NHL Rumor Mill – June 20, 2023

by | Jun 20, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – June 20, 2023

Updates on the goalie trade market plus the latest on Senators winger Alex DeBrincat and Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST GOALIE TRADE MARKET SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck, Anaheim’s John Gibson, Philadelphia’s Carter Hart and New Jersey’s Mackenzie Blackwood could potentially be traded. “We’ll see how those scenarios play out especially closer to the draft in Nashville next week,” he wrote.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (NHL Images).

Hellebuyck looms over everything given his status as a Vezina Trophy finalist. Complicating things is he’ll be seeking a deal comparable to Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy on his next contract. The 30-year-old Hellebucyk is a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hellebuyck camp has informed the Winnipeg Jets that he’s not interested in signing a contract extension with them. The Jets will understandably want the best possible return for him in the trade market. His willingness to sign an extension with his new club will affect how big that return might be.

LeBrun also acknowledged recent trade speculation about Nashville’s Juuse Saros. He indicates that Predators general manager Barry Trotz isn’t shopping the 28-year-old netminder. It would take a significant offer to pry Saros away from the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I believe Trotz will retain Saros if he’s retooling the Predators roster rather than rebuilding.

UPDATE ON DEBRINCAT

DAILY FACEOFF: Mark Larkin lists six potential trade destinations for Alex DeBrincat. The 25-year-old Ottawa Senators winger is a restricted free agent who’s a year away from UFA eligibility. He informed the Senators that he was not interested in a contract extension with them and provided management with a short list of preferred trade destinations.

Larkin listed the Carolina Hurricanes, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues as landing spots for DeBrincat. He also examined why the winger would be a good fit with those clubs as well as the difficulties each could face to acquire him.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Bob Duff cited TSN’s Craig Button suggesting DeBrincat (a Michigan native) would be a good fit with the Red Wings. Duff wondered if the Senators would trade DeBrincat to a division rival.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Red Wings made the best pitch, yes, I think the Senators would ship DeBrincat to Detroit. That being said, their preferred option would be out of the Atlantic Division and preferably to the Western Conference.

The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reported the Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators and Vegas Golden Knights are believed to be on DeBrincat’s trade list along with the Red Wings and Panthers. He lacks no-trade protection so the Senators could ship him anywhere but the preference here is likely to send him to one of the clubs on his list provided they’re willing to sign him to a contract extension.

Of the teams on Larkin’s list, the Wings seem the best fit in terms of cap space and depth in tradeable assets. The Predators could be an intriguing option given new GM Barry Trotz’s willingness to explore the trade market for a scorer.

FLAMES COULD CASH IN WITH HANIFIN

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Steve MacFarlane believes there should be a good market for Flames defenseman Noah Hanafin given the 26-year-old’s age, experience and accomplishment.

Recent reports suggest Hanifin isn’t interested in signing a contract extension with the Flames. He’s a year away from UFA status. MacFarlane suggests a trade seems in store with the draft approaching.

MacFarlane thinks the Flames defense corps can handle trading Hanifin. He envisions MacKenzie Weegar being elevated to their top pairing alongside Rasmus Andersson next season. With Oliver Kylington returning for next season to skate alongside Chris Tanev, the second pairing remains solid.

Hanifin’s departure could make it possible for the Flames to add more dynamic offensive talent either from an existing player or a prospect coming to Calgary in a trade package.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 16, 2023

by | Jun 16, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – June 16, 2023

Check out the latest on Erik Karlsson, Alex DeBrincat, and Brett Pesce in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE SHARKS WILL ATTEMPT TO TRADE KARLSSON

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports San Jose Sharks management met with Erik Karlsson’s representatives last week with both sides agreeing they’ll attempt to get a trade done. The 33-year-old defenseman wants to play for a winner and the Sharks are rebuilding.

San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images).

Karlsson has four more years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $11.5 million. LeBrun wonders if there’s a team out there willing to take on that contract or how much the Sharks will have to retain to get a deal done. Karlsson also has a full no-movement clause giving him the final say.

LeBrun said there’s no guarantee a trade gets done. Nevertheless, several teams have been “kicking tires” in recent days.

THE ATHLETIC: Shayna Goldman and Harman Dayal recently listed the Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators as clubs that could be interested. They admitted it would take “a lot of creativity to overcome the logistical challenges and this exercise revealed the lack of optimal fits.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Goldman and Dayal didn’t state that those teams were in fact interested but merely suggested that they could be good destinations for Karlsson. They also went into greater detail than what I’ve summarized regarding why he might fit with those clubs as well as the considerable obstacles.

Karlsson’s career-best 101-point season would make him a very enticing trade target if not for that hefty contract. His age makes it a gamble for any club taking on those final four years. His cap hit is probably too expensive for any team to acquire with a salary cap rising by just $1 million for next season. His no-movement clause limits where the Sharks can send him.

It was rumored before the trade deadline that the Sharks were willing to retain 20 percent of Karlsson’s cap hit. They’ll have to go much higher than that. The creativity Goldman and Dayal referred to includes a three-team trade where the cap hit gets spread around so the receiving team pays considerably less. However, that could still mean the Sharks retain up to 50 percent.

Anything’s possible, of course, and the Sharks might surprise us and pull this off. Still, it’s going to be a daunting challenge.

WILL THE SENATORS AND DEBRINCAT END UP IN ARBITRATION?

TSN: Chris Johnston noted the Ottawa Senators electing to take Alex DeBrincat to arbitration is setting a window for when the 25-year-old winger is traded. DeBrincat would be more valuable to them in the trade market if he’s on a multi-year contract. Johnston anticipates they’ll want to trade him by the end of July or early August when the arbitration hearings are underway.

Johnston believes the Senators will push to get a trade done much sooner than that, perhaps sooner than the upcoming NHL Draft (June 28-29). There’s said to be very strong interest from the small list of trade destinations the DeBrincat camp provided to the Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Taking DeBrincat to arbitration has given the Senators control of the situation. As the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch pointed out, the winger can’t sign his $9 million qualifying offer nor can he sign an offer sheet from a rival club. If they do trade him, it gives DeBrincat the opportunity to discuss a contract extension with his new club.

Garrioch believes the Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators, Florida Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights and Detroit Red Wings are on DeBrincat’s list. He also suggested the Carolina Hurricanes, Washington Capitals, St. Louis Blues and Seattle Kraken as destinations, reminding us that the winger lacks no-trade protection.

COULD THE HURRICANES TRADE PESCE?

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Carolina Hurricanes hope to re-sign Brett Pesce to a contract extension this summer. Failing that, however, he believes they could shop the 28-year-old defenseman for the best possible return.

LeBrun indicated the Buffalo Sabres have reached out to the Hurricanes regarding Pesce’s status. Darren Dreger, meanwhile, believes the Edmonton Oilers could also be interested. He acknowledged the cap-strapped Oilers would have to shed salary by perhaps trading winger Warren Foegele or defenseman Cody Ceci in a cost-cutting move.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Edmonton Journal’s David Staples expressed skepticism over whether the Oilers can acquire Pesce. He believes the Hurricanes’ asking price will be high (likely a first-rounder and a good young player) plus he doesn’t think the Oilers can afford to sign Pesce to a long-term contract. He also doubted the Hurricanes would be interested in Foegele or Ceci or Kailer Yamamoto as part of the return.

Buffalo Hockey Now’s Michael Augello, meanwhile, suggested the Sabres could be in on Pesce as a one-year rental, though it would also make sense for them to try and sign him to a long-term extension.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 16, 2023

by | Jun 16, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 16, 2023

The Devils sign Jesper Bratt to an eight-year deal but will take Timo Meier to arbitration, the Senators also elect arbitration for Alex DeBrincat, Jarome Iginla returns to the Flames and John LeClair to the Flyers. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils re-signed Jesper Bratt to an eight-year, $63 million contract on Thursday. The average annual value is $7.87 million.

New Jersey Devils winger Jesper Bratt (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bratt was slated to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1. He is completing a one-year contract worth $5.45 million. The cap hit also keeps him below Jack Hughes’ $8 million AAV, which leads all Devils forwards.

The 24-year-old winger’s new contract is front-loaded. He’ll earn $10 million in actual salary next season, declining gradually down to $6 million in 2030-31. He also gets a full no-movement clause from 2024-25 to 2027-28, after which it becomes a 15-team no-trade clause with his no-movement preventing him from being sent to the minors.

It’s a significant investment in Bratt by the Devils. He earned this raise with back-to-back 73-point performances. With their Stanley Cup window opening, they obviously consider the winger to be a key part of their future. It will be money well-invested if Bratt maintains that level of production through most of this contract.

The Devils also filed team-elected arbitration with Timo Meier. They had hoped to get the 26-year-old winger signed up for the same term as Bratt but he seeks more money.

Meier was acquired from the San Jose Sharks before the March trade deadline. The Sharks reportedly went over $9 million annually in their efforts to re-sign him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This report suggests that taking Meier to arbitration is a way of buying time as the two sides continue to negotiate a new contract. The date for his hearing will be sometime in July or August but both sides could hammer out an agreement on a deal before then.

Meier is coming off a four-year contract with an AAV of $6 million. However, he earned $10 million in actual salary, which is what it would’ve cost the Devils to qualify his rights. In the worst-case scenario, the team-elected arbitration would reduce that qualifying offer to $8.5 million as one-year arbitration awards can be at 85 percent of the QO.

This move also ensures Meier won’t receive an offer sheet. Given how high his qualifying offer amount would’ve been, it’s doubtful that any club would’ve attempted to go that route.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators are taking winger Alex DeBrincat to team-elected arbitration. If the two sides fail to reach an agreement on a new contract, the arbitration award would be 85 percent of his $9 million qualifying offer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeBrincat, 25, earned $6.4 million annually on his current contract but $9 million in actual salary this season. The report also indicates the Senators are actively shopping him and would prefer to get a deal done before July 1.

If they’re unable to move him, getting him signed to a one-year deal at $7.65 million provides them with cap flexibility to add another player. It would also perhaps make him more enticing as a trade candidate.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Jarome Iginla has returned to the Flames as the special advisor to general manager Craig Conroy. The all-time franchise leader in scoring and games played, the popular former captain was traded by the Flames to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2013.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Iginla spent 16 of his 20 NHL seasons in Calgary. He retired as a player in 2018 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2020.

It was long assumed that Iginla might one day return to the Flames in a front-office role. Conroy said he and his former teammate used to talk about one day working together in the NHL.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers yesterday announced John LeClair is returning to the club as a special advisor of hockey operations. He spent 10 seasons with the Flyers from 1994-95 to 2003-04, scoring 333 goals and 310 assists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: LeClair was part of the Flyers’ famed “Legion of Doom” line alongside Eric Lindros and Mikael Renberg. He’s among their single-season leaders in goals (51) and career leaders in goals and points (643).

LeClair joins general manager Daniel Briere, president of hockey operations Keith Jones and special advisor to hockey ops Patrick Sharp among former Flyers recently hired to front-office roles.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad will undergo shoulder surgery that could keep him out of training camp in September. He expects to be ready to go by the time the regular season begins in October.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ekblad is the second Panthers blueliner undergoing shoulder surgery. However, he’s expected to be ready to return in time for the start of training camp.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars traded forward Fredrik Olofsson’s rights to the Colorado Avalanche for future considerations. They also re-signed goaltender Matt Murray to a one-year, two-way contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No, not that Matt Murray, Leafs fans…

NHL.COM: The order of selection for all seven rounds of the upcoming 2023 NHL Draft has been released. Round one begins on June 28 with the following six rounds on June 29.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bear in mind that this list could be revised if there are trades involving 2023 draft picks leading up to June 28.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Tampa Bay Lightning are reportedly set to sell a minority stake of their franchise to private equity group Arctos Sports Partners for a record $1.4 billion.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Last fall, Forbes indicated that 14 of the NHL’s 32 teams were valued at $1 billion or higher, with the Lightning sitting 14th at $1 billion. Selling their minority stake for more than its estimated value will have a ripple effect on the value of the other NHL franchises.

ESPN.COM: Las Vegas police arrested a man who threatened to carry out a mass shooting at T-Mobile Arena just four hours before Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final was played there.

Court records indicate the man has arrests in Las Vegas on various charges stretching back to 2014. He was also arrested last October on a felony charge of threatening an act of terrorism or mass destruction.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 15, 2023

by | Jun 15, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – June 15, 2023

How will the impending sale of the Senators affect their offseason plans? What’s the latest on the Canadiens? Could the Predators explore this summer’s trade market? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE SENATORS

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports speculation began over what changes Michael Andlauer could make to the Senators following news of his agreement in principle to purchase the club. Whatever he has in store must wait until the sale is officially completed, which could take several weeks or months.

Ottawa Senators winger Alex DeBrincat (NHL Images).

That won’t affect the offseason plans of general manager Pierre Dorion and his staff as they prepare for the upcoming draft in Nashville (June 28-29) and the start of the free-agent period on July 1. Dorion must also consider possible trade options for restricted free-agent winger Alex DeBrincat.

DeBrincat lacks a no-trade clause but he and his agent provided the Senators with a list of preferred trade destinations. Garrioch reports the list includes his hometown Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars. He pointed out that the Panthers and Golden Knights lack the salary-cap space to make a deal for DeBrincat so there would have to be some major juggling to do that.

Garrioch also indicated that DeBrincat will receive his $9 million qualifying offer from the Senators on June 25. Dorion will have until 5 pm Monday to determine if he’ll elect arbitration in the hope of getting a 15 percent discount on that qualifying offer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s anticipated that the Senators will attempt to move DeBrincat prior to the first round (June 28) of this year’s draft. As Garrioch noted, this is the time to strike when the iron’s hot while general managers have the cap space and the willingness to spend in the trade market.

The Red Wings have plenty of cap space and need additional scoring. However, they could be seeking more of a power forward than a finesse player.

I doubt the Golden Knights and Panthers will get into the bidding. Nevertheless, their respective general managers have well-earned reputations for making significant moves.

Like the Golden Knights and Panthers, the Stars lack sufficient cap room. GM Jim Nill could be in the market for more affordable depth. Encouraged by the play of promising young players like Wyatt Johnston, he could also promote a youngster such as Mavrik Bourque.

UPDATE ON THE CANADIENS

THE ATHLETIC: Arpon Basu confirmed a Radio-Canada report claiming the Montreal Canadiens are attempting to move up in the 2023 first-round draft order. Currently holding the fifth-overall pick, they’ve attempted to swap picks with the fourth-overall San Jose Sharks and have contacted the Anaheim Ducks about the second-overall selection.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Basu observed that the cost of jumping to second overall would be astronomical but worth it to land a highly-touted prospect like Adam Fantilli. If this wasn’t Connor Bedard’s draft year, Fantilli would be the favorite to go first overall.

I don’t see the Habs prying that pick away from the Ducks but it doesn’t hurt to ask. The same goes for trying to get the Sharks’ pick.

Basu also reports the Canadiens will not buy out winger Mike Hoffman. The first contract buyout window for NHL teams opens today and runs until 5 pm ET on June 30. They are willing to retain half of Hoffman’s $4.5 million cap hit in a trade but that seems unlikely to happen given he didn’t produce enough to justify the cost.

The Canadiens won’t be tendering a qualifying offer to restricted free agent Denis Gurianov. However, they haven’t ruled out signing him as an unrestricted free agent to a one-year deal at a reduced rate.

They’re also interested in signing pending UFA center Sean Monahan to an affordable one-year deal to give him a chance to prove he can stay healthy and improve his value in next summer’s free-agent market.

PREDATORS EXPLORING THE TRADE MARKET

NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW: Michael Gallagher reports Predators general manager Barry Trotz intends to go shopping for offensive-minded players in this summer’s trade market. He’s willing to spend as much of the club’s $15.5 million in projected cap space for 2023-24 as possible to achieve that aim.

Trotz doesn’t anticipate he’ll be a big player in this summer’s UFA market, describing it as “a little bit lean.” He also wants to add players “that fit our culture.” He’s pitched trade offers to clubs that are looking to shed salary.

Gallagher observed there are three teams (Montreal, Tampa Bay and Vancouver) with less than $1 million in cap space. He also noted there will be several others looking to move a player with a sizable cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens will garner $10.5 million in cap relief by placing all-but-retired sidelined goalie Carey Price on long-term injury reserve. Still, they’ll be open to moving out a veteran forward like Mike Hoffman to free up cap room.

Meanwhile, the Lightning will garner over $6.8 million in LTIR cap relief due to permanently sidelined defenseman Brent Seabrook.

It’s been well-documented the Canucks are actively trying to shed salary. They’re believed to be shopping Conor Garland but Trotz might have his eye on scoring winger Brock Boeser.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 10, 2023

by | Jun 10, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – June 10, 2023

Why does Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois want to be traded? Does Alex DeBrincat prefer to stay with the Senators? Could the Predators shop Juuse Saros? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHY DOES DUBOIS WANT TO LEAVE THE JETS?

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS: Mike McIntyre believes the Jets should look inward as to why Pierre-Luc Dubois doesn’t want to sign a contract extension and is seeking a trade this summer. He thinks the club would be wise to discover the reasons and fast, even if it reveals some uncomfortable truths.

Winnipeg Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois (NHL Images).

McIntyre notes that Dubois is coming off the most productive season of his young NHL career with 27 goals and 36 assists in 73 games. He pointed out that the 24-year-old center was a fan favorite for his passion and emotion and was increasingly relied on by the Jets coaching staff in big moments.

Dubois is a Canadian player in a Canadian market, one where his father is an assistant coach for their farm team that plays in the same arena. The Jets would open the vault to re-sign him and he’s bound to take on a greater role within their leadership.

McIntyre acknowledged part of the problem could be Dubois himself, pointing to his departure from the Columbus Blue Jackets. However, he also believes the young center has seen plenty of dysfunction within the Jets’ dressing room over the past three seasons. McIntyre also doesn’t buy into the theory that Dubois doesn’t enjoy playing under a big spotlight when his preferred destination is reportedly his hometown of Montreal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some of this could be on Dubois but the Jets’ internal issues among their leadership group have been well-documented over the past two seasons. Perhaps what he needs is a good work environment with the right coach and teammates.

Whatever the reason, Dubois has made it clear that his future iS not in Winnipeg. Once the Jets front office addresses that issue, they must do something about the rumored toxic atmosphere behind the scenes that have plagued this club for some time.

DEBRINCAT OPEN TO STAYING IN OTTAWA

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Steve Warne cites a source claiming Alex DeBrincat remains open to staying with the Ottawa Senators despite the recent trade rumors. However, he is looking for contract term like the eight-year deal that Cole Caufield got with the Montreal Canadiens.

The source claims DeBrincat likes head coach DJ Smith a lot and loves the team. Nevertheless, Warne noted the winger provided the Senators with a list of trade destinations.

Warne finds it curious why the Senators would need an answer from DeBrincat regarding his contract by draft day. He pointed out that the Senators have made solid trades in the recent past at other points on the calendar.

If the Senators truly want to keep DeBrincat long-term, Warne believes it would be sensible to wait a while longer. He thinks it wouldn’t dramatically affect the ability to make a good trade with the winger later on if they need to go that route.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeBrincat said during his end-of-season press conference that he’s open to anything. However, he wants to wait and see what happens with the sale of the club. That could explain why the Senators want to find out about his intentions by June 28.

As Warne noted, the new ownership could also affect whether the current management and coaching staffs remain in place. DeBrincat might not want to commit long-term only to end up with a Senators team that fails to improve and a new head coach that he doesn’t get along with.

KINGS ATTEMPTED TO ACQUIRE SAROS FROM THE PREDATORS

NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW: Michael Gallagher recently reported that the Predators had discussions with the Los Angeles Kings before the March trade deadline about Juuse Saros. The 28-year-old Predators goaltender was a finalist in 2022 for the Vezina Trophy.

Gallagher indicated the Predators’ asking price was two first-round picks in 2023 plus more. The Kings balked at that and instead acquired Joonas Korpisalo from Columbus.

It’s unlikely that the Kings will revisit their interest in Saros. Nevertheless, Gallagher believes the netminder’s future in Nashville is fuzzy under new general manager Barry Trotz. He noted that trading a Vezina-caliber goalie with two years left on his contract with a reasonable average annual value of $5 million could fetch a haul of prospects and draft picks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trading Saros would be a shocking move. It depends on whether Trotz intends to retool or rebuild the Predators roster. If it’s the former, Saros will be a key piece of that program. If Trotz is rebuilding, he could view Saros as a valuable trade chip that kickstarts the process.

KRAKEN COULD USE THEIR CAP SPACE TO LAND ANOTHER IMPACT PLAYER

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Geoff Baker recently speculated that the Kraken could seek to use their cap space this summer to add another impact player. That’s how they acquired winger Oliver Bjorkstrand last year from the Columbus Blue Jackets.

With the cap projected to rise by just $1 million to $83.5 million, Baker noted the Kraken are well-positioned with an estimated $20.3 million in cap space to target cap-strapped clubs looking to dump salary.

Trade targets could include New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere or Vancouver Canucks winger Conor Garland. The Boston Bruins, Dallas Stars, Toronto Maple Leafs and Los Angeles Kings could also attempt to shed salary.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Baker wrote this piece before the Kings shed salary by trading Cal Petersen and Sean Walker to the Flyers in the Ivan Provorov deal. However, the other clubs on his list could be targeted by Kraken GM Ron Francis.

BLACKWOOD AND PULJUJARVI ARE AMONG THOSE WHO MIGHT NOT GET QUALIFYING OFFERS.

DAILY FACEOFF: New Jersey Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood and Carolina Hurricanes winger Jesse Puljujarvi topped Frank Seravalli’s list of restricted free agents who might not get qualifying offers this summer.

Others included Montreal Canadiens winger Denis Gurianov, Anaheim Ducks forward Max Comtois, and Vancouver Canucks defenseman Ethan Bear.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 8, 2023

by | Jun 8, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – June 8, 2023

Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois seeks a summer trade, Alex DeBrincat submits a list of trade destinations to the Senators, and the latest on Carter Hart in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

DUBOIS WANTS A TRADE THIS SUMMER

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports that Pat Brisson, the agent for Pierre-Luc Dubois, has informed the Winnipeg Jets that his client doesn’t intend to sign a contract extension this summer. Brisson would like to work with the Jets to arrange a trade to another team for the 24-year-old center.

The Dubois camp last summer informed Jets management that he didn’t intend to sign a long-term contract with them. He was a restricted free agent last summer and accepted the club’s one-year, $6 million qualifying offer. He’s an RFA this summer but is also a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility.

LeBrun said the Jets can decide to keep him for next season, take him to arbitration or attempt to move him before next year’s trade deadline.

Winnipeg Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois (NHL Images).

Darren Dreger said the Jets prefer not to have to trade their top players and they’re not committed to doing that or extending them. However, he believes there’s potential for them to get a solid return in the trade market for someone like Dubois that would help stabilize the club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff seems to have little room to maneuver with Dubois. It doesn’t do any good to have a player on the roster for one more year that you know is going to walk next summer. Dubois’ situation would overshadow the season and become an unnecessary distraction.

The same goes for goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and center Mark Scheifele. Like Dubois, both are due to become UFAs next July. If they’re also unwilling to re-sign, it’s time to bite the bullet and see what you can get for them before the free-agent market opens on July 1. That’s when teams have more cap space and a willingness to spend on quality talent.

If there aren’t any reasonable offers this summer, Cheveldayoff would be justified to retain them and try his luck at the trade deadline. Dubois’ RFA status could complicate things unless the Jets take him to arbitration.

THE ATHLETIC: LeBrun expounded on his Dubois report, saying the Montreal Canadiens remain an interested party. However, he doesn’t see the Habs paying a fortune in a trade for a player they could bid on in next summer’s free-agent market. LeBrun claims there are a few teams looking into Dubois.

SPORTSNET: Ken Wiebe suggests the Jets allow Brisson to broker a deal with clubs that Dubois would be willing to sign with as it could enhance the return. He thinks a bidding war could take place if the center is open to joining a team like the Los Angeles Kings or Boston Bruins or New York Rangers. However, the Jets won’t have much leverage if it’s Montreal or bust for Dubois.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes have also come up as possible destinations for Dubois. It’ll be interesting to see how this situation unfolds but it’s clear that we’re going to hear a lot more about Dubois in the rumor mill in the coming weeks.

DEBRINCAT PROVIDES SENATORS A LIST OF TRADE DESTINATIONS

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports that Jeff Jackson, the agent for Alex DeBrincat, has submitted a list of preferred trade destinations to the Ottawa Senators. He also believes Senators GM Pierre Dorion would want the 25-year-old winger signed through this trade to get maximum value in return.

THE ATHLETIC: LeBrun said he doesn’t know which teams are on DeBrincat’s list. However, he speculates the likes of Nashville, Vegas and Dallas could be included. He also wondered if the Michigan native would be interested in playing for Detroit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: LeBrun drew a comparison to Matthew Tkachuk’s situation last summer with the Calgary Flames. Tkachuk provided a list of preferred destinations to the Flames which helped shape the deal sending him to the Florida Panthers for Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar.

DeBrincat is a restricted free agent on July 1 who lacks no-trade protection. LeBrun points out that Dorion could send him anywhere. However, he believes it’s better for the Senators to send him to one of the teams on the winger’s list. Those clubs could be interested in signing him, thus ensuring the Senators get a better return.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch believes the Red Wings, Hurricanes, Washington Capitals, Seattle Kraken, Nashville Predators, and St. Louis Blues could be destinations for DeBrincat. Those clubs are all in the market for scoring this summer.

Garrioch noted the Senators were linked to the Philadelphia Flyers because they’re listening to offers for goaltender Carter Hart, prompting some observers to suggest the Senators swap DeBrincat for Hart. However, DeBrincat might not be willing to commit to a long-term contract with a rebuilding club.

Ken Warren, meanwhile, suggests the Senators might be better off using the money they might’ve invested in re-signing DeBrincat to address their roster needs. They require an upgrade in goal as well as a proven two-way, third-line winger.

SPORTSNET: Wayne Scanlan suggests the Senators could get a good asset plus a draft pick. They lack a pick in the first three rounds of this year’s draft.

As for assets, Scanlan suggested there are lots of options from Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck to New Jersey’s Jesper Bratt, who’s also a restricted free agent this summer and a year away from UFA status. He also suggested perhaps getting creative and swinging a three-team deal for someone like Philadelphia’s Travis Konecny or Carter Hart.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Based on LeBrun’s report, I don’t think Winnipeg’s an option here. New Jersey could be depending on how contract talks go with Bratt, but he might not be willing to sign long-term with the Senators. It would be better to pursue someone with some tenure remaining on their contracts. As for Konecny or Hart, see Garrioch’s comment about DeBrincat’s potential reluctance to sign with a rebuilding club.

LATEST ON CARTER HART

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng yesterday cited Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek speculating that the Sharks could be interested in Carter Hart. However, the Flyers could seek a bigger return for the 24-year-old goaltender than what they got in the Ivan Provorov trade earlier this week.

Peng cited a source saying the Flyers could seek two first-round picks as part of the return. That’s something the rebuilding Sharks can afford.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You can’t blame Flyers GM Daniel Briere if he’s setting a high asking price for Hart. He’s not under any pressure to move the young netminder, who’s signed through next season and will be a restricted free agent next July. He can afford to shoot for the moon here and see if someone is willing to take him up on it.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli and Colby Cohen discussed the Los Angeles Kings’ goaltending situation. Seravalli thinks Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck would make a lot of sense for the Kings while Cohen mentioned that Hart was also linked to the Kings.

TORONTO SUN: Terry Koshan doesn’t expect the Maple Leafs to get into the bidding for Hart if the Flyers are willing to move him. He thinks they have a bright future in goal with Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Samsonov and Woll impressed me with their play for the Leafs this season. Given the club’s limited cap space, I can see them sticking with that tandem for 2023-24.