NHL Rumor Mill – December 20, 2024
The annual holiday roster freeze is in effect (Dec. 20-27) but the trade and free-agent rumors persist. Check out the latest on the Predators, Canadiens and Sabres plus updates on Mitch Marner, Sam Bennett and Trent Frederic in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
TROTZ CLAIMS THE PREDATORS AREN’T IN SELL MODE
THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz claims his club is not rebuilding its roster after trading defenseman Alexandre Carrier to the Montreal Canadiens for Justin Barron.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trotz has been the busiest GM in this season’s trade market thus far. Before the Carrier deal, he traded winger Philip Tomasino to the Pittsburgh Penguins and sent goaltender Scott Wedgewood to the Colorado Avalanche for netminder Justus Annunen. He also waived defenseman Dante Fabbro, who was claimed by the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Trotz claimed he’d been trying to acquire the 23-year-old Barron since last season, adding he wanted to add a right shot to his blueline who was “age appropriate”. He said the moves he’s made thus far are to reset the roster for the offseason, when he intends to be more aggressive in the trade and free-agent markets.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trotz was aggressive in this summer’s UFA market, signing Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei. Those moves had observers (including yours truly) crowning them as offseason winners but they haven’t yet translated into on-ice success.
Trotz also shot down recent musings over whether he’ll try to peddle Stamkos by the March 7 trade deadline. “There’s no chance,” he said.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s also no indication Stamkos regrets his decision to sign with the Predators. If anything, he and Marchessault and Skjei appear determined to help their new team overcome their early-season struggles.
The Predators GM acknowledged he’s made lots of moves already, suggesting he could be quiet the rest of the season unless he gets an offer that knocks his socks off.
RG.ORG: Jim Biringer cites a source claiming the Carrier-for-Barron trade isn’t the only move the Predators could make. “They’re clearing their cap space for something. It may not be for right now, but it’s coming.”
The Predators have been linked to Buffalo Sabres center Dylan Cozens in the rumor mill. Their cupboard of tradeable assets is getting bare apart from Tommy Novak and Fedor Svechkov. They might have to move one of them to bolster their depth at center if they intend to turn their season around.
They also want a top-four defenseman. D’Amico noted Cozens teammate Bowen Byram has recently surfaced in the rumor mill.
Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trotz’s remarks to LeBrun suggest he intends to focus on next summer’s free-agent market to address his club’s needs. It’s doubtful that Novak or Svechkov would be enough to pry Cozens or Byram away from the Sabres.
COULD THE FLAMES TRY TO BRING BACK SAM BENNETT?
SPORTSNET: Eric Francis recently pondered whether a reunion between the Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett makes sense.
Bennett, 28, was the Flames’ first-round pick (fourth overall) in the 2014 NHL Draft. He spent nearly seven seasons in Calgary until he was traded to the Panthers before the 2021 trade deadline. Over the past four seasons, he’s played a big role in that club’s development into a Stanley Cup champion.
The Flames have sought an impact center since trading Elias Lindholm last season. Bennett is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. The Panthers will try hard to re-sign him but Francis suggests a trade could happen if negotiations fail to produce a new contract.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will depend on whether Bennett is open to returning to Calgary. Francis pointed out that the coaches and general manager who presided over his frustrating early years in Calgary are gone, which could make that path more enticing. The Flames have plenty of cap space to sign him to a lucrative deal. He’d also be returning as a leader and a respected playoff performer.
If the Flames want Bennett, they might have to wait until next summer to pursue him. However, it seems unlikely that the Panthers move Bennett at the deadline even if he’s not under contract by then. There is a risk of losing him to free agency in July but the Panthers need him if they intend on defending the Cup next spring. Repeating as champions with Bennett in the lineup would soften the blow of his departure next summer.
LATEST RUMORS FROM TSN’S “INSIDER TRADING”.
TSN: Darren Dreger reports the Toronto Maple Leafs and Mitch Marner remain focused on winning games this season rather than negotiating a new contract. Marner, 27, is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July.
As the calendar flips to January, Dreger believes time will be of the essence, so they’ll have to have some definition and direction.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Both sides remain tightlipped about this situation. Marner said at the start of the season he wouldn’t answer questions about his contract while GM Brad Treliving said the club would not negotiate with the Marner camp through the media.
The two sides seem to prefer waiting to open serious talks until the end of this season. Marner likely wants to stay and the Leafs want to keep him, but everything depends on his performance and that of the Leafs. Another disappointing playoff outing could lead to his departure on July 1.
Dreger said he’s been told that Buffalo Sabres GM Kevyn Adams has been on the phone non-stop for the past week. He indicates Adams is willing to make a big move. Teams are interested in the Sabres’ top players but are only offering decent players in return.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Teams are trying to take advantage of Adams, hoping he’ll panic if the losing skid continues and trade away one of his best young players for peanuts. He likely seeks a one-for-one swap of comparable talent similar to his trading Casey Mittelstadt to the Avalanche last season for Bowen Byram.
Dreger believes the Canadiens’ acquisition of Alexandre Carrier provides the club with backfill in case someone makes an offer for blueliner Mike Matheson or David Savard before the March 7 trade deadline.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dreger’s colleague Pierre LeBrun also believes the addition of Carrier could lead to Savard getting dealt later in the season. However, he also indicated they’re not in a hurry to move.
Dreger believes the Boston Bruins must soon decide what to do with Trent Frederic. The big, rugged 26-year-old forward is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July. Teams are wondering if they’ll sign or trade him at the deadline.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It could depend on the Bruins’ position in the standings by March 7.
Hey Sam Bennett, would you like to continue to live in 70-80 degree weather of South Florida and compete for a Stanley cup each or go back to Calgary where it’s cold and you have to pay taxes…hmmmmm
Rather be in Canada than the States I would think
I know I would Don.
Taxes aren’t that bad in Calgary, better than plenty of places in the USA, and the weather is pretty darn good to. They’re called chinooks for the uninformed. Add in the mountains less than a hour away, absolutely great place to live, I did for a decade.
Not sure what some folks think the winter is like in Canada? Other than 2-3 weeks a year when we get a deep freeze, the 4 seasons are actually nice.
Folks sure seem a lot happier up here too, and consistently rank ahead of the USA in that regard, live longer, better education, health care……hmmmmm
Hell, when it comes to snow I’d rather be in Ottawa than Buffalo or anywhere else near the Great Lakes.
The comparison is Calgary and Ft. Lauderdale not Calgary vs Buffalo or the US in general. You are changing the discussion to prove a point. The taxes in Calgary are much higher than Florida. That’s a fact.
with Minnesota 1 center coming off injury wouldn’t that make Marco rossi swap for Frederick reasonable…Minnesota getes a tough wing for playoffs and bruins get young offensive player…Minnesota has money coming off books to sign him Long term also…
Sold.
Boston has Poitras who is a RH Rossi,both are gifted but small and not very strong!
Another positive from the 9 – 2 – 1 record over their past 12 is that it removed Ottawa from the daily rumours/suggestions that they deal Tkachuk. Chabot, Norris, Pinto, Batherson, Jensen …. usually for a collection of stiffs and/or B prospects/mid-range picks, especially if coming from a fantasy league mentality.
But while that is refreshing – if from an Ottawa fan perspective anyway – I, for one, hope Staios doesn’t rest on his laurels and keeps the lines open for deals to strengthen in a couple of key areas. One is at RW, another at RD, and possibly at back-up goaltending.
After Batherson at RW (13 – 20 33pts), it drops off considerably with Gaudette (13g 4a 17 pts) in the 2nd slot, Amadio (2 7 9pts_ on the 3rd line and Greig (better suited at C 3 6 9pts) on the 3rd line. I like what Gaudette has done goal-wise – he is a bone-fide sniper – but he is best suited for line 3 placement, moving Amadio to line 4. Greig could then go back to C on line 4. Over the long haul they need a second-line RW.
At RD they potentially have the answer in-house in Artem Zub – IF he can stay away from repeated trips to the IR – because Hamonic (0 2 2pts) is NOT the answer alongside Sanderson (1 16 17pts) on the 2nd pairing. Chabot and Jensen (4 24 28pts) are functioning well as the 1st pairing, same as Kleven and Bernard-Docker as the 3rd duo (2 4 6pts with limited ice time). The hope has to be Zub, once he comes off IR (possibly after the 6 day Christmas break).
In goal, Anton Forsberg (currently Day to Day on IR) will also likely be back after the Christmas break, but he has to get back his consistency from a couple of seasons ago (e does have 2 of the team’s league-leading 5 SOs so far), otherwise they are going to have to find a more reliable replacement.
Hamonic has got to go. Last night, first period two 2-3 minute “hemmed in” moments and Calgary scored on the second one. Both times….he was on the ice. Too slow. Bad reads.
I know that nobody knows what Pierre Dorion was thinking with the Tyler Boucher pick , but maybe he’s one of those kids who plays better in the NHL. He’s playing like hot dog poop in Belleville. Bring him up for a look maybe?
I think the Sens are pretty much set. In goal as well Don. Ullmark and Forsberg are former teammates and well known to each other. When the whole team plays better defensively, they both look better in the net.
Maybe, but there just can’t be any repeats of that last Islanders game in Ottawa where, with Forsberg in goal, they gave him all sorts of protection to the point where NY has 12 shots in total, with 1 in the 3rd period … which turned out to be the winner in a 4-2 loss (1 was an empty-netter). Nothing deflates a team giving its all more than that kind of performance.
Of course, given the circumstances as they exist, I’d much rather have Forsberg doing the backing than Merilainen.
I wonder if the Sen’s would go after Sam Bennett…❓
He has Got lots of Jam and can Score,
He is good for 45-50 points a year….., Ottawa need some toughness in there top 9,
that would really help Brady Tkachuk out and he could focuse more on his offence, we know he is a Tough guy but let play Scorer on the 1st line,
Maybe Sam can talk his buddy
(Rasmus Andersson ) from Calgary into
coming over to Ottawa from Calgary to play top
RD-man…as that what the Sen’s need in a
Big Big Way👌
Your boy is Frederic, Tkachuks buddy from St.Louis!
The ideal backup goaltender that can play a decent amount of games behind a true #1 is Laurent Brossoit…really liked his game in Winnipeg, cut winner and now with Chicago.
Ottawa should trade for him and his 3.3m contract for another year after this one
Glad to hear Trotz is looking to make a big impact in free agency next summer. It worked so well last summer.
Fans and pundits who want to trade Savard and Matheson while their “value is high” don’t understand rebuilds.
The Habs traded for Carrier to get some stability on D and give prospects grooming time.
With 12 picks this draft and 9 the next they don’t need more draft capital and the odds of a pick becoming an NHLer like either Matheson or Savard are slim.
The prospects in the system are pretty good but again the odds of them becoming high end NHLers are small,
You can only have 50 contracts so management has to have a keen eye in parsing the prospect pool.
Young guys like Harris and Barron brought Laine and Carrier, those are the trades you do when rebuilding, develop your prospect pool and weed it to grow.
Wise words HF30
Boston better decide about Frederic before it becomes too late! They do not want to do what they did with Debrusk! Lose an asset and get nothing in return! If you Don t think you can sign him,trade him and get something in return!