Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – July 12, 2020

by | Jul 12, 2020

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – July 12, 2020

​Three teams and five pending UFAs hurt the most by a flat cap in the Sunday NHL rumor roundup.

SPORTSNET: Rory Boylen listed the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning, and St. Louis Blues as the three teams hurt the most by the salary cap remaining at $81.5 million for 2020-21.

The Leafs have over $76.9 million invested in next season’s cap payroll, the Lightning $76.1 million, and the Blues $79.425 million.

Notable Leafs due for new contracts include Jason Spezza, Kyle Clifford, Travis Dermott, and Ilya Mikheyev. Defensemen Tyson Barrie and Codi Ceci are all but certain to depart via unrestricted free agency. The limited cap room could also be a problem next year when goaltender Frederik Anderson becomes eligible for UFA status.

Could a flat salary cap force the Toronto Maple Leafs to trade William Nylander? (Photo via NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s widely assumed Leafs general manager Kyle Duba will make a cost-cutting move or two. The Toronto Sun’s Michael Traikos believes a forward like Kasperi Kapanen, Andreas Johnsson, or even William Nylander and his $6.9 million cap hit could be traded in the off-season.

Dubas supposedly promised Nylander he wouldn’t be traded as long as he was the GM, but an unexpected flat cap could provide the perfect excuse. There would be considerable interest in Nylander, but perhaps not that much in his cap hit. 

The Lightning has two good young players in defenseman Mikhail Sergachev and center Anthony Cirelli as restricted free agents in the off-season. A new contract for Cirelli alone could take up all of their cap room. Boylen points out winger Alex Killorn’s full no-trade clause becomes a 16-team no-trade at the end of this season, suggesting the Lightning might have to explore those 14 trade options.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Killorn seems the most likely Lightning trade candidate when this season ends. Some have also suggested Tyler Johnson or Yanni Gourde but they’ve got full no-trade clauses and could be unwilling to waive them.

The Blues will have to make a couple of salary-dumping deals if they hope to re-sign defensemen Alex Pietrangelo and Vince Dunn. Boylen wonders if Colton Parayko, Tyler Bozak, David Perron, or Jake Allen hit the trade block.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Allen seems a likely trade candidate now that Jordan Binnington’s secured his place as the Blues’ No.1 goaltender. Bozak and Perron have modified no-trade clauses. Of the two, the 32-year-old Perron would have more value than the 34-year-old Bozak, but Perron also has two years (at $4 million annually) left on his contract while Bozak has just one year at $5 million.

Lots of clubs would line up to land Parayko but I don’t think Blues GM Doug Armstrong wants to move him. In a recent mailbag segment, Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch proposed winger Jaden Schwartz as a possible trade option if the Blues re-sign Pietrangelo.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Speaking of Pietrangelo, Ryan Kennedy recently lists the Blues’ captain among five free agents who could get hurt by the flattened salary cap. The others include Arizona Coyotes winger Taylor Hall, Vancouver Canucks goaltender Jacob Markstrom, Vegas Golden Knights netminder Robin Lehner, and Carolina Hurricanes blueliner Sami Vatanen.

Kennedy speculates those five won’t enjoy the big-money free-agent bonanza they would otherwise get in a normal off-season. Some, like Pietrangelo or Markstrom, might have to accept a hometown discount on short-term deals if they wish to stay with their current clubs. The others might also end up having to accept a shorter term or less money.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They won’t be the only unrestricted free agents likely to be disappointed by what they’ll likely get in the open market. A few, like Pietrangelo, could still get top dollar but could find those offers coming from rebuilding clubs with plenty of salary-cap space. Those players could be unwilling to join those clubs and instead accept shorter contracts for less money from contenders. 










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – July 5, 2020

by | Jul 5, 2020

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – July 5, 2020

​Check out the latest unrestricted free agent speculation in today’s NHL rumor roundup.

TSN: Craig Button was recently asked to determine which NHL teams would be the best fit for this year’s top unrestricted free agents.

Button believes defenseman Alex Pietrangelo would be better off staying put with the St. Louis Blues. He’s the captain of the defending Stanley Cup champions and should be a Norris Trophy contender for the next several years. Blues general manager Doug Armstrong has managed his salary cap very well.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The flat salary cap of $81.5 million for next season won’t make it easy for Armstrong to re-sign his captain. Cap Friendly indicates they have over $79 million invested in 20 players, with Pietrangelo and blueliner Vince Dunn to re-sign. Armstrong must shed some considerable salary to re-sign those two.

Should Taylor Hall sign a one-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche? (Photo via NHL Images).

Button also believes the Boston Bruins can re-sign rearguard Torey Krug. Like the Blues, the Bruins managed their cap well.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins have more cap room than the Blues, with $63.5 million committed to 18 players. In addition to Krug, Zdeno Chara, Jake DeBrusk, Anders Bjork, Matt Grzelcyk, Kevan Miller and Joakim Nordstrom are also free agents, with Chara, Miller, and Nordstrom in the UFA category. Assuming they get Krug for around $7 million annually, it could complicate efforts to re-sign and replace the rest. Still, they’re in a better place cap-wise to re-sign their key players.

Asked about Taylor Hall, Button believes the Colorado Avalanche could be a good fit. If Hall wants to chase the Stanley Cup, Button recommends signing a one-year deal with the Avs. Given the ongoing uncertainty over the salary cap, a strong performance next season in Colorado would put Hall in a great spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s no secret Avs GM Joe Sakic attempted to acquire Hall before the New Jersey Devils shipped him to the Arizona Coyotes. He could be interested in the former Hart Trophy winner is willing to accept a one-year deal that doesn’t interfere with other signings this year.

Colorado has just over $59 million tied up in 10 players, with notables such as Andre Burakovsky, Ryan Graves, Nikita Zadorov, Vladislav Namestikov, and Valeri Nichushkin to re-sign or replace. Sakic could also be leery of making a long-term investment in a big-ticket free agent when Gabriel Landeskog, Cale Makar, and Philipp Grubauer are slated to become free agents next summer.

Button suggested Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner return to where his NHL career started by signing with the Ottawa Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On paper, this looks like a reasonable idea. The rebuilding Senators need an established starting goaltender and they have the salary-cap space (only $41.9 million invested in just nine players) to make Lehner a very wealthy netminder.

However, we don’t know if cantankerous Senators owner Eugene Melnyk would approve such an expensive foray into the UFA market. Lehner could prefer signing with a contender rather than joining a rebuilding club, especially one with unpredictable ownership.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 2, 2020

by | Jul 2, 2020

NHL Rumor Mill – July 2, 2020

A look at TSN’s listing of this year’s top unrestricted free agents in today’s NHL rumor mill.

TSN: St. Louis Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, Arizona Coyotes winger Taylor Hall, and Boston Bruins blueliner Torey Krug top Frank Seravalli’s listing of this year’s top-50 unrestricted free agents.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (Photo via NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprise there. Media consensus has those three in exactly those three positions among the top-50.

Vancouver’s Jacob Markstrom (fourth) and Vegas’ Robin Lehner (sixth) ranked above Washington’s Braden Holtby (12th) among this year’s top UFA goalies.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Holtby has a Vezina Trophy (2016) and a Stanley Cup (2018) on his resume, but his inconsistent play over the past two seasons sent his stock tumbling. A strong performance in the upcoming playoff tournament, however,  could send him rising on this list.

Former Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien ranked fifth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If this was two years ago, I’d have no issue with Byfuglien ranking this high. But the 35-year-old blueliner missed all of this season over a dispute with the Jets regarding the severity of an ankle injury, which ultimately required surgery. We don’t know if he’s keen to return to the NHL following the mutual agreement to terminate his contract in April. Until we get an indication from the Byfuglien camp that he wants to resume his playing career, he should be at the bottom of this list.

Florida Panthers wingers Mike Hoffman and Evgenii Dadonov, Vancouver Canucks’ versatile forward Tyler Toffoli, and Toronto Maple Leafs rearguard Tyson Barrie round out the top ten.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’d rank Toffoli over Hoffman and Dadonov because of his two-way skills, Stanley Cup experience, plus he’s younger than those two. I’d put Holtby over Barrie, who had a rough season with the Leafs and should be ranked much lower than 10th.

Among the surprises was Florida Panthers oft-injured center Erik Haula ranked 11th, aging Washington Capitals winger Ilya Kovalchuk at 23rd, and Leafs blueliner Cody Ceci at 24th.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Haula shouldn’t be ranked that high. He hasn’t fully recovered from knee surgery in 2018. Kovalchuk enjoyed a bounce-back performance during a two-month tenure with the Montreal Canadiens, but there’s no certainty the 36-year-old can sustain that effort over a full season. Ceci’s stock was in decline before he was dealt to the Leafs last summer and tumbled further this season.

Defensemen dominate this list. Along with Pietrangelo, Krug, Barrie, and Ceci, the list includes Calgary’s T.J. Brodie (13th) and Travis Hamonic (20th), Carolina’s Sami Vatanen (14th), Tampa Bay’s Kevin Shattenkirk (15th), Vancouver’s Chris Tanev (17th), Philadelphia’s Justin Braun (19th), and Pittsburgh’s Justin Schultz (29th).

Seravalli believes many UFAs could be on edge as this will be a free-agent period like no other thanks to the interruption of the season by COVID-19 and the effect upon league revenue and the salary cap. Players on non-playoff clubs, like Buffalo’s Wayne Simmonds and Ottawa’s Mark Borowiecki, could be sidelined for seven months, potentially affecting their future earnings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This year’s UFA class could have difficulty finding lucrative long-term contracts if the salary cap is frozen at $81.5 million for next season. Thirteen teams have payrolls already exceeding $70 million for next season, with a handful of others sitting with payrolls over $65 million.

Some of those notable free agents could end up accepting short-term deals, perhaps for less than market value, in hope of landing more lucrative offers when (if?) revenue rebounds over the next couple of years.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 30, 2020

by | Jun 30, 2020

NHL Rumor Mill – June 30, 2020

​Updates on the Blues and Senators in today’s NHL rumor mill

STLTODAY.COM: In a recent live chat with Blues fans, Tom Timmermann was asked how the club could afford to keep Justin Faulk if they re-sign Alex Pietrangelo. Doing so would involve freeing up some salary-cap space by trading two well-paid players. Timmermann also suggested Faulk could be exposed in the 2021 NHL expansion draft.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk (Photo via NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues have over $79.4 million invested in 20 players (stick tap to Cap Friendly) with Pietrangelo and blueliner Vince Dunn as their notable free agents to re-sign. There’s been speculation for weeks over which players the Blues could trade (or buy out) to free up cap room for those two, with Tyler Bozak ($5 million annually through 2020-21) and Alexander Steen ($5.75 million through ’20-’21) considered the likely candidates. Bozak has a 10-team no-trade list while Steen’s no-trade expires on Feb. 1.

Maybe Blues general manager Doug Armstrong surprises us by trading Faulk at season’s end after re-signing him last fall to a long-term extension, but that would mean he waives his no-trade clause. It’s assumed Faulk was acquired and re-signed as insurance in case Pietrangelo departs via free agency later this year.

Speaking of Pietrangelo, Timmermann thinks the odds of the Blues captain staying put have slightly increased because he’s unlikely to get a lot of lucrative contract offers if the salary cap remains flat for next season. If Pietrangelo agrees to a short-term deal, the Blues have a better chance of re-signing him. Nevertheless, Timmermann reminds us it only takes one team with lots of cap space to put an end to that.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch expects Senators GM Pierre Dorion will be working the phones between now and whenever the 2020 NHL Draft is held. With 13 selections, including potentially three in the first round and seven in the first two rounds, Garrioch expects Dorion will use some of those picks to move up or down in the draft order or to acquire NHL players.

TSN analyst Craig Button points out the Senators also have lots of salary-cap space for next season. That will work to their advantage as there will be teams looking to shed salary to become cap compliant.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I expect Dorion could use some of those picks and his cap room to bring in one or two good, young NHL players. The Senators have only $41.9 million invested in nine players. 

Much of that cap space will be invested in re-signing RFAs like Connor Brown, Chris Tierney, and Anthony Duclair, and perhaps one or two UFAs like Ron Hainsey or Mark Borowiecki. I doubt they’ll be a cap team, but I do believe they’ll be willing to invest in some NHL talent if it will help them over the long term.










2020 NHL Free Agent Class Could Be Adversely Affected By a Flat Salary Cap

by | Jun 24, 2020

2020 NHL Free Agent Class Could Be Adversely Affected By a Flat Salary Cap

 










NHL Rumor Mill – June 24, 2020

by | Jun 24, 2020

NHL Rumor Mill – June 24, 2020

A look at this year’s top UFA defensemen plus the latest Canadiens speculation in today’s NHL rumor mill.

TOP DEFENSEMEN IN THIS YEAR’S NHL UFA MARKET

THE SCORE: St. Louis’ Alex Pietrangelo, Boston’s Torey Krug, and former Winnipeg Jet Dustin Byfuglien top Josh Wegman’s listing of this year’s top NHL defensemen. Calgary’s TJ Brodie and Toronto’s Tyson Barrie round out the top five.

St. Louis Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo (Photo via NHL Images).

Vancouver’s Chris Tanev, Calgary’s Travis Hamonic, Tampa Bay’s Kevin Shattenkirk, Carolina’s Sami Vatanen, and Winnipeg’s Dylan DeMelo complete the top 10.

Other notables include Pittsburgh Justin Schultz, Washington’s Radko Gudas, and Edmonton’s Mike Green.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No question Pietrangelo and Krug top the bill among this year’s class of UFA blueliners. Both will be among this summer’s most-prized free agents.

The Blues’ limited salary-cap space could see Pietrangelo depart if they cannot free up sufficient room to re-sign him. The Bruins could have an easier time keeping Krug in the fold, but they might also have to shed some salary to do it. 

I wouldn’t place Byfuglien that high on the list. While his talent is undeniable, there’s no indication he intends to continue his playing career after his contract was mutually terminated following a season-long absence over a dispute regarding the seriousness of his ankle injury. His recent injury history and age (35) could also make clubs leery of pursuing him if the salary cap remains flat next season.

Had Schultz been healthier, I think he would’ve ranked higher on the list. That could work to the advantage of interested clubs. He might have to accept a one-year “show-me” deal for perhaps less than the $5.5 million annual average value on his current deal. It’ll be interesting to see how some of the others on this list fare on the open market under a flat cap.

SHOULD THE CANADIENS PURSUE JOSH ANDERSON?

SPORTSNET: In his latest mailbag segment, Eric Engels was asked if the Montreal Canadiens should target Josh Anderson if the Columbus Blue Jackets’ winger becomes available in the trade market. While Engels admires Anderson’s size and speed, he’s concerned about giving up assets for a winger coming off a serious shoulder injury who’s a year away from UFA status.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I agree. Anderson would provide some valuable size and physicality up front for the Habs, but those factors Engels noted raise red flags. Better to shop around for healthier options in the trade market.