NHL Rumor Mill – January 7, 2025
Check out the latest on the Canucks and Canadiens in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
LATEST ON THE CANUCKS
SPORTSNET: Iain MacIntyre reports Elias Pettersson is focussing on improving his play over the second half of this season. The 26-year-old Vancouver Canucks centers has missed the last five games with a lower-body injury.
Pettersson’s become the recent subject of trade rumors amid rumors he’s feuding with teammate J.T. Miller. He acknowledged hearing that Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said anything was possible when it came to trades. However, he said there’s nothing he can do about it and he was not paying attention to the speculation.
Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).
Asked if he wanted to stay with the Canucks, Pettersson replied, “Yeah, of course. That’s why I signed here. Of course.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson’s no-movement clause doesn’t begin until July 1, giving the Canucks plenty of time to ship him wherever they want without his consent. However, they reportedly prefer to retain him and remain hopeful that he and Miller will resolve their differences.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Kierszenblat took notice of recent rumors linking the Canucks’ J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Canucks would want a center as part of the return for Miller or Pettersson if they decide to move one or the other.
Kierszenblat looked at which Rangers centers the Canucks should be interested in if they move Miller. Mika Zibanejad has regressed in recent seasons and has a full no-movement clause. Vincent Trocheck ranks near the top of the Rangers’ analytics, including faceoff win percentage. The oft-injured Filip Chytil would be ideal when healthy.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zibanejad might not waive his NMC for a Canadian team. The same goes for Trocheck, whose NMC becomes a 12-team no-trade list on July 1. Chytil could be a good fit with the Canucks but his history of concussions is a big concern.
Stefen Rosner cites industry sources claiming the Canucks are interested in Brock Nelson but not as a postseason rental. The 33-year-old New York Islanders center has a 16-team no-trade list and Rosner suspects every Canadian team is on it.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Don’t hold your breath waiting for Nelson to land in Vancouver by the March 7 trade deadline.
UPDATE ON THE CANADIENS
RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico reports Jake Evans’ stock is rising thanks to his improved play this season. The 28-year-old Montreal Canadiens center is UFA-eligible this summer and has been the subject of trade speculation.
D’Amico cited an Eastern Conference source who claimed Evans could price himself out of Montreal, suggesting a three or four-year deal at $3 million annually wasn’t attainable.
A Western Conference source was skeptical of the Canadiens’ chances to re-sign Evans. “You can’t pay a fourth-line center upwards of $3.5 million on the long-term and hope to be competitive when it counts.”
D’Amico noted the Canadiens have promising young centers like Owen Beck and Oliver Kapanen in their system as potential replacements for Evans. An NHL pro scout believes he could fetch a first-round pick in the trade market.
TVA SPORTS: Renaud Lavoie believes Evans and the Canadiens could agree to a long-term contract. He cited a source close to the situation saying Evans wants to stay in Montreal and the Habs want to keep him.
Lavoie’s source noted the salary cap is rising and could reach $100 million within two years. “Over three years, if you give Evans $1.5 million more, nobody is going to cry.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Evan’s annual average value is $1.7 million. He’s bound to get between $3 million and $4 million on the open market this summer. It wouldn’t be shocking if the Habs re-signed him for between $3 million and $3.5 million. His situation will be worth monitoring leading up to the trade deadline.
THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan wouldn’t be surprised if the improving Canadiens become buyers and sellers at the trade deadline. General manager Kent Hughes could listen to trade offers for pending UFAs like Evans, David Savard, Joel Armia and Christian Dvorak.
Instead of seeking draft picks and prospects for those players, Hughes could ask for players who can provide immediate help to the Canadiens.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Much will depend on the Canadiens’ place in the standings by March 7. However, Hughes could still attempt to swap some or all of his pending UFAs for players who can help his club beyond this season.
“You can’t pay a fourth-line center upwards of $3.5 million on the long-term and hope to be competitive when it counts.”
is the only sensible statement in this Evans storyline.
His scoring this year, while impressive, is clearly an aberration he won’t maintain a 30% shooting percentage. He’ll regress to his normal 8% which translates to 4 goals.
He’s a 7th round pick that has been well treated through the years and he wants to stay in Montreal.
He’s a solid bottom 6 player, the kind every team needs and has, they are pretty much interchangeable.
Rather than trading Savard, they should pick up another RD, if anything I’d trade Matheson for a quality RD.
Cant blame when Jake Evans chases a contract….he has made around 8million total in his career? its the one chance to set himself up for life . Habs would be smart to do a 3.5×5 or something. he is better 200ft than Dvorak or Newhook
sorry Lyle i see you saying the same ballpark salary for the Habs ;-0
sometimes a center gets overpaid though on the open market…. would help if Habs had some playoff success
Jake Evans isn’t chasing that contract, pundits are throwing these silly numbers around.
Beck, Kapanen, Davidson are pushing among others who will be on ELCs.
3.5×5 is ridiculous for a bottom 6 player.
2.4×3 is more likely, David Kampf money
Habfan30 Montreal is spending all this time with Evan’s,but let’s look at your other 3 young players that should be in your top 6 and see what they are doing!Slafkovsky 4-18-22,Dach6-8-14, Newhook 7-2 -9! If these guys were carrying their weight the Habs could be a top3 seed in the Atlantic!
Sr,
Habs aren’t “spending all this time” with Evans, pundits are because he’s UFA.
Look at the standings, Habs are close to being a top 3 seed as it is with three young guys showing steady improvement.
Matheson plays an average of 25 minutes a game this season. In order to trade him they would have to acquire a D who replaces those minute, as they have no one that can replace those minutes with his ability to lead or join the rush. Never say never, but I can’t imagine who that is.
LJ,
Matheson is very good, a minute muncher but is a LD playing put of position as a RD.
Why not move him if you could get Rasmus Andersson in return.
I’m curious as to what you think Rasmus is worth, habfan30?
Right, HF30. Forgot we had covered this.
I guess one thing that worries me is moving anyone out, or in. It has taken quite a while for the Habs to gel, and to become effective in their roles. True that Armia has been a disappointment for most of his time in Montreal, but he is doing what he has been asked. Same with Anderson, and on down the line.
There’s the possibility that the Habs recent success is a house of cards, and once someone is dealt it comes crashing down.
But I guess there is something to be said for thinking of this as still another year in the rebuild.
2422,
Andersson and Matheson earn similar money, both are UFA next year
Whatever the ‘value” is, it will be pretty close, both are minute munchers and top pairing D-men.
I’m confident that the Habs will re-sign Evans, they want to keep him and he wants to stay. But no rush. As the season goes on he’s bound to regress to the mean so they’ll try to reach a fair deal. Like around $3m. per year for 4 years or so.
I’d actually try to extend Armia. Also a bottom six player who won’t score much but he’s been impotent to the PK. Will need to take a cut from $3.4m. though.
Dvorak can’t be gone soon enough but won’t bring back much, if the Habs are still in the race come March they’ll probably keep him and let him walk after the season ends.
They’re best off letting Savard go too. He’s nearing the finish line. If they can get a decent pick for him they’ll do it. If not they’ll let him walk after the season.
As for trading Matheson – not this season at least.
Howard, Armia has been impotent on the PK? Then he better stiffen his resolve.
Whoops! Meant to say important. See what happens when you don’t review.
Evans is also key to habs pk success. Plays right way every shift. Offence this year is an outlier. Would 2.7-3m x4 get it done?
Re Canucks, Trades
Age wise @ 31,yrs old, I think its J.T.Millar that
gets moved first
#.1. they want a centre back and want to stay younger and not get older… Keep looking at most suiteable teams….
Best deal for both teams is Buffalo Centre
23 yr old Dylan Cozens, pay is very similar $7.1M for 5.5 more years, cousins is coming into his prime now over the next year or two….🤔
Or
if it was
NYR, if it was Kris Krider, 33 yrs old and 2.5 more year @ $6.5M him pluss as he is a winger maybe and some thing else as he is 7.5 years Older…
Buffalo Also need a RD, a 23 yr old RD, Braden Schneider $2.M
then the Canucks would have to add to J.T.Millar & some thing else going to NYR…❓. Like A
Vincent Desharnais, 27 yr old RD
or Nils Hoglander 24 yr old winger
just dont see them moving a 25 yr old star like
Elias Pettersson @ $11,600,000 for 7.5 more years, scoring 102 points and 82 points the past 2 seasons, there core is all between 25 & 28 apart from T.J.Millar
Alot of Ranger talk about not wanting the personality of JT Miller in the room that is already a mess.
IF somehow the Rangers acquired Elias…..cant see how Vancouver wants Zib or even the one hit away from retirement Chytil as there other center. Trocheck seems to be some of the glue in NYC that still works.
Miller would be a good fit for Bflo if ONLY he was 3-4 years younger. They’re not ready to give up on Cozens yet. Plus I can’t see Miller wanting to step into a rebuild at this stage of his career.
JT Miller would be a good fit for Bflo if ONLY he was 3-4 years younger. They’re not ready to give up on Cozens yet. Plus I can’t see Miller wanting to step into a rebuild at this stage of his career.
If the Rangers make a play for JT Miller I don’t see it involving Zibanejad (because of his NMC and style of play). I’d imagine it would probably be something like a package of Kreider (so salary swaps are similar) plus Chytil plus a lower pick or prospect.
I can’t see Miller waiving for a bubble team like Buffalo or the dumpster fire that is the NY Rangers.
I sure hope Sweeney has called about Miller, I would be all over that guy if I was Boston.
Yes he will be old for the last couple seasons, and his contract won’t look good then, but we are not in rebuild or retool mode, we are in try and win now mode.
I also don’t care if he pushes the young guys hard, have at er’. If he is crossing the line, I get it, but Alvin’s statement suggest he didn’t.
What BOS would need to send back, I dunno, but obviously need to include Zacha or Coyle, plus another guy to make the $$ and the trade work. If Demko’s injury persists maybe we can even get Korpisalo included! Not sure that will fly.
Tough deal to make, but he is exactly the kind of player Boston could use. The guy is a gamer.
NYR seems pretty toxic right now. If Trocheck wants out I imagine there would be a ton of interested parties. VAN would have a shot, but I’d love to see him on the Flames.
If Miller will go to NYR then it is Kreider, a dman and a pick. Maybe he can help clean up the dressing room.
I’ll float an unpopular opinion. I think MTL should re acquire Jesperi Kotkaniemi. They could get him for dirt cheap and he’s currently out performing Dach and Newhook.
Have to remember that KK plays on a well oiled machine and the Canadiens are ony in the third year of their rebuild. Plus Dach just spent like 500 days on the injured list it will take him some time to get his synchronism and confidence back. He had 40 points in 60 games with the Habs before getting injured, Kotkaniemi is headin for a 36-37points season again and salary wise…. Newhook had 34 ponts in 55 games last season without much support on the third line. Demidov and Hage are not so far away so as a Habs fan my answer is a big no thank you
I would say the same thing Mike. Kotkaniemi is settling in as an okay third line center who’ll get 35 or so points per season. Good thing to have but not at just under $5m. for five more years. And don’t forget Owen Beck.
Beck and Hage are at least 1 more season away from joining the Habs. Both could benefit from spending 25-26 in Laval. Kotkaniemi would be a decent Band-Aid centre with his contact expiring in 2028 according to Puckpedia.
You could also get an extra asset out of Carolina for taking on the KK contract. I have no problem with that move.
In all the back-and-forthing on Miller one thing is constant – whoever got him in a deal would be weakening themselves elsewhere since it’s doubtful Vancouver – very much in the playoff picture out West, would settle for only picks/prospects.
Then the question becomes, when the dust settles, is the team getting Miller significantly stronger given what they had to relinquish, and do they have the quality in their system to replace those dealt away?
Just read on the Score that Canucks turned down Zibanehad for J.T. Miller
That’s is close as those two will get. Unless it is for K’Andre and Chytil and picks prospects not so sure it gets done.