The latest on Mitch Marner, Seth Jones, Sam Reinhart and more in today’s NHL rumor mill.
LEAFS GM SAID HE WON’T MOVE MARNER BUT SPECULATION PERSISTS
NHL.COM: Mike Zeisberger reports Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas said Mitch Marner won’t be part of any potential offseason roster changes. He defended Marner and Auston Matthews, adding that moving either of them would be foolish.
TORONTO SUN: Michael Traikos acknowledged Dubas’ comments but believes rival general managers will be calling about Marner. He thinks the Leafs should listen to offers, especially if they’re coming from Columbus Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen. Traikos wondered if they could swap out Marner for Jackets defenseman Seth Jones, or Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson, or Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel.
Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas seems adamant about not trading Marner or Matthews. It would have to be a significant deal to pry Marner away from the Leafs. Maybe he’s willing to listen if Jones or Gibson or Eichel were pitched to him for Marner, but we don’t know if those offers will be made.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM FRIEDMAN’S RECENT “31 THOUGHTS”
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes there will be plenty of interest in Jackets defenseman Seth Jones despite his unrestricted free agent eligibility next summer. He feels it could be a complex transaction. He thinks it could be “a trade and free agency at the same time” unless someone’s willing to offer up a major package for Jones as a playoff rental for this season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: As I said before, interested clubs could want assurances Jones will sign a contract extension before signing off on a trade. He’ll be of more value in the trade market that way. Perhaps a sign-and-trade scenario takes place. Maybe the Jackets grant permission for rival general managers to speak with Jones’ agent about a new deal.
Speaking of the Jackets, Friedman believes they spoke to the Buffalo Sabres about Sam Reinhart. The Sabres are looking for goaltenders and could have interest in Joonas Korpisalo or Elvis Merzlikins. He thinks these two clubs would make sensible trade partners.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reinhart for Korpisalo or Merlikins could make sense for both clubs. As Friedman noted, however, there’s no guarantee that a deal takes place.
Friedman expects the Anaheim Ducks will try to make a big move this summer. They attempted to acquire Pierre-Luc Dubois from the Blue Jackets before he was traded in January to the Winnipeg Jets.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The pursuit of Dubois suggests Ducks GM Bob Murray will be in the market for a center. Aging captain Ryan Getzlaf is a UFA this summer. If he returns it won’t be in a top-six role.
Sources indicate league revenue for this season could be between $1.8 billion and $2 billion. Factor in money owed to the league by the players and the salary cap could remain static for several seasons, perhaps to 2024-25.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman suggests that could mean offer-sheet thresholds could be lower than ever. I still don’t hold my breath waiting for one given how rarely that tactic is employed.
More Jack Eichel trade speculation plus the latest on the Coyotes in today’s NHL rumor mill.
EICHEL
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports multiple sources said Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel had a contentious exit interview with the organization. It’s believed he’s exploring an artificial disk replacement in his neck on the advice of his medical team. The Sabres, however, aren’t thrilled with that option because of the lack of evidence of its effectiveness on elite-level athletes.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: That resulted in Eichel’s surprising comments about his future during his season-ending media conference call on Monday.
Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel (NHL Images)
Eichel may have played his final game for the Sabres. He will attract plenty of interest in the trade market despite his medical treatment.
The Rangers are the obvious suitor given their interest in Eichel last year. They weren’t willing to part with their 2020 first-round pick because it was first overall but that could be an option this time around unless they win the draft lottery again. Friedman wonders if the Sabres would ship Eichel to New York but also mused over whether they would say no if the Rangers made the best offer.
TSN: Pierre LeBrun also believes the Rangers could be a suitor for Eichel, as well as the Minnesota Wild. The latter have to re-sign Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek so they have to make the money work.
Frank Seravalli doubts the Sabres would want to trade Eichel to a division rival and risk facing him six to eight times a season. He thinks California teams like Anaheim and Los Angeles would be better destinations. Ducks general manager Bob Murray wants to make a splash while the Kings reportedly had a cursory conversation with the Sabres about Eichel before last month’s trade deadline.
THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun asked several NHL team executives about a potential Eichel trade sweepstakes and received a wide range of views. Despite some concerns about Eichel’s injury history and character, LeBrun has no doubt that the center will be too tempting for teams to pass up.
Michael Russo believes the Minnesota Wild would have to shed salary to fit Eichel’s $10 million annual average value within their salary cap. He wondered if the Sabres would be interested in an offer of Kevin Fiala and Matt Dumba. However, they could prefer a first-line center or blue-chip center prospect as part of any return for Eichel.
Hailey Salvian thinks Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving could look into acquiring Eichel. She speculates Matthew Tkachuk would have to be part of a package offer.
NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: Marcus White doesn’t see the San Jose Sharks winning a bidding war for Eichel. The Kings and Ducks can outbid them and they have more cap space to work with.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I still believe the Rangers and Kings would be the front-runners in the Eichel sweepstakes if they choose to pursue a trade. They have the depth in assets to make a strong pitch.
Ducks GM Bob Murray did attempt to acquire Pierre-Luc Dubois in January before he was traded to Winnipeg. However, the Sabres will ask for promising Trevor Zegras and perhaps defenseman Jamie Drysdale as well. Murray didn’t want to part with either guy for Dubois and could be reluctant to do so for Eichel.
The Blue Jackets have the cap room but I don’t see them outbidding the Rangers or Kings. Cap Friendly shows the Flyers with over $69 million invested in 17 players for next season. They must shed cap space to make room for Eichel’s $10 million cap hit and I doubt they can tempt the Sabres into helping them.
The Senators have the depth in promising assets and plenty of cap space. However, they seem happy with how their current roster is developing and could be reluctant to mess that up with a big splash in the trade pool. The Canadiens have the assets but, like the Flyers, lack the cap space to pull it off.
Wild GM Bill Guerin could kick tires on Eichel. While Joel Eriksson Ek has blossomed into a solid two-way center but they still lack a genuine first-liner. However, I think Guerin will consider more affordable options to address that need.
Treliving of the Flames could also inquire but I don’t believe he can meet the Sabres asking price or outbid other clubs He could, however, look at Eichel’s teammate Sam Reinhart. Friedman suggested Reinhart, a West Vancouver native, could attract interest from the Western Canadian NHL teams.
COYOTES
AZ COYOTES INSIDER: Craig Morgan believes the Arizona Coyotes’ biggest need is a No. 1 center but believes they’ll have to draft and develop one as rival clubs are reluctant to trade such commodities. If GM Bill Armstrong pursues a center it’ll likely be a middle-six option.
Morgan also believes the Coyotes need a physical top-four defenseman with a right-hand shot. Addressing that need is a priority for Armstrong.
Of the Coyotes’ pending unrestricted free agents, Morgan believes Alex Goligoski is the only one who might be brought back. He feels Goligoski would get a one- or two-year deal.
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman speculates the Coyotes could trade winger Phil Kessel for draft picks and prospects. He was among the top-30 in goals this season and is due for a $5 million bonus for next season followed by $1 million in base salary. Friedman also shot down a rumor suggesting the Coyotes would buy out Nick Schmaltz.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Eichel would certainly fill that first-line center need for the Coyotes. They have the cap space but I don’t see them getting into the bidding given the reports earlier this season of ownership’s financial woes.
Kessel still has his 8-team no-trade list but that still gives the Coyotes a decent number of possible destinations if they wish to move him. Any interested parties, however, will wait until he’s received that bonus payment.
Jack Eichel’s remarks during his end-of-season conference call sparked speculation over his future with the Buffalo Sabres. Check out the latest in today’s NHL rumor mill.
THE ATHLETIC: John Vogl believes Buffalo Sabres stars Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart are ready to play elsewhere following their remarks during their end-of-season conference calls with the media on Monday.
Jack Eichel’s days with the Buffalo Sabres could be numbered (NHL Images).
Eichel is unhappy over the way the Sabres are handling his treatment for a season-ending herniated disk in his neck. He once again expressed his weariness over the club’s inability to become a playoff contender. “I have a lot of thinking to do in this offseason,” said Eichel. “There’s a lot that I have to consider.”
Reinhart is also tired of six years of constant losing and another last-place finish. “No one wants to go through a rebuild, especially going into next year turning 26 at the start of it,” he said.
Vogl points out Eichel has five seasons left on his contract while the Sabres control Reinhart’s rights for one more season. If they aren’t willing to buy into a rebuild, why would anyone else on the roster?
Eichel could generate a good haul for the Sabres, perhaps a player, draft picks and prospects. Reinhart’s stock is high and he could at least fetch a comparable player with more term on his contract.
TORONTO SUN: Michael Traikos believes Eichel’s comments yesterday indicate his relationship with the Sabres front office is broken beyond repair. He also noted the apparent unwillingness of Reinhart and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen to face another rebuild at this stage in their respective careers. “I can’t go for another rebuild,” said Ristolainen, adding he’d be fine with general manager Kevyn Adams trading him this summer.
Eichel’s been with the Sabres for six seasons, Reinhart for seven and Ristolainen eight. They’ve yet to skate in a Stanley Cup playoff game.
SPORTSNET: Luke Fox also believes Eichel wants out of Buffalo even if the Sabres captain didn’t come right out and say it. As proof, he pointed to the 24-year-old center’s four words (“Wherever that may be”) when talking about where he’ll be playing hockey next season.
Fox speculates the New York Rangers could come calling. They previously explored acquiring Eichel, are rich in prospects and have an owner eager to accelerate his club’s rebuild.
While other centers, such as Calgary’s Sean Monahan and Washington’s Evgeny Kuznetsov, could be shopped this summer, none have the talent and potential of Eichel.
NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks is skeptical the Rangers will pursue Eichel. He doesn’t feel the Sabres captain checks the boxes of veteran leadership, a successful team resume or the ability to play a physical game. If the Rangers re-sign Mika Zibanejad, Brooks believes it could cost them $8 million annually. That would take up significant cap space if they already have a $10 million center in Eichel on the books.
THE ATHLETIC: Lisa Dillman examined the pros and cons of the Kings potentially acquiring Eichel. The pros include his established place among the league’s top centers and the excitement he could generate among Kings’ fans. The cons include concern over his neck injury and the expensive return which would have to include promising Quinton Byfield.
Fluto Shinzawa believes the Boston Bruins could have sufficient salary-cap space to acquire Eichel if they don’t re-sign David Krejci and Tuukka Rask. However, the Sabres asking price could be too expensive, with one league source suggesting a return of at least Charlie McAvoy or David Pastrnak and someone like Trent Frederic in a package deal. McAvoy and Pastrnak are two players the Bruins aren’t giving up.
Shinzawa noted the trade deadline deal that sent Taylor Hall from Buffalo to Boston. However, he feels Sabres GM Adams will draw better offers for Eichel than what he got for Hall. With Eichel lacking no-movement protection until the end of next season, Adams can entertain multiple offers. The Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Vancouver Canucks, Los Angeles and New Jersey Devils could be among the bidders.
OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch believes there’s no need for the Senators to pursue Eichel. They have the assets and ability to make that trade. However, he feels it doesn’t make sense for them right now because they’ve built their roster from the ground up. Rookie Josh Norris played well as their first-line center while promising Shane Pinto could fit into the second-line role.
The Sabres’ asking price could be a center, a first-round pick in 2021 and at least a couple of prospects. There aren’t many teams that can make that kind of swap. Garrioch included the Rangers, Anaheim Ducks, Bruins and Kings among them.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Eichel, Reinhart and Ristolainen could be on their way out this summer. They’ve endured a lot during their time with the Sabres with no sign the club is any closer to becoming a playoff contender. Trading them for pieces to put toward a rebuild is the best option.
Trading Reinhart and Ristolainen, however, could prove easier to do than moving Eichel. They would be much more affordable for other clubs to acquire.
I’m not suggesting Eichel can’t or won’t be traded. However, his $10 million AAV over the next five years plus the Sabres’ asking price will limit the number of serious bidders for his services.
The Sabres won’t “win” an Eichel trade in the short term. They could even lose it long term if the draft picks and prospects they receive fail to pan out as hoped. Nevertheless, they will set a high price aimed at long-term improvement.
Unlike the Hall trade where they had to accept a lesser offer, they aren’t dealing with a struggling veteran using his no-movement clause to determine his trade destinations. Eichel’s in his playing prime whose lack of no-trade protection this summer gives the Sabres a wider number of possible trade partners. That improves their chances of receiving a very good return.
As for where Eichel could go, the Rangers and Kings seem best suited in terms of cap space, draft picks and prospects to make the most competitive bids assuming they’ll pursue a Eichel deal. Whether they want to remains to be seen.
The Red Wings and Senators could get into the bidding but I think those clubs will continue to remain patient with their respective rebuilds. The Blue Jackets have the cap room but they could lack sufficient prospects to outbid other clubs.
The Devils would have to part with Nico Hischier or Jack Hughes to make it work. The Wild could use a proven first-line center but their improvement this season doesn’t put as much pressure on them to make that deal. The Canucks already have two high-quality centers in Elias Pettersson and Bo Horvat. They’d also have to offload a lot of salary to free up the necessary cap space for Eichel.
Recaps of Friday’s action, Dylan Larkin and Jakob Silfverberg are done for the season, P.K. Subban confirms COVID-19 diagnosis, Joe Thornton fined, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: The Calgary Flames kept their fading playoff hopes alive by doubling up the Montreal Canadiens 4-2. Sean Monahan scored the winning goal and collected two assists as the Flames (43 points) sit six points behind the fourth-place Canadiens in the Scotia North Division. Flames winger Josh Leivo missed the game after landing on the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list while Canadiens forward Jonathan Drouin was sidelined by an illness unrelated to COVID-19.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It remains to be seen if Leivo has the coronavirus or if this was a false positive. The rest of the Flames and their staff tested negative. They must sweep the next two games against Montreal to have a realistic chance of staying in the postseason chase.
Buffalo Sabres winger Sam Reinhart (NHL Images).
Sam Reinhart tallied a hat trick and goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 36 saves in his NHL debut as the Buffalo Sabres upset the Boston Bruins 6-4. Boston captain Patrice Bergeron missed the game with a suspected lower-body injury. The Bruins hold fourth place in the MassMutual East Division with 60 points.
The New York Rangers gained some ground on Boston with a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Pavel Buchnevich and Alexis Lafreniere each had a goal and an assist to give the Rangers 54 points, putting them six back of the Bruins.
A two-goal performance by rookie Kirill Kaprizov carried the Minnesota Wild to a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Cam Talbot kicked out 40 shots for the win as the Wild (63 points) move within three points of the second-place Colorado Avalanche in the Honda West Division. The Kings (40 points) remain five points behind the fourth-place Arizona Coyotes.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kaprizov leads all NHL rookies with 21 goals and 40 points. He’s played a key role in the Wild’s solid performance and is the favorite to win the Calder Memorial Trophy this season.
Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros made 29 saves backstopping his club over the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1. The Predators sit in fourth place in the Discover Central Division with 54 points, sitting four up on the Dallas Stars and five ahead of the Blackhawks.
HEADLINES
THE DETROIT NEWS: Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin will miss the remainder of the regular season with an upper-body injury. He’s currently their leading scorer with 23 points in 44 games.
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: Anaheim Ducks winger Jakob Silfverberg underwent season-ending hip surgery and is expected to be sidelined for four-to-six months. He could miss the start of training camp in September.
TSN: New Jersey Devils defenseman P.K. Subban took to social media Friday to confirm he’s dealing with COVID-19. He said the coronavirus “hit me pretty hard” but expects to be “back in the mix soon.” He thanked his supporters for their well-wishes, telling them to take care of themselves.
THE WASHINGTON POST: Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. He could miss today’s game against the New York Islanders.
THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars head coach Rick Bowness is hopeful Tyler Seguin will make a return to play next week after being sidelined since the fall by hip surgery. However, he maintained he won’t rush the center’s decision to return.
SPORTSNET: Toronto Maple Leafs forward Joe Thornton was fined $3,017.24 by the NHL department of player safety for interfering with Winnipeg Jets forward Mathieu Perreault on Thursday.
TSN: Leafs defenseman Zach Bogosian is out for four weeks with an injured shoulder.
YAHOO! SPORTS: WWE executive Nick Khan said it’s his company’s belief that the partnership between NBC and the NHL could end following this season. The remarks came in response to a question over whether the shuttering of NBCSN might create scheduling conflicts between WWE and the NHL on USA Network.
The NHL’s contract with NBC expires at the end of this season. ESPN has a new deal in place with the league for most of its US broadcast coverage. There’s speculation Disney, ESPN’s parent company, is in the process of working out a deal for the entire NHL slate.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was talk of the NHL making a deal with NBC or another media company like Fox Sports or Turner Sports to split its coverage with ESPN. That could no longer be the case if Khan’s remarks are anything to go by.
In today’s NHL rumor mill: the Jack Eichel trade speculation resurfaces, questions about Sam Reinhart’s future in Buffalo, and wondering whether the Predators will expose Matt Duchene and Ryan Johansen in this summer’s expansion draft.
LATEST EICHEL AND REINHART SPECULATION
WGR 550: Appearing on “The Instigators”, TSN hockey insider Darren Dreger speculated Jack Eichel might not be playing with the Buffalo Sabres next season. He’s heard the Los Angeles Kings have an interest in Eichel and thinks the 24-year-old could be a good fit there. However, he also believes the Sabres will hang onto their captain if they don’t get the return they want.
THE ATHLETIC: John Vogl recently noted Sam Reinhart’s stock was high before the trade deadline. He claimed there’s interest in the 25-year-old Sabres winger. Reinhart is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer coming off a one-year, $5.2 million contract and is also a year away from unrestricted free agent eligibility.
Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel (NHL Images).
Vogl envisioned several possible scenarios for Reinhart, such as the Sabres trading him during the 2021 NHL Draft, re-signing him for a year to see if the club improves and shopping him as a rental next season if they don’t, or signing him to a long-term contract.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is going to be a decisive summer for the Sabres, one that finally puts them on the right track toward building a playoff contender or keeps them mired in an already decade-long streak of mediocrity. It’ll come down to whatever decisions general manager Kevyn Adams makes with Eichel and Reinhart.
Eichel lacks no-trade protection this summer, giving Adams the flexibility to trade him to any NHL club. He’s also under contract for the next five seasons with a whopping $10 million annual average salary.
A lot of teams will be interested in Eichel but few can afford the cost in dollars and tradeable assets (first-round draft picks, top prospects, promising young players) to pry him away from the Sabres. The Kings could be one of those few if GM Rob Blake hopes to accelerate his club’s rebuilding program.
Reinhart would be a much more affordable asset if Adams puts him on the trade block but the Sabres GM could seek at least a first-round pick and a top prospect or promising young player in return. An acquiring club must also negotiate a new contract for him if the Sabres haven’t re-signed him first.
WILL PREDATORS LEAVE DUCHENE AND JOHANSEN UNPROTECTED?
THE ATHLETIC: Adam Vingan and Ryan S. Clark recently wondered if the Nashville Predators might leave forwards Matt Duchene and Ryan Johansen unprotected in this summer’s expansion draft. Both carry $8 million annual salary-cap hits but struggled to live up to contract expectations. The Seattle Kraken would need to be incentivized to take one of them. Others clubs will also attempt to expose high-salaries players in the hope the Kraken will take them.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vingan and Clark point out Kraken GM Ron Francis will have leverage in this situation. They suggest the Predators would have to add a sweetener like a draft pick and/or a prospect and possibly some salary retention to make Duchene or Johansen palatable to the Predators.
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