NHL Rumor Mill – October 5, 2023

by | Oct 5, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – October 5, 2023

Updates on Devon Toews, Jamie Drysdale, Shane Pinto, Elias Lindholm, Patrick Kane and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

NOTABLE RUMORS FROM FRIEDMAN’S LATEST “32 THOUGHTS” COLUMN

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports Devon Toews is willing to bend a bit in his contract extension negotiations with the Colorado Avalanche but there’s a limit as to how far he’ll go. The Avalanche are reportedly concerned about the age curve for the 29-year-old defenseman and would prefer a five-year contract.

Friedman projected Toews as getting between $56 million and $64 million ($7 million to $8 million average annual value) on an eight-year deal. He wonders how the two sides get anywhere close to that on a five-year term.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Toews’ value to the Avalanche as Cale Makar’s defense partner cannot be understated. They want to keep him but they’re understandably worried about a big drop-off in his performance once he hits his mid-thirties given his physical style and the big minutes he logs per game.

The Denver Post’s Corey Masisak reports things are status quo right now between the two sides but they’re not concerned about it. Toews said he’s not disappointed by the lack of progress. “It’s just the business,” he said. “It will move as it moves.”

What’s certain is the longer Toews goes unsigned this season the more his name will surface as an offseason trade target. One thing that won’t happen is Toews becoming a trade candidate this season. Regardless of the status of his contract talks, the Avs need him if they hope to stage another run for the Stanley Cup.

According to Friedman, there’s progress in contract talks between the Anaheim Ducks and restricted free agent Jamie Drysdale. The 22-year-old defenseman missed all but eight games last season to a torn labrum, two below the “cut line” for an accumulated season toward arbitration.

That puts Drysdale two years away from arbitration eligibility rather than one. It’s believed the Ducks want to sign him to term rather than a one-year, “prove-it” deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As with Trevor Zegras, Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek is playing hardball with Drysdale. Down the road, however, the hammer will swing in both players’ favor once they have arbitration rights, especially if their respective performances significantly improve. In that case, it will cost the Ducks a lot to get them under contract once their bridge deals are completed.

Friedman thinks the Ottawa Senators have been talking to the Philadelphia Flyers and San Jose Sharks about clearing cap space so that they can sign Shane Pinto.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hopefully, we’ll find out soon how the Senators intend to address this situation. It’s dragged on far too long and was avoidable had they managed their cap space better during the offseason.

The vibe in Calgary may have improved to where the Flames’ pending UFAs are reconsidering their futures. Mikael Backlund’s recent contract extension is a great sign but there’s no indication thus far that the club is close yet to other re-signings. It could cost over $9 million annually to get Elias Lindholm under contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lindholm knows how badly the Flames want to keep him but he also knows he’ll draw lots of attention in next summer’s free-agent market. If they want to keep him, they’ll have to make it worth his while.

Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin continues to work on a contract extension for Ryan Hartman. The initial rumor was a two-year deal but Friedman thinks it could be slightly longer than that.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In case you missed it, Guerin was very busy last week as he re-signed pending UFAs Mats Zuccarello and Marcus Foligno to contract extensions. He and Hartman have admitted they’re in talks for a new deal that could be announced soon.

In terms of waivers, Friedman said everyone’s watching the goalies. They include Buffalo’s Eric Comrie or Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Detroit’s Alex Lyon and James Reimer, Montreal’s Cayden Primeau, Philadelphia’s Felix Sandstrom and Toronto’s Martin Jones. He noted that some of those clubs claim they’ll carry three goalies to start the season but folks will believe it when they see it.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Tampa Bay Lightning are likely watching the waiver wire with great interest. It’s assumed they’ll try to claim a netminder to shore up their depth with starter Andrei Vasilevskiy on the shelf for eight to 10 weeks following lower-back surgery last week.

As for Patrick Kane, Friedman reminds us that he has a good relationship with Buffalo Sabres GM Kevyn Adams going back to when they were teammates in Chicago during Kane’s rookie season. Another club that expressed interest in the 34-year-old free-agent winger this summer was the Florida Panthers. Friedman cautions us to wait and see how those clubs start this season since that will be in factor in Kane’s decision where he’ll sign this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That rule applies to every team reportedly linked to Kane, including the Carolina Hurricanes, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs. Remember, his agent claimed back in July that his client would evaluate offers from teams that he feels will give him the best chance to win the Stanley Cup this season.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 4, 2023

by | Oct 4, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – October 4, 2023

Check out the latest on Alexis Lafreniere, the Oilers’ goaltending, Patrick Kane, Marc-Andre Fleury, a couple of Leafs’ trade candidates and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Stan Fischler and Stefen Rosner with a roundup of trade and free agent rumors this week. Among the notables:

Alexis Lafreniere’s struggles with the New York Rangers don’t seem to be letting up and it might be best for both sides to part ways soon. The 21-year-old former first-overall pick should still fetch plenty in a trade and he could be a good fit with the Montreal Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers have tried playing Lafreniere on right wing during this preseason (and in previous seasons) but the results have been underwhelming. It’s still too early to hit the panic button as general manager Chris Drury could prefer seeing how he performs in the upcoming regular season.

New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere (NHL Images).

Nevertheless, Drury’s patience could run out if Lafreniere doesn’t improve as the coming campaign progresses. The Canadiens could be among the interested clubs though they’re going to give 2022 first-overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky as well as Rafael Harvey-Pinard plenty of looks as their middle-six left wingers. Still, Habs president of hockey ops Jeff Gorton could contact Drury if Lafreniere became available. Gorton drafted Lafreniere while serving as Rangers GM in 2020.

There will be clubs willing to bet on Lafreniere benefitting from a change of scenery and an opportunity to earn full-time second-line minutes in his natural position at left wing. However, his trade value for the Rangers will suffer if his play shows no sign of real improvement.

The onus is going to be on Stuart Skinner to backstop the Edmonton Oilers into the Stanley Cup Final. If he struggles this season, however, Oilers GM Ken Holland could be forced into the trade market. Jack Campbell cannot do the job full-time despite his $20 million contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Skinner played well enough last season to become a finalist for the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year but he wilted under the heat of playoff pressure. Meanwhile, Campbell struggled through his first season with the Oilers but played well spelling off Skinner in the postseason.

Campbell has solid stats in previous playoff competitions with a career 2.28 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage. If he can wrest back the starter’s job this season, maybe he can carry them to the Final.

For now, the Oilers’ goalie situation remains a question mark. If Campbell and Skinner both struggle this season, Holland could have a difficult time finding a suitable short-term starter by the March trade deadline.

It’s possible Patrick Kane could end up with the Rangers this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I wouldn’t rule it out but their limited cap space will make it difficult to outbid other clubs.

Maybe Tampa Bay Lightning GM Julien BriseBois is thinking about Marc-Andre Fleury now that Andrei Vasilevskiy is sidelined.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fleury isn’t going anywhere. Even if he agreed to waive his no-movement clause, his $3.5 million cap hit is too expensive for the cap-strapped Lightning to absorb. The Wild have no reason to peddle Fleury. He’ll serve as Filip Gustavsson’s backup and mentor for the coming season.

The Athletic reportedly has Calle Jarnkrok or T.J. Brodie getting traded this season by the Toronto Maple Leafs to relieve their cap issues. The Anaheim Ducks are one reported destination.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brodie currently skates alongside Morgan Rielly on their top defense pairing so I doubt he gets shopped. Jarnkrok is their utility forward on their checking lines. He’d be the more likely trade option but the Leafs could consider other cost-cutting choices.

The Ottawa Senators and San Jose Sharks are supposedly talking.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I wonder if Shane Pinto or Mathieu Joseph are the subjects of their conversations. The Senators are believed to be peddling Joseph to free up cap room to sign Pinto.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 3, 2023

by | Oct 3, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – October 3, 2023

Can the Oilers afford to pull off a major early-season trade? What’s the latest on Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews and Bruins blueliner Matt Grzelcyk? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

CAN THE OILERS AFFORD TO MAKE A BIG EARLY-SEASON DEAL?

THE ATHLETIC: Allan Mitchell looked at what an early-season blockbuster trade by the Edmonton Oilers might look like, including what assets are available and their ideal trade targets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is behind a paywall so I won’t give out much of the details. Those of you with an account with The Athletic can read it and form your own opinions. To be clear, Mitchell isn’t saying the Oilers are planning a major trade early in this season. He’s merely looking at several possible trade options (among them: Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck) and how much it would cost the Oilers to pull it off.

Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland (NHL Images)

What I will say is I don’t believe the Oilers have the pieces to pull off a major early-season move to address their remaining roster weaknesses. Some of the potential trade assets (their 2024 first-round pick, winger Dylan Holloway and defenseman Philip Broberg) on their own won’t fetch a big return at this stage of the season. Even packaging two or three of them might not be enough to land a consequential star.

Like many teams this season, the Oilers are also maxed out on the salary cap. They currently can’t even accrue any cap space for the March 9 trade deadline. Any deal would have to be dollar-for-dollar unless general manager Ken Holland can bring in a third team to broker a deal and spread the cap dollars around.

Holland will instead likely spend the first half of this season assessing his club’s first-half performance in anticipation of addressing any issues near the trade deadline. That’s when we’ll know which players could be available and the possible cost of acquiring them. By that point, we’ll know if the Oilers even need to make a major move and if they have what it takes to make it happen.

WILL THE AVALANCHE BALK AT A LONG-TERM EXTENSION FOR DEVON TOEWS?

SPORTSNET: In last Friday’s episode of the “32 Thoughts” podcast, Elliotte Friedman said that Devon Toews’ age could be a problem for the Colorado Avalanche in their contract extension talks. The 29-year-old defenseman turns 30 in February and Friedman indicated that the thought around the league is the Avs might be reluctant to sign him to a long-term deal beyond five years.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I must point out that Friedman said this isn’t coming from anyone in Avs management or from the Toews camp. It’s merely speculation at this point.

Even if Toews is willing to accept, say, a three or four-year contract, the average annual value could also be an issue for the Avalanche. Cap Friendly shows them with $10.725 million in cap space for 2024-25 with 13 players under contract. That’s assuming the cap rises to $87.5 million next season.

Toews’ current average annual value is $4.1 million but he’s clearly worth more than that now as Cale Makar’s defense partner. Assuming they can re-sign him for around $7 million annually, they still won’t have much room to fill out the rest of the roster unless team captain Gabriel Landeskog (knee injury) ends up on permanent long-term injury reserve. While that would give the Avs $7 million in additional room for Toews, it would still complicate efforts to re-sign or replace their other UFAs.

LATEST ON GRZELCYK

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy recently reported a Northeast-based NHL pro scout told him that there are teams interested in Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk. The source suggested they contact the Chicago Blackhawks to gauge their interest as the 29-year-old Grzelcyk is better than any of their current left-shot defensemen. They also have the cap space to acquire him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was based on whether the Bruins might have to shed a player if a promising youngster such as defenseman Mason Lohrei or forward Matthew Poitras cracks the roster this season. There’s no indication yet that they’re going to start the season with the Bruins let alone if management would trade someone like Grzelcyk to make room for them.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 2, 2023

by | Oct 2, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – October 2, 2023

The latest on the Senators’ contract talks with Shane Pinto plus more speculation over potential goalie targets for the Lightning in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON PINTO

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the Senators and Shane Pinto appear to be at a stalemate in contract negotiations. It remains to be seen if either side will bend in time for the 22-year-old center to report to training camp before the Senators’ final preseason game on Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens.

Garrioch cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting over the weekend that the gap between Pinto and the Senators had widened after the club offered a one-year, $1-million contract. It’s believed that the offer came with the provision that the two sides would meet in January to discuss an extension.

Ottawa Senators center Shane Pinto (NHL Images).

There’s talk Pinto seeks a deal worth $2.5 million annually while the Senators prefer something closer to the two-year, $4.2 million contract ($2.1 million average annual value) earned by Philadelphia Flyers center Morgan Frost.

Garrioch believes the two sides aren’t that far apart and could settle on a two-year contract. The Senators have no intention of trading Pinto and he doesn’t want to move. Pinto also has little leverage as he lacks arbitration rights and is ineligible to receive an offer sheet from a rival club.

THE ATHLETIC: Ian Mendes pointed out that the Senators only have around $900K (as per Cap Friendly) in salary cap space. He also noted that Pinto cannot sign a bonus-laden one-year contract with a base salary in the $900K range. Mendes thinks the trust between the two sides may have eroded to the point where the Pinto camp won’t agree to a one-year $900K contract with the promise of a more lucrative extension in January.

Mendes suggests this is about how much the Senators actually value Pinto. He thinks they’ve already sent a clear message about his importance to the team by prioritizing everybody else around him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators management supposedly wants to get Pinto signed and doesn’t want to trade him yet they re-signed everyone else first plus they invested $5 million in cap space on signing unrestricted free agent Vladimir Tarasenko. If he’s so valuable they should’ve locked him up as soon as possible before signing lesser players or making a splash in the free-agent pool.

I get that Pinto has no leverage here other than to sit out. Senators general manager Pierre Dorion was undoubtedly hoping to use that to his advantage to get him signed to an affordable short-term contract with the promise of a better deal down the road.

If the Pinto camp sought something far more expensive than $2.5 million per season I could understand management’s hardball position. However, what he’s asking for isn’t unreasonable for a forward coming off a 20-goal season that saw him finish fifth among rookie scorers.

Dorion’s signing of Tarasenko before getting Pinto under contract created this situation. He’ll have to shed salary via trade or waivers to get the young center signed before the coming season. That will bring Pinto back into the lineup but moving out another player could also affect their overall depth.

MORE SPECULATION OVER LIGHTNING GOALIE TARGETS

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox recently speculated over which goaltenders the Tampa Bay Lightning could target to fill the gap between the pipes with starter Andrei Vasilevskiy sidelined by back surgery.

Fox thinks Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois will have his eyes glued to the waiver wire in the coming days. He wondered if BriseBois put in a claim for Spencer Martin, who was plucked away on Saturday by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Calgary’s Dan Vladar and his $2.2 million cap hit could be too expensive for the cap-strapped Lightning. More affordable options could include Toronto’s Martin Jones ($875K) and Pittsburgh’s Magnus Hellberg ($785K).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’m also thinking BriseBois could go the waiver route. Vladar would be a better option but the Lightning not only lack cap space but also depth in draft picks to use as trade bait.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 1, 2023

by | Oct 1, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – October 1, 2023

Are there Atlantic Division teams that could pursue Patrick Kane? Are the Senators any closer to signing Shane Pinto? Will the Canucks trade Tyler Myers? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

ATLANTIC DIVISION TEAMS PURSUING PATRICK KANE?

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Kevin Allen cited hockey insider Pierre McGuire telling Montreal’s TSN 690 last Thursday that three Atlantic Division clubs are keeping tabs on Patrick Kane.

Kane, 34, underwent a hip resurfacing procedure in June with a recovery period of four-to-six months. His agency released a video last week showing him rehabbing and performing skating drills.

Free agent winger Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

McGuire believes that the Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs could be a fit for Kane. He believes the future Hall-of-Famer could make a “massive difference” to the Red Wings, who acquired his former Chicago Blackhawks teammate Alex DeBrincat in a July trade with the Ottawa Senators.

Allen noted that the Red Wings have $5.1 million in salary-cap space while the Sabres have $8.7 million. The Leafs, however, don’t have any cap space remaining. He also pointed out that it was reported that Kane was interested in reuniting with his old linemate DeBrincat.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs would have to shed sufficient cap space for Kane. Given the uncertainty over their blueline and goaltending depth, I don’t think they’re going to be serious suitors once he’s ready to return to action.

As I’ve said before, Kane playing for his hometown Sabres makes a great story but they’re loaded with plenty of scoring punch. Goaltending is a big question mark for them so they shouldn’t waste their cap space on something they don’t need.

The Red Wings could be a more suitable destination for Kane but his agent indicated during the summer that his client would evaluate offers from teams that would give him the best chance to win the Stanley Cup. With all due respect to the Wings, they haven’t even proven yet that they’re a playoff contender. Unless Kane doesn’t get any offers from Cup contenders, Detroit might not be on his list.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy contacted McGuire on Friday to find out if the Bruins might also be among Kane’s potential Atlantic Division suitors.

“Hard to think that he would come to Boston,” replied McGuire. “They are a team that is going into a mini rebuild.” He also noted that Kane needs to be healthy if he’s to help any team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins’ biggest need could be shoring up their top two centers if Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha should struggle in those roles. They also lack the cap space to outbid other clubs for Kane’s services.

SENATORS AND PINTO GROWING APART IN NEGOTIATIONS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the gap between the Ottawa Senators and restricted free agent Shane Pinto has widened. Sources said the 22-year-old center was disappointed with a recent offer in the one-year, $1-million range.

The Senators are pressed for cap space while Pinto lacks arbitration rights and is ineligible to receive an offer sheet. They’ve been attempting to move another contract to free up cap space to sign Pinto, who’s believed seeking a salary in the range of $2.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t blame Pinto for being disappointed with that offer. He’s coming off a 20-goal season that had him finishing fifth among NHL rookies in that category last season. His camp has reportedly cited Philadelphia Flyers center Morgan Frost as a comparable. The 22-year-old Frost inked a two-year, $4.2 million contract ($2.1 million average annual value) on Sept. 6.

Pinto’s not making an unreasonable request. The fault here lies with general manager Pierre Dorion for spending $5 million on a one-year contract for Vladimir Tarasenko before signing Pinto or ensuring he’d have enough cap space for the latter.

LATEST ON TYLER MYERS

SEKERES & PRICE: During an interview last Tuesday, Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli said he doesn’t see the Vancouver Canucks moving Tyler Myers anytime soon. There was anticipation of a trade after he received his $5 million signing bonus on Sept. 15 but nothing materialized.

Seravalli believes the Canucks want their team to be as competitive as possible this season. Keeping Myers among their top-six defenseman will help them plus he could potentially be a worthwhile bargaining chip at the trade deadline.

Regarding rumors in July of a trade sending Myers to the San Jose Sharks, Seravalli believes it was to be a one-for-one deal involving winger Kevin Labanc.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It sounds like the Canucks may have had second thoughts about moving Myers to free up cap space. Since July, they got additional cap room with Tucker Poolman going on LTIR, trading Tanner Pearson to Montreal and having Spencer Martin plucked off waivers by Columbus.

This season is in all likelihood Myers’ last with the Canucks. He’s an unrestricted free agent at season’s end and is a defenseman in decline. Still, they could try to move him near the trade deadline if they’re out of playoff contention at that point.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 30, 2023

by | Sep 30, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – September 30, 2023

Could Anthony Duclair re-sign with the Sharks? Will the Sabres trade Victor Olofsson? Could the Lightning land Flames goalie Dan Vladar? Could the Oilers shop Philip Broberg? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

DUCLAIR OPEN TO SIGNING WITH SHARKS

BAY AREA NEWS’ Curtis Pashelka recently reported on social media that Anthony Duclair is open to remaining with the San Jose Sharks on a long-term deal. He said he’s concentrating on the upcoming season and there haven’t been any contract talks yet but indicated there would be a time and place for that.

San Jose Sharks winger Anthony Duclair (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Duclair was traded to the Sharks this summer by the Florida Panthers in a cost-cutting move. The 28-year-old winger is now on his seventh team entering his 10th NHL season. It sounds like he’s seeking stability after bouncing around so much in his career.

Whether it gets it from the rebuilding Sharks is another matter. They could see him as a value bargaining chip at the March 8 trade deadline to bring in a good future asset or two.

WILL THE SABRES MOVE OLOFSSON?

BUFFALO HOCKEY NOW: Michael Augello reports Sabres winger Victor Olofsson enters this season with his future in limbo. He was bench late last season and was the subject of offseason trade rumors.

Olofsson is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July. Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams may have explored the trade market for the 28-year-old winger but an Achilles injury to winger Jack Quinn may have changed Olofsson’s situation temporarily.

Barring a slew of injuries this season, Augello believes the chances are slim that Olofsson will still be with the Sabres by the March 8 trade deadline. They have sufficient cap room to retain up to half of the winger’s $4.75 million cap hit to facilitate a deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Depending on how long it takes Quinn to recover and if any other promising young forwards make the cut, Olofsson will likely be skating with another club by March 8.

The Sabres are deep in forward depth on their roster and within their prospect pipeline that it’s unlikely they’ll re-sign Olofsson A solid performance on his part this season will serve to enhance his value in the trade market.

CAN THE LIGHTNING AFFORD TO ACQUIRE VLADAR FROM THE FLAMES?

SPORTSNET (stick tap to NHL Watcher): Elliotte Friedman isn’t putting much stock in trade rumors linking Calgary Flames backup goaltender Daniel Vladar to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Friedman doesn’t see how that deal would work, pointing out that the Lightning doesn’t have a plethora of draft picks. He also noted that the Flames aren’t going to give Vladar away as they’ll want “a nice price for him.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: For those who missed it, the Lightning will be without starting goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy for the next eight to 10 weeks as he recovers from lower-back surgery. Vladar was listed by some observers as a possible trade target for the Lightning.

With promising Dustin Wolf knocking on the door, the Flames could peddle Vladar at some point to make room for the youngster. As Friedman observed, however, they aren’t just going to give him away. They also have the luxury of keeping the waiver-exempt Wolf in the minors until they get a suitable offer for Vladar.

COULD THE OILERS TRADE BROBERG?

SPORTSNET: Mark Spector recently suggested that Philip Broberg must step up his game and impress the Edmonton Oilers or risk becoming trade bait later this season. The 22-year-old defenseman has yet to play up to expectations.

Spector expects Broberg will be paired up with veteran Mattias Ekholm once he returns from an injured hip flexor. It’s hoped that Ekholm can help Broberg the same way he helped Evan Bouchard last season.