NHL Rumor Mill – February 27, 2025

by | Feb 27, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – February 27, 2025

Could the Kings trade Quinton Byfield? Is Brayden Schenn a fit with the Maple Leafs? What’s the latest on the Islanders and Flyers? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

IS BYFIELD A TRADE CANDIDATE?

SPORTSNET: Nick Kypreos included Quinton Byfield in his updated trade board. He thinks the 22-year-old forward could be in play if the Los Angeles Kings hope to “change their look for an opening round playoff.”

Kypreos suggested trading Byfield to a seller would be necessary to obtain the type of return the Kings need to counter the Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers in the postseason. The young center had 20 goals and 55 points in 2023-24, but his stats are down this season.

Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield (NHL Images).

He claimed the Kings organization is wondering how high Byfield’s ceiling is and whether they should focus on the present by flipping Byfield for a more seasoned roster upgrade. There are rumblings that the Kings and Buffalo Sabres “have held talks and both sides might be interested in a package that includes top assets coming from Buffalo.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Byfield’s stats are down this season, but so are Anze Kopitar’s, Adrian Kempe’s and Kevin Fiala’s. That could be attributable to the Kings’ overall style of play this season. The absence of puck-moving defenseman Drew Doughty for most of the season could be another factor.

Trading Byfield would be a bold move by the Kings but it could blow up in their face if he achieves stardom elsewhere. As for those top assets from Buffalo, I don’t see a suitable seasoned roster upgrade coming to the Kings in that deal.

It’ll be interesting to see what the reaction will be to this speculation of Byfield as a trade candidate, especially from those who cover the Kings. I’m hoping to hear back from one of them shortly. Stay tuned…

**UPDATE***

I received the following response from John Hoven of the influential LA Kings blog Mayor’s Manor: “There are three people that are not being traded… Byfield, (Brandt) Clarke, Laffy (Alex Laferriere). That’s from the best sources I have…LA certainly can’t control outside teams calling and asking about players. However, that does not mean a player is available. As you know, two totally different things. The Kings have zero interest in trading the three I mentioned. They view them as three of the core they’re building around.”

COULD THE MAPLE LEAFS LAND BRAYDEN SCHENN?

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford and Joshua Kloke took note of recent speculation linking St. Louis Blues captain Brayden Schenn to the Toronto Maple Leafs. They noted a recent report claiming the 33-year-old center was considered the Leafs’ primary target.

This could be a situation where teams are inquiring into Schenn’s availability rather than Blues general manager Doug Armstrong shopping his captain. Nevertheless, they feel that Armstrong has to be listening, suggesting the possibility of removing the remaining three years of Schenn’s contract from the Blues’ books while acquiring a valuable asset.

Schenn played for Leafs head coach Craig Berube during the latter’s tenure as the Blues’ bench boss. He would fit in well centering their third line, though Berube could shuffle him up to the second line.

The Leafs’ 2026 first-rounder would have to be the centerpiece of the return. One of their goalie prospects could also be included. A forward prospect like Fraser Minten or Easton Cowan might have to be included if the Leafs expect the Blues to retain part of Schenn’s $6.5 million average annual value.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This assumes that Schenn would waive his no-trade clause to go to Toronto. He told the media last week that management hasn’t approached him about waiving his clause. That could happen leading up to the March 7 trade deadline if the Blues get a suitable trade offer.

Toronto probably isn’t the only contender interested in Schenn. A bidding war could drive up the asking price and put him out of reach for the Leafs. The Blues also aren’t in a rush to move Schenn because he’s signed through 2027-28. If they don’t receive any suitable offers by the deadline, they can wait and try again in the offseason.

It might be better for the Blues to wait until the summer. Schenn’s full no-trade clause becomes a 15-team no-trade list on July 1. Teams that lose out on landing the best available centers in this summer’s free-agent market could set their sights on the Blues captain.

TIME FOR THE ISLANDERS TO SELL

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple is waving the white flag on the New York Islanders’ season following their 5-1 loss to the New York Rangers. They’re seven points out of a playoff spot and four points from the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

Staple believes Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello will stretch his trade deadline decisions as long as he can, possibly up to March 7. He’s skeptical that pending free agent Brock Nelson intends to re-sign before then, suggesting Lamoriello should field trade offers up to March 7 and trade him then or field offers over the next several days, take the best one and set the market for the final deadline stretch.

Other moves could include peddling UFA-eligible winger Kyle Palmieri and center Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who has a year left on his contract. Staple also doesn’t rule out moving captain Anders Lee and one of their over-30 defensemen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There can be no more delaying the inevitable. The Islanders’ rebuild must start now. Nelson, Palmieri and Pageau should fetch solid returns for the future at the trade deadline. They can peddle the other older veterans with term remaining on their contracts during the offseason.

ARE MORE MOVES IN STORE FOR THE FLYERS?

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Jordan Hall reports Flyers head coach John Tortorella admits there could be trade deadline casualties as part of his club’s rebuilding process. “We have to get better,” said Tortorella. “And when you try to get better, there’s going to be some casualties.”

Hall noted that defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen and forward Scott Laughton have frequently surfaced in the rumor mill. Teams covet Ristolainen because he’s a big, physical, right-shot defenseman. However, Flyers GM Daniel Briere has said he’s not in a rush to move him because he still has term on his contract. Hall believes the Flyers have set a high asking price.

Laughton has been the subject of trade chatter for some time. He said he’s going to continue going about his business. “If they make a move, they make a move,” he said.

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz reports it appears Ristolainen could remain with the Flyers past the March 7 trade deadline. He cited a team source saying they haven’t received many calls about him. That could change quickly if interested clubs miss out on other trade targets, but for now, it seems less likely that Ristolainen will be dealt.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers have set a high asking price for Ristolainen and Laughton. The big defenseman’s contract could be an issue, carrying an AAV of $5.1 million through 2026-27. Interested parties could want Briere to retain part of that cap hit, which he seems unwilling to do.

Laughton has a more affordable $3 million AAV but his leadership and experience have been invaluable for the rebuilding Flyers. It sounds like he won’t be moved unless someone is willing to overpay for his services.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 4, 2024

by | Oct 4, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 4, 2024

Recaps of Thursday’s preseason action, injury updates, the Golden Knights get cap relief from Robin Lehner’s contract, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THURSDAY’S NHL PRESEASON RECAP

NHL.COM: Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield tallied a hat trick to lead his club to a 4-1 victory over the Boston Bruins at Centre Videotron in Quebec City. Kevin Fiala collected two assists for the Kings.

Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield (NHL Images).

The Toronto Maple Leafs blanked the Detroit Red Wings 2-0. Nick Robertson scored both goals and Anthony Stolarz made 30 saves for the shutout. Cam Talbot turned aside 23 shots for the Red Wings.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry stopped 33 shots, including 14 in the third period, in a 3-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Blue Jackets forward Dmitri Voronkov played one shift in the first period before leaving the game with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets also placed forward Gavin Brindley (broken finger) on injured reserve earlier in the day.

The Philadelphia Flyers nipped the New Jersey Devils 5-4. Anthony Richard and Emil Andrae each had a goal and two assists. Kevin Labanc picked up a hat trick for the Devils, who were playing a split-squad game as the rest of the team was in Czechia for the upcoming NHL Global Series with the Buffalo Sabres.

An overtime goal by Jordan Kyrou lifted the St. Louis Blues to a 4-3 victory over the Dallas Stars. Philip Broberg and Kaspari Kapanen each scored and collected an assist. Logan Stankoven tallied twice for the Stars.

The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 3-1. Justus Annunen stopped 21 shots while Logan O’Connor had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche. Jack Eichel replied for the Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche released Pierre-Edouard Bellemare from his professional tryout agreement earlier in the day

HEADLINES

THE GAZETTE: Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine decided not to undergo surgery on his sprained knee after getting “some good opinions” from “a couple of doctors.” He’ll be sidelined for two-to-three months undergoing rehab.

Laine was injured on Saturday during a knee-on-knee collision with Toronto Maple Leafs forward Cedric Pare. He refused to criticize Pare, saying he put himself in that situation while calling it “an unfortunate play.” Laine also thanked Pare for reaching out to him after the game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Darren Dreger reported Pare received some death threats and abusive comments on his social media accounts following that hit on Laine, forcing the Maple Leafs’ security group to intervene and disable his accounts.

SPORTSNET: New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin missed practice on Thursday and is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury suffered during Tuesday’s game against the New Jersey Devils.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin practiced with his teammates for the first time since undergoing offseason back surgery. It remains to be seen if he’ll be in the lineup for their season opener on Oct. 10.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Vegas Golden Knights will get salary-cap relief from Robin Lehner’s contract this season following an agreement between the team, the league, and the NHL Players’ Association.

The 33-year-old goaltender hasn’t played after undergoing hip and shoulder surgeries following the 2021-22 season. He has a year remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $5 million and an actual salary of $4.5 million.

Lehner was in violation of his contract by missing his mandatory medical before training camp. He claimed the team knew in advance that he wouldn’t be there due to personal reasons.

The Golden Knights felt they had a strong case to terminate his contract but they didn’t want to go that route, seeking only the salary-cap relief. The PA, meanwhile, wanted to ensure Lehner would still receive his salary for this season, resulting in the settlement.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some fans complained on social media that the NHL showed favoritism to the Golden Knights. That’s not the case.

The Golden Knights could’ve pursued contract termination against Lehner, meaning he would’ve lost his salary for this season while removing his cap hit from their books, but they would’ve had a fight on their hands with the NHLPA. Instead, they chose an easier option in which Lehner still gets paid by the club but it doesn’t count against their cap.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames signed defenseman Tyson Barrie to a one-year contract worth $1.25 million. Barrie, 33, earned his new deal after attending Flames training camp on a professional tryout offer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barrie will be an affordable veteran depth option for the Flames this season. They could also shop him at the March 7 trade deadline if they’re out of playoff contention by then.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning forward Conor Geekie received a one-game suspension from the NHL department of player safety for leaving the bench on a legal line change to start a fight with Florida Panthers winger Josh Davies during Wednesday’s preseason game.

YARDBARKER: Former NHL player Gabriel Bourque announced his retirement. From 2011-12 to 2019-20, he played 413 regular-season games with the Nashville Predators, Colorado Avalanche, and Winnipeg Jets. The 34-year-old winger finished with 40 goals and 63 assists for 103 points. He also had eight points in 36 playoff games.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 16, 2024

by | Jul 16, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 16, 2024

Steven Stamkos bids farewell to Tampa Bay, Connor McDavid weighs in on the Oilers’ offseason moves, the Kings sign Quinton Byfield to a five-year contract, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Former Lightning captain Steven Stamkos penned a heartfelt thank-you letter to Tampa Bay and Lightning fans following his recent signing with the Nashville Predators.

He expressed his appreciation to the Lightning and its fans for embracing and supporting him throughout his 16 seasons with the club. He spoke of how much he and his family will miss Tampa Bay, mentioning the many happy memories of their lives there.

Former Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos (NHL Images).

Stamkos mentioned the relief he felt hoisting the Stanley Cup for the first time in 2020, that the huge burden he’d carried as their franchise player lifted from his shoulders in that moment. He also called the past few weeks “bittersweet”, saying he never thought the day would come when he’d have to leave the Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You can read Stamkos’ letter in The Players’ Tribune. If it had been up to him, he would’ve finished his career with the Lightning. However, the business of hockey sometimes gets in the way of a player’s hopes.

SPORTSNET: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid approved management’s recent moves to maintain a competitive roster for 2024-25. “Keeping as many guys together is a good thing in the salary-cap era,” said McDavid, praising interim general manager Jeff Jackson for finding a way to do that.

The Oilers retain Connor Brown, Adam Henrique, Mattias Janmark and Corey Perry, signing the four to team-friendly contracts. They also added wingers Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner while parting ways with Warren Foegele and Vincent Desharnais.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid wasn’t the only one praising Jackson’s efforts. Most of the pundits assessing the early moves in this summer’s UFA market have the Oilers among the winners.

LOS ANGELES TIMES: The Kings and Quinton Byfield agreed to a five-year, $31.25 million contract. The 21-year-old center was a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract. The average annual value is $6.25 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings GM Rob Blake has had a rough offseason, receiving criticism for some questionable moves recently. However, this was a shrewd signing on his part.

Byfield has steadily developed into a scorer, reaching 20 goals and 35 assists in 80 games last season skating on the top line with Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe. The versatile young forward has yet to reach his full potential. This contract will become a salary-cap bargain for the Kings when he does.

WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets signed defenseman Ville Heinola to a two-year contract with an AAV of $800K.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Heinola, 23, was also completing his ELC. He was slated to be in the Jets lineup full-time last season but a broken ankle derailed those plans, leaving him finishing the season with their AHL affiliate. He’ll get another opportunity to crack the roster this season.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks signed defenseman Jackson Lacombe to a two-year contract with an AAV of $925K. They also signed winger Nikita Nesterenko to a one-year, two-way deal with an AAV at the NHL level of over $874K.

EDMONTON JOURNAL/OTTAWA SUN: The Edmonton Oilers traded prospect forwards Xavier Bourgault and Jake Chiasson to the Ottawa Senators for prospect forward Roby Jarventie and a 2025 fourth-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: These moves involve young players who no longer fit into the plans of their former clubs for various reasons. The most notable is Bourgault, who struggled to meet expectations after being chosen 22nd overall by the Oilers in 2021.

OTTAWA SUN/COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Senators also signed minor-league goaltender Mads Sogaard to a two-year contract and traded minor-league netminder Kevin Mandolese and a 2026 seventh-round pick to the Colorado Avalanche for a 2026 sixth-rounder.

CALGARY SUN: After 17 professional seasons, forward Brett Sutter is hanging up his skates and joining the Calgary Wranglers as an assistant coach. Sutter, 37, played 60 games in the NHL from 2008-09 to 2014-15 with the Flames, Carolina Hurricanes and Minnesota Wild. The son of former NHL player, coach and GM Darryl Sutter, he spent the bulk of his career in the AHL.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 10, 2024

by | Jul 10, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – July 10, 2024

Check out the ongoing speculation that the Panthers might trade Aaron Ekblad, an update on Jacob Trouba, and nine possible offer-sheet candidates in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON EKBLAD AND TROUBA

TSN: Jay Onrait spoke with ESPN’s Emily Kaplan on Tuesday regarding speculation the Florida Panthers could trade Aaron Ekblad to free up some salary-cap space.

Kaplan said it will be difficult for the Panthers to maintain their roster despite being a destination franchise. Nevertheless, their front office isn’t afraid to make hard decisions. She can’t confirm that Ekblad’s on the trade block but wouldn’t be surprised if the Panthers explored that possibility.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ekblad trade rumors stretch back to June 2 when the Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons speculated they could move him to free up cap room to re-sign Brandon Montour, who has since signed with the Seattle Kraken.

Ekblad has a year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $7.5 million and a 12-team no-trade list for 2024-25.

New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba (NHL Images).

The Panthers are above the $88 million cap by over $933K. They can easily become cap-compliant before their season opener in October by demoting a lower-salaried player rather than moving a high-salaried core player like Ekblad. Montour’s departure could make the Panthers less likely to move him if they intend on staging a successful defense of their Stanley Cup title.

Onrait and Kaplan also discussed the recent trade rumors swirling around New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba. The Rangers reportedly had a deal on the table with the Detroit Red Wings. However, the 30-year-old defenseman didn’t want to do it with his wife still finishing her residency as a medical doctor.

Kaplan believes Trouba will be in the Rangers lineup when they start the season in October even though it was a really uncomfortable process over the last days and weeks. She noted Trouba used his no-trade protection in his contract to nix the deal with the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers general manager Chris Drury attempted an aggressive move to trade Trouba in the week leading up to the start of free agency. He hoped to shed most of his captain’s $8 million cap hit to Detroit to free up room for a foray or two into the UFA market.

Trouba used his no-trade protection to reject the deal as was his contractual right. He now has a 15-team no-trade list. Drury could peddle him to any club not on that list but it’s pointless to do so at this stage with all the top free-agent talent now gone from the market. Trouba isn’t moving unless Drury finds a return that improves the Rangers right away.

POSSIBLE OFFER SHEET CANDIDATES

SPORTSNET: Emily Sadler looked at nine restricted free agents who could become offer sheet targets this summer. She acknowledged the rarity of offer sheets, noting the last one occurred in 2021 when the Carolina Hurricanes successfully signed away Jesperi Kotkaniemi from the Montreal Canadiens.

The longer Jeremy Swayman goes without a new contract with the Boston Bruins sows another small seed of doubt about this deal and how soon it’ll get done.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Someone could pitch an offer sheet to Swayman but that depends on his willingness to sign one. The same goes for every restricted free agent. It’s pointless to attempt if they’re not interested.

Swayman knows he’s got the Bruins’ starting goalie sewn up. He loves being a Bruins and playing in Boston. He also opted not to go to arbitration when he had the chance. That should tell us all we need to know about his interest in an offer sheet.

His negotiations could take time but that’s common. Most RFA contract talks can take most of the summer before a resolution is reached. It’s doubtful there’s any real concern here.

The Canadiens could make a “revenge play” against the Hurricanes by targeting Seth Jarvis.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens could make that move if Marc Bergevin was still their general manager. His attempt at signing Sebastian Aho in 2019 prompted the retaliatory Kotkaniemi signing two years later. The current Habs management probably isn’t interested in going down that road.

Swimming in cap space, the Detroit Red Wings can match any offer for Moritz Seider and/or Lucas Raymond. Whether someone attempts to set the market for them is the bigger question.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s doubtful that any club will attempt it. That move will only succeed in pissing off every general manager around the league for setting the market value for comparable players.

A rival club could attempt to squeeze the cap-strapped Edmonton Oilers by pitching an offer sheet to Dylan Holloway or Philip Broberg.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Possible but unlikely. Holloway and Broberg are in the early stages of their NHL careers. They might not pan out as hoped.

Sadler also suggested Quinton Byfield of the Los Angeles Kings, Cole Perfetti of the Winnipeg Jets and Dawson Mercer of the New Jersey Devils. An offer sheet to any one of them could mess up their team’s plans to sign them to an affordable bridge contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Another possibility but only if the player is willing to entertain offer-sheet proposals. Those three might not be interested in such deals.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 25, 2024

by | Mar 25, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – March 25, 2024

A look at some of this summer’s notable restricted free agents in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox recently listed the latest rumors and reports regarding this summer’s top-12 restricted free agents.

The Vancouver Canucks recently offered an eight-year, $52-million contract extension ($6.5 million average annual value) to Filip Hronek. However, the 26-year-old defenseman’s camp rejected that proposal. Fox believes the Canucks want to keep Hronek’s salary below Quinn Hughes’ $7.85 million AAV but the blueline could try to push it into the $7 million range.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hronek is completing a three-year deal with an AAV of $4.4 million. He’s enjoying a career-high performance in his contract year with 45 points in 71 games. Hronek has arbitration rights and is a year away from UFA eligibility. It could cost the Canucks between $7 million and $7.5 million annually to keep him in the fold.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider (NHL Images).

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider is completing his entry-level contract. Fox doubted that Wings general manager Steve Yzerman would attempt to lowball the 23-year-old blueliner. He speculated Seider could get an eight-year deal worth $8.6 million annually.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seider is the Wings’ best defenseman and a key piece of their rebuilding roster, winning the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2021-22. He’s yet to reach his playing prime. A long-term deal at $8.6 million AAV could become a bargain over time.

The Buffalo Sabres trading Casey Mittelstadt to the Colorado Avalanche earlier this month was based on the belief they would be unable to re-sign him to a long-term extension. Following the trade, the 25-year-old center pointed out how much the Avalanche wanted him by giving up defenseman Bowen Byram in return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mittelstadt seems to be settling in well as the Avalanche’s second-line center. A strong performance over the rest of the regular season and in the 2024 playoffs will ensure he’ll get a lucrative long-term extension.

While Fox thinks Seider will get a long-term deal from the Wings, he believes Lucas Raymond could end up with a short-term contract. Like Seider, he’s completing his entry-level deal. Fox pointed out that Yzerman signed Alex DeBrincat last summer to a four-year contract averaging $7.875 million per season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see how Yzerman handles Raymond’s contract situation. The 21-year-old winger leads the Wings in scoring with career highs in goals (24), assists (36) and points (60), but he has had bouts of inconsistency in his short NHL career.

Fox wondered if the Carolina Hurricanes will attempt to sign Seth Jarvis to a bridge deal coming out of his entry-level contract or bet big that the 22-year-old winger will break out and sign him to a long-term deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After struggling at times during his sophomore campaign, Jarvis has played well this season for the Hurricanes, sitting third in scoring with a career-high 57 points. I’d say bet big and lock him up long-term. A bridge deal could make him more expensive to sign down the road.

Despite Thomas Harley’s 40-point performance this season, Fox speculates that Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill could sign the 22-year-old defenseman to a bridge deal coming out of his entry-level contract. He noted that Nill did the same with winger Jason Robertson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think Harley will get a bridge deal. This is his first full season after splitting the past two seasons between the Stars and their AHL affiliate.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman refused to comment on an early March report claiming contract extension talks had begun. However, he didn’t deny the report.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Swayman signed an affordable one-year deal last summer due to the Bruins’ limited cap space for this season. He’s going to get a big raise over his $3.475 million and will likely take over as their full-time starter next season. There’s already speculation that his goalie partner Linus Ullmark could be traded during the offseason.

Fox noted the emergence of Quinton Byfield this season leaves Los Angeles Kings GM Rob Blake facing a big decision. He could sign the 20-year-old forward to a bridge deal or attempt to ink him to a long-term contract. Fox suggested the latter might come in between $6.5 and $7 million annually.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On the one hand, it’s tough to justify a lucrative long-term deal based on one good year. On the other, it’ll cost a lot more than $7 million to sign Byfield coming off a bridge deal if he continues to improve as projected. He’s steadily improved with each season.

Hurricanes winger Martin Necas is completing a two-year bridge deal worth $3 million annually and has arbitration rights. The 25-year-old forward is in a position to justify a significant raise.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Necas has surfaced in trade rumors over the past two seasons. He might end up getting that raise from another club.

Turning to the remaining players on Fox’s list, Matty Beniers’ struggles in his sophomore season could see the 2023 Calder Trophy winner getting a short-term bridge deal from the Seattle Kraken.

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Sean Durzi will seek a lucrative offer coming off his bridge contract. He’s on pace for a career-best performance.

The Buffalo Sabres could try to sign Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to a mid-term deal. He’s performed well this season but it’s a small sample size to justify a long-term contract.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 13, 2024

by | Feb 13, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – February 13, 2024

Check out the latest on Jake Guentzel, Juuse Saros, Chris Tanev, Vladimir Tarasenko and Jake Allen in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

PENGUINS REPORTEDLY SET A HIGH PRICE FOR GUENTZEL

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Nick Horwat cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman speculating the Pittsburgh Penguins will set a high price for Jake Guentzel if they put the 29-year-old winger on the trade block.

Friedman pointed to what the Philadelphia Flyers received from the Florida Panthers two years ago in the Claude Giroux trade. That deal fetched the Flyers a first-round pick in 2024, a third-rounder in 2023 and winger Owen Tippett, who’s blossomed into a scorer in Philadelphia.

Horwat’s colleague Adam Proteau believes the Penguins should move Guentzel if a team is willing to meet their high asking price. Trading him away would hurt in the short term but could prove beneficial over the long run.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Despite Guentzel’s offensive numbers, team captain Sidney Crosby’s stellar play and Tristan Jarry’s solid goaltending, the Penguins are struggling to remain in the chase for a wild card spot.

The Penguins tried to make one more Stanley Cup run by re-signing aging stars Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang two years ago. Under new management last summer, they brought in Erik Karlsson and Reilly Smith.

It’s time to accept reality. The Penguins are not a Stanley Cup contender and haven’t been for several years. They’re not even holding a playoff spot right now. Even if they somehow rally and clinch a berth in the 2024 postseason they’ll probably be eliminated in the first round.

The Penguins don’t have to tear this roster down completely but they must restock with promising young talent for now as well as the future. If someone is willing to overpay for Guentzel, Dubas must pull the trigger.

SAROS RESURFACES IN THE RUMOR MILL

SPORTSNET: During Monday’s “32 Thoughts” podcast, Elliotte Friedman brought up Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros as an intriguing trade target for teams seeking a starting goaltender. He noted the Predators are looking for a top offensive player and Saros could be the kind of guy to fetch that type of return.

Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (NHL Images).

The New Jersey Devils are searching for help between the pipes and recently spoke with the Calgary Flames about Jacob Markstrom, who carries a $6 million cap hit. However, the Devils have limited salary-cap space and the Flames could be reluctant to retain salary for a player signed through 2025-26.

Regarding Saros, Friedman noted the name of Los Angeles Kings center Quinton Byfield has been tossed around. However, he doubts Saros would fetch Byfield. The Carolina Hurricanes are another club in need of goaltending. Friedman mentioned Martin Necas could be attractive to the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Saros, 28, is slated to become a UFA next summer. The Predators aren’t under pressure to move him now.

Predators GM Barry Trotz earlier this season said he intended to speak with Saros’ agent about opening contract extension talks on July 1. Even if that plan has changed, Trotz isn’t likely to trade his starting goalie while his team is battling for a wild-card berth.

Everything I’ve read and heard coming out of Nashville is skeptical of the Predators moving Saros. They point to the trade talk that swirled about him leading up to last year’s deadline but nothing came of it. They don’t expect anything to happen now.

Nashville Hockey Now’s Clay Brewer made a good point when he noted that it’s rare these days for a starting goalie to fetch a big return. He thinks the Predators should consider moving Saros if the return is two top prospects or young NHL players plus two high draft picks. He’s not holding his breath expecting anyone to pitch that type of offer.

FLAMES SEEKING A FIRST-ROUNDER FOR TANEV

CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal spoke yesterday with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman about Calgary Flames defenseman Chris Tanev. Friedman believes the Flames seek a first-round pick for the 34-year-old Tanev but teams are offering up second-round picks.

Asked if the Vancouver Canucks could do that, Friedman didn’t think so. Nevertheless, he believes the Canucks have a lot of time for Tanev, who began his NHL career in Vancouver.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tanev spent 10 of his 14 NHL seasons with the Canucks before signing with the Flames in 2020. Speaking of the Flames’ asking price, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun suggested it was a second-rounder plus another asset or a first-rounder if teams lacked a second-round pick.

UPDATE ON TARASENKO

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Vladimir Tarasenko isn’t paying any attention to the trade rumors swirling about him as he considers his options with the March 8 trade deadline approaching. The 32-year-old Senators winger is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and carries a no-trade clause. He has 34 points in 46 games this season.

Tarasenko hasn’t ruled out re-signing with the Senators. He wouldn’t say if he’s spoken with general manager Steve Staios about the situation.

Garrioch noted that Tarasenko recently changed agents again but doubted that it had to do with signing a contract extension with the Senators. He cited an insider claiming the winger made this move to get a contract extension in place with a new club before agreeing to waive his no-trade clause.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the Senators mired near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, I’ll be surprised if Tarasenko isn’t moved by the March 8 trade deadline. Whether he can get a contract extension as part of the condition of a trade remains to be seen. Interested clubs could be leery about investing long-term before seeing how well he performs for them first.

UPDATE ON JAKE ALLEN

TVA SPORTS: Tony Marinaro and Jean-Charles Lajoie believe Jake Allen’s recent poor performance will adversely affect the Montreal Canadiens’ goaltender’s value in the trade market.

They believe Allen doesn’t want to leave the Canadiens. They speculate he was likely offered a role with the franchise following his playing career.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Allen’s enduring the worst season of his career with the Canadiens carrying three goalies. He seems like the odd man out with Sam Montembeault becoming their starter while promising Cayden Primeau looking more and more like Montembeault’s backup.

Some general managers could blame Allen’s struggles this season on the Habs three-goalie system. One of them could take the chance on him regaining his form with a change of scenery with a traditional two-goalie system..

Canadiens GM Kent Hughes said he’s comfortable carrying all three goalies for the rest of the season. However, it’s believed he’s still willing to trade Allen.

Some observers think Hughes has set his asking price for Allen and won’t budge from it. He’s signed through next season so Hughes doesn’t have to move him at the trade deadline. He could wait until the offseason for a club to meet his price.