Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – January 31, 2021

by | Jan 31, 2021

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – January 31, 2021

​The latest Vince Dunn speculation plus reports of the Flames’ Sam Bennett and the Canadiens’ Victor Mete requesting trades in the Sunday NHL rumor roundup.

SUGGESTED DESTINATIONS FOR DUNN

THE SCORE: Josh Wegman suggested the Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers and Winnipeg Jets as potential destinations for Vince Dunn. Reports emerged last week indicating the St. Louis Blues were shopping the 24-year-old defenseman.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski reports sources claiming Jim Rutherford was closing in on a trade for Dunn before he abruptly stepped down last week as the Pittsburgh Penguins’ general manager. The return for the Blues isn’t known.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Joe Haggerty wonders if the Bruins should get into the bidding for Dunn. He notes the blueliner carries an affordable $1.875 million cap hit on a one-year contract, suggesting he could fill their requirement for a left-shot defenseman. If the Bruins were to pursue Dunn, Haggerty proposed offering up winger Anders Bjork as part of a package.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Vince Dunn (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The asking price for Dunn is said to be a first-round pick, though I think the Blues could settle for a second-rounder if that return isn’t available. They can’t afford to take back any salary because of their limited cap space and must leave room for Vladimir Tarasenko’s eventual return from shoulder surgery later this season.

Those clubs suggested by Wegman could be reluctant to part with a first-rounder. The Senators and Kings each have two second-round picks in the 2021 draft while the Red Wings have three second-rounders. The Rangers lack a second-rounder but have two third-rounders.

The Penguins lack picks in the first, third and fourth rounds of this year’s draft. Rutherford has a well-earned reputation as a wheeler-dealer but I don’t think he’d part with his second-rounder and leave his club without picks in the first four rounds of the draft. Maybe he was offering up something else from his 2022 picks or a prospect to the Blues.

BENNETT REQUESTS A TRADE

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the agent for Sam Bennett confirms his client might want a change of scenery. Darren Ferris said the 24-year-old Flames forward would like it to be considered. The Flames aren’t commenting and Friedman said the club isn’t rushing to move him because they like their depth at center.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bennett’s been the subject of trade speculation for some time but nothing ever came of it. This is the first time we’re hearing from his camp that he would like the club to consider a trade. He’s been seeing checking-line minutes and could seek a bigger role.

Cap Friendly indicates Bennett’s a restricted free agent with arbitration rights at season’s end. Flames management could hang onto him for the remainder of the season and then attempt to trade him during the offseason.

CANADIENS DENY METE TRADE REQUEST RUMOR

TSN: Salim Nadim Valji reports Victor Mete formally requested a trade from the Montreal Canadiens. The 22-year-old defenseman has been a healthy scratch for all seven of the Habs games thus far this season.

Valji said Mete’s agent, Darren Ferris, will work with the Canadiens to find a trade partner. However, Pierre LeBrun subsequently reported Montreal GM Marc Bergevin denied the story. “Not true and not trading him,” Bergevin said via text message.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We’ll likely get more details from one or both sides about this story within the next day or two. There was speculation last week suggesting some teams were monitoring Mete’s status with the Canadiens.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 29, 2021

by | Jan 29, 2021

NHL Rumor Mill – January 29, 2021

Check out the latest on the Penguins and Canucks in today’s NHL rumor mill.

CHANGES COMING FOR THE PENGUINS?

TSN: Darren Dreger wonders what other changes could be in store for the Pittsburgh Penguins as they search for a new general manager after Jim Rutherford stepped down earlier this week.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (NHL Images)

If the Penguins miss the playoffs or don’t do well in the postseason there could be potential for a seismic shift. Dreger feels the organization owes it to Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang to have a conversation over the direction of the club under new management. He wonders if they will want to chase a Stanley Cup elsewhere or retire as Penguins. “But, imagine if those names were in play at some point in the near future?”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins’ attitude remains “win now” but that could change if things go sideways this season. Of the three, Malkin and Letang could face the more uncertain futures with the organization. Both are slated to become unrestricted free agents in 2022 while Crosby’s under contract until the end of 2024-25.

If there’s a change in direction after this season the new GM will have to discuss it with Crosby, Malkin and Letang to determine where those three fit into the club’s long-term plans. Crosby and Malkin have full no-movement clauses while Letang has an 18-team trade list.

They’re obviously not going anywhere during this season but this situation could be worth watching this summer.

Meanwhile, Pierre LeBrun reports 20 different candidates have reached out to the Penguins to indicate interest in their vacant GM position. They include Jason Botterill, Chris Drury, Ron Hextall, Mark Hunter, Tom Fitzgerald, Peter Chiarelli, Scott Mellanby, Mike Gillis, Laurence Gilman, John Ferguson Jr and Mike Futa. Interim GM Patrik Allvin will also be under consideration.

THE ATHLETIC: Sean Gentille also looked at some possible candidates to replace Rutherford. Among his suggestions are old friends of team owner Mario Lemieux such as agent Pat Brisson, NHL analyst Pierre McGuire and Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin.

Others could include Dean Lombardi, Colorado Avalanche assistant GM Chris MacFarland, NHL analyst Kevin Weekes, and Canadiens assistant GM Scott Mellanby.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins won’t lack for suitable candidates. I don’t see Bergevin getting hired unless he quits the Canadiens or is fired by team owner Geoff Molson. The New Jersey Devils could be reluctant to part with current GM Tom Fitzgerald.

McGuire always comes up as a GM candidate but seems to get courtesy interviews before being passed over. He hasn’t been in a management position in over a quarter-century. Brisson seems happy in his role as one of the most powerful player agents in hockey.

CANUCKS IN THE MARKET FOR A DEFENSEMAN?

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports he’s sure the Vancouver Canucks are looking around for help on their blueline but there are no guarantees they’re getting it. He indicated defensemen such as the Montreal Canadiens’ Victor Mete, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Travis Dermott and the St. Louis Blues’ Vince Dunn could be available.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks stumbled out of the gate in part because of their porous defense but recently swept their three-game series with the struggling Ottawa Senators. That could buy management a bit of breathing room while they evaluate their defensive game.

We don’t know what the Canadiens’ asking price for Mete could be. The Leafs are said to be looking for some depth at forward while the Blues’ asking price for Dunn is reportedly a first-round pick or as high a draft pick as they can get for him.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 27, 2021

by | Jan 27, 2021

NHL Rumor Mill – January 27, 2021

​Vince Dunn’s days with the St. Louis Blues could be numbered plus the latest on the Leafs, Canadiens and Ducks in today’s NHL rumor mill.

DUNN COULD BE DONE IN ST. LOUIS

TSN: Frank Seravalli last night reported Vince Dunn could be on the move. The St. Louis Blues have engaged in conversations with many clubs regarding the 24-year-old defenseman, who signed a one-year, $1.875 million contract last year. Seravalli said there was a belief Dunn would be traded during training camp, adding the blueliner was expected to be a healthy scratch in last night’s game.

SPORTSNET: In his latest “31 Thoughts” column, Elliotte Friedman noted Dunn was taken off the Blues second power-play unit during Tuesday’s practice. While the defenseman has had a rough start his talent is respected. Friedman also indicated the Blues had a lot of trade talk about him during the summer. It’s believed they’re seeking a first-rounder in return.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Vince Dunn (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dunn was a healthy scratch from last night’s win over the Vegas Golden Knights. That could indicate a trade could be in the works. Whatever the reason behind Dunn’s struggles this season he should still draw lots of interest in the trade market.

A skilled mobile blueliner, Dunn was once considered a promising part of the Blues defense corps. He’s tallied 23-or-more points in each of his first three seasons, including a 35-point performance during his sophomore campaign.

MORE TIDBITS FROM FRIEDMAN’S LATEST “31 THOUGHTS”

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman repeated his report from last Saturday claiming the Toronto Maple Leafs are looking for forwards with Joe Thornton and Nick Robertson sidelined by injuries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs are already pressed for salary cap space so they’ll have to do a dollar-for-dollar swap if they’re looking to significantly boost their injury-depleted forward lines.

He also repeated his report that Montreal Canadiens defenseman Victor Mete is having trouble cracking the Habs’ deep blueline corps.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens haven’t assigned Mete to their taxi squad because a rival club will likely pluck him off waivers. They probably prefer hanging on to him for now in case injuries strike their blueline. Still, they could trade him for the right offer.

Friedman reports the Anaheim Ducks are looking for scoring.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s understandable as they enter today sitting dead-last with a goals-for per game average of 1.71. They were reportedly among the clubs interested in Pierre-Luc Dubois and Patrik Laine before they were swapped for each other last Saturday. No word as to who else they’re interested in or what they’re prepared to offer.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – January 24, 2021

by | Jan 24, 2021

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – January 24, 2021

​The latest on the Canadiens’ Phillip Danault and Victor Mete, some blueline trade targets for the Penguins and the Maple Leafs are looking for help at forward. Check out the details in the Sunday NHL rumor roundup.

DANAULT AND METE

LA PRESSE: Mathias Brunet last week reported Phillip Danault rejected a six-year, $30 million contract offer from the Montreal Canadiens. The 27-year-old center is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Montreal Canadiens center Phillip Danault (NHL Images).

The Habs are said to be willing to increase their offer by a few hundred thousand dollars annually but received no counter-offers from the Danault camp. His agent, Stephane Fiset, declined to comment.

Brunet indicated Danault is happy in Montreal and wants to continue his career with the Canadiens. Sources indicate the gap between the two sides isn’t that large but seems to hang on the duration of the deal. Some speak of a five-year contract, others a six-year deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens’ offer would be worth an annual average value of $5 million. The Danault camp might try to push that to between $5.5 million and $6 million annually.

Cap Friendly shows the Canadiens with over $65.9 million committed to 15 players for 2021-22 with Tomas Tatar and Joel Armia also due to become UFAs this summer. Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Victor Mete and Artturi Lehkonen are their notable restricted free agents.

There seems a willingness on both sides to get a deal done. However, the flattened salary cap for next season and the rise of young centers like Kotkaniemi and Nick Suzuki could affect those negotiations.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports Victor Mete can’t get into the lineup on a deep Canadiens roster. The club won’t assign the 22-year-old defenseman to their taxi squad because a rival team could claim him off waivers. Friedman believes some teams will be keeping an eye on this situation to see what progresses.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens probably don’t want to shop Mete just yet. Several NHL teams have already seen their roster depth depleted by injuries and the Habs would prefer avoiding that situation. Nevertheless, they could trade Mete if the right offer came along or if push comes to shove and they have no choice but to put him on waivers.

DEFENSE TRADE TARGETS FOR THE PENGUINS

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski looked at several possible trade targets for the Pittsburgh Penguins to address their injury-depleted defense corps. One could be Minnesota Wild blueliner Carson Soucy. Another could be Detroit Red Wings rearguard Danny DeKeyser.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kingerski listed five defensemen but those two caught my eye. He noted the Wild now have seven defensemen with their recent addition of Ian Cole. Soucy, 26, carries an affordable $2.75 million AAV through 2022-23. He’s currently seeing third-pairing minutes with Cole so the Wild might not be keen to move him.

DeKeyser, 30, missed most of last season due to back surgery. He carries a $5 million AAV through next season and has a 10-team no-trade list. The Wings might be reluctant to move DeKeyser at this point in the season but could change their minds if they sink to the bottom of the standings again. That might not happen until later in the season but the Penguins need immediate help on their blueline.

The Penguins could be among those clubs Friedman said were keeping an eye on Victor Mete’s situation in Montreal.

LEAFS LOOKING FOR FORWARDS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman noted Toronto Maple Leafs forwards Nick Robertson (knee) and Joe Thornton (fractured rib) are sidelined with long-term injuries while center Auston Matthews (upper body) is listed as day-to-day. While the Leafs have a lot of forwards, Friedman believes they’re looking around to add or upgrade up front.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs are already pressed for cap space and are already moving players in and out of their taxi squad on a regular basis to stay cap compliant. Robertson and Thornton are on long-term injury reserve but their combined salaries ($1.52 million) won’t free up much to make a significant addition. That might require a dollar-for-dollar swap.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 16, 2020

by | Sep 16, 2020

NHL Rumor Mill – September 16, 2020

Does the Jonas Brodin signing mean Matt Dumba’s on the trade block? Will Marc-Andre Fleury submit his no-trade list? What the latest on the Canadiens? Find out in today’s NHL rumor mill.

COULD DUMBA BE TRADED?

THE ATHLETIC (subscription required): Michael Russo reports the Minnesota Wild re-signing defenseman Jonas Brodin yesterday to a seven-year, $42-million contract extension could set the stage for other moves.

According to sources, Wild general manager Bill Guerin has not only received a lot of calls about Matt Dumba, he’s actively shopping the blueliner. Russo speculates Guerin could move Dumba for a scoring forward, preferably a center. He indicates the rearguard is the only one lacking no-trade protection before 2021-22 season.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston believes the Vancouver Canucks will be among the suitors for Dumba. However, he believes it’ll take giving up a forward like Brock Boeser to get him. Johnston feels Boeser’s name could surface in trade rumors if the Canucks re-sign pending free agent winger Tyler Toffoli.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly indicates Brodin, Ryan Suter, and Jared Spurgeon have full no-movement clauses. As a result, those three must be protected in next summer’s expansion draft, leaving Dumba exposed if Guerin decides to protect three defensemen.

Dumba lacks no-trade protection for 2020-21. On his own, however, he might not be enough to land a scoring center. A sweetener of a draft pick or promising prospect might have to be included. His annual salary-cap hit ($6 million AAV through 2022-23) could also be a snag.

Guerin doesn’t have to move Dumba right away. He can be patient and see how next season unfolds if he doesn’t find any suitable offers during this offseason. If he opts to wait, I think he’ll try to move Dumba before next season’s trade deadline (whenever that might be) to avoid any complications of finding a suitable trade partner before the expansion draft.

DID FLEURY SUBMIT HIS NO-TRADE LIST?

THE ATHLETIC (subscription required): Jesse Granger reported Sept. 15 was the deadline Marc-Andre Fleury and his agent to submit their revised no-trade list to Vegas Golden Knights management. That’s in accordance with the NHL CBA and the memorandum of understanding.

It’s uncertain if the Fleury camp did this. Granger speculates they may have as a precautionary measure following reports the Golden Knights intend to re-sign Robin Lehner.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Granger also points out moving an aging goaltender with two years left on his contract with an annual average value of $7 million would be difficult under normal circumstances. Nevertheless, he did play well in his three postseason appearances and there could be a club with sufficient cap space willing to take a chance on him.

LATEST ON THE CANADIENS

TVA SPORTS: Charlie Lajoie believes Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin could be preparing for a blockbuster trade following his recent acquisition of defenseman Joel Edmundson. He speculated a blueliner like Ben Chiarot could be part of a package deal to land a scoring winger.

SPORTSNET: Eric Engels believes the Canadiens’ recent acquisition of defenseman Joel Edmundson opens up some trade possibility for Bergevin. He also believes Bergevin can afford to move a blueliner to address that issue. He feels Brett Kulak could have more value on the trade market than Victor Mete.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Habs have a surplus of left-side defensemen. Kulak or Mete could be part of a package for a scoring forward but they obviously won’t be the centerpiece. Maybe center Max Domi would also be part of such a deal.

Bergevin can also draw upon his depth in draft picks. He has 11 picks in this year’s draft, including three in the second round and three in the fourth. He also has two third-rounders and three picks in each of the fourth and fifth rounds of next year’s draft.

We know he won’t be moving promising youngsters like Nick Suzuki, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Alexander Romanov. He included them among his untouchables.










NHL Free Agents & Trade Candidates – Montreal Canadiens

by | Apr 23, 2020

NHL Free Agents & Trade Candidates – Montreal Canadiens