRIS JOHNSTON
THE ATHLETIC: Chris Johnston was asked if there were any trade talks about Trevor Zegras. The 23-year-old Anaheim Ducks forward is struggling to score this season and might benefit from a change of scenery.
Johnston indicated trade discussions about Zegras might pick up at some point this season. However, it doesn’t seem like a priority or a serious thought right now.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The more Zegras struggles the more his value drops in the trade market. The Ducks would likely prefer offers with a first-round pick involved but interested clubs will try to capitalize on his poor production by offering up considerably less.
A reader asked Johnston if the Toronto Maple Leafs might try to add a third-line center. He believes they’ll likely attempt to do so by the March 7 trade deadline. Johnston pointed out they’ll have cap room if they wish to add a player signed beyond this season with a couple of big cap hits due to expire next summer.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: He’s referring to Mitch Marner and John Tavares as they could depart via free agency in July. Tavares could stay but he’ll have to accept much less than his current $11 million average annual value. However, that could be taken up by a hefty raise for Marner.
Johnston was asked which defensemen might become available by the March 7 trade deadline. Ivan Provorov of the Columbus Blue Jackets tops his list, followed by Cam Fowler of the Anaheim Ducks, Rasmus Ristolainen of the Philadelphia Flyers, and Cody Ceci of the San Jose Sharks.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Provorov and Ceci are slated to become UFAs next summer and are the most likely of this group to get moved. Fowler is signed through 2025-26 and could entice teams looking for more than a blueline playoff rental but the Ducks might have to retain part of his $6.5 million AAV. Ristolainen has an AAV of $5.1 million but the two years left on his deal could be a sticking point.
CANADIENS DENY SPEAKING WITH GALLANT
TVA SPORTS: cited a recent rumor from BPM Sports’ Georges Laraque claiming Montreal Canadiens management met with former NHL coach Gerard Gallant over the weekend.
Laraque claimed Canadiens GM Kent Hughes and head coach Martin St. Louis met with Gallant in Toronto to discuss a coaching position with the club. However, TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie reports no member of the Canadiens met with Gallant in Toronto or anywhere else.
As a Leaf fan, I can definitively say that Ducks Trevor Zegras does not strike me as a potential bruins fit.. Jack McBain or more expensive Barrett Hayton would be more suited.. that said i don’t see Utah moving him, they aren’t in Arizona anymore and actually want to win…
I think coach goes before any trade in Boston
While there’s still plenty of time for teams to turn things around – or come back down to Earth – just looking at the average goals scored per game and average goals allowed per game by each team in the Atlantic suggests the Bruins might need to look at shoring up both offensively and defensively. And Toronto fans certainly have to be happy with their team’s defensive results to date
GFPG
Florida – 3.9
Tampa – 3.5
Ottawa – 3.4
Buffalo – 3.4
Toronto – 3.1
Montreal – 2.9
Boston – 2.5
Detroit – 2.4
GAPG
Toronto – 2.6
Ottawa – 3.1
Detroit – 3.1
Florida – 3.1
Tampa – 3.2
Buffalo – 3.3
Boston – 3.3
Montreal – 4.2
Hey George, this shows what we Bruins fans already know, we haven’t been generating nearly enough quality scoring chances on a consistent basis. Our 3rd period against your Sens was the worst offensive period of the year, but it simply put an exclamation point on the problem.
I think the B’s can turn it around defensively more easily that generating offense as they have the guys to do it.
Going to hard to find, to Sam’s point above, and not lose that trade. Way easier to can the coach and see if that gets them going. I haven’t given up on the season by any means, as they are hanging around, but there also haven’t been many reasons to be optimistic they will.
Ray, in case you or anyone else was wondering how the Atlantic stacks up against the Metropolitan – especially in terms of WC races – here are the same stats for that Division
GFPG
Car – 4.2
Wash – 4.2
NYR – 3.8
N.J. – 3.4
Clb – 3.1
Pha – 2.8
Pitt – 2.8
NYI – 2.6
GAPG
NYR – 2.3
Car – 2.6
N.J. – 2.7
Wash – 2.9
NYI – 3.1
Clb – 3.5
Pha – 3.6
Pitt – 4.0
You know George, it’s funny as I said to my kid watching the game on Saturday, the Bruins are starting to remind me of the Islanders. Stuck in the middle of the pack, fighting for a playoff spot, but not good enough to challenge for a cup, or suck enough to get the high picks that can help get you there.
I hope that’s not the case, as their roster does seem better than the Isles, they are just playing like them right now.
#’s pretty darn similar.
That’s the way it looks to me too Ray.
Cheer up, though. The B’s drafted Bergeron 45th, Marchant 71st, and they drafted Pasta 25th. So you don’t always have to have a high first rounder to draft a franchise player.
The GF – GA metric is a good one to assess a team’s chances of making the playoffs. From 22 down, only Seattle, Columbus and Detroit have single digit negative numbers – and Detroit is barely there at -9.
It’s a tough hill to climb when your GF-GA metric is in the red by a big #. SJ, the Pens and the Habs are all at -20 or greater. Clinically dead for this season’s playoffs.
And just to emphasize the point for me, I said the Habs goaltending was no worse than any other element of their game. Then Primeau came in and pitched a .643 save percentage, demonstrating he has a bright future in a call center.
Ya Ray. The isles have (when they’re healthy) pretty good defense, excellent goaltending and mediocre to lousy forwards. A middling group that plays mid-90’s New Jersey trap style hockey. They play to “not lose”. It’s frustrating to watch.
The Sens didn’t so much shut the B’s down the other night as the Bruins didn’t really do much to generate offense in the 3rd. As a casual Sens fan I didn’t for a second think that it was all Ottawa’s brilliant shut-down D that caused no shots for 22 minutes. Also. I like your coach. He’s good. You have an Islanders offense. And should have added more in the off season.
I usually wait until the quarter pole to determine good or bad team starts. It is a war of attrition.
The Caps are surprising me . The Detroit goals for as well – last in the east
Coaches including the assistants are always fired first and then onto the players.
I agree … was just curious to see how they were stacking up against each other, and when you have a situation where one team has played 18 and 3 more at 17 each, while at the other end of the scale. 2 have only played 13 each and 8 are at 14, the only way to compare is on an average basis.
That disparity in gp probably won’t even begin to even out until well into the New Year, so what I’ll do is jot down reach team’s record as they reach the 20 game mark, and then do a similar comparison.
Just to be clear, when I say “each team” I mean in the East’s 2 Divisions.
If someone wants to see the same stats for the West … fill yer boots! LOL 🙂
If I HAD to predict the final standings in the East based solely on results to date I could see it ending like this
Atlantic
Florida
Toronto
Tampa
Metropolitan
Carolina
NYR
Washington
WC
New Jersey
Boston
(with NYI, Ottawa, Buffalo all breathing down Boston’s neck for that last slot, and perhaps Detroit as well if they can make moves to add some offense between now and then)
I hope I’m better at predicting than some certain Hollywood celebrities.
The NHL has become a very boring product!Would love to see some old fashion trades among teams floundering at 500 or below that mark!I know it is much easier to fire the coach but why not give these coaches an opportunity with a different cast of players!The 3. MOST surprising teams are Wash.,Minn,and the LAKings!The following teams should look to move players Anaheim,Seattle,Boston,Utah,Pitt.,Nashville,St. Louis, Chicago,Columbus,Colorado,,Philly,Islanders,Montreal,Detroit and Buffalo!Let s shake it up a little bit! Would be interesting in some of your potential trades !
In the “old days” there was certainly nothing like a slew of trades to get at least one element of the fan base trading options/jibes, whatever – but back then there were no forums like this to do so. That was left to pub gatherings, etc.
Unfortunately, the arrival of widespread web sites like this more or less coincided with the arrival of the cap era in 2005 and, since then, the number of in-season deals has dropped dramatically, simply because it’s difficult – damned near approaching impossible – to work out deals which can be accommodated within most team’s cap structure – and adding to the difficulty are the plethora of M-NTC handed out and the approaching free agent status within most teams – both RFA and UFA – which have to calculated either in terms of freed-up cap or, the need to ensure sufficient cap is at hand when re-negotiations begin.
In short, the current system is not as trade-friendly as it once was.
Absolutely George! Today s system is a coach killer! Once a roster is set,you can do very little with any significant players! They are all protected with NMC and NTC clauses!
I’m guessing GM’s get fired more often for bad trades (or ones that don’t work out long term) vs the trades they don’t make.
Might have something to do with it as well as the points you guys are making.
When I lived in Ottawa, my buddies and I would book off trade deadline day and meet at the Highlander Pub for beers and whisky and watch the whole thing live. It was actually an event.
Now…meh.
Yup. A bunch of us would do the same at Molly McGuire’s on Rideau … now it’s pathetic watching the hosts of the sports shows trying to find something to talk about as they await news of a trade … ANY trade.
Re the Habs
Habs really need to address 2 main areas
they have way to many young d/men,
Hab’s need to add a top 4 older d/man LD or RD
After seening hightlights of there games if very clear
Goaltending is a Majior Weakness, Primeau let in 3 or 4 goals yesterday with 8 shots❗️❓
Cayden Primeau is Not going to amount to much
GP 7, GAA 4.67 SV% 0.845….Horable
Sam Montembeault is not very consistent
he lets in 3.5 GA per game…
if the Preds go into a full Re-build…… they should trade a Goaltender Saros,
Habs 1st pick that will be in the top 7 picks and one of there top young d/men and Anderson……..❓
I get a kick out of the speculation that Tavares contract is going to be rock bottom. The guy is not going to get 10+ million, but he is going to get a similar contract that Steven Stamkos received this past off season at 34 years old. Stamkos was a 1.03 PPG player in the two seasons before he signed his contract this past summer. JT has been a .91 PPG player last season and so far this season. The difference is Stamkos over the past 2 years, has received nearly 100 more power play minutes then JT. IMO JT hits the open market and is going to sign a deal very comparable to Stamkos.
Brian, you are probably right- but I think the leafs should walk from that… if he can get that somewhere else go get it. Time for them to see if he wants to be here- if he takes less to stay, great otherwise it wouldn’t be the worst thing to have another 8 mill to spend somewhere else- whether its in the summer or later in year. It also woluld be a welcome change if one of their 4 primary stars had some real toughness in their game. Its becoming clear this team is going to overpay marner which means they will run back the same 3 for the next 5 years at least
The Pajama Boy is staying in T0nt0.
Those Pajamas don’t lie.
Just wish listing but Sullivan to the bruins would probably make sense for both clubs. Pens players are tuned out and the legit rebuild needs to commence posthaste.
I Don t want Mcavoy playing for his father in law! Sullivan was the coach who supported the Joe Thornton trade to San Jose! No Thanks!
Pens don’t have goaltending
Look like they miss the playoffs yet again
And a poor D
They’re not scoring a lot either. 2.8 gfpg and exactly 4 gapg don’t add up to success.