Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 31, 2023

by | Dec 31, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 31, 2023

Are there any goalie options to help the struggling Leafs? Is there interest in Hurricanes winger Michael Bunting? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

CAN THE LEAFS FIND HELP BETWEEN THE PIPES?

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox examined several options facing the Toronto Maple Leafs to address their goaltending with Ilya Samsonov continuing to struggle.

One is to stick with their current netminders and ride Martin Jones in the hope that he stays healthy until Joseph Woll returns healthy and in form sometime in February or hope that something pops up on the waiver wire.

Their second option would be sending Samsonov through waivers to their AHL affiliate and recalling a prospect they don’t want to rush. The third option is to look outside the organization.

Fox noted that Jaroslav Halak remains available in the free-agent market. Middling trade options include Montreal’s Jake Allen, Buffalo’s Eric Comrie, Ottawa’s Anton Forsberg and Calgary’s Dan Vladar. However, the price for those netminders is abnormally high plus the New Jersey Devils, Carolina Hurricanes and Edmonton Oilers are also believed sniffing around the trade market.

Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (NHL Images).

According to Fox, the “dream scenario” would be Juuse Saros, who has another season remaining on his contract with the Nashville Predators with a $5 million cap hit. However, the Predators remain in the playoff chase and he’d likely cost more than Leafs general manager Brad Treliving is willing to spend.

Fox suggested the best low-risk option could be New York Rangers’ third-stringer Louis Domingue.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: According to Fox’s colleague Elliotte Friedman, it’s believed the Leafs don’t have much enthusiasm to go shopping for a goaltender. They’d prefer to hang on until Woll returns to action. They don’t have a lot they can afford to trade in terms of draft picks and prospects. He said they could consider bringing up promising Dennis Hildeby to play in one game during their upcoming California road trip.

I keep seeing Saros occasionally surface in the rumor mill. Predators GM Barry Trotz made it clear on two occasions earlier this season that he has no intention of moving his 28-year-old starter and plans to open contract extension talks with Saros’ agent in July. He’s not going anywhere this season.

A LOOK AT THE GOALIE MARKET

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman looked at the teams in the market for goaltenders and the clubs who could be sellers.

The Leafs, Oilers, Hurricanes, Devils and Los Angeles Kings are believed to be among the buyers, with the Kings seeking a depth option.

The Canadiens, Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks are among the sellers.

Friedman believes Canadiens GM Kent Hughes has a price and won’t waiver much from it. The Ducks are setting a high ask for John Gibson, especially if salary retention is involved. The Sharks’ Kaapo Kahkonen has been good this season but his experience is an issue.

The Calgary Flames, Detroit Red Wings and Florida Panthers could be among the sellers but they’re not there yet. The Red Wings are dealing with injuries while the Panthers could need to move a goalie once Spencer Knight is ready to return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs, Oilers, Hurricanes and Devils need reliable starters but that’s not what’s available in the trade market. The Kings are happy with Cam Talbot but it’s believed they have concerns about backup Pheonix Copley, who was struggling before becoming sidelined by an injury.

The Ducks’ John Gibson is the best of the bunch among available goaltenders. His stats have improved this season and I think there are clubs with a genuine interest in him.

Gibson’s contract is a sticking point. He’s signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $6.4 million and a 10-team no-trade clause. With so many clubs pressed for cap space, I don’t think that’s a contract that gets moved during this season.

TEAMS REPORTEDLY INTERESTED IN BUNTING

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports teams have expressed an interest in trading for Michael Bunting. The 28-year-old winger is in this first season of a three-year, $13.5 million contract with the Carolina Hurricanes but is on pace for his lowest goal total since 2020-21.

Friedman said Bunting’s name came up when the Hurricanes were looking to clear some salary-cap space and maybe make a move for a goaltender. He was lower down in their lineup at the time and is seventh or eighth in ice time on the Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes could be getting calls about Bunting but that doesn’t mean he’ll be moved. His goal numbers may be down (he’s got eight this season) but he’s tied for third in points (25) with Martin Necas among Hurricanes scorers and has eight points in his last 10 games.

Maybe that’s why teams are interested in acquiring him. Perhaps he could become trade bait if the Hurricanes need to shore up depth elsewhere. He’s also got a 10-team no-trade list which could complicate things.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 30, 2023

by | Dec 30, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – December 30, 2023

Dissecting a rumor linking Elias Pettersson and William Nylander to the Blackhawks plus the latest on the Leafs goaltending in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

PETTERSSON AND NYLANDER TO THE BLACKHAWKS?

SPITTIN’ CHICLETS: Matt Murley told hosts Colby Armstrong and Mike Grennell that he’d heard Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson and Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander could be interested in joining the Chicago Blackhawks.

“Do not be surprised if you see Elias Pettersson try to make his way to the Chicago Blackhawks to be with (Connor) Bedard next year,” said Murley. He also claimed there was “a lot of talk about Nylander going to Chicago as well.”

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).

Murley acknowledged Pettersson’s status next summer as a restricted free agent so he’s “not exactly sure” how that will work. However, he noted the Blackhawks will have a lot of salary-cap space.

SPORTSNET: During Friday’s “32 Thoughts” podcast, Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman discussed Murley’s rumor linking Pettersson to the Blackhawks.

Friedman didn’t discredit or denigrate Murley. “He’s not an idiot. He hears things. I’ve seen the stuff that he reports. He gets information. People talk to him,” he said.

However, Friedman called Murley’s report “premature”, adding that he believes the Canucks will throw a significant amount of cash toward re-sign Pettersson when he’s ready. He doubts that Pettersson is giving much thought to his contract status right now as he’s focused on playing this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I have a few questions.

First, why would Pettersson want to leave a team that’s currently jockeying for first place in the overall standings for a rebuilding club that’s near the bottom of the standings? For that matter, why would Nylander leave a reliable playoff contender (albeit one with just a single playoff-round victory) to join a club that’s several years away from postseason contention?

During an Aug. 23 interview with Friedman, the Canucks star indicated he wasn’t sure if he wanted his next contract to be long or short-term. It’s also believed that he wanted to get a better sense of the Canucks’ direction after several losing seasons. In other words, he seemed reluctant to commit to a long-term deal if the Canucks failed to improve.

Nylander, meanwhile, has stated his wish is to remain with the Leafs. Unless his contract talks have reached a serious impasse, the intent on both sides is to get a deal done before his eligibility for unrestricted free agent status on July 1.

Second, why would Pettersson want to play with Bedard? The latter is a promising rookie who has no prior connection to the Canucks star. This isn’t like wanting to play with a more established superstar such as Edmonton’s Connor McDavid or Toronto’s Auston Matthews.

Third, why would the Blackhawks sign Pettersson and Nylander? Sure, they’ve got a whopping $52 million in projected cap space with just six players under contract for 2024-25.

They’ve got several restricted free agents such as Lukas Reichel and Taylor Raddysh but they won’t be expensive to sign. They must also re-sign or replace pending UFA goaltender Petr Mrazek, though that also won’t be costly to do.

The problem is Pettersson and Nylander could easily cost at least a combined $22 to $24 million to sign, taking a big chunk out of that cap space. That’s not troublesome for next season but having those two on the books could make it difficult to re-sign Bedard when their supposed crown jewel will be due for a new contract (with a whopping big raise) in 2026. It could also complicate other signings or make it difficult to improve the roster.

Adding Pettersson and Nylander would work for the Blackhawks if they already had a solid or promising supporting cast. However, they’re still in the middle of a major roster rebuild and still need depth at every position. A roster featuring Pettersson, Nylander and Bedard might be more entertaining but it will still lose more games than it wins until the roster depth issues are suitably addressed.

Why would the Blackhawks deviate from their rebuilding program in such a sudden and dramatic fashion? Wasn’t the game plan to build around Bedard with promising young players and affordable veterans with experience and leadership abilities? Why invest in two expensive superstars who’ll be on the downside of their careers when the Blackhawks are finally ready to become Stanley Cup contenders?

In short, Pettersson and Nylander to the Blackhawks makes no sense for the players or the team.

WHAT WILL THE LEAFS DO ABOUT THEIR GOALTENDING?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: David Alter believes the Toronto Maple Leafs could be running out of patience with struggling goaltender Ilya Samsonov. Before Friday’s 6-5 loss to the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets, head coach Sheldon Keefe expressed his belief that general manager Brad Treliving “is going to consider everything.”

With Joseph Woll sidelined until late January, the Leafs have been using the tandem of Samsonov and Martin Jones. The latter has been shouldering the load but it means they need to use Samsonov in back-to-back games.

Alter believes the Leafs don’t have many options. They could call up promising young goaltender Dennis Hildeby but he’s playing in North America for the first time and they want to avoid bringing him up too early.

THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel has seen enough of Samsonov’s performance and believes the Leafs cannot play him any longer. He also acknowledged their reluctance to call up Hildeby but believes they have little choice, suggesting he wouldn’t need to play a lot. He also suggests that Treliving explore the trade and free-agent markets for short-term help.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Samsonov’s confidence is shot right now, Jones is an effective but aging backup while Hildeby has little North American hockey experience. With Woll’s return still a few weeks away, they’ll need to find a short-term fix between the pipes or risk sliding out of playoff contention.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 29, 2023

by | Dec 29, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – December 29, 2023

Check out the latest on the Bruins and Canadiens in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy acknowledged it’s no secret the Bruins could use a bonafide top-six center/rugged winger and another defenseman. However, those players could further deplete the Bruins of draft picks and prospects.

With the Bruins performing better than expected in what is considered a bridge year for the club, Murphy suggested it might be better if general manager Don Sweeney waits until the offseason to pursue players like Calgary Flames center Elias Lindholm and defenseman Noah Hanifin.

Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney (NHL.com)

Lindholm and Hanifin are both eligible to become unrestricted free agents in July if they don’t sign contract extensions with the Flames before then. Sweeney would have around $28 million in cap space to pursue such players without having to part with draft picks and prospects.

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa believes the Bruins need a scoring winger with Jake DeBrusk struggling this season. He agrees that pursuing someone such as Lindholm could be beyond the Bruins’ means in this season’s trade market.

The price of acquiring a winger, however, wouldn’t be so costly. Shinzawa noted that the San Jose Sharks’ Anthony Duclair, the Chicago Blackhawks’ Tyler Johnson, and the Anaheim Ducks’ Adam Henrique could become available as rental players by the March 8 trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sweeney could try to make another big splash or two near the trade deadline to go all-in for another deep playoff run. However, as Murphy and Shinzawa point out, they lack the salary-cap space as well as depth in quality draft picks and prospects to win bidding wars for guys like Lindholm and Hanifin.

That doesn’t mean Sweeney will sit on his hands by the trade deadline. I expect he’ll try to make an affordable move or two. His big moves could come in the summer when he’ll have the cap room to bring in some long-term veteran talent.

SPORTSNET: In this week’s mailbag segment, Eric Engels was asked which defenseman the Montreal Canadiens could move to clear their logjam on the blueline. They have promising prospects Lane Hutson and David Reinbacher in their pipeline plus they’ll soon need to reintegrate Jordan Harris and Arber Xhekaj into the lineup.

As soon as Harris returns, Engels believes trading or waiving Gustav Lindstrom feels like the first step. After that, he thinks they’ll have to seriously consider moving David Savard. While the 33-year-old Savard remains valuable to the rebuilding Canadiens, his value in the trade market could be too high to ignore. He has a year remaining on his contract with an affordable $3.5 million cap hit.

Turning to the forwards, Engels doesn’t see the Canadiens trading winger Josh Anderson. He doesn’t rule out trading center Sean Monahan by the deadline as he could fetch a first-round pick or a quality prospect.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barring injuries, Monahan and Savard are my candidates most likely to be traded this season by the Canadiens. I’m not sure if either guy can land a first-round pick but one should never underestimate the willingness of desperate general managers to overpay for help near the trade deadline.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 28, 2023

by | Dec 28, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – December 28, 2023

Check out recent speculation about the Maple Leafs, Sabres, Predators, and Senators in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel recently looked at what the Toronto Maple Leafs have for potential trade assets in their quest to add a defenseman. He noted their lack of prospect depth and draft picks doesn’t leave them very much to bargain with.

Possible trade bait includes their 2024 first-round pick, promising goaltender Dennis Hildeby, forward prospect Fraser Minten and Easton Cowan, forward Nick Robertson and defenseman Topi Niemela.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies (NHL Images).

Siegel thinks rival clubs could be interested in forward Matthew Knies but he’s too valuable to their present and their future.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Siegel isn’t saying the Leafs will move those assets but is showing the potential cost if they intend to bolster their blueline for the playoffs. General manager Brad Treliving will likely make a move or two by the March 8 trade deadline. What he gets will depend on what he’s willing to part with. Stay tuned!

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Mike Harrington reported last week that Sabres GM Kevyn Adams continues to resist making knee-jerk moves to help his struggling club. Nevertheless, he wonders what moves Adams could have in store if they hope to turn things around.

Harrington speculates on how close Victor Olofsson, Tyson Jost or Eric Comrie are to going on waivers. Perhaps the Chicago Blackhawks will be interested in Olofsson with the losses of Taylor Hall and Corey Perry. He believes Adams must bolster his bottom-six forwards and improve their defense. It’s clear Erik Johnsson is their No.7 option on the blueline

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Harrington also pointed out the difficulty the Sabres face in making trades given how many clubs have limited salary-cap space right now. He recently acquired depth forward Eric Robinson from the Blue Jackets so I daresay he’s monitoring the trade market to see if there’s another deal to be had to improve his roster’s depth.

THE TENNESSEAN: Paul Skrbina examined why defenseman Dante Fabbro has been a frequent healthy scratch this season, which has resulted in his name surfacing in trade rumors.

Head coach Andrew Brunette said part of the problem was the Predators’ logjam on defense. Meanwhile, Fabbro isn’t making waves over the situation and tries not to think about his name popping up in the rumor mill.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fabbro’s situation could be alleviated if the Predators can find any takers for blueliner Tyson Barrie, who recently requested a trade. His agent received permission from GM Barry Trotz to speak with other clubs but it doesn’t appear a deal is coming soon.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch wonders what Senators president of hockey ops and interim GM Steve Staios has in store for the club in the New Year.

The expectation is that suspended center Shane Pinto will sign a one-year deal in the range of $875K. He knows he has no leverage and reportedly appreciates that Staios has been supportive in preparations for when he’s eligible to return to action on Jan. 21. He will be allowed to start skating with the club 10 days beforehand.

Pinto’s return could make Dominik Kubalik expendable. Garrioch claims the Senators have received some calls about the 28-year-old winger, who is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kubalik could indeed become the odd man out once Pinto returns but it could take some time to move him. Just because some teams have called doesn’t mean a deal will take place right after Pinto comes back.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 27, 2023

by | Dec 27, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – December 27, 2023

Four players most likely to be moved before the March trade deadline, the latest on the goalie market and some recent Flyers speculation as we catch up on the NHL Rumor Mill.

FOUR MOST LIKELY TRADE CANDIDATES

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau recently listed Calgary Flames defenseman Chris Tanev, Anaheim Ducks forward Adam Henrique, San Jose Sharks goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen and Chicago Blackhawks center Tyler Johnson as the four players most likely to be moved by the March 8 NHL trade deadline.

Calgary Flames defenseman Chris Tanev (NHL Images).

All four are eligible to become unrestricted free agents next July unless they agree to contract extensions with their current clubs.

Tanev has been linked to the Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils. Proteau doesn’t rule out the Colorado Avalanche making a pitch.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avs’ current priority is a second-line center which is why they’ve been recently tied to Calgary’s Elias Lindholm. Still, we can’t dismiss the possibility of adding Tanev to shore up their defense if they have enough cap room to do so.

Proteau suggests the New York Islanders as a fit for Henrique.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lou Lamoriello, who drafted Henrique in 2008 while general manager of the New Jersey Devils, is now the GM of the Isles. Lamoriello does at times reunite with some of his former players.

With San Jose mired at the bottom of the standings, there’s no compelling reason for them to hang onto Kahkonen. He could fetch a couple of draft picks or a decent prospect for the rebuilding Sharks. Meanwhile, the Blackhawks could peddle Johnson for long-term help.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of Johnson, Boston Hockey Now’s Jimmy Murphy cited an NHL executive claiming the Blackhawks have let it be known that the 33-year-old center will be available in the trade market. Murphy suggested he could be a more affordable option to the Bruins if they’re unable to pry Elias Lindholm away from the Flames.

LATEST ON THE GOALIE MARKET

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes the Toronto Maple Leafs have dipped its toes into the goaltending market as Ilya Samsonov continues to struggle while Joseph Woll remains sidelined until January. He doesn’t think anything’s imminent and the Leafs are hoping a few days away will help Samsonov as they continue to work with him.

Friedman also said that the teams with a surplus in goalies are hoping to work it to their advantage in the trade market. They’re asking for a lot especially if salary retention is involved.

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks doesn’t see any worthwhile goalies on the market who can help the New Jersey Devils between the pipes. He suggested they shore up a blueline that was weakened by the offseason departures of Damon Severson and Ryan Graves and the recent sidelining of Dougie Hamilton for what could be the rest of the regular season.

Brooks thinks Calgary Flames rearguard Noah Hanifin would be a perfect target while Chris Tanev would also be on their list. He wondered if there would be any way for them to acquire Brady Skjei or Brett Pesce from the Carolina Hurricanes or if they’d have any interest in the Nashville Predators’ Tyson Barrie.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: One of those playoff hopefuls in need of goaltending help could cave and meet the high asking price well before March 8, especially if they’re in danger of missing the postseason. Once that happens it could open the floodgates.

However, some of those clubs could share Brooks’ view about the depth in available goaltending talent and opt instead to bolster their bluelines.

Hanifin and Tanev would draw a lot of attention. So would Skjei or Pesce if the Hurricanes decide to become sellers but I don’t think they’re at that stage yet. As for Barrie, he would help teams seeking offense from the blueline but there might not be much of a market for his style of game right now.

LATEST FLYERS SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz suggested the possibility of the Philadelphia Flyers becoming buyers as well as sellers at this season’s trade deadline because of their improved performance thus far this season.

He believes Flyers GM Daniel Briere could pull the trigger on Sean Walker and/or Nick Seeler if a team were to offer a first-round pick and/or a prospect for either defenseman. Morgan Frost and Rasmus Ristolainen are also on the trade board and it wouldn’t be surprising if they were dealt.

Meanwhile, the Flyers also carry some late-round draft picks that could be used as trade bait to fill the gaps in their roster after dealing away some of their more talented trade bait.

Kurz doesn’t see Briere trading away any of their promising young player or first-round picks for playoff rental players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Much will depend on how the rest of the Flyers’ season unfolds. Briere will be a seller if they stumble through the second half and fall out of playoff contention. However, as Kurz suggests, if they’re still in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race leading up to the trade deadline, Briere could see what he can do to help his club reach the postseason without giving up too much of his future to do so.










Happy Holidays!

by | Dec 23, 2023

Happy Holidays!

I’m taking my annual Christmas holiday break from Dec. 24 to Dec. 26. Updates will resume on Dec. 27, 2023. 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you. 

 via GIPHY