NHL Rumors Update

NHL Rumors Update for 10/28/2019

October 28, 2019

The latest NHL rumors from The Hockey Writers.

 

 10/28/2019 edition:

By Jim Parsons on Oct 27, 2019 12:25 pm

In today’s NHL rumor rundown, there is news on the Boston Bruins and their search for a forward, Elliotte Friedman reaffirms that Mike Babcock is safe in Toronto and will the Edmonton Oilers make a trade to help their lack of depth scoring?

Bruins Could Move Defenseman For Winger

Joe Haggerty of NBC Sports Boston suggested several trade possibilities for the Boston Bruins who are eager to address their need for top-six scoring beyond the first line.

In the unlikely category, he mentions Taylor Hall out of New Jersey but tricky based on trade cost and salary, Alex Tuch might be available out of Vegas but it could cost the team Jake DeBrusk, and Jason Zucker might be an option out of Minnesota but it could cost young prospects or picks.

Possible, but less likely are Chris Kreider out of New York, Mike Hoffman out of Florida and Tyler Toffoli out of Los Angeles. These would be acquisitions closer to the trade deadline. If the Bruins want to do something in the immediate future, the most likely options would be either Josh Ho-Sang out of the New York Islanders organization or Jesse Puljujarvi out of Edmonton.

Speaking of Ho-Sang, Steven Ellis of The Hockey News suggested there were five possible destinations for the disgruntled forward. Other than Boston, he noted Edmonton, Carolina, Arizona and Ottawa and suitors.  

Ellis notes:

On Wednesday, TSN’s Darren Dreger reported Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello is working on moving the forward, and, frankly, a move can’t come soon enough. At this point, the longer the Islanders wait, the more it stands to hurt them as Ho-Sang hasn’t played a meaningful game since April…

source – ‘THE TOP FIVE TRADE DESTINATIONS FOR JOSH HO-SANG AS ISLANDERS LOOK TO MOVE FORMER TOP PROSPECT’ Steven Ellis – The Hockey news – 10/24/2019

Babcock’s Job Is Safe

During Saturday’s Hockey Night in Canada Headlines segment, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said that Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock’s position is safe. “It was one of those weeks in Toronto. I didn’t get a sense at all this week (Babcock’s) job was ever in jeopardy.”

There’s been a lot of buzz about Babcock and it will continue as long as the Maple Leafs continue to struggle. Chris Johnston actually said during that same segment that some within the organization aren’t upset that things haven’t been perfectly smooth to start the season.

He explained:

“One note I will say is that internally the Leafs don’t mind, at least some in the organization, that the team’s faced some adversity here. They believe it will make them stronger. When they looked at their schedule, they knew it would be a tough opening month.”

Also out of Toronto, after watching a San Jose Sharks’ hit against Auston Matthews Friday night, many in Toronto are calling for Sharks’ Brenden Dillon to have the hit looked at by the Department of Player Safety. That’s apparently not going to happen. Johnston reports that Dillon won’t face any supplemental discipline, the explanation being that the head was not the main point of contact.

How Long Will Edmonton Wait?

Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal writes that Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland can’t be willing to wait that much longer to bring in a real third-line center. Edmonton has a great record to start the season but their lack of depth scoring is a glaring weakness for the team.

Leavins suggests Ottawa’s Jean-Gabriel Pageau or Colorado’s Tyson Jost as trade targets. He explains:

When Riley Sheahan was signed with the Oilers I said on the record that Sheahan was an excellent 4th Line NHL Center… They’re just asking Sheahan to do too much… The Pageau contract would be dear for the cap-strapped Oilers (cap hit of $3.1m). The Jost deal? The pending RFA currently carries an $885k hit. The Avalanche will have 6 RFA’s next Summer including Jost.

source – ‘Sometime sooner rather than later Kailer Yamamoto will impact the Edmonton Oilers roster: 9 Things’ – Kurt Leavins – Edmonton Journal – 10/27/2019

By Jim Parsons on Oct 26, 2019 12:45 pm

In today’s NHL rumor rundown, there is an update on the earlier reports of Brendan Perlini being given permission to seek a trade out of Chicago, Justin Williams is skating again which could equal a return, Torey Krug updates everyone on where negotiations sit with the Boston Bruins and the Edmonton Oilers might need to make a call to Bakersfield.

More on the Perlini Situation

It was earlier reported that the Chicago Blackhawks and winger Brendan Perlini had essentially agreed to part ways. All Perlini needed to do was work with his agent Darren Ferris to find a franchise willing to trade for him.

In an update on that story, Scott Powers of The Athletic notes that Perlini has confirmed the trade request and says it’s because of a lack of playing time.

Powers writes:

Multiple league sources said Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman has been reaching out to teams to gauge their interest in Perlini. One source said the Blackhawks were looking for a draft pick.

source – ‘You want to play’: Brendan Perlini seeking ice time or trade from Blackhawks’ Scott Powers – The Athletic – 10/25/2019

Perlini added, he didn’t really care too much where he wound up. He’s simply looking for an opportunity. “You want to play,” Perlini said. In Edmonton, some are wondering if Perlini for Jesse Puljujarvi makes some sense?

In other Blackhawks news, Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun notes that  center Zack Smith has had his name come up in the rumor mill.

Garrioch writes:

He has been hampered by a back issue after being dealt to the Chicago Blackhawks for Artem Anisimov in July and has only suited up for five games. He’s seeing spot duty with an average of 9:52 of ice time. Smith has a $3.25-million cap hit that runs through next season. The market for him would be limited. …

source – ‘GARRIOCH GAME REPORT: Senators don’t get the big save in loss to Islanders’ – Ottawa Sun – Bruce Garrioch – 10/25/2019

Is Justin Williams Working on a Comeback?

According to TSN’s Frank Seravalli, free-agent winger Justin Williams has resumed skating. After saying he was stepping away from the NHL and unsure of his future, this is the first sign that he might be considering a return to the game this season.

Should Williams return, the belief is that it would still only be with the Carolina Hurricanes. And, should that be the case, he would need to accept far less than his last annual average salary of $4.5 million since the team cannot afford to fit that kind of money into their current cap situation. Carolina could get creative using a bonus-structured contract but some shuffling still might need to occur.

Smith-Pelly Headed to the KHL?

Apparently, he showed up in Washington last season out of shape and after failing to land a contract with an NHL team this offseason, rumors are that Devante Smith-Pelly may be headed to the KHL.

A report out of Russia suggests Smith-Pelly will be signing with Kunlun Red Star of the KHL, something that has not been confirmed by the team itself yet. If true, he’ll join a number of other former NHL’ers who currently play for that organization. Griffin Reinhart just recently signed there.

Torey Krug Says Contract Negotiations a “Work in Progress”

While on The Greg Hill Show this past Wednesday, Boston Bruins defenseman Torey Krug said his negotiations with Bruins GM Don Sweeney are “a work-in-progress.”

Krug added he’d like to get to the point where something gets done but he didn’t want to talk too much about it while the season was ongoing. When asked about the rumors he’d be willing to take less money to stay in Boston, he subtly suggested yes, but that there was still a part of him that needed to look out for his family.

Krug explained:

“… you understand how things work here, the camaraderie, brotherhood if you will, these are some of our closest friends that we’ve grown up together and you want to be part of it for a very long time. And then you couple that with how happy your family is, you want your kid to grow up in this wonderful city as well, you just pair all those things together and that’s where the thought process comes from.”

Oilers to Call Up Yamamoto?

News that forward Josh Archibald is out two-to-four weeks with a fractured foot has led to speculation the Edmonton Oilers might make a call-up from Bakersfield. One of the names being considered is Kailer Yamamoto.

Since Ken Holland took over the team, there’s been no discussion of Yamamoto joining the main club. This is in part, because he was injured but also because the Oilers are really working hard not to rush their prospects. Yamamoto has played seven games in the AHL and has four goals. He’s been the clubs best player since returning and could help the Oilers depth forwards problem.

By Jim Parsons on Oct 25, 2019 02:10 pm

During today’s NHL rumor rundown post, we mentioned that an NHL reporter out of Edmonton, Jim Matheson, cited pro scout sources around the league who thought it was universally believed the Toronto Maple Leafs could be looking to add one or two greasy forwards.

You ask pro scouts about the Leafs and it’s pretty universal: Leafs need one or two greasy forwards like a healthier Antoine Roussel. Are they that hard to find? Easier to find them than goal-scorers, right?

While Matheson covers the Edmonton Oilers, he is well-respected as far as reporters in the NHL go and he’s as plugged in as reporters will get. If he’s spoken to NHL pro scouts about the Maple Leafs, there is likely truth to the report.

That said, I don’t expect the Maple Leafs to go this route.

The Maple Leafs Are Struggling

At 5-4-2, the sky is hardly falling in Toronto. That said, this is a team that is expected to do more than win one playoff round this season.

With players coming out of the off-season with shiny new deals — Mitch Marner’s new six-year contract at over $10 million per season an example — 5-4-2 isn’t going to cut it.

Marner has 12 points in 11 games but people are suggesting he’s struggling, there are questions about just how good Auston Matthews is, head coach Mike Babcock is taking a ton of heat and the team is dealing with injuries to key players, most importantly John Tavares.

Again, the sky isn’t falling, but in a city that Elliotte Friedman so eloquently dubbed “freakazoid city”, expectations are high. Now more than ever considering the Eastern Conference is no cake-walk.

Greasy Forwards Won’t Fix This Issue

As Craig Button correctly put it, “When you buy a Maserati, you expect it to perform like one.” In other words, a greasy forward isn’t going to make fans fall in love with Mitch Marner’s production based upon his salary. A greasy forward isn’t going to force Babcock to deploy his top-end forwards differently. A greasy forward won’t turn Matthews into a two-way center. A greasy forward won’t bring back Tavares.

These are all things the team, the coach and the individual players need to figure out and/or be patient with. And, these things should come around. The coach is too good and the talent too strong to stay inconsistent for long.

What Will a Greasy Forward Do?

The idea behind adding grease and grit is to provide depth to a Toronto team that is heavy up front and lacks depth near the bottom end. The suggestion is that the Maple Leafs will need to win a few games based on something other than pure skill. Nice idea, but this isn’t exactly a new issue for the Maple Leafs.

In signing Tavares, Matthews, Marner, William Nylander and others to hefty contracts, the Maple Leafs accepted this fate, hoping the top-end could carry the team.

It’s been hit and miss to date.

Instead, what a greasy forward or two will do is create more cap issues for an already cap-strapped team if a trade isn’t near perfectly executed.

Matheson suggested someone like Antoine Roussel out of Vancouver as the type of player the Maple Leafs should be looking for. I’m not certain he was actually suggesting the Maple Leafs try to acquire Roussel — he’s currently injured and makes $3 million per season over this season and next — but someone like him.

He contends greasy forwards are likely easier to add than skilled ones and that much is true. That said, GM Kyle Dubas can’t afford to add anyone with term, anyone making over a certain amount ($1 million or so) or anyone that will need to come out of the lineup when injured players like Zach Hyman or Tavares return. That doesn’t leave a lot of choices, at least not ones that will make an impact.

Dubas Has to Think Long-Term

While thinking about this season, Dubas can’t afford to forget about next season. He’s got a single blueliner signed past the end of the 2019-20 campaign and will struggle to find a way to keep players with as much money as is already committed to the roster.

If he thought he was having issues now with an imbalanced roster at forward, imagine the issues he’ll have if he tries to balance out the roster at the expense of the blue line where potentially only Rielly would remain with the team.

By Jim Parsons on Oct 25, 2019 12:10 pm

In today’s NHL rumor rundown, there are developments between the Chicago Blackhawks and forward Brendan Perlini, no developments in Washington where two huge names are becoming free agents, and most of the NHL seems to know what the Toronto Maple Leafs need right now. Plus, there is buzz out of Ottawa, New Jersey, and Minnesota.

Perlini Can Seek a Trade Out of Chicago

TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports the Chicago Blackhawks have given Brendan Perlini permission to seek a trade. Both sides have agreed that it is in the best interest to move on, so a trade could be imminent.

The other trade piece alongside Dylan Strome when the Blackhawks made a swap with Arizona, Strome burst out offensively in Chicago but Perlini struggled. When Perlini’s name was floated around the rumor mill this summer he was ready to move on from the organization.

Hall’s Agent to Meet with Devils

Pierre LeBrun notes in that same TSN Insider Trading segment, while there hasn’t been a lot of communication between Taylor’s Hall agent Darren Ferris and the New Jersey Devils, Ferris is set to meet with GM Ray Shero in the coming weeks.

And, while there is urgency on the part of the Devils to get this done, LeBrun suggests Hall is nowhere close to making a decision on his future.

Talks in Washington Not Happening

LeBrun also reports there has been little in the way of contract talks between the Washington Capitals and either Nicklas Backstrom or Braden Holtby. The team has decided to be patient with the decisions, letting the season play out in hopes the right offers will be clear based on individual play and team needs.

Speculation is that GM Brian MacLellan might wait to the end of the season, especially on Holtby who hasn’t played well for the second-straight season but will cost a premium to re-sign.

Meanwhile, Backstrom continues to play at an elite level but at 32, the team needs as much time as possible to see what he’s got in the tank to determine a term worth giving on an extension.

Washington has $63.5 million tied up in just 14 players next season and every dollar counts as does being absolutely sure about the team’s course of action with each of these pending free agents.

Guerin Being Patient in Minnesota

According to Elliotte Friedman’s 31 Thoughts article, the Minnesota Wild and GM Bill Guerin are telling teams he isn’t going to make a move for a quick fix. “I’m getting calls,” Guerin said. He added, “but I’m not going to do anything just for the sake of it, or because things are emotional. Still evaluating.” That the Wild have won a couple games now helps.

It was always his intention to stay patient and see if the players could figure out the issues as a team and no trade was going to cure their rough start to the season. That said, he is on the lookout for the right deal and to make his first trade as GM of the franchise.

Pro Scouts Feel Maple Leafs Need Greasy Forward

In speaking with some pro scouts around the NHL, Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal was told that it is universally believed the Toronto Maple Leafs need to add one or two greasy forwards to its roster.

Matheson suggests a player like a healthier version of Antoine Roussel out of Vancouver might be a good option for GM Kyle Dubas but trade options are limited considering he can’t add anyone with term.

The Maple Leafs may have to just weather the storm which includes some inconsistent play and injuries to key players. There was some concern at the Maple Leafs last practice that Mitch Marner had suffered a slight injury but he’s fine.

“Mitch Marner is all good after a weird collision with Jake Muzzin at the end of #Leafs practice: “I don’t know [what happened], just hit Muzzie. Nothing crazy.” He’s good to go tomorrow. Mike Babcock also said Morgan Rielly will be playing tomorrow.

Latest on Senators Trying to Find a Forward

We reported yesterday word that the Senators were trying to add a forward. Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reports general manager Pierre Dorion isn’t having much luck with few teams making players available.

Garrioch said Minnesota has forwards Kevin Fiala, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Ryan Donato on the market while Tyler Toffoli might be available out of Los Angeles later in the season.

Garrioch writes:

While general manager Pierre Dorion has been working the phones — especially with forwards Colin White (hip flexor) and Artem Anisimov sidelined for extended periods — to see if there are any fits for a trade, the best bet is for the answers to come from within because a check of the forward market with three league executives Thursday indicated the pickings are slim.

source – ‘GARRIOCH: The answers will have to come from within for the Ottawa Senators’ – Ottawa Sun – Bruce Garrioch – 10/24/2019

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