NHL Rumor Mill – October 12, 2022

by | Oct 12, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – October 12, 2022

Check out the latest on Patrick Kane, David Pastrnak, Jakob Chychrun, Bo Horvat and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

PATRICK KANE

TSN: Pierre LeBrun believes there’s a “decent chance” the Chicago Blackhawks trade Patrick Kane by the March 3 deadline. He indicated that the 33-year-old winger wasn’t ready to have a conversation about a trade during the offseason. LeBrun believes Kane’s agent and Blackhawks management will circle back to that sometime in December or January and see where things stand.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

LeBrun noted Kane’s no-movement clause gives him full control over this situation. He suggested the New York Rangers and New York Islanders as “decent possibilities.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes the Rangers could be the most likely destination for Kane.

Assuming Kane accepts a trade to the Rangers or Islanders, both clubs lack sufficient cap space to acquire him. The Blackhawks will have to retain half of his $10.5 million cap hit for this season to make it work, and even then, it might take getting a third team involved to spread the remaining half of that cap hit around to make it palatable to the Blueshirts or Isles.

DAVID PASTRNAK

TSN: Darren Dreger reports there’s a strong appetite by Boston Bruins management and David Pastrnak’s camp to reach an agreement on a contract extension. The 26-year-old winger is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

However, Dreger suggests there’s no guarantee a deal can be made. He thinks the starting point could be something comparable to the eight-year contract ($10.5 million annual average value) that Jonathan Huberdeau signed this summer with the Calgary Flames, pointing out Pastrnak is younger than the 29-year-old Huberdeau.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pastrnak is probably going to get at least $10 million annually on his next contract. That’s the market value for a player of his skills. It’ll either come from the Bruins or another team next summer via free agency. And no, he won’t accept a hometown discount to stay in Boston.

JAKOB CHYCHRUN

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports Jakob Chychrun still hasn’t received clearance to resume practicing with his Arizona Coyotes teammates as he continues to recover from a wrist injury. He wonders if anyone is willing to trade for the 24-year-old defenseman before he’s fully healed.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given the high asking price the Coyotes have set for Chychrun in the trade market, the answer appears to be “no.” Otherwise, he’d have been moved by now. Friedman said there’s definitely interest, noting the Ottawa Senators have been closely following this situation. However, I think those interested parties want to see how Chychrun plays once he returns to action before getting serious with trade offers.

BO HORVAT

Elliotte Friedman said a couple of sources used the word “stalemate” to describe Bo Horvat’s contract extension talks with the Vancouver Canucks. However, Friedman isn’t taking that too seriously, pointing out how the Canucks were reportedly unwilling to commit to an expensive long-term extension for J.T. Miller before they ultimately signed him last month.

Friedman used Sean Couturier ($7.75 million AAV) as a comparable for Horvat as well as for Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin. He thinks anyone who believes the AAV on Horvat’s next contract will start with a six “is in a Wizard-of-Oz-style dreamland.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Agreed. Unless things really go downhill, I expect Horvat will be staying in Vancouver starting at something over $7 million annually.

No two contract negotiations are the same. Nevertheless, I don’t think the Canucks will risk letting their captain walk away next summer, especially if he has another solid performance this season.

TIDBITS FROM FRIEDMAN’S LATEST “32 THOUGHTS”

The Toronto Maple Leafs will continue exploring waiver-exempt or waiver-cleared defensive depth due to three preseason injuries.

Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin will keep an eye out for scoring help but will give his talented youth the opportunity to prove themselves.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 23, 2022

by | Sep 23, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – September 23, 2022

The latest on Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Alex DeBrincat and Bo Horvat plus some Bruins speculation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

KANE AND TOEWS

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Ben Pope reports Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews remain committed to the Blackhawks for the coming season.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

Kane, 33, told reporters he was disappointed that the club traded winger Alex DeBrincat in July. However, he dismissed the rumors that swirled about him during the offseason, saying a trade wasn’t something he’d thought about this summer.

The 34-year-old Toews, meanwhile, admitted he’d had some discussion with his family and his agent about a trade. However, those talks were not serious.

It’s apparent Kane and Toews will start the season with the Blackhawks. However, the focus could shift toward the March 3 trade deadline as the next opportunity when they could be moved. Pope reminds us that both players carry full no-movement clauses for the coming season, giving them complete control over this situation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane and Toews are both eligible to become unrestricted free agents next summer, hence the offseason media trade chatter. General manager Kyle Davidson has said he will leave it up to them to decide if they’ll request a trade.

I don’t doubt that some teams have contacted the Blackhawks about either guy but it sounds like Davidson won’t be approaching Kane and/or Toews with trade offers. He could instead tell the interested clubs that he’ll get back to them if one or both players ask to be moved.

DEBRINCAT

THE ATHLETIC: Whether Alex DeBrincat will sign a contract extension was among Ian Mendes’ burning questions for the Ottawa Senators going into training camp. The 24-year-old winger is due to become a restricted free agent next summer and will be a year away by that point from UFA eligibility.

DeBrincat carries an average annual value of $6.4 million but will earn $9 million in actual salary for this season. That will have to be the Senators’ minimum qualifying offer if they want to keep him on a one-year deal.

Mendes believes DeBrincat’s situation could be among the interesting storylines for the Senators this season. His camp will want him to be the highest-paid player on the Senators if he fits in well and reaches the 40-goal plateau again.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Another 40-goal performance could see DeBrincat’s representatives seek $10 million annually on an eight-year contract, especially if he helps the Senators reach the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

HORVAT

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports contract talks between the Vancouver Canucks and captain Bo Horvat have been quiet of late but those discussions stretch back several months. Lots of time remains to get a deal done and it’s the club’s priority to get the 27-year-old center under contract.

LeBrun feels the Canucks feel a little less pressure to get Horvat signed after recently re-signing J.T. Miller. However, they have a delicate cap situation into which to fit his new contract. If he’s not signed by the March 3 trade deadline, there’s a possibility he could be traded.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Horvat is slated to become a UFA next summer and carries a $5.5 million AAV for this season. He could seek over $7 million annually on his next deal.

Miller was the subject of considerable trade speculation before signing his new contract. While Horvat could get shopped at the trade deadline, I think negotiations would have to go downhill pretty fast to reach that point. We’ll see how the season plays out.

BRUINS

THE ATHLETIC: How the Boston Bruins will become cap compliant once sidelined stars like Brad Marchand and Charlie McAvoy return to the lineup was among Fluto Shinzawa’s burning questions as the club enters training camp.

General manager Don Sweeney could trade or waive players at the start of the season but that would leave the Bruins shorthanded. Shinzawa speculated he could wait until November or December to address that issue.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shinzawa seemed to hint that defenseman Mike Reilly or winger Craig Smith could be trade candidates.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 17, 2022

by | Sep 17, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – September 17, 2022

A prediction regarding Bo Horvat’s contract talks, Nil Lundkvist won’t report to Rangers training camp, plus the latest on the Flames in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

HORVAT

VANCOUVER HOCKEY NOW: Rob Simpson believes Bo Horvat will stay in Vancouver. He predicts the 27-year-old Canucks captain will sign a new contract and “the sooner the better”, though he acknowledged negotiations could drag into the upcoming season.

Vancouver Canucks center Bo Horvat (NHL Images).

Simpson doesn’t the player or the team want this to drag on as a distraction. He also doesn’t see Horvat shutting down talks once the regular season begins. Pointing to the Canucks recently signing J.T. Miller to a seven-year extension, he acknowledged it would be a “big commitment” by the club to do the same for their captain.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Horvat’s contract status and his future with the Canucks will become fodder to media trade gossip if he’s still unsigned once the regular season begins next month. Miller was also the subject of conjecture for most of last season and during this summer until he and the Canucks reached an agreement on an extension earlier this month.

I also believe Horvat will sign with the Canucks. For all management’s talk of wanting to stock their roster with younger, affordable talent, they clearly understand how important Miller and Horvat are to their plans going forward.

It wouldn’t be surprising if ownership wants to keep those two around. After spending the past several seasons rebuilding there’s probably little patience for another roster teardown.

How much Horvat gets and for how long will have an effect on the Canucks’ salary-cap payroll over the next several years. It could make it difficult to retain young stars like Elias Pettersson or to find sufficient cap room to address their roster weaknesses.

LUNDKVIST

TSN: cites USA Today’s Vincent Z. Mercogliano reporting Nils Lundkvist won’t be reporting to the New York Rangers training camp when it opens next week. Claude Lemieux, who represents the 22-year-old defenseman, said his client intends to remain in Sweden until his trade request is honored.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This report eliminates earlier uncertainty over Lundkvist’s intentions. He wants out and he’ll continue training in Sweden until he’s traded.

Lundkvist could be in for a long wait. Teammate Vitali Kravtsov requested a trade last fall after refusing demotion to the Rangers’ AHL affiliate in Hartford. He returned to Russia and spent last season on loan to a KHL team waiting for a trade that never materialized. He’s now back with the Blueshirts hoping to earn a roster spot for the coming season.

A few pundits and bloggers (including yours truly) have suggested several potential trade destinations for Lundkvist. His status as a puck-moving, right-shot defenseman could make him enticing to several clubs.

However, there hasn’t been any hint yet of any clubs making a serious offer to the Rangers. Perhaps that changes once training camps are underway and teams look to address their roster needs.

FLAMES

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Steve Macfarlane took note of Michael Stone signing a professional tryout offer with the Flames. He wouldn’t be surprised if the 32-year-old defenseman earns another one-year contract with them if general manager Brad Treliving shops a defenseman or two in return for more forward depth.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 13, 2022

by | Sep 13, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – September 13, 2022

The latest on Bo Horvat’s contract negotiations with the Canucks plus speculation about Brendan Gallagher’s future with the Canadiens in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON HORVAT’S CONTRACT TALKS

VANCOUVER HOCKEY NOW: Rob Simpson reports Canucks captain Bo Horvat said he’s leaving contract negotiations with his agent and team management. He said he loves playing for the Canucks and he and his family love living in Vancouver. However, he acknowledged this is a lengthy process.

Vancouver Canucks center Bo Horvat (NHL Images).

Horvat and his agent, Pat Morris, are declining to discuss details of the contract talks with the media. Nevertheless, Simpson suggests this could lead to speculation and become a potential distraction if no deal is in place before the season opens on Oct. 12.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston reminds us that Horvat has a year remaining on his current contract. He’s eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. The 27-year-old center offered up no deadline for the completion of his talks.

Horvat also indicated he’s fully recovered from the broken leg he suffered at the end of last season. While he understands there will be plenty of speculation over his future, he said his focus for the coming season is helping the Canucks win.

SPORTSNET: Iain MacIntyre reports Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin wants to sign Horvat to a contract extension. However, he offered neither optimism nor pessimism when questioned about it last week following the club’s signing J.T. Miller to a long-term extension.

MacIntyre speculates Horvat should be more affordable to sign, adding the Canucks have the cap space to retain him. He anticipates he’ll get a raise from $5.5 million to $7 million annually on his next deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It could take time for the Canucks and Horvat’s agent to hammer out an agreement. Perhaps those talks will carry over into the coming season.

Nevertheless, we should probably take any speculation over the status of Horvat’s talks or his future in Vancouver with a grain of salt. Miller was a fixture in the rumor mill for months amid reports of little contract discussion throughout this summer yet his new deal ultimately came together pretty quickly. The same thing could happen with Horvat.

ARE THE CANADIENS TRYING TO SHOP GALLAGHER?

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan observed Brendan Gallagher has five seasons left on his six-year, $39-million contract. Should Gallagher rebound from last season’s disappointing, injury-plagued performance, there’s a very good chance Canadiens GM Kent Hughes will trade the 30-year-old winger if he can find a partner.

Cowan speculates Hughes is “probably already trying to trade Gallagher as the Canadiens look to rebuild with youth and gain salary-cap space.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As Cowan noted, Gallagher’s best seasons are probably behind him now. Injuries have hampered him in recent years and affected his performance.

A healthy, productive Gallagher will still be difficult to trade. He’s carrying an average annual value of $6.5 million through 2026-27 with a no-movement clause that ensures he cannot be demoted and a six-team no-trade list.

Gallagher will be staying in Montreal unless Hughes is willing to retain part of his cap hit, include a sweetener like a quality draft pick or prospect, or take back an expensive contract in return.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 7, 2022

by | Sep 7, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – September 7, 2022

The latest on Bo Horvat’s contract status with the Canucks plus an update on the Canadiens’ efforts to re-sign Kirby Dach in today’s NHL rumor mill.

CANUCKS TURN FOCUS TO RE-SIGNING HORVAT

SPORTSNET: Iain MacIntyre reports the Vancouver Canucks are shifting their focus toward re-signing captain Bo Horvat after signing J.T. Miller last week to a seven-year contract extension. Horvat, 27, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

Vancouver Canucks center Bo Horvat (NHL Images).

MacIntyre points out that the constraints under the salary cap could make it difficult for the Canucks to invest heavily in their top-three centers such as Miller, Horvat and Elias Pettersson. It could limit their efforts to address their need to improve their defense corps.

General manager Patrik Allvin acknowledged this but also noted that Pettersson can play on the wing. He also felt a good team needs that depth at center. “But moving forward, we need to be aware of the cap situation and potentially some roster decisions coming into next summer,” said Allvin.

MacIntyre believes it’ll be surprising if the Canucks open their season next month with Horvat still unsigned after reaching an agreement with Miller. Still, he wonders if they’ll be able to afford Pettersson when he’s due for a new contract in 2024 and how they’ll upgrade their blueline.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston also wondered if the Canucks can really afford Miller, Horvat and Pettersson.

Allvin admitted multi-year contracts have proven difficult to trade. Johnston believes he’s referring to Tanner Pearson (two years at $3.25 million annually), Tyler Myers (two years, $6 million per season) and Oliver Ekman-Larsson (five years at $6.75 million per).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Allvin understands the importance of getting Horvat signed before the start of the season. “Hopefully we can figure something out here,” he said.

Miller’s new contract and an extension for Horvat won’t affect the Canucks’ salary-cap payroll for this season. However, with over $68 million invested in 14 players for 2022-23, a new deal for Horvat could push that to over $75 million, leaving little room to fill out the rest of the roster next summer.

At some point, the Canucks must free up cap space to accommodate new contracts for Horvat and Pettersson as well as address their roster weaknesses. Perhaps that means contract buyouts for Pearson and Myers next summer. Maybe it means retaining part of their salaries to facilitate a trade.

For this season, the Canucks are above the cap by $2.75 million. They should get cap relief by placing sidelined winger Micheal Ferland (concussion) and his $3.5 million AAV on long-term injury reserve. They could also attempt to a valuable player on a long-term contract such as winger Conor Garland.

ARE THE CANADIENS CLOSE TO SIGNING DACH?

TVA SPORTS: cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman speculating the Montreal Canadiens could be close to signing Kirby Dach. He believes it will be a four-year contract worth an average annual value of $3.5 million.

Friedman even suggested the Canadiens may have already reached an agreement with Dach. He felt the Habs might be trying to conclude a few things before formally announcing the new contract.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marco D’Amico also took note of Friedman’s remarks. He pointed out it’s no secret the Canadiens have been trying to move a forward. General manager Kent Hughes recently indicated he’d like to add another defenseman.

**UPDATE** The Canadiens announced they’ve signed Dach to a four-year, $13.5 million contract. The average annual value is $3.35 million

SPECTOR’S NOTE: D’Amico noted that Mike Hoffman, Joel Armia and Christian Dvorak have been frequently mentioned as trade candidates. He believes their excess of wingers could see them try to move Hoffman or Armia.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 5, 2022

by | Sep 5, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – September 5, 2022

What effect will J.T. Miller’s new contract have on Bo Horvat’s efforts to get a new deal with the Canucks? Could Miller still be shopped despite re-signing with the Canucks? How could it affect Conor Garland? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston pointed out that J.T. Miller’s new seven-year contract extension with the Vancouver Canucks raised some questions for the club.

Vancouver Canucks center Bo Horvat (NHL Images).

Among them was what Miller’s new deal means for Bo Horvat. The 27-year-old Canucks captain is in the final season of his contract with an average annual value of $5.5 million. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Horvat can sign an extension now but Johnston wondered if the Canucks can afford to have him, Miller and Elias Pettersson as their top-three centers beyond this season. “If an extension doesn’t come soon, the trade watch will be on for Horvat,” he writes.

VANCOUVER HOCKEY NOW: Prior to Miller’s re-signing, Rob Simpson anticipated Horvat could get between $6.25 million and $6.5 million annually on his next contract, perhaps a little lower if he agrees to an eight-year extension.

Following the news of Miller’s new contract, Simpson felt Horvat could get between $6.5 million and $7.25 million on a long-term extension. He speculated the Canucks captain will likely be signed in September or perhaps the Friday prior to the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend given management’s recent habit of re-signing a key player on the Friday before a holiday weekend.

Whatever Horvat gets will affect the other Canucks eligible for UFA or restricted free agent status next summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks management has indicated they want to stock up on young, affordable talent. However, the recent signings of Miller and Brock Boeser show they also want to keep their roster core intact.

According to Cap Friendly, the Canucks have over $68 million invested in 14 players for 2023-24 with Horvat, Nils Hoglander and Travis Dermott among their notable free agents. Re-signing their captain will result in the Canucks making some cost-cutting decisions next summer.

CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal reported that Canucks president of hockey ops Jim Rutherford said that Miller’s new contract “will not impact Bo,” adding they would like to sign Horvat. We’ll find out soon enough if the two sides can work out an extension before the season opens next month. Otherwise, his name could start surfacing in media trade gossip.

Johnston also pointed out that the Canucks are over the $82.5 million salary cap with their current roster for the coming season. They would like to find another defenseman so something has to give.

Conor Garland’s energy and production could make him a valuable trade chip. Johnston suggests the asking price could be a late first-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Garland was the subject of trade rumors midway through last season but those faded away as the Canucks made a push for a playoff spot. The 26-year-old winger would draw interest in the trade market but the Canucks might not have to go that route.

Cap Friendly indicates they’re sitting above the cap by over $2.7 million but could garner cap relief by placing Micheal Ferland and his $3.5 million cap hit on long-term injury reserve for the coming season. However, it won’t leave much room to add a right-side blueliner.

Perhaps Garland will be used as trade bait for that defenseman. It would have to be for one with an annual cap hit comparable to Garland’s $4.95 million.

Johnston also didn’t rule out the Canucks trading Miller if this season goes badly. He lacks a no-trade clause in his current contract. Some teams may have been hesitant about acquiring Miller but could be more interested now that he has a long-term deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That could happen but I doubt it will. Canucks management sees Miller as a vital part of their core as they hope to push themselves into Stanley Cup contention over the next few years. A poor performance by the club this season probably won’t change that opinion.