NHL Free Agents & Trade Candidates – Pittsburgh Penguins
NHL Free Agents & Trade Candidates – Pittsburgh Penguins
NHL Rumor Mill – May 6, 2020
NHL Rumor Mill – May 6, 2020
The Penguins could face trading a goaltender, plus some recent Jets speculation in today’s NHL rumor mill.
WILL THE PENGUINS TRADE A GOALTENDER?
NHL.COM: cites Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford saying he might have to trade one of his goaltenders during an interview with The Athletic’s Josh Yohe. Matt Murray and Tristan Jarry are restricted free agents with arbitration rights following this season. The Penguins have over $68 million invested in next season’s roster.
Will Matt Murray still be a Pittsburgh Penguins goalie after this season? (Photo via NHL Images)
“I’ll say this: If we are going to keep both of them, we’d have to move a few things around on our team,” Rutherford said. “There is a way to do things and to make that work, yes. There are some very, very tough decisions ahead.” Though next season’s salary cap has yet to be determined, he admitted he’s planning that it won’t be as high as this year’s $81.5 million. “We know that much,” Rutherford said. “It’s certainly not going up.”
NBC SPORTS: James O’Brien also referred to Rutherford’s interview with The Athletic. He noted third-stringer Casey DeSmith didn’t come up much in that interview but feels he’s relevant to this situation. O’Brien admitted his surprise that DeSmith failed to secure the backup role this season and that no other club snatched him up when he was placed on waivers before the start of the season. DeSmith’s inconsistency in the minors this season makes O’Brien doubt he’d fetch much of a return in a trade. His best guess is DeSmith will back up Murray or Jarry next season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s a tough call for Rutherford. Murray backstopped the Penguins to their last two Stanley Cups, but his injury history is cause for concern. Jarry showed potential as a full-time NHL starter this season, but he’s only been in that role for a short time.
I think Rutherford was counting on seeing how Murray and Jarry performed down the stretch and in the playoffs before deciding which one he’d keep. He could re-sign both but that will mean shedding salary elsewhere in the lineup, adversely affecting their overall roster depth. Murray or Jarry will be playing elsewhere next season.
RECENT JETS SPECULATION
NBC SPORTS: James O’Brien recently examined the Winnipeg Jets’ long-term needs. Citing their issues on the blueline, he wondered if Ville Heinola and Sami Niku will develop into NHL defensemen. He also points out their ongoing need for a second- or third-line center.
THE ATHLETIC (subscription required): Murat Ates recently listed veteran defensemen Dmitry Kulikov, Nathan Beaulieu, and Luca Sbisa among those most likely to depart in the off-season. Center Cody Eakin could also be among them.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: With last month’s termination of Dustin Byfuglien’s contract, Cap Friendly indicates the Jets have over $65.9 million invested in 13 players for next season. The good news is all their key players are signed for next season, so there should be enough room for Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff to address those depth issues.
Kulikov, Beaulieu, Sbisa, and Eakin are unrestricted free agents and might not fit into the Jets’ plans. Maybe one of them gets an affordable one-year deal, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Cheveldayoff considers other options via trade or free agency.
NHL Rumor Mill – April 29, 2020
NHL Rumor Mill – April 29, 2020
Check out the recent Canucks, Penguins, and Red Wings’ speculation in today’s NHL rumor mill.
CANUCKS
NBC SPORTS: James O’Brien believes the Vancouver Canucks need a lot of help on defense. He also pointed out they’re top-heavy on offense. Starting goalie Jacob Markstrom is an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, while backup Thatcher Demko is only signed through next season.
O’Brien believes general manager Jim Benning will try to use the draft and the trade market to bolster the supporting cast around Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, and Quinn Hughes. He also wondered if they’ll break the bank to re-sign pending UFA winger Tyler Toffoli or sign 30-year-old pending free agent blueliner Chris Tanev to a risky contract.
THE ATHLETIC: Harman Dayal and Thomas Drance think Tanev, Jordie Benn, and Sven Baertschi are the Canucks most likely to move on. Moving Benn and Baertschi would free up valuable salary-cap space. They also suggest Brandon Sutter could be a realistic ordinary course buyout candidate. Moving veteran winger Loui Eriksson ($6 million annual average value through 2021-22) could be difficult, while it’s uncertain if the Canucks can re-sign Toffoli.
Will the Vancouver Canucks re-sign goaltender Jacob Markstrom? (Photo via NHL Images)
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Considering how the Canucks struggled when Markstrom was sidelined by a knee injury, re-signing him should be their priority, followed by boosting their blueline corps. With over $63.4 million invested in 14 players for 2020-21, they’ll have around $18 million to work with if the cap remains at $81.5 million next season. There’s enough to re-sign Markstrom, but it will cut deeply into their available payroll.
A couple of cost-cutting moves will help, but finding a suitable deal under a flat cap won’t be easy. It’ll certainly make the chances of moving Eriksson more difficult, even with his actual total remaining salary dropping to $5 million after his signing bonus is paid out on July 1. A compliance buyout would help here, but there’s no certainty the league and the NHLPA will implement that measure in the off-season.
PENGUINS
TRIBLIVE.COM: Seth Rorabaugh recently examined the Pittsburgh Penguins’ free agents. He feels it wouldn’t be unreasonable for RFA goalie Matt Murray to seek a hefty contract extension comparable to Tampa Bay’s Andrej Vasilevskiy ($9.5 million AAV) or Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck ($6.16 million AAV) because he’s had better postseason success. However, it’s also not unreasonable for the Penguins to consider a more affordable option such as re-signing fellow RFA Tristan Jarry.
Rorabaugh doesn’t expect UFA winger Patrick Marleau to return to the Penguins after this season. Justin Schultz‘s difficult 2019-20 season and the emergence of rookie defenseman John Marino likely signals the end of his tenure in Pittsburgh. Rorabaugh doesn’t rule out the Pens re-signing Conor Sheary if the price is right.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins have over $68.2 million tied up in 15 players for next season. It’ll be interesting to see what the Penguins do with Murray and Jarry.
Ideally, GM Jim Rutherford would probably sign both to short-term contracts and take more time to evaluate their performances before settling on which one should be their starter. With both goalies carrying arbitration rights, that might be possible, but all concerned might prefer avoiding that route. If they have to part with one or the other, Casey DeSmith is ready and able to step into the backup position.
RED WINGS
DETROIT FREE PRESS: Helene St. James reports acquiring a new starting goaltender is among the off-season tasks facing Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman. The Washington Capitals’ Braden Holtby is the best of this summer’s UFA goalies, but St. James believes he’d be reluctant to join a rebuilding club like the Wings.
More realistic options could include the Calgary Flames’ Cam Talbot, the Boston Bruins’ Jaroslav Halak, the Dallas Stars’ Anton Khudobin, the New York Islanders’ Thomas Greiss, and the Vancouver Canucks’ Jacob Markstrom.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Talbot and Markstrom have more recent starter experience. Halak, Khudobin, and Greiss are better backup options for clubs with a skilled starter. The Wings have plenty of salary-cap room ($46.2 million committed to 11 players) to make a substantial bid for one of them. Whether they’ll accept it, or if Yzerman intends to go the UFA route to boost his goaltending, remains to be seen.
NHL Rumor Mill – April 20, 2020
NHL Rumor Mill – April 20, 2020
Recent speculation on the Canadiens, Penguins, and Panthers in today’s NHL rumor mill.
WILL THE CANADIENS RE-SIGN TATAR?
MONTREAL GAZETTE: Pat Hickey believes re-signing Tomas Tatar, Brendan Gallagher, and Phillip Danault should be an off-season priority for the Canadiens. The linemates are all eligible next summer to become unrestricted free agents. Tatar was quick to credit Gallagher and Danault for the success he’s enjoyed since joining the Canadiens in 2018. He turns 30 in December, which could affect the type of contract offer he gets from the Habs.
TVA SPORTS: If the Canadiens decide to trade Tatar, Jean-Charle Lajoie doubts he’d fetch much of a return. He cites sources claiming the winger didn’t attract much interest before the Feb. 24 trade deadline.
Will the Montreal Canadiens re-sign or trade Tomas Tatar? (Photo via NHL Images)
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perhaps the reason Tatar didn’t draw much interest before the deadline was Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin’s reluctance to trade him? Regardless, if Bergevin were to shop the 29-year-old winger, he’ll probably have to package him with a draft pick to get a quality return.
Bergevin could re-sign Tatar, but I agree it won’t be an expensive long-term deal. I can see him getting a four-year deal with an annual average value of around $5.5 million.
MURRAY OR JARRY FOR THE PENGUINS?
PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: Matt Vensel recently wondered if the Penguins are due for yet another change of the goaltending guard. Three years after leaving long-time starter Marc-Andre Fleury unprotected in the expansion draft, the Pens could face another crucial goaltending decision.
Starter Matt Murray and backup Tristan Jarry are restricted free agents this off-season with arbitration rights. Murray won two Stanley Cup for the Penguins, but he’s been hampered by injuries and outplayed by Jarry for most of this season. Vensel believes they can afford to keep both in the short term, but he still mused about management perhaps trading one of them.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins have over $68.5 million invested in 15 players. They can re-sign both to one-year contracts and take another season evaluating their performances before making a long-term investment in one of them, but it could cost a combined $9 million to do so, leaving little room to re-sign or replace their other free agents. Unless they shed salary elsewhere, they could be forced to trade Murray or Jarry before next season.
COULD THE PANTHERS MOVE BARKOV?
NEW YORK POST: In a recent mailbag segment, Larry Brooks was asked about the possibility of the Florida Panthers trading Aleksander Barkov and what it might take for the Rangers to acquire him. Brooks points out Barkov is signed through 2022 with a no-move clause that kicks in following this season and a modified no-trade in 2021-22. However, if Barkov were willing to waive it and the Panthers shopped him, Brooks considers Adam Fox and Kaapo Kakko, along with players carrying no-trade clauses ( Mika Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin, and Chris Kreider) as untouchables for the Rangers.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s media chatter suggesting Panthers ownership could implement cost-cutting measures if the club fails to reach the playoffs this season. That could be as simple as letting Mike Hoffman and Evgenii Dadonov depart via free agency following this season, or shopping defenseman Mike Matheson.
I doubt they’ll trade Barkov, but that could depend upon how much of a roster shake-up ownership wants if they don’t qualify for the playoffs. If they take a bolder step by moving Barkov, the asking price will be expensive. Barkov’s among the top two-way centers in the game. The Panthers would want at least a high-quality young NHL player, a first-round pick, and a top prospect in return.
NHL Rumor Mill – April 14, 2020
NHL Rumor Mill – April 14, 2020
Several Eastern Conference clubs could face some serious off-season questions. Check them out in today’s NHL rumor mill.
SPORTSNET: Ryan Dixon raises some burning off-season questions for each of the NHL’s Eastern Conference clubs. Some were speculation involving off-season plans for several teams:
Dixon suggested the Buffalo Sabres should boost their goaltending depth via the unrestricted free agent market.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Assuming the Sabres are looking for an experienced backup for promising Linus Ullmark, options could include Dallas’ Anton Khudobin, Calgary’s Cam Talbot, Boston’s Jaroslav Halak, and the New York Islanders’ Thomas Greiss.
Dixon wondered if the Carolina Hurricanes will go big-game hunting. He’d love to see them sign a UFA goaltender like Robin Lehner or Jacob Markstrom. If someone like Calgary Flames winger Johnny Gaudreau were to hit the trade block, acquiring him would be the type of move the Hurricanes could pull off.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: With over $72 million invested in 15 players for 2020-21, including goaltenders Petr Mrazek and James Reimer, the Hurricanes lack sufficient room and dollars to add Lehner or Markstrom. Of course, they could attempt to move Mrazek or Reimer to create room for a UFA goalie signing. Gaudreau isn’t going anywhere this off-season, but yes, if he were available, the Hurricanes have the depth in young roster talent, prospects, and draft picks to pull off such a move. Whether they’d do it, however, is another matter.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have the base for a good-to-great team if they got an injection of pure talent such as Gaudreau or Taylor Hall. Dixon acknowledged they have some in-house business to sort out, such as re-signing Pierre-Luc Dubois and what to do with winger Josh Anderson, who has arbitration rights.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen has made bold moves before, so we shouldn’t dismiss the possibility he’ll do it again. Adding Hall, however, will be too expensive for a club carrying over $68 million tied up in 17 players next season. As I mentioned earlier, Gaudreau’s not going anywhere, but the cost of adding someone like him could be too burdensome to pull off this year.
If the Detroit Red Wings don’t believe winger Anthony Mantha is worth a long-term deal, Dixon suggested shopping him while he has trade value for another piece or two that helps their long-term rebuild.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mantha has 30-goal ability but his injury history is a red flag. They possess plenty of salary-cap space to re-sign him, so it’ll be interesting to how GM Steve Yzerman handles this.
Dixon doubted Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau are in play, but feels everything else is on the table for the Florida Panthers.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’ll depend on Panthers owner Vinnie Viola. It’s been suggested his unhappiness with the club’s performance could lead to a cost-cutting shakeup. A bold move would be moving Barkov or Huberdeau, but the latter has a full no-movement clause while the former’s kicks in after this season. Defenseman Aaron Ekblad lacks no-trade protection until 2021-22, but a more likely trade candidate could be Mike Matheson, who surfaced in the rumor mill before the Feb. 24 trade deadline.
Could the Montreal Canadiens shop a forward like Max Domi to bring in a defenseman? (Photo via NHL Images)
Dixon wondered if the Montreal Canadiens might swap a forward, such as pending RFA Max Domi, for a defenseman if the right fit can be found.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I expect GM Marc Bergevin will explore every option. With depth in draft picks and prospects plus plenty of salary-cap space, Bergevin might not have to part with a roster forward to bring in a blueliner. He could instead target cap-strapped clubs in need of shedding salary.
Once the New Jersey Devils sort out who their general manager will be, Dixon proposed shopping winger Kyle Palmieri could fetch a good return. He’s a year away from UFA eligibility.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: That decision could tkae place before next season’s trade deadline, whenever that might be.
If Henrik Lundqvist wants to continue playing, Dixon suggested the New York Rangers buy out the final season of his contract and let him test the UFA water.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It wouldn’t surprise me if the Blueshirts go that route. With Lundqvist losing playing time to young goalies Igor Shesterkin and Alexandar Georgiev, it may be time to part ways with King Henrik.
With the Ottawa Senators carrying seven second-round picks in the next two drafts, Dixon wondered if they might shop some of them for an under-25 player or two in need of a change of scenery.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s a good suggestion, one Senators GM Pierre Dorion could explore when the off-season finally arrives.
Dixon mused over the possibility of the Pittsburgh Penguins re-signing RFA goalies Matt Murray and Tristan Jarry.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: it can’t be ruled out, but it will be a tight squeeze within the Penguins’ limited cap space.
The Tampa Bay Lightning could be forced to sacrifice a second-tier forward to make room to re-sign RFAs Anthony Cirelli and Mikhail Sergechev.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: That forward could be Alex Killorn, whose full no-trade clause becomes a 16-team no-trade list following this season.
The Toronto Maple Leafs will have to look outside the organization to boost their blueline. A lack of cap space and depth in the UFA market could force them into the trade market.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: And if they do go that route, a second-tier forward like Kasperi Kapanen, Andreas Johnsson, or Alexander Kerfoot could become a trade candidate.
Dixon mused over the possibility of Braden Holtby returning to the Washington Capitals for another year or two at a salary similar to his current $6.1 million AAV.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Holtby has indicated his intent to get the best deal he can as he enters the UFA market for the first time. Assuming he can’t find one this year if the salary cap remains flat, perhaps he and the Capitals might circle back and discuss a short-term deal. Even then, bringing back Holtby would push their cap payroll to over $77 million invested in 17 players, leaving little room under a flat cap to fill the rest of the roster.
NHL Rumor Mill – April 7, 2020
NHL Rumor Mill – April 7, 2020
Some recent Metropolitan Division speculation in the NHL rumor mill.
THE SCORE: Josh Wegman recently looked at a pressing offseason question for each NHL Metropolitan Division team. Among them:
Wegman wondered if the Carolina Hurricanes might attempt to sign Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner via free agency. The Hurricanes’ current goalie tandem of James Reimer and Petr Mrazek is under contract for one more season, but garnered mixed reviews in 2019-20.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lehner would be an upgrade between the pipes for the Hurricanes, but signing him could be difficult. Wegman suggested Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell had salary-cap space at his disposal. With over $72 million invested in 15 players, he’ll have around $9 million to work with if the cap remains at $81.5 million next season.
Restricted free agents Warren Foegele and Haydn Fleury are affordable re-signings, but Waddell must re-sign or replace unrestricted free agents like Justin Williams, Sami Vatanen, Joel Edmundson, and Trevor van Riemsdyk. He’ll also have to dump one of his current goalies to make room for Lehner.
Wegman also mused over Josh Anderson‘s future with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 25-year-old winger struggled before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. Nevertheless, he frequently surfaced in the rumor mill before the Feb. 24 trade deadline. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun has suggested Anderson could be moved in the offseason. Wegman believes the Jackets would be selling low. Anderson has arbitration rights and is a year away from UFA eligibility.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: With over $68 million invested in 17 players and Pierre-Luc Dubois, Elvis Merzlikins, and Joonas Korpisalo also slated to become restricted free agents, the Jackets might be forced to move Anderson for salary-cap purposes. On the other hand, if they re-sign those three to affordable deals, perhaps they ink Anderson to a one-year deal and see how next season unfolds.
What to do with Henrik Lundqvist is a significant offseason question for the New York Rangers (Photo via NHL Images).
How the New York Rangers goaltending situation plays out is another intriguing question. Igor Shesterkin has taken over as their starter, while long-time Ranger Henrik Lundqvist has a year left on his contract. Alexandar Georgiev, meanwhile, is a restricted free agent. Wegman pondered the possibility of buying out Lundqvist or trading Georgiev.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lundqvist could spare the Rangers the trouble and retire. If he doesn’t, the New York Post’s Larry Brooks believes he’ll be bought out. It would be a painful decision, but one that makes the most sense.
Wegman speculated over Shayne Gostisbehere‘s future with the Philadelphia Flyers. The 26-year-old defenseman has fallen out of favor and he could benefit from a fresh start. The Flyers would be selling low, but moving him would give the Flyers flexibility to re-sign Justin Braun, Robert Hagg, and Philippe Myers.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The decline in “Ghost Bear’s” performance and his $4.5-million annual average value through 2022-23 could make him a tough sell.
The Pittsburgh Penguins could face a tough choice with goaltenders Matt Murray and Tristan Jarry. Both are restricted free agents with arbitration rights. If they re-sign both, they risk losing one of them to the 2021 Seattle expansion draft. The Penguins are tight against the cap.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Pens have over $68 million committed to 15 players. Jarry has put up better numbers this season, but Murray has more experience and two Stanley Cup championships on his resume. GM Jim Rutherford faced a difficult decision before the 2017 Vegas Golden Knights expansion draft between Murray and Marc-Andre Fleury. He opted for Murray back then but could stick with Jarry this time around.
If the Washington Capitals are comfortable with Ilya Samsonov taking over as their full-time starting goalie from Braden Holtby, Wegman speculates they could sign an inexpensive backup. They could then use the saving to make a bit of a splash in the free-agent market on a one-year contract.