Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 15, 2024

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 15, 2024

In the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup: the latest Rangers speculation, the Blues might not be done dealing, the Kings could be shopping before the upcoming holiday roster freeze, and updates on Bruins forward Trent Frederic and Canucks defenseman Vincent Desharnais.

THE LATEST RANGERS RUMORS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the New York Rangers are “open for business.” They’ve already traded Jacob Trouba and let it be known that winger Chris Kreider is available.

Friedman said they have some untouchables like goaltender Igor Shesterkin and some players with no-movement clauses. However, they’re willing to consider all options and to entertain offers.

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple wondered who’s next to walk the plank off the Rangers’ sinking ship following their 5-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, dropping nine of their last 12 games.

New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider (NHL Images).

Staple believes head coach Peter Laviolette’s tenure could come to a premature end. General manager Chris Drury has already shaken up the roster by trading Trouba but the club’s reaction is indifference.

Defenseman Ryan Lindgren has been available for some time but no one’s buying high on an underperforming pending unrestricted free agent. There isn’t much interest in the 33-year-old Kreider, who has two years remaining on his contract. Teams are calling about young winger Kaapo Kakko but his play hasn’t been the main issue.

Staple also brought up K’Andre Miller as a trade candidate. However, he’s currently sidelined for an indefinite period which doesn’t help his trade value.

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks disagrees that Laviolette could pay the price for the Rangers’ stunning decline in recent weeks. “The hierarchy has no stomach to fire Laviolette after firing Gerard Gallant two years ago and David Quinn four years ago. There is no stomach to afix the blame on yet another coach instead of taking care of the coach-averse core.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some observers believe the Rangers’ problems began with Drury’s heavy-handed efforts to free up cap space in the offseason, waiving popular forward Barclay Goodrow and attempting to trade Trouba to the Detroit Red Wings before free agency began on July 1.

Changing management might be necessary to help the players regain their spark. They’ve been playing like they don’t give a damn ever since word of Drury’s memo to his fellow GMs listing potential trade candidates was leaked to the press.

Whatever it is, the Rangers must do something quickly to address their issues or risk this season going completely off the rails, leaving questions about the current roster’s future to carry over into next summer.

MORE MOVES COULD BE COMING FOR THE BLUES

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reported the St. Louis Blues might not be done in the trade market after acquiring defenseman Cam Fowler from the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday.

The Blues made Brandon Saad a healthy scratch during Saturday’s game against the Dallas Stars. The 32-year-old winger has a year remaining on his contract with a $4.5 million cap hit.

Friedman said the Blues would like to move Saad, who has a no-trade clause. However, he’s willing to consider other options.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following the Fowler trade, Blues GM Doug Armstrong indicated he wanted to keep his club competitive while he retools the roster. He could try peddling Saad for a promising young NHL-ready player or attempt to clear the winger’s cap hit from his books by accepting draft picks in return.

Saad had been struggling to score this season. He went 13 games without a goal before being scratched from the lineup on Saturday. Nevertheless, he has Stanley Cup experience which could be of interest to contenders before the March trade deadline.

KINGS MIGHT MAKE A MOVE BEFORE THE HOLIDAY ROSTER FREEZE

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli believes the Los Angeles Kings might be active in the trade market before the upcoming holiday roster freeze from Dec. 20-27. He thinks they’ve been talking to some teams as they attempt to gauge the market.

Seravalli wondered if they might attempt to land a good young player, perhaps from a struggling club like the Buffalo Sabres.

THE BRUINS ARE GETTING CALLS ABOUT TRENT FREDERIC

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman indicated that the Boston Bruins are getting a lot of calls about Trent Frederic. The versatile 27-year-old forward is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in July. Teams are wondering if the Bruins intend to sign him or peddle him by the March 7 trade deadline.

THE CANUCKS ARE TRYING TO MOVE VINCENT DESHARNAIS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman said the Vancouver Canucks are looking to move Vincent Desharnais. The 28-year-old defenseman signed a two-year contract with the Canucks in the offseason but it hasn’t worked out as hoped. It’s believed they’re willing to consider all options for returns but would prefer draft picks.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 11, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – December 11, 2024

Check out the latest on the Rangers, Stars, and Canadiens in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE RANGERS?

THE SCORE: John Matisz cited ESPN’s Emily Kaplan recently mentioned hearing four New York Rangers – forwards Kaapo Kakko, Chris Kreider and Reilly Smith, and defenseman Ryan Lindgren – could be trade chips. Her report came Friday after the Rangers shipped Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks.

New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider (NHL Images).

Matisz also cited Rangers general manager Chris Drury telling reporters his club wasn’t opposed to making other moves. However, he wanted to let the dust settle a bit after everything the struggling club has been through over the past couple of weeks.

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple wondered what Drury’s next move would be after the Rangers lost to the Seattle Kraken and Chicago Blackhawks.

Staple wondered if the players had tuned out head coach Peter Laviolette. He claimed a league source told him Laviolette was safe. However, things can change quickly. Staple believes changing coaches would shift the blame for the club’s recent difficulties behind the bench rather than on it.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A coaching change could be all Drury has left if the losses pile up and he can’t get decent returns for those rumored trade chips. No one’s going to throw him a lifeline in the trade market.

WILL THE STARS GO “BIG GAME HUNTING” TO REPLACE TYLER SEGUIN?

DAILY FACEOFF: Jeff Marek believes the Dallas Stars will go big game hunting to replace sidelined forward Tyler Seguin. He believes that GM Jim Nill will be aggressive with his salary-cap space as the club is in “win-now” mode.

Pursuing a big-ticket player means giving to get, and that could mean parting with a good young player like Logan Stankoven, Mavrik Bourque and Lian Bichsel.

Marek speculates Nill could wait until after the 4 Nations Face-Off in February in case Jake Oettinger gets injured in that tournament. The Stars goaltender has been selected to play for Team USA. Marek can also see Nill looking for toughness among his checking lines, suggesting Mathieu Olivier of the Columbus Blue Jackets as a trade target.

Marek’s colleague Colby Cohen suggests Nill pursue Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri and defenseman Rasmus Andersson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars could accrue over $6 million in cap space by the trade deadline without having to place Seguin and his $9.875 million cap hit on long-term injury reserve. Nevertheless, it’s expected Nill will put Seguin on LTIR and use those savings to bolster his roster for a Cup run next spring, most likely targeting pending free agents on non-contending clubs.

The Flames probably won’t part with Kadri and Andersson if they’re in playoff contention by the March 7 trade deadline. Of the two, Andersson could be the more likely to move. He’s signed through next season with an AAV of $4.55 million and a six-team no-trade list. That’s assuming Flames GM Craig Conroy believes Andersson could prove too expensive to retain or intends to test the market in 2026.

Meanwhile, Kadri’s contract is a potential stumbling block. He is signed through 2028-29 with an AAV of $7 million and a full no-movement clause. He told reporters during training camp to pump the brakes on the trade rumors that dogged him during the summer.

CANADIENS STILL SEEK RIGHT-SIDE BLUELINE DEPTH

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico reports the Montreal Canadiens continue to seek an upgrade on the right side of their defense corps. David Savard is their only consistent right-shot rearguard but he’s UFA-eligible this summer and could be moved by the March trade deadline.

The Canadiens were linked to David Jiricek before the Columbus Blue Jackets traded the young blueliner to the Minnesota Wild. However, the Habs were concerned about his foot speed, hockey sense and defensive positioning. The Jackets also preferred sending Jiricek to a Western Conference team.

It’s believed that the Canadiens were among the clubs kicking tires on Jacob Trouba before the Rangers shipped him to the Ducks.

D’Amico pointed out the difficulty of finding a suitable defenseman in the trade market during the season. The Habs might have to look to this summer’s trade and free-agent markets to address that need.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Free agency won’t yield much. The most notable options are 39-year-old Brent Burns of the Carolina Hurricanes, long-time Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad, and Neal Pionk of the Winnipeg Jets.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 29, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – November 29, 2024

Check out the latest on Mikko Rantanen, John Tavares and Kaapo Kakko plus the latest on the Flyers and Flames in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST RUMORS FROM TSN’S “INSIDER TRADING”

TSN: Pierre LeBrun thinks Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen believes he could make an average annual value of $14 million on his next contract if he tests the open market next summer.

Rantanen, 28, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He’s in the final season of a six-year contract with an AAV of $9.25 million.

Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).

LeBrun believes it’s more likely the winger and the Avalanche sign a contract extension before July 1. However, it remains to be seen if they’ll reach an agreement below the team-leading $12.6 million being earned by Nathan MacKinnon.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: LeBrun indicated that player agents will focus on how much of a club’s cap percentage their clients can make rather than the AAV.

The salary cap for 2025-26 was initially projected to rise by $4.4 million to $92.5 million. There’s speculation it could go higher, rising to as much as $98 million, though NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman dismissed that conjecture.

If the cap rises higher than projected, players like Rantanen could be in line for higher raises than expected, especially if the focus is on how much of a percentage of the cap they’ll make. A player can earn no more than 20 percent. If the cap rises to $92.4 million, that’s an AAV of $18.48 million. If it’s $98 million, the maximum is $19.6 million.

Rantanen won’t get anywhere close to that but it’s understandable why he reportedly thinks he can get $14 million annually on the open market.

Chris Johnston reports the Toronto Maple Leafs are engaged in contract extension talks with John Tavares. The 34-year-old center is UFA-eligible next summer but he isn’t interested in going to market. He’s earning an AAV of $11 million on his current deal.

Johnston said they’re not close to a deal yet. He suggests deferred salary compensation might be a way to bridge the gap as it could lower the AAV.

Darren Dreger said the Calgary Flames continue to shop for a second-line center, preferably one who will play with the Flames for the next three to five years. LeBrun noted the Toronto Maple Leafs and Nashville Predators are also in the market for second-line centers.

Dreger also reported that Kaapo Kakko has resurfaced in trade rumors. The 23-year-old New York Rangers winger was the subject of speculation during the offseason. He’s on a one-year contract worth $2.4 million and becomes a restricted free agent with arbitration rights in July.

Kakko probably seeks a fresh start where he can garner more ice. Dreger believes the Rangers won’t give him away and the return must be exactly what they want. Nevertheless, he claims there’s interest in the Finnish winger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Athletic’s Arthur Staple recently reported the Rangers were happy with the performance of their younger players, including Kakko. Still, they could entertain offers for a return that provides them with an immediate roster boost.

UPDATE ON THE FLYERS

THE ATHLETIC (subscription required): Kevin Kurz recently listed five centers the Philadelphia Flyers could target in a trade this season. They include Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks, Marco Rossi of the Minnesota Wild, Dylan Cozens of the Buffalo Sabres, Shane Pinto of the Ottawa Senators, and Brock Nelson of the New York Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the above link for Kurz’s full breakdown as to why the Flyers could target those players.

Nelson is the oldest on this list and UFA-eligible next summer. He won’t be traded unless the Islanders are out of playoff contention and they decide against re-signing him. He’s 33 years old and would be a better option for a playoff contender than a rebuilding club.

Zegras, Rossi and Cozens are 23 while Pinto is 24. They’re better suited for the Flyers’ long-term plans.

Zegras struggled through an injury-shortened 2023-24 campaign, garnering a reputation as a one-dimensional forward. His overall game is improving this season but he’s been employed more as a winger than a center.

Cozens and Pinto aren’t scoring at the same pace this season as they did in 2023-24. However, their respective clubs might not be keen to give up on them. It will take a solid return to tempt them. The Sabres and Senators are trying to take the next step toward contention. A return of draft picks and prospects probably won’t cut it.

Rossi could be the Flyers’ best bet. Kurz’s colleague Michael Russo doesn’t think the 23-year-old center has a long-term future with the Wild and recently said he expects the youngster will be traded at some point. He’s off to a good start this season with 17 points in 22 games, sitting third among Wild scorers.

Landing any of those players will likely cost the Flyers a young player not named Matvei Michkov in return. Philly Hockey Now’s Jonathan Bailey speculates it could be Tyson Foerster. The 22-year-old winger is going through a sophomore slump with six points in 22 games after a promising 20-goal, 33-point effort last season.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – October 6, 2024

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – October 6, 2024

In the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup: bold predictions for the Stars, Red Wings, and Rangers and the possibility of the Canadiens’ Arber Xhekaj starting the season in the AHL.

SPORTSNET: Ryan Dixon recently made bold predictions for all 32 NHL clubs this season. Among them was some trade speculation regarding the Dallas Stars and New York Rangers.

Dixon believes the Stars are all-in on a Stanley Cup run this season. He predicts they’ll deal from a position of strength (young forwards) to address an area of weakness (right-side defense) by shipping center Mavrik Bourque to the Calgary Flames for defenseman Rasmus Andersson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bourque was the Stars first-round pick (30th overall) in the 2020 NHL draft. He has one game of NHL experience but could become a full-time roster player this season.

Andersson surfaced in trade rumors over the summer. The 27-year-old is a solid top-four defenseman with an affordable annual cap hit of $4.55 million through 2025-26. He also has a six-team no-trade list but could be open to joining a Stanley Cup contender.

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler (NHL Images).

With the Flames rebuilding, they could be open to solid offers for Andersson before the trade deadline. Bourque could tempt them, especially if he plays well this season.

Dixon predicts the Detroit Red Wings will acquire local boy Cam Fowler from the Anaheim Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wings have the depth in prospects and promising young roster players to make a competitive offer to the Ducks. Fowler would bring skilled, experienced depth to the Wings’ defense corps. He has a three-team trade list but reportedly expanded that list to double digits. Maybe the Wings are among those preferred destinations.

Dixon predicts the New York Rangers will include winger Kaapo Kakko in a trade package to the Winnipeg Jets for winger Nikolaj Ehlers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ehlers isn’t going anywhere if the Jets are playoff-bound by the deadline, especially if he’s played a significant role in getting them to that stage.

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico suggests the Montreal Canadiens could send Arber Xhekaj to their AHL affiliate in Laval, not because they’re unhappy with his performance, but for salary cap reasons.

D’Amico explains the Canadiens hope to avoid using LTIR until the season begins. Their goal is to maximize their LTIR relief space and performance bonus pool in one move.

They could demote Xhekaj as $1.15 million of his $1.3 million salary would be buried in the minors. That would move them to within $900K of the salary cap before placing sidelined Rafael Harvey-Pinard on LTIR to start the season. That would allow them to hold off putting Carey Price or Patrik Laine on LTIR.

Xhekaj also doesn’t have performance bonuses, so the Canadiens can quickly recall him on Oct. 8 once they place Price or Laine or LTIR.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: D’Amico goes into greater detail on how the Canadiens could do this. In short, this would be a paper transaction for salary cap accounting purposes, meaning Xhekaj wouldn’t spend time in Laval.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 11, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – September 11, 2024

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: some suggested trade destinations for Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler and the latest on Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Patrick Present cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman’s recent report indicating the Anaheim Ducks and defenseman Cam Fowler are discussing his future.

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler (NHL Images)

The 32-year-old Fowler is believed willing to expand his four-team trade list. He carries an average annual value of $6.5 million through 2025-26.

Present listed the Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks, and Florida Panthers as three clubs in “win-now” mode who could benefit from adding Fowler to their defense corps.

Their limited cap space would be an issue for those clubs, meaning there would have to be salary retention by the Ducks or salaried players sent to the Ducks to offset his cap hit. The Oilers also don’t have a shallow prospect pool to draw from for trade bait.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Present noted that Fowler is unlikely to be moved before the start of this season. However, injuries could open up some cap space on one of those clubs at some point. That could make Fowler a tempting target.

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh wondered if Kaapo Kakko would still be on the New York Rangers’ roster by the end of this season. He believes he will be, but acknowledged the trade rumors that dogged the 22-year-old winger during the offseason.

Baugh believes Rangers GM Chris Drury will attempt to add to his roster at this season’s trade deadline. Kakko could be part of a “win-now” deal, but the best-case scenario could be the young winger returning to his 2022-23 production when he tallied 40 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s assumed Kakko wasn’t traded this summer because his value was low. If he doesn’t improve this season, bundling him as part of a larger return for a skilled player might be the only way to move him in a trade.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 7, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – August 7, 2024

Check out the latest on the Rangers and Oilers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill

THE ATHLETIC: A reader asked Arthur Staple if there is any clear indication that the New York Rangers will attempt to trade or buy out Jacob Trouba after this season.

Staple replied that Trouba submitted his 15-team no-trade list valid until July 1, 2025. There’s nothing set in stone but both sides understand that the Rangers need salary-cap space next summer.

New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers attempted to move Trouba before his no-movement clause ended on July 1 and became a 15-team no-trade list. He waited until July 1 (as is his right) to submit that list.

Both sides say there is no bad blood and they’ll work together this season. However, this season is likely Trouba’s last with the Rangers and he understands that. Whether they find trade partners willing to take on his $8 million cap hit for 2025-26 depends on his performance this season.

Asked about Kaapo Kakko, Staple believes he’s not a player other teams are coveting now, speculating the Rangers may be getting offers but nothing worthwhile. He considers the 23-year-old winger a “buy-low player” in the trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That would explain why Kakko hasn’t moved despite plenty of offseason trade speculation. He’ll likely start this season with the Rangers. Improvement in his performance will boost his trade value but could also give them second thoughts about moving him.

THE ATHLETIC: Allan Mitchell looked at some Oilers storylines to follow for the remainder of the summer.

He believes no news is good news regarding contract extension talks with Leon Draisaitl. If things were going poorly, the Oilers would drop hints about trade options. As things stand, Mitchell considers the signing inevitable and possibly not far away.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: General manager Stan Bowman said talks have become and there’s nothing negative to report. Draisaitl’s contract situation gets interesting if the season begins without him putting pen to paper. Until then, it’s not worth fretting about.

The Oilers remain over the $88 million salary cap with restricted free agents Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg to be signed.

One way to address this would be placing Evander Kane (hip injury) on long-term injury reserve to start the season but they’ll have to be cap-compliant when he’s ready to return. If he’s coming to training camp, Cody Ceci or Brett Kulak could be traded to free up cap space to sign Holloway and Broberg.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ceci carries a $3.25 million cap hit this season while Kulak’s is $2.75 million annually through 2025-26.