NHL Rumor Mill – February 10, 2025
Check out the latest on the Canadiens and Islanders in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
WILL THE CANADIENS BECOME TRADE DEADLINE SELLERS?
THE ATHLETIC: Arpon Basu recently wondered what type of return the Montreal Canadiens would receive if they package checking-line forward Jake Evans and Joel Armia. They are considered the best penalty-killing duo in the league this season.
Basu also cited TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reporting Evans and the Canadiens are not close to an agreement on the new contract. LeBrun believes it’s more likely that he will be moved by
Montreal Canadiens center Jake Evans (NHL Images).
the March 7 trade deadline, adding that the Canadiens are getting an increasing number of calls from rival clubs about the 29-year-old center.
RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico also reported on the increasing interest in Evans and Armia. A source told D’Amico that he doesn’t believe the Canadiens will hang onto Evans if he’s unsigned by the trade deadline. Habs defensemen David Savard and Mike Matheson are also garnering interest. Savard is UFA-eligible on July 1 while Matheson has a year left on his contract.
D’Amico also cited sources saying Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes will be looking for young NHL players over draft picks and prospects. They’ve reportedly had interest in Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras and Buffalo Sabres center Dylan Cozens. It’s believed they’re also keeping tabs on New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Two weeks ago, when the Canadiens had won 13 of their previous 17 games and moved briefly into a wild-card spot, there was talk they might hang onto their pending UFAs as “own rentals” for a playoff run. Some observers suggested they might be modest buyers in the trade market.
Those ideas vanished after their 1-7-1 slump sent them sliding down the standings heading into the 4 Nations Face-Off. Hughes will be a seller by March 7 with Evans, Armia and Savard the most likely to be moved.
The combination of Evans and Armia could be enticing for a contender seeking penalty-killing depth. They might fetch a promising NHL player but no certainty that will happen. Hughes could end up having to accept draft picks and prospects but he can add those to his stockpile and draw on them for trade capital in the offseason.
WHAT WILL THE ISLANDERS DO AT THE TRADE DEADLINE?
NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears reports the Islanders are still stuck in limbo as the trade deadline nears. They’re four points from a playoff berth, leading Sears to conclude GM Lou Lamoriello won’t be a seller unless the club slides further out of contention.
Lamoriello remains focused on his club’s performance, which explains the defensemen he’s brought in. Sears also believes the Isles GM could attempt to re-sign pending UFA center Brock Nelson, saying any thought of moving him before the trade deadline has gone by the wayside.
THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple also reports Nelson isn’t on the trade block yet, citing sources who say Lamoriello is trying to extend the 33-year-old center.
Staple also cited people around the league saying Nelson doesn’t appear ready to commit to a deal making him an Islander for life. “While it may not truly be the worst-kept secret in hockey that Nelson and the (Minnesota) Wild would have mutual interest, it’s an obvious fit.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Staple thinks Lamoriello will move Nelson by the trade deadline if the center isn’t interested in a contract extension. If that happens, he’ll be among the most coveted players in the trade market.
Staple also touched on recent rumors regarding Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson. While he doesn’t fully dismiss the possibility, he thinks trading Dobson would set the Isles up for further mediocrity.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: We can’t rule out Dobson getting traded but it seems like a long shot. He’s struggled this season but so have most of his teammates. The 26-year-old remains their best puck-moving defenseman. Trading him would leave a big hole on their blueline that will be difficult to fill.
Dobson is currently listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Some see the Isles recently loading up on defensemen is seen by some as an indication he could miss the remainder of the regular season. He’s also a restricted free agent this summer with arbitration rights.
I would be careful trading with Kent Hughes, he overvalues his players and usually gets what he wants. Armia and Evan’s are mediocre players at best.
Then why are rated as one of the PK duo’s in the league
Pretty mediocre
Wink wink nudge nudge
Lots of penalty killers out there, you don’t need to pony up much to get one.
Yes. The fact that Zegras, Cozens, and Dobson are mentioned after Evans, Armia, Havard and Matheson kind of suggests that that quartet might form a package equal to Zegras or Cozens or Dobson, when in fact the Habs group are nowhere close to being equal in value.
Re; the Dobson Trade,
Ottawa, buffalo & Edmonton
All 3 could do with Dobson 25 yr old RD-man as a 2nd pairing would be great on all of these teams..👍🏿
For
Buffalo
Rasmus Anderson the Assistant Flames Captain would be the best choice…
Buffalo need leadership
And a new voice, and A New Captain ….
Anderson could be it…..❓👍🏿
Calling Evans and Armia mediocre players is off base. They are bottom six forwards who are solid defensively and contribute depth scoring. Far from stars but every winning team needs players like that. They certainly won’t bring in a kings ransom but the Habs may well get useful pieces if they decide to trade them.
We had Armia in Winnipeg, it was always frustrating seeing his potential but he never put up points and didn’t take the next step. Evan’s has decent numbers but can’t take a hit.
Saying Hughes gets what he wants for over valued players is also saying that other GMs are mugs.
Yeah, that was a tad harsh where those two are concerned. No, they won’t suddenly transform a team’s overall offense in any way, shape or form … but they are big, good-skating and effective bottom 6 players who can help a team there from the aspect of being responsible 2-way players who can add some decent offensive talent
Armia 6′ 3″ 210lbs RW with 10g 14a 24 pts and a +1 in 56gp
Evans – 6′ 190lbs C with 11g 16a 27pts +2 in 56gp
I think people misconstrue the notion of “bad” with replaceable…the easier it is to replace a player, the “worse” he is.
Value, to me, is determined by how hard it will be to replace said player. The harder (internally or not) it will be replacing said player, the better the return will have to be. Both trading parties will fully be aware of this.
Habs trade talk.
Savard’s value is only as a rental for a team feeling it might go all the way, or to Montreal as a mentor.
Evans value is a solid defensively responsible player that most every team has and is on an expiring $1.7 contract. That’s his value, perhaps a slight bump. Replacements exist for less money.
Armia’s value depends on the day he’s playing, strong 299ft board game, high performance under high pressure, sometimes you don’t see him on the ice. He has value for a contender willing to gamble on a playoff player, he’s coming off a $3.4 contract.
Dvorak \’s value is difficult to guage, he came to the Habs with high expectations but never lived up to his game in Arizona. He has turned things around lately handling and winning face off duty, strong 200 foot game essentially showing what he’s capable of when he’s on his game.
i don’t see any of these guys bringing a return of value in a trade.
The idea of an Evans/Armia package sounds good but I don’t see a team offering a high ceiling prospect.
These guys are plugs to fill holes in a cup driving team, the way Tampa would overpay for a need.
If he just lets them go for late draft picks, he impact the team negatively and has $13.5 to replace them, at least two of which will be on entry level contracts and a UFA or two like Ehlers before any other tweaking.
oops, ” he impact the team negatively” was meant as “he DOESN”T impact the team negatively.
Rangers could use a player like Evans. After acquiring JT Miller, they had Zibanejad on RW with him. Last game they moved Zib to 3C and bumped oft scratched Vesey to top line RW. Was great to get Brodzinski out but ideally would rather Zib stay in top 6. Offense was anemic and Laviolettes juggling is keeping them from any consistency. IMO, Miller and Panarin should be split. Panarin Trochek and Laf where decent line most of season.
I think this is what we see next year barring any trades.
Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere
Cuylle – JT Miller – Kaliyev
Kreider – Zibanejad – Vesey
Edstrom – Carrick – Rempe
xtra – Brodzinski, Othmann
Vaakininen – Fox
Miller/Lundgren – Schneider
Jones – Bargen
7th d-man 1 of Ruhwedel/Robertson/Harpur/Mackey
Shesterkin – Quick
Dov, I’m looking at finishing this season. Next year, I don’t see Brodzinski, Vesey, or Othmann on roster. Perreault more likely than Othmann. None of those 7th D will be.
What do you think the Habs would reasonably want in return for each?
Whatever the market will bear, George, which isn’t a helpful answer; but surely it comes down to a late round pick is better than holding onto a player on an expiring contract who won’t be resigned and can’t help the team anymore this year. Late round picks can always be a throw in to move a deal over the line.
HF30’s player assessments is pretty accurate, but as we have seen it only takes two GMs who believe this could be their year and have interest in the same player …
I’d want E.J. Emery and a 3rd as a bottom line and work up, not knowing the NYR well enough to parse the roster.
Habfan, there’s no way Rangers would give up last years 1st (Emery) for a rental. Evans is not getting a 1st and 3rd.
Slick62, the guy was a 1st round pick, but at # 30. He’s a skinny 6’3″ 172 lbs with, judging by his college records, having minimal offensive talent.
I guess the issue would be, how badly do the Rangers want to shore up their bottom 6 F group from a 2-way aspect, and when do they realistically expect to see Emery earning a birth at the NHL level?
Slick62,
The suggestion was for the pair of Armia and Evans.
You might still say no way but i think it’s reasonable. Emery didn’t make the cut for team usa wcj, the kid isn’t projected to turn pro in the near future which is fine.
NYR are in a win now timeframe, Habs can afford to wait on the kid.
Then what value does the kid have?
Little dissapointed the Sens havent made a splash in the trade market. With Norris seemingly injured often and now Pinto out. Without a substantial trade I fear Ottawa will continue to regress or stay status quo while the teams ahead and directly behind make massive impacts through addition.
Scott Forrest, I still think Staios will make at least one move – possibly two.
Both Norris and Pinto should be back in the line-up when the break ends for them on Feb 22 when they play Montreal.
Even with those losses in Florida they are still solidly in the playoff picture and, in addition to Norris and Pinto (who have injuries of the kind that, had they been in a playoff series, likely would have played – but why push the envelope) should have Gregor – a valuable 2-way checker in the bottom 6 – back from his injury as well as depth D Bernard-Docker.
It’ll also give others nursing various dings (like Jensen) an opportunity to get back to 100%.
Those moves alone will be like adding significant pieces … but I believe he’ll still go after a solid bottom 6 F (in the nature of Evans & Armia) along with an equally solid bottom-pairing D who could, when necessary, comfortably move up when required.
It won’t be cheap … but if they are still in the thick of it come deadline day … or even a few days before – he pretty much has to do what he can to bolster the line-up and give Green a few more options.
On the other hand, should the wheels fall off, starting February 22, and they’re continuing to fade by trade deadline day. he becomes a seller.
Beginning with Giroux, a pending UFA C/W coming of a $6.5 mil cap hit, who might interest a top contending team as a rental … and give him a good shot at a Cup (as happened last season with Tarasenko). He could always re-up with Ottawa in the off-season if the acquiring team looks at him a pure rental (as happened with Tarasenko last season (but who signed with Detroit instead).
A couple of other pending UFAs who might interest some playoff teams as depth players are RD Hamonic ($1.1 mil) and G Forsberg ($2.750,000.
If he can get something useful back in each of those cases, and they are in a position of having no playoff hope by March 7, why not?
But that’s simply the other side of the coin … I think they will be in a solid position when the time comes and seeking to improve.
I think the Sens are hampered by a lack of cap space and injuries in making trades right now. They are also losing a 1st Rd pick sometime in the next two drafts. Better to wait to closer to the TDL and then make a move. And, truthfully, the heavy lifting for the Sens comes this offseason, with the increase in the cap and the jettisoning of dead weight (Forsberg, Hamonic).
Re; Sen’s
osing there 1st round oick they suld wait till 2026 draft as they will be better team then and have
$12.N in cap space with a
-$1.M goalterder to sign
-$3-4M Claude Claude Giroux for 1 year ?
-1.7 Mill for Adam Gaudette..?
-$4.5- to 5.M in RFA players…?
Thats ball park before trades🤔
&
Thats Before $4.M for David Perron for 1.2 more years….. if they can move him with a 3rd round pick that Free’s up $4.m in cap space
That could go after a good RD/d/man
and or
A good scoring forward with with $6.M…..❓❓
maybe its a bit of both
The trade deadline will tell, Im sure The GM
Steve Staos will make a couple of trates maybe
its 2 or 3, 🤔🤙🏿
That cap is the issue JohnG – especially if and when Gregor and Bernard-Docker come off LTIR. Depending upon who Staios is targeting – and if the general feeling on big Matinpalo (just added to Team Finland) is such that his excellent play has earned him a spot and trust at RD, they might dangle Zub and his $4.6 mil.
GeorgeO who would Boston get in a return for Frederic,Brazeau,Peeke,Carlo,and Marchand would this group be more attractive other than Marchand with the Montreal 4 of Evans,Armia,Savard and Dvorak!
I rarely, if ever, get into this specific player for that specific player, preferring to suggest positional needs and leave it up to the GM to decide who is expendable.
Having said that, I think the Boston group you mention would result in the more impactful returns.
Re Sen’s
This sould say…
Losing there
1st round Pick in the 2026 draft pick
Should say
Evans is worth a 3rd round pick. Upgrade to a 2nd if they retain 50%
Armia is likely worth a 5th round pick. Upgrade to a 3rd with 50% retained. Throw a 3rd team a 5th round pick for further retention.
Ryan Donato is having a good year in CHI on an expiring $2M salary. I could see him fetching a good return with salary retention.