NHL Rumor Mill – December 14, 2024

by | Dec 14, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – December 14, 2024

Check out the latest on the Rangers, Oilers and Penguins in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST RANGERS SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple recently listed several players who could trade targets for the New York Rangers. He noted that general manager Chris Drury has some prospects, his 2025 and 2026 first-round picks, and some players on his current roster to use as trade bait.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Staple assured us tongue-in-cheek that no tampering went into the compilation of his list, a none-too-subtle dig at Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer. In case you missed it, Andlauer made a recent insinuation about “soft tampering” involving the Rangers’ rumored interest in Senators captain Brady Tkachuk. The league is not investigating the allegation.

Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk (NHL Images).

Speaking of Tkachuk, he appears on this list. Staple acknowledged the Senators’ vehement denials that their captain was available and acknowledged the asking price would be high, starting with winger Alexis Lafreniere. Staple also included Tkachuk’s teammate Thomas Chabot.

Other notable names on Staple’s wish list included Buffalo Sabres forwards Dylan Cozens and Alex Tuch, Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin, and Vancouver Canucks center (and former Ranger) J.T. Miller.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most of the players on this list (following the link if you have a subscription) are very unlikely to end up with the Rangers, including those mentioned above.

Drury could become a seller instead of a buyer if the Rangers’ fortunes don’t improve soon. Look for the lists of Blueshirts trade candidates to appear in February if they’re out of playoff contention by then.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Remy Mastey cited ESPN’s Emily Kaplan speculating Drury could attempt to sign a big-name unrestricted free agent this summer. She believes he could pursue Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner or Colorado Avalanche forward Mikko Rantanen if they test the market next July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the cap rises by $4.4 million as projected, the Rangers will have over $20 million in cap space for 2025-26 with 14 roster players under contract. Drury could afford a big-ticket signing but it will take up most of that cap space, leaving little to flesh out the roster unless he intends on shedding more salary first.

OILERS COULD TARGET A DEFENSEMAN AT THE TRADE DEADLINE

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports Edmonton Oilers CEO and president of hockey operations Jeff Jackson likes how his club’s defense corps has played and has no issues with them this season.

LeBrun believes they could bolster their blueline by the March 7 trade deadline. Jackson maintained they’re happy with their defense but are open to opportunities.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples recently cited Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer suggesting the Oilers seek a right-side defenseman. Staples suggested Cam Fowler of the Anaheim Ducks, Rasmus Ristolainen of the Philadelphia Flyers, Ben Chiarot of the Detroit Red Wings or Nick Jensen of the Ottawa Senators as potential trade targets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap space will determine if the Oilers pursue a defenseman and how big of a splash they might make in the trade pool by March 7. They have just under $3.5 million in projected trade-deadline cap room. The Oilers will have to shed salary or get one of those teams to agree to retain some salary to take on one of those defensemen.

ARE THE PENGUINS INTERESTED IN CANUCKS FORWARD NILS HOGLANDER?

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe recently cited rumors linking the Pittsburgh Penguins to Nils Hoglander. The 23-year-old Vancouver Canucks winger has seen reduced playing time of late.

Yohe noted that Hoglander has fallen out of favor with Canucks coach Rick Tocchet, who was an assistant coach with the Penguins several years ago under Mike Sullivan. If Hoglander’s out of favor with Tocchet, Yohe doubted that Sullivan would want him in the Penguins lineup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hoglander trade rumors have cooled off lately. He could end up peddled before the trade deadline, perhaps for a right-side defenseman. Based on Yohe’s observation, the Penguins might not be a trade partner.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 13, 2024

by | Dec 13, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – December 13, 2024

​Check out the latest on the Sabres, Hurricanes and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST SABRES SPECULATION

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Buffalo Sabres are getting calls from other teams about Dylan Cozens. The 23-year-old right-shot center is two years removed from a 30-goal season but he’s struggling in 2024-25. He has five years left on his contract with an average annual value of $7.1 million, which Friedman believes helps his value in the trade market.

TSN: Darren Dreger reports no sense of panic among the Sabres’ organization despite their difficulties. Teams are calling in for promising young players like Jack Quinn but general manager Kevyn Adams isn’t moving him. He’s open to a trade that helps his team now but doesn’t want to force things.

THE ATHLETIC: Matthew Fairburn wonders what move could set the Sabres back after missing the playoffs for 13 consecutive seasons. They’re closer to last place in the league this season than they are to a playoff berth.

Buffalo Sabres forward Dylan Cozens (NHL Images).

Fairburn cited Adams saying he didn’t spend his $7 million in cap space because Quinn, forward JJ Peterka and goalie Devon Levi are restricted free agents next summer. However, Quinn has one goal this season, Peterka has one goal in his last 13 games, and Levi is back in the AHL.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There are plenty of reasons why the Sabres have struggled over the years, from meddling ownership to poor management to a revolving door of coaches. The issue now is whether Adams and head coach Lindy Ruff can find a way to turn things around before their postseason drought stretches to 14 years and counting.

HURRICANES SHOPPING FOR A GOALTENDER

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Carolina Hurricanes had discussions with the San Jose Sharks about Mackenzie Blackwood before the 28-year-old goaltender was traded to the Colorado Avalanche. They’re seeking insurance for starter Pyotr Kochetkov.

LeBrun mentioned Dan Vladar of the Calgary Flames, Anton Forsberg of the Ottawa Senators and Karel Vejmelka of the Utah Hockey Club as options. However, none of those teams are ready to be sellers.

The Hurricanes have spoken to the Anaheim Ducks about John Gibson. However, the asking price will have to go down before

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman also noted the Hurricanes’ interest in Gibson. He said there’s been an on-again, off-again courtship between the Hurricanes and Ducks over Gibson for years.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gibson has a 10-team no-trade list but these reports suggest the Hurricanes are on that list. The Hurricanes could prefer the Ducks retain part of his $6.4 million average annual value through 2026-27, but the Ducks could seek something substantial to make salary retention worthwhile.

RUMOR TIDBITS FROM THE LATEST “32 THOUGHTS” COLUMN

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello isn’t tipping his hand about potential moves this season. His peers find it hard to believe that Lamoriello would move pending UFA center Brock Nelson if the Isles remain in playoff contention.

The Dallas Stars are expected to utilize its extra salary-cap space while Tyler Seguin recovers from hip surgery. Friedman indicates they’re doing due diligence on what centers and right-shot defensemen are available.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars are expected to put Seguin on long-term injury reserve and use the salary-cap savings to bolster their roster for the playoffs. Seguin is out for four to six months.

The Vancouver Canucks are trying to find a better fit for Vincent Desharnais. It hasn’t worked out as hoped for the 28-year-old defenseman, who signed a two-year contract in the offseason with the Canucks.

Seattle Kraken defenseman Will Borgen is being scouted as a potential depth addition.

Nashville Predators GM Barry Trotz is doing all he can to avoid making head coach Andrew Brunette the fall guy for the club’s struggles this season. Friedman speculated that little-used forward Juuso Parssinen could follow Dante Fabbro and Philip Tomasino out of Nashville.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trotz might not have much choice if the losses keep mounting.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 12, 2024

by | Dec 12, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – December 12, 2024

A look at some intriguing trade candidates and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: Nick Kypreos released his first trade board of the 2024-25 NHL season. He’s broken his list down into several categories.

Under “Intriguing Names to Watch,” Kypreos includes Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett, Ottawa Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot, San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro, and Nashville Predators blueliner Alexandre Carrier.

Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett (NHL Images).

Bennett is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July. Kypreos indicates there’s a risk the Panthers could lose him to the UFA market which isn’t appealing to general manager Bill Zito. From what Kypreos has been told, Zito will listen to offers.

Kypreos believes the Colorado Avalanche would pursue Bennett to fill the void of Gabriel Landeskog’s ongoing absence. He also speculated the Dallas Stars would seek a replacement for sidelined forward Tyler Seguin, wondering if they’d part with Mason Marchment to get Bennett.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trading Bennett before the March 7 deadline would be a bold move by Zito. However, I don’t see him going that route with his club attempting to repeat as Stanley Cup champions. The return would have to be significant. Marchment might do it but the Stars could be reluctant to part with him.

Kypreos thinks the Senators could make a big trade involving Chabot to shake things up if they’re out of playoff contention by the deadline. He has three years left on his contract with a 10-team no-trade list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A Chabot trade is more likely to occur in the offseason when teams have the cap space to take on his $8 million annual salary-cap hit. The Senators could retain half of it but having $4 million in dead cap space for each of the next three seasons might not appeal to them.

Ferraro surfaced in trade rumors last season and will be present again in 2024-25. The 26-year-old Sharks blueliner has a year left on his contract with an average annual value of $3.25 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks could entertain offers for Ferraro if he intends to test the market in 2026.

If the Predators continue to struggled they could be forced to make some changes. Carrier has two years left on his contract with an AAV of $3.75 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carrier also surfaced in last season’s rumor mill before he signed his current contract with the Predators.

Kypreos also included Calgary’s Rasmus Andersson and Nazem Kadri, New York Islanders center Brock Nelson, Senators center Josh Norris, Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler, New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider, and Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen.

Those players have frequently appeared here and on other trade boards in recent weeks so there was no point in rehashing their situations.

Kypreos also listed the pending UFAs likely to be trade candidates. They include Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Ivan Provorov and forward Mathieu Olivier, Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers, Pittsburgh Penguins blueliner Marcus Pettersson, the Islanders’ Brock Nelson, Chicago Blackhawks winger Taylor Hall, Seattle Kraken center Yanni Gourde and winger Brandon Tanev, Ducks forward Frank Vatrano, and Montreal Canadiens defenseman David Savard.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: These players have frequently appeared here and on other trade boards because of their pending UFA status.

The Jets could hang onto Ehlers as an own rental as they attempt to stage a run for the Cup this season. The Islanders could also hang onto Nelson if they’re in playoff contention by the deadline. Kypreos noted that Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell downplayed the Olivier rumors and is working on re-signing him.

Kypreos suggested the Kraken could attempt to peddle goaltender Philipp Grubauer. They’ll have to retain part of his $5.9 million AAV that runs through 2026-27. The Kraken could buy him out this summer if they find no takers in the trade market.

The Ducks’ John Gibson was included with Grubauer as two goalies of note in the market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s not impossible to move Grubauer or Gibson during the season but such attempts are more likely in the offseason. It’s possible they’re both bought out this summer if there’s no trade market for their services.

Kypreos also listed energy players like the Flyers’ Scott Laughton, the Sharks’ Barclay Goodrow, and the Penguins’ Drew O’Connor.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laughton and Goodrow have term left on their contracts which could make it tougher to move them during the season. O’Connor is UFA-eligible and more likely to move.

TORONTO STAR: Kypreos also reports it sounds unlikely the Ducks will attempt to flip recently acquired defenseman Jacob Trouba at the trade deadline. He claims they see him as a big part of their rebuild plus it will provide his wife with wonderful opportunities in the medical field. Kypreos claims the Ducks are exploring signing Trouba to a contract extension on July 1.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 11, 2024

by | Dec 11, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – December 11, 2024

Check out the latest on the Rangers, Stars, and Canadiens in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE RANGERS?

THE SCORE: John Matisz cited ESPN’s Emily Kaplan recently mentioned hearing four New York Rangers – forwards Kaapo Kakko, Chris Kreider and Reilly Smith, and defenseman Ryan Lindgren – could be trade chips. Her report came Friday after the Rangers shipped Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks.

New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider (NHL Images).

Matisz also cited Rangers general manager Chris Drury telling reporters his club wasn’t opposed to making other moves. However, he wanted to let the dust settle a bit after everything the struggling club has been through over the past couple of weeks.

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple wondered what Drury’s next move would be after the Rangers lost to the Seattle Kraken and Chicago Blackhawks.

Staple wondered if the players had tuned out head coach Peter Laviolette. He claimed a league source told him Laviolette was safe. However, things can change quickly. Staple believes changing coaches would shift the blame for the club’s recent difficulties behind the bench rather than on it.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A coaching change could be all Drury has left if the losses pile up and he can’t get decent returns for those rumored trade chips. No one’s going to throw him a lifeline in the trade market.

WILL THE STARS GO “BIG GAME HUNTING” TO REPLACE TYLER SEGUIN?

DAILY FACEOFF: Jeff Marek believes the Dallas Stars will go big game hunting to replace sidelined forward Tyler Seguin. He believes that GM Jim Nill will be aggressive with his salary-cap space as the club is in “win-now” mode.

Pursuing a big-ticket player means giving to get, and that could mean parting with a good young player like Logan Stankoven, Mavrik Bourque and Lian Bichsel.

Marek speculates Nill could wait until after the 4 Nations Face-Off in February in case Jake Oettinger gets injured in that tournament. The Stars goaltender has been selected to play for Team USA. Marek can also see Nill looking for toughness among his checking lines, suggesting Mathieu Olivier of the Columbus Blue Jackets as a trade target.

Marek’s colleague Colby Cohen suggests Nill pursue Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri and defenseman Rasmus Andersson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars could accrue over $6 million in cap space by the trade deadline without having to place Seguin and his $9.875 million cap hit on long-term injury reserve. Nevertheless, it’s expected Nill will put Seguin on LTIR and use those savings to bolster his roster for a Cup run next spring, most likely targeting pending free agents on non-contending clubs.

The Flames probably won’t part with Kadri and Andersson if they’re in playoff contention by the March 7 trade deadline. Of the two, Andersson could be the more likely to move. He’s signed through next season with an AAV of $4.55 million and a six-team no-trade list. That’s assuming Flames GM Craig Conroy believes Andersson could prove too expensive to retain or intends to test the market in 2026.

Meanwhile, Kadri’s contract is a potential stumbling block. He is signed through 2028-29 with an AAV of $7 million and a full no-movement clause. He told reporters during training camp to pump the brakes on the trade rumors that dogged him during the summer.

CANADIENS STILL SEEK RIGHT-SIDE BLUELINE DEPTH

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico reports the Montreal Canadiens continue to seek an upgrade on the right side of their defense corps. David Savard is their only consistent right-shot rearguard but he’s UFA-eligible this summer and could be moved by the March trade deadline.

The Canadiens were linked to David Jiricek before the Columbus Blue Jackets traded the young blueliner to the Minnesota Wild. However, the Habs were concerned about his foot speed, hockey sense and defensive positioning. The Jackets also preferred sending Jiricek to a Western Conference team.

It’s believed that the Canadiens were among the clubs kicking tires on Jacob Trouba before the Rangers shipped him to the Ducks.

D’Amico pointed out the difficulty of finding a suitable defenseman in the trade market during the season. The Habs might have to look to this summer’s trade and free-agent markets to address that need.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Free agency won’t yield much. The most notable options are 39-year-old Brent Burns of the Carolina Hurricanes, long-time Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad, and Neal Pionk of the Winnipeg Jets.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 10, 2024

by | Dec 10, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – December 10, 2024

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: more on the Senators’ claim about “soft tampering” on Brady Tkachuk, the latest on Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler, and the clock could be ticking for Sabres GM Kevyn Adams.

MORE ON THE SENATORS CLAIM OF “SOFT TAMPERING” REGARDING BRADY TKACHUK

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reported Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer didn’t hold back his frustration and anger over a recent report claiming the New York Rangers made Senators captain Brady Tkachuk a trade target.

Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk (NHL Images).

Andlauer claimed it’s the third separate occasion over the past year that he and the team had to “put out a fire” about trade rumors regarding Tkachuk. He made it clear to LeBrun that he and his club have never spoken to another team about Tkachuk at any time, adding that the winger will remain with the Senators for the long term.

Chris Johnston wonders if this will be discussed during the current NHL Board of Governors meeting. He pointed out the league wasn’t happy about how this summer’s free-agent period began, noting the league sent around a memo warning the teams of fines or forfeiture of draft picks in cases of tampering.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The league was reportedly displeased over how quickly some of the top unrestricted free agents were signed within the opening hours of the free-agent market. It’s not unusual for those types of players to be quickly snapped up but some of this year’s signings occurred within minutes of the market opening. 

Darren Dreger claims those warnings from the NHL are considered toothless by pretty much every owner around the league. He noted this seems to impact Canadian teams more, especially smaller markets, as there’s an opinion players in those markets would prefer going to greener pastures with lower taxation. Dreger thinks there’s little the league can do unless a team like the Senators files formal charges.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some players in those markets prefer moving on but most tend to stay. The most notable recent examples are Leon Draisaitl re-signing with the Edmonton Oilers, and Connor Hellebuyck and Mark Scheifele re-upping with the Winnipeg Jets last year.

Accusations of tampering are easy to make but difficult to prove. Andlauer may be frustrated with dealing with these rumors but it comes with the territory. The best way to silence that speculation is to win. The Oilers dealt with rumors of Draisaitl and Connor McDavid moving on but that chatter faded once the club became a Stanley Cup contender.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Andlauer is expected to address this issue with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly before the Board of Governors meetings end on Tuesday.

Garrioch indicated the issue is someone gave New York Post reporter Larry Brooks this information about the Rangers targeting Tkachuk. Brooks has covered the Rangers for three decades, cultivating numerous sources. Garrioch also indicated Andlauer and Senators GM Steve Staios assured Tkachuk that he wouldn’t be traded.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: LeBrun and Garrioch defended Brooks and I agree that he didn’t make up this story. A trusted source passed that info along to Brooks, who duly reported it.

NEW YORK POST: Mollie Walker noted Andlauer saying his club hasn’t spoken to another team about Tkachuk. She indicated that was not mentioned in the Post’s original report.

ESPN.COM: Kevin Weekes reports his sources told him the Rangers have had no internal or external discussions around Tkachuk.

THE LATEST ON CAM FOWLER

SPORTSNET: In the latest “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Elliotte Friedman reported hearing the Anaheim Ducks wanted to send defenseman Cam Fowler to the Rangers as part of the return for Jacob Trouba.

Friedman believes Fowler wanted to be included in the trade as he wants to play for a contender. However, the deal couldn’t be done because the Rangers wanted cap flexibility and couldn’t take on Fowler’s $6.5 million cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fowler is signed through next season and carries a four-team trade list. However, he’s indicated he’s willing to expand that list for the right offer.

IS THE CLOCK TICKING FOR SABRES GM KEVYN ADAMS?

DAILY FACEOFF: Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News believes Sabres GM Kevyn Adams is running out of time to turn his club into a contender. They’re mired again near the bottom of the standings and risk missing the postseason for the 14th straight season.

Lysowski noted Adams tried to make moves this summer to bolster his roster, including going after Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas. However, most players he pursued had no move or no-trade protection and blocked a move to Buffalo.

SPORTSNET: During Monday’s “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Elliotte Friedman reported Sabres fans are “all over Dylan Cozens.” He thinks teams have inquired about the struggling forward, but if he were Adams, he’d be fearful of Cozens becoming the next player to go on and win elsewhere like Jack Eichel, Ryan O’Reilly and Sam Reinhart.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lysowski pointed out Adams is the longest-serving Sabres GM since Darcy Regier. That tenure could end soon if this club fails to improve.

The Sabres put a lot of faith in their young players. Some, like Rasmus Dahlin, have blossomed into stars but others like Cozens are struggling. Something must happen soon if this club hopes to end its long playoff drought.










Avalanche Trade Alexandar Georgiev To Sharks For Mackenzie Blackwood

by | Dec 9, 2024

Avalanche Trade Alexandar Georgiev To Sharks For Mackenzie Blackwood

The Colorado Avalanche traded goaltender Alexandar Georgiev, forward Nikolai Kovalenko, a 2026 second-round pick, and a fifth-rounder in 2025 to the San Jose Sharks for goalie Mackenzie Blackwood, forward Givani Smith, and a 2027 fifth-round pick.

San Jose Sharks trade goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood to the Colorado Avalanche (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche agreed to retain 14 percent of Georgiev’s $3.4 million cap hit. He’s in the final season of a three-year contract.

This is the second trade the Avalanche have made in just over a week involving goaltenders. On Nov. 30, they shipped Justus Annunen to the Nashville Predators for Scott Wedgewood.

Georgiev’s inconsistency prompted this move. His .872 save percentage and 3.38 goals-against average were among the worst for goalies with at least 15 games played this season. The Avalanche are clinging to a wild-card berth in the Western Conference and need a more reliable starter between the pipes. Rumors had linked them to Blackwood since last season.

Blackwood resurrected his career with the rebuilding Sharks after several injury-shortened seasons with the New Jersey Devils. The 28-year-old netminder has a 3.00 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage this season. He’s in the final season of a two-year deal with an AAV of $2.35 million.