NHL Rumor Mill – July 20, 2020

by | Jul 20, 2020

NHL Rumor Mill – July 20, 2020

​Check out the latest on the Leafs, Coyotes, and Oilers in today’s NHL rumor mill.

LATEST LEAFS SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC (subscription required): In a recent mailbag segment, James Mirtle was asked if the Toronto Maple Leafs can get a decent return if they trade Kasperi Kapanen, Andreas Johnsson, or Alex Kerfoot or if it’ll be a salary dump because of the flat cap.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Kasperi Kapanen (Photo via NHL Images).

Mirtle feels they could get a player or prospect for Kapanen, but injuries and so-so-seasons for Johnsson and Kerfoot will affect their value. Still, he feels a depth-depleted club like New Jersey or Ottawa could be interested in one of those players.

He also believes the Leafs could go cheap on defense for next season out of necessity because of their lower cap space, perhaps seeking an affordable UFA veteran like Vancouver’s Chris Tanev. He doesn’t see them moving out a core player for blueline help.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As per Cap Friendly, the Leafs have over $76.9 million invested in 16 players next season, with Kyle Clifford, Jason Spezza, Tyson Barrie, Cody Ceci, Travis Dermott, and Ilya Mikheyev to be re-signed or replaced. General manager Kyle Dubas did some impressive cap management last summer to free up room to re-sign Mitch Marner, but some of his deals received mixed results this season.

Dubas could pull off some more cap wizardry, perhaps acquiring one or two players on permanent long-term injury reserve status to provide more wiggle room. Nevertheless, there’s an expectation Kapanen, Johnsson, or Kerfoot could be moved in a cost-cutting deal. Such a trade doesn’t mean they won’t get an NHL-ready player back, but it would be one with much less than the $3-million or more cap hit of each of those three, with possibly less talent.

Dubas could surprise us with an interesting trade that brings in a top-four, right-shot defenseman. However, I think Mirtle’s assessment that they’ll stick with more affordable options for 2020-21 is the correct one.

A LOOK AT SOME POSSIBLE COYOTES TRADE OPTIONS

AZ COYOTES INSIDER: Craig Morgan recently examined the short- and long-term effects of a flat cap upon the Arizona Coyotes.

Per Cap Friendly, the Coyotes have almost $80 million invested in 17 players for 2020-21, with star winger Taylor Hall among their notable free agents.

Morgan examined several possible cost-cutting trade candidates for ’20-’21, including center Derek Stepan, winger Michael Grabner, goaltender Antti Raanta, and defensemen Alex Goligoski and Jason Demers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Morgan listed several others but these five appear the more likely trade options. They lack no-trade protection or have limited no-trade clauses, their contracts expire at the end of next season, and they could draw interest in the trade market.

Stepan’s $6.5 million annual average value is steep, but he’ll only get $2 million in actual salary for next season because the Coyotes recently paid out $3 million in a signing bonus. That could make him enticing for budget-conscious clubs looking for some affordable short-term experience and leadership.

Goligoski carries a $5.475-million AAV but receives $4 million in actual salary and has an eight-team no-trade list. Raanta has an injury history but could be a decent short-term option for clubs seeking goalie depth. Demers and Grabner would be affordable depth additions.

ATHANASIOU STRUGGLING TO FIT ON OILERS LINES

SPORTSNET: Mark Spector reports Andreas Athanasiou isn’t working out as hoped for the Edmonton Oilers. Since his acquisition at the Feb. 24 trade deadline, he failed to click alongside Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

Athanasiou is a restricted free agent at season’s end and must be qualified at $3 million. Spector doubts GM Ken Holland will pay the winger that much, speculating he’ll likely re-sign him for less on a one-year deal.

(NOT MARK) SPECTOR’S NOTE: Athanasiou’s stock tumbled this season. His speed was supposed to be an asset alongside McDavid or Draisaitl but his skills are good enough to hang with those superstars. If he spurns less money to stay in Edmonton, Holland could try to trade his rights at the draft. Failing that, he could just cut Athanasiou loose via the UFA market at season’s end.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 6, 2020

by | Jul 6, 2020

NHL Rumor Mill – July 6, 2020

​Check out the latest speculation on the Oilers and Sabres in today’s NHL rumor mill.

OILERS FACE A CAP SQUEEZE

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples recently reported the Oilers will be squeezed by the salary cap remaining at $81.5 million for 2020-21. With over $71 million already invested in next season’s payroll, general manager Ken Holland will have around $10.5 million available.

The Oilers restricted free agents include Ethan Bear, Andreas Athanasiou, and Matt Benning. Their unrestricted free agents include Mike Smith, Mike Green, and Tyler Ennis.

Staples feels $10.5 million should be enough to retain those free agents or bring in potential replacements. However, it rules out the possibility of pursuing a big-ticket free agent. He knows some Oilers followers would love to see the club bring back winger Taylor Hall, but that doesn’t seem possible, especially with younger players like Bear, Kailer Yamamoto, and Evan Bouchard in need of contracts down the road.

Could the Edmonton Oilers consider an off-season buyout of James Neal’s contract? (Photo via NHL Images)

It could also be difficult to re-sign Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Adam Larsson if the cap stays flat for 2021-22. Both are due to become UFAs next summer.

THE ATHLETIC (subscription required): Allan Mitchell also examined the difficulties facing the Oilers under a flat cap.

He speculates useful UFAs like Smith and center Riley Sheahan could find cost-conscious offers unacceptable. The Oilers could also trade or walk away from RFAs like Athanasiou or Benning, who have arbitration rights.

For those without arbitration rights like Bear, Mitchell speculates they could get an affordable one-year bridge deal. They could also consider trading Kris Russell or Alex Chiasson or buying out winger James Neal’s contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The fates of some of those free agents could depend upon their play in the upcoming playoff tournament. The same goes for Russell, Chiasson, or Neal. I agree that those players lacking arbitration will probably have to accept bridge deals for a year or two.

As Staples observed, Russell could be enticing to a cost-conscious club looking to reach the cap floor. He carries a $4 million cap hit but will earn just $1.5 million in actual salary after being paid his $1 million signing bonus for 2020-21. That’s assuming one of those clubs will be on his 15-team trade list for next season.

Cap Friendly indicates buying out Neal would free up over $3.8 million, leaving just over $1.9 million against the Oilers cap. However, it would also be that much dead cap space annually for the next six seasons.

Holland could be reluctant to move Chiasson. He carries an affordable $2.15 million cap hit for next season.

LATEST SABRES SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC (subscription required): John Vogl recently examined several potential free-agent forwards who could help the Sabres improve their road record. He suggested Vancouver’s Tyler Toffoli, Nashville’s Craig Smith or Mikail Granlund, Colorado’s Vladislav Namestnikov, or Florida’s Erik Haula.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Toffoli, a skilled two-way player with Stanley Cup experience, would be the best bet. Granlund struggled following his trade from Minnesota last season but improved when John Hynes took over as Predators coach at midseason.

Both could provide a welcome boost to the Sabres’ secondary scoring. Signing them, however, could be difficult given the Sabres’ recent reputation as a dysfunctional franchise.










NHL Free Agents & Trade Candidates – Edmonton Oilers

by | Apr 13, 2020

NHL Free Agents & Trade Candidates – Edmonton Oilers

 










NHL Rumor Mill – April 4, 2020

by | Apr 4, 2020

NHL Rumor Mill – April 4, 2020

The latest on the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars in today’s NHL rumor mill.

A LOOK AT THE OILERS’ KEY FREE AGENTS

THE ATHLETIC (subscription required): Allan Mitchell recently examined the Edmonton Oilers’ restricted free agents and unrestricted free agents. He speculated recently-acquired Andreas Athanasiou could receive a one-year contract, but there’s a slight chance he could be traded.

Could Edmonton Oilers winger Andreas Athanasiou become an off-season trade candidate? (Photo via NHL Images)

UFA goaltender Mike Smith‘s strong play since Christmas could earn him a new deal with the Oilers. Mitchell also suspects Tyler Ennis, Riley Sheahan, and perhaps Mike Green could also be back.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson reported the Oilers would like to bring back winger Anton Slepyshev. The 25-year-old winger signed with the KHL two years ago. However, he anticipated they won’t offer Slepyshev more than $1.5 million, viewing him as a bottom-six forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With over $70 million invested in 15 players, the Oilers could have around $11 million available if the salary cap remains at $81.5 million. Fortunately, most of those players could be affordable re-signings.

The priority signing is Ethan Bear, but he’s coming off his entry-level contract. General manager Ken Holland will likely use that leverage to ink him to an affordable bridge deal.

Athanasiou could seek a raise over his current $3 million annual average value. He’s got arbitration rights, but his poor production this season will hurt his efforts to land a more lucrative deal. It could also hurt his trade value, especially if he seeks a big pay bump.

SALARY CAP UNCERTAINTY WILL AFFECT STARS’ OFF-SEASON PLANS

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Matthew DeFranks recently reported the Stars will have around $19.4 million in salary-cap space if it remains at $81.5 million. They have to re-sign restricted free agents Radek Faksa, Roope Hintz and Denis Gurianov, as well as re-sign or replace UFA goaltender Anton Khudobin.

With Corey Perry and Mattias Janmark due to become UFAs, DeFranks speculated the Stars will be in the market for a depth forward unless Jason Robertson or Ty Dellandrea is ready to crack the roster full-time. Defensemen Roman Polak and Andrej Sekera are also UFAs, meaning the Stars will need a depth blueliner unless Thomas Harley is ready to make the jump.

The caliber of those additions will depend on how much cap space is available to them. That could also be affected by how much performance bonus money ends up carried over into next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Every NHL team will be facing similar issues during the off-season. DeFranks assumed it could cost around $12 million for the Stars to re-sign those key free agents, with probably around $3 million in performance bonuses carrying over against next season’s cap hit.

That won’t leave much for them to find suitable replacements for Perry, Janmark, Polak, and Sekera. They could be forced into the trade market or to look to within their system.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 17, 2020

by | Mar 17, 2020

NHL Rumor Mill – March 17, 2020

The NHL schedule may be paused, but the trade and free-agent rumor mill rolls on. Check out the latest on the Oilers and Stars.

PAUSE IN THE SEASON COULD AFFECT OILERS OFF-SEASON PLANS

THE ATHLETIC: Allan Mitchell recently speculated the Edmonton Oilers’ player evaluations and summer plans could be affected by the current pause in the NHL schedule. Those evaluations include recently-acquired players like Mike Green, Andreas Athanasiou, and Tyler Ellis, as well as possible summer free-agent targets like Taylor Hall and Mike Hoffman. Green and Ellis are also eligible for UFA status this summer, while Athanasiou is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.

Could the Edmonton Oilers be forced to shed salary to re-sign RFAs like Andreas Athanasiou? (Photo via NHL Images)

Mitchell acknowledged bringing Hall back to Edmonton seems improbable because of the cost of signing him and the Oilers’ limited salary-cap space. Pursuing younger, less expensive options would be preferable.

Mitchell also examines the difficulties facing the Oilers if the salary cap remains at $81.5 million for 2020-21. They currently have over $71.2 million invested in 17 players. Re-signing RFAs like Athanasiou, Ethan Bear, and Matt Benning could gobble up $7.5 million, leaving only around $2 million available. General manager Ken Holland must also re-sign or replace UFA goalie Mike Smith.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A flat cap means Holland must find a way to shed salary to re-sign key players and replace those who depart via free agency this summer. Perhaps the league and the NHLPA will agree to allow one-time amnesty buyouts if the cap doesn’t rise for ’20-’21.

Otherwise, Holland will have to get creative and that means dumping salary via trades. Problem is, there will be other clubs in the same boat and there won’t be as many with sufficient cap space to take on additional salary for next season.

SHOULD THE STARS SHOP RADULOV IN A COST-CUTTING DEAL?

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: In a recent mailbag segment, Matthew DeFranks was asked about if the Stars could move winger Alexander Radulov this summer to free up cap space to add a young second-line center. Radulov’s no-movement clause becomes a modified no-trade on July 1.

DeFranks acknowledged it’s possible but doubts Radulov would fetch a second-line center. “This is the player you’d be trading: a 34-year-old (on July 5) winger with a cap hit of $6.25 million that is coming off a career-worst goal-scoring year. That’s not going to get the value Radulov probably gets last year at this time.”

He also pointed out this summer’s free-agent market is heavy on wingers and light on centers. He suggested Roope Hintz, who plays wing or center, could be their second-line center.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I concur with DeFrank’s take on Radulov’s value and his assessment of the free-agent market. Unless there’s an amnesty buyout implemented this summer if the salary cap remains flat, Stars GM Jim Nill would have to look at cost-cutting trades if he wants to shed salary to address his roster needs.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 27, 2020

by | Feb 27, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 27, 2020

Marc-Andre Fleury records his 61st shutout, Jay Bouwmeester won’t return to action this season, Jake Muzzin sidelined for a month, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury kicked out 29 shots to shut out the Edmonton Oilers 3-0. With 61 career shutouts, Fleury moves into a tie with Turk Broda for 17th on the all-time list. Oilers winger Andreas Athanasiou left the game with a lower-body injury, but coach Dave Tippett doesn’t think it’s serious. The Golden Knights (78 points) are on a seven-game winning streak, widening their lead to four points over the Oilers and Canucks for first place in the Pacific Division.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury picked up his 61st career shutout in a 3-0 win over the Edmonton Oilers (Photo via NHL Images).

J.T. Compher’s third-period goal lifted the Colorado Avalanche to a 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. The Avalanche (81 points) have won four straight games and sit three points behind the first-place St. Louis Blues in the overall Western Conference standings. The Sabres (66 points) remains eight behind the third-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division.

The Los Angeles Kings edged the Pittsburgh Penguins, 2-1, extending the latter’s losing skid to four games. Kings goaltender Calvin Petersen made 35 saves, while Patrick Marleau was held scoreless in his first game with the Penguins (80 points), who remain four back of the first-place Washington Capitals in the Metropolitan Division.

HEADLINES

STLTODAY.COM: Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester expressed his appreciation to the medical people who save his life after suffering a cardiac incident on the bench during a recent game. While his condition is improving, Bouwmeester said he’s done playing hockey for this season. He also admitted his playing career remains uncertain after having an ICD (implantable cardioverter-defibrillator) surgically implanted in his chest to monitor and control his heartbeat.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin will be sidelined for the next four weeks with a broken hand.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens defenseman Victor Mete is done for the season as he recovers from a fractured foot.

VANCOUVER SUN: Canucks goaltender Jacob Markstrom underwent surgery to repair a minor meniscus tear in one of his knees. He’ll be reevaluated in two weeks, though there’s speculation he could be sidelined up to four weeks.

NHL.COM: New Jersey Devils forward John Hayden was fined over $2,000.00 by the department of player safety for cross-checking Detroit Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi on Tuesday.