NHL Rumor Mill – November 7, 2024
Check out the latest on the Maple Leafs and Canadiens in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
THE ATHLETIC: James Mirtle wondered if another cost-cutting trade could be coming to help the Toronto Maple Leafs get under the salary cap.
Defenseman Jani Hakanpaa and forward Connor Dewar will soon complete their AHL conditioning stints as they return from injury. Meanwhile, the Leafs have an extra forward (Pontus Holmberg) and two extra defensemen (Matt Benning and Philippe Myers).
Mirtle indicates the Leafs are trying to trade Benning. Failing that, he or Myers could be placed on waivers and sent to the minors if unclaimed.
Toronto Maple Leafs winger Nick Robertson (NHL Images).
They’ll also have to free up a spot for Calle Jarnkrok when he returns from injury. Holmberg could be waived and demoted while trade candidates include Nick Robertson and David Kampf. Moving Kampf would clear his $2.4 million annual cap hit (through 2025-26) from their books.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau believes it’s time for the Leafs and Nick Robertson to part ways. The 23-year-old winger has had a sub-par start to the season and should be traded.
Robertson asked for a trade this summer but eventually signed a one-year, $875K contract with the Leafs. He had five goals in preseason play but only one in 11 games thus far and has been a healthy scratch from a couple of recent games.
Proteau thinks Robertson might benefit from a fresh start elsewhere. He believes the young winger would get a longer look as a top-nine forward with a club like the Colorado Avalanche or New York Islanders.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see what kind of roster juggling Leafs general manager Brad Treliving has in store to address this issue.
It’s been rumored he could shop a forward like Kampf or Jarnkrok. Robertson also remains a trade possibility.
Proteau suggested the Avs and Isles because injuries have left them thin on their respective forward lines. He’d be an affordable addition to those cap-strapped clubs but his inconsistent play affects his value in the trade market.
SPORTSNET: Eric Engels recently answered some questions from Montreal Canadiens fans.
First, he doesn’t believe Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis is on the hot seat and doesn’t expect he’ll be fired anytime soon. Despite the team’s current struggles, management expected this and they believe St. Louis will seize the opportunity to improve and come out a better coach.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: St. Louis remains part of the Canadiens’ long-term plans but he could use some help from the coaching staff, especially with their defensive game. Any changes behind the bench could involve his assistants.
Engels also repeated recent reports indicating Canadiens GM Kent Hughes is shopping around for a veteran defenseman and a gritty forward. However, Hughes doesn’t want to pay a high price for depth.
Hughes could be interested in re-signing center Jake Evans but shouldn’t rush based on his strong start to this season. Nevertheless, the 28-year-old center could price himself out of Montreal if he seeks over $3 million annually on his next contract.
They could be interested in re-signing 34-year-old defenseman David Savard if he accepts a short-term deal for less money.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes isn’t going to make any panicky deals based on his team’s poor start. Management remains in rebuild mode despite hoping to be in the mix for playoff contention this season. They hope to get a boost when sidelined winger Patrik Laine returns from a knee injury in December.
What stage of this rebuild are the Habs in? Have they flushed out all their dead weight? Have they drafted enough talent to start to have some redundancy aka depth in the organization? How long has it been now?
When is it ok to start expecting progress?
1) Not sure.
2) No.
3) No.
4) Feels like too long, likely closer to the beginning than the end.
5) See #4.
The Sabres, Sens and Wings also seem to be stuck in a spin cycle, and the ominous fact is that they all have been in rebuild mode longer.
Too early to tell how any of the will finish but none are exhibiting signs of truly breaking out.
So if this is only year 3, one can safely say that 1. the cap hasn’t helped since the Habs have some players/contracts they still have but really not too big of a deal there. 2. Being in only year 3, there should be zero expectations, zero need to sign any FA, and zero need to worry.
Teams and the fans of Buffalo and Ottawa, have more to be concerned about but not all and if ever is a rebuild linear. For those teams, hopefully they have a stockpile of serviceable players that they could use as trade currency. The Wings are close to starting their second draft cycle…something both the Sabers and Sens have past.
I just find all this interesting as every team has to go through this at one point or another and looking at
Philly which is somewhere around the stage the Habs are in but seem to be stuck there. The one team that is truly mind boggling and stalled is the Sabers. They should have been a playoff team by now. I can’t help but think ownership/management is the reason behind the poor returns with these teams as much as it was with the other teams that wallowed in a long and unsuccessful rebuild.
This is the third full season of their rebuild. They were expecting to see some progress this season. However, rebuilds don’t follow a specific timeline. As for “dead weight”, they’re still carrying Carey Price’s contract though they do get cap relief by placing him on LTIR. Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia would fall into that category.
“However, rebuilds don’t follow a specific timeline.”
From this Ottawa fan, seeing the team entering its 8th year of the “re-build” – a resounding, exasperated “no kidding!”
And I’m sure there are lots of Detroit and Buffalo fans feeling the same way.
Just looking at the coaching/GM changes since the last time Buffalo, Detroit and Ottawa made the playoffs
Buffalo – 8 coaches – 3 GMs
Ottawa – 4 coaches – 2 GMs
Detroit – 3 coaches – 2 GMs
makes you winder just how much rope St. Louis has left.
Sometimes teams have success too early and instead of continuing to follow their rebuild plans, everything goes out the door. Then they`re really not rebuilding nor are they really a contender. They overpay the kids and then forever stuck in no man`s land.
Wouldn’t Josh Anderson also fall into that catagory?
A weak return for the $5 million dollars spent.
What has also hurt is that if teams Don t win and make the playoffs you can t get free agents to sign there!
To a degree, I suppose, but it didn’t stop Yzerman from signing Tyler Motte, Cam Talbot, Jack Campbell, Erik Gustafsson, William Largesson, Vladimir Tarasenko and Alex DeBrincat
Thay are all just “place holders” George, wxcect maybe DeBrincat.
Justin Holl, Jeff Petry and Ben Chiarot would fit into that catagory as well.
Along with overpaying Andrew Copp.
Some very questionable signings by Yzerman!