NHL Rumor Mill – May 1, 2023

by | May 1, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – May 1, 2023

What next for the Avalanche and Bruins following their early postseason exits? What’s the latest on the Jets and Wild? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Roundup.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE AVALANCHE AND BRUINS?

ESPN.COM: Ryan S. Clark looked at what might be ahead for the Colorado Avalanche following their stunning first-round elimination by the Seattle Kraken.

He wondered if center J.T. Compher could be the member of the Avs to depart via free agency due to their limited salary-cap space. Young players like Bowen Byram and Alex Newhook will need raises coming off their entry-level contracts.

Colorado Avalanche winger Gabriel Landeskog (NHL Images).

Clark also noted the uncertainty over the status of team captain Gabriel Landeskog, who missed this entire season with a nagging knee injury. His return would bolster their top six but it’s possible his recovery drags on into next season.

THE DENVER POST: Mark Kiszla also raised Landeskog’s status in assessing where the Avalanche goes from here. He noted Valeri Nichushkin’s banishment from the lineup during the series with the Kraken following an incident involving an intoxicated woman in his hotel room in Seattle before Game 3.

Kiszla wondered if a major roster renovation rather than retooling might be in order if Landeskog doesn’t fully recover and if Nichushkin cannot be trusted as a key member of this squad going forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly shows the Avalanche with $13.2 million in projected cap space for 2023-24 with 13 roster players under contract. That won’t leave much to re-sign Compher, Byram and Newhook and leave enough for the rest of the roster.

They could get $7 million in wiggle room if Landeskog remains sidelined heading into 2023-24, though they’ll have to become cap compliant if he returns to action at some point in the season. As for Nichushkin, we don’t know what the outcome of this will be. He’s not facing any criminal charges but the Avs not bringing him back into the lineup raised questions about his future.

A rebuild would involve shedding salary by moving out one or two key players. I don’t think that’s something management has in mind. However, it’s going to be difficult to add upgrades given their cap limitations.

Kristen Shilton, meanwhile, examined the issues facing the Boston Bruins following their first-round elimination by the Florida Panthers.

Topping the list is whether captain Patrice Bergeron and fellow center David Krejci are willing to return for one more season. Both players were injured heading into that series with the Kraken.

The Bruins must also decide whether they’ll re-sign trade-deadline acquisitions Tyler Bertuzzi, Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway, who are slated to become UFAs on July 1. Meanwhile, backup goalie Jeremy Swayman is a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Limited cap space will also complicate the Bruins’ offseason plans. Cap Friendly shows them with $10.5 million in projected cap space with 14 roster players under contract. However, that doesn’t appear to take into account the $4.5 million in carryover bonus overages for Bergeron and Krejci.

They’ll still have enough for Bergeron and/or Krejci if they wish to return on affordable one-year contracts. However, they’ll have to shed salary to re-sign Swayman and to fill out the rest of the lineup. I don’t see them being able to clear sufficient space to retain Bertuzzi, Orlov and Hathaway. One of them, perhaps, but that’s it.

LATEST ON THE JETS AND WILD

WINNIPEG SUN: Paul Friesen reports Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff was evasive regarding his offseason plans other than confirming Rick Bowness and the coaching staff will return next season.

Some of it was understandable. For example, it’s too early to tell where someone like goaltender Connor Hellebuyck stands regarding a contract extension. However, Cheveldayoff didn’t say if he’s going to rebuild the roster but didn’t rule it out.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friesen was caustic in his analysis of Cheveldayoff’s press conference yesterday. He thinks the Jets are in decline but the general manager doesn’t seem to believe it.

The always-cautious Cheveldayoff may be unwilling to tip his hand publicly but that doesn’t mean he won’t make a move or two to shake things up. Actions, as always, speak louder than words. We’ll learn his true intentions over the course of this offseason.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber wondered if the Jets and Washington Capitals might be perfect trade partners. Both clubs could be making changes following their disappointing performances this season.

The Capitals have two trade candidates in forwards Evgeny Kuznetsov and Anthony Mantha plus some budding prospects that could become trade chips.

Silber observed Capitals GM Brian MacLellan hopes to revamp his top six and add secondary scoring. She noted that the futures of Jets forwards Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Nikolaj Ehlers are in question.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cheveldayoff could get better returns for his trade candidates than Kuznetsov and Mantha. The former has undeniable skill but his inconsistent play and previous off-ice issues are concerning while the latter is oft-injured and has consistency issues of his own.

TWINCITIES.COM: Dane Mizutani wondered what it will cost the Minnesota Wild to re-sign goaltender Filip Gustavsson. He was their starter in this year’s postseason and is poised to be their No. 1 netminder even with Marc-Andre Fleury returning next season. He’s a restricted free agent slated for a big raise next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap room will be an issue for the Wild next season with $3.4 million in projected space and 22 players under contract. Gustavsson is coming off a two-year deal with a cap hit of less than $788K per season. He has arbitration rights this summer.

Mizutani also wondered if this is Matt Dumba’s final season with the Wild. While the pending UFA defenseman would love to stay in Minnesota, there aren’t sufficient cap dollars to keep him.

THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo and Joe Smith also wondered about the Wild’s offseason plans. They agree that re-signing Gustavsson should be their priority as well as shoring up their depth at center.

They also wondered if puck-moving defenseman Calen Addison could become a trade candidate after he was scratched from the lineup multiple times during the second half of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Addison, 23, is coming off his entry-level contract and had 29 points in 62 games this season. His defensive game needs improvement but a rival club could be intrigued by his offensive abilities. Perhaps he become a trade chip if the Wild are squeezed for cap space. Maybe he could be used as trade bait to land a center.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – April 30, 2023

by | Apr 30, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – April 30, 2023

A look ahead at the offseason for the Lightning and Kings plus more speculation about what the summer might hold for the Jets and Islanders in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE LIGHTNING AND KINGS?

ESPN.COM: Kristen Shilton looked at what could be a difficult offseason for the Tampa Bay Lightning following their first-round elimination by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Figuring out how to free up more salary-cap space should be a priority. Veterans like Alex Killorn, Corey Perry and Ian Cole are eligible for unrestricted free-agent status this summer. They also have limited trade capital with just three picks in this year’s draft.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Alex Killorn (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois did a fine job managing his limited cap space to maintain a contender for the past three years. However, he now faces a different challenge in figuring out how to restore the depth around his core talent before their best seasons are behind them.

BriseBois could find it easier should the salary cap increase this summer by more than the projected $1 million. Otherwise, he could face another offseason shedding more roster depth and trying to find suitable replacements at cheaper prices.

Ryan S. Clark examined what could be in store this summer for the Los Angeles Kings following their second straight first-round elimination by the Edmonton Oilers.

The Kings will have to ensure they’ve got sufficient cap space to re-sign restricted free-agent forward Gabriel Vilardi. They’ll also have to decide what to do with pending unrestricted free agents Joona Korpisalo and Vladislav Gavrikov.

They’ll also have to decide what to do with goaltender Cal Petersen, who’s completing the first season of a three-year contract worth $5 million annually. The struggles of Petersen and now-former Kings goalie Jonathan Quick led the Kings to turn to Pheonix Copley for large stretches of the season before acquiring Korpisalo at the trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see how general manager Rob Blake addresses this situation. Vilardi’s performance this season has him in line for a significant raise while Korpisalo and Gavrikov were solid additions who are worth retaining if there’s sufficient cap room to do so.

Trading Petersen could free up valuable cap space to re-sign Vilardi and retain Korpisalo and/or Gavrikov. Given his struggles over the past two seasons, however, it’s unlikely they’ll find any takers unless they retain a portion of his salary or take back a bad contract in return.

LATEST ON THE JETS

WINNIPEG SUN: Ted Wyman reports Jets winger Kyle Connor isn’t interested in being part of a roster rebuild at this stage in his career. “I don’t think anybody in that locker room wants to be part of a rebuild,” he said. Connor is among the few Jets stars with more than one year remaining on his contract.

Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, Connor Hellebuyck and restricted free agent Pierre-Luc Dubois are all a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility. If any or all of them are moved this summer, Wyman believes that will at least constitute a retooling, if not a rebuild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Much of the focus on a possible Jets rebuild is based on shipping out Scheifele, Wheeler, Hellebuyck and Dubois and using the returns to build around players like Connor, Josh Morrissey and Nikolaj Ehlers who still have term on the contracts beyond next season. It hasn’t taken into account that those players might not want to be part of that process

Connor pointed out he has no say in what management does. Nevertheless, his comments could have some impact on their offseason decisions. Instead of trading those players for draft picks and prospects, perhaps they seek returns that provide a quicker turnaround in the Jets’ fortunes.

Speaking of Dubois, Wyman reported he was dismissive of the rumors about his future. Nevertheless, the 24-year-old center made no secret that he’d like to choose where he plays once he becomes a UFA.

“The right to choose is something that personally, it gives you power,” said Dubois. “You can make your decision and not just go where you’re told. So for me, that’s something that’s pretty important.”

Speculation has linked Dubois to the Montreal Canadiens since his agent last summer hinted that he might like to play for them one day.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubois playing coy over whether he’s interested in a long-term deal with the Jets. His comments will only stoke speculation that he could be traded to the Canadiens this summer.

Hellebuyck has no idea if he’ll be part of the Jets future beyond this season. “I don’t know what their plans are, and I don’t know if I’m in it, to be honest,” he said. “If they decide to move me, that’s their call. If they decide to try to talk, I haven’t really thought about that yet.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck also isn’t interested in a rebuild. “My main goal is to win a Stanley Cup and I’m running out of time,” said the 30-year-old goaltender.

Scott Billeck reported Scheifele was non-committal about his future. He learned his lesson from last year when season-ending remarks about doing what’s best for him and his career sparked weeks of trade speculation.

“I think it’s too early to talk about,” said Scheifele. He plans to take time in the coming days and weeks to think about it and figure things out.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ll be very surprised if the Jets return next season with their current core intact. They’ve been in decline over the past five seasons. General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has been patient to a fault but it’s apparent that this group isn’t getting any better. Changes are necessary and could be coming as early as June in the lead-up to the 2023 Draft in Nashville.

NHL WATCHER: cited Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek on the “32 Thoughts” podcast wondering if Blake Wheeler might be a fit with the Philadelphia Flyers or Boston Bruins given the questions about the futures of Flyers center Sean Couturier and Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron. Marek believes Wheeler fits the mold of those teams.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Chuck Fletcher were still the Flyers GM, then yes, Wheeler would fit their mold. Not anymore. The Flyers are rebuilding and Wheeler (who turns 37 in August) is too old to be a suitable part of that process. As for the Bruins, I think they’d be more interested in someone who’s younger as a possible replacement for Bergeron.

BIG DECISIONS FACING THE ISLANDERS

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears believes the New York Islanders face many organizational questions heading into this offseason.

The first is whether general manager Lou Lamoriello will be back. It’s unknown if the 80-year-old has signed a contract extension to stay on as president and general manager of the Islanders for next season. His current deal is believed to expire at the end of this season.

Lamoriello or his replacement will have to decide if they’ll tinker with the current roster or make significant changes. Semyon Varlamov, Pierre Engvall, Scott Mayfield and Zach Parise are their notable UFAs. Veterans still under contract like Josh Bailey, Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin could be trade or contract buyout candidates.

With centers Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal under long-term contracts, Sears wondered if Jean-Gabriel Pageau or Brock Nelson might be traded for resources that could be deployed elsewhere in the lineup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sears doesn’t expect the Islanders to engage in a roster teardown and neither do I. However, they must bolster their offense if they hope to be more than a marginal playoff contender in the Metropolitan Division. That could involve one or two cost-cutting moves to free up sufficient cap space to address that issue this summer.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 29, 2023

by | Apr 29, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – April 29, 2023

A look ahead at what might be in store in the offseason for the Islanders and Wild plus the latest on the Jets in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE ISLANDERS AND WILD?

ESPN.COM: Kristen Shilton looked ahead at the offseason for the New York Islanders now that they’ve been eliminated from the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. She believes they must address the lack of consistent scoring that plagued them throughout this season.

The Islanders could also use a reliable backup for starting goaltender Ilya Sorokin if Semyon Varlamov departs via free agency on July 1. She also wondered if general manager Lou Lamoriello might consider replacing rookie head coach Lane Lambert with a veteran bench boss.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lamoriello is renowned for his secrecy so we have no idea what he’s got planned for the Islanders this summer. Nevertheless, it’s safe to assume that he’ll look at bolstering his popgun offense.

Lamoriello might have to go the trade route as Cap Friendly indicates the Isles have around $6.9 million available for 2023-24 with 18 roster regulars under contract. In other words, a dollar-in, dollar-out move.

Varlamov could return if he’s willing to accept a significant pay cut on a short-term contract. As for Lambert, your guess is as good as Lamoriello’s but it wouldn’t be shocking if he makes another change behind the bench.

ESPN.COM: Ryan S. Clark examined the offseason issues facing the Minnesota Wild following their first-round playoff elimination. He points out they’ll be hampered by the ongoing cost of buying out Zach Parise and Ryan Suter as it rises to a combined $14.7 million per season through 2024-25.

Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba (NHL Images)

They have eight players eligible for unrestricted free agent status including Matt Dumba, Marcus Johansson, John Klingberg and Ryan Reaves. Their restricted free agents include goaltending Filip Gustavsson, defenseman Calen Addison and forward Sam Steel.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly shows the Wild have just $3.4 million in projected cap space next season with 22 roster players under contract. General manager Bill Guerin will have to shed salary to free up cap space to retain some of these players.

Most of those UFAs are goners except perhaps Johansson given his chemistry with young star Matt Boldy. Gustavsson has to be re-signed as aging Marc-Andre Fleury is no longer capable of handling the workload of a full-time starting goaltender.

LATEST JETS SPECULATION

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli and Mike McKenna discussed what the Winnipeg Jets should do in the offseason following their disappointing season.

McKenna believes they should trade center Mark Scheifele as he’s been there too long and they need to shake up the dressing room. He thinks Scheifele will have some trade value given his career-best 42-goal performance this season.

Servalli believes a new contract for Connor Hellebuyck is the priority facing the Jets. He’s eligible for UFA status after next season. Seravalli wondered if they’ll trade Hellebuyck if he’s not interested in a contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: One or perhaps both of those players could be shopped this summer. The same goes for Blake Wheeler. Like Scheifele and Hellebucyk, Wheeler’s slated for UFA status next summer.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marc Dumont cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek discussed the possibility of the Canadiens acquiring Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois during their latest “32 Thoughts” podcast.

Marek said he’s led to believe there are other clubs also interested in Dubois despite the speculation suggesting the Canadiens are his preferred destination. Friedman mentioned Kirby Dach being the return for Dubois was suggested to him but he believes if it were that simple it would’ve been done by now.

Dumont dismissed the notion of the Canadiens parting with Dach. He also noted that Friedman pointed out the Jets will have little leverage given that Dubois is a restricted free agent this summer who’s a year away from UFA status.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Any team interested in Dubois other than the Canadiens might be willing to acquire him for this season with the hope of signing him before his UFA eligibility next year. However, they’re not going to overpay to get him given the Jets’ lack of leverage.

The Canadiens will have considerable leverage to acquire Dubois, assuming they indeed want to acquire the 24-year-old center and sign him to a lucrative long-term contract. They have an extra first-round pick in this year’s draft belonging to the Florida Panthers which could be enticing for the Jets if it’s also bundled with a quality prospect or promising young NHL player.

I’ll be very surprised if the Canadiens agree to part with Dach for Dubois. They are very pleased with his performance this season despite being sidelined by injuries at times. He had terrific chemistry on the top line with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield and showed potential as a second-line center as well.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 28, 2023

by | Apr 28, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – April 28, 2023

Big changes could be coming for the Jets roster following this disappointing season. Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

ESPN.COM: Ryan S. Clark wondered where the Winnipeg Jets go from here following their five-game first-round elimination at the hands of the Vegas Golden Knights.

“Do they choose to keep this team together and add a few players to address their problem areas? Or do they believe it’s in their best interest to start looking ahead to their future instead?”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets have been in decline since reaching the 2018 Western Conference Final. They’ve only won one playoff round since then and missed the postseason last year. It’s time to look to the future.

WINNIPEG SUN: Paul Friesen believes hard decisions face the Jets this summer.

Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, forwards Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler and Nino Niederreiter and defensemen Dylan DeMelo and Brenden Dillon are eligible next summer for unrestricted free-agent status.

Winnipeg Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois (NHL Images).

Center Pierre-Luc Dubois is a restricted free agent this summer with arbitration rights who’s a year away from UFA eligibility. Meanwhile, winger Nikolaj Ehlers and blueliners Nate Schmidt and Neal Pionk have two years remaining on their contracts.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has a reputation for being patient to a fault. However, he’s now in a situation where he may have little choice but to shake up this roster core. The results speak for themselves.

Cheveldayoff signed a three-year contract last year. However, if he’s unwilling to make the changes this roster needs, the club’s ownership should find someone who will.

If any of those pending UFAs aren’t interested in extensions this summer they should be shopped for the best available returns. It’s senseless to hang onto them for one more season and expect a better result. Keeping them around will be an unnecessary distraction next season as all the focus will be on their contract statuses and whether any of them will be shopped before the trade deadline.

Friesen’s colleague Ted Wyman examined why the Jets were the first club eliminated from this postseason.

While acknowledging Hellebuyck is the best goalie in franchise history, Wyman was critical of his postseason performances. He was scathing of Dubois’ effort in Game 5.

“You’d have been hard-pressed to believe that Dubois was trying his hardest in Game 5,” wrote Wyman.” Unless by that, you mean he was trying his hardest to get out of town, and the organization, as quickly as possible after this season.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s been plenty of speculation going back to last summer linking Dubois to the Montreal Canadiens. If the Habs are interested in him, perhaps they’ll have second thoughts after watching his performance in Game 5 of this series.

SPORTSNET: Ken Wiebe noted Jets head coach Rick Bowness held nothing back in his brief post-game presser regarding his club’s performance in this series and during the season. “I’m so disappointed and disgusted right now,” he said, calling out his players’ lack of pushback and pride.

Wiebe acknowledged the Jets played with Ehlers sidelined for all but Game 5 and lost top defenseman Josh Morrissey in Game 3 and leading goal-scorer Scheifele in Game 4. Nevertheless, he thinks Bowness’ comments support the idea of shaking up the Jets’ core but he wondered how deep those changes will be.

If contract extensions for Hellebuyck, Scheifele, Dubois, Wheeler, DeMelo and Dillon aren’t possible, Wiebe speculated the Jets could decide to move most of them in what is expected to be an “on-the-fly retool.” Much will depend on the trade market and what kind of offers the Jets receive for those players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Cheveldayoff and the team’s ownership won’t listen to the pundits, perhaps they should consult Jets fans.

Friesen recently reported the club’s attendance has tumbled in recent years along with the quality of the on-ice product. This season’s average attendance (14, 045) is the lowest since they moved to Winnipeg, not counting the two COVID-plagued seasons when games were held in empty or near-empty arenas.

He also pointed out that Jets fans haven’t been happy with the players’ lackluster performances over the past two seasons. This comes at a time when the club’s ownership recently asked the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce for more support from local businesses in the form of season-ticket purchases.

Winnipeg fans are happy to have an NHL team again but they expect it to be competitive. Given Bowness’ blistering remarks about the Jets’ performance this season, it’s time for the front office to avoid another patchwork effort for short-term gains and make real changes to improve this club over the long term.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 27, 2023

by | Apr 27, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – April 27, 2023

The latest on the Sabres plus speculation over Joonas Korpisalo’s future with the Kings in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHO COULD THE SABRES PURSUE IN THE OFFSEASON?

THE BUFFALO NEWS: In his recent mailbag segment, Lance Lysowski wrote that he believed the Sabres won’t add a goaltender that would block Devon Levi or Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen from becoming their starter.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, the Sabres will seek a veteran goaltender on an affordable short-term contract to mentor Levi or Luukkonen.

Lysowski believes Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams will seek a top-four defenseman via trade or free agency. However, he won’t want to hand out an expensive, long-term contract to whoever they add.

Possible trade targets could include Calgary’s Rasmus Andersson, Vegas’ Shea Theodore or Chicago’s Connor Murphy. Free-agent options could include Carson Soucy, Matt Dumba, Scott Mayfield or Ryan Graves.

Buffalo Sabres forward Casey Mittelstadt (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t see the Flames parting with Andersson or the Golden Knights with Theodore. The rebuilding Blackhawks, however, could listen to offers for Murphy.

They might be better off going the free-agent route with one of those blueliners mentioned by Lysowski. Graves could be a good fit if he’s available, though he could seek the type of long-term deal that Lysowski believes the Sabres want to avoid.

Asked about signing Patrick Kane, Lysowski doesn’t think the Sabres will commit to a big contract for the 34-year-old winger. They don’t want to block some of their younger, more affordable prospects from making the lineup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane signing with his hometown team to finish his career makes a nice story. However, the Sabres are awash in talented young scorers. Their priority is improving their blueline and adding a veteran presence in the crease. They don’t need a veteran scorer, not even one as illustrious as Kane.

Lysowski was asked if the Sabres would consider using Mittelstadt as a trade chip to add a top-four defenseman. He doesn’t see them parting with the young forward, who enjoyed a breakout performance this season.

THE ATHLETIC: In his latest mailbag segments, Matthew Fairburn was asked if Casey Mittelstadt’s performance this season makes him more valuable to the Sabres as a trade chip to bolster their blueline. He felt Mittlestadt became more attractive to other clubs in the trade market but thinks it would take a significant offer to pry him away from the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I agree with Lysowski and Fairburn regarding Mittelstadt. Maybe the Sabres listen if the offer is a top-four shutdown defenseman in his playing prime. Otherwise, Mittelstadt isn’t going anywhere.

Fairburn also thinks the Sabres will be in the market this summer for a top-four defenseman via trade or free agency. He suggested Florida Panthers blueliner Radko Gudas would be near the top of his list for a right-shot defenseman. Other targets could include New Jersey’s Damon Severson, Minnesota’s Matt Dumba or Boston’s Connor Clifton.

DOES KORPISALO HAVE A FUTURE WITH THE KINGS?

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Duhatschek noted Joonas Korpisalo’s solid goaltending for the Los Angeles Kings early in their first-round series with the Edmonton Oilers. He’s impressed with how quickly the Kings incorporated the 28-year-old netminder into their lineup after acquiring him from the Columbus Blue Jackets before the trade deadline.

Whatever the outcome of this series with the Oilers, Duhatschek believes the Kings will need to be in the market for a starting goalie for next season. They could re-sign Korpisalo, who is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Korpisalo was pulled from Game 5 but he had a .918 save percentage in the four games leading up to that point. He was outstanding for them down the stretch with a 7-3-1 record, a 2.13 GAA and a .921 SP. Given Cal Petersen’s decline and Pheonix Copley’s inexperience as an NHL starter, it wouldn’t surprise me if they sign Korpisalo to a two or three-year deal.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 26, 2023

by | Apr 26, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – April 26, 2023

What’s the latest Flames speculation? Would Blue Jackets center Jack Roslovic be a good fit with the Canucks? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE FLAMES

SPORTSNET: Pat Steinberg recently looked at the big questions facing the Calgary Flames in this offseason. Who might be the club’s next general manager following Brad Treliving’s departure and how that might affect head coach Darryl Sutter topped his list.

Calgary Flames center Elias Lindholm (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sutter’s fate will be tied to whoever becomes the next GM. That person could prefer bringing in his own head coach. However, I think Treliving’s replacement will be stuck with Sutter for at least 2023-24 as his two-year contract extension kicks in on July 1.

Another disappointing performance next season, however, could spell the end of Sutter’s second tenure behind the Flames’ bench. I think the club’s ownership would be more comfortable with that scenario rather than firing him now and having to pay him not to coach their team for two years.

Steinberg also wondered about the future of notable Flames with a year remaining on their contracts. They include Elias Lindholm, Mikael Backlund, Tyler Toffoli, Noah Hanifin, Nikita Zadorov and Chris Tanev.

Lindholm and Backlund were non-committal about their futures beyond next season. The other four, however, seemed more positive about staying in Calgary.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The new GM could meet with those players as soon as possible to find out whether they’re willing to open extension talks after July 1. Those that aren’t or are at least reluctant to do so could end up on the trade block before the NHL Draft on June 28-29.

Steinberg also wondered if a forward who can play well alongside Jonathan Huberdeau will be brought in via trade or free agency. After a career-best 115-point performance with the Florida Panthers in 2021-22, Huberdeau managed just 55 points with the Flames this season.

THE ATHLETIC: In a recent mailbag segment, Julian McKenzie suggested Lindholm would fetch the best return if the Flames were to shop any of those players eligible for UFA status next summer. He believes any deal involving Lindholm should fetch a first-round pick and a top-six forward or a top-four defenseman.

Backlund might get the Flames at best a second-round pick and a prospect. He wonders if the high cost of re-signing Hanifin might force them to trade him regardless of whether he wants to come back.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maybe that linemate for Huberdeau can be found by using Lindholm or Hanifin as trade bait.

WOULD ROSLOVIC BE A GOOD FIT WITH THE CANUCKS?

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma mused over whether Jack Roslovic would be a good fit with the Vancouver Canucks as a third-line center. The Blue Jackets’ depth in promising young centers plus the big contracts they’re paying Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine could make the 26-year-old Roslovic expendable.

Kuzma noted the Canucks’ previous management had an interest in Roslovic during his tenure with the Winnipeg Jets. He now has a year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $4 million. That’s pricey for a player who struggled to reach 44 points in 77 games this season.

The Blue Jackets have a glut of wingers so that’s not a trade option for the Canucks. Kuzma believes the Canucks would need the Jackets to retain $1 million of Roslovic’s salary. He suggests offering up a draft pick (the Canucks have two third-rounders and three fourth-rounders in this year’s draft) might get it done.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It might even cost two draft picks depending on how keen the Canucks would be to get Roslovic. However, we don’t know at this point if they’re interested in the Jackets center given his inconsistent play and defensive miscues.