Gearing up for an underwhelming 2020 NHL Trade Deadline
Gearing up for an underwhelming 2020 NHL Trade Deadline
NHL Rumor Mill – February 10, 2020
NHL Rumor Mill – February 10, 2020
The latest on Jason Zucker and Blake Coleman, plus updates on the Senators and Penguins in today’s NHL rumor mill.
ARE ZUCKER’S DAYS WITH THE WILD NUMBERED?
THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo reports Jason Zucker won’t discuss the trade rumors swirling about him. The winger said he hasn’t spoken about his status with Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin. “Heard nothing. Whatever happens, happens. I’m done dealing with it. I’m done worrying about it,” he said.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are reportedly still interested in Minnesota Wild winger Jason Zucker (Photo via NHL Images).
Zucker’s been the subject of trade chatter for the past two years. A deal that would’ve sent him to the Pittsburgh Penguins last May fell through. It’s assumed he could be the odd-man-out for the Wild, either at the trade deadline or the 2020 NHL Draft in June.
He has a 10-team no-trade clause, which Russo said is believed to include almost every Canadian team and a handful of American clubs. Sources claim the Penguins aren’t on that list. Zucker is believed to be a player on their radar as the trade deadline approaches.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zucker is signed through 2022-23 with an annual average value of $5.5 million. Guerin doesn’t have to move him at the trade deadline. If he doesn’t get an offer to his liking, he can wait until the off-season.
If Guerin is shopping the veteran winger, he’ll want a return that provides long-term help for his club. Speaking of the Penguins…
POSSIBLE PENGUINS TRADE TARGETS
THE ATHLETIC: Jason Zucker topped Josh Yohe’s recent list of the Penguins’ most likely trade targets. Others include New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider and Los Angeles Kings winger Tyler Toffoli.
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski suggested Nashville’s Craig Smith, Toronto’s Andreas Johnsson, and Rangers winger Jesper Fast as backup options if the Penguins fail to land one of the bigger names in the trade market.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given Penguins GM Jim Rutherford’s trade history, it’s anticipated he’ll swing a deal before the Feb. 24 deadline. One of the aforementioned players could be wearing a Penguins jersey by then. If Rutherford wants Johnsson, the Leafs’ asking price could be a defenseman. And no, they won’t want Jack Johnson.
UPDATES ON THE SENATORS
OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reported Senators GM Pierre Dorion is working the phones but hasn’t yet found any potential trade partners. One reason is several clubs remain undecided about which route they’ll take by the trade deadline. The Senators have plenty to offer if they go to market, including pending unrestricted free agents such as Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Dylan DeMelo, Mark Borowiecki, and Ron Hainsey. Craig Anderson and Tyler Ennis could also be available, but Garrioch anticipates their market will be limited.
Given Anderson’s inconsistency and $4.75-million salary-cap hit, Garrioch doubts the veteran goalie will be marketable. The Florida Panthers need a backup, but they lack the cap space for Anderson’s cap hit, especially given his .899 save percentage this season. While Pageau and DeMelo could be moved if still unsigned by the trade deadline, Borowiecki and Hainsey could end up staying put for the rest of the season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Garrioch also noted that Dorion won’t make a move just for the sake of doing so. The Senators GM indicated they’ve already got a lot of draft picks and prospects in the pipeline. He could instead want a young player who can step into the Senators lineup right away, like Anthony Duclair when he was acquired last season from Columbus.
SHOULD THE OILERS PURSUE COLEMAN?
EDMONTON JOURNAL: Kurt Leavins doubts the Oilers will be going big-game hunting at the trade deadline. However, he suggested New Jersey Devils forward Blake Coleman as a trade option.
The 28-year-old has a year remaining on his contract, and the Devils could go into a full rebuild under new GM Tom Fitzgerald. Coleman is a versatile two-way player who’s scored 20 goals this season. Leavins wondered if an offer of Jesse Puljujarvi and either a third-round pick or a prospect might land Coleman.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Coleman’s name recently surfaced in the rumor mill, but we don’t know if Fitzgerald (the Devils’ interim GM) intends to move out players on contracts that expire at the end of next season. We also don’t know if Oilers GM Ken Holland has Coleman on his radar. If he does, I doubt Puljujarvi and a third-rounder or a mid-range prospect will be enticing to Fitzgerald, who could get better offers from other clubs.
Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – February 9, 2020
Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – February 9, 2020
Are the Canadiens shopping Tomas Tatar and Jeff Petry? Should the Islanders attempt to acquire Kyle Palmieri from the Devils? What’s the latest on the Leafs and Kings? Find out in this Sunday’s NHL rumor roundup.
CANADIENS NOT SHOPPING TATAR AND PETRY
TVA SPORTS: Renaud Lavoie dismissed recent trade speculation regarding Tomas Tatar and Jeff Petry. He claimed the Montreal Canadiens won’t move either player unless they get golden offers, which he doesn’t believe they will. Lavoie also doesn’t expect Habs general manager Marc Bergevin will be busy at the trade deadline, as he’s looking toward winning next season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tatar and Petry are also signed beyond this season, so Bergevin isn’t under pressure to trade them now. If the Habs keep clawing their way back into the playoff chase, the less likely Bergevin will be a seller by the Feb. 24 trade deadline.
SHOULD THE ISLANDERS PURSUE PALMIERI?
NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks wonders what it would cost the New York Islanders to acquire winger Kyle Palmieri from the New Jersey Devils. “Oliver Wahlstrom? Well, maybe the Devils would like to toss Blake Coleman into the mix, then. The Islanders could add Josh Ho-Sang.” He also wondered if Devils interim GM Tom Fitzgerald would move Palmieri or Coleman by the Feb. 24 trade deadline before contract extension talks starting July 1.
How much would it cost the New York Islanders to acquire Kyle Palmieri from the New Jersey Devils? (Photo via NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Like the Canadiens with Tatar and Petry, the Devils aren’t facing pressure to move Palmieri or Coleman before the trade deadline. Unless those two want out, management can wait and see how things unfold in contract discussions this summer. It would also be wise to determine if Fitzgerald stays on as GM or someone else takes over before deciding the fates of Palmieri and Coleman.
LEAFS TO WAIT FOR HEALTH UPDATES ON RIELLY AND CECI
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports there’s a lot of talk suggesting the Toronto Maple Leafs could go out and get another defenseman because injured blueliners Morgan Rielly and Cody Ceci could be sidelined for a long time. However, the Leafs intend to wait for the health reports on the two rearguards. They’ll know more within the next couple of weeks.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Rielly and Ceci are sidelined until the playoffs, the Leafs can place both on long-term injured reserve and use the savings to bolster their blueline. Because there’s no salary cap in the playoffs, the Leafs wouldn’t have to shed salary to make room for those injured d-men when they are ready to return.
LATEST KINGS SPECULATION
SPORTSNET: Chris Johnston reports the Winnipeg Jets and Vegas Golden Knights are among the teams interested in Los Angeles Kings defenseman Alec Martinez. He also said the Pittsburgh Penguins and Calgary Flames have been linked to Kings winger Tyler Toffoli.
UPDATES ON KREIDER AND PAGEAU
SPORTSNET: Chris Johnston reports contract talks are set to begin this week between the New York Rangers and Chris Kreider. It doesn’t sound as though there have been any contract discussions of late between the Ottawa Senators and Jean-Gabriel Pageau.
NHL Rumor Mill – February 1, 2020
NHL Rumor Mill – February 1, 2020
The latest on the Stars, Hurricanes, and Panthers, plus updates on Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Andreas Athanasiou and Pavel Buchnevich in today’s NHL rumor mill.
POSSIBLE STARS TRADE TARGETS
NHL.COM: In a recent mailbag segment, Mike Heika was asked which players the Dallas Stars could target to bolster their offense before the Feb, 24 trade deadline.
He listed New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider, Los Angeles Kings winger Tyler Toffoli, and Chicago Blackhawks winger Brandon Saad as the three easiest targets, though they’re also going to cost the most in terms of draft picks and prospects. He also suggested Montreal’s Ilya Kovalchuk or Pittsburgh’s Alex Galchenyuk as bargain options.
THE ATHLETIC: Sean Shapiro suggests it could cost the Stars a first-round pick or a young NHL-ready forward for Kreider. The New Jersey Devils could seek a return for Kyle Palmieri comparable to what they got for Taylor Hall. In other words, a first-round pick or a conditional pick that could become a first, a good prospect or young player, and perhaps a second-round selection.
The asking price for Toffoli could be a second-round pick and a B-level prospect. Galchenyuk could cost a conditional fourth-rounder. It could take a first-round pick to get winger Josh Anderson from the Columbus Blue Jackets or center Jean-Gabriel Pageau from the Ottawa Senators.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars GM Jim Nill doesn’t sound keen to part with first-round picks. He also lacks second- and third-round picks in this year’s draft. I don’t doubt he’s monitoring the trade market, but he could be looking for bargains.
What type of return could the Ottawa Senators receive for Jean-Gabriel Pageau in the trade market? (Photo via NHL Images)
POSSIBLE DESTINATIONS FOR PAGEAU
THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun recently examined the potential trade market for Ottawa Senators center Jean-Gabriel Pageau. He’s skeptical the Sens could get a first-round pick in return because many GMs are reluctant to part with such picks this year.
Some clubs that could be a good fit for Pageau, such as the Edmonton Oilers, aren’t guaranteed to reach this year’s playoffs, making them unwilling to part with a first-rounder for a rental player. LeBrun speculates they could try to make it work with a conditional second based on how far the Oilers advance in the 2020 playoffs.
LeBrun also listed the New York Islanders, Dallas Stars, Philadelphia Flyers, and Calgary Flames as possible landing spots for Pageau. Conditions could also apply with those clubs.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pageau is enjoying a career season in his contract year, but the ongoing assessment among observers is he’s best suited for second- or third-line duty. A legitimate playoff contender won’t give up a first-round selection for a depth player, or at least, they shouldn’t give up that much. If the Senators shop him, perhaps they’ll attempt to land a promising young player and a decent prospect.
COULD THE RANGERS SHOP BUCHNEVICH?
NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks wonders if Pavel Buchnevich could be part of the Rangers’ trade-deadline plans. He speculates they could opt to trade the 24-year-old winger’s skill game for one “with a more north-south, hard-hat mentality.” Brooks also acknowledged Buchnevich’s talent and affordable $3.25-million annual average value could make him worth retaining.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: After tallying career-high 21 goals last season, Buchenvich is on pace for 15 in 2019-20. He’s also on track for 45 points, which would be eight more than what he had in 2018-19. He’s in the first year of a two-year contract and will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer.
Rangers management isn’t under any pressure to move him. One can’t dismiss the possibility of Buchnevich getting traded, but that move might be better suited for the off-season when he might fetch a better return.
COULD THE OILERS PURSUE ATHANASIOU?
KUKLA’S KORNER: cites tweets by Edmonton Journal’s Jim Matheson linking the Oilers to Detroit Red Wings forward Andreas Athanasiou. He thinks Oilers GM Ken Holland wants to add more speed to his forward lines. Athanasiou is having a lousy year in Detroit, but Matheson considers him a top-six forward.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: As former Red Wings GM, Holland also knows Athanasiou’s strengths and weaknesses. The versatile 25-year-old tallied a career-high 30 goals last season. He’s currently sidelined by a lower-body injury but could be a good addition to the Oilers once he returns to action. He’s also a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer, which could complicate his future in Detroit, Edmonton, or wherever he finishes this season.
WHAT WILL THE PANTHERS DO AT THE TRADE DEADLINE?
THE ATHLETIC: George Richards took note of recent speculation suggesting the Florida Panthers could move either Mike Hoffman or Evgenii Dadonov at the trade deadline. Both are unrestricted free agents in July and the Panthers might not be able to re-sign them both.
With the Panthers jockeying for playoff positioning, Richards doesn’t see either winger getting shopped unless it’s for a return (such as a defenseman) that will be important for the club going forward. He also points out the Panthers’ limited salary-cap space will affect any attempts to make a move or two at the trade deadline.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers only have over $892K in deadline cap room. If they swing a deal for a defenseman, it’ll have to be dollar-in, dollar-out. It’ll take a considerable offer to convince GM Dale Tallon to part with Hoffman or Dadonov.
LATEST ON THE HURRICANES
NBC SPORTS: Adam Gretz examined how losing defenseman Dougie Hamilton to a fractured fibula could affect Carolina Hurricanes GM Don Waddell’s trade plans. Waddell admitted he was in the market for a defenseman before Hamilton’s injury, but his absence could change the type of player he could target in the trade market.
Gretz observes there are limited options in the trade market to address even a fraction of the offense Hamilton brought to the Hurricanes’ blueline. The best rental option could be New Jersey’s Sami Vatanen. Waddell is reluctant to place Hamilton on long-term injury reserve as he could return before the end of the season.
Turning to the forward lines, the return of Justin Williams provides a boost, as could a bounce-back second half from winger Nino Niederreiter.
NHL Sense or Nonsense: Buying, Selling, Signing or Trading
NHL Sense or Nonsense: Buying, Selling, Signing or Trading
NHL Rumor Mill – January 29, 2020
NHL Rumor Mill – January 29, 2020
Should the Canadiens ship Max Domi to Toronto for Kasperi Kapanen? Are the Bruins eyeing a Ducks winger? Is interest growing in Brenden Dillon? Check out the latest in today’s NHL rumor mill.
DOMI FOR KAPANEN?
TVA SPORTS: Jean-Charles Lajoie believes the decline in Max Domi’s production in his contract year should concern Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin. Taking note of the 24-year-old winger’s streaky scoring, he thinks they can’t build a champion team with Domi.
Nevertheless, Lajoie believes Domi is among several Canadiens who would be attractive to other clubs before the Feb. 24 trade deadline. He suggests shipping Domi to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Kaspari Kapanen, who could have great chemistry with fellow Finns Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Joel Armia, while Domi would return to the city where his father was a star.
Should the Montreal Canadiens offer Max Domi to Toronto for Kasperi Kapanen (Photo via NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Could Bergevin listen to trade offers for Domi? I wouldn’t rule it out. Will he get one that entices him to trade Domi before the deadline? Probably not. Will the Leafs swap Kapanen for Domi? No. They need to bolster their blueline depth. Trading Kapanen for Domi won’t address that issue.
BRUINS PURSUING KASE?
BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy cites an NHL source suggesting the Bruins could be looking at Anaheim Ducks winger Ondrej Kase. The Ducks are open for business and let it be known the 24-year-old Kase could be available for the right price.
Sweeney’s source claims Bruins general manager Don Sweeney and Ducks GM Bob Murray have discussed what that price could be. No word on what Murray could seek, but with his club set to rebuild, the asking price could be draft picks and/or prospects.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t think it’s a certainty the Ducks move Kase, but I don’t rule it out. Several pundits reported Murray wasn’t going to engage in a total roster teardown, but he’s willing to listen on certain players. Kase could be among them. Given his injury history, however, I don’t think he’s the winger to bolster the Bruins’ second-line scoring punch.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM TSN’S LATEST “INSIDER TRADING” SEGMENT
TSN: Darren Dreger reports the Winnipeg Jets are in the market for a specific top-four defenseman. It could be a rental player or one with term on his contract. Complicating things is Dustin Byfuglien’s situation hasn’t been resolved plus injuries to Adam Lowry and Bryan Little. If the latter comes back into the mix, Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff might have to move a current roster player to add that top-four blueliner.
Pierre LeBrun believes San Jose Sharks rearguard Brenden Dillon could be among the Jets’ trade targets. He said half-a-dozen teams have expressed interest in Dillon, including the Bruins and the Carolina Hurricanes. He suspects the asking price will be a second-round pick and perhaps a prospect.
LeBrun also reported there haven’t been any contract discussions between the Ottawa Senators and pending UFA Jean-Gabriel Pageau. He doubts the Senators can get a first-round pick for Pageau if he’s put on the trade block, but suggested perhaps a conditional second-rounder that becomes a first if Pageau re-signs with the acquiring club.
The Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers and maybe the Calgary Flames could pursue Pageau. None of those clubs are guaranteed to make the playoffs, so they’ll be leery about overpaying for a rental player.
LATEST ON THE DEVILS
THE ATHLETIC: Corey Masisak reports Travis Zajac and Andy Greene recently met with New Jersey Devils interim GM Tom Fitzgerald to discuss their respective futures. Zajac has a year remaining on his contract while Green is an unrestricted free agent. Both have no-trade clauses. Zajac confirmed he rejected a recent trade opportunity, adding he wants to remain with the Devils.
Masisak also explored the trade market for pending UFA defenseman Sami Vatanen. The Devils could get a second-round pick and perhaps another asset in return. He speculates the Vegas Golden Knights and Nashville Predators could be suitors.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vatanen lacks no-trade protection and will be the easiest of the three to move if he’s not re-signed before the trade deadline. If Zajac and Greene don’t want to leave, there’s nothing Fitzgerald can do unless he tells them they won’t be re-signed. Even that might not sway them.
SABRES STILL SHOPPING
THE BUFFALO NEWS: Lance Lysowski reports Buffalo Sabres GM Jason Botterill will push to add to his roster ahead of the trade deadline if his club gains ground in the standings over the next three weeks. He said he’s still trying to add to his roster, hoping to add a forward with speed.
Doing so won’t be easy, as the Sabres have limited salary-cap space. They also haven’t found any takers for defenseman Zach Bogosian and forward Evan Rodrigues, who’ve both requested a trade.