NHL Rumor Mill – December 13, 2024
Check out the latest on the Sabres, Hurricanes and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
LATEST SABRES SPECULATION
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Buffalo Sabres are getting calls from other teams about Dylan Cozens. The 23-year-old right-shot center is two years removed from a 30-goal season but he’s struggling in 2024-25. He has five years left on his contract with an average annual value of $7.1 million, which Friedman believes helps his value in the trade market.
TSN: Darren Dreger reports no sense of panic among the Sabres’ organization despite their difficulties. Teams are calling in for promising young players like Jack Quinn but general manager Kevyn Adams isn’t moving him. He’s open to a trade that helps his team now but doesn’t want to force things.
THE ATHLETIC: Matthew Fairburn wonders what move could set the Sabres back after missing the playoffs for 13 consecutive seasons. They’re closer to last place in the league this season than they are to a playoff berth.
Buffalo Sabres forward Dylan Cozens (NHL Images).
Fairburn cited Adams saying he didn’t spend his $7 million in cap space because Quinn, forward JJ Peterka and goalie Devon Levi are restricted free agents next summer. However, Quinn has one goal this season, Peterka has one goal in his last 13 games, and Levi is back in the AHL.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: There are plenty of reasons why the Sabres have struggled over the years, from meddling ownership to poor management to a revolving door of coaches. The issue now is whether Adams and head coach Lindy Ruff can find a way to turn things around before their postseason drought stretches to 14 years and counting.
HURRICANES SHOPPING FOR A GOALTENDER
TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Carolina Hurricanes had discussions with the San Jose Sharks about Mackenzie Blackwood before the 28-year-old goaltender was traded to the Colorado Avalanche. They’re seeking insurance for starter Pyotr Kochetkov.
LeBrun mentioned Dan Vladar of the Calgary Flames, Anton Forsberg of the Ottawa Senators and Karel Vejmelka of the Utah Hockey Club as options. However, none of those teams are ready to be sellers.
The Hurricanes have spoken to the Anaheim Ducks about John Gibson. However, the asking price will have to go down before
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman also noted the Hurricanes’ interest in Gibson. He said there’s been an on-again, off-again courtship between the Hurricanes and Ducks over Gibson for years.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gibson has a 10-team no-trade list but these reports suggest the Hurricanes are on that list. The Hurricanes could prefer the Ducks retain part of his $6.4 million average annual value through 2026-27, but the Ducks could seek something substantial to make salary retention worthwhile.
RUMOR TIDBITS FROM THE LATEST “32 THOUGHTS” COLUMN
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello isn’t tipping his hand about potential moves this season. His peers find it hard to believe that Lamoriello would move pending UFA center Brock Nelson if the Isles remain in playoff contention.
The Dallas Stars are expected to utilize its extra salary-cap space while Tyler Seguin recovers from hip surgery. Friedman indicates they’re doing due diligence on what centers and right-shot defensemen are available.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars are expected to put Seguin on long-term injury reserve and use the salary-cap savings to bolster their roster for the playoffs. Seguin is out for four to six months.
The Vancouver Canucks are trying to find a better fit for Vincent Desharnais. It hasn’t worked out as hoped for the 28-year-old defenseman, who signed a two-year contract in the offseason with the Canucks.
Seattle Kraken defenseman Will Borgen is being scouted as a potential depth addition.
Nashville Predators GM Barry Trotz is doing all he can to avoid making head coach Andrew Brunette the fall guy for the club’s struggles this season. Friedman speculated that little-used forward Juuso Parssinen could follow Dante Fabbro and Philip Tomasino out of Nashville.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trotz might not have much choice if the losses keep mounting.
Nashville really screwed this up. They’re a team that hasn’t made it out of the 1st round or qualified at all for the playoffs in 6 years!
Way too many players on the wrong side of 30 and they thought adding 3 more players on the wrong side of 30 for 4 years each with pretty sizable cap hits was the answer?
This team was more in need of a rebuild (not retool) than adding aging players to the roster!
Trotz should be doing all he can do to save himself!
Proving that being a great coach does not mean you will be a great GM.
Kinda like being a great scout doesn’t mean you’ll shine as a GM either.
In fact, being great at various aspects of the game on ice has rarely transferred to coaching and/or the GM position. Proven either through experience, or simply no inclination to ever try. A few have – Gretzky as a classic example – and failed dismally. Rocket Richard, I think, lasted a handful of games behind the Nordiques bench. Henri never tried (or was offered such a job).
Beliveau, Orr, Howe, Mahovlich, Keon, Harvey, Bobby or Denis Hull, Brett Hull, Modano, Lafleur, Robinson, Plante, Sawchuk, Bower, Dionne, Mikita and on and on.
Milt Schmidt and Jacques Lemaire and, to a lesser degree, Serge Savard did well.
If Lou does what Lou does – I expect a 10 year 10 million a year extension for Nelson – bringing him to his 43rd birthday. Clearly his best years are ahead of him. As long as he doesn’t want any facial hair for the next decade and can put up with Patrick Roy for another year or two before he gets fired. Heck might as well extend Palmeri too.
Lou needs to go many years ago. I don’t understand what the owners are looking at. Boycott going to the games and maybe they will listen. Everyone should be available especially Palms and Brock. Get younger and faster . Enough with this aging team. Maybe Trotz will take some of our players he knows them very well.
Captain O
None of the Preds players look like they are jelling as a team….⁉️
Your 100 % Right to many Old players not enough Speed….✔️
Both Stamko and Jonathan Marchessault look like they are going through the motions…
The preds just look like a sorry bunch…
Won 10 lost 20….Goals for 68 goals against 96…
No way they make the playoffs
Bye Jan 4th, they will be at 40 game mark,
then they should start there Re-Tool and trade out there Big Fish or they wait til the NHL draft time or just after the end of season❓
While I think Ottawa might be ready to wash their hands of the inconsistent Forsberg, they’d first have to acquire someone more reliable to take up the back-up role behind Ullmark.
And that simply puts them into the same position as is Carolina now.
Musical chairs.
George,
I think Shesterkin and his 11.5 million cap hit would look fantastic in Ottawa!
😆
my igor+kreider for ullmark+brady?
lol … no and NO
Smashville in pieces!
Something must be done. Agree Captain Obvious; age balance (like Pens) on team is not good.
To move them; retention is a must.
Would Stamkos thrive elsewhere? Would he waive to go? What would be the return?
Dallas weighing future/this year/Seguin absence (and return timing???) and available space.
A jumble and plethora of uncertainties re Preds has me wondering if any potential future “private” conversations (Trotz to Nil) may happen with respect to Stamkos (including retention) ending up in Dallas?
Note: Stamkos would need to agree (NMC).
Regardless of that possibility; Trotz has to realize “dump and chase” (dumping aging non producers to chase futures and future cups) is the way to go.
It just ain’t happenin’ for Preds as is
They’ve really put themselves in an awful position.
Skjei 7 years @ 7 per taking him to 38 yo?
Stamkos 4 years @ 8 per taking him to 38 yo?
Marchessault 4 years @ 5.5 per taking him to 37 yo?
Forsberg 5 years remaining @ 8.5 taking him to 35 yo?
Josi 4 years remaining @ 9.06 years taking him to 38 yo?
Love Josi, wouldn’t mind Skjei but these will be tough players to move given cap hits, term , age.
Dallas is setting themselves up like Vegas and Tampa did utilizing the LTIR!It worked for Stone and Kucherov!If Stamkos and Marchessault are smart they will waive their NMC and get out of Nashville!
Setting themselves up? Did Seguin get a visit from Tanya Hardings hit squad?
Everyone forgets it was Chicago / Kane this all started with, not Tampa. Tampa actually proposed a vote to close that loophole in 2015 after losing to Chicago in the finals.
Not one other team agreed.
And these days, Nearly a 3rd of NHL teams are over the cap.
Does it even matter anymore?
Captain Obvious, should the NHL do away with the salary cap,since there is that many teams over it!
If Adams and Ruff aren’t able to turn things around and avoid a 14th season of no playoffs, I suspect it’ll be two other guys problem next season.
Adams is in danger of not returning. Ruff would return under a new competent general manager.
Dylan Cozens is a problem player for the Sabres. He, as the second line center, should be scoring goals, playing with intensity, and winning. He is not doing those necessities, and is contributing to the Sabres’ eight-game skid. He could use an in-game benching or a healthy scratch as a “Wake up, get with the program” moment.
Kevyn Adams has not finished the priority of a top six forward to help with scoring. He has work to do.
Knight, Cozens is a hard one to figure out. The big (6′ 3″ 207lb) C, taken 7th overall in 2019 has a career 82-game stats average of 19g 28a 47 pts.
After posting 4g 9a 13 pts in 41gp in the 56-game 2019-2020 season, for a very bad Buffalo team, he showed his promise in a better light in 2021-22 with 13g 25a 38pts in 79gp.
When he followed that with 31g 37a 68 pts in 2022-23 it earned him a hefty 7-year $7.1 mil deal, signed mid-season on Feb 7, 2023.
Last season he dropped significantly in 79gp, posting an 18g 29a 47 pts season (which matches his so-far career 82-games averages).
So far this season, in 29gp, his 6g 7a 13 pts works out to 82-game averages of 17g 20a 37 pts – almost identical to his first full season.
I don’t see Buffalo that often, but has he been skating with different wingers? Has Ruff got him playing a different system?
Ottawa has something like that in Shane Pinto – maybe a change of scene for both would galvanize them. Although if the deal was with each other, Ottawa would certainly need to add a sweetener because I think Cozens – from limited viewing – os the superior talent.