NHL Rumor Mill – November 25, 2024
The latest on the Penguins plus updates on David Jiricek and Kevin Shattenkirk in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
THE LATEST PENGUINS SPECULATION
THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe believes the fate of Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan rests with general manager Kyle Dubas. He wondered how poorly the club has to play before Dubas fires Sullivan but felt the GM and the team ownership would view that move as a last resort.
Yohe and Harman Dayal recently pondered whether Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson would be a good fit with the Vancouver Canucks, who need to improve their second defense pairing.
Pettersson would be an improvement but that doesn’t mean he’d be a perfect fit or the best bang for the buck. It might be useful to see what’s available the closer the season gets to the March 7 trade deadline.
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski believes it’s time for the Penguins to make a coaching change or a major roster move. He believes something has to be done as the fans are starting to tune out and not show up for the games.
Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan (NHL Images).
Kingerski also cited last week’s report by TSN’s Darren Dreger indicating the Penguins have been heavily scouting the Montreal Canadiens. Dreger felt the two clubs could be a fit trade-wise, with perhaps the Canadiens taking on an expiring contract if a sweetener is attached and the Penguins getting a younger player who might not fit into the Canadiens’ long-term plans.
The Penguins have several players on expiring contracts, including Pettersson and forwards Drew O’Connor, Cody Glass, Anthony Beauvillier, Matt Nieto and Jesse Puljujarvi. They could target a young Canadiens defenseman like Justin Barron or Jayden Struble or perhaps struggling forward Kirby Dach.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The more the Penguins flounder the more anticipation will grow about a coaching change or a big trade.
Yohe and Kingerski acknowledge that firing Sullivan probably won’t do much to improve the Penguins given their lack of depth. Dubas has already shown a willingness to make trades this season, shipping forward Lars Eller to the Washington Capitals nearly two weeks ago.
UPDATE ON DAVID JIRICEK
THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reports Columbus Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell is in no hurry to trade David Jiricek. The 20-year-old defenseman was demoted to their AHL affiliate in Cleveland, sparking speculation he could be traded.
A team source told Portzline that no official trade offers were on the table as of the middle of last week. However, that could quickly change. The Jackets would seek a player of comparable value to Jiricek, players who are former first-round draft picks and still on entry-level contracts.
Portzline reports that Jiricek has not requested a trade and hasn’t expressed an unwillingness to play for the Blue Jackets.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Waddell can be patient with this situation, keeping Jiricek in the minors until he improves or a rival club makes a tempting trade offer. This could stretch to the trade deadline before there’s a resolution.
KEVIN SHATTENKIRK COULD FACE RETIREMENT
NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks reports free agent defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk could face retirement after rejecting an offer from a Western Conference team. Brooks believes the offer came from a Western Canadian team like the Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers or Calgary Flames.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shattenkirk could prefer to sign with an Eastern Conference club close to his home in the Hamptons on Long Island. If that’s not possible, it could spell the end of his playing career.
Re “Dan Kingerski believes it’s time for the Penguins to make a coaching change or a major roster move. He believes something has to be done as the fans are starting to tune out and not show up for the games.”
That sounds familiar. But at least the fewer and fewer who show up will get to see Crosby go out as “Penguin for life.” Sheesh. Great way to manage a professional enterprise.
And yet there are people who say Columbus isn’t a hockey city despite the Jackets averaging 85% sell out rate with teams that had zero chance of even sniffing the playoffs.
Love the sarcasm George but very true; Dubas is a complete crap storm at GM
Setting aside today’s trade; he hasn’t won a single trade as Pens GM, not a single one; and setting aside Pulljarvi signing; has failed and failed huge at all UFA signings; and missed out on many many opportunities
We’re all hoping that this trade today does not stop the exit of Sullivan. He’s just not leading/motivating team anymore.
8787 not true
Tomasino 23 today will be good.solid young player will be good bottom 6 forward
Anthony Beauvillier good signing so far 7 goals
Dubas won the Guentzel trade netting Ponomarev, Koivunen Bunting and a second round pick
Glass Hayes Lizotte decent adds but incomplete all been injured.
Yes Graves /Karlsson just have not worked out. for whatever reason Graves was solid with the Devils and Avalanche and Karlsson UUGGHHHH.
We wont be down for long..
BUT these goofy contracts to Letang/ Rackell/ Malkn/ and Jarry were on Hextall/ Burke not Dubas
Hi BlackNGold
Yes Tomasino trade won.
Dubas has NOT won another trade.
That includes the Guentzel trade.
ALL reporters said at a minimum 1st, good young roster, good prospect
Some said 1st, 2nd, Roster, prospect
Dubas couldn’t even get a guaranteed 1st (could have been top 10 protected)
Bunting is midling roster and NOT in early 20’s
Pomoronov was listed as a B prospect; and Koivenen a “prospect”
Lizotte tiny gets hurt; contract too high
The Hayes move was a catastrophe. No other way to put it, complete catastrophe
Even at 50%, an albatros contract for the very slowest skater on the team; who is extremely poor defensively and plays only a 100’ game, and huge negative +\- relative to his TOI
The Glass deal is about even at best; NOT a win; NOT a loss
Team is as a whole, rapant with apathy and unmotivated; defensively a nightmare
Sully continuously and does so with very poor choices, changes up lines and D pairings
Sully refuses to sit those who are very bad defensively and in fact rewards them with more time and moves them UP the line up
He’s lost the confidence of the team
He needs to go
Yep, meanwhile in Ottawa the fans get to watch a bunch of plugs miss the playoffs… yet again.
Now that’s a great way to run a professional enterprise.
That wasn’t necessary Randino – just a childish “oh yeah? well, your team’s worse …”
NO ONE in here has been more critical of the Senators general play and some of their moves than I.
This thread started with that blurb by Lyle, and that wasn’t sarcasm on my part. The drop off in attendance isn’t something new in Pittsburgh. And, like it or not, their best trade chip for the biggest return is Crosby. Letting sentimentality get in the way of running a pro enterprise is bad management.
Grow up.
George O…Yes the Penguins are struggling…no doubt !!
Crosby is loyal and he isn’t going anywhere. Everyone acts like they can’t turn this around they can and last I checked Sullivan can’t shoot, pass or score or play goalie.
Maybe this year they fall off for this season they can retool this summer they will have $ 20 million in cap space, the NHL cap goes up, and Dubas will make some moves.
The Penguins are getting younger, (we acquired 23 year old Tomasino today) piling up picks, and can rebound even if it doesn’t happen this season.
Dubas has had to try to undo the damage that the idiots Hextall and fat as Brian Burke who fucked this team up for 2 years..
Ponomarev 22 up Pickering 20 up now Tristan Borz from national college national champion Denver Tristan Broz, Ville Koivunen 20, is coming Tanner Howe 19, coming soon, two good goalies this kid Musharev 20 is a stud and another goalie Blomquist 22
This organization has been the best and most successful organization in the NHl since 1990. Most Stanley Cups, most playoff wins second most regular season wins… mark my words this team wont be down for long..bank on it.
Happy Thanksgiving
Heh. Thanks blackngold … but we had our Thanksgiving back in October. Gives us an extra month to recover for Christmas 🙂
Jiricek:Not sure why CBJ would require a player on an entry level deal coming back. They’re barely over cap floor. Rangers defense is struggling and with them facing cap crunch next year, 1 of Lindgren or Miller won’t be back. Trouba most likely gone as well. How about Miller for Jiricek? With both Mancini and Schneider able to play left side, they can afford to let Miller go. Jiricek would add depth next year when Trouba is gone. Can still add a vet LD rental at deadline.
With Fox, Trouba, Schneider Mancini all righties, not sure how or where he fits in.
Also from my understanding, he’s a guy that struggles defensively. There’s already plenty of that going around in NY.
I’m all for getting rid of Miller, but not for another struggling d-man.
It’s more about getting rid of Miller. I’d take a flier on a 20 year old. Not looking at him as help for this year. As I said above, both Schneider and Mancini have played on the left side and can always get a rental.
Mercogliano reporting Rangers floating Trouba and Kreider in rumor mill
I think Kreider would be a mistake, and I don’t see Trouba moving before July.
I don’t think the Habs are ready to give up on Dach.
“The Jackets would seek a player of comparable value to Jiricek, ”
What is that value? A player who hasn’t been able to crack the lineup that is defensively weak to begin with and is back in the AHL.
His value is that of a project.
The Habs might be open to a trade, he’s a RD project and it’s position of need.
Do the Habs have the capacity for another project HF30? Dach is just about at the point of being a bust, Newhook hasn’t worked out, and while Armia and Anderson are playing well it is in a diminished role.
It would have to be one sweet deal for this to make sense for the Habs and if other clubs to have interest in Jiricek that’s unlikely.
Some speculation: Trouba to CBJ????
My take, if true:
Trouba at $6M and Orthmann for Jirisek
But wouldn’t he have CBJ on his no-go list?
They’re not tossing in Othmann and retaining salary for a project RH defenseman they don’t need.
BrindAmour needs to put Jarvis back on the first line instead of the Staal line. The Staal line is the north south shutdown line that plays a heavy game. Jarvis can play any style of hockey he is asked to play but Carolina needs him healthy for the rest of the season. If BrindAmour wants to balance out the lines he should try Jarvis as the second line center instead of Kotkaniemi.
How often does Waddell have to say that he’s not actively shopping Jiricek before all the self-appointed experts and insiders start thinking that Jiricek is NOT getting traded? He’s not been given up on. He’s been sent to Cleveland so that he can play and work on his defense. Nothing more. The Jackets are not an AHL+ team preparing promising young players for “real” teams to acquire for a bag of pucks and a kiss on the cheek. Just because some basement dweller fantasizes about acquiring a player doesn’t mean a damn thing.
Right on point Paul. The experts are trying to have Columbus trade Jiricek for them to unload something the Jackets don’t need or want. For Habfan questioning Jiricek;s worth. He 20 and need to pick up his Defense and he’s 20. Waddell isn’t calling to trade they are calling him and he holds the cards and isn’t giving anything away. I look at what he’s done since he came on board and it;s amazing yet because the jackets aren’t that good yet every move is just a move. Think again his additions have a ton of meaning. That includes waiver pickups UFA signings and Coach
Waddell did a stunning job here in Carolina and I wish him nothing but the best. When seemingly your only bad move in 6 years was overpaying for a 3rd line C (Kotkaniemi), that’s a pretty good record. And it reportedly wasn’t even his idea.
You’re in good hands in Columbus.
Sadly I fully agree with you Paul as this basement team dweller’s fans are fed up playing same said bag of pucks night in night out.
Pettersson and O’Connor would fit somewhere . Decent enough role players. The others meh
Jiracec is 20 . A little early to call a bust. Especially as a defence man on a poor team.
The coach position is hired to be fired with he odd exception. I guess Sully is next this year.
That E Karlsson move was catastrophic. Didn’t even look good at the time. No need except to make a splash by the new GM . Paying for it now and until it expires.
Hi Silver7
Yep they would fit somewhere; Pettersson almost on any team.
But Pens can ill afford to trade them away because Dubas won’t win the trade. He’s only won a single trade (today, Tomassino for a 4th , 3 drafts from now) EVER for Pens
Pettersson is absolutely Pens’ best defensive defenseman and most consistent defenseman. Any trade of Pettersson and Pens already brutal defense, gets worse
Re “ Josh Yohe believes the fate of Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan rests with general manager Kyle Dubas. ”
That’s the trouble, the decision lies with Dubas. 💩💩💩
As Pens GM , he has only won 1 (one) single trade (today, Tomassino for a 4th, 3 drafts from now) and made but one single appropriate/right UFA signing (Puljaarvi). He’s missed dozens of opportunities (players still available days/weeks after July 1st, only to be snatched up by another GMs):
How possibly, is this failure as a GM going to do the right thing and move on from Sullivan?