NHL Rumor Mill – February 2, 2023

by | Feb 2, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – February 2, 2023

Is there a trade market for Patrick Kane? Will the Golden Knights go shopping for help? What’s the latest on the Canucks and Flames? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

IS THERE A MARKET FOR PATRICK KANE?

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks reports Patrick Kane might not be a trade deadline fit for the Rangers. He observed the Rangers’ struggles in their last four games in getting to the front of the net and winning puck battles, something he doesn’t think the 34-year-old Chicago Blackhawks winger can resolve.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

Brooks observed that Kane is struggling this season with the rebuilding Blackhawks. He also noted that the potentially high cost of acquiring the veteran winger could deplete their tradeable assets and cap space. More enticing options could include the St. Louis Blues’ Vladimir Tarasenko, the Detroit Red Wings’ Tyler Bertuzzi, Arizona Coyotes center Nick Bjugstad or the Nashville Predators’ Tanner Jeannot.

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple included Kane on his recent list of suggested trade targets for the Rangers. However, he claims the entire league knows that the Blackhawks star needs hip surgery and would be damaged goods as a trade candidate. He doesn’t see Kane as the centerpiece of anyone’s deadline plans now.

STARTRIBUNE.COM: La Velle E. Neal III believes the Minnesota Wild face the choice of bolstering their offense or improving their defense before the March 3 trade deadline. He believes the Wild should avoid a big-ticket forward such as Kane. Instead, he advocates that they add size to their blueline by pursuing a more affordable option like Vancouver Canucks blueliner Luke Schenn.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The decline in Kane’s performance this season combined with his nagging lower-body injury could be dampening interest in the long-time Blackhawks star. The remainder of his $10.5 million cap hit is still difficult for many teams to absorb plus he seems reluctant to waive his no-movement clause. Given those factors, there might not be much of a trade market for Kane.

WILL THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS HIT THE TRADE MARKET?

LAS VEGAS SUN: Danny Webster speculated the Golden Knights could enter the trade market before March 3 with captain Mark Stone sidelined indefinitely following back surgery. They could place his $9.5 million cap hit on long-term injury reserve, giving them sufficient room to make a splash before deadline day.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Owen Krepps reports speculation linking the Golden Knights to Tyler Bertuzzi. The 27-year-old Detroit Red Wings forward is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He carries a $4.75 million cap hit for this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Prior to the news about Stone, Krepps felt they wouldn’t pursue big-ticket trade bait such as Timo Meier, Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Ryan O’Reilly or Vladimir Tarasenko if their captain returned to the lineup. That has probably changed with Stone likely done for the season. Team owner Bill Foley wants a Stanley Cup.

ARE MORE MOVES COMING FOR THE CANUCKS?

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun wondered if other moves are coming for the Vancouver Canucks after trading Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders on Monday.

Defenseman Luke Schenn is a pending UFA who will be in demand by the trade deadline given his physical play. LeBrun reported it’s his understanding that the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning are among the contenders reaching out to the Canucks about Schenn.

LeBrun also cited his TSN colleague Darren Dreger reporting there’s interest in winger Brock Boeser depending on how much salary the Canucks are willing to retain. Boeser carries a $6.65 million cap hit with two more seasons remaining on his contract.

VANCOUVER HOCKEY INSIDER: Rob Simpson dismissed recent media speculation suggesting the Canucks could trade Thatcher Demko. Despite the 27-year-old goaltender’s struggles earlier this season and some injury issues, he remains an affordable starter with upside.

Simpson also pointed out the difficulty the Canucks would face finding a suitable replacement for $5 million annually or less. He also noted they lack the depth to replace him from within.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schenn is the most likely of these three to be moved before the trade deadline. Boeser could be traded before March 3 if the Canucks retain a healthy chunk of his cap hit but previous reports suggest they’d want his entire salary off their books. That means an off-season trade seems more likely.

Unless Demko is demanding a trade or the Canucks have gone into full-fledged tank mode I don’t seem him moving. We’ve had no indication Demko wants out and everyone knows Canucks ownership doesn’t believe in rebuilding his roster.

LATEST ON THE FLAMES

THE ATHLETIC: Julian McKenzie reports Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving said he’s in the market for a scoring forward. The club has looked within their system to bolster their production by giving opportunities to Jakob Pelletier and Walker Duehr but they didn’t make much of an offensive impact.

Treliving acknowledged the difficulty of finding a scorer in the trade market. They also have $7 million in trade deadline salary-cap space. He’s reluctant to go the playoff rental route in the past. Treliving mentioned wanting a scorer with “competitiveness and responsibility.”

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Steve MacFarlane cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman could be among the teams looking at Philadelphia Flyers winger James van Riemsdyk. The 33-year-old is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 with 21 points in 31 games this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Treliving might have to go the rental route to bolster his production. Doing so could cost him a first-round pick or a prospect like Pelletier or Duehr depending on who he’s looking at in the trade market. Someone like van Riemsdyk might not cost too much to acquire but it could mean parting with a decent prospect and a second-rounder.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 1, 2023

by | Feb 1, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – February 1, 2023

What’s the latest on Timo Meier? Could the Canucks peddle Thatcher Demko or Brock Boeser? Are the Islanders done making additions? Will the Bruins pursue a notable defenseman or center? Get the answers in today’s NHL Rumor mill.

THE LATEST MEIER SPECULATION

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the New Jersey Devils are very much in the sweepstakes for San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier. However, their salary structure remains a concern. They’d prefer to have no forwards earning more than Jack Hughes’ $8 million average annual value. That also goes for winger Jesper Bratt, who’s a restricted free agent this summer.

THE ATHLETIC: Corey Masisak speculates the return the Vancouver Canucks received for Bo Horvat (middle-six forward Anthony Beauvillier, a potential “middle of the lineup” player in prospect Aatu Raty and a top-12 protected 2023 first-round pick) may have hurt the Sharks’ chances of landing a huge haul for Meier.

However, Meier is younger than Horvat plus the Sharks can let other clubs talk to the Meier camp about a contract extension. That was something the Canucks refused to do with Horvat.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng reports a source outside the Sharks’ organization claimed they’d heard the club will seek three pieces for Meier. They’ll want a first-round pick and either one Grade-A prospect or two Grade-B prospects, or one good prospect and a young, established NHL player.

San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier (NHL Images)

Peng subsequently reported a source suggesting the Sharks could end up getting a return similar to what the Canucks got for Horvat. Peng admits that there aren’t many teams in this salary-cap era that can afford to acquire a potentially $9 million per season player such as Meier. Nevertheless, he also pointed out Meier is younger than Horvat plus the Canucks didn’t let teams talk contract with the latter before trading him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks could have a greater opportunity to land a better return if they allow suitors to work out a contract extension with the Meier camp.

Bear in mind that Meier’s RFA status means the Sharks can wait until the off-season to move him if they don’t get any suitable offers leading up to the March 3 trade deadline. However, they will have a time constraint of June 30. That’s the deadline to issue his qualifying offer, which would be one year at $10 million.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE CANUCKS?

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman wonders about Thatcher Demko’s future with the Vancouver Canucks. The 27-year-old goaltender is signed through 2025-26 with an average annual value of $5 million. He’s been sidelined since early December with a lower-body injury.

Friedman believes teams will want to get a feel for what the Canucks want to do with Demko. He thinks the Buffalo Sabres, Columbus Blue Jackets, Los Angeles Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins make sense as suitors. The Sabres and Blue Jackets can afford to be patient but the Kings and Penguins would need to know if he could make an impact this spring in the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Darren Dreger reports Canucks sources are “a little surprised” at all the trade speculation about Demko. It appears the talk of his potential availability isn’t coming from the team.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now’s Dan Kingerski recently listed more affordable, short-term options for the Penguins such as the Dallas Stars’ Anton Khudobin, the Vegas Golden Knights’ Adin Hill, the Detroit Red Wings Alex Nedeljkovic and the Blue Jackets’ Joonas Korpisalo. Maybe they’d be interested if Demko became available but he’d likely cost more than the Penguins could comfortably afford before the March 3 trade deadline.

The Athletic’s Eric Stephens recently listed several goalie trade targets for the Kings. Among them was the Anaheim Ducks’ John Gibson but Stephens saw his contract ($6.4 million average annual value through 2026-27) as a significant obstacle. The same could be said for Demko’s deal. Meanwhile, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun said the Kings aren’t interested in a rental goalie like the Ottawa Senators’ Cam Talbot or the Carolina Hurricanes’ Antti Raanta. “They’re looking for a long-term fit”.

Friedman writes that Brock Boeser remains linked to the Minnesota Wild in the rumor mill. However, he felt the math doesn’t make sense as things stand.

TSN’S Darren Dreger reports the Canucks are still getting a tremendous amount of interest in Boeser. However, those clubs want to know if the Canucks will retain part of the 25-year-old winger’s salary. He’s signed through 2024-25 with an AAV of $6.65 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s why I believe a Boeser trade won’t happen until the offseason when teams have additional cap space. As long as the Canucks won’t retain part of his salary, he’s difficult to move during this season with so many teams carrying limited salary-cap space.

The Wild won’t be a destination for Boeser unless it’s a dollar-in, dollar-out trade. They’ve got over $74 million invested in 14 players for next season with $14.7 million of that as dead cap space owing to their buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter.

Friedman believes there are teams that like the nastiness of Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers but he felt that might have to wait until the summer in this season’s tight cap world. He’s not convinced blueliner Luke Schenn returns to the Tampa Bay Lightning but conversations about him continue.

ARE THE ISLANDERS DONE DEALING?

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz looks at other potential moves that might make sense for the New York Islanders before the trade deadline. He suggested the St. Louis Blues’ Ivan Barbashev if they’re seeking a winger or the Arizona Coyotes’ Shayne Gostisbehere if they’re in the market for a puck-moving defenseman.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Stefen Rosner believes Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello isn’t done making moves. He thinks they need to add a scoring winger and wondered if Lamoriello might go all in for someone like the Blues’ Vladimir Tarasenko or the Sharks’ Timo Meier. They could also use a depth defenseman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders have over $11 million in projected deadline cap space. I don’t see Lamoriello sitting on that. He could pursue someone like Tarasenko or Meier but could also pursue more affordable options such as those suggested by Kurz.

UPDATE ON THE BRUINS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Boston Bruins are believed in the market for a left-side defenseman. He wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve inquired about the Coyotes’ Jakob Chychrun or the Blue Jackets’ Vladislav Gavrikov among others.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy wondered if the Bruins might shift their focus toward Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin after losing out in the Bo Horvat sweepstakes. A source told Murphy it doesn’t look good for Larkin to remain in Detroit which was why they’re exploring other options. However, Larkin’s agent Pat Brisson recently said he’s not concerned about negotiation, adding the two sides have been talking more in recent weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think the Bruins’ priority could be adding that left-side defenseman over adding another center. I don’t doubt that general manager Don Sweeney did his due diligence regarding Horvat but adding someone comparable such as Larkin is going to be just as expensive.

They could also go for more cost-effective short-term options on defense given the expensive asking prices for Chychrun (two first-rounders, top prospect) and Gavrikov (a first and a third-rounder). Granted, this is a “go-for-it” season for the Bruins but given how well the current roster is playing they can pursue more affordable depth targets. Besides, they don’t have a lot of trade capital to win bidding wars for big-ticket players.

LATEST “32 THOUGHTS” RUMOR TIDBITS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Carolina Hurricanes weren’t going to acquire Bo Horvat unless they could sign him to a contract extension. With Horvat now with the New York Islanders, he wonders if the Hurricanes will pivot toward Isles center Jean-Gabriel Pageau depending on how things shake out with Horvat.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 30-year-old Pageau is signed through 2025-26 with an annual cap hit of $5 million and a 16-team no-trade list. His age and contract might not be a fit with the Hurricanes.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 19, 2023

by | Jan 19, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – January 19, 2023

A growing number of teams could be interested in Bo Horvat, the latest on Brock Boeser and Jesse Puljujarvi plus a look at some potential Canadiens trade bait in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST CANUCKS SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Duhatschek and Michael Russo suggested the Boston Bruins could be a good destination for Vancouver Canucks center Bo Horvat. They mused over the possibility of the Bruins acquiring Horvat and signing him to a contract extension should Patrice Bergeron or David Krejci retire at the end of this season.

The Carolina Hurricanes could also be a landing spot for Horvat. However, they’re unwilling to part with Martin Necas.

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma reports the Bruins, Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche are kicking tires on the Canucks captain. However, there are cost certainty concerns and the Canucks have not granted permission for potential suitors to talk contract with Horvat’s agent.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy cites an NHL source confirming the Bruins and Canucks have talked about Horvat. The Avalanche, Hurricanes, Detroit Red Wings and Seattle Kraken are also believed to be really interested in Horvat but the Canucks’ asking price is high. The source expected prospect Fabian Lysell and a first-round pick would have to be the starting point in any talks between the Bruins and Canucks.

THE ATHLETIC/VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Jesse Granger and Owen Krepps included Horvat in their lists of potential trade targets for the Golden Knights if winger Mark Stone and his $9.5 million cap hit end up on long-term injury reserve. Stone is currently listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

POST MEDIA: Michael Traikos added the New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins as possible suitors for Horvat. He wondered whether an offer of a first-round pick, a top prospect and a young roster player would be too much or too little.

Vancouver Canucks captain Bo Horvat (NHL Images).

Traikos also believes the Canucks can’t afford to wait too long to move Horvat. St. Louis’ Ryan O’Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko, Chicago’s Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, San Jose’s Timo Meier, Ottawa’s Alex DeBrincat, Philadelphia’s James van Riemsdyk and Montreal’s Sean Monahan could soon become available in the trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A lot of playoff contenders would love to have Bo Horvat on their roster for the 2023 playoffs and perhaps beyond if they can reach an agreement on a contract extension. Most, however, won’t be able to afford the Canucks’ asking price. A number of them will lack sufficient cap space to pull it off unless they get creative and pull off a three-team swap to spread around the remainder of Horvat’s $5.5 million cap hit.

As for the Canucks’ asking price, Rutherford said earlier this week that he’d be interested in acquiring players on entry-level contracts who are struggling with their current teams. He probably won’t balk at getting a first-round pick but he’d like to add young NHL-ready players given ownership’s insistence on retooling the roster rather than rebuilding.

All of this is just spitballing right now. Teams are making inquiries into Horvat’s availability and what it would cost. It’ll likely only be two or three clubs that’ll come up with suitable bids. I don’t rule out Horvat getting traded in January but I think a February deal is more likely.

THE ATHLETIC’s Pierre LeBrun and Michael Russo report teams are still interested in Canucks winger Brock Boeser. He’s signed through 2024-25 with a $6.65 million annual cap hit. It’s possible the only way he gets traded is if the Canucks retain part of his salary. The Minnesota Wild have spoken to them about Boeser but they might not be able to make it work cap-wise without Vancouver retaining salary.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Province’s Ben Kuzma shares that view. Canucks management reportedly wants to clear the entirety of Boeser’s cap hit from their books. If they maintain that stance, they might have to wait until the offseason to move him when teams have more cap room.

UPDATES ON THE OILERS

THE ATHLETIC: Daniel Nugent-Bowman believes it’s time for the Edmonton Oilers to part ways with Jesse Puljujarvi after he was made a healthy scratch for Evander Kane’s return to the roster on Tuesday.

GM Ken Holland has been working the phones. However, he couldn’t find any takers for Puljujarvi last summer because he refused to accept discounted future assets for a player who was a top-six forward last season. The decline in the 24-year-old winger’s performance this season leaves management praying that someone will take his $3 million contract off their hands.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reported the Oilers have had some promising conversations with a couple of teams regarding Puljujarvi. That’s potentially good news for Oilers fans concerned that the club might have to package Puljujarvi with an asset to move him before the March 3 trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Color me skeptical about the Oilers’ chances of moving Puljujarvi before deadline day without bundling him with a draft pick or prospect. Sure, anything’s possible but his stock has really tumbled since last summer when it wasn’t that high to begin with.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson dismissed the notion of the Oilers parting with defenseman Philip Broberg as part of a package offer to the Arizona Coyotes for Jakob Chychrun.

Matheson considered it unlikely to happen because the Oilers don’t see Chychrun as a fit they need plus they like Broberg too much.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers’ focus seems to be on acquiring a shutdown defenseman like Columbus’ Vladislav Gavrikov or Montreal’s Joel Edmundson. And no, they won’t part with Broberg for either of those guys.

POTENTIAL CANADIENS TRADE BAIT

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan reports the Canadiens could have a different look following the March 3 trade deadline. Veterans like Edmundson and forwards Jonathan Drouin, Evgenii Dadonov, Sean Monahan and Josh Anderson could be in play as the Habs continue their rebuilding process.

Drouin, Dadonov and Monahan are slated to become unrestricted free agents this summer. GM Kent Hughes will attempt to get something for them by the deadline. Hughes acknowledged Edmundson and Anderson have frequently surfaced in media trade rumors but called those reports “not necessarily accurate.”

Don’t expect the Canadiens to shop Samuel Montembeault. Hughes said they want to keep the 26-year-old goaltender.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Drouin and Monahan have been sidelined by injuries while Dadonov hasn’t played well this season. Those factors will affect their value in this season’s trade market. I doubt he’ll be able to get first-round picks or top prospects for them.

Edmundson and Anderson would have more value but they’re both signed beyond this season. Hughes could be less inclined to move them but I don’t doubt that he’ll listen to offers that include a first-rounder.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 17, 2023

by | Jan 17, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – January 17, 2023

Changes are coming for the Canucks plus the latest on Erik Karlsson, John Klingberg, Jakob Chychrun and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

CHANGES IN STORE FOR CANUCKS

THE PROVINCE/THE ATHLETIC: Ben Kuzma and Harman Dayal. reports Jim Rutherford, the Vancouver Canucks president of hockey, indicated big changes are coming for the roster during a press conference on Monday to address the state of the franchise.

“We have to do major surgery,” said Rutherford. He declined to call it a rebuild but felt it would be a retooling.

Vancouver Canucks captain Bo Horvat (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rutherford’s toeing the company line with that comment. Team owner Francesco Aquilini is reportedly dead set against rebuilding the roster.

He indicated that the club is stuck right now with contracts that they can’t move. “Until we move those out, or until they expire, it’s going to be hard to make changes. He also warned that some of the changes won’t be popular.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kuzma believes that last comment refers to team captain Bo Horvat. The 27-year-old center is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July and has become the subject of trade rumors after reportedly rejecting the Canucks’ contract offer earlier in the season.

Rutherford said the Canucks offer to Horvat was fair up to what he’s done in 2022-23 but it’s under market value for his performance this season. The center is on pace to score over 50 goals for the first time in his career.

It’s believed the Canucks can’t or won’t exceed J.T. Miller’s seven-year, $56 million contract in their dealings with Horvat. He could end up shopped by the March 3 trade deadline if the two sides fail to reach an agreement on a new deal.

Kuzma and Dayal both believe overpaying for Horvat will make it difficult to re-sign pending UFA winger Andrei Kuzmenko. Rutherford said they’ve recently opened contract talks with the 26-year-old winger.

Canucks fans hoping for Rutherford to trade Miller and re-sign Horvat are going to be disappointed. Rutherford pointed out the value of retaining players such as Miller. He also wasn’t concerned about how his contract could affect the Canucks over the long term because of the anticipated rise in the salary cap in the near future, which he believes could reach $90 million to $95 million. In the short term, however, Dayal pointed out that Miller’s deal is already having an impact on the Canucks because it’s hampering their efforts to re-sign Horvat.

Dayal also reported that Rutherford is willing to consider buying out contracts if they can’t move them via trade. While they can provide some short-term relief, Dayal noted that they come at a future cost, pointing out that a buyout of Oliver Ekman-Larsson would leave dead cap space on the Canucks’ books until 2031. I think Rutherford could be looking at someone with a year or two left on their contract like defenseman Tyler Myers.

Kuzma also wondered what Rutherford’s plans are for Brock Boeser. The winger’s agent has permission to speak with other clubs but his lack of production and league-wide salary-cap problems make it difficult to move Boeser’s $6.65 million cap hit.

Rutherford didn’t address Boeser’s situation but made a general statement that a player’s performance dictates his trade value. Even then, Rutherford indicated that a contract could still be tough to move if an interested club lacks the cap space to acquire him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rutherford might have an easier time moving Boeser if he agreed to retain part of his cap hit. However, that’s a scenario he reportedly doesn’t want to do. It’s my belief the earliest Boeser gets moved is in the offseason when clubs have more cap room to work with and a greater willingness to make significant trades.

Talking about his trade plans, Rutherford said that he won’t necessarily seek draft picks in return. Instead, he prefers bringing in young players from other clubs that didn’t work out with their entry-level contracts and giving them a second chance.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kuzma speculates the Canucks could target someone like the New York Rangers’ Alexis Lafreniere. Dayal, however, is skeptical whether that’s a workable strategy, suggesting recent reclamation projects like Ethan Bear, Travis Dermott, Jack Studnicka and Riley Stillman haven’t done much to improve the club.

Rutherford didn’t say much about the future of head coach Bruce Boudreau as rumors swirl that he could be replaced by Rick Tocchet. He admitted he’s spoken with some potential coaching candidates going back a couple of months. “All I can say is Bruce is our coach right now,” said Rutherford.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hardly a ringing endorsement or a vote of confidence for Boudreau by Rutherford. As Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman observed, it appears Boudreau will remain the Canucks coach until they’ve found a suitable replacement.

RUMOR TIDBITS FROM FRIEDMAN’S LATEST “32 THOUGHTS”.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes the Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks had “legit conversations” about Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson. However, he doesn’t think it got to the point where it got to Karlsson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think Friedman means that it didn’t reach the point where the Sharks felt talks reached the stage where Karlsson would have to be asked to waive his no-movement clause to go to Edmonton.

Friedman also said he felt last summer that there was a high probability of Anaheim Ducks defenseman John Klingberg ending up with the Oilers. The blueliner was interested in Edmonton at the time but the salary-cap pieces couldn’t fit. Friedman no longer expects Klingberg will join the Oilers but expects he’ll be moved by the March 3 trade deadline.

Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin is only interested in a trade that will improve his club or provide him assets that he can use in another deal. Friedman isn’t sure Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun would make sense for the Wild as a potential replacement for Matt Dumba given their salary-cap concerns after this season.

The Ottawa Senators are considering rental defensemen. It would give them an opportunity to evaluate someone they’d like to re-sign plus they want to finish as strong as possible for their players and their fans.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 11, 2023

by | Jan 11, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – January 11, 2023

What’s the latest on Erik Karlsson? What’s going on with the Canucks? Are the Flyers gauging the trade market for Ivan Provorov? Could the Wild shop Matt Dumba? Are the Oilers shopping around for a defenseman? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TEAMS ARE CALLING ABOUT ERIK KARLSSON

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports that teams have spoken with the San Jose Sharks about what a trade might look like for Erik Karlsson. The 32-year-old is this season’s highest-scoring blueliner with 55 points and is on pace to become the first rearguard since Brian Leetch in 1991-92 to reach 100 points in a season.

San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images).

LeBrun still thinks this would be an off-season move it if happens at all. Karlsson has a full no-movement clause and would have to agree to be traded.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I concur that this is a potential move that probably doesn’t happen until the offseason when teams have more cap space and a greater willingness to make big trades.

Getting Karlsson to waive his NMC isn’t the biggest hurdle. It’s sorting out how to move a talented defenseman who is approaching his mid-30s’ carrying a contract with an average annual value of $11.5 million through 2026-27. There’s also the matter of what the Sharks would want in return.

THE LATEST ON THE CANUCKS

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports teams are still poking around about Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser. He doesn’t think a trade is close to happening but interested clubs are giving consideration to how to make a deal work.

The Minnesota Wild have spoken to the Canucks about bringing Boeser back to his home state. However, LeBrun doesn’t think they can make it work cap-wise. The 25-year-old winger has two more seasons left on his contract with an AAV of $6.65 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild have over $14 million in dead cap space for 2023-24 due to their buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. Matt Boldy, Calen Addison and Sam Steel are restricted free agents this summer.

I can’t see Boeser landing in Minnesota unless the Canucks retain a portion of his salary (which they reportedly don’t want to do) or the Wild shed sufficient salary for Boeser and those RFAs.

LeBrun also reports teams are calling the Canucks about Andrei Kuzmenko. The 26-year-old winger is enjoying a fine NHL debut season but he’s also slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He currently carries an affordable $950K cap hit.

The Canucks haven’t started contract extension talks yet but LeBrun said they haven’t given up hope of re-signing him. He indicated the winger enjoys playing in Vancouver but it could cost $6 million on a short-term deal to keep him there.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 35 points in 39 games, Kuzmenko’s been a bright spot in a turbulent season for the Canucks. Perhaps if they can move Boeser it’ll free up sufficient space to keep the Russian winger.

FLYERS LISTENING ON PROVOROV

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports multiple sources confirmed the Philadelphia Flyers are listening to offers for Ivan Provorov. The 25-year-old defenseman has two more years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $6.75 million so there’s no urgency to move him before the March 3 trade deadline.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman also doesn’t think there’s anything imminent regarding a Provorov trade. However, he feels they could be heading in that direction.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Appearing on NHL Network, Friedman said he believes the Flyers will consider just about everything over the next 12 to 18 months. He also said they’re concerned that Provorov could blossom elsewhere so they’ll want a really good return.

COULD THE WILD SHOP MATT DUMBA?

TSN: Darren Dreger reports the Edmonton Oilers and Ottawa Senators have reached out to the Minnesota Wild regarding Matt Dumba. The 28-year-old defenseman is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and lacks no-trade protection.

However, the Wild are playing pretty well right now and they still need Dumba as they jockey for a playoff spot. They’re not sure yet if they can move him even though they can’t afford to re-sign him given their salary-cap constraints for next season. Dreger believes their asking price for Dumba would be high and they would have to potentially hit the trade market to find a replacement for him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t see Dumba going anywhere before the March 3 trade deadline unless the Wild fall out of contention or they ship him to another club in exchange for a comparable defenseman. He could become their “own rental” for the 2023 playoffs.

OILERS CALLING AROUND FOR A DEFENSEMAN

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland has been calling around the league in search of a defenseman. It’s believed he’s spoken to the Arizona Coyotes about Jakob Chychrun and the Montreal Canadiens regarding Joel Edmundson.

However, asking prices are high right now for blueliners in the trade market. LeBrun expects Holland won’t panic and will remain patient. He also believes it’ll take more than a trade to resolve the Oilers’ current struggles as the message internally is, “We need to play better”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers supporters howling at Holland to do something – ANYTHING! – to acquire a defenseman overlook that he’s handcuffed by his limited cap space. He’s also dealing from a position of weakness right now. If it was possible to unload, say, Jesse Puljujarvi or Warren Foegele for a top-four left-side blueliner, that deal would’ve gone down by now.

The Coyotes reportedly seek two first-round picks (though one of those could be a former first-rounder) along with a high-end prospect or good young NHL player for Chychrun.

It’s believed the Canadiens hope to land a first-rounder for Edmundson. Before you scoff, remember that they got a first-round pick from the Florida Panthers last March for Ben Chiarot. Edmundson also has a year remaining on his contract so there’s cost certainty there ($3.5 million) for an interested team.

Maybe those prices go down as the trade deadline nears. Then again, they could remain high if more clubs get into the bidding for Chychrun or Edmundson.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 9, 2023

by | Jan 9, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – January 9, 2023

Could the Bruins make a pitch for Bo Horvat? Will the Wild pursue Brock Boeser? Which teams could become third-party brokers in this season’s trade market? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST CANUCKS SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: In his latest mailbag segment, Fluto Shinzawa was asked if the Boston Bruins could pull off acquiring Bo Horvat from the Vancouver Canucks.

Shinzawa believes it would be a difficult transaction to make. The Bruins would have to meet the Canucks’ asking price, starting with a first-round pick and a high prospect. Next, the Canucks would have to retain half of Horvat’s $5.5 million cap hit or send a salary back to Vancouver. Third, Horvat would have to sign a contract extension with the Bruins.

Nevertheless, Shinzawa believes the short- and long-term benefits of acquiring Horvat would make a deal worth exploring. He felt it would keep the Bruins’ winning window open when Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci eventually retire.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Pierre LeBrun and Darren Dreger have reported that the Canucks want a “hockey trade” rather than a return heavy with future assets. They want one or two young NHL players who can help them now and in the future along with a high draft pick and/or a high-end prospect.

I don’t think the Bruins have the depth to suitably meet the Canucks’ asking price. Given their lofty perch atop the overall standings, they’re not under any pressure to make that type of move before the March 3 trade deadline. With David Pastrnak due for a hefty pay raise this summer, I don’t see Horvat being part of their long-term future.

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser (NHL Images).

The Bruins could make a move or two before March 3. Barring serious injury to one or two core players, I anticipate it’ll be an affordable depth move rather than pursuing a big-ticket player like Horvat.

VANCOUVER HOCKEY INSIDER: Rob Simpson reports the Minnesota Wild are among the clubs that have spoken to Brock Boeser’s agent about a trade. The Canucks gave his agent permission to speak with other clubs last month.

Boeser, 25, grew up 15 minutes outside Minneapolis and a half-hour from the Wild’s arena in St. Paul. Simpson cites a source “very close to the deliberations” saying the pressure of playing for his hometown team wouldn’t be a problem for the winger.

Simpson believes Boeser would be a good fit with the Wild given their lack of scoring punch at right wing beyond first-liner Mats Zuccarello. He believes he’d be a lethal addition alongside left-winger Matt Boldy.

Boeser carries an annual cap hit of $6.65 million for the next two seasons. The Wild currently has around $6 million in cap space. The Canucks aren’t interested in retaining salary but could reduce their expected asking price. They could try to get hold of a Wild defense prospect like Brock Faber or Carson Lambos or 22-year-old blueliner Calen Addison.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild have come up as a trade partner for Boeser in the past. They also have a need for reliable scoring depth at center.

Cap Friendly indicates they currently have $6.5 million in cap space and a projected $14.8 million in trade deadline cap room. If general manager Bill Guerin is interested in Boeser, he could wait until closer to March 3 to take on his prorated cap hit for the remainder of this season.

WHICH NHL CLUBS COULD BECOME THIRD-PARTY BROKERS IN THIS SEASON’S TRADE MARKET?

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli recently listed several clubs with cap space that could become “third-party money brokers” in this season’s trade market. He’s referring to a small group of teams that could weaponize their cap space to harvest assets and help other clubs facilitate trades.

Seravalli pointed out we’ve seen this trend in recent years among cap-strapped playoff contenders pulling off three-team trades to acquire a rental player. The selling team retains half of a player’s remaining cap hit and sends him to a team with cap room. That team retains half of the cap hit that they received from the selling club and flips the player and his remaining cap hit to the buying club for an asset like a draft pick. They also receive an asset or two from the selling club.

This season, 19 of the NHL’s 32 clubs are operating within $2 million of the $82.5 million cap. Seravalli suggests the Arizona Coyotes, Chicago Blackhawks, Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings could become third-party trade brokers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres’ recent improvement suggests they might become buyers rather than sellers at this year’s trade deadline. They’re an exciting young team that’s been charging up the Eastern Conference standings of late. GM Kevyn Adams could consider using some of his plentiful cap space to bolster his roster and help his team nail down its first postseason berth in 12 years.