NHL Rumor Mill – January 6, 2025
Could the Senators shop for a goaltender or claim Kings winger Arthur Kaliyev off waivers? Should the Leafs trade prospect Easton Cowan? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
THE LATEST SENATORS SPECULATION
OTTAWA CITIZEN: Bruce Garrioch believes the Senators should be scouring the trade market for a goaltender with starter Linus Ullmark sidelined indefinitely with an upper-body injury.
Ullmark departed during the Senators’ 3-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 22. There is no timetable for his return. The Senators are currently using backup Anton Forsberg and call-up Leevi Merilainen.
Garrioch cited sources claiming the market for goaltenders isn’t great. Those who could be available include John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks, Cayden Primeau of the Montreal Canadiens, and James Reimer of the Buffalo Sabres.
Detroit Red Wings goaltender Ville Husso (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gibson is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $6.4 million and a 10-team no-trade list. If the Ducks were willing to retain part of his salary he might not accept a trade to Ottawa. It’s rumored the seven Canadian teams are on his no-trade list.
Primeau passed unclaimed through waivers last week. The Sabres claimed Reimer off waivers from the Ducks in November and will likely hang onto him for insurance.
A source told Garrioch the Detroit Red Wings would be willing to move Ville Husso. However, he carries a $4.75 million cap hit and the Wings aren’t willing to retain salary.
Garrioch also wondered if the Senators might claim Arthur Kaliyev off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings. He pointed out that general manager Steve Staios has a long history with the 23-year-old winger as they won the 2018 OHL championship with the Hamilton Bulldogs.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: We’ll find out after the noon ET deadline on Monday. Kaliyev had a promising rookie season with the Kings in 2021-22 but struggled afterward to maintain a regular roster spot. He fractured his clavicle on Oct. 6 and only recently came off injured reserve.
SHOULD THE MAPLE LEAFS TRADE EASTON COWAN?
YARDBARKER: Nick Matthews of Maple Leafs Daily cited former Sportsnet personality Sid Seixeiro suggesting the Leafs should trade top prospect Easton Cowan following his disappointing performance for Canada at the 2025 World Juniors.
“Contrary to what a lot of folks are saying, (Cowan) still has a lot of value. But Toronto might have to cash that chip sooner rather than later.”
Meanwhile, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman doesn’t believe the Leafs should give up on Cowan because of a couple of bad weeks at the WJC.
“I see people saying, oh, they should trade him. Number one, his value will never be lower than it is now. “Number two, I think it’s bananas to give up on someone you really think highly of based on two bad weeks.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I agree with Friedman. The Leafs are already near the bottom third with their prospect pipeline. Cowan is among the few prospects they have with the skills to become an NHL player. They’re in win-now mode but must maintain an eye on the future.
Kaliyev SHOULD get picked up
Young, size, potential, just a hair over League minimum (and only under contract for this year)
There is no risk really, and a fair chance at upside gain
If somehow he doesn’t work out, put him back on waivers
It shouldn’t get to Pens slot for a chance at Kaliyev but
Kaliyev IN, Nieto down and Pens gain on ice AND create some extra Cap space
lol. Do you ever see a player that you DON’T think is a fit for Pittsburgh?
Have a good look at Pens roster and you’ll see why I keep jumping on these things
Firstly, Pens only have 2 Right handed D-men. Letang went down and they were playing 5 Lefties. Basically any NHL RD would be a fit for Pens. Obviously a low cost, fair sized Rightie in his 20’s would be preferable; but any Rightie D will be better than forcing Pen’s Lefties to play on the other side. Non of the Pens’ Leftie D’s have faired well on the right.
Re Kalyiev
Pretty well most teams should see picking up him as a low risk, potential fair reward, situation.
Young. Big. Has potential. Just a tad over league minimum cap hit
Absolute worst case; he doesn’t work out, and he goes on waivers again. Where’s the risk?
Most likely, he replaces an older , weaker forward in your bottom 6 and plays like he has to prove himself; a gain for your team
100% Kaliyev IN, Nieto down, and Pens immediately gain. Immediately. That’s before he plays a game as Pens gain cap space. Once he plays, even more gain.
He could replace others; was just using Nieto as he the worst forward on the Pens roster.
Kaliyev will be long gone before it gets to Ottawa, and as for Staios finding an available goalkeeper significantly better than Forsberg … well, good luck with that.
The downward spiral has begun.
One remote possibility for Ottawa to get Kaliyev is to indicate to L.A. that they would be wiling to offer them an asset in a deal. L.A. could then withdraw him off waivers under these conditions:
“Players who are claimed off waivers must be offered to the other teams that placed an original claim before that player can be traded.
For example, if a player is placed on waivers and three teams place a claim on him. The team lowest in the standings gets first dibs. If they then decide to trade the player, he would first have to be passed on by the other two teams. If a team places a claim, he’d be theirs. If not, he can be traded.”
Once ON waivers, he can’t be taken off; he has to clear (through all teams bottom team first and so on)
Sens could tell kings they are willing to trade for him (thus passing on Kaliyev as a waiver claim) but run the risk of s team higher in the standings picking him up
So if Kaliyev is passed on (claims) by Sens they have to hope that Utah, Pens, St Louis etc etc etc don’t put a claim in
If he passes through waivers (really hard to see that happening) then Sens can trade for him and he doesn’t have to clear waivers again.
Any team BELOW Sens can claim him then trade him ; but first must offer him to any team (further up the pecking order) that DID pit a claim in for him
Kaliyev
Claimed by NYR Today……
They need more that him to save things in N.Y.❗️
Hearing NYR &
Joel Quenneville
name again today… 🤔
Ahh the ghost of DJ Smith returns. Goalie playing hot? Sit him. Play the veteran returning from injury instead. At least thankfully Hamonic can’t go for this next stretch of games.
As far as Easton Cowan…I’ll say this about all of the WJ from all of the teams. Every year I sit and watch and look and see how many kids are “NHL ready” OR at least…look to be destined to make it. Honestly….maybe a handful from all of the teams? Certainly not many from the Canuck squad.
What you might see going forward is a reluctance by drafted or draft eligible kids to play in this tournament. How many of them, especially from Canada, HURT their draft status or pedigree with NHL scouts and team? A LOT.
I don’t think I’m undervaluing this tournament at all. It means more to the fans than it does to some of these young men. And you can see that in the way they play(ed). Look at this way. You’re already drafted or expected to be drafted high and your agent tells you that Hockey Canada has put together a goofy invite list and you know you’ll probably get smoked and look bad doing it? Why would you agree to go. Those kids that didn’t get picked who might have helped them win – improved their status simply by not being there.
DarkG this tournament is really meaningless in terms of spotting future bright stars for their future NHL teams. Guys never making the cut turn out better than the biggest players from the tournament…think Justin Pooge
Cowan did not play well in the tourney, not the first, not the last. Treliving doesn’t give a crap what Sid Seixeiro or his ilk has to say. I have no idea what Leaf MGT thinks of the kid, but not sure it has changed that much since before the tournament.
Why would these kids agree to play in the tournament? To represent their country and try to win it for their country, and their team mates. It is true for Canadians, USA, and every other player in that tournament. You win that thing and you will have friends and memories for a lifetime. It’s a great opportunity, not sure what more you could ask for as a competitive, high level athlete?
And yes, Hockey Canada F’d up big time picking that team. Methinks they over thought it just a bit….. Get new folks in there, bring in the best players, move on and focus on the next one. I don’t think the next waive of players will let that deter them.
Why is everybody picking on Cowan? Cowan was on a team that had many players that didn`t play up to expectations. Cowan who seems to be coasting through the OHL season, should`ve been playing for the Marlies. For a couple of the kids this tourney kinda proves that being sent back to juniors isn`t the best for their development. To me that team was built not to win but not to get blown out. Cowan wasn`t team Canada, just a member of it. But I`ll bet more kids from that team go on to have good careers in the NHL than any of the other teams
As usual, Ray Bark hits the nail on the head. Any competitive athlete who is invited to play for his country will jump at the chance.
I would add the CHL schedule as another factor affecting Canadian juniors and their performance at World Junior tournaments.
They play too many games with too much travel, often three games in three nights, all to replicate life as pros. It is ridiculous to expect teenagers to perform game in, game out as though they were adult professionals.
That last paragraph is bang on BCLeafFan. And travelling by bus no less. Out west these kids are spending hours travelling between games and trying to sleep on the bus as well.
Not enough practice time is hurting skill development as well IMO.
George,
Kaliyev would be a Very nice pick up for the Sen’s, he needs development time,
I think the kings Rushed him into the NHL….
what is it 24hrs Or 48 hrs when they wave a player….🤔
For a back up goaltender, i think they need to Play young Leevi Merilainen more game’s over the next month that Forsberg,
just to see what he has and what he can do,
When LU comes back the will ride him for X amount games at a time….
ether way if….. none of the 2 AHL goaltender can make it they need a back up for next season 100%
As things stand, williew, they really have no choice but to give Merilainen the bulk of the work – for the next couple of weeks anyway – rather than put their trust in Forsberg, who has seemingly lost any ability to string two good games together … and although he is capable enough when on his game (he has 2 of the team’s 5 SOs so far), no one has any idea if he’s ready to perform like that – including Forsberg himself. Hell, it can deviate from one period to the next.
George,
What are your thoughts on Kaliyev….🤔
6.ft2 and 209lb, this Kid can Skate…
he could have done with one year or 2 years JR….more than likly need a change of scenery
from LA,
I dont think the ducks Move Gibson this season however i can see them moving him next season befor the deadline, this year they would have to eat to much Cap……❓
not much in the way of thoughts one way or another williew – simply that there’s very little to lose to see if a change of scenery might be the ticket.
But nothing about his size or where and when he was before being drafted guarantees zilch.
Kaliyev 6’2″ 210lb left shot RW – Rd 2 33rd 2019 – best NHL pts season 2022-23 in L.A. 13g 15a 28 pts in 56gp
Puljujarvi 6′ 4″ 216lbs right shot RW – Rd 1 4th 2016 – best NHL season in pts 2021-22 Edmonton 14g 22a 36pts 65gp
As I say, nothing guaranteed – but nothing ventured nothing gained
Garrioch names available goalies John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks, Cayden Primeau of the Montreal Canadiens, and James Reimer of the Buffalo Sabres……some list.
Gibson $6.4 million, no chance,
Reimer, picked up on waivers as a stop=gap and doing it decently, Buffalo is surely keeping him for now.
Primeau- , not worth the bag of hockey pucks he would cost.
Ullmark is a good influence and I think he can settle Forsberg down and help the team more than an average stop-gap.
LOL, yeah, I wouldn’t want Garrioch handling my stock investments!
Hope you’re right on Ullmark helping Forsberg. I sure wish teams could be – or want to be – more forthcoming on injury situations. All we’ve heard on Ullmark is that he left the game in Edmonton after playing the 1st, due to a “strain.” That has to be some strain!
George,
it appears that Ullmark was the glue in Boston, Swayman is very pedestrian as number one. while Ullmark has been steady his whole career.
Forsberg has shown he can be better and a lot of goaltending is between the ears, that’s where Ullmark comes in.
I said all along that Boston should have kept Ullmark as did many others.
Zadorov and Korpisalo contracts would have covered Ullmark, and that’s why the Sens are pushing the Bruins out by year end.
Habfan30! The glue in Boston was Bergeron! What has happened in Boston really should have happened last year!Many of Boston s players had career years last year! Players like Coyle,Zacha,Frederic and Geekie had career years last year!Sweeney swung and missed on Zadorov and Lindholm!I feel they both will back into the playoffs!
habfan30, one ability Ullmark has shown is to not let one soft goal allowed to linger with him all night … he shakes it off.
If he can get that one quality to sink in with Forsberg it would make all thew difference in the world in his lack of consistency.
More likely answer is from a club team in Europe with some NHL pedigree. Or call Halak and see if he’ll come out of retirement. The east is so close nobody is doing the Sens any favors and anyone out west who might consider trading anyone away is going to ask Staois to bend over first.
Now might be the worse time to trade Easton Cowan
Canadas disappointing showing didn’t accomplish anything positive , as per Easton and other future prospects
I do feel Easton Cowan has been under away too much attention from media , other ….
Toronto will want to make a move or 2 prior to the upcoming trade deadline , they may have no other alternative , as Easton to be one of the candidates , if another team is insisting on his availability
rangers have already claimed Kaliyev
Sadly (for Pens fans) that’s a great pick up by Rangers
I’m shocked none of Blackhawks, Sharks, Sabres or Islanders didn’t put a claim in
I figured he’d go before it reached those in the middle of the pack … as for NYR plucking him, as I say elsewhere today … nothing ventured nothing gained and it costs relatively little to look.
As 8787 points out, I’m surprised it got TO the Rangers for that very reason … perhaps those teams are already at the 50-player limit and would have need to find some way to shed a contract. Just a guess.
Well any team could have had Kaliyev for cheap, like a 7th round pick, which is darn close to free. Nobody did, so shouldn’t be that surprising teams didn’t bite when he was free.
Most teams have a guy like him, or even multiple guys like him, offensive skills but can’t cut it in the NHL, for whatever reason.
I’m no Kaliyev expert, I heard of him, but can’t even remember him from a game I watched. I’m guessing most folks on here are like me, and really have no idea about his game other then the stat line.
There is a reason teams have no interest in adding him, not sure if it is on the ice or off of it, but there is a reason. Most likely, he isn’t better than the guys they have already.
And your right HF30, Kaliyev isn’t turning around the Rags. Maybe he knows Panarin or something and they think he can help the kid.
I dunno, much ado about nothing IMO.
Kaliyev being claimed by NYR is not a gift considering the dumpster fire that it is.
He’s not turning the franchise around and will just be another scapegoat for the mis-management.
I’m guessing he’ll be waived again and go through an ugly RFA negotiation.