NHL Rumor Mill – December 7, 2023

by | Dec 7, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – December 7, 2023

The latest on the Leafs’ search for a defenseman, an update on the Oilers’ Philip Broberg, plus speculation on Chris Tanev, Tyson Barrie, Jake Allen and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON THE LEAFS

SPORTSNET: In his latest “32 Thoughts” column, Elliotte Friedman expressed his belief that Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving is looking to see what’s on the trade market with defensemen John Klingberg, Timothy Liljegren and Mark Giordano sidelined by injuries.

Treliving said he wants to improve his defense but there aren’t a lot of high-end defensemen available at a low cost. It’s believed the Leafs GM wants to bring in a right-shot blueliner with an edge to their game.

Friedman believes the Leafs took a long look at Philadelphia Flyers rearguard Rasmus Ristolainen, who has three seasons left on his contract with an average annual value of $5.25 million. However, he doesn’t think the Flyers are in a rush to move him when they’re currently playing well. He also wondered about the San Jose Sharks’ Matt Benning, who’s signed through 2025-26 with an AAV of $1.25 million.

Another possibility is unrestricted free agent Ethan Bear. However, the Vancouver Canucks would like to bring him back and there are other clubs also interested.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch also weighed in on the Leafs’ pursuit of a defenseman, citing a source claiming Treliving remains interested in the Flames’ Chris Tanev. He’s in the final season of his contract with an AAV of $4.5 million. Garrioch claims there’s a belief around the league that Flames owner Murray Edwards is in no hurry to help his former general manager.

Calgary Flames defenseman Chris Tanev (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Treliving denied this during an interview with Sportsnet’s Justin Bourne and Nick Kypreos, claiming he has “a great relationship with the people of Calgary.”

TORONTO STAR: Kevin McGran also cited Tanev as a possible trade target. The Flyers’ Sean Walker and the Columbus Blue Jackets Andrew Peeke could also be available.

McGran noted that help is on the way for the Leafs as Liljegren is close to returning to action. He also pointed out that their defensive numbers have improved since Klingberg was sidelined thanks in part to call-ups Simon Benoit and William Lagesson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Treliving will continue to search for a deal that makes sense in terms of return and cap hit for the Leafs. As long as his club is in the thick of the playoff race he can take his time and wait for the trade market to improve.

Ristolainen didn’t make sense in terms of cap hit unless the Flyers are willing to retain half of his salary. Benning would be affordable but that doesn’t mean he’s available. Treliving could kick tires on Bear but I don’t think he’ll be coming to Toronto.

BROBERG ON THE BLOCK

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman noted that Philip Broberg may not have received official permission from the Edmonton Oilers to seek a trade but “the word is out and teams are interested.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given the difficulty Broberg’s faced cracking Edmonton’s defense corps, I doubt the Oilers will get much of a return for him. Interested clubs will look at him as a cheap reclamation project.

THE LATEST FROM GARRIOCH’S WEEKLY “INSIDER TRADING”

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the Calgary Flames might not be done attempting to re-sign Noah Hanifin. Talks broke off earlier this season with the 26-year-old defenseman, who is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. There’s been no shortage of interest in him in the trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The two sides were reportedly close to a seven-year, $60 million extension back in October. However, it’s believed Hanifin wanted to wait and see how the season unfolded and the Flames withdrew the offer.

Garrioch believes the New Jersey Devils could be a good fit for Tyson Barrie. The Nashville Predators have allowed the 32-year-old defenseman to speak with other clubs about a trade. The Devils will be without puck-moving blueliner Dougie Hamilton for a while as he’s recovering from surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: New Jersey Hockey Now’s James Nichols cited ESPN’s Kevin Weekes saying the Devils have been impressed by the play of call-up Simon Nemec following Hamilton’s injury. Rather than pursuing another offensive-minded defenseman, Weekes suggested they might have more interest in a stabilizing blueliner such as Calgary’s Chris Tanev. Nichols also mentioned the Anaheim Ducks’ Ilya Lyubushkin or the Philadelphia Flyers’ Sean Walker.

Seattle Kraken GM Ron Francis is in the market for a goaltender. It’s believed he reached out to the Montreal Canadiens, who could be willing to move Jake Allen or possibly Cayden Primeau. The Buffalo Sabres have also sniffed around Allen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Allen is earning an AAV of $3.85 million through 2024-25 with a seven-team no-trade clause for this season. The Habs might have to retain part of his cap hit to make a deal work if they’re willing to move him.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are willing to discuss “just about anybody” when it comes to the trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets already made a move by shipping depth forward Eric Robinson to Buffalo yesterday. Rookies Adam Fantilli and David Jiricek are out of bounds. They’d probably love to ship out disinterested winger Patrik Laine but his $8.7 million annual cap hit through 2025-26 is a showstopper.

Teams are kicking tires on the Winnipeg Jets’ Logan Stanley. The Jets are shopping the 25-year-old defenseman but teams are looking into seeing what it would take to land him.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 7, 2023

by | Dec 7, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 7, 2023

The resurgent Oilers win again as Connor McDavid rises in the points race, the Golden Knights regain first place in the overall standings, Patrick Kane to make his debut with the Red Wings on Thursday, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The resurgent Edmonton Oilers picked up their fifth straight win by thumping the Carolina Hurricanes 6-1. Zach Hyman tallied a hat trick while Connor McDavid and Mattias Janmark each collected three assists as the Oilers improved their record to 10-12-1. Jordan Staal scored for the 14-10-1 Hurricanes.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A big reason why the Oilers have improved is McDavid is healthy and scoring again. With 32 points, he’s tied with the Florida Panthers’ Sam Reinhart for 10th in the scoring race. He’s 12 points behind Nikita Kucherov, who leads the race with 44 points. At McDavid’s current pace, the Oilers captain could overtake the Tampa Bay Lightning winger by the time the calendar flips to January.

Meanwhile, Staal and Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour weren’t pleased with their club’s effort in this contest. Brind’Amour called their performance “a bad game from start to finish”, calling out the play of his best players. Staal, meanwhile, called it “embarrassing,” saying their lack of pushback was “just all-around crap.”

Speaking of Kucherov, he extended his points streak to 11 games with a goal and an assist to lead the Lightning over the Pittsburgh Penguins by a score of 3-1. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 24 shots as the Bolts improved to 12-10-5. Jake Guentzel scored for the Penguins (11-11-3) as they’ve lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins’ punchless power play is a big reason behind their struggles this season. Evgeni Malkin lamented his club’s inability to cash in with the man advantage, having gone 0-33 since Nov. 11. Hard to believe with a team sporting proven scorers such as Malkin, Guentzel, Sidney Crosby and offseason acquisition Erik Karlsson, but these guys can’t buy a power-play goal right now.

A four-goal second period lifted the Vegas Golden Knights to a 6-3 win over the St. Louis Blues. Jack Eichel, William Karlsson and Keegan Kolesar each had a goal and an assist as the Golden Knights (17-5-5) retook first place in the overall standings with 39 points. Jordan Binnington stopped 43 shots while Jordan Kyrou had a goal and an assist for the 13-11-1 Blues.

The Florida Panthers held off the Dallas Stars by a score of 5-4. Evan Rodrigues scored twice and set up two others while Sam Reinhart had a goal and two assists for the 15-8-2 Panthers. Mason Marchment and Thomas Harley each had a goal and an assist for the Stars (14-7-3), who’ve dropped three of their last four games.

HEADLINES

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Patrick Kane will make his season debut with the Red Wings on Thursday against the San Jose Sharks at Little Caesars Arena. He’s expected to be on a line with J.T. Compher and Alex DeBrincat, his former linemate during their days with the Chicago Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will be Kane’s first game since May 1. He’s coming off a hip resurfacing procedure in June. It’ll be interesting to see how well he plays and how the Wings manage his playing time in this upcoming contest.

NHL.COM: Speaking of the Red Wings, defenseman Jake Walman was fined $2,500.00 by the department of player safety for high-sticking Buffalo Sabres winger Jeff Skinner on Tuesday.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman John Klingberg will undergo season-ending hip surgery at the end of December. The 31-year-old signed a one-year, $4.15 million contract with the Leafs during the offseason but hasn’t played since Nov. 11 and was placed on long-term injury reserve on Nov. 23.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With Klingberg on LTIR for the rest of the season, expect the Leafs to use the salary-cap savings to find a replacement on the blueline.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators have brought back former coach Jacques Martin as a senior advisor to lend a hand to their coaching staff.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Columbus Blue Jackets placed goaltender Elvis Merzlikins (illness), defenseman Adam Boqvist (shoulder strain) and forward Cole Sillinger (upper body) on injured reserve.

WGR 550: The Buffalo Sabres added some depth to their bottom-six forwards by acquiring Eric Robinson from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a conditional 2025 seventh-round draft pick.

THE ATHLETIC: Ian Mendes analyzed NHL attendance during the first quarter of this season to see which clubs have made the biggest gains and losses year-over-year after the pandemic skewed attendance figures in three consecutive seasons.

Overall, Mendes finds the numbers paints “a fairly upbeat picture” of NHL attendance. Fifteen of the league’s 32 clubs were at 99 percent or better in the first two months of this season. Ten teams had averaged between 91 percent and 98 percent. Six others averaged between 75.6 percent and 89.5 percent. Mendes omitted the Arizona Coyotes because they play in a 4,600-seat arena, though he pointed out that they sold all 11 home games thus far.

All but six teams (Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, San Jose Sharks, Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals) saw increases in attendance. The Lightning and Bruins were at full capacity while the latter four saw their attendance drop, with the Jets and Capitals encountering the biggest declines.

The biggest risers were the Chicago Blackhawks, New Jersey Devils, Florida Panthers and Buffalo Sabres. The Blackhawks improved thanks to the presence of highly-touted rookie Connor Bedard while last season’s performances by the other three accounted for their attendance bumps. The Los Angeles Kings, Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers also saw significant improvement.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The struggles of the Flames and Sharks account for their attendance declines.

Mendes cites colleague Murat Ates indicating the Jets are a small-market club that doesn’t sell as many corporate season tickets and thus are affected by factors such as day-to-day economic issues for their fans, customer service and a feeling ownership got complacent when their arena was full.

The Capitals’ decline was a surprise despite their competitive team this season. Mendes noted they only had one game in which attendance dipped below 16,000.

SPORTSNET: The Montreal Canadiens are receiving a backlash for charging their fans $195.00 to meet their mascot Youppi.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens aren’t forcing their fans to pay to meet their mascot. They can take it or leave it. Still, when one considers the high cost of attending their games, paying to meet Youppi seems to have crossed the line with a number of their followers.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 4, 2023

by | Dec 4, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – December 4, 2023

The latest on the Oilers’ recent scouting of the Blue Jackets plus updates on the Senators and Sabres in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE OILERS’ RECENT SCOUTING TRIP TO COLUMBUS

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline took note of the Edmonton Oilers scouting the Columbus Blue Jackets last week even though the two clubs don’t play each other until late January.

The Oilers need goaltending help, sparking rumors that they might have been looking at the Blue Jackets’ netminders or their opponents. Jackets starter Elvis Merzlikins’ $5.5 million annual average value through 2026-27 would be difficult for the Oilers to take on unless Jack Campbell ($5 million AAV through ’26-’27) was included in the deal.

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins (NHL Images).

With the Jackets playing the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens last week, Portzline wondered if the Oilers were scouting the Bruins’ Linus Ullmark or the Canadiens’ Jake Allen, though the latter didn’t play against the Jackets.

The Jackets could end up placing Spencer Martin on waivers with Daniil Tarasov due to return soon from his AHL conditioning stint.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Martin faced the Bruins last week, giving up three goals on 28 shots in a 3-1 loss. If he was being scouted by the Oilers, they might pick him up if he hits the waiver wire.

Martin carries a very affordable cap hit of $762,500, though the cap-strapped Oilers might be able to squeeze into their payroll if he becomes available on the waiver wire. However, there is persistent speculation that the Oilers could recall Campbell from their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield.

ARE CHANGES COMING FOR THE SENATORS?

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Senators interim general manager Steve Staios has a lot on his plate these days.

The club’s ongoing on-ice struggles have Senators fans calling for head coach D.J. Smith to be fired. The front office wants to be patient with Smith as they like his approach and management is trying to give him more support. However, Staios’ patience could soon wear thin.

Garrioch doesn’t expect Staios to swing a blockbuster trade. Teams have called about Drake Batherson but the Senators don’t want to go in that direction. Staios is working the phones and there’s a chance Dominik Kubalik could be traded before Shane Pinto returns to the lineup in January. Kubalik is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Staios could find that a coaching change could be his easiest route considering the difficulty of making a significant trade that improves his roster with so many clubs pressed for cap space this season. I think that’s more likely to occur if things don’t improve soon for the Senators.

UPDATE ON THE SABRES

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Mike Harrington weighed in on the Sabres’ recent struggles. While forwards Tage Thompson and Jack Quinn are sidelined, others have regressed so far this season.

General manager Kevyn Adams didn’t do anything to replace Quinn when he suffered an Achilles injury in June. He also lost out to the Detroit Red Wings in the Patrick Kane sweepstakes.

Harrington believes the Sabres cannot wait until the trade deadline as they need an injection now to snap them out of their funk. They need help up front and have plenty of draft and prospect capital to entice a rival club to make a deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres are four points out of a wild-card berth. A string of wins could propel them into a playoff spot but those have been difficult to come by thus far.

Adams could be working the phones but he’s likely finding suitable deals difficult to come by right now. The Sabres will be worth monitoring in the rumor mill if they don’t start gaining ground in the standings.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 2, 2023

by | Dec 2, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 2, 2023

The Sharks finally win a road game, Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton is sidelined indefinitely, and the three stars and the top rookie for November are announced. Details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The San Jose Sharks finally won their first road game of the season by upsetting the New Jersey Devils 6-3. Kaapo Kahkonen kicked out 44 shots, Mikael Granlund had a goal and two assists while Anthony Duclair and Jacob MacDonald each tallied twice for 6-16-2 Sharks. Rookie defenseman Simon Nemec collected two assists in his first-ever NHL game while Akira Schmid gave up five goals on 17 shots as the Devils slipped to 11-10-1 on the season.

San Jose Sharks goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks remain at the bottom of the overall standings because of their horrific start (0-10-1) to this season. However, they’ve improved since general manager Mike Grier read them the riot act in early November, going 6-6-1 since Nov. 7.

Meanwhile, the Devils received some bad news before this game as defenseman Dougie Hamilton and forward Tomas Nosek will be sidelined indefinitely. Hamilton went under the knife to repair a torn left pectoral muscle while Nosek underwent surgery on his right foot.

Things didn’t get any better for the Devils as defenseman Brendan Smith received a two-game suspension from the league for slashing Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny on Nov. 30. Konecny was fined $5,000.00 for cross-checking Smith.

The Devils did get some good news, however, as winger Timo Meier returned to action against the Sharks after being sidelined for seven games with a lower-body injury. It was his first game against his former club since being traded to New Jersey in February and was held without a point in this contest.

Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merlikins stopped 41 shots as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit to double up the Ottawa Senator 4-2. Johnny Gaudreau and Zach Werenski each collected two assists while Adam Fantilli broke a 2-2 in the second period for the 8-13-4 Blue Jackets. Brady Tkachuk and Claude Giroux for the Senators (8-10-0), who sit four points back of the Blue Jackets at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings with 16 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators are a mess, winning just four of their last 10 games and dropping their last three contests. Management has stuck by embattled head coach D.J. Smith but the calls for his firing from unhappy Senators fans are growing.

They’ve played about five fewer games than most of their rivals in the Eastern Conference. Nevertheless, they’re nine points out of the final wild-card berth. If things don’t improve soon, they’ll be too far back to catch up.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar and Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes are the league’s three stars for November 2023.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard is the league’s top rookie for November 2023.

THE SCORE: Speaking of Bedard, he condemned a baseless social media rumor regarding a member of his family and former Blackhawks teammate Corey Perry.

“It’s just a bunch of BS on the internet,” said Bedard. “It’s, of course, been an effect on myself and my family, and that’s not fair. But’s it out of our control. It’s all just fake, made-up stuff.”

Bedard also touched on Perry’s contract termination for what the Blackhawks deemed unacceptable conduct. “Obviously, what happened with Perry was serious. I think the first concern is that he’s okay, and his family are.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bedard handled those questions very well. He appears to have a maturity beyond his years, certainly more than those who started that disgusting rumor or those who spread it around like manure.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens yesterday signed goaltender Sam Montembeault to a three-year contract extension with an average annual value of $3.15 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: An affordable move by the Canadiens to lock down their best goalie. The 27-year-old Montembeault could’ve opted to test the unrestricted free-agent market in July but he wanted to stay in Montreal and play for the Habs.

A short-term deal such as this should provide cost-effective stability between the pipes for the rebuilding Canadiens. While some have suggested this contract could boost Montembeault’s trade value, I think Jake Allen or Cayden Primeau are the more likely trade candidates.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they put Primeau on waivers with the intent of sending him to their AHL affiliate in Laval. While there’s a risk another club could claim him, they cannot continue carrying three goalies for much longer. If they’re not peddling Montembeault or Allen, they must trade Primeau or send him back to the farm.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin yesterday shared the news that he and his wife Kenzie, who were expecting their first child, have lost the baby. Larkin had been out of the lineup for the past two games to be with Kenzie during this time.

The Larkins were married in August. They were expecting a girl in April. Dylan is expected to return to action on Saturday against the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My sincere condolences to the Larkins.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken winger Jaden Schwartz could be sidelined for six weeks with an upper-body injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: Nashville Predators defenseman Alex Carrier is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

CALGARY SUN: Oliver Kylington skated with a handful of his Flames teammates on Friday. He remains on a personal leave of absence from the club since the start of last season dealing with mental health challenges. There is no timetable for his return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Kylington and here’s hoping he makes a full recovery.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 30, 2023

by | Nov 30, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – November 30, 2023

The Leafs and Canucks could be in the market for defensemen while the Oilers could be scouting the Blue Jackets goalies. Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WILL THE LEAFS SHOP FOR A DEFENSEMAN?

SPORTSNET: In his latest “32 Thoughts” column, Elliotte Friedman noted the Toronto Maple Leafs are down three defensemen with Mark Giordano, John Klingberg and Timothy Liljegren sidelined by injuries. He wondered if this was the year for the Leafs to spend key assets on rental replacements.

THE ATHLETIC: Chris Johnston believes it’s not difficult to draw a line from Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving to his former club in Calgary, where the Flames have a blueline that features several attractive trade targets.

Johnston rules out Noah Hanifin given the expense of his next contract and the fact the Leafs are believed to be on his eight-team no-trade list. However, Chris Tanev and Nikita Zadorov could hold some appeal.

Calgary Flames defenseman Chris Tanev (NHL Images).

Other options include former Leaf Ilya Lyubushkin of the Anaheim Ducks and Sean Walker of the Philadelphia Flyers. As for what the Leafs could use for trade capital, Johnston noted that they have nine picks in the 2024 draft, including a first-rounder.

DAILY FACEOFF: Chris Tanev tops Mark Larkin’s list of seven possible trade targets for the Leafs. Others include Zadorov, the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Andrew Peeke, the Nashville Predators’ Alexandre Carrier, the Seattle Kraken’s Will Borgen, the San Jose Sharks’ Mario Ferraro and the Philadelphia Flyers’ Travis Sanheim.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zadorov’s recent trade request makes him the most likely among this group to be moved. Given the Flames’ recent rise in the standings, however, they’re probably not in any hurry to move Zadorov, Tanev or anyone else.

Peeke could be the next most likely to be available. He was among three defensemen (Adam Boqvist and Jake Bean being the others) that the Jackets were reportedly shopping back in October. Lyubushkin and Borgen could also become available if their respective clubs fail to gain ground in the standings.

Ferraro is signed through 2025-26 and the Sharks might not be keen to move him unless it’s for a substantial offer. The Preds might not be sellers if they continue climbing in the standings.

The Flyers are reportedly willing to listen if they get offers that could build up their foundation but they’re not listening on every player. They might move Walker later in the season but I doubt they’ll part with Sanheim. He has 16 points in 22 games and carries a $6.25 million annual cap hit through 2030-31 along with a full no-trade clause.

CANUCKS LOOKING FOR A BLUELINER

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman noted the Vancouver Canucks cleared cap space by trading Anthony Beauvillier to Chicago earlier this week. He claims they’re scouring the market for a blueliner.

One option could be bringing back free agent Ethan Bear, though he’s not expected to be ready to return from offseason shoulder surgery until late December. He also noted the Conor Garland sweepstakes have slowed down because he’s playing well and the Canucks no longer have a cap crunch. They’re also not interested in moving their first-round draft pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman’s colleague Iain MacIntyre reported Canucks GM Patrik Allvin acknowledged his club’s need for more blueline depth. “I think we can get help on the back end, yes,” he said.

They could be waiting for Bear to be ready to return or they could consider other options like those suggested for the Maple Leafs. Given how well they’re currently playing, the Canucks don’t have to rush into making a move. Nevertheless, they could be worth watching before the holiday trade freeze (Dec. 20-27) kicks in.

ARE THE OILERS SCOUTING THE BLUE JACKETS GOALIES?

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman noted three Edmonton Oilers executives/scouts were in Columbus for the second time this week. They were there on Monday when the Blue Jackets defeated the Boston Bruins with Spencer Martin getting the win in goal. They were also there on Wednesday when Elvis Merzlikins faced the Montreal Canadiens.

With Danill Tarasov due to return from injury soon, the Blue Jackets could have one goalie too many unless they intend on carrying three. Friedman also noted that it’s possible the Oilers could recall Jack Campbell if he plays well.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers were also linked to Montreal Canadiens goalies Sam Montembeault and Jake Allen but that speculation has recently subsided. Montembeault played well in a 4-2 win over the Jackets so perhaps the Oilers might revisit their interest in him.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 28, 2023

by | Nov 28, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – November 28, 2023

Check out the latest on the Leafs plus more speculation linking the Coyotes to the Flames’ Noah Hanifin in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST LEAFS SPECULATION

TORONTO STAR: Kevin McGran reports Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving is still in contract extension talks with winger William Nylander. He’s also awaiting clarity on defenseman John Klingberg’s hip injury.

Treliving provided no details regarding the contract discussions with the Nylander camp. He remains hopeful of getting the 27-year-old winger signed before he becomes eligible for unrestricted free-agent status next July.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s an encouraging sign that the lines of communication between the Leafs and Nylander’s representatives remain open. There’s still no guarantee that a deal could be hammered out before season’s end but the odds are better if there is ongoing dialogue.

Nylander’s outstanding play this season almost certainly ensures he’ll receive a significant raise over his current $6.9 million average annual value. Estimates range from $8.5 million (too low in my opinion) to $12.25 million (too high). I think it’ll land somewhere between $10 million and $11 million annually.

As for Klingberg, Treliving revealed his hip ailment began during the fourth game of this season. He underwent double hip surgery in 2014. The 31-year-old blueliner is being examined by doctors in New York and it’s believed a decision regarding surgery or physical therapy will be made by the end of this week.

The Leafs need to know how long Klingberg will be sidelined. That will determine if they need to find another defenseman and how much cap space they’ll have to do so.

It’s rumored the Leafs are interested in Calgary Flames blueliners Nikita Zadorov and Chris Tanev. Zadorov recently requested a trade and his agent indicated he has an interest in coming to Toronto, where he would be reunited with Treliving.

TSN: Darren Dreger also recently noted the Leafs’ rumored interest in Tanev given their need for a right-shot defenseman. He also listed former Leaf and current Anaheim Ducks rearguard Ilya Lyubushkin, the Philadelphia Flyers’ Sean Walker, and the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Andrew Peeke.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames management isn’t in any rush to move Zadorov or Tanev now that the club has moved up in the standings into a wild-card spot. I doubt the Flyers are that keen to move Walker right now given their ongoing solid play.

The Ducks probably won’t shop Lyubushkin until closer to the March 8 trade deadline. Peeke, however, could be available. Reports earlier this season claimed the Jackets were gauging the trade market on Peeke and Adam Boqvist.

ARE THE COYOTES INTERESTED IN HANIFIN?

GOPHNX.COM: Craig Morgan noted the recent rumors that have linked the Arizona Coyotes to Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin. He said the rumor “has some legs” but indicated their level of pursuit in the 26-year-old pending unrestricted free agent is “a bit exaggerated”.

Morgan acknowledged the Coyotes’ need for someone like Hanifin on their blueline. He thinks they really need another top-four option because offseason acquisition Matt Dumba hasn’t played like one.

If the Coyotes acquire Hanifin, Morgan believes they’d have to do so without giving up any of their top prospects. They’d also have to sign him to a contract extension that would fit within their long-term budget.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those are the two factors that make a Hanifin trade to Arizona unlikely. The Flames will probably want one of the Coyotes’ top prospects as part of the return. Hanifin could also prefer testing the UFA market in July.

I don’t blame the Coyotes for looking into Hanifin’s availability. They’re a club on the rise with a promising future. However, he could prefer joining an already established playoff/Stanley Cup contender.