NHL Rumor Mill – January 1, 2025
Welcome in the New Year with the latest on the Rangers and Capitals plus an update on Bruins forward Trent Frederic in the NHL Rumor Mill.
LATEST RANGERS SPECULATION
SPORTSNET: In Monday’s “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas discussed the plight of the struggling New York Rangers.
Friedman believes more changes are coming after reading Larry Brooks’ Sunday column in the New York Post, in which Brooks speculated that head coach Peter Laviolette could be fired. He wondered if management might focus on center Mika Zibanejad.
New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad (NHL Images).
The 31-year-old Zibanejad is signed through 2029-30 with an average annual value of $8.5 million. Friedman pointed out he carries a full no-movement clause.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zibanejad might be open to a move if the pressure of playing with the Rangers becomes too much to handle. However, his cap hit makes an in-season trade difficult to pull off unless the Rangers retain up to half of it. They might not be keen to carry dead cap space for the next five seasons even with the salary cap projected to rise substantially over that period.
Friedman also thinks there will be plenty of interest in Vincent Trocheck if the Rangers make him available in the trade market.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I mentioned Friedman’s remarks about Trocheck earlier this week. He’s under contract until the end of 2028-29 with a more affordable AAV of $5.625 million. The 31-year-old center also carries a full NMC this season but it becomes a 12-team no-trade list on July 1. Shopping Trocheck could be an offseason move.
IS TRENT FREDERIC’S TRADE VALUE DROPPING?
THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa recently reported Trent Frederic’s production has dropped off The gritty 26-year-old Boston Bruins forward hasn’t dented the score sheet since Dec. 7. That could adversely affect his value in the trade market if the Bruins decide to shop the pending UFA before the March 7 trade deadline.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Playoff contenders will still be interested in the 6’3”, 221-pound Frederic if he hits the trade block before March 7. However, the Bruins won’t get as much in return if his scoring slump continues.
CAPITALS INTEND TO KEEP THEIR GOALIE TANDEM INTACT
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber cites Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting the Washington Capitals have informed teams that they won’t be shopping goaltenders Charlie Lindgren and Logan Thompson at the trade deadline.
Lindgren and Thompson are due to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. However, they’ve fared well playing for the Capitals this season. Their efforts have the club jockeying for first place in the Eastern Conference.
Silber notes that it’s unclear whether Lindgren and Thompson have futures in Washington beyond this season. Nevertheless, the Capitals will stick with what’s working for them this season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lindgren’s cap hit this season is $1.1 million while Thompson’s is over $766K. Both are in line for substantial raises but it shouldn’t break the bank for the Capitals to retain both.
The Capitals have over $28.8 million in projected cap space for 2025-26 assuming the cap rises by $4.5 million. Jakob Chychrun is their most notable pending UFA while all their rising young talent are under contract for next season. The Caps should have enough to re-sign both goalies and keep Chychrun in the fold while looking at adding to their roster.
Rangers freefall will continue without Igor…especially with the current D and team effort.
Trading Trocheck is a tough pill. he still shows up
It will be hard to move Zibanejad, he really likes playing in NY, add to that, that if agrees to a move it would be to a clear contender, like top 6 team with a bright future, and how many of those have the cap and willingness to add a guy like him?
If he’d be open to it, I think the Jackets would be happy to work out a deal for him.
Would Mika waive for NYI?
Mika (retain $2M) for Brock Nelson
I think Boston recently moved Frederick to center to increase his value! He can get more in a trade if he plays both center and wing! Bostons offense is anemic! It s time to break up the core and trade for a top 6 offensive player! Players like Carlo,Coyle,Zacha, Geekie,Brazeau,Lohrei should not be exempt if the right deal comes along!
i agree the only untouchables would be Mcavoy and Pastrnak.Marchand would be difficult to trade because of what he has meant to the Bruins for so long.
What they don’t want to do is to see Frederick walk for nothing as a UFA and find his potential somewhere else as happened with deBrusk (currently 16g 11a 27 pts in 36gp with Vancouver).
And when I read “The gritty 26-year-old Boston Bruins forward hasn’t dented the score sheet since Dec. 7. That could adversely affect his value in the trade market if the Bruins decide to shop the pending UFA before the March 7 trade deadline.” it sounds eerily like the chatter that used to surround deBrusk in Boston.
Peter I am not so sure about Mcavoy as a a true no.1! Most playersthat fit that description are big time players in all situations! I Don t see that with Mcavoy on the PowerPlay!Compare him with Makar,Josi,Hughes,Werenski,Fox to name a few! He is not in that ballpark offensively! Vegasalone has3 D as good as Mcavoy,Hanifan,Theodore,and Pietrantonio!
Trades and cap space this season for 2025….🤔
Dont know how most of these team are going to trade $.7M-$8.5.M players, unless there are a 3rd team involved and picks and prospects going all over….
as most of them have little cap space⁉️
If, as you say Lyle, Zibanejad “might be open to a move if the pressure of playing with the Rangers becomes too much to handle” and he’s therefore prepared to wave his full NMC, the question then becomes “would he be open to a trade anywhere?”
That $8.5 mil per cap hit which runs through to the 2030 season, during which he’ll turn 36, would certainly require all sorts of retention levels and, in so doing, would have NY naturally looking for a sweetener or sorts commensurate with the amount withheld in order to agree to that.
He’s not alone on that team when it comes to a building and personal “lost season” but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s totally lost it. In playing a career 884 games he has established 82-game averages of 28g 37a 65 pts and in 74 career playoff games has contributed 19g 44a 63 pts.
He’s been a durable player as well, and has good size (6′ 2″ 2-3 lbs) at C. Right now, among the teams most needing some sort of offensive infusion, Anaheim (31.4 mil in cap space) and Calgary ($32.6 mil) could easily absorb his contract, while Nashville ($14.2 mil), San Jose ($8.4 mil)and Chicago ($7.8 mil) would likely need NY to either withhold a bit and/or take back a player in the $2 mil range. For Detroit ($5.4 mil) it becomes a bit more convoluted.
But would Zibanejad waive to go to any of those locations?
Zibanejad has not been the same since Brett Burns broke his stick in half crosschecking him in the back…. would love to know if this is the issue or if Mika has lost his desire to compete
The Rangers have completely falling off the earth! Excluding firing the coach,which I Don t see it happening the onus is on Drury and his roster decisions!Right now it looks like he lost both the Trouba and Kakko trades when you consider the returns on both players!Sweeney in Boston should be looked at the same way!
i totally agree .As a Bruins fan if they are going to make changes I would rather wait until the summer but I would can Sweeney and Neely and bring someone else in to make the changes. I have never really liked the job Sweeney has done.
His record in that regard is patchy, Peter but I think he might get to take one more swing at getting a deal right this season since it looks like – despite their anaemic offense – they’ll still be in the playoff picture come the trade deadline.
At that stage they are projected to have $2,800,016 in cap space and could dangle a RD like Carlo – who has an affordable $4.1 mil deal with 2 seasons to run (including this one) – and would be appealable to several teams constantly searching for RD help. Their main target in such a deal would be a good bottom 6 offensive F.
For their own RD side they’d still have McAvoy and Peeke to handle the top 2 pairings and perhaps Ian Mitchell to call up and play on he 3rd pairing (he’s having a decent season in the AHL).
George O,the only trade option Boston has for Frederic is to package him with someone else!They might be waiting for Lindholm to come back before they evaluate and decide to make a trade!
Sr…what happened to them? Laviolette dont shoot pass or play goal..in his 2 war tenure they were
71 -41 – 8
He is always good the 1st two years on the job..mmhhh
Now igor is hurt too..
They destroyed my Penguins opening night how the tides have turned Penguins in a wild card spot Rangers dead last..
Kreider on the move?
Pittsburgh isn’t quite in a WC spot just yet – in the mix for one, but not there yet.
For me , I like playing here if the staff and fellow teammates like me playing here.
A deal could be made with anyone of the teams mentioned above and I think it will. Way before the TD
Zibanejad already off #1 PP.
Ducks need a number one and must have had some level of discussion while negotiating the Trouba deal Calgary needs a number one…Kadri a 2025 second round draft pick for Jihad Don’t think he waves for cowtown
Chicago could work for Seth Jones as a return. Don’t think the Hawks bite. Nashville could also make it work if there was a will. They also need a true number one (Stamkos is a winger)
If ZImbanejad is willing I see the wild as a good fit.
Jeff, the only problem there is cap. The Wild have a projected deadline cap of just $962,315 which means NYR would have to come up with a combination of a huge chunk of Zibanejad’s $8.5 mil being withheld and taking back a contract the Wild would like to get off their books.
They were the other day them and Ottawa and they lost at Detroit last night…ugghhhh
Marcus Petersson is back, 20 year old Owen Pickering since his call up has been terrific out hurt, Nate Clueman 20 year old dman called up did well vs the Islanders and Red Wings.
with the Rangers, Buffalo and the Islander struggling we have a shot if Dubas does his job.
They have Dman Harrison Brunicke 19 on the Canadian junior team he will be up next year….Penguins d-corp will look very bright next year.
If Dubas makes a couple solid moves now or near the deadline Penguins will make the playoffs….he can’t miss though..
Getting the best package for Marcus Peterson is huge 5 teams want him..
we shall see..