NHL Rumor Mill – July 1, 2021

by | Jul 1, 2021

NHL Rumor Mill – July 1, 2021

The Blackhawks are working on a trade for Duncan Keith plus the latest on the Sabres in today’s NHL rumor mill.

BLACKHAWKS ATTEMPTING TO TRADE KEITH

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reported last evening the Chicago Blackhawks are working on a potential trade for Duncan Keith. The move could send the 37-year-old defenseman to “either the Pacific Northwest or Western Canada.”

THE SCORE: Josh Wegman cited Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times reporting Keith’s family lives in Penticton, British Columbia during the off-season and his son stayed there this season. He wants to be closer to his family as his career winds down. Wegman suggested the teams that fit the criteria are the Seattle Kraken, Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Winnipeg Jets and perhaps the San Jose Sharks.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston cites a source saying the Canucks aren’t believed to be interested in acquiring Keith citing their limited cap space. They seem inclined toward re-signing Alexander Edler. Cap space could also rule out the Flames as a destination. Another source suggested the Jets would be too far east.

Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith (NHL Images).

Keith has two years remaining on his contract with an annual average value of $5.538 million but he’s owed just $3.6 million in actual salary over those remaining seasons.

Johnston believes the Oilers have cap space to work with, as do the expansion Kraken. Both are relatively short flights from Penticton.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples examines if Keith would make sense for the Oilers. Given his high cap hit, it would be a steep price to pay for a defenseman on his last NHL legs unless the Oiler can move out an iffy contract like James Neal or Mikko Koskinen in the deal. He doubts the Blackhawks would pick up half of Keith’s annual cap hit. Staples also points out Keith’s stats indicate he’s producing at a low third-pairing level.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken could be the best destination. They have plenty of cap space, Keith could provide leadership and experience to the expansion roster, and he’s still a recognizable name. Whether the Kraken or any of those other clubs are interested remains to be seen.

LATEST ON THE SABRES

WGR 550: The Buffalo Sabres are said to be seeking the equivalent of four first-round picks in exchange for captain Jack Eichel. However, TSN’s Darren Dreger believes that the high asking price is depressing the 24-year-old center’s value in the trade market.

The Blackhawks are reportedly among the suitors for Eichel. However, Dreger cited a source saying their interest isn’t believed to be that high as they already have three high-priced forwards in Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat. He believes they’re more interested in adding a high-end defenseman like Columbus’ Seth Jones or Carolina’s Dougie Hamilton.

Dreger noted the Anaheim Ducks have also been connected to Eichel. Because they’re in the midst of a rebuild, they’re believed to be balking at the Sabres’ asking price. He also doubted their interest is as high as has been speculated. Dreger feels the New York Rangers remain well-positioned to make the best offer, despite the Sabres’ misgivings about sending Eichel there.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks and Ducks could be performing due diligence to determine the Sabres’ asking price. Maybe they’ll be more interested if Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams drops his price to a more reasonable level.

I don’t blame Adams for setting a high ask as he wants the best possible return. He’ll see what interested parties counter with and try to find something in-between that works for both clubs.

The Blackhawks could free up additional cap dollars if they can find a taker for Duncan Keith. They’ll likely use those savings to put toward landing a star defenseman as Dreger observed.

I originally believed the Los Angeles Kings would be the best destination. They appear more interested in less expensive top-six forwards.

We don’t know how serious the Rangers’ reported interest in Eichel could be. Adams probably prefers moving him as far away from Buffalo as possible. However, he could have little choice but to move him to an eastern club if he can’t find better offers from western teams.

 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 1, 2021

by | Jul 1, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 1, 2021

The Lightning takes a 2-0 series lead in the Stanley Cup Final, Jonathan Toews reveals the illness that sidelined him this season, Tom Dundon takes over full ownership of the Hurricanes, the latest coaching hires and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Montreal Canadiens 3-1 in Game 2 of the 2021 Stanley Cup Final. They hold a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series as it shifts to Montreal for Games 3 and 4.

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (NHL Images).

Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 42 saves while Blake Coleman broke a 1-1 tie with a diving buzzer-beater goal in the second period. Ondrej Palat put the game out of reach with less than five minutes remaining in the third period. Nick Suzuki tallied the Canadiens’ only goal.

The Lightning played without winger Alex Killorn. He suffered a suspected leg injury in Game 1 after blocking a Jeff Petry shot and is listed as day-to-day.

Game 3 is Friday night at 8 pm ET in Montreal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens outplayed the Lightning in this contest but the few mistakes they made wound up in the back in their net. They blew an opportunity to open the scoring in the first period by failing to capitalize on a 4-on-3 power play. Joel Edmundson was the goat on the Lightning’s third goal as his behind-the-net back pass went directly to Palat.

Vasilevskiy was solid in this game for the Lightning but the Canadiens still didn’t generate enough high-quality scoring opportunities. Carey Price, meanwhile, wasn’t bad for the Canadiens but he hasn’t been at his best thus far in this series.

The Lightning have a great opportunity to take a commanding lead in Game 3. The Canadiens cannot afford to fall behind 3-0 against a powerhouse like the Bolts. They’ll need a better effort on Friday or risk watching the Lightning skate away with the Stanley Cup on Monday night.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens request to allow more than 3,500 fans for Games 3 and 4 was rejected by the Quebec government and health officials. The Habs hoped to expand that number to 10,500.

TSN: Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews revealed he was diagnosed with chronic immune response syndrome. The condition sidelined him for the entire 2020-21 season. He indicated he’s feeling much better now and intends to rejoin his teammates next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Toews in his recovery.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Tom Dundon is now the full owner of the Carolina Hurricanes. He’d been the majority owner of the club since January 2018 but bought out all the remaining shareholders, including those of former owner Peter Karmanos Jr. The sale of the shares was unanimously approved by the NHL board of governors.

NJ.COM: Scott O’Neil, the CEO of the parent company that owns the New Jersey Devils and the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, is stepping down to pursue other interests.

AZ COYOTES INSIDER: Craig Morgan reports the Arizona Coyotes have called a news conference for today where they’ll announce the hiring of Ottawa 67s head coach Andre Tourigny as their new bench boss.

THE DETROIT NEWS: The Red Wings have hired Alex Tanguay as an assistant coach. The former NHL player spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the AHL’s Iowa Wild.

THE MERCURY NEWS: The San Jose Sharks’ poor performance over the last two seasons saw their season-ticket sales drop from 10,500 in 2019 to 9000 for 2021-22.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 30, 2021

by | Jun 30, 2021

NHL Rumor Mill – June 30, 2021

Could the Blues shop Vladimir Tarasenko? Could Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar receive an offer sheet? Are big moves in store for the Blackhawks or the Coyotes? What’s the latest on Frederik Andersen and Tony DeAngelo? Find out in today’s NHL rumor mill.

BLUES SHOPPING TARASENKO

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reports the St. Louis Blues are exploring a trade for Vladimir Tarasenko. The 29-year-old winger has a full no-trade clause but has informed management of several preferred trade destinations. Tarasenko has two years remaining on his contract with an annual average value of $7.5 million. He’s been limited to 34 games over the last two seasons due to shoulder surgeries.

St. Louis Blues are reportedly shopping winger Vladimir Tarasenko (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seravalli indicates Tarasenko’s recurring shoulder injury has been corrected and he’s healthy. When he’s healthy he’s a consistent 30-goal scorer.

Still, there could be clubs on his trade list leery of acquiring him because of those three surgeries. His cap hit could also prove difficult to move with the salary cap remaining flattened for this season.

COULD MAKAR GET AN OFFER SHEET?

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports there are different sources around the league who believe Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar is the one player who could receive an offer sheet this summer. The Avs have several players (Makar, Gabriel Landeskog, Philipp Grubauer, Brandon Saad) due for new contracts. They must also ensure sufficient cap room to re-sign Nathan MacKinnon to a monster extension next summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: LeBrun indicates Makar wants to remain with the Avalanche and the club is “guarding internally” again a possible offer sheet. He said there are some who believe rival clubs could come calling if the 22-year-old blueliner isn’t signed by July 28.

Offers sheet signings are rare but do happen from time to time. Bear in mind, however, the player has to be receptive to receiving one. Just because other teams would love to sign Makar doesn’t mean he’s interested in going that route.

BIG MOVES COMING FOR THE BLACKHAWKS OR COYOTES?

TSN: Darren Dreger reports media has linked the Chicago Blackhawks to Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel. He finds it hard to imagine they can fit another $10 million player into their lineup with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane already there. He also noted winger Alex DeBrincat will soon become a big-money player.

Dreger also indicates Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman is trying to add an elite-level defenseman. They’ve been linked to Carolina’s Dougie Hamilton and Columbus’ Seth Jones.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bowman could be performing due diligence by looking into Eichel’s availability. I don’t see them acquiring him unless the Sabres pick up half of his cap hit, or if Toews is going on permanent long-term injury reserve, or Bowman intends on shedding a significant salary.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reports the Boston Bruins could revisit their interest in Arizona Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson. He also wondered if a potential trade package could involve Coyotes winger and Boston native Conor Garland.

The Bruins were on Ekman-Larsson’s list of preferred destinations last fall but discussions between the two clubs failed to produce a deal. The Coyotes were willing to shave $1.25 million off the blueliner’s $8.25 million annual average value last year. Seravalli wonders if they’ll retain more to facilitate a trade this time.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman recently expressed his belief that Ekman-Larsson and winger Phil Kessel could get traded this summer. He also recommended keeping an eye on Garland and goaltender Darcy Kuemper.

Ekman-Larsson’s trade value is unknown right while Kessel as a rental player won’t fetch a lot of young assets. Garland and Kuemper, however, could bring the picks and prospects the Coyotes need.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins have expressed a need for a top-four, left-side defenseman. Ekman-Larsson’s declining numbers over the last three seasons are cause for concern but perhaps he’ll bounce back playing on a deeper roster. The Coyotes will have to pick up a bigger chunk of Ekman-Larsson’s cap hit if they hope to move him.

The Bruins could have interest in Garland if unable to re-sign Taylor Hall or if they finally decide to put Jake DeBrusk on the trade block. The 25-year-old winger is a restricted free agent completing a two-year, $1.55 million contract. He’d be more affordable than Hall, perhaps costing as much as DeBrusk’s annual cap hit ($3.675 million) to sign.

Like Kessel, Kuemper will become an unrestricted free agent next summer. With Adin Hill looking like a potential starting goalie, they could peddle Kuemper if they feel he doesn’t fit into their long-range plans.

COULD ANDERSEN REMAIN A MAPLE LEAF?

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports there’s a chance Frederik Andersen could remain with the Toronto Maple Leafs. His agent, Claude Lemieux, said he was asked by the club if his client was interested in potentially signing and staying put. Lemieux said yes but LeBrun points out getting a deal done could be difficult within the Leafs’ limited cap space.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Andersen will have to accept less than his $5 million annual average value of his expiring deal. LeBrun said he’s ready to share the Leafs’ goaltending duties with Jack Campbell. So what say you, Leafs fan? Should they bring back Freddy on a reduced cap hit as a backup?

RANGERS TO BUY OUT DEANGELO

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reports the New York Rangers have finalized plans to buy out the remaining year of defenseman Tony DeAngelo’s contract. It will become official once the first buyout window opens within 24 hours after the Stanley Cup Final concludes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Everyone expected this after the Rangers couldn’t find any takers for DeAngelo via trade or waivers during the regular season. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent on July 28. Seravalli said the annual cap hit to the Rangers is $383K for 2021-22 and $883K for 2022-23. It’ll be interesting to see if other clubs will take a chance on him when he’s no longer carrying a $4.8 million cap hit.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 30, 2021

by | Jun 30, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 30, 2021

Connor McDavid wins both MVP awards as the remainder of the major individual player awards are announced, the First and Second Team All-Stars revealed, and much more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player and the Ted Lindsay Award as league MVP as voted by the NHLPA membership. It’s the second time he’s won the Hart and the third time he’s taken home the Lindsay Award.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

McDavid became just the second player in NHL history to receive 100 percent of the first-place votes for the Hart. The last player to do so was Wayne Gretzky in 1981-82.

New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox won the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the league’s top blueliner. He’s the first Ranger to do so since Brian Leetch in 1996-97.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury took home his first Vezina Trophy as the league’s top netminder. He’s the first goalie in Golden Knights history to win the Vezina.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov won the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year. He’s the first player in Wild history to win this award.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to all the winners for their well-deserved honors during an unusual season.

The NHL’s First All-Star Team for 2020-21 includes Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, defensemen Adam Fox of the Rangers and Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche, Oilers center Connor McDavid, Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Mitch Marner and Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand.

The Second All-Star Team features Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, defensemen Victor Hedman of the Lightning and Dougie Hamilton of the Carolina Hurricanes, Leafs center Auston Matthews, Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen and Florida Panthers left wing Jonathan Huberdeau.

The NHL’s All-Rookie Team for 2020-21 features Hurricanes netminder Alex Nedeljkovic, defensemen K’Andre Miller of the Rangers and Ty Smith of the New Jersey Devils, and forwards Kirill Kaprizov of the Wild, Josh Norris of the Ottawa Senators and Jason Robertson of the Dallas Stars.

TSN: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber was fined $5,000.00 for slashing Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov during Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens are asking the Quebec government to allow 50 percent capacity (10,500 fans) for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Friday.

NHL.COM: Lightning winger Alex Killorn is questionable for Game 2 tonight after leaving Game 1 in the third period with a suspected leg injury.

WGR 550: The Buffalo Sabres have named Don Granato as their head coach, signing him to a three-year contract. Granato took over on an interim basis midway through this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres showed obvious improvement after Granato replaced Ralph Krueger. It’ll be interesting to see how the players respond to his coaching over the course of a full 82-game schedule. This club’s constant changes behind the bench in recent years have contributed to their ongoing mediocrity.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers have hired former NHL player Tuomo Ruutu as an assistant coach. Ruutu spent the past two seasons with the New York Rangers and was their assistant director of player development last season.

THE ATHLETIC: The Columbus Blue Jackets will hire Sylvain Lefebvre as an assistant coach. He’s spent the past nine seasons coaching in the AHL.

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Coyotes have reportedly done extensive vetting of Ottawa 67s head coach Andre Tourigny. They’re seeking a new bench boss after parting ways with Rick Tocchet last month.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs signed winger Wayne Simmonds to a two-year contract extension with an annual average value of $900K.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A two-year deal seems a little long for a player who didn’t have as big an impact as hoped when he joined the Leafs this season. Part of the reason was a broken wrist he suffered in February. If Simmonds doesn’t work out they can bury the full value of his contract in the minors.

THE DENVER POST: The Colorado Avalanche re-signed goaltender Jonas Johansson to a one-year, two-way contract worth $750K at the NHL level.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche backup Pavel Francouz is under contract for next season with a $2 million cap hit. He missed the entire season with to a lower-body injury that required surgery in April. Francouz is expected to be healthy for next season but Johansson will be insurance should he become sidelined again.

TORONTO STAR: TSN’s Ray Ferraro and Sportsnet’s Cassie Campbell-Pascall have joined ESPN’s NHL broadcasting team. Both will continue at their current networks while doing their new ESPN gigs.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks have officially announced their AHL affiliation deal with Abbotsford, BC. The new deal is for five years with options for renewal that could run as long as 20 years.

PORTLAND PRESS-HERALD: The Maine Mariners are expected to announce today that they will become the ECHL affiliate of the Boston Bruins.










Nugent-Hopkins Signs Eight-Year Extension With Oilers

by | Jun 29, 2021

Nugent-Hopkins Signs Eight-Year Extension With Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers signed forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to an eight-year, $41 million contract extension. The deal also includes a no-movement clause.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Scratch one of the notable names from this summer’s list of potential unrestricted free agents.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins signs an eight-year extension with the Edmonton Oilers (NHL Images).

Nugent-Hopkins, 28, is completing a seven-year, $42 million contract. He was selected first overall by the Oilers in the 2011 NHL Draft, going on to tally 478 points in 656 games.

He’s taking a pay cut from a $6 million annual average value to $5.125 million to stay in Edmonton but this deal ensures him a longer contract. It’s a wise move on his part given the uncertainty created by a salary cap expected to remain near the current $81.5 million for the next several seasons.

Nugent-Hopkins is a versatile forward, playing center or wing and seeing plenty of duty on the Oilers’ power-play and penalty kill. He had two 60-plus points seasons in 2018-19 and 2019-20 but his numbers dropped this season to 35 points in 52 contests. That decline could be attributable to the shortened schedule.

The annual average value is fine for a player of Nugent-Hopkins’ current abilities, However, the length of the deal could become an issue over the final four years when he’ll be in his mid-thirties. That’s usually when a player’s performance deteriorates. This contract could become a costly headache if this season’s drop in his production signaled the start of his decline.

Nugent-Hopkins’ no-movement clause does not apply to the upcoming expansion draft. The Oilers still have to put him on their protected list.

This signing will leave the Oilers with over $65 million invested in 19 players. Their other notable free agents include pending UFA goaltender Mike Smith defensemen Adam Larsson and Tyson Barrie.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 29, 2021

by | Jun 29, 2021

NHL Rumor Mill – June 29, 2021

Check out the latest on Seth Jones, Matthew Tkachuk, Jack Eichel, Viktor Arvidsson, Wayne Simmonds and more in today’s NHL rumor mill.

NOTABLE SPECULATION FROM FRIEDMAN’S LATEST “31 THOUGHTS”

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports he’s still hearing a lot about the Philadelphia Flyers having an interest in Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman didn’t elaborate but it’s not surprising the Flyers would look at Jones to fill their glaring need for a top-pairing, right-side blueliner. They have the assets to make a competitive pitch, but they’ll have to shed salary to squeeze in his $5.4 million cap hit for next season. Cap Friendly shows them with $13.08 in projected cap space. Carter Hart and Travis Sanheim are due for new contracts plus they need to find a suitable backup for Hart.

The Flames issued firm denials regarding a recent rumor claiming Matthew Tkachuk wanted out of Calgary. That’s different from when no one denied the leak that Seth Jones would test next summer’s free-agent market or the news the Arizona Coyotes will try to trade Oliver Ekman-Larsson or reports the Carolina Hurricanes allowed Dougie Hamilton to speak with other teams.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There weren’t any earlier indications Tkachuk was unhappy in Calgary prior to last week’s rumor claiming he wanted out. Flames management could consider all options after missing the playoffs this season. Moving Tkachuk, however, doesn’t sound like one of them.

Things were quieter on the Jack Eichel rumor front last week. Friedman expects things to pick up once they hire a new coach. Interim coach Don Granato and Rick Tocchet are among the contenders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The New York Post’s Larry Brooks reports several sources said the Rangers have had preliminary talks with the Sabres and would like to look into Eichel’s medical condition. He said it’s uncertain if general manager Chris Drury is performing due diligence or has a serious interest in the Sabres’ captain. The Sabres haven’t granted permission for clubs to examine Eichel’s medical records but it’s expected they would do so if trade talks intensify.

Friedman also heard Nashville Predators winger Viktor Arvidsson could be available. The hard-working winger has three years remaining on his contract with an annual average value of $4.25 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A healthy Arvidsson would attract considerable interest. However, he’s been hampered by injuries the past three seasons, which would explain why the Predators could be willing to move him.

It sounds like Wayne Simmonds could be returning for another season with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Simmonds completed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Leafs. Given their limited cap space, my guess is they’ll try to sign him to a one-year deal worth under $1 million. They’ll also probably wait until after the expansion draft to formally announce it so they don’t have to place him on their protected list.

**UPDATE: TSN reports the Leafs signed Simmonds to a two-year extension with an annual average value of $900K. 

Friedman thinks some trade discussions are stalled over worries about expansion draft protection. There’s also concern the Seattle Kraken could draft exposed players and then flip them elsewhere. For example, they could select someone like Matt Dumba or Mark Giordano and then entertain bids and potentially absorb part of their salary. Friedman feels either player would make sense for the Edmonton Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken GM Ron Francis will try to use the same playbook as the Vegas Golden Knights during their expansion draft. He’s going to look at side deals if it lands a return that provides long-term benefits.

Speculation suggests Carolina Hurricanes forward Jordan Martinook could test the free-agent market. There are also Warren Foegele trade talks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The potential departures of Martinook and Foegele could be in anticipation of re-signing pending UFA defenseman Dougie Hamilton and restricted free agents Andrei Svechnikov and Alex Nedeljkovic. The Hurricanes have over $29 million in projected cap space but new contracts for those three will eat up a big chunk.

The New Jersey Devils could consider moving their first-round pick (fourth overall) in this year’s draft for a good young defenseman.