NHL Rumor Mill – October 7, 2023

by | Oct 7, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – October 7, 2023

Check out the latest on Predators’ goaltender Juuse Saros, goalies to watch as waiver candidates, and which Blues defensemen could be the odd man out this season in the NHL Rumor Mill.

TROTZ SAYS SAROS IS PART OF THE PREDATORS LONG-TERM PLANS

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun recently reported Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz wants Juuse Saros to be part of the club’s long-term plans. The 28-year-old goaltender is in the second-last season of his four-year contract, paying him an average annual value of $5 million.

Trotz told LeBrun that he’s already reached out to Saros’ agent to determine their thoughts on discussing a contract extension. Whether the Predators are rebuilding or retooling, he wants his starting goaltender on the roster.

Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Saros has occasionally surfaced in the rumor mill this season as some pundits have suggested he could become trade bait given his contract status and the current state of the Predators. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July 2025 and his current deal plus his status among the league’s best netminders would make him an attractive trade target around the league.

The presence of promising Yaroslav Askarov also prompted questions about Saros’ future in Nashville.

Trotz is obviously keen to keep Saros but we’ve yet to hear what the goalie wants to do. It’s probably fair to say that he’ll be willing to listen to whatever the Predators GM is willing to pitch for contract offers.

The earliest the two sides can technically begin contract talks is July 1 of next year. However, they can get the ball rolling with casual discussions regarding the framework for a new deal.

If the two sides fail to reach an agreement on an extension Saros could become a trade candidate sometime during the 2024-25 campaign. For now, however, it appears that he won’t be shopped this season.

GOALIES TO WATCH ON THE WAIVER WIRE

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuck discussed goaltenders they’re watching on the waiver wire as teams finalize their rosters for the upcoming start of the regular season.

Among the notables are Detroit’s Alex Lyon, Toronto’s Martin Jones, Montreal’s Cayden Primeau, Buffalo’s Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Los Angeles’ David Rittich, St. Louis’ Malcolm Subban, Florida’s Anthony Stolarz and Pittsburgh’s Magnus Hellberg.

Luukkonen was the name that most interested Yaremchuk, who wondered about his chances of clearing if he gets put on waivers. Seravalli pointed out that the Sabres have sufficient cap space to carry three goalies to start the season without putting Luukkonen on waivers.

Lyon and Jones are also fascinating names for Seravalli. He doubts the Leafs will head into this season with three goalies. He also indicated the Canadiens had yet to make a decision about Primeau.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seravalli also wondered about Stolarz’s situation with the Panthers but that’s been rectified with Spencer Knight being loaned to their AHL affiliate soon after this report aired on Friday.

The intrigue over what those clubs will do with their extra goalies is mostly due to pundits pondering what the Tampa Bay Lightning will do to address the loss of starter Andrei Vasilevskiy. He’s out for a couple of months following lower-back surgery, leaving them with Jonas Johansson and his 35 games of NHL experience and 29-year-old rookie Matt Tomkins.

Most believe the cap-strapped Lightning could pluck one of these aforementioned goalies off the waiver wire to bolster their depth between the pipes until Vasilevskiy’s return. We’ll learn their intentions between now and Tuesday.

LATEST ON THE BLUES

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford recently examined the St. Louis Blues’ depth on defense to determine who’s in beyond their top four of Torey Krug, Nick Leddy, Justin Faulk and Colton Parayko.

Rutherford noted they have five defensemen battling for four positions if they opt to carry eight for this season or three spots if they carry seven. He thinks it could come down to Marco Scandella or Calle Rosen. Both are in the final season of their respective contracts.

Scandella carries a cap hit of $3.275 million plus a seven-team no-trade list making him difficult to move. Rosen wouldn’t fetch much of a return as a depth player but there’s a risk that he might not clear if placed on waivers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If push comes to shove it’ll likely be Rosen as he’d be the easiest to move.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 7, 2023

by | Aug 7, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – August 7, 2023

The Canadiens reacquired Jeff Petry from the Penguins but he might not be with them for long. Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan noted the return of Jeff Petry to the Canadiens from the Pittsburgh Penguins in yesterday’s three-team trade that saw the San Jose Sharks ship Erik Karlsson to the Penguins. The Habs received Petry with a lower average annual value of $4.687 million through 2024-25 as the Penguins retained over $1.56 million of his $6.25 million AAV.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry in 2021-22 (NHL Images).

The Canadiens traded Petry to the Penguins last summer, along with center Ryan Poehling, for defenseman Mike Matheson and a 2023 fourth-round pick. He had requested a trade during the 2021-22 season for family reasons after his wife, Julie, was upset over the COVID restrictions in Quebec and moved the family back to Michigan.

Cowan wonders how long Petry will be with the Canadiens. He believes general manager Kent Hughes will most likely be looking to trade him again. However, if the 35-year-old blueliner isn’t traded he’ll provide the Habs young blueline with a veteran right-shot presence.

SPORTSNET’s Eric Engels believes the Canadiens will trade Petry. “Not necessarily immediately, but likely before the season starts.” He noted that the Penguins have already paid Petry’s $3 million signing bonus for this season and the Canadiens can retain 50 percent of their share of his AAV ($2.34 million).

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marc Dumont also speculated the Canadiens could attempt to move Petry either before the season starts or at some point before the regular season trade deadline.

Dumont noted Petry still put up 31 points in 61 games with the Penguins last season despite his age and the decline in his performance. He thinks there would be some teams looking to add a top-four defenseman like Petry at a discounted price.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was some buzz on social media suggesting Hughes could flip Petry to another club in a matter of hours. That move hasn’t materialized yet but it’s possible the Canadiens GM ships out the veteran defenseman for a return that helps with their current rebuild. Retaining up to half of their share of his AAV would make Petry an affordable short-term option for contenders seeking an experienced right-side rearguard.

TVA SPORTS: Mylene Richard noted the Canadiens’ acquisition of Casey DeSmith from the Penguins leaves them with four goaltenders under one-way NHL contracts for 2023-24. The others included Samuel Montembeault, Jake Allen and Cayden Primeau.

Richard suggested DeSmith could be insurance for the Canadiens if Primeau fails to earn a spot on their roster and ends up on waivers before the start of the season.

TVA Sports analyst Patrick Lalime speculates the Canadiens could attempt to shop one of those goalies, suggesting it could be Allen or DeSmith who end up on the trade block.

SPORTSNET’s Eric Engels suggested it could be Allen who gets moved if Primeau should unseat him in training camp. He also speculated the Canadiens could start the season with three goalies.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes could also move DeSmith if Montembeault, Allen and Primeau outperform him during training camp. One of these four probably won’t be with the Canadiens when the regular season begins in October.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 9, 2022

by | Sep 9, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 9, 2022

Erik Karlsson intends to stick with the Sharks, Carey Price sends a message to his fans, John Tortorella has concerns about the Flyers, Nazem Kadri makes a big charitable donation, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE ATHLETIC: Erik Karlsson has no plans to request a trade from the San Jose Sharks. “No, I committed here a long time ago,” he said. The 32-year-old defenseman is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $11.5 million.

San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images).

Karlsson, 32, acknowledged things haven’t gone the way they wanted to earlier in his tenure with the Sharks. However, he said he’s excited about the future and believes the club can be successful again.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Karlsson has also been hampered by injuries since joining the Sharks in a trade from the Ottawa Senators in 2018. The former two-time Norris Trophy winner told The Athletic he intends to be more cautious in dealing with future injury rather than attempt to play through the pain.

Karlsson’s contract would make him difficult to move if he did want out or if new Sharks general manager Mike Grier wanted to move him. In addition to that big cap hit, he carries a full no-movement clause.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Canadiens goaltender Carey Price posted a heartfelt “thank you” message to his fans on his Instagram account. The 35-year-old goaltender is on long-term injury reserve as a nagging knee injury threatens to end his playing career.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: More than a few people felt the tone of the message suggested Price may be acknowledging that his playing days are over. For now, however, neither he nor the Canadiens have suggested that he’ll be hanging up his pads.

Speaking of the Canadiens, they signed restricted free agent goalie Cayden Primeau to a three-year deal with an AAV of $890K.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Primeau, 23, is expected to start this season with the Canadiens AHL affiliate in Laval.

THE SCORE: cites John Tortorella telling SiriusXM NHL that he has “major concerns” about the mood in the Philadelphia Flyers dressing room. He was hired as their new head coach earlier in the offseason.

Tortorella made the assessment after speaking with players, management and other team personnel. “Before we even step on the ice, situations and standards and accountability in the room is forefront,” he said. “You can’t get squat done on the ice until you get your room straightened out, and I think we have a little bit of work to do there.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers are coming off a hellish season that saw them endure two long, season-killing winless skids, an early-season coaching change, and the departure of long-time captain Claude Giroux at the trade deadline. It’s no wonder morale is probably low right now.

A two-time winner of the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year, Tortorella has a good reputation for turning around struggling teams. Improving the Flyers will be a challenge but one he’s capable of handling.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Nazem Kadri has given back to his hometown of London, Ontario. The 31-year-old center donated $1 million to the London Health Sciences Centre. Kadri signed a seven-year contract last month with the Calgary Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A very generous gift by Kadri toward an excellent cause.

BALLY SPORTS MIDWEST’s Andy Strickland reports the St. Louis Blues and Jordan Kyrou are working on a new contract. “Told talks between the two sides have been very good.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kyrou, 24, is coming off a career-best 75-point performance. He’s entering the final season of a two-year deal with an AAV of $2.8 million and will likely get a significant raise on a long-term contract.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist has returned to the club in a new role. The position sees him support business operations for Madison Square Garden Corp. and MSG Entertainment Corp. He’ll also return to his role as a Rangers TV analyst on MSG Network.

Lundqvist, 40, announced his retirement last year. He holds franchise records with 459 career wins, 64 shutouts, and games played (887) during his 15 seasons with the Rangers.

SPORTSNET: Shane Doan is taking a step back from the Arizona Coyotes. He rejoined the Coyotes in 2021 as their Chief Hockey Development Officer following his retirement after 1,466 games with the franchise.

“I don’t want this to be seen in any way that hurts the organization. I want the arena bid to be successful for hockey’s long-term future in the Valley,” said Doan. He added that he fully supports second-year coach Andre Tourigny and would help him in any way if asked.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report suggests Doan is making this decision for family reasons. The report said he’ll be spending more time with his four children. His son, Josh, is a Coyotes draft pick who’s starting his second year at Arizona State University.

THE ATHLETIC: Columbus Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner recently said he’s feeling much better following a season-ending back injury and looking forward to the coming season. “I’m feeling good, ready to go, absolutely,” he said. The 29-year-old center said his offseason training has gone well and he believes he can be a significant contributor to the Jackets.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Mathieu Perreault is retiring as an NHL player to move into a broadcasting position with TVA Sports. A hardworking and versatile 34-year-old forward, he spent 13 seasons with the Washington Capitals, Anaheim Ducks, Winnipeg Jets and Montreal Canadiens, netting 352 career points in 708 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Perreault in his new job.