NHL Rumor Mill – August 9, 2023

by | Aug 9, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – August 9, 2023

Check out the latest on the Flames’ Noah Hanifin and the Sharks’ Kevin Labanc in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

UPDATE ON NOAH HANIFIN

THE ATHLETIC: Julian McKenzie wonders if the Calgary Flames will attempt to capitalize on Noah Hanifin’s trade value now that Erik Karlsson is off the market. The 26-year-old defenseman is in the final season of his contract and has reportedly informed the Flames he’s not interested in an extension.

Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin (NHL Images).

McKenzie had previously suggested the Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres, Nashville Predators, Dallas Stars and Florida Panthers as possible trade destinations for Hanifin. At one point in late June, there was speculation suggesting the Sabres and Flames had emerged as primary suitors.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman has reported Hanifin wants to continue his playing career in the United States. Of the clubs previously mentioned, the Sabres and Predators are the only ones now with sufficient cap space to absorb his $4.95 million cap hit. McKenzie also noted the Detroit Red Wings also have cap space if they were interested in the Flames blueliner.

McKenzie speculates the Flames would likely want a return involving younger players who can help their roster right away. Draft picks also wouldn’t hurt as they need to improve their prospect pipeline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames are pressed against the $83.5 million salary cap for this season so they can’t afford to retain part of Hanifin’s cap hit. Perhaps they might consider a dollar-in, dollar-out scenario if it nets them a quality player in his mid-twenties.

Hanifin would provide a boost to the respective bluelines of the Sabres, Red Wings and Predators. However, there’s no certainty that they’re interested in making a significant offseason trade. They could be willing to wait and see how the season progresses before making any major upgrades.

LATEST ON KEVIN LABANC

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Max Miller recently mused over Kevin Labanc’s trade value. The 27-year-old San Jose Sharks winger is slated to become a UFA next summer and is likely to be shopped before this season’s trade deadline.

Labanc’s value has diminished enough that Sharks general manager Mike Grier might be willing to retain part of his $4.725 million cap hit to facilitate a trade. Miller believes the Sharks must move him soon or risk his value plummeting further.

It was rumored last month that the Sharks may have had a deal in place with the Vancouver Canucks swapping Labanc for defenseman Tyler Myers. Miller speculates the holdup could be Myers being owed a $5 million signing bonus on Sept. 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We’ll find out soon enough if the rumored Labanc-for-Myers trade comes to fruition. If it doesn’t, the Sharks might end up having to start the season with Labanc on the roster and hope that he can play well enough to draw some interest before the trade deadline.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – August 6, 2023

by | Aug 6, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – August 6, 2023

Check out the latest on Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alexis Lafreniere plus some free-agent forward options for the Sabres in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

KUZNETSOV CALLS TRADE RUMORS “NOT ENTIRELY TRUE”

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Jared Serre recently cited Evgeny Kuznetsov claiming reports that he’d requested a trade from the Capitals weren’t “entirely true”, claiming he’d heard about most of the rumors through the media.

Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov (NHL Images).

The Kuznetsov speculation started in March following a report that he’d requested a trade. A purported friend of the 31-year-old center claimed he was tired in Washington. NHL reporter Mike Vogel confirmed Kuznetsov’s trade request last month amid a report that the Nashville Predators had looked into acquiring him.

Kuznetsov claimed that 95 percent of the rumors were “superficial information” that wasn’t worth reading.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kuznetsov didn’t deny the trade request. He compared his situation with the Capitals to a marriage. “You constantly swear, back and forth, some moments happen, but you still have this love”.

Reports last month claimed the Capitals were aggressively shopping Kuznetsov this summer without success. It appears the trade discussions with the Predators fell through.

Kuznetsov’s $7.8 million annual cap hit through 2024-25 plus his inconsistent play likely dampened his trade value. It’s expected he’ll still be in the Capitals’ lineup when they open their season against Pittsburgh on Oct. 13.

AN UPDATE ON LAFRENIERE’S CONTRACT TALKS

THE ATHLETIC: In a recent mailbag segment, Arthur Staple was asked what was taking so long for the New York Rangers to sign Alexis Lafreniere.

Staple doesn’t consider it unusual that a deal hasn’t been reached yet between the Rangers and the 21-year-old winger. He theorized that his camp could be hoping to get an offer sheet, or maybe the hold-up is over the length of Lafreniere’s next contract, or maybe it’s not a top priority for either side since he’s not going anywhere.

Asked why Lafreniere hasn’t been tendered an offer sheet, Staples suggests the signing team would be taking a huge bet on a young player who hasn’t yet proven that he can play top-six minutes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lafreniere is also coming off an entry-level contract and didn’t have arbitration rights. His only leverage is not reporting to the club until he’s got a deal that his camp considers suitable. Given his current situation, that’s not going to work in his favor.

Too many teams with limited salary-cap space is probably another factor. Only eight clubs have $5 million or more in cap room and some of them need it to re-sign their own remaining RFA players.

Lafreniere will likely agree to a short-term bridge deal of two or three years before training camp starts in September. Given the Rangers’ cap limitations, it will probably be a low-cost annual cap hit of around $2.5 million.

SOME SUGGESTED FREE-AGENT OPTIONS FOR THE SABRES

THE ATHLETIC: Matthew Fairburn recently suggested some free-agent options for the Buffalo Sabres if they wish to find a short-term replacement for sidelined winger Jack Quinn. He listed Tomas Tatar, Paul Stastny, Pius Suter, Zach Parise and Max Comtois.

Fairburn acknowledged the depth of talent is thin among the remainder of this summer’s free-agent class. If they can’t sign Tatar or Suter, he recommends they go the trade route or hope to find a suitable replacement from within their system.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No indication yet as to the Sabres’ intentions. There’s plenty of time for them to address this. They could evaluate their options during training camp before deciding if they need external help.

It’s believed Quinn’s injury puts the brakes on any efforts to trade Victor Olofsson, at least until Quinn returns to the lineup.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 26, 2023

by | Jul 26, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – July 26, 2023

How will the Bruins replace Patrice Bergeron? What’s the latest on Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce? Which members of the Kings could become trade candidates? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

HOW WILL THE BRUINS REPLACE BERGERON?

NBC SPORTS: Nick Goss believes the Boston Bruins face an enormous challenge attempting to replace Patrice Bergeron, who announced his retirement on Tuesday.

If they go with internal options, Goss speculates Charlie Coyle will take over centering the first line between Brad Marchand and Jake DeBrusk. That will leave Pavel Zacha as their second-line center, assuming David Krejci follows Bergeron into retirement.

Calgary Flames center Elias Lindholm (NHL Images).

Trade targets could include Mark Scheifele of the Winnipeg Jets and Elias Lindholm of the Calgary Flames. Goss considers Lindholm the better fit given his all-around skill set plus the 28-year-old Flames center is two years younger than Scheifele.

BOSTON HERALD: Steve Conroy also considers Lindholm and Scheifele as the most likely trade targets should the Bruins go that route to replace Bergeron. He shares Goss’ view that Lindholm would be the better fit.

Conroy also looked at which Bruins could become trade chips to bring in someone like Lindholm or Scheifele.

He wondered if they might bite the bullet and break up their goalie tandem by shopping Linus Ullmark or Jeremy Swayman. He also mused whether Jake DeBrusk has a long-term future in Boston after this season. Like DeBrusk, defensemen Matt Grzelcyk and Derek Forbort are slated to become unrestricted free agents next summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames are said to be trying to convince Lindholm to sign a contract extension while the Jets are hoping to do the same with Scheifele. One or both could become available in this summer’s trade market if they reject new contract offers from their current clubs.

Swayman would be the easiest to move as Ullmark has a 16-team no-trade list. Like Swayman, DeBrusk and Grzelcyk lack no-trade protection while Forbort has a three-team no-trade list.

A package of Swayman and DeBrusk could be quite tempting to the Flames or Jets. The Bruins could prefer moving one or the other packaged with Grzelcyk or Forbort and a draft pick. Whether that’s enough to land Lindholm or Scheifele is another matter, especially if other clubs with better trade assets get into the bidding.

IS BRETT PESCE OFF THE TRADE MARKET?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Ann Kimmel noted the rumors that linked the Nashville Predators to Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce. Given the Hurricanes’ recent signing of Tony DeAngelo, she wonders if that means Pesce is off the table.

Kimmel observed that the Hurricanes were among the clubs interested in San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson. Acquiring him would’ve meant making a cost-cutting trade, which in part fueled trade speculation that Pesce could become a trade candidate.

With the DeAngelo signing, the Hurricanes now appear out of the bidding for Karlsson, meaning they don’t need to shed salary to free up cap space for the Sharks blueliner. That means they can afford to retain Pesce for at least this season before his UFA eligibility next July.

As for the Predators, Kimmel believes they’re likely to stick with their current blueline corps considering they’ve invested $30 million in defensemen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes could peddle Pesce if they’re looking at adding another scoring forward to their lineup. However, they’re now bumping up against the $83.5 million salary cap. Swapping Pesce and his $4.025 million cap hit for a scorer would have to be a dollar-in, dollar-out transaction.

POTENTIAL KINGS TRADE CANDIDATES

LA HOCKEY NOW: Austin Stanovic recently looked at several Los Angeles Kings players that they “wouldn’t necessarily be shopping if they dipped into the trade market.” However, he thinks they would be willing to move them without much fuss this season.

Trevor Moore, Viktor Arvidsson and Matt Roy could be moved because of their contracts or young players potentially stepping up and taking their spots on the roster. Young players with something to prove such as Arthur Kaliyev, Jaret Anderson-Dolan, and Tobias Bjornfot could also become trade chips as they attempt to prove they deserve a spot on the team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Much will depend on where the Kings are in the standings and what their roster needs are as they approach the trade deadline. Arvidsson and Roy surfaced in last season’s rumor mill near the trade deadline. Their names could pop up again whenever management decides to go shopping this season.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 18, 2023

by | Jul 18, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – July 18, 2023

What’s the latest on the Hurricanes? Could they move Brett Pesce? What would it take for the Islanders to sign Vladimir Tarasenko? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE HURRICANES

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Luke Decock reports the Carolina Hurricanes had a busy start to July but rumors have died down since then. Their last addition was signing winger Brendan Lemieux on July 11 and things could remain unchanged.

The Hurricanes had a proposed deal in place with the Philadelphia Flyers to reacquire defenseman Tony DeAngelo but it was blocked over salary-cap circumvention concerns. It was placed on the back burner after the Hurricanes signed free-agent blueliner Dmitry Orlov. DeAngelo has since become a free agent after being bought out last week by the Flyers but the Hurricanes have not spoken with his agent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think we can rule out the possibility of DeAngelo coming back to the Hurricanes.

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce (NHL Images).

They’ve been linked to Vladimir Tarasenko but their interest in the unrestricted free-agent winger has cooled. They continue to monitor Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson but their limited cap space would make it difficult to acquire the San Jose Sharks defenseman unless they make another trade first.

The Hurricanes are also working on finalizing an eight-year contract extension for center Sebastian Aho. They face decisions on winger Teuvo Teravainen and defensemen Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei, who are a year away from UFA eligibility.

Decock considers it unlikely or prudent that the Canes will go into 2023-24 with those three still in limbo. Nevertheless, general manager Don Waddell is not yet facing any time pressure.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Acquiring Karlsson would likely mean parting ways with a defenseman, most likely a right-side defender like Pesce. Speaking of whom…

THE ATHLETIC: Shayna Goldman listed five clubs that could or should be interested in Brett Pesce if the Hurricanes opt to trade the 28-year-old blueliner. They include the Dallas Stars, Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, Nashville Predators and Edmonton Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pesce carries a $4.025 million cap hit for 2023-24 plus a list of 15 preferred trade destinations. At least one of the aforementioned clubs could be on that list.

Assuming Pesce would accept a trade to those five teams, salary-cap constraints hamper the Leafs, Stars, and Oilers. They’d have to shed salary in a cost-cutting deal to free up room for him. The Hurricanes could be reluctant to take on a player in return if they’re trying clear space for another move.

The Sabres have the cap room but it could get tricky if they want to keep Pesce beyond this season. They must ensure they’ll have sufficient room once they get Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power signed to their long-term extensions. They also recently signed Erik Johnson and Connor Clifton, leaving them with eight defensemen on one-way NHL contracts. Power is on his entry-level contract which is a two-way deal but he’s not going to be buried in the minors following his solid rookie performance last season.

Meanwhile, the Predators have the cap space and the depth in tradeable assets. First-year GM Barry Trotz has shown a willingness to make bold moves. Perhaps he’ll pursue Pesce if the opportunity presents itself.

CAN THE ISLANDERS AFFORD TARASENKO?

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears noted the Islanders’ ongoing search for a scoring winger, pointing out Vladimir Tarasenko is still available in the free-agent market.

Signing the 31-year-old winger, however, would mean having to free up some cap room. He reportedly rejected offers between $5.5 million and $6 million before changing agents.

Sears believes Jean-Gabriel Pageau would be the logical cost-cutting trade candidate. Removing his $5 million cap hit from the Isles books wouldn’t leave a hole at center since Mathew Barzal could be moved back to that position.

Pageau’s skills as a two-way center and penalty killer give him value in the trade market. However, he has a 16-team no-trade list. Meanwhile, just 13 teams have $5 million in cap space, and that’s without accounting for their unsigned restricted free agents.

Moving Pageau alone might not be enough. Sears suggested waiving Ross Johnston and including Oliver Wahlstrom in any deal. If Zach Parise opts for retirement it would leave them with $6.4 million in cap room.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t rule out anything when Isles GM Lou Lamoriello is concerned. He’s been chasing a scoring winger since last summer. Perhaps he can woo Tarasenko while finding a way to clear sufficient cap room. Still, it won’t be easy, especially if there are other suitors with more cap flexibility in the hunt.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 14, 2023

by | Jul 14, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – July 14, 2023

More speculation tying the Penguins to Erik Karlsson plus the latest on Evgeny Kuznetsov and Tony DeAngelo in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON THE PENGUINS AND KARLSSON

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng cited The Athletic’s Rob Rossi reporting the Pittsburgh Penguins are confident that they’re the preferred destination of San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson. “They have multiple plans for how to acquire him if/when the Sharks decide to make a move.”

Peng also cited Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli telling Sportsnet 590 Toronto that “a number of teams” have spoken to Karlsson directly. He also didn’t mention any specific teams other than the Carolina Hurricanes.

San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images).

The Penguins were reportedly very close to acquiring Karlsson on July 1. Whatever happened, that deal died later in the day.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dave Molinari finds the interest in Karlsson by Penguins president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas to be “more than a little perplexing.”

Molinari points out the Penguins are already “reasonably solid” on the right side of their defense plus they’re already pressed for salary-cap space next season without taking on part of Karlsson’s $11.5 million salary-cap hit. Acquiring the Sharks defenseman would also sacrifice more of the Penguins’ organizational depth by draining an already shallow prospect pool.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s clear the Penguins intend to shore up the depth around aging stars Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang in the hope of staging one final run for the Stanley Cup with that group.

If Dubas can pull it off without sacrificing too much of his limited prospect depth it might work out for them. Nevertheless, I don’t see how the addition of Karlsson would provide this club with the type of depth necessary to stage another run for the Cup based on the current makeup of the Penguins roster.

Moving one or two current roster players as part of the return for Karlsson will still leave them with limited cap space and fewer tradeable assets to address other depth areas over the course of 2023-24.

LATEST ON KUZNETSOV

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber cited Capitals.com’s Mike Vogel seeming to hint that Evgeny Kuznetsov did request a trade last season. “Kuznetsov could hasten his exit with a strong start if he still desires a departure from the District,” wrote Vogel.

Reports of a trade request surfaced toward the end of last season. Kuznetsov didn’t comment directly about the rumors but did seem to deny them.

Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan attempted to move Kuznetsov at the 2023 NHL Draft but nothing materialized. There were talks with the Nashville Predators that would’ve reunited the winger with Barry Trotz but those discussions fell through. MacLellan indicated on July 2 that he would continue to monitor the trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The decline in Kuznetsov’s performance last season combined with his $7.8 million average annual value through 2024-25 and 10-team no-trade list makes him a tough sell in a summer with a flattened salary cap.

WHAT’S THE HOLDUP IN THE DEANGELO TRADE?

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: Gustav Elvin explored why an agreed-upon trade between the Flyers and Hurricanes that would send defenseman Tony DeAngelo back to the Canes has not yet occurred.

It’s been nearly three weeks since reports emerged the two clubs had a trade in place with the Flyers retaining 50 percent of DeAngelo’s $5 million cap hit for 2023-24. However, it may have been held up because the CBA states that a team cannot reacquire a player whom they have retained salary from for a minimum of one year after the date of the transaction.

That prompted speculation the deal would be finalized on July 9, one year and a day after the Flyers had acquired DeAngelo from the Hurricanes.

Elvin wonders if the holdup might be tied to the Hurricanes’ rumored interest in San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson. He speculates that might mean trading Brett Pesce to free up cap room to acquire Karlsson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This could drag on for a while if the Hurricanes are jockeying with the Penguins to land Karlsson. DeAngelo would complete the final year of his contract with the Flyers if their deal with the Hurricanes falls through. They could also attempt to find another club willing to take him off their hands for 50 percent of his salary.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 12, 2023

by | Jul 12, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 12, 2023

Pierre-Luc Dubois believes he’s been misunderstood, Ed Belfour and Ken Hitchcock named to the Dallas Stars Hall of Fame, the Rangers re-sign K’Andre Miller, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

NHL.COM: Pierre-Luc Dubois said he’s looking forward to the opportunity to fully be himself with the Los Angeles Kings. He was traded to the Kings on June 27 and signed an eight-year, $68 million contract with the club.

Dubois felt he’s been misunderstood at times stemming from his trade requests from the Jets and the Columbus Blue Jackets. He said he had “three unbelievable years in Columbus” and “three great years in Winnipeg,” the 25-year-old forward felt he was ready to move on and do what was right for him and his career. He believes he’ll get that opportunity with the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubois’ departure from Columbus and Winnipeg stoked the opinion among fans and pundits that he puts himself above his team. Nevertheless, he has the right to do what he believes is best for himself over the remainder of his playing career.

This move to the Kings could work out quite well for Dubois and his new teammates, so his tenures in his last two NHL cities will become footnotes to his career. On the other hand, if things go sideways and he requests a trade it will only feed the perception of Dubois as a selfish player.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Ed Belfour and Ken Hitchcock will be enshrined this season into the Dallas Stars Hall of Fame. Belfour backstopped the Stars to the 1999 Stanley Cup with Hitchcock as their head coach. Belfour was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011 while Hitchcock will be inducted as a builder among the Class of 2023 in November.

New York Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s fair to say that the Stars wouldn’t have won the Stanley Cup without Belfour in goal and Hitchcock behind the bench.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed defenseman K’Andre Miller to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $3.872 million. Miller, 23, is completing his entry-level contract and coming off a career-best 43-point season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers’ limited cap space for 2023-24 combined with Miller’s lack of arbitration rights made this bridge deal possible. It’s an affordable contract for Miller, who is quickly becoming a key part of the Blueshirts’ defense corps.

Miller will be in line for a more substantial raise on his next contract when the salary cap will be significantly higher. By that point, the Rangers should be able to pay him a more lucrative salary.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens signed forward Alex Newhook to a four-contract contract with an AAV of $2.9 million. Newhook, 22, was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche where he tallied 33 points in his rookie season (2021-22) and 30 points last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A speedy forward who can play center or wing, Newhook saw checking-line minutes on a deep Avalanche roster. He could be skating on the second line with the rebuilding Canadiens. It’s an equitable contract that could become a real bargain if Newhook exceeds expectations.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: The Carolina Hurricanes signed Brendan Lemieux to a one-year, $800K contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes are adding more grit to their lineup after getting swept from the Eastern Conference Finals by the Florida Panthers. They signed winger Michael Bunting on July 1 to a three-year deal.

NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW: The Predators signed winger Denis Gurianov to a one-year, $850K contract.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Arizona Coyotes signed defenseman Travis Dermott to a one-year, two-way contract worth $800K at the NHL level.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks hired Brent Thompson and David Rook as assistant coaches to head coach Greg Cronin. Thompson is the former head coach of the New York Islanders AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. Rook spent five years as the goaltending development coach with the Nashville Predators.

TSN: The Ottawa Senators have parted ways with assistant general manager Trent Mann. The move comes a day after Anthony LeBlanc resigned as president of business operations. These changes come as the club completes an ownership change led by billionaire Michael Andlauer.

NEW YORK POST: The Philadelphia Flyers have issued an apology after members of their social media team were heard making disparaging remarks about a reporter’s question to new Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway during a live stream on Twitter.