NHL Rumor Mill – January 28, 2025
Is there any truth to the recent Sidney Crosby trade speculation? What’s next for the Blackhawks? Does Ryan Lindgren want to remain a Ranger? Could the Leafs target Sharks center Luke Kunin? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
DEBUNKING THE CROSBY TRADE RUMORS
THE ATHLETIC: Pittsburgh Penguins beat writer Josh Yohe debunked the recent trade rumors swirling around Sidney Crosby following Friday’s blockbuster trade that sent Mikko Rantanen from the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes.
The rumors started when Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli made a cryptic tweet following the Rantanen trade claiming “an impeccable source” told him that deal wasn’t the biggest thing on the table within the previous 48 hours.
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).
That prompted some pundits, including Spittin’ Chiclets podcasters (and former Crosby teammates) Paul Bissonnette and Ryan Whitney, to suggest that Seravalli could be referring to the Penguins trading their captain to Colorado, uniting him with his good friend and fellow Nova Scotian Nathan MacKinnon.
Yohe lamented that those folks, some of whom he felt knew better, were spreading such a baseless rumor. He referred to what Crosby told his colleague Rob Rossi earlier this season.
“I don’t worry about that stuff,” Crosby said. “I’ve said I’m always going to be here. I just signed a new contract to be here. I’ve been very upfront about it – I’m a Pittsburgh Penguin.”
Yohe suspects some NHL pundits are bored and are titillated by the thought of a blockbuster trade involving Crosby that would have him finish his career elsewhere.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Yohe isn’t the only pundit pouring cold water on the Crosby trade rumors. TSN’s Chris Johnston (a colleague of Yohe’s with The Athletic) and Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman quickly dismissed that chatter over the weekend, pointing out Crosby’s new contract with the Penguins and his full no-movement clause.
Some pundits have made the case for a Crosby trade because they believe he deserves better than to finish his NHL career with a rebuilding Penguins club. Yohe makes the point that Crosby wants to stick around and help them rebuild, perhaps even return to the postseason before his career ends.
WHAT NEXT FOR THE BLACKHAWKS?
TSN: Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson met with the media on Monday to explain his reason for trading Taylor Hall to the Hurricanes and his plans for the rest of the season.
Davidson said he moved Hall at this time because he wouldn’t use one of his two remaining salary retention spots on Rantanen and use the other for Hall in a separate trade later this season. The Blackhawks retained half of Rantanen’s $9.25 million salary and sent Hall to the Hurricanes for a third-round pick.
The Blackhawks GM also didn’t see Hall fetching more than a third-rounder. The pick the Blackhawks received was their third-round which they sent to the Hurricanes last year.
Davidson didn’t believe Hall’s market value would improve by hanging onto him until closer to the March 7 trade deadline. He indicated there was the risk of an injury or his diminishing role affecting his market value.
CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: Greg Boysen noted that Davidson intends to continue listening to offers leading up to March 7. He believes he has the luxury of patiently waiting to see what unfolds.
Davidson continued to preach patience with the Blackhawks’ rebuild. He’s pleased with the progress that young players like Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, Colton Dach, and Nathan Allen have shown this season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Davidson will entertain offers for pending UFAs like Ryan Donato and Pat Maroon. He’s more likely to become a buyer this summer, using his cap space and his trade capitals in draft picks and prospects to target one or two impact players in their mid-to-late twenties who are in their playing prime.
RYAN LINDGREN WANTS TO REMAIN A RANGER
NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks reports Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren doesn’t want to be moved by the trade deadline. The 26-year-old defenseman is UFA-eligible this summer and has surfaced in recent trade speculation tying him to Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller.
Brooks believes it was a foregone conclusion that Lindgren would be moved by the trade deadline. However, the club’s recent rebound into playoff contention could change that plan.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Whether that also affects his chances of getting a contract extension remains to be seen.
COULD THE MAPLE LEAFS TARGET LUKE KUNIN?
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Max Miller cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman suggesting the Toronto Maple Leafs could have San Jose Sharks center Luke Kunin on their radar.
Kunin, 27, is signed through next season with an average annual value of $2.75 million. Friedman cited his affordable contract, versatility and defensive play as enticing factors for the Leafs, who are believed to be in the market for a reliable third-line center.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks GM Mike Grier is likely open for business and willing to entertain offers for his veterans provided they fetch a return that helps his rebuilding process. Kunin could attract interest from several playoff contenders by March 7.
Freidman, the so called “insider” had zero clue the Avalanche/Hawks/Canes deal was a possibility.
Some insider.
lol.
It’s time for NY to move on from Lindgren, and time to make nice with Zac Jones.
I get that Lindgren and Fox have history beyond their time in NY, but it just seems like a forced pairing a lot of nights.
I wouldn’t be shocked to see Miller and Lindgren somewhere else next year.
The Borgen signing was the writing on the wall for at least one of their departures.
Fox, Schneider and Borgen look like they’re locking down the right side. The left side will probably be very different looking next year.
Captain, any talk of Robertson getting a call up to the big team on LD?
Only reason I ask is he played his Jr in Edmonton. He’s a big guy (6’4″) who can definitely skate at the NHL level. That often isn’t enough, as they need the spatial awareness, and discipline with the puck, but that kid sure looked the part.
Not a big point producer, but has the physical skills to be able to defend. He’s 22 now, kinda of the time D-men either get the call and stick, or move on.
Hey Ray,
Like Lundkvist, And now Jones / Mancini. Ny likes to stick their young d-men in hockey purgatory and either trade them or let them rot.
Right now, it’s understandable. NY’s defense is pretty young. But unfortunately for Robertson, he’s not even going to see a call up in the near future.
For some bizarre reason they continue to call up Ruhwedal , Mackey etc. rather than giving these younger d-men a sniff of the NHL.
Zac Jones is a head scratcher! The guy has been outstanding whenever given the opportunity, yet they continue to let him rot away. And now, he wants out.
They paid Borgen like a 2nd pairing guy imho which means Schneider tries to play off side or is part of a trade for a younger center soon….
thats my gut
you can find 3rd pair guys for much less cash
Pittsburgh Penguins
Yesterday on TV Pittsburgh it said everybody in the team is available for Trade
for a good offer…
Except
Sydney Crosby….❗️
So Kyle Dubois’s The Penguins GM said Sid Crosby does not want to go anywhere
So now we can stop talking about him
So they have three good defence men that are available
1/
Eric Karlsson only at 50%= $6.M retained ❓
2/
Kris Letang , @$6.1m
Maybe at $1.1 Retained❓
3/
Marcus Peterson a UFA @ $4.1
All 3 maybe a 2nd or 4td pick and a prospect……🤔
And the whole bunch of forwards and probably two goaltenders
Sounds like they’re looking for prospects or pics
The GM said he would rather have prospects depending on what player it is….?
So there you go
Everyone’s available apart from Syd Crosby. He’s playing out this contract there.🤙🤙
Pittsburgh is currently holding retention on Petry and Smith. The max is 3, so they won’t be moving anymore than 1 player with retention this year.
CO,
I think a number of three way deals will happen where teams will retain X amount of salary for a pic so the penguins can move a bit more stuff. I see Kris Letang getting moved.
Along with Marcus Peterson are the two de-men..,?
Some forwards and a goaltender……❓❓
Willie….Good read there ! I’m always optimistic abut the Penguins. I always look at the glass half full but pitiful losses at Anaheim and San Jose has all but put the nail in the coffin. On this long 7 game road trip I was hoping for desperate hockey and a possible 5-2 swing worst 4-3.
I expected losses at Washington and Los Angeles but the other 5 games Utah Buffalo San Jose Seattle Utah were all winnable.
We get this huge win in Los Angeles and then blow games at Anaheim and at San Jose….ugly
Crosby and Rust good again both racking up a goal and assists and as Usual nothing else.
Malkin before his injury is slowing down and showing signs of age and his reconstructive knee surgeries…He is at best a third line center now maybe a second line wing because he has a great shot which he fails to utlize.
Letang has also slowed, lost his skating burst and step, and can’t get back like he use to on his stupid pinches that he gets burned.
All this being said Crosby is still elite, Rust and Rackell have been great.
A quick retool in the off season with the cap going up to over $93 million, several good young players coming forwards Mc Groarty Tanner Howe, defenseman Harrison Brunicke and goaltenders Blomqvist, Larson and MURASHEV..
They will have $ 18 to $ 21 million to spend this off season,, Petry and Smith off the books.
Look the Capitals retooled in one year Pittsburgh can do the same…
Hey Blackgold,
Absaloutly Sid Crosby is still Elite, 100%…and a Complete Class Act.
He is 37 yrs old right now and 1.3 yrs left on his contract at the end he is 39 yrs old he may Retire or play one more year with good health…❓🤔
Agreed with lots of your comments.
Some how, I think they keep both Rust and Rackell to play with him so he has 2 good line mates to finish out his Career with the Pens… that will be 21 yrs he has Lived in Pittsburg now…
His girlfriend Kathy Leutner of 16 years,
Sid Crosby purchased a lakefront home near his hometown of Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia. Its A retreat thats lake front, it sits on a 14-kilometer lake front.Im sure he is thinking Married Soon
Dont know if a $20.M re-tool will do it…?
They Really need a starting goaltender and to get younger it looks more like they could pick top 6 in this years NL draft and get a Really Very Good young player…🤔❓
Well, if they go the re-tool route they certainly have the tool to do it in Dubas!
In the overall scheme of things, and looking ahead to late Spring’s entry draft, here is Bob McKenzie’s January 2025 re-assessment of the top prospects
https://www.eliteprospects.com/draft-center/tsn-bob-mckenzie
At the moment, the potential Top 10 picks would involve the following but this, like the WC races above them, is a volatile mixture which includes games in hand on each other ranging from 1 to 4 and current 10-game “hot” and “frigidly cold” streaks. So it could – and likely will – look decidedly different at season’s end, with even a couple in this grouping moving out of Top 10 pick range and a couple currently above them by not all that much, falling back into this pack:
Chicago 49gp 15 29 5 35pts .357 – current streak 2-5-3
San Jose 53gp 15 32 6 36pts .340 – current streak 2-8-0
Buffalo 49gp 18 20 5 41pts .418 – current streak 4-6-0
Nashville 48gp 18 23 7 43pts .448 – current streak 7-3-0
Anaheim 49gp 20 23 6 46pts .469 – current streak 3-5-2
Seattle 51gp 22 26 3 47pts .461 – current streak 5-5-0
Pittsburgh 52gp 20 24 8 48pts .462 – current streak 3-7-0
Utah 49gp 21 21 7 49pts ,500 – current streak 4-6-0
NYI 48gp 21 21 7 49pts .510 – current streak 7-3-0
St. Louis 51gp 23 24 4 50pts .490 – current streak 4-6-0
You have to think the majority of teams in this mix will be active to some degree leading up to trade deadline day, and that, of course, could determine how they finish. At least “tanking” in order to get the # 1 pick is no longer any guarantee, thanks to that change made by the league some years ago. However, it still can put a team in enough of a pretty good position to entice some to try … especially if they’re not going anywhere anyway .
What would be targets for Ottawa Senators?
I have seen many fake trade suggestions listing players like Batherson, Pinto, Grieg, Giroux all of which are NOT going to be traded.
So who would be targets you folks would suggest Ottawa look at and what roster player(s), prospects or picks would you use to acquire said player?
Hey Scott,
I think the senator would look to move like a second round pick for a scoring forward of some type maybe an older guy with one two years left on their contracts just to help with scoring when LU. comes back that will shore up the goaltending.
They really just need another good scoring forward. It may have to move David Peron he doesn’t get going.@$4.mil PA for 1.3 more years…….❓🤔
Williew
That is exactly the type of trade I was thinking. Personal opinion the Perron signing was a terrible waste of 4 Mill. A good solid vet to help with leadership and scoring would be great to get.
Anyone have any names of forwards that would meet Ottawas needs?
Scott, I agree with williew … in fact, it’s what I have been posting more or less for a few days now … i.e., no major big-ticket deals involving any of their core players at this stage, and with long-term injuries starting to drift back, led by Ullmark and including Gregor and Bernard-Docker, it’ll be almost like getting quality players in a deal, they’ll have been out for so long.
And don’t give up on Perron. A combination of his young child having serious medical issues (thankfully resolved as I understand) and then an injury almost as soon as he got back from that issue, was unfortunate. But they got him for a reason … his ability to score and help the bottom 6, and the nasty edge he can bring to the game. Hopefully, he’s over the injury at last and, if so, I’d predict he could be a factor from here to the end as he’s able to play both wings.
Getting Gregor’s speed and checking ability will also help, as will that of Cousins, especially the pk, and with both RDs Jensen and Bernard-Docker back in, and the impressive performances of fill-in D Matinpalo and Sebrango, not to mention rookie goalie Merilainen and the resurgence (from a consistency aspect) of Forsberg, they look solid enough defensively.
If Staios does make a deal, I believe it will be confined to someone able to add even more to the bottom 6 F scoring. He has the picks to do that, perhaps coupled with a secondary prospect.
But as to who, specifically, I seldom if ever get into that, confining my thoughts to a positional need.
hey George. What did you think of that Quebec City stunt yesterday? Landed with a bit of a thud eh?
Sigh…..I could go off about it but so what. Just fuel for online trolls who had a field day with Sparty in nordiques jersey
The only thing that saved it was seeing Vermette back in a Sens jersey
Dark G, after that misguided stunt I doubt Andlauer allows Cyril Leeder to run with any more such efforts without running in by him and others first.
Those among the fan base who view things soberly and pragmatically just shrugged it off as misguided … but that element who latch onto the even wildest, unsubstantiated “I heard it from a reliable source”-based “rumours” like they were Gospel will always fly off the handle.
I see Ottawa and St. Louis have placed Cole Reinhardt and Brandon Saad on waivers, hoping they clear so both can report to their AHL clubs to get back to playing action following injuries.
I doubt Reinhardt gets claimed, but Saad might. He’s a good size LW (6′ 1″ 215 lbs) who did play all 82 games last season and potted 26 goals.
They have an option of getting rid of Norris if they up the stakes and trade with Vancouver forPettersson!That would be a bold move on their part!
That will not happen. If you look closely at their top 6 F, all carry varying levels of an “edge” to their game, including their Cs.
Pettersson has no “edge” to his game whatsoever.
Exactly George, and Norris has definitely gotten over the psychological side of his past injuries.
He was playing too carefully for a while but his confidence is much better.
I feel like the team will round out more and more as this season progresses…
not many realize Necas(12th in scoring) has the least minutes played in the top 30.4 minutes less on average than Rantanen has.
nice hockey trade. time for another!
Absolutely ds I hope we see more to liven up the sport! Add to the top 6 and top 4 D!
Whenever I have seen David Perron play against the Avalanche, he always manages to put the puck in the back of the net? IDK what the story is with him in Ottawa ? George O stated family stuff and injuries. I wouldn’t be quick to dismiss him either. The guy scores and could prove invaluable in the playoffs. He was with St. Louis and another team that escapes me right now. Minnesota? But the Avalanche never account for him when he is out there and bang it’s in the back of the net?
tommy boy he had been with Detroit the past 2 seasons, with records of 24g 32a 56 pts in 82 gp in 2022-23, and, last season, 17g 30a 47 pts in 76 gp.
Over the course of his career he has played 1,143 NHL games with 310 goals and 458 assists for 82-game averages of 22g 33a 55 pts.
He is 36 y/o now, but he’s never missed a lot of games due to injury. This season it’s been a combination of things that put him on the sidelines but I don’t think he’s forgotten how to score and, if he can stay healthy, could help considerably in a bottom 6 role, and able to move up to the top 6 on occasion without hurting them.
And at 6′ 200 lbs he’s no shrinking violet.
David Perron is an interesting guy, hard nosed with what in hockey is called an edge.
He had one solid playoff year but that’s about it.
He never had much foot speed and has even less now, my absolutely biased memory of him is when he broke his ankles trying to cover Lane Hutson at the point.
At the time it made me think that maybe Hutson was for real.
On the other hand, going back 15 yrs when the Habs traded Halak to St. Louis I was among the fans who wasn’t happy about getting Eller and not Perron.
15 years later is a long time and I think he’ll be running on fumes when he gets back on the ice.
Side note, hockey trees are fun to follow, Eller turned into Jordan Harris who turned into Patrik Laine and a round pick next year.
p
Fair comment on Perron … all I’m really hoping to see from him in the 2nd half are some decent bottom 6 minutes of around 9:00-10:00 per game. Hopefully he has enough left in the tank to handle that.
So, wait, was Crosby traded yet?
100% agree. He’s the kind of player that scores you clutch goals in the playoffs. When everyone else is not doing anything, these guys score. He was really good on the blues against the Avalanche in regular season and playoffs. Those guys are invaluable @ times. Ottawa I would bet will benefit if he is healthy?
I recall Joe Thornton taking Perron’s head off – concussed for the year . He was quite young maybe even a rookie
Where the hell is Ullmark ? Coming up 7 weeks. I know backs are fickle .
He must have slipped a disc or cracked a vertebrae .
Pinto could be a trade chip.
SilverSeven, he’s been back in full practices the past few days and speculation is, he’ll start Thursday at home against Washington.
They’ve certainly been silent – as always and as usual – on what exactly was the problem.
As for Pinto, being so tight against the cap, his $3,750,000 per cap hit (one more season after this – then RFA) is not something you want to deal away for a return that could cost considerably more.
I really think Staios – if he’s looking to make a deal at all – will try and land a good, established bottom 6-type F.
Crosby for Marner
If Toronto offered that deal the Penguins would be nuts not to take it. But they wouldn’t, preferring the hoary old “he’s a (whatever) for life” sentimental crap. Which has NO place in a mercenary professional sports world.
Leo Durocher put it best in that regard “nice guys finish last …”
A win-win for both teams. Leafs need to win now and they have a Crosby-sized hole where playoff leadership should be.
Pens need to get younger and need regular season success to get back to the playoffs. Marner’s one of the best regular season players in the league.
Marner’s no-trade probably means no-way. But Marner is what Dubas loves best (small and skilled), and could play to his ego (by making him the highest paid winger in the league on an 8 year deal).
Crosby’s position harder to ascertain. Does he really want to stay losing in Pitt for the rest of his career, would he leave for a contender, and does he think the Leafs are, in fact, a contender?