NHL Rumor Mill – October 11, 2023

by | Oct 11, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – October 11, 2023

Conor Garland receives permission from the Canucks to talk trade with other clubs, the Blue Jackets are shopping a defenseman, and the latest on Elias Lindholm and Shane Pinto in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

CANUCKS GIVE GARLAND PERMISSION TO SEEK A TRADE

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Vancouver Canucks have given winger Conor Garland permission to speak with other clubs about a potential trade.

Vancouver Canucks winger Conor Garland (NHL Images).

Friedman’s colleague Iain MacIntyre reported Garland, 27, recently changed agents. Neither the winger nor Canucks management denied the report. Garland declined to get into specifics when speaking to reporters yesterday, claiming it was the focus of his new agent.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston indicates a source informed him that Garland has been open to a trade for at least a year. He also cited Friedman claiming that Judd Moldaver, the winger’s new agent, is “aggressively calling around” to find teams that would be a good fit for his new client.

Johnston also noted that Garland frequently surfaced in trade rumors last season. He added that Canucks GM Patrik Allvin and president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford have explored moving the winger since 2021-22.

TSN: Chris Johnston pointed out that Garland still has three years left on his contract with an average annual value of just under $5 million ($4.95 million). He said the Canucks know they’ll have to retain some salary to get a deal done.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman also noted in his weekly “32 Thoughts” column that a recent injury to defenseman Carson Soucy has the Canucks “peeking at defense options.” Perhaps they can find a suitable blueliner (preferably an experienced right-shot rearguard) using Garland as trade bait.

Given their cap constraints and those of most teams this season, the Canucks would have to retain part of Garland’s annual cap hit to make this work. They could attempt to get a third team involved to broker a deal and spread the cap hit around. Perhaps a “dollar-in, dollar-out” deal is possible.

Garland’s aggressive two-way style of play will draw some interest around the league. Nevertheless, finding a suitable trade partner this early in the season could be difficult, given the salary-cap issues around the league. It might take a few weeks for something to shake out. It could also drag on toward the March 8 trade deadline when some clubs will have accrued enough cap space to make this happen.

BLUE JACKETS INTERESTED IN TRADING A DEFENSEMAN

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reports the Columbus Blue Jackets have spoken to teams in recent days about trading a defenseman off their roster. He said that they’re telling teams they want more flexibility at that position.

Seravalli indicated the Blue Jackets are “open to different possibilities as they weigh value.” He speculated the candidates could be Adam Boqvist, Jake Bean or (to a lesser extent) Andrew Peeke.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets want to move a defenseman. The Canuck have given permission for Conor Garland’s agent to talk trade with other teams. Could there be a fit?

Maybe for right-shot blueliners like Boqvist or Peeke. The Jackets only have just over $3 million in cap space but Boqvist has a $2.6 million cap hit and Peeke’s is $2.75 million. Nevertheless, they could want the Canucks to retain a bit of Garland’s salary in the deal.

It probably won’t happen since the Jackets have a fair bit of depth on their wings while Boqvist or Peeke might not adequately suit the Canucks’ blue-line needs. Still, it doesn’t hurt to speculate a little.

UPDATES ON ELIAS LINDHOLM AND SHANE PINTO

SPORTNET: In his latest “32 Thoughts” column, Elliotte Friedman speculated that the Calgary Flames could use Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele’s new contract as a comparable in their negotiations with Elias Lindholm. Scheifele will earn an average annual value of $8.5 million on a seven-year contract starting next season.

However, it’s believed Lindholm is in the $9 million range. The Flames have also reopened talks with pending UFA defensemen Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lindholm is nearly two years younger than Scheifele and plays a two-way game. I doubt the Flames can sign him to a similar deal.

Friedman also pointed out that Shane Pinto’s salary-cap hit will increase this season for each day that he’s not signed by the Ottawa Senators. He cited William Nylander’s situation in 2018 where his AAV for 2018-19 was $10.277 million while the AAV for the remaining seasons was $6.96 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I bring this up because “Pengy” recently asked if that was still a thing (well-remembered, Pengy!). The longer Pinto goes unsigned between now and the Dec. 1 deadline for signing restricted free agents, the more his AAV will be for this season.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 10, 2023

by | Oct 10, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – October 10, 2023

What’s the latest speculation about Canucks center Elias Pettersson? Are the Bruins working on a trade? Could the Devils pursue a goaltender? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST PETTERSSON SPECULATION

SPORTSNET (via Jason Brough): In Monday’s “32 Thoughts” podcast, Elliotte Friedman talked about Elias Pettersson’s contract situation. The 24-year-old Vancouver Canucks center is slated to become a restricted free agent next summer with arbitration rights.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).

Friedman noted Pettersson stated in August that he wasn’t sure yet about signing a long-term extension with the Canucks. Since then, he thinks management has also indicated that they’re not sure yet either.

If there’s any doubt that Pettersson wants to commit to the Canucks, Friedman isn’t convinced that they want to make a commitment.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: One can’t fault Pettersson’s caution regarding a long-term commitment given the Canucks’ struggles over the course of his tenure thus far in Vancouver. He appears to be taking a wait-and-see approach to determine if there is a noticeable improvement in 2023-24 that puts them on the path toward being a contender.

The Canucks’ position is also understandable. They’ll want to see how well Pettersson plays and if he can build on last season’s 102-point breakout performance.

Some observers will view this as a standoff, anticipating that contract negotiations could get testy. However, it could also become much smoother than anticipated if Pettersson and the Canucks perform well over the course of this season.

It’s far too early to tell if this means Pettersson will never sign a long-term extension and will depart in a couple of years via free agency or a trade. Nevertheless, this situation will be worth monitoring over the course of the season.

BRUINS GM “WORKING THE PHONES”

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy reports an NHL executive source said Bruins general manager Don Sweeney was trying to make a trade over the weekend in order to fit rookie defenseman Mason Lohrei into the lineup.

The Bruins and all NHL teams had until 5 p.m. ET yesterday to submit their opening-night rosters. Sweeney admitted yesterday morning that they had one more roster decision to make before then, adding that the 22-year-old Lohrei made that decision more difficult.

Murphy noted that Sweeney had been gauging the trade market during the offseason for interest in Bruins defensemen Matt Grzelcyk and Derek Forbort.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lohrei was ultimately sent to the Bruins’ AHL affiliate in Providence yesterday. However, don’t be surprised if this kid returns to Boston at some point during this season, perhaps as soon as Sweeney can swing a trade to free up space for him. Injuries to any of their blueline regulars will also ensure his recall.

DEVILS MONITORING THE GOALIE MARKET

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichol cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicating that Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald has continued to look around in the goaltender market. The Devils are starting this season with the tandem of Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid.

Nichols doesn’t consider the search for a goalie to be imminent. He believes Fitzgerald will start the season with his current tandem to determine if the Devils will need an upgrade between the pipes before the March 8 trade deadline.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 9, 2023

by | Oct 9, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – October 9, 2023

A look at possible destinations for Patrick Kane (yes, again!) in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

MORE DESTINATIONS FOR PATRICK KANE

SPORTSNET: Emily Sadler recently looked at some intriguing destinations for Patrick Kane. The 34-year-old free-agent winger continues to rehab from an offseason hip resurfacing procedure. However, it shouldn’t be long before the rumor mill heats up over potential destinations once he’s ready to return to action.

Sadler listed the Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils, Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’m doing a brief breakdown of Sadler’s list. Bear in mind that Kane’s agent, Pat Brisson, said this summer that his client would entertain offers from clubs that give him the best opportunity to win the Stanley Cup. If such offers aren’t forthcoming, perhaps he’ll consider other destinations.

Free agent winger Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

The Sabres are Kane’s hometown team, he’s got a personal connection with general manager Kevyn Adams, and they have the cap space to sign him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres appeared poised to break through as a playoff contender for the first time since 2011. However, I’d hesitate to call them Cup contenders.

Kane playing for his hometown team makes a great story but they’re also loaded with scoring forwards while questions linger about their defense and goaltending. That’s where Adams’ focus could be if those issues threaten to derail their postseason hopes.

The Red Wings also have cap space plus Kane would be reunited with former Blackhawks linemate Alex DeBrincat.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings could also be poised for playoff contention after tying the franchise record last season of seven straight years without a postseason appearance. I’d consider them less of a Cup contender than the Sabres but I wouldn’t rule them out if they’re interested, especially if Kane doesn’t get better offers elsewhere.

Kane was reportedly interested in re-signing with the Rangers. Perhaps it might be possible once he’s healthy if they can pull it off cap-wise.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane’s nagging hip injury and the Rangers’ lack of salary-cap space spelled the end of his brief tenure on Broadway. Their current cap constraints probably make pulling off a sequel too complicated for this season.

Sadler believes it would be fun to watch Kane play alongside Jack Hughes this season with the New Jersey Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Yes, it would be fun to watch but they’re already loaded at right wing with Tyler Toffoli and Dawson Mercer. Cap space is also an issue. Never say never, I suppose, but I don’t see this one happening.

The Golden Knights always seem to find a way to land big-name players regardless of their cap space.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights are sitting over the cap with Robin Lehner on long-term injury reserve. They can’t even accrue cap space to use at the trade deadline. Adding Kane means shedding salary provided he’s willing to accept a bargain-basement contract for this season.

Sadler considers the Florida Panthers a wild-card option. They were reportedly interested in signing him this summer. He would be joining them around the same time as sidelined defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour return from their shoulder surgeries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As with the Rangers and Golden Knights, the Panthers’ limited cap room probably takes them out of the running unless management can get creative to pull it off.

THE BOSTON GLOBE: Kevin Paul Dupont wondered if a reunion with the Chicago Blackhawks was possible for Kane. He suggested that the idea of the future Hall-of-Famer skating alongside Connor Bedard this season could be too tantalizing for either party to refuse.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Anything’s possible but I doubt we’ll see Kane return to the Blackhawks as a player. They’re a rebuilding club that is moving on with Bedard as its foundation and franchise star.

Some of you might wonder where I think Kane will end up. Honestly, I have no idea.

The few teams that can afford him are in the midst of a rebuild or emerging from one with hopes of ending their long playoff droughts. So many Cup contenders lack sufficient cap space to take him on unless he agrees to a very low-cost contract. Even then, many would have to dump some salary to add him to their payroll.

The determining factor here could be injuries sidelining one or two key players on a Cup contender. If those players end up on long-term injury reserve, it could free up the necessary space to sign Kane. We’ll just have to see how the season unfolds.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – October 8, 2023

by | Oct 8, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – October 8, 2023

What will the Hurricanes do with Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei? Could the Leafs lose a goalie to the waiver wire? What’s the latest Canucks speculation? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

HURRICANES COULD RETAIN PESCE AND SKJEI THIS SEASON

NHL.COM: In his Oct. 4 mailbag segment, Dan Rosen was asked what the Carolina Hurricanes will do with Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei. The duo are slated to become unrestricted free agents next summer and the Hurricanes currently have a logjam on the blueline.

Rosen believes the Hurricanes don’t have to rush to make a decision on Pesce, Skjei or fellow pending UFA blueliners Tony DeAngelo, Caleb Jones and Jalen Chatfield. He pointed out that Pesce and Skjei are a solid defense pair and trading one could hurt the other.

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce (NHL Images).

The Hurricanes aren’t facing a salary-cap crunch this season and can ice a full 23-man roster. They’re in “win-now” mode and it might make more sense to retain Pesce and Skjei for this season and deal with the contract issues later.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pesce was a frequent topic of trade speculation over the summer as the Hurricanes were said to be listening to offers for him. However, it’s apparent now that they either didn’t receive any worthwhile trade proposals or they’ve opted to maintain their deep defense corps for a Stanley Cup run this season.

That could change, of course, if the Hurricanes’ season goes off the rails and they end up becoming sellers at the trade deadline. Nevertheless, I agree with Rosen that they’ll likely retain Pesce and Skjei for the coming season and deal with their contract negotiations afterward.

COULD THE MAPLE LEAFS LOSE MARTIN JONES TO WAIVERS?

TORONTO STAR: Nick Kypreos recently speculated that the Maple Leafs could lose third-string goaltender Martin Jones to waivers. He thinks the 33-year-old netminder could be a target for the Tampa Bay Lightning if he’s still available as a short-term replacement for sidelined starter Andrei Vasilevskiy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: All eyes will be on the Lightning once teams make their final cuts and place their extra goalies on waivers for the purpose of sending them to the minors. Jones might not be the only tempting option for the Bolts. Others could include Detroit’s Alex Lyon and Buffalo’s Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

The Lightning could also surprise us by sticking with their preseason tandem of Jonas Johansson and Matt Tomkins. Johansson won all three of his starts (two by shutout) while Tomkins won two of his three contests.

LATEST CANUCKS SPECULATION

TORONTO STAR: Kypreos believes the Vancouver Canucks would really like “in a perfect world” to trade for a defense partner for captain Quinn Hughes. Their trade chips remain forwards Brock Boeser and Conor Garland. Kypreos claims he’s heard the Canucks are more open to retaining some salary of certain players than they were in the past.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boeser carries an AAV of $6.65 million through 2024-25 while Garland has an annual cap hit of $4.95 million through 2025-26. It would likely take retaining part of either forward’s salary to move them under a flattened cap this season. If they intend to move one or the other, they’ll likely have better luck next summer when the cap is expected to jump to between $87.5 million and $88 million.

The Canucks seem headed to starting the season with their current roster regulars. That could change depending on the club’s performance as the schedule rolls on.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 7, 2023

by | Oct 7, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – October 7, 2023

Check out the latest on Predators’ goaltender Juuse Saros, goalies to watch as waiver candidates, and which Blues defensemen could be the odd man out this season in the NHL Rumor Mill.

TROTZ SAYS SAROS IS PART OF THE PREDATORS LONG-TERM PLANS

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun recently reported Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz wants Juuse Saros to be part of the club’s long-term plans. The 28-year-old goaltender is in the second-last season of his four-year contract, paying him an average annual value of $5 million.

Trotz told LeBrun that he’s already reached out to Saros’ agent to determine their thoughts on discussing a contract extension. Whether the Predators are rebuilding or retooling, he wants his starting goaltender on the roster.

Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Saros has occasionally surfaced in the rumor mill this season as some pundits have suggested he could become trade bait given his contract status and the current state of the Predators. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July 2025 and his current deal plus his status among the league’s best netminders would make him an attractive trade target around the league.

The presence of promising Yaroslav Askarov also prompted questions about Saros’ future in Nashville.

Trotz is obviously keen to keep Saros but we’ve yet to hear what the goalie wants to do. It’s probably fair to say that he’ll be willing to listen to whatever the Predators GM is willing to pitch for contract offers.

The earliest the two sides can technically begin contract talks is July 1 of next year. However, they can get the ball rolling with casual discussions regarding the framework for a new deal.

If the two sides fail to reach an agreement on an extension Saros could become a trade candidate sometime during the 2024-25 campaign. For now, however, it appears that he won’t be shopped this season.

GOALIES TO WATCH ON THE WAIVER WIRE

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuck discussed goaltenders they’re watching on the waiver wire as teams finalize their rosters for the upcoming start of the regular season.

Among the notables are Detroit’s Alex Lyon, Toronto’s Martin Jones, Montreal’s Cayden Primeau, Buffalo’s Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Los Angeles’ David Rittich, St. Louis’ Malcolm Subban, Florida’s Anthony Stolarz and Pittsburgh’s Magnus Hellberg.

Luukkonen was the name that most interested Yaremchuk, who wondered about his chances of clearing if he gets put on waivers. Seravalli pointed out that the Sabres have sufficient cap space to carry three goalies to start the season without putting Luukkonen on waivers.

Lyon and Jones are also fascinating names for Seravalli. He doubts the Leafs will head into this season with three goalies. He also indicated the Canadiens had yet to make a decision about Primeau.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seravalli also wondered about Stolarz’s situation with the Panthers but that’s been rectified with Spencer Knight being loaned to their AHL affiliate soon after this report aired on Friday.

The intrigue over what those clubs will do with their extra goalies is mostly due to pundits pondering what the Tampa Bay Lightning will do to address the loss of starter Andrei Vasilevskiy. He’s out for a couple of months following lower-back surgery, leaving them with Jonas Johansson and his 35 games of NHL experience and 29-year-old rookie Matt Tomkins.

Most believe the cap-strapped Lightning could pluck one of these aforementioned goalies off the waiver wire to bolster their depth between the pipes until Vasilevskiy’s return. We’ll learn their intentions between now and Tuesday.

LATEST ON THE BLUES

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford recently examined the St. Louis Blues’ depth on defense to determine who’s in beyond their top four of Torey Krug, Nick Leddy, Justin Faulk and Colton Parayko.

Rutherford noted they have five defensemen battling for four positions if they opt to carry eight for this season or three spots if they carry seven. He thinks it could come down to Marco Scandella or Calle Rosen. Both are in the final season of their respective contracts.

Scandella carries a cap hit of $3.275 million plus a seven-team no-trade list making him difficult to move. Rosen wouldn’t fetch much of a return as a depth player but there’s a risk that he might not clear if placed on waivers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If push comes to shove it’ll likely be Rosen as he’d be the easiest to move.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 6, 2023

by | Oct 6, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – October 6, 2023

Check out the latest on Leafs forward William Nylander, Sharks center Logan Couture and Senators center Shane Pinto in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD NYLANDER HIT THE TRADE BLOCK?

NHL NETWORK: Steve Konroyd recently expressed his belief that the Toronto Maple Leafs will trade William Nylander at some point during this season. He doesn’t think the Leafs can afford to re-sign the 27-year-old forward, who could seek close to $10 million annually on his next contract.

Mike Rupp agreed with Konroyd, saying that Nylander has been underpaid for years. He believes there will be teams knocking on the door, including the Anaheim Ducks.

THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel reports Nylander told his agent that he’s willing to negotiate with the Leafs during this season. However, he doesn’t want to hear about the status of those talks until the two sides have a deal in place.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (NHL Images).

Siegel thinks that this suggests Nylander has a clear number in mind for his next contract and won’t contemplate a deal unless the Leafs get there. General manager Brad Treliving could contemplate moving Nylander if a deal isn’t in place by the March 8 trade deadline.

However, Siegel doubts Treliving will peddle Nylander. He points out that clubs trying to win the Stanley Cup typically don’t trade away their best players even at the risk of their departure as free agents following the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs could trade Nylander if this season goes off the rails by the trade deadline. Otherwise, I agree with Siegel that they’ll hang onto him for the playoffs if they feel they have a chance at winning the Stanley Cup.

If Nylander does hit the trade block perhaps the Ducks will have some interest. I agree with Rupp that he’d be a good fit in Anaheim given the experience and skills he’d bring to their rebuilding roster. They’d also have the cap space to sign him.

However, the Ducks could be on Nylander’s 10-team no-trade list for this season. It’s also possible that they don’t want to invest big money in expensive talent at this stage of their rebuild. If they are interested, they might prefer waiting for free agency on July 1 rather than giving up draft picks and promising young players to acquire him in a trade.

ARE COUTURE’S DAYS NUMBERED IN SAN JOSE?

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli recently said he thinks that San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture could become a prime trade candidate.

He doesn’t think teams will be enamored with the 34-year-old center’s contract. However, he pointed out that the Sharks retained salary on Erik Karlsson and Brent Burns to facilitate trading those players.

Seravalli pointed out that the Sharks have one salary retention slot left. He thinks they could try to leverage that in order to generate trade interest in Couture.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Couture is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $8 million and a three-team trade list. The Sharks almost certainly must retain a healthy chunk of his cap hit if they wish to move him.

Sharks GM Mike Grier recently said he’d be willing to entertain offers for Couture if he wanted to be traded. So far, there’s no indication that he wants out. We’ll see what happens as the season progresses.

THE LATEST ON THE PINTO SAGA

TSN: With the Ducks signing Jamie Drysdale on Thursday, Ottawa Senators center Shane Pinto remains the last notable unsigned restricted free agent.

Chris Johnston reports the Senators continue working with Pinto’s agent to try and get a deal done before the upcoming start of the regular season. He noted that the 22-year-old center is two years away from arbitration eligibility. That makes it difficult to value what could be a second year in the deal, making a player less inclined to sign a one-year contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The ongoing uncertainty over Josh Norris’ health for this season also puts more urgency on the Senators to get Pinto under contract.