NHL Rumor Mill – October 23, 2021

by | Oct 23, 2021

NHL Rumor Mill – October 23, 2021

​Could Vladimir Tarasenko spend the season with the Blues? What’s the latest on Dylan Strome? Find out in today’s NHL rumor mill.

THE ATHLETIC: In his recent season predictions for the St. Louis Blues, Jeremy Rutherford expects Vladimir Tarasenko will spend the entire season with the club. The 29-year-old right winger sought a trade during the offseason due to his unhappiness over two shoulder surgeries performed by team doctors and his subsequent treatment by their medical staff.

St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko (NHL Images).

Rutherford questioned whether the Blues would trade Tarasenko if he got off to a great start. That could result in general manager Doug Armstrong getting some legitimate offers, but moving him could also affect the production of linemate Robert Thomas.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tarasenko’s performance will be a factor, but his $7.5 million annual average value ($9.5 million in actual salary for this season) through 2022-23 is another reason why he probably won’t be moved this season.

A Tarasenko trade (if it happens) takes place next summer. That’s when there will be teams with more cap space and a willingness to invest in an established scoring winger with just one season left on his contract at a lower actual salary.

Rutherford also predicted Armstrong could bring in a goaltender from outside their organization. He doesn’t see how they get through an 82-game season with the current tandem of Jordan Binnington and Ville Husso without any injuries or a slip in performance.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Something to keep an eye on as the season progresses. There’s no need to make that move right now.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: Charlie Roumeliotis yesterday observed scouts/representatives from 15 different NHL clubs attended Thursday’s game between the Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks at the United Center. “Anaheim, Arizona, Boston, Buffalo, Calgary, Florida, Minnesota, Montreal, Nashville, N.Y. Islanders, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Tampa Bay (2) and Winnipeg.” Center Dylan Strome, the subject of recent trade speculation, played his first game of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most of those clubs were there simply to scout the performances of both clubs for upcoming games. The Blackhawks face the Coyotes, Flames, Predators, Islanders, Penguins, Kraken, and Jets in the coming weeks. The Canucks will soon face off with the Kraken, Predators, Ducks, Jets and Canadiens. Still. some were probably checking out Strome.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 14, 2021

by | Oct 14, 2021

NHL Rumor Mill – October 14, 2021

An update on Vladimir Tarasenko, the Bruins could be close to re-signing Charlie McAvoy, Blackhawks GM addresses the Dylan Strome trade speculation, and more on Vitali Kravtsov in today’s NHL rumor mill.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli advises keeping an eye on Vladimir Tarasenko’s start with the St. Louis Blues. While both sides are playing nice and saying the right things, the 29-year-old winger “still strongly desires a trade”, said Seravalli.

St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko (NHL Images).

Tarasenko has let it be known he’s fully recovered from the surgeries on his right shoulder. Whether he can regain his 30-goal form is another matter. He’s signed through 2022-23 with an annual average value of $7.5 million. If he gets off to a hot start, Seravalli believes a trade could materialize.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Asked about the possibility of the Anaheim Ducks acquiring Tarasenko, The Athletic’s Eric Stephens cited the winger’s health and contract as significant sticking points. He also pointed out the Blues won’t be moving him for pennies on the dollar. Those issues are likely shared by general managers with a potential interest in the winger’s services but leery about making the investment.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Joe Haggerty reports Bruins president Cam Neely suggested a new contract for Charlie McAvoy could be in the works. He said management has been working closely with the 23-year-old defenseman’s representatives in recent days. He’s hopeful of a new deal “in short order”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Haggerty believes it’ll be a long-term deal comparable to those in the $9 million per season range signed this summer by several top young defensemen. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes it’ll be an eight-year contract with a hefty salary though not one in double-digits. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun cautions nothing is imminent as there’s still some work to be done by both sides.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: Charlie Roumeliotis reports Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman attempted to downplay trade rumors swirling about Dylan Strome. He struggled to find a regular spot among their forward lines and was a healthy scratch for their season-opening loss last night to the Colorado Avalanche. Roumeliotis believes it wouldn’t be surprising if the Blackhawks try to give the 24-year-old center a fresh start with another club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Inconsistency and injuries hampered Strome over the past two seasons. He’s proved he can play well when skating alongside talented wingers. Perhaps a club seeking depth at center will take a chance on him. He signed through this season with an annual average value of $3 million.

THE ATHLETIC: Rick Carpiniello reported a source informed him Vitali Kravtsov’s demotion by the New York Rangers to their AHL affiliate in Hartford had nothing to do with him being waiver-exempt. Instead, it was based on his mediocre performance during training camp, the lower-body injury that cost him part of camp and preseason play, and the belief of GM Chris Drury and head coach Gerard Gallant that the winger needed more developmental time.

Kravtsov has been suspended by the Rangers for his unwillingness to report to the minors and his agent has been given permission to speak to other clubs about a trade. Carpiniello also indicated the young winger at times butted heads with Drury during 2019-20 in Hartford.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 29, 2021

by | Sep 29, 2021

NHL Rumor Mill – September 29, 2021

Check out the latest on Jack Eichel, Vladimir Tarasenko and Travis Hamonic in today’s NHL rumor mill.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau believes it could take some time, perhaps until the March trade deadline, for the Buffalo Sabres to move Jack Eichel and the St. Louis Blues to deal away Vladimir Tarasenko.

Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel (NHL Images).

One reason is roughly half the teams in the league have less than $1 million in cap space. Most of those clubs are projected to be playoff contenders and thus would have the most interest in acquiring Tarasenko, who’s signed through 2022-23 with an annual average value of $7.5 million. He thinks the likelihood of the Blues winger waiving his no-trade clause for a rebuilding team is slim.

Given Eichel’s hefty contract ($10 million AAV for five seasons), the market is likely to include non-contenders with the cap space and depth in prospects and draft picks to meet the Sabres’ expensive asking price.

With term remaining on Eichel’s and Tarasenko’s respective contracts, the Sabres and Blues aren’t facing pressure to move them before this season’s trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The best opportunity to move either player was prior to the first round of the 2021 NHL Draft. After that round was completed on July 23, the chances of trading one or both declined as teams no longer had the first-round pick the Sabres wanted as part of the return.

Any realistic chance of moving them during the offseason all but vanished after the free-agent market opened on July 28. Many of the interested clubs no longer had sufficient cap space to take on those expensive cap hits.

Health was also a factor. Eichel’s situation was well-documented. Tarasenko, meanwhile, was coming off his third shoulder surgery in two years. It’s believed some teams with interest in Tarasenko want to see how he performs this season. The same holds true for Eichel depending on which procedure he eventually gets and the length of recovery.

SPORTSNET: During his latest “32 Thoughts” podcast, Elliotte Friedman speculates it could take the NHL stepping in to resolve the impasse between the Sabres and Eichel over which medical procedure he’ll undergo to repair a herniated disc in his neck.

Friedman understands the NHL wants to protect the rules of the CBA, which gives teams control over the medical and health procedures of their players. Nevertheless, he feels this isn’t a good look for the league to have one of its star players being held back from playing because they can’t agree on a surgery.

He also suggested every team should see Eichel’s medical records if he agrees to it. It’s difficult to trade a player carrying a $10 million per season contract but it’s almost impossible to do so given the lack of information over his current condition.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Back in August, Friedman reported the league met with the Sabres, Eichel and his representatives, and the NHLPA in an attempt to help all sides reach an agreement but nothing was resolved. That could be the extent of the league’s involvement in this situation.

It’ll be interesting to see if the NHLPA pushes for players to have more control regarding the treatment of hockey-related injuries in the next round of collective bargaining.

 

 










NHL Rumor Mill – September 24, 2021

by | Sep 24, 2021

NHL Rumor Mill – September 24, 2021

The latest on Vladimir Tarasenko, Ilya Mikheyev, Logan Brown and Sami Niku in today’s NHL rumor mill.

STLTODAY.COM: Jim Thomas reports Vladimir Tarasenko said little about his tumultuous offseason in which he requested a trade from the St. Louis Blues during an interview yesterday. Asked if he was disappointed he hadn’t been moved, the 29-year-old right winger said it’s behind him now.

St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko (NHL Images).

“I don’t see any reason to discuss it now,” said Tarasenko. “Camp starts. I don’t want to be a distraction in the room. I’m here to work. I’m healthy, I’m happy to play hockey again.” He also added he and his family love living in St. Louis and are grateful to the fans for their support.

Tarasenko had been taking part in informal skates with his Blues teammates in St. Louis prior to training camp opening this week.

Ben Frederickson believes Tarasenko’s actions will speak louder than his few words. He pointed out sources speaking on the winger’s behalf during the summer critiqued the Blues’ handling of his shoulder injuries, to management’s handling of his trade request, to the club picking Ryan O’Reilly as team captain over him.

Frederickson said team owner Tom Stillman and general manager Doug Armstrong weren’t going to be strong-armed into making a trade. He also indicated Tarasenko’s market wasn’t what the winger thought it was due to his shoulder injuries, declining production and hefty contract.

Nevertheless, Frederickson believes the Blues have a potential problem on their hands bringing back a player who has made it clear he wants to go.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tarasenko’s presence shouldn’t be an issue as long as he’s getting along with his teammates and the coaching staff. If he stays healthy and his production improves it’ll help his trade value. However, it’s unlikely the Blues will move him if they’re in playoff contention this season.

They could wait until next summer to move Tarasenko when he’ll only have one year remaining on his contract. His cap hit ($7.5 million) is expensive enough but he’s also earning $9.5 million in actual salary this season. He’ll earn a more palatable $5.5 million next season. He also has a full no-trade clause which will limit where the Blues can ship him.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas shot down trade speculation about Ilya Mikheyev on Wednesday. Asked about Mikheyev’s trade request, Dubas said the 26-year-old winger was going to be on the team “and is going to be a big part of the team.” He referred questions about the trade request to Mikheyev’s agent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mikheyev seemed to back away from the question about his trade request when asked about it yesterday. His agent, Daniel Milstein, declined to comment. It’s believed that request was based on his limited playing time last season. By the sound of things, he’ll be getting a bigger role with the Leafs.

TSN’s Shawn Simpson recently speculated Logan Brown could be plucked off waivers by the Arizona Coyotes if things don’t work out for him with the Ottawa Senators. He spent the summer in Arizona and is close with Coyotes stars Clayton Keller and Jakob Chychrun.

NESN: The Boston Bruins could be interested in Sami Niku following the recent termination of the 24-year-old defenseman’s contract with the Winnipeg Jets.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 20, 2021

by | Sep 20, 2021

NHL Rumor Mill – September 20, 2021

Check out the latest on Tomas Hertl, Robert Thomas and Vladimir Tarasenko in today’s NHL rumor mill.

NHL.COM: Tracey Myers recently reported Tomas Hertl isn’t concerned about his future with the San Jose Sharks. He’s an unrestricted free agent next July but claims his focus is on the upcoming season.

San Jose Sharks forward Tomas Hertl (NHL Images).

Hertl, 27, said he’ll see if there will be any contract discussions with management once he reports to training camp this week. If not, he said he’s not going to worry about it because he wants to avoid worrying about his contract year.

“For me, it doesn’t matter because I think I’ve proven I can be a good player,” said Hertl. “I’ve shown I can be a leader and I just want to do that and not think about my next deal.” He added he wants to play his best hockey and help his teammates, hoping to be as supportive to his younger teammates as former Sharks Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski were to him earlier in his career.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hertl might not be thinking about his contract status but others will be, especially if the Sharks are out of playoff contention as the March trade deadline draws near. A healthy and strong performance on his part will generate plenty of conjecture over his future once the calendar flips to 2022.

Hertl’s already become the subject of trade speculation. An internet rumor floating around last month linked him to the Ottawa Senators but they reportedly have had no discussions with the Sharks. Some observers in Boston think Hertl would make a fine replacement for recently departed center David Krejci.

STLTODAY.COM: In a recent mailbag, Tom Timmermann was asked about the status of Robert Thomas. The 22-year-old restricted free agent forward remains unsigned but was skating in development camp sessions, which suggests he expects to join his teammates in training camp this week.

The Blues are pressed against the $81.5 million salary cap. With Oskar Sundqvist expected to go on long-term injury reserve to start the season, they’ll have around $3.5 million to work with as they attempt to sign Thomas. However, they’ll have to free up cap room once Sundqvist is ready to return to action. Timmermann also suggests this gives the Blues a little more time to find a trade partner for Vladimir Tarasenko.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There were reports earlier in the offseason suggesting Thomas wanted a contract similar to Jordan Kyrou’s two-year, $5.6 million deal. It doesn’t sound like he’s going to get that much, perhaps a one-year deal for at most $2 million. They’ll likely clear cap space on Sundqvist’s return by demoting one or two extra skaters.

Trading Tarasenko’s $7.5 million annual cap hit would free up cap room for Thomas’ new deal and leave much more room for other moves if necessary over the course of the season. However, general manager Doug Armstrong said he anticipates Tarasenko will be on their opening-day roster next month. Given the winger’s high cap hit, it could take months until a suitable trade partner is found.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 19, 2021

by | Sep 19, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 19, 2021

Jack Eichel to travel to Buffalo for Sabres’ pre-training camp medical, Vladimir Tarasenko expected on Blues’ opening-day roster, Zdeno Chara signs with the Islanders, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

THE SCORE: cites an Associated Press report indicating Jack Eichel is expected to travel to Buffalo for the Sabres’ pre-training camp medicals on Wednesday. The 24-year-old center has been sidelined since March with a herniated disk in his neck.

Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel (NHL Images).

Treatment of the injury has created an impasse between Eichel and the Sabres’ front office. He prefers artificial disk replacement while management is against that procedure because it’s never been done on an NHL player before.

If Eichel fails his medical, the Sabres have the option of placing him on injured reserve or long-term injury reserve as his condition is hockey-related. They’ve been trying to trade him this summer but haven’t found any takers yet.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ll be surprised if Eichel passes his medical. If he fails as expected it will prevent the awkward situation of having an unhappy player in camp while management is trying to trade him. However, this won’t be the end of the saga. There’s no indication which procedure Eichel will undergo let alone when it will take place.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues general manager Doug Armstrong believes there’s a good chance Vladimir Tarasenko will be on the club’s opening-day roster. The 29-year-old winger requested a trade early in the offseason because he was reportedly unhappy over how the club’s medical staff handled his surgically repaired right shoulder.

Armstrong said he spoke with Tarasenko about his trade status and the winger understands the situation. He mentioned the flattened salary cap and the limited amount of playing time Tarasenko saw over the last two years as a result of his shoulder surgeries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The best opportunity to move Tarasenko was before the free-agent market opened on July 28. There weren’t many teams with the cap space to take on his $7.5 million annual salary cap hit once the dust settled from the usual frenzy of free-agent signings.

A trade could still materialize before the start of the season but a move around the March trade deadline seems more likely. Interested parties would prefer letting Tarasenko burn off most of this season’s cap hit while taking the time to evaluate his performance.

NEW YORK POST: Zdeno Chara’s NHL career has come full circle as he signed a one-year contract with the New York Islanders. Financial terms weren’t disclosed but it’s presumably a plus-35 deal with bonuses.

Chara began his big-league career with the Islanders in 1997-98, spending four seasons with them until traded to the Ottawa Senators in 2001.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 44-year-old Chara will become the first player in NHL history to go 20-plus years between games with one franchise.

TSN: The Edmonton Oilers signed restricted free agent winger Kailer Yamamoto to a one-year, $1.175 million contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Very affordable signing by the cap-strapped Oilers but Yamamoto will be in line for a more lucrative deal next summer if he has a good performance this season. We’ll take a look at the implications in today’s Sunday rumor roundup.

SPORTSNET: The Ottawa Senators signed center Logan Brown to a one-year, two-way contract worth $750K at the NHL level.