NHL Rumor Mill – September 13, 2022

by | Sep 13, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – September 13, 2022

The latest on Bo Horvat’s contract negotiations with the Canucks plus speculation about Brendan Gallagher’s future with the Canadiens in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON HORVAT’S CONTRACT TALKS

VANCOUVER HOCKEY NOW: Rob Simpson reports Canucks captain Bo Horvat said he’s leaving contract negotiations with his agent and team management. He said he loves playing for the Canucks and he and his family love living in Vancouver. However, he acknowledged this is a lengthy process.

Vancouver Canucks center Bo Horvat (NHL Images).

Horvat and his agent, Pat Morris, are declining to discuss details of the contract talks with the media. Nevertheless, Simpson suggests this could lead to speculation and become a potential distraction if no deal is in place before the season opens on Oct. 12.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston reminds us that Horvat has a year remaining on his current contract. He’s eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. The 27-year-old center offered up no deadline for the completion of his talks.

Horvat also indicated he’s fully recovered from the broken leg he suffered at the end of last season. While he understands there will be plenty of speculation over his future, he said his focus for the coming season is helping the Canucks win.

SPORTSNET: Iain MacIntyre reports Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin wants to sign Horvat to a contract extension. However, he offered neither optimism nor pessimism when questioned about it last week following the club’s signing J.T. Miller to a long-term extension.

MacIntyre speculates Horvat should be more affordable to sign, adding the Canucks have the cap space to retain him. He anticipates he’ll get a raise from $5.5 million to $7 million annually on his next deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It could take time for the Canucks and Horvat’s agent to hammer out an agreement. Perhaps those talks will carry over into the coming season.

Nevertheless, we should probably take any speculation over the status of Horvat’s talks or his future in Vancouver with a grain of salt. Miller was a fixture in the rumor mill for months amid reports of little contract discussion throughout this summer yet his new deal ultimately came together pretty quickly. The same thing could happen with Horvat.

ARE THE CANADIENS TRYING TO SHOP GALLAGHER?

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan observed Brendan Gallagher has five seasons left on his six-year, $39-million contract. Should Gallagher rebound from last season’s disappointing, injury-plagued performance, there’s a very good chance Canadiens GM Kent Hughes will trade the 30-year-old winger if he can find a partner.

Cowan speculates Hughes is “probably already trying to trade Gallagher as the Canadiens look to rebuild with youth and gain salary-cap space.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As Cowan noted, Gallagher’s best seasons are probably behind him now. Injuries have hampered him in recent years and affected his performance.

A healthy, productive Gallagher will still be difficult to trade. He’s carrying an average annual value of $6.5 million through 2026-27 with a no-movement clause that ensures he cannot be demoted and a six-team no-trade list.

Gallagher will be staying in Montreal unless Hughes is willing to retain part of his cap hit, include a sweetener like a quality draft pick or prospect, or take back an expensive contract in return.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 12, 2022

by | Sep 12, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – September 12, 2022

An updated list of the top available unrestricted free agents in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: With NHL training camps starting next week, Steven Ellis lists the top-10 players still available in the unrestricted free agent market.

Evan Rodrigues tops the list. The 28-year-old forward plays center or wing and is coming off a career-best 43-point performance. His previous contract was a one-year deal worth $1 million.

Free agent defenseman P.K. Subban (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently linked Rodrigues to the Anaheim Ducks and Calgary Flames. Earlier in the month, the Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins wondered if the Oilers might attempt to sign the veteran forward to a professional tryout offer but that was prior to their recent signing of Justin Bailey to a PTO.

Sonny Milano and P.K. Subban sit second and third on Ellis’ list. A skillful left winger, the 26-year-old Milano earned $1.7 million last season. Subban, 33, isn’t the star he once was but could still bring value to a team’s blueline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There hasn’t been much recent talk about where Milano could end up. He could return to the Ducks on a cheaper one-year contract.

Subban is the most recognizable name on Ellis’ list. The decline in his skills means his days of big-money contracts are over. Earlier this month, The Athletic’s Marc Antoine Godin dismissed the notion of a reunion between Subban and the Montreal Canadiens, suggesting the Habs instead look at Anton Stralman if they want to add a right-shot free agent defenseman.

Speaking of Stralman, he’s number 5 on Ellis’ list behind winger Tyler Motte.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been quiet in recent weeks regarding these two. Like most on this list, they could either end up signing one-year contracts on the eve of training camp or sign professional tryout offers in hopes of earning one-year deals before the start of the regular season.

Center Tyler Ennis, winger Daniel Sprong, winger Alex Galchenyuk, center Victor Rask and winger Alex Chiasson round out the remainder of Ellis’ list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: These players haven’t surfaced much in the rumor mill. They seem more likely to be PTO candidates leading up to training camp.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – September 11, 2022

by | Sep 11, 2022

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – September 11, 2022

A recent look at the notable remaining restricted free agents in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox recently examined the status of the remaining notable restricted free agents.

Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson (NHL Images)

Topping his list is the Dallas Stars’ Jason Robertson. The 23-year-old winger has blossomed into a first-line scorer who was the Calder Trophy runner-up in 2021. Fox wonders if the Stars will attempt to sign Robertson to a long-term deal that could look like a bargain down the road or ink him to a bridge deal that hands the winger more leverage for his next contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes it’ll be a bridge deal, pointing out the Stars couldn’t do a long-term deal for Jake Oettinger, who recently signed a three-year, $12 million contract.

Cap Friendly shows the Stars carrying $6.3 million in cap space with 22 players under contract. My guess is Robertson agrees to a two-year deal worth $5 million annually to put himself in line for a major pay raise in 2024. That’s when the salary cap is expected to significantly increase.

Los Angeles Kings defenseman Sean Durzi and Ottawa Senators winger Alex Formenton are second and third on Fox’s list. He reported Kings general manager Rob Blake continues to negotiate with the Durzi camp. Meanwhile, Senators GM Pierre Dorion said his discussions with Formenton’s agent were positive and he expects the 22-year-old will be under contract prior to training camp.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On Saturday, the Kings re-signed blueliner Mikey Anderson to a one-year, $1 million contract. With $1.3 million remaining in cap space, I wouldn’t be surprised if Durzi gets a similar deal. Both rearguards completed their entry-level contracts last season.

NHL training camps will start by Sep. 21 so look for the Senators to have Formenton’s new contract sorted by then.

Fox cited Arizona Coyotes insider Craig Morgan recently reporting center Barrett Hayton should have a new deal before training camp. He doesn’t see the two sides being far apart. Fox pointed out the Coyotes have plenty of salary-cap room. He recommended a bridge deal but observed the club has a tendency of signing their promising young players to long-term contracts.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mikey Anderson was also on Fox’s list but he was re-signed on Saturday by the Kings.

Rasmus Sandin’s contract talks with the Toronto Maple Leafs reportedly remain at a standstill. Meanwhile, Vegas Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon recently said re-signing defenseman Nicolas Hague before training camp was his top priority.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I covered Sandin’s situation in yesterday’s Rumor Mill. As for Hague, McCrimmon reportedly has had little dialogue with Hague’s representatives since early July.

Both defensemen are coming off ELCs and have no leverage other than refusing to report to training camp. We’ll find out within the next 10 days if they’ll end up signing bridge deals before camps open on Sep. 21.

Edmonton Oilers center Ryan McLeod and Calgary Flames forward Adam Ruzicka complete Fox’s list. He reported there’s little concern in Edmonton over getting McLeod signed before training camp. Meanwhile, Fox believes Flames GM Brad Treliving must decide if Ruzicka is ready to be a full-time NHLer or if he will sign him to a two-way contract.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 10, 2022

by | Sep 10, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – September 10, 2022

A look at the latest Leafs speculation as training camp approaches in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel wondered when the Toronto Maple Leafs and Rasmus Sandin will finally reach an agreement on a new contract. The 22-year-old defenseman is a restricted free agent lacking arbitration rights, giving him little leverage except to not report to training camp.

Missing playing time could put Sandin at risk of falling behind his teammates. Siegel suggests the young blueliner accept a one-year deal that would provide him with arbitration rights next summer or a two-year deal similar to the one Timothy Liljegren signed in June with an average annual value of $1.4 million.

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Rasmus Sandin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see how the Sandin camp handles this. Missing training camp (and preseason play) almost always hampered a player’s performance upon his return to the lineup.

The Leafs are currently over the $82.5 million salary cap for the coming season by roughly $1.5 million. General manager Kyle Dubas could be forced to make a significant cost-cutting move to accommodate whatever Sandin is seeking. Taking the one-year deal and garnering arbitration rights next summer would give the young blueliner the leverage to secure better terms on his next contract.

Siegel also noted the Leafs wouldn’t necessarily have to do anything to get under the cap until Sandin signs. They could ice a 20-man roster to start the season if need be. He acknowledged that defenseman Justin Holl has surfaced as a trade candidate but doesn’t see the sense in trading him while Sandin remains unsigned. Dubas could also place Holl on waivers but there’s the risk of losing him to another club for nothing.

The Leafs signing Zach Aston-Reese to a professional tryout offer also caught Siegel’s eye. Among the reasons could be to provide options in case they want to move a forward such as Alex Kerfoot, though he doesn’t see Aston-Reese as an improvement over Kerfoot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kerfoot carries an AAV of $3.5 million and he’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Moving him would put them under the cap by $2 million, providing sufficient wiggle room to ink Sandin.

However, the Toronto Sun’s Terry Koshan is skeptical about a Kerfoot trade. “If Dubas had true designs on moving Kerfoot, you would think it would’ve happened by now.”

SPORTSNET: In a recent mailbag segment, Luke Fox was asked about what it might cost for the Leafs to acquire Patrick Kane from the Chicago Blackhawks.

The reader wanted to know if “2 firsts, Sandin and Robertson” might get it done. Fox considered that a load to surrender for a playoff rental. He suggested “a first-round pick, a mid-round pick, a quality prospect, and a roster player.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s assuming Kane waives his full no-movement clause to go to Toronto. And Dubas convinces the Blackhawks to retain half of Kane’s $10.5 million salary-cap hit. And he finds a third team willing to help him divide the remaining $5.25 million in half to squeeze the winger within the Leafs’ limited cap payroll. Provided, of course, Dubas outbids other clubs for Kane’s services.

Let’s revisit this at the 2023 trade deadline and see if it works out.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 9, 2022

by | Sep 9, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – September 9, 2022

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: an update on the Rangers’ efforts to trade Nil Lundkvist, teams are calling the Penguins about their defensemen, and the Oilers could add another affordable forward.

UPDATE ON RANGERS EFFORTS TO TRADE LUNDKVIST

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple reported a source claims there’s an 80 percent chance that Nils Lindkvist won’t report to New York Rangers training camp on Sept. 21. The 22-year-old defenseman is unhappy with his chances of cracking the Rangers’ top-six defense and is being shopped by the Blueshirts.

New York Rangers defenseman Nils Lundkvist (NHL Images)

Lundkvist could remain in Sweden to continue his training if not moved by the time the Rangers open training camp. Staple believes there’s a spot waiting for him with Swedish Hockey League club Lulea, for whom the blueliner played for three seasons before joining the Rangers last season.

Two sources told Staple that the Rangers have received an offer of a second-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. However, it’s believed general manager Chris Drury is seeking a young player in return.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng cites an NHL scout telling him Lundkvist could be a “really logical target” for the Sharks. They could use more puck-moving depth on the right side of their blueline though his defensive game needs improvement.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens and Vancouver Canucks have also been suggested as possible destinations for Lundkvist. So far, however, those reports have been merely speculative.

As Staple observed, Drury won’t just give away Lundkvist. He faced a similar situation with Vitali Kravtsov last season but the young Russian winger spent last season in the KHL awaiting a trade that never came because no one met Drury’s asking price. He’s now back with the Blueshirts attempting to earn a roster spot in training camp.

Lundkvist could end up loaned to a Swedish club for the season if Drury hasn’t received a suitable offer.

TEAMS ARE CALLING ABOUT THE PENGUINS’ DEFENSEMEN

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dave Molinari recently reported Penguins president Brian Burke confirmed some teams are calling to inquire about some of his team’s defensemen. He doesn’t rule out moving one of them though he indicated there haven’t been any recent active trade discussions.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Molinari wrote that Burke didn’t appear to expect any deals of consequence before the preseason starts later this month. The Penguins carry nine defensemen under NHL contracts for the coming season. Brian Dumoulin and Marcus Pettersson have been mentioned this summer as potential trade bait.

THE OILERS COULD ADD ANOTHER FORWARD

THE ATHLETIC: Daniel Nugent-Bowman reports the Oilers are considering signing another free-agent forward to a professional tryout offer. A team source said Zach Aston-Reese, Riley Nash and Jake Virtanen are under consideration.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier this week, the Oilers signed former Vancouver Canucks winger Justin Bailey to a PTO.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 8, 2022

by | Sep 8, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – September 8, 2022

The Penguins may have received an offer from the Flyers for Jason Zucker earlier this summer, the Canadiens might not be done making moves, and an update on Jake Virtanen in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WAS ZUCKER NEARLY TRADED TO THE FLYERS?

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dave Molinari reports a league source claims the Penguins got a trade offer for Jason Zucker this summer. The move would’ve allowed them to shed the 30-year-old’s $5.5 million average annual value from their salary-cap payroll for the coming season.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jason Zucker (NHL Images).

The trade proposal reportedly came from a Metropolitan Division rival. It would’ve involved packaging Zucker with a first-round draft pick for “well, basically nothing” in return.

Penguins general manager Ron Hextall is believed to have rejected the offer because he didn’t want to part with a first-rounder. The Penguins also aren’t prepared to give up on the oft-injured Zucker as a significant contributor.

Molinari indicates Hextall declined to respond to a request to confirm or dispute the information.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Sam Carchidi speculates the Flyers could be the team that had the interest in Zucker. He points out that general manager Chuck Fletcher is very familiar with the winger going back to their days with the Minnesota Wild. The first-rounder they would’ve gotten in the deal is much-needed.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I wonder when that pitch might’ve been made. Perhaps it would’ve been leading up to the opening round of the 2022 NHL Draft in July when the Penguins would’ve been looking to shed salary after re-signing Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin.

THE LATEST ON THE CANADIENS

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy reports Canadiens GM Kent Hughes could turn to the trade market to help his club gain more salary-cap flexibility for the coming season. He acknowledged there hasn’t been much trade activity of late but could turn to waivers or “different things that we have forthcoming.”

It’s rumored the Canadiens were looking to make a cost-cutting trade before officially announcing Kirby Dach’s new contract. “We’ll revisit and we’re comfortable we can conclude a deal,” said Hughes. He indicated if they could’ve done another transaction they might not have had to go into offseason long-term injury reserve (LTIR), giving them more flexibility during the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes also observed that he’s continuing to work the phones and remains confident that something could get done. Murphy noted that the Habs GM was looking to move some salary for a defenseman or a package of draft picks and prospects.

While the Canadiens placed Carey Price and his $10.5 million cap hit on LTIR, Murphy indicates their limited cap wiggle room could hamper efforts to make in-season moves. Hughes could attempt to shed salary with a trade leading up to the start of the season next month.

The Canadiens GM could deal from his depth at forward. Recent rumors claim Mike Hoffman, Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia have been mentioned as trade candidates.

TVA SPORTS: cited ESPN’s Kevin Weekes yesterday saying the Canadiens are talking contract with Jake Allen. The 32-year-old goaltender is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. The goal of those discussions is to reach an agreement for more than one year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That could add more fuel to the fire over Price’s long-term future. If his career is over, the Habs will want some veteran stability between the pipes.

UPDATE ON VIRTANEN

OILERS NATION: Zach Laing cites Vancouver Canucks insider Rick Dhaliwal claiming the Edmonton Oilers are among several teams believed to have an interest in Jake Virtanen, who spent last season in the KHL.

Virtanen, 26, played six seasons with the Canucks until 2021 but was placed on leave by the club in May 2021 after the right winger become the subject of a sexual assault investigation. His contract was bought out later that year. He was charged in January with one count of sexual assault but was found not guilty by a jury in July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers might no longer be among those interested clubs. They recently signed Justin Bailey to a professional tryout offer.