NHL Rumor Mill – June 2, 2023

by | Jun 2, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – June 2, 2023

The latest on Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck and center Mark Scheifele plus updates on Senators winger Alex DeBrincat and Canadiens winger Cole Caufield in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON HELLEBUYCK AND SCHEIFELE

WINNIPEG SUN: Scott Billeck looked at the prospect of the Jets trading goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and center Mark Scheifele if unable to sign them to contract extensions this summer. Both are slated to become unrestricted free agents next July.

Hellebuyck projects to be the Jets’ best trade chip as he could fetch a significant return if they rebuild or intend to retool on the fly. Possible trade destinations could include the Los Angeles Kings, Buffalo Sabres, Ottawa Senators, New Jersey Devils and Detroit Red Wings.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (NHL Images).

From the Kings, the Jets could look at Sean Durzi and Gabe Vilardi along with prospects like defenseman Brandt Clarke and Francesco Pinelli. Peyton Krebs, goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and prospect Matthew Savoie or a first-round pick could be the Jets’ asking price from the Sabres.

The Jets could want Shane Pinto as part of the return from the Senators. Jesper Bratt of the Devils is a great player but the winger wouldn’t help the Jets down the middle. As for the Wings, maybe an offer of prospect center Marco Kasper, goalie Ville Husso and the ninth-overall pick in this year’s draft might entice the Jets to listen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Goaltenders don’t usually have great value in the trade market but Hellebuyck could be an exception to that rule. The 29-year-old goaltender is in his playing prime. He won the 2019 Vezina Trophy and is a finalist for the award this season.

Turning to Scheifele, he could be the hardest player for Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff to part with. Drafted in 2011 by Cheveldayoff, Scheifele’s become the face of the franchise. However, it may be necessary if the Jets seek a fresh start.

The Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes, Detroit Red Wings and Calgary Flames are Billeck’s suggested trade partners. He suggested pursuing defenseman Brandon Carlo and winger Jake DeBrusk from the Bruins, Seth Jarvis or Martin Necas and Brett Pesce from the Hurricanes, prospect center Marco Kasper or the 2023 ninth-overall pick from the Red Wings or perhaps a straight-up swap of Elias Lindholm with the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Scheifele’s coming off a career-best 42-goal performance this season. However, his production has been inconsistent since reaching a career-high 84 points in 2018-19 and that could adversely affect his value in the trade market. He will attract interest in the trade market but the offers might not be as lucrative as hoped.

SENATORS OPEN TO ALL OPTIONS WITH DEBRINCAT

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said his club is prepared to discuss an eight-year contract extension with winger Alex DeBrincat. However, the 25-year-old restricted free agent hasn’t made a decision on his future.

It will cost the Senators $9 million to qualify DeBrincat’s rights for 2023-24. Dorion indicated he’s had preliminary talks with the winger’s agent. The club could take him to arbitration to try and take as much as 15 percent off his salary. He also said that the Senators might have to consider trading DeBrincat if he’s not interested in signing with them.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators acquired DeBrincat during the first round of last year’s draft. They could peddle him during this year’s draft in Nashville on June 28-29 if not sooner if there’s no contract agreement in sight by then. Expect to see his name appear more frequently in the rumor mill in the coming weeks.

COULD CAUFIELD RECEIVE AN OFFER SHEET THIS SUMMER?

RDS.CA: Darren Dreger doesn’t believe the Montreal Canadiens face any real threat of Cole Caufield receiving an offer sheet if he’s still unsigned on July 1. The 22-year-old left winger is coming off his entry-level contract and lacks arbitration rights.

Dreger believes the Canadiens are in a good position on this issue. He thinks they’ll match any offer if another team is crazy enough to go that route. He also said that he hasn’t heard anything about another club being a threat to do so.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Assuming Caufield is willing to sign an offer sheet, a large number of clubs can’t afford to send him one. Cap Friendly indicates 14 teams have less than $10 million in cap space. Another five have less than $15 million. Of the clubs that have more cap room, most face significant investments in their own talent.

There’s also the matter of compensation. It could take an offer sheet worth $10 million annually to have a reasonable chance of deterring the Canadiens from matching. The compensation in that case is two first-rounders, a second and a third. Most teams can afford to pay that price. If anyone’s crazy enough to offer $10.8 million, the compensation is four first-rounders.

Cynics will point to the Carolina Hurricanes signing away Jesperi Kotkaniemi in 2021 but that was a different situation. The Canadiens had less cap flexibility at that time and the price of signing Kotkaniemi in terms of contract and compensation wasn’t as expensive as it will be for Caufield.

An offer sheet is also possible but they remain rare occurrences. If it happens, I think the targets would be more affordable, lesser-talented players than Caufield.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 28, 2023

by | May 28, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 28, 2023

The latest on the Hurricanes, the Flyers are willing to entertain offers for Carter Hart, and the possibility of the Blackhawks and Canucks swapping first-round picks in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

LATEST ON THE HURRICANES

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Luke DeCock believes the Carolina Hurricanes are running out of chances with their current group to win the Stanley Cup. After another disappointing postseason, they could have one final shot at it before difficult roster decisions must be made.

Core players such as Sebastian Aho, Martin Necas, Brett Pesce, Brady Skjei and Teuvo Teravainen will need new contracts next summer, and Brent Burns and Jaccob Slavin the year after that. Meanwhile, some changes could come this summer with Jesper Fast, Jordan Staal and goalies Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta slated to become unrestricted free agents on July 1.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas (NHL Images)

DeCock speculated Hurricanes management could decide to peddle Teravainen this summer if they’re unlikely to re-sign him. They could also perhaps sell high on Necas or Jack Drury, who both struggled in the postseason. There are also lingering questions regarding their overall roster toughness.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes have plenty of salary-cap space ($24.1 million) to retain players like Staal and Andersen on affordable short-term contracts. Meanwhile, they could go shopping for a scoring forward with size and grit via the trade or free-agent markets.

SPORTSNET: Ken Wiebe wonders if the Hurricanes and Winnipeg Jets would become trade partners if the latter attempts to shake up their “core four” of goalie Connor Hellebuyck and forwards Mark Scheifele, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Blake Wheeler.

Pyotr Kochetckov is the only Hurricanes goalie under contract for next season. Hellebuyck has one season left on his contract with a manageable $6.167 million cap hit. He’d unlikely be a long-term fit but that might not be a deterrent for a team in “win-now” mode.

Scheifele, meanwhile, doesn’t necessarily fit into the Hurricanes’ defensive-zone commitment. Nevertheless, perhaps Rod Brind’Amour could be the type of coach that inspires Scheifele to play a 200-foot game. The 29-year-old center will also be motivated as he’s also a year away from UFA status and will want to ensure his value remains high.

Wiebe listed Necas, Teravainen and Pesce as possible Hurricanes trade chips as well as top prospect Scott Morrow and their 2023 or 2024 first-rounder.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Weibe isn’t saying that the Hurricanes and Jets are talking trade. He’s merely looking at which members of the Jets core might be available and of potential interest to the Canes. We’ll learn in the coming weeks whether these two clubs intend to have trade discussions.

We can’t rule out the possibility of the Hurricanes rolling the dice on stars with a year left on their contracts in their quest to win the Stanley Cup next season. Whether Carolina GM Don Waddell is prepared to go that route remains to be seen.

FLYERS COULD ENTERTAIN TRADE OFFERS FOR HART

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Chuck Bausman cited Flyers general manager Daniel Briere telling Philadelphia sports radio 94.1 WIP that he’s open to trading goaltender Carter Hart.

“Most likely, Carter will be our goalie for the future, but I’m not in a position to turn down anything,” said Briere. “I have to listen.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hart was considered among the rebuilding Flyers’ few untouchables so that’s a significant statement by Briere. However, he didn’t say that he is trading Hart but only indicated that he’s willing to entertain offers.

Those offers, however, will have to meet what will likely be Briere’s high asking price. He’s not going to just give him away. I daresay he’ll want at least a first-round pick and a top prospect in the deal.

Someone could step up and overpay to get Hart. However, I think he’ll be returning to the Flyers crease this fall.

COULD THE BLACKHAWKS AND CANUCKS COMBINE ON A DRAFT PICK TRADE?

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston recently took note of The Athletic’s Scott Powers indicating the Chicago Blackhawks would love to move up into the top-15 in this year’s draft order. In addition to the first-overall pick, they also hold the 19th overall pick.

Powers indicated the Blackhawks are willing to package second-round picks with the 19th overall pick. He suggested the Canucks as a trade partner as they hold the 11th overall selection.

Johnston cited one source suggesting the Blackhawks could land the Canucks pick based on the scenario laid out by Powers. Another source told Johnston that they might be willing to entertain that scenario if they can move a contract in the deal.

The Canucks would like to move Tyler Myers, who has a year left with a $6 million cap hit on his contract. Johnston, however, suggested winger Conor Garland ($4.95 million cap hit through 2025-26) might be more enticing to the Blackhawks because he’s six years younger than Myers and still in his prime.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: To summarize: the Hawks move up to 11th overall plus they add a good roster player in Garland who has several years remaining on his contract. The Canucks drop down to 19th overall but add one or two second-rounders and clear nearly $5 million in cap space from their books.

That’s a very interesting trade scenario for those two clubs. It’ll be interesting to see if it comes to pass during the first round on June 28.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 15, 2023

by | May 15, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – May 15, 2023

What next for the Oilers after their postseason elimination? Which clubs might become trade destinations for Connor Hellebuyck? Who could the Avalanche target for their second-line center position? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE OILERS?

ESPN.COM: Ryan S. Clark looked at the Edmonton Oilers’ offseason priorities now that they’re eliminated from the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs.

They have less than $3 million in salary-cap space with defenseman Evan Bouchard due for a new contract. He became a top-pairing option skating alongside trade-deadline acquisition Mattias Ekholm and quarterbacked the league’s top power play.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Edmonton media is still doing their playoff postmortems so there hasn’t been much from them yet regarding the Oilers’ potential offseason plans. I daresay we’ll be hearing more about that in the coming days.

Bouchard came to life when paired with Ekholm. He’s coming off his entry-level contract so Oilers general manager Ken Holland could use his leverage to force the young defenseman into accepting an affordable short-term bridge deal with the promise of a bigger pay raise down the road. That’ll depend, of course, on how much salary Holland can free up this summer.

Forwards Klim Kostin and Ryan McLeod are also slated to become restricted free agents this summer. Meanwhile, trade deadline pickups Nick Bjugstad, Mattias Janmark and Derek Ryan are slated to become unrestricted free agents.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kostin and McLeod should be affordable re-signings. However, they also have arbitration rights which could complicate things. Bjugstad, Janmark and Ryan shouldn’t be expensive to retain but there isn’t sufficient cap space to keep them all unless they accept pay cuts. Maybe one of them gets re-signed while the others hit the open market.

The Oilers’ cap space has occasionally surfaced in the rumor mill as pundits speculated over which players could become cost-cutting candidates. Kailer Yamamoto ($3.1 million through next season), Warren Foegele ($2.75 million), Cody Ceci ($3.25 million through 2024-25) and Brett Kulak ($2.75 million through 2025-26) have come up as trade options. We could find out in the next several weeks whether any of them hit the trade block.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (NHL Images).

SUGGESTED TRADE DESTINATIONS FOR HELLEBUYCK

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks speculated that Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck will likely be available this summer. The soon-to-be 30-year-old netminder is a year away from UFA status and unlikely to sign an extension after seven seasons with the Jets.

There could be a bidding war for Hellebuyck. He thinks the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators and Los Angeles Kings could be interested.

Brooks believes the New Jersey Devils’ priority should be acquiring a franchise goalie such as Hellebuyck. He proposed offering up winger Jesper Bratt in a package that also draws on depth within their system.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils can absorb Hellebuyck’s $6.1 million salary for next season and still have plenty of cap space to re-sign Timo Meier to a hefty raise, especially if they follow Brooks’ advice and peddle Bratt.

Hellebuyck lacks no-trade protection so there’s no problem for the Jets to send him to New Jersey if they get a tempting offer from the Devils. However, the question then becomes whether he wants to stick around beyond next season or test the market where he’s sure to get a lucrative long-term deal worth far more than his current contract.

Bratt as the centerpiece of a package offer could interest the Jets. However, he’s also a restricted free agent with arbitration rights coming off back-to-back 73-point performances with the Devils. The 24-year-old winger is also a year away from UFA eligibility and will seek a big raise over the $5.45 million he earned this summer. That could prove too much of a headache for the Jets to take on.

SOME PROPOSED SECOND-LINE CENTER TARGETS FOR THE AVALANCHE

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: In a recent mailbag segment, Evan Rawal was asked if he sees any potential trade targets that might work to solve the Avalanche’s second-line center issue.

Rawal mentioned Philadelphia’s Kevin Hayes, Calgary’s Elias Lindholm, Washington’s Evgeny Kuznetsov, Arizona’s Nick Schmaltz, Winnipeg’s Pierre-Luc Dubois and Mark Scheifele, Anaheim’s Adam Henrique and Columbus’ Jack Roslovic.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rawal looked at the pros and cons of each center. I’ll just throw in my two cents here.

Hayes and Kuznetsov carry average annual values exceeding $7 million. Unless their clubs are willing to retain some salary, they won’t fit for the cap-strapped Avalanche. Scheifele at $6.125 million for next season is also a tight squeeze.

Schmaltz ($5.85 million) is younger and more affordable but his injury history is a red flag. Dubois, meanwhile is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer. He’ll probably become too expensive for the Avs in both return and salary.

Henrique ($5.85 million) is 33 and his best seasons are behind him. Roslovic, 26, carries an affordable $4 million but his production is inconsistent and there are concerns over his defensive game.

Lindholm ($4.8 million) could be the best fit cap-wise if he’s available. However, that could change depending on who the Flames hire as their new general manager and head coach.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 7, 2023

by | May 7, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 7, 2023

A look at rumored candidates for the Rangers’ head-coaching job plus the latest Penguins speculation in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

WHO REPLACES GERARD GALLANT AS RANGERS HEAD COACH?

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks wondered who would replace Gerard Gallant after he and the Rangers mutually agreed to part ways on Saturday.

Brooks reports Joel Quenneville will not be among the candidates. He remains under an unofficial and open-ended suspension by the NHL for his failure to act responsibly in the Kyle Beach sexual assault issue while coaching the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010. The Rangers will not approach the league to ask commissioner Gary Bettman to lift his suspension.

New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury (NHL.com).

General manager Chris Drury and his staff have begun compiling a list of candidates but there is so far no clear front-runner. It’s uncertain whether candidates such as Patrick Roy who didn’t get an interview two years ago will be in the mix now.

Prior to Gallant and the Rangers parting company, a source suggested former Calgary Flames bench boss Darryl Sutter to Brooks. However, he doubts that a coach who alienated part of his roster this season while failing to reach the playoffs would be a candidate for the Blueshirts’ coaching gig.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This being one of the notable head coaching jobs in the NHL, we’re likely to hear plenty of rumors in the coming weeks over who will be Gallant’s replacement. I agree with Brooks that Sutter probably won’t be a candidate after the season he had with the Flames.

It’ll be interesting to see who the Rangers bring in. Will they go with an experienced NHL coach or look toward someone from the minors, junior or college ranks? We’ll likely know before the NHL Draft (June 28-29) as I daresay they’ll want that position filled before then.

LATEST PENGUINS SPECULATION

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Nick Horwat recently suggested the Pittsburgh Penguins look toward the Winnipeg Jets as possible offseason trade partners.

The Jets could be looking at shaking things up this summer following their disappointing performance down the stretch and their first-round elimination by the Vegas Golden Knights.

Connor Hellebuyck could be of interest to the Penguins, who need an upgrade in goal. The former Vezina Trophy winner is 30 and has a year left on his contract with a cap hit of $6.1 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Horwat believes Hellebuyck would be worth every penny for the Penguins. Cap Friendly shows them with over $20 million in cap space for 2023-24 so they can afford to acquire him.

Hellebuyck also lacks no-trade protection. If the Jets decide to shop him, their asking price could include the Penguins’ 2023 first-round pick.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski was asked by several readers if Hellebuyck or Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson could be in play in the offseason trade market.

Kingerski doubts the Ducks will peddle Gibson if they get a top-two pick in this year’s draft. If they do make him available, he doubts the Penguins can afford to acquire him, suggesting the Ducks could seek two first-round picks and more in return.

Hellebuyck, on the other hand, could be a different story. He believes the Jets might be amenable to a player-for-player trade, though the Penguins convincing one of their players with a no-trade or no-move clause to accept a move to Winnipeg could be a problem.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kingerski also noted the Ottawa Senators are reportedly interested in Gibson but can outbid the Penguins. However, the Senators might not be on his list of acceptable trade destinations.

Recent rumors suggest the Ducks are willing to help Gibson find a suitable trade destination, preferably one that isn’t rebuilding. The Pittsburgh native could accept coming home to play with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

The Penguins will likely have to give up their first-rounder in the deal but the rest of the asking price might not be that expensive. The Ducks already have six picks in the first three rounds of this year’s draft and in next year’s as well. They could be more interested in moving Gibson’s contract, which has four years remaining with an annual cap hit of $6.4 million.

Horwat also suggested center Mark Scheifele and defenseman Neal Pionk as trade targets. He admits the 29-year-old Scheifele might be hard to fit in on a club already deep with centers but felt he’s the kind of talent you find a solution for. Horwat considers Pionk more obtainable, suggesting he’d be a good replacement for Jeff Petry.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Scheifele is talented and could skate on the wing alongside Sidney Crosby or perhaps he could center the second line with Evgeni Malkin shifted to the wing. Like Hellebuyck, he has a year remaining on his contract. Scheifele has also faced criticism in recent years for his inconsistent play.

Pionk would be a good replacement for the aging Petry provided the Penguins can find a taker for him to clear his $6.25 million annual cap hit from their books. That’s assuming the Jets are willing to move Pionk.

Horwat also looked at possible buyout candidates. The first choice would be Jeff Carter but he’s on a 35-plus contract, meaning his annual cap hit would still count in full against the Penguins’ salary cap.

Jeff Petry and forward Mikael Granlund are other possibilities. However, there’s also the concern that those buyouts could become anchors if the rest of the roster is built incorrectly.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins appear stuck with Carter for the final season of his contract. They can’t buy him out and he’s got a full no-movement clause.

I suspect the Penguins would prefer trading Petry and/or Granlund even if they have to retain a portion of their salary rather than buy them out. Whether they go either route remains to be seen. New management could see how both perform next season.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – April 30, 2023

by | Apr 30, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – April 30, 2023

A look ahead at the offseason for the Lightning and Kings plus more speculation about what the summer might hold for the Jets and Islanders in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE LIGHTNING AND KINGS?

ESPN.COM: Kristen Shilton looked at what could be a difficult offseason for the Tampa Bay Lightning following their first-round elimination by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Figuring out how to free up more salary-cap space should be a priority. Veterans like Alex Killorn, Corey Perry and Ian Cole are eligible for unrestricted free-agent status this summer. They also have limited trade capital with just three picks in this year’s draft.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Alex Killorn (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois did a fine job managing his limited cap space to maintain a contender for the past three years. However, he now faces a different challenge in figuring out how to restore the depth around his core talent before their best seasons are behind them.

BriseBois could find it easier should the salary cap increase this summer by more than the projected $1 million. Otherwise, he could face another offseason shedding more roster depth and trying to find suitable replacements at cheaper prices.

Ryan S. Clark examined what could be in store this summer for the Los Angeles Kings following their second straight first-round elimination by the Edmonton Oilers.

The Kings will have to ensure they’ve got sufficient cap space to re-sign restricted free-agent forward Gabriel Vilardi. They’ll also have to decide what to do with pending unrestricted free agents Joona Korpisalo and Vladislav Gavrikov.

They’ll also have to decide what to do with goaltender Cal Petersen, who’s completing the first season of a three-year contract worth $5 million annually. The struggles of Petersen and now-former Kings goalie Jonathan Quick led the Kings to turn to Pheonix Copley for large stretches of the season before acquiring Korpisalo at the trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see how general manager Rob Blake addresses this situation. Vilardi’s performance this season has him in line for a significant raise while Korpisalo and Gavrikov were solid additions who are worth retaining if there’s sufficient cap room to do so.

Trading Petersen could free up valuable cap space to re-sign Vilardi and retain Korpisalo and/or Gavrikov. Given his struggles over the past two seasons, however, it’s unlikely they’ll find any takers unless they retain a portion of his salary or take back a bad contract in return.

LATEST ON THE JETS

WINNIPEG SUN: Ted Wyman reports Jets winger Kyle Connor isn’t interested in being part of a roster rebuild at this stage in his career. “I don’t think anybody in that locker room wants to be part of a rebuild,” he said. Connor is among the few Jets stars with more than one year remaining on his contract.

Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, Connor Hellebuyck and restricted free agent Pierre-Luc Dubois are all a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility. If any or all of them are moved this summer, Wyman believes that will at least constitute a retooling, if not a rebuild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Much of the focus on a possible Jets rebuild is based on shipping out Scheifele, Wheeler, Hellebuyck and Dubois and using the returns to build around players like Connor, Josh Morrissey and Nikolaj Ehlers who still have term on the contracts beyond next season. It hasn’t taken into account that those players might not want to be part of that process

Connor pointed out he has no say in what management does. Nevertheless, his comments could have some impact on their offseason decisions. Instead of trading those players for draft picks and prospects, perhaps they seek returns that provide a quicker turnaround in the Jets’ fortunes.

Speaking of Dubois, Wyman reported he was dismissive of the rumors about his future. Nevertheless, the 24-year-old center made no secret that he’d like to choose where he plays once he becomes a UFA.

“The right to choose is something that personally, it gives you power,” said Dubois. “You can make your decision and not just go where you’re told. So for me, that’s something that’s pretty important.”

Speculation has linked Dubois to the Montreal Canadiens since his agent last summer hinted that he might like to play for them one day.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubois playing coy over whether he’s interested in a long-term deal with the Jets. His comments will only stoke speculation that he could be traded to the Canadiens this summer.

Hellebuyck has no idea if he’ll be part of the Jets future beyond this season. “I don’t know what their plans are, and I don’t know if I’m in it, to be honest,” he said. “If they decide to move me, that’s their call. If they decide to try to talk, I haven’t really thought about that yet.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck also isn’t interested in a rebuild. “My main goal is to win a Stanley Cup and I’m running out of time,” said the 30-year-old goaltender.

Scott Billeck reported Scheifele was non-committal about his future. He learned his lesson from last year when season-ending remarks about doing what’s best for him and his career sparked weeks of trade speculation.

“I think it’s too early to talk about,” said Scheifele. He plans to take time in the coming days and weeks to think about it and figure things out.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ll be very surprised if the Jets return next season with their current core intact. They’ve been in decline over the past five seasons. General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has been patient to a fault but it’s apparent that this group isn’t getting any better. Changes are necessary and could be coming as early as June in the lead-up to the 2023 Draft in Nashville.

NHL WATCHER: cited Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek on the “32 Thoughts” podcast wondering if Blake Wheeler might be a fit with the Philadelphia Flyers or Boston Bruins given the questions about the futures of Flyers center Sean Couturier and Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron. Marek believes Wheeler fits the mold of those teams.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Chuck Fletcher were still the Flyers GM, then yes, Wheeler would fit their mold. Not anymore. The Flyers are rebuilding and Wheeler (who turns 37 in August) is too old to be a suitable part of that process. As for the Bruins, I think they’d be more interested in someone who’s younger as a possible replacement for Bergeron.

BIG DECISIONS FACING THE ISLANDERS

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears believes the New York Islanders face many organizational questions heading into this offseason.

The first is whether general manager Lou Lamoriello will be back. It’s unknown if the 80-year-old has signed a contract extension to stay on as president and general manager of the Islanders for next season. His current deal is believed to expire at the end of this season.

Lamoriello or his replacement will have to decide if they’ll tinker with the current roster or make significant changes. Semyon Varlamov, Pierre Engvall, Scott Mayfield and Zach Parise are their notable UFAs. Veterans still under contract like Josh Bailey, Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin could be trade or contract buyout candidates.

With centers Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal under long-term contracts, Sears wondered if Jean-Gabriel Pageau or Brock Nelson might be traded for resources that could be deployed elsewhere in the lineup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sears doesn’t expect the Islanders to engage in a roster teardown and neither do I. However, they must bolster their offense if they hope to be more than a marginal playoff contender in the Metropolitan Division. That could involve one or two cost-cutting moves to free up sufficient cap space to address that issue this summer.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 29, 2023

by | Apr 29, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – April 29, 2023

A look ahead at what might be in store in the offseason for the Islanders and Wild plus the latest on the Jets in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE ISLANDERS AND WILD?

ESPN.COM: Kristen Shilton looked ahead at the offseason for the New York Islanders now that they’ve been eliminated from the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. She believes they must address the lack of consistent scoring that plagued them throughout this season.

The Islanders could also use a reliable backup for starting goaltender Ilya Sorokin if Semyon Varlamov departs via free agency on July 1. She also wondered if general manager Lou Lamoriello might consider replacing rookie head coach Lane Lambert with a veteran bench boss.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lamoriello is renowned for his secrecy so we have no idea what he’s got planned for the Islanders this summer. Nevertheless, it’s safe to assume that he’ll look at bolstering his popgun offense.

Lamoriello might have to go the trade route as Cap Friendly indicates the Isles have around $6.9 million available for 2023-24 with 18 roster regulars under contract. In other words, a dollar-in, dollar-out move.

Varlamov could return if he’s willing to accept a significant pay cut on a short-term contract. As for Lambert, your guess is as good as Lamoriello’s but it wouldn’t be shocking if he makes another change behind the bench.

ESPN.COM: Ryan S. Clark examined the offseason issues facing the Minnesota Wild following their first-round playoff elimination. He points out they’ll be hampered by the ongoing cost of buying out Zach Parise and Ryan Suter as it rises to a combined $14.7 million per season through 2024-25.

Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba (NHL Images)

They have eight players eligible for unrestricted free agent status including Matt Dumba, Marcus Johansson, John Klingberg and Ryan Reaves. Their restricted free agents include goaltending Filip Gustavsson, defenseman Calen Addison and forward Sam Steel.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly shows the Wild have just $3.4 million in projected cap space next season with 22 roster players under contract. General manager Bill Guerin will have to shed salary to free up cap space to retain some of these players.

Most of those UFAs are goners except perhaps Johansson given his chemistry with young star Matt Boldy. Gustavsson has to be re-signed as aging Marc-Andre Fleury is no longer capable of handling the workload of a full-time starting goaltender.

LATEST JETS SPECULATION

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli and Mike McKenna discussed what the Winnipeg Jets should do in the offseason following their disappointing season.

McKenna believes they should trade center Mark Scheifele as he’s been there too long and they need to shake up the dressing room. He thinks Scheifele will have some trade value given his career-best 42-goal performance this season.

Servalli believes a new contract for Connor Hellebuyck is the priority facing the Jets. He’s eligible for UFA status after next season. Seravalli wondered if they’ll trade Hellebuyck if he’s not interested in a contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: One or perhaps both of those players could be shopped this summer. The same goes for Blake Wheeler. Like Scheifele and Hellebucyk, Wheeler’s slated for UFA status next summer.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marc Dumont cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek discussed the possibility of the Canadiens acquiring Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois during their latest “32 Thoughts” podcast.

Marek said he’s led to believe there are other clubs also interested in Dubois despite the speculation suggesting the Canadiens are his preferred destination. Friedman mentioned Kirby Dach being the return for Dubois was suggested to him but he believes if it were that simple it would’ve been done by now.

Dumont dismissed the notion of the Canadiens parting with Dach. He also noted that Friedman pointed out the Jets will have little leverage given that Dubois is a restricted free agent this summer who’s a year away from UFA status.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Any team interested in Dubois other than the Canadiens might be willing to acquire him for this season with the hope of signing him before his UFA eligibility next year. However, they’re not going to overpay to get him given the Jets’ lack of leverage.

The Canadiens will have considerable leverage to acquire Dubois, assuming they indeed want to acquire the 24-year-old center and sign him to a lucrative long-term contract. They have an extra first-round pick in this year’s draft belonging to the Florida Panthers which could be enticing for the Jets if it’s also bundled with a quality prospect or promising young NHL player.

I’ll be very surprised if the Canadiens agree to part with Dach for Dubois. They are very pleased with his performance this season despite being sidelined by injuries at times. He had terrific chemistry on the top line with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield and showed potential as a second-line center as well.