NHL Rumor Mill – November 4, 2024
What are some possible trade targets for the Islanders, Avalanche and Sabres? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Stefen Rosner noted the New York Islanders need a left-shot defenseman with Adam Pelech and Mike Reilly injured. Pelech is out for four to six weeks while Reilly is listed as day-to-day.
With wingers Mathew Barzal and Anthony Duclair on long-term injury reserve, the Islanders have $9.15 million in cap space.
Rosner suggested Detroit Red Wings defenseman Erik Gustafsson as a trade option. He was a healthy scratch in four of the Wings’ 11 games and carries a two-year contract with an average annual value of $2 million.
Another could be Erik Brannstrom of the Vancouver Canucks, who’s on a one-year, $900K contract. Rosner also suggested Brendan Smith of the Dallas Stars (one year, $1 million), who has only appeared in five of his club’s 11 games this season.
THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple also weighed in on possible blueline trade targets for the Islanders.
Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler (NHL Images).
He points out that Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello has limited options. He can’t afford to make a shake-up trade unless he moves out some salary. That’s because Duclair comes off LTIR in two-to-three weeks and Barzal will return before the end of 2024.
Staple suggested Jon Merrill or Declan Chisholm of the Minnesota Wild and Scott Perunovich of the St. Louis Blues as trade options. He also included Gustafsson in his list. Cam Fowler of the Anaheim Ducks could be available but the Isles would have to dump one of their top-four defensemen to afford his $6.5 million cap hit through next season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fowler also has a four-team trade list. He’s reportedly willing to expand it but the Isles might not be among his preferred destinations.
Most of these suggested options are inexpensive short-term fixes that won’t significantly improve the Isles blueline. They would be the more likely options for Lamoriello given his salary-cap limitations.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau listed three potential trade targets for the slumping Colorado Avalanche to boost their injury-battered roster.
Proteau wondered if they could make a play for Islanders center Brock Nelson. Given his UFA eligibility next summer, the 33-year-old center has a cap hit of $6 million but he’d be a pure rental player.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nelson might become available by the March 7 trade deadline depending on where the Isles are in the standings. That could be too long a wait for Avs management.
More affordable options include Toronto Maple Leafs winger Nick Robertson (one year, $875K) and Utah Hockey Club forward Michael Carcone ($775K).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche could be willing to wait until some of their sidelined players return to action. Artturi Lehkonen came off injured reserve yesterday and Valeri Nichushkin is expected to return from his six-month suspension later this month.
However, if they must make a trade, Robertson and Carcone are more likely to be available now than a core player like Nelson. They’ve been in and out of the lineup this season, carry low-cost contracts, and shouldn’t cost more than a third-round pick to acquire. The Avs have two fourth-rounders in the 2025 draft and two fifth-rounders in 2026 to use as trade chips.
BUFFALO HOCKEY NOW: Jason Moser cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting last Wednesday that Sabres GM Kevyn Adams has been active in the trade market.
Moser believes Adams could be in the market for a top-six forward. He indicated the Sabres can afford to work out a deal for a bigger salary, carrying over $7 million in cap space.
Moser listed several pending UFA forwards on struggling teams this season. They include Frank Vatrano and Robby Fabbri of the Anaheim Ducks, Mikael Granlund of the San Jose Sharks, Patrick Kane of the Detroit Red Wings, Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri of the New York Islanders, Gustav Nyquist of the Nashville Predators, and Taylor Hall and Ryan Donato of the Chicago Blackhawks.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Depending on their clubs’ performances in the coming weeks, some of these forwards could appear in the trade market once the calendar flips to 2025 and the March 7 trade deadline approaches.
At this stage of the season, it’s unlikely any of them are available. Adams might have to overpay to land one now.
Unless Lou goes nothing will change.With all these injuries he will stay and say well we had injuries we are on trach until then. But the truth is with these injuries they have no one to bring up from Bridgeport that is of any use. Why? because he traded picks for over the hill players. Lou needs to go, and the y should trade as many players and tank the rest of the year get as many picks and prospects as possible. I as an original fan from day one in 72-73 cannot and will not support this dumpster fire. where are the owners lots of empty seats this year.
Lou got the Isles to back to back ECF but some contracts(and players) aged badly. three good draft picks in a decade.(ilya barzal and dobson)
Lou is the only one to ever handle the job of NHL GM after passing the age of 80. He is now 82.
Not saying he should step down (or be fired) simply because he’s in his 80s … Hell, I can relate …. but believe me, it isn’t going to get any easier to make rational decisions as the days, weeks and months go by.
Key elements of that team are aging fast, and with their prospect pool ranked 28th out of 32 by The Hockey Writers, there isn’t a whole lot of support there on which to rely, largely because, at the draft this past June, they made their first 1st Round pick in 5 years when they took W Cole Eiserman 20th overall … but he’s at least a season or two away.
They need to embark upon a re-build as soon as possible.
And ds, when you say “Lou got the Isles to back to back ECF” you pinpoint the other side of the coin.
While Islanders fans were being treated to some pretty damned good playoff hockey, fans of Buffalo (13 years), Detroit (8 years) and Ottawa (7 years) would have given their eye teeth for a playoff berth, never mind a series win.
So from that perspective, Lamoriello’s been a decent GM.
If They have the space, Gustafsson could be a good pickup. Brännström isn’t going anywhere at the moment
But in the end, islanders need a rebuild, and with that the cap is rising it might be able to get rid of some of those players the next 9 months
After a scan of their roster it seems like, to start the re-build, there are 5 veteran players they should probably try to move first … but then you see the roadblocks – all awarded by Lou.
Each of Palmieri, Nelson, Pageau, Cizikas and Varlamov have the experience and lingering skills that could help a playoff team or perhaps a few in the “bubble” range, and potentially bring back a combination of a decent prospect and a pick.
The problem is, each of Palmieri (who turns 34 in February) and Nelson (who just turned 33) and are costing $5 and $6 mil off the cap respectively for this season before becoming UFAs,. have M-NTC clauses. So, too, does Pageau, whose $5 mil per cap hit has 2 seasons to go, including this one). Finding a potential taker becomes just that much more difficult.
Cizikas turns 34 in February as well, and with 3 seasons to go (including this one) at a reasonable $2.5 mil per and no M-NTC clause would be the easiest to move, but the return would be far less.
Then there’s Varlamov who, up until this season, had been posting some pretty decent goaltending stats, but he turns 37 next April and has 3 years to go (including this one) at $2,750,000 per, a NTC this season and, for the last 2 years of his deal, a M-NTC clause. Why would any GM dole out a deal like that to someone who’ll be 39 at the end of the contract?
Kale Clague to the Islanders for Hudson Fasching and a 3rd pick.
An emergency bandaid but he can play at a decent level on a third pair.
Right now, just about every team is in the process of trying to figure out how their team stacks up, especially those that have had key injuries with which to deal, and later in November in Toronto there’s a GM meeting that coincides with the Hall Of Fame induction process where you can expect preliminary discussions to get started on potential deals. This will be particularly true for those, like the Islanders, that have been crippled by what appear to be long-term injury situations.
Remander of 2024…
The main Trades for this year will happen
Mid November to 2nd week in December once each team needs to figure out injuries and who is not working out and who they would like to add to get there team going…
Like the Habs, are waiting on Patrik Laine up front and maybe the young Russian they got at #5 in the draft,
Canadiens on d.. are loaded…they have Xhekaj as a 6-7 guy this season , Kaiden Guhle, Lane Hutson, David Savard, Mike Matheson, Jayden Struble, Justin Barron,
down in the AHL, they have RD Logan Mailloux and David Reinbacher and on LD, they have 20 yr old
Adam Engström and 22 yr old Willie Trudeau
and
The 2025 NHL Draft 2X1st and 2X2nd 3X3rd
round picks🤔 lots of trade bait there.
i think they will pick up an other Centre in the Draft like Michael Misa, or big Roger McQueen
Ivan Ryabkin or a Anton Frondell from the top 4 to10 Range…..❓
UFA to trade at trade dead line,
Dvorak, C & Armia, RW and they may try to move Anderson again but he has 2 more years +$5M…
I think they keep 28 yr old rd line C, Jake Evans
very good on the PK,
not sure if they trade RD, David Savard or keep him for 1 or 2 years..?
The Habs have to many young d/men they need a mentor to play with…🤔
Hey willie, you come across as a Habs fan and FYI I am also, so my comments are geared toward what will help the team most for down the road.
You are right that Mtl is clearly waiting for Laine to join the lineup this year to see where they are. There is also a top 6 slot allocated for Demidov for next season, however there is still one slot available in the top 6 after you consider Suzuki, Caufield, Slakovsky, Laine and Demidov. They do have Dach and Hage who have potential but a legit established top 6 for this season should be what they target. Preferably a L shot centre (Zegras maybe).
As for the possible trades this year up to the deadline I think they will do or should do the following:
– trade Evans because he will bring back a better return than Dvorak. Maybe some team will be desperate and they could get a 2nd rounder or a RD prospect.
– For the other centres they have Suzuki, Dach/Newhook (needs upgrade), Kapanen, Evans (replaced by Beck after deadline). As soon as the deadline in Dec is reached that they can send Kapanen down to Laval (and not have to return him to Finland) I would so he is away from the losing environment and then use Dvorak a 3C.
– Armia should go asap, I see a spot in Flo for him playing with Lundell and Luostarinen. Complete a Finnish line and they could use another good penalty killer and also are short on R shot fwds.
– RHP and Pezzeta can be kept as ideally 13th and 14th fwds unless any team will give you anything for them. I would call up Tuch as soon as you clear a roster spot so you can see what you have in him, preferably he’ll be 4 LW next season.
– For D, I would run with Matheson-Guhle as top pair, Hutson-Savard as 2nd pair and if you can’t trade Barron right now keep him to play 3rd RD with Struble as 3 LD. Then pick up a vet for 7th D (should have kept either Harris or Kovacevic as they were ideal 7th D). Xhekaj should go down to Laval and be told he is to learn to play his off side and that he is the future partner for Hutson after Savard is gone. For Savard, depending on the return, I would trade him at the deadline. Then I would call up whoever deserves it more on RD, Mailloux or Xhekaj.
– For goalies, I would trade (or maybe even waive) Primeau (maybe go home to Philly). Then I would target a vet backup to play out the season, maybe Blackwood in SJ so they can call up Askarov or Kahkonen in Col is their 3rd G, or if Pit adds enough of a sweetener (and retains) then take Jarry, or the ultimate good news story maybe Fleury would like to come home for his final season and Minny could call up Wallstedt.
Then with the above changes play out this season to see what you have in Mtl, but the guys you identify as part of the team going forward (Kapanen, Mailloux and Xhekaj) should spend most of the year in Laval to be on a winning team and addressing any deficiencies in their games down there.
Samuelsson/Nelson main participants in a trade.
Sabres get a center, Isles get a LHD. They’d probably want Byram but Adams wouldn’t and can’t blame him. Nelson bolts at seasons end and Isles would get a controlled LHD.