NHL Rumor Mill – October 11, 2023

by | Oct 11, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – October 11, 2023

Conor Garland receives permission from the Canucks to talk trade with other clubs, the Blue Jackets are shopping a defenseman, and the latest on Elias Lindholm and Shane Pinto in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

CANUCKS GIVE GARLAND PERMISSION TO SEEK A TRADE

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Vancouver Canucks have given winger Conor Garland permission to speak with other clubs about a potential trade.

Vancouver Canucks winger Conor Garland (NHL Images).

Friedman’s colleague Iain MacIntyre reported Garland, 27, recently changed agents. Neither the winger nor Canucks management denied the report. Garland declined to get into specifics when speaking to reporters yesterday, claiming it was the focus of his new agent.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston indicates a source informed him that Garland has been open to a trade for at least a year. He also cited Friedman claiming that Judd Moldaver, the winger’s new agent, is “aggressively calling around” to find teams that would be a good fit for his new client.

Johnston also noted that Garland frequently surfaced in trade rumors last season. He added that Canucks GM Patrik Allvin and president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford have explored moving the winger since 2021-22.

TSN: Chris Johnston pointed out that Garland still has three years left on his contract with an average annual value of just under $5 million ($4.95 million). He said the Canucks know they’ll have to retain some salary to get a deal done.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman also noted in his weekly “32 Thoughts” column that a recent injury to defenseman Carson Soucy has the Canucks “peeking at defense options.” Perhaps they can find a suitable blueliner (preferably an experienced right-shot rearguard) using Garland as trade bait.

Given their cap constraints and those of most teams this season, the Canucks would have to retain part of Garland’s annual cap hit to make this work. They could attempt to get a third team involved to broker a deal and spread the cap hit around. Perhaps a “dollar-in, dollar-out” deal is possible.

Garland’s aggressive two-way style of play will draw some interest around the league. Nevertheless, finding a suitable trade partner this early in the season could be difficult, given the salary-cap issues around the league. It might take a few weeks for something to shake out. It could also drag on toward the March 8 trade deadline when some clubs will have accrued enough cap space to make this happen.

BLUE JACKETS INTERESTED IN TRADING A DEFENSEMAN

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reports the Columbus Blue Jackets have spoken to teams in recent days about trading a defenseman off their roster. He said that they’re telling teams they want more flexibility at that position.

Seravalli indicated the Blue Jackets are “open to different possibilities as they weigh value.” He speculated the candidates could be Adam Boqvist, Jake Bean or (to a lesser extent) Andrew Peeke.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets want to move a defenseman. The Canuck have given permission for Conor Garland’s agent to talk trade with other teams. Could there be a fit?

Maybe for right-shot blueliners like Boqvist or Peeke. The Jackets only have just over $3 million in cap space but Boqvist has a $2.6 million cap hit and Peeke’s is $2.75 million. Nevertheless, they could want the Canucks to retain a bit of Garland’s salary in the deal.

It probably won’t happen since the Jackets have a fair bit of depth on their wings while Boqvist or Peeke might not adequately suit the Canucks’ blue-line needs. Still, it doesn’t hurt to speculate a little.

UPDATES ON ELIAS LINDHOLM AND SHANE PINTO

SPORTNET: In his latest “32 Thoughts” column, Elliotte Friedman speculated that the Calgary Flames could use Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele’s new contract as a comparable in their negotiations with Elias Lindholm. Scheifele will earn an average annual value of $8.5 million on a seven-year contract starting next season.

However, it’s believed Lindholm is in the $9 million range. The Flames have also reopened talks with pending UFA defensemen Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lindholm is nearly two years younger than Scheifele and plays a two-way game. I doubt the Flames can sign him to a similar deal.

Friedman also pointed out that Shane Pinto’s salary-cap hit will increase this season for each day that he’s not signed by the Ottawa Senators. He cited William Nylander’s situation in 2018 where his AAV for 2018-19 was $10.277 million while the AAV for the remaining seasons was $6.96 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I bring this up because “Pengy” recently asked if that was still a thing (well-remembered, Pengy!). The longer Pinto goes unsigned between now and the Dec. 1 deadline for signing restricted free agents, the more his AAV will be for this season.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – October 8, 2023

by | Oct 8, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – October 8, 2023

What will the Hurricanes do with Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei? Could the Leafs lose a goalie to the waiver wire? What’s the latest Canucks speculation? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

HURRICANES COULD RETAIN PESCE AND SKJEI THIS SEASON

NHL.COM: In his Oct. 4 mailbag segment, Dan Rosen was asked what the Carolina Hurricanes will do with Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei. The duo are slated to become unrestricted free agents next summer and the Hurricanes currently have a logjam on the blueline.

Rosen believes the Hurricanes don’t have to rush to make a decision on Pesce, Skjei or fellow pending UFA blueliners Tony DeAngelo, Caleb Jones and Jalen Chatfield. He pointed out that Pesce and Skjei are a solid defense pair and trading one could hurt the other.

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce (NHL Images).

The Hurricanes aren’t facing a salary-cap crunch this season and can ice a full 23-man roster. They’re in “win-now” mode and it might make more sense to retain Pesce and Skjei for this season and deal with the contract issues later.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pesce was a frequent topic of trade speculation over the summer as the Hurricanes were said to be listening to offers for him. However, it’s apparent now that they either didn’t receive any worthwhile trade proposals or they’ve opted to maintain their deep defense corps for a Stanley Cup run this season.

That could change, of course, if the Hurricanes’ season goes off the rails and they end up becoming sellers at the trade deadline. Nevertheless, I agree with Rosen that they’ll likely retain Pesce and Skjei for the coming season and deal with their contract negotiations afterward.

COULD THE MAPLE LEAFS LOSE MARTIN JONES TO WAIVERS?

TORONTO STAR: Nick Kypreos recently speculated that the Maple Leafs could lose third-string goaltender Martin Jones to waivers. He thinks the 33-year-old netminder could be a target for the Tampa Bay Lightning if he’s still available as a short-term replacement for sidelined starter Andrei Vasilevskiy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: All eyes will be on the Lightning once teams make their final cuts and place their extra goalies on waivers for the purpose of sending them to the minors. Jones might not be the only tempting option for the Bolts. Others could include Detroit’s Alex Lyon and Buffalo’s Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

The Lightning could also surprise us by sticking with their preseason tandem of Jonas Johansson and Matt Tomkins. Johansson won all three of his starts (two by shutout) while Tomkins won two of his three contests.

LATEST CANUCKS SPECULATION

TORONTO STAR: Kypreos believes the Vancouver Canucks would really like “in a perfect world” to trade for a defense partner for captain Quinn Hughes. Their trade chips remain forwards Brock Boeser and Conor Garland. Kypreos claims he’s heard the Canucks are more open to retaining some salary of certain players than they were in the past.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boeser carries an AAV of $6.65 million through 2024-25 while Garland has an annual cap hit of $4.95 million through 2025-26. It would likely take retaining part of either forward’s salary to move them under a flattened cap this season. If they intend to move one or the other, they’ll likely have better luck next summer when the cap is expected to jump to between $87.5 million and $88 million.

The Canucks seem headed to starting the season with their current roster regulars. That could change depending on the club’s performance as the schedule rolls on.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – September 24, 2023

by | Sep 24, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – September 24, 2023

Could the Hurricanes land Patrick Kane? Is a new contract coming for the Flames’ Mikael Backlund? Will the Canucks shed more contracts? Who could be a cost-cutting candidate for the Senators? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

COULD THE HURRICANES BECOME PATRICK KANE’S NEW TEAM?

SPORTSNET: That’s the question Ryan Dixon asked among his biggest questions for each team this season in the Metropolitan Division.

Patrick Kane is still rehabbing from an offseason hip resurfacing procedure. Dixon believes the Hurricanes are in no danger of missing the playoffs but felt they could use another offensive player to get them over the postseason hump.

Free agent winger Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dixon noted the Hurricanes’ experiment with Max Pacioretty last season failed when he was sidelined for all but five games by a twice-torn Achilles.

During the summer, Kane’s agent said his client was expected to be ready to return to action by December. By that point, he’s supposedly going to weigh offers from clubs that he believes will give him the best shot at winning the Stanley Cup.

The Hurricanes could be among that group as they’re considered among the Cup favorites. Finding the cap dollars, however, could be difficult as they’re entering the season with just over $920K in cap space.

IS A NEW CONTRACT COMING FOR BACKLUND?

CALGARY SUN: Wes Gilbertson reports there are rumblings of contract extension discussions heating up between the Flames and Mikael Backlund. The 34-year-old center is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

“We’ll see what happens,” said Backlund on Saturday. “It’s pretty quiet right now, but we will see what happens. We haven’t made a decision yet.”

Gilbertson cited reports from earlier in the week suggesting Backlund is open to re-signing with the Flames. He also indicated that his teammates believe he should be wearing the captaincy. He noted that the Flames intend on naming a new captain before their season opener on Oct. 11.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As Gilbertson pointed out, that date for naming their next captain could also be the deadline for getting a new contract done for Backlund if he is to wear the “C”.

MORE COST-CUTTING MOVES IN STORE FOR THE CANUCKS?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: In the wake of the Vancouver Canucks trading Tanner Pearson to the Montreal Canadiens, Jeff Paterson reported Canucks hockey ops president Jim Rutherford indicated his club is “probably a contract or two away” from unraveling their salary-cap issues.

Rutherford didn’t single out any specific contracts but Paterson believed he was referring to Tyler Myers, Brock Boeser and Conor Garland. Myers is on an expiring deal with an average annual value of $5 million, Boeser has two years remaining with an AAV of $6.65 million while Garland has three years left at $4.95 million AAV.

Paterson pointed out that Myers, Boeser and Garland have floated repeatedly in the rumor mill. However, Rutherford blames the flattened salary cap for the Canucks’ difficulty in shedding unwanted contracts.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Myers could still come off the Canucks’ books before the end of this season. All but $1 million of his $6 million AAV was paid out in a signing bonus. That could make him enticing for budget-conscious clubs seeking an experienced playoff rental defenseman.

If the Canucks still intend to move Boeser and/or Garland, they might have better luck next summer. That’s when the salary cap is projected to rise by at least $4 million.

WHO COULD THE SENATORS TRADE TO CLEAR CAP SPACE FOR PINTO?

SPORTSNET: Limited salary-cap space is complicating the Ottawa Senators’ efforts to sign restricted free-agent center Shane Pinto. They’d prefer not to part with the 22-year-old center, especially with Josh Norris starting training camp wearing a non-contact jersey.

They’ll have to trade somebody else to make room for Pinto. Mathieu Joseph keeps popping up as a trade candidate. The 26-year-old winger carries an annual cap hit of $2.95 million through 2025-26. They might have to include a sweetener in the deal to make it work.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The article also cited Elliotte Friedman saying the Philadelphia Flyers “have been buzzing around the situation.” It was rumored they (and the Boston Bruins) were interested in Pinto. Perhaps the rebuilding Flyers would take Joseph off the Senators’ hands if he comes with a pick or a prospect.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 12, 2023

by | Aug 12, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – August 12, 2023

Check out the latest on the Canucks, Sharks and Panthers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

CANUCKS NEED TO SHED SALARY AFTER SIGNING SUTER

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston believes the Vancouver Canucks need to make a cost-cutting trade as their signing of Pius Suter on Friday pushes them above the $83.5 million salary for this season by around $1 million.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers (NHL Images).

Johnston observes that the Canucks have a glut of wingers for the coming season. Even if Tanner Pearson were a healthy scratch, there’s little room for Nils Hoglander, Conor Garland, Brock Boeser and Vasily Podkolzin.

Garland and Boeser have been mentioned as trade candidates in the past but their contracts have proven difficult to move. The Canucks could be reluctant to part with young forwards like Hoglander and Podkolzin.

Johnston considers Tyler Myers as the obvious trade candidate. The 33-year-old defenseman is in the final season of his contract. While he carries a $6 million cap hit, he’ll earn $1 million in actual salary for the season once the Canucks pay his $5 million signing bonus in September.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johnston pointed out that there was talk last month claiming the Canucks had a deal lined up with the San Jose Sharks. With the Sharks trading away Erik Karlsson to the Pittsburgh Penguins last Sunday, they could be in the market for short-term blueline depth.

The Sharks only carry $3.9 million in cap room but they might be open to acquiring Myers if the Canucks agree to retain half of his cap hit for the season. That’s assuming, of course, that they aren’t on Myers’ 10-team no-trade list.

Speaking of the Sharks…

SHARKS IN THE MARKET FOR A DEFENSEMAN

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng believes the San Jose Sharks are in the market for some offense from their defense. He cited PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan reporting they had some interest in Matt Dumba before the free-agent blueliner signed with the Arizona Coyotes.

Peng observes that the pickings are slim in the free-agent market. Ethan Bear is still available but won’t return to action until December as he recovers from shoulder surgery. Alex Edler, 37, could retire and hasn’t played on the power-play in four years.

Other UFA options include Simon Benoit, Nick Holden and Scott Harrington. Peng also noted the pickings aren’t much better in the trade market. He cited general manager Mike Grier will look at possible choices within his system during training camp and preseason play.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Grier could be forced into the trade market or watching the waiver wire if his internal options for an offensive-minded rearguard fail to pan out.

LATEST ON THE PANTHERS

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: George Richards believes the Panthers are likely done trying to bolster their roster via free agency. Like Peng, he points out the lack of remaining talent in this summer’s market.

Richards speculates that the Panthers might be interested in Patrick Kane when he’s recovered from offseason hip surgery and is ready to return to action later this season. That will depend on whether the 34-year-old winger sees them as a fit.

If the Panthers make any further additions it could be via professional tryout offers during training camp. If Aaron Ekblad or Brandon Montour start the season on long-term injury reserve, it could open the door to adding someone like center Paul Stastny if he’s still available.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 13, 2023

by | Jul 13, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – July 13, 2023

More Erik Karlsson trade speculation plus the latest on the Canucks in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

MORE KARLSSON TRADE CHATTER

SPORTSNET: Sonny Sachdeva has the Pittsburgh Penguins sitting atop his list of five clubs linked to San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson. The Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators (Karlsson’s former team) round out his list.

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe reports the Penguins came “extremely close” to acquiring Karlsson during the opening day of free agency on July 1. He writes that a deal was close to being completed that morning. Yohe also noted reports that have the Penguins and Hurricanes as the front-runners to acquire the three-time Norris Trophy winner.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski believes any trade sending Karlsson to the Penguins must include defenseman Jeff Petry and his $6.25 million average annual value going to the Sharks as part of the return. He believes there isn’t any other plausible way the Penguins can acquire another right-side defenseman and for coach Mike Sullivan to find enough ice time to justify Petry’s salary.

San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Looking at the Penguins roster, prospect pool and cap space, they’re limited in what they can offer the Sharks. I agree that Petry would have to be part of the deal provided he’s willing to accept a trade to San Jose. The Sharks will want some sweeteners to be enticed into taking on Petry’s cap hit. I’m wondering if that potential July 1 trade involved a third team that might’ve fallen through because they couldn’t get the pieces and/or dollars to work.

The Oilers were reportedly interested in Karlsson leading up to the March trade deadline. However, their addition of Mattias Ekholm has likely taken them out of the bidding for the Sharks blueliner. They have over $5 million in cap space but most of that will be taken up re-signing restricted free agent Evan Bouchard unless he’s part of a package offer. Even then, I don’t think they can swing it.

Kyle Dubas was interested in Karlsson before he was fired as Maple Leafs general manager and has maintained his pursuit since joining the Penguins. I don’t think his replacement shares that interest. They’re pressed for cap space and signed right-side defenseman John Klingberg on July 1. Unless they’re willing to part with William Nylander (provided the Sharks aren’t on his 10-team no-trade list), I don’t think they can pull it off.

Of the teams on Sachdeva’s list, the Hurricanes appear to be in the best position to acquire Karlsson in terms of tradeable assets on the roster and within their prospect pipeline. Taking him on, however, would mean he or Brent Burns getting pushed down into second-pairing minutes. That might not sit well with Karlsson, who could invoke his no-movement clause to block this trade unless he’s guaranteed top-pairing ice time, which likely wouldn’t make Burns very happy.

Karlsson hasn’t dismissed the possibility of returning to Ottawa, where he began his career and still maintains a home. However, I think that chapter of his career is closed. The Senators have put their faith in their young talent and they seem averse to adding a budget-busting superstar approaching his mid-thirties.

LATEST ON THE CANUCKS

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston reports the Vancouver Canucks have a glut of wingers following their recent re-signing of Nils Hoglander. He believes two or three will have to go before their regular season opens on Oct. 11.

Johnston noted that sidelined winger Tanner Pearson is expected to be recovered in time for training camp. If he’s indeed healthy, he’ll push their list of wingers to nine, which is one more than they can dress for a game. That could result in one or two players being demoted or management works out a trade.

The only true trade candidates on the Canucks are Brock Boeser, Conor Garland and Hoglander. Johnston writes that management seems disinclined to move any of them but might not have a choice.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boeser and Garland were fixtures in last season’s rumor mill and during the early weeks of the offseason. It could be worthwhile keeping an eye on their respective situations with the Canucks. Nevertheless, management could opt for more affordable solutions.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 12, 2023

by | Jun 12, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – June 12, 2023

Are the Oilers interested in the Flyers’Travis Konecny? Are the Leafs talking contract with Michael Bunting? Which players could become buyout candidates? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

OILERS CONTACT FLYERS ABOUT KONECNY

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Kurt Leavins cited a source connected to Travis Konecny claiming the Oilers are among the clubs that have reached out to the Philadelphia Flyers about the availability of the 26-year-old winger.

Konecny has a year remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $5.5 million. Leavins speculates the London, Ontario native would not be averse to signing a long-term deal with a Canadian team.

THE ATHLETIC: Charlie O’Connor cited colleague Pierre LeBrun’s report last week claiming the rebuilding Flyers would listen if any teams “stepped up” regarding Konecny. However, he doesn’t think that the Flyers particularly want to trade him. O’Connor noted that general manager Daniel Briere is a big fan of the winger as a player and a person.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Briere’s surprising trade of Ivan Provorov last week signaled that the Flyers are open for business. He also indicated following that move that he would listen to offers on everyone. That doesn’t mean he’s having a fire sale but is conducting due diligence by evaluating the trade value of his players.

Briere could trade Konecny for the right offer, which would likely be a return containing at least a high draft pick and/or a top prospect as part of the package. However, he’s not under any pressure to move the winger this summer. Konecny is a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility but it wouldn’t be shocking if he and the Flyers agreed to a contract extension if he’s willing to buy into the rebuild and if they see him as a key piece in that process.

It’s also understandable why the Oilers are inquiring about Konecny, whose performance was among the few bright spots in the Flyers’ season. They’ll have to jockey with several other clubs as he could draw plenty of interest if he’s available.

NO CONTRACT TALKS SO FAR BETWEEN THE LEAFS AND BUNTING

THE HOCKEY NEWS: David Alter reports there have been no contract negotiations between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Michael Bunting. The 27-year-old winger is slated to become a UFA on July 1. Bunting’s agent, Paul Capizzano, said Friday that he hasn’t had any discussions yet with Brad Treliving, the Leafs new general manager.

Cap space could be a factor in whether Bunting has a future with the Leafs. Alter observed they have just over $9 million available for 2023-24 with 15 of 23 active roster players under contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Toronto Star’s Nick Kypreos suggested Bunting could get between $4.5 million and $5 million on the open market. That’s based on the two-year, $8.5 million contract signed by Andreas Athanasiou last week with the Chicago Blackhawks. Like Alter, Kypreos believes Toronto could be priced out of re-signing Bunting.

ANOTHER LIST OF BUYOUT CANDIDATES

THE ATHLETIC: Thomas Drance and Harman Dayal recently compiled a list of potential buyout candidates. The annual contract buyout window opens on June 15 or 48 hours following the completion of the last game of the Stanley Cup Final, whichever is later. The end date is June 30 at 5 pm ET.

Players 26 and older can be bought out during that period at two-thirds of the remaining value of their contract over twice the remaining term. For those under 26, it’s one-third of the remaining value.

Edmonton Oilers winger Kailer Yamamoto topped their list, followed by Dallas Stars defenseman Ryan Suter, Boston Bruins blueliner Mike Reilly, and Pittsburgh Penguins winger Mikael Granlund.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If those names sound familiar, they also turned up on Daily Faceoff’s listing of potential buyout candidates. We duly noted that list on June 5.

Others included Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Matt Murray, Washington Capitals winger Anthony Mantha, Seattle Kraken goalie Chris Driedger, St. Louis Blues defenseman Marco Scandella, Arizona Coyotes defenseman Patrik Nemeth and Vancouver Canucks blueliner Oliver Ekman-Larsson and wingers Brock Boeser and Conor Garland.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I agree with most of these selections except for those three Canucks. Drance and Dayal acknowledged Canucks GM Patrik Allvin’s stated preference not to buy out contracts as well as the unwieldy cap issues in buying out Ekman-Larsson based on the structure of his lengthy contract.

Boeser or Garland is more likely to be traded. Trade rumors about Boeser have cooled in recent weeks as the Canucks appear keen to keep him. Garland appears to be the Canuck most likely to become a cost-cutting trade candidate.

Nevertheless, Drance and Dayal suggest the Canucks could have little choice but to go the buyout route if they run out of options to gain cap flexibility before June 30.

Disgraced Bruins minor leaguer Mitchell Miller also appeared on their list. The less said about him, the better.