NHL Rumors Update

NHL Rumors Update for 03/16/2019

March 16, 2019

The latest NHL rumors from The Hockey Writers.

 

03/16/2019 edition:

By Jim Parsons on Mar 15, 2019 02:11 pm

In today’s NHL rumor rundown, there are updates on the Detroit Red Wings and their talks with head coach Jeff Blashill, there are rumblings out of Vancouver when it comes to Loui Eriksson and how they will approach free agency and the Golden Knights are already examining how they’ll make things work with William Karlsson after signing a huge contract with Mark Stone.

Finally, is there any truth to the buzz that McDavid is unhappy in Edmonton and could contemplate asking the Edmonton Oilers to move him?

Red Wings and Jeff Blashill Talks

TSN’s Bob McKenzie is reporting that regardless of where the Detroit Red Wings finish in the NHL standings, the organization will take a look at extending coach Jeff Blashill and their finish won’t weigh in on their decisions. Blashill’s contract expires after this season and speculation is the team and coach will start talking new deal before then.

Jeff Blashill, Detroit Red Wings, December 20, 2017 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

McKenzie explained, “So even though the Wings are 30th place overall right now, they’ve liked the way Blashill’s handled the young kids and that they’ve continued to develop.” He goes on to add that the organization thinks their record might not indicate how competitive, well-structured and well-coached a team they’ve been this season “So the fault of the Detroit Red Wings’ season is not being laid at the feet of the head coach.”

Canucks Won’t Hunt Huge Free Agents

Rick Dhaliwal wrote on Twitter that Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning said the team will not likely pursue big-ticket free agents in the summer. Specifically, Benning said, “I don’t think we go in that direction but if there are some players that I feel that can help and support our younger players, we are going to look at those types of players.”

The Canucks are going through a rebuild but potentially quicker than a number of people thought. With a good strong core, it might make more sense to simply surround those guys with value contracts that can help bring them along.

Louie Eriksson (Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports)

Instead, the Canucks need to take a long look at what to do with contracts like Loui Eriksson’s six-year, $36-million deal that has backfired on the Canucks. The 33-year-old’s tenure in Vancouver has not gone well and on Wednesday he became a healthy scratch for the first time. Speculation is that the team will consider a buyout over the summer.

One thing the Canucks do want to do is dive into the college free agent market for defensive help. General manager Jim Benning told the Vancouver Province on Thursday that the Canucks are keeping an eye on the College playoffs.

Golden Knights Think There’s Room For William Karlsson

Jesse Granger of The Athletic writes that Vegas Golden Knights GM George McPhee doesn’t believe the eight-year, $76 million contract given to Mark Stone will affect pending restricted free agent William Karlsson. Saying they still have flexibility to do things, he says his capologist, Andrew Lugerner, says they won’t be hamstrung on anything.

William Karlsson #71, Vegas Golden Knights, October 13, 2018 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Even though the cap situation on paper doesn’t look like it gives the Golden Knights a ton of room to work with, once David Clarkson goes on LTIR, the Golden Knights could move players like Cody Eakin ($3.85 million), Ryan Reaves($2.775 million) and Colin Miller ($3.875 million).

Granger writes:

A long-term deal would provide Karlsson with the biggest payday of his career and financial stability. It would provide the Golden Knights with a cheaper contract, as Karlsson’s price will skyrocket if he reaches unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2020. But, it won’t be easy to work out unless the team makes several moves to open up the cap space. McPhee doesn’t seem too concerned.

source – ‘How Mark Stone’s $76 million contract could affect signing William Karlsson this offseason’ Jesse Granger – The Athletic – 03/09/2019

Karlsson’s qualifying offer alone will be $4.75 million, and he won’t accept that. That leaves the options of arbitration, another short-term deal or a long-term contract on the table.

Nothing to the McDavid Out of Edmonton Talks

After the question of whether or not Connor McDavid might ask to be moved out of Edmonton after the team will likely miss the playoffs for the third year in four since he’s been with the club, Bob McKenzie had a Friday morning radio hit on Montreal’s TSN 690 and said, “Listen, in no way, shape or form has he done or suggested anything or implied anything in terms of, ‘I don’t want to be here.’” Instead, McDavid has been an excellent soldier, is the heart of the team and takes it personally that the team is not good enough.

Edmonton Oilers centre Connor McDavid and Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Ron Hainsey (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn)

McKenzie said whoever the Oilers hire as the new GM, it’s really a big decision, “But even if the Oilers aren’t a playoff team a year from now, as long as they’re pointed in the right direction there would be no reason for a guy like Connor McDavid to push any panic buttons.”

That could all change in two or three years if the Oilers still aren’t improved. At that point, if McDavid has only made the playoffs once over eight years with the team, he might have to say, ‘What the hell is going on here. This isn’t working out.’

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By Jim Parsons on Mar 13, 2019 01:20 pm

In today’s rumor rundown, there are updates on the talks between the Dallas Stars and injured forward Mats Zuccarello, the Philadelphia Flyers could be the busiest team in the summer, and one insider notes what led two of colleges most offensive forwards to lean towards the Red Wings organization when making their final decision. And, what is going on with Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper? Are the Bolts looking to extend his contract now or later? Or, will he walk at the end of the season and take money from the highest bidder?

Dallas Stars and Zuccarello to Hold Off Talks

Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News is reporting that Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill has decided the team won’t engage in contract extension talks with Mats Zuccarello until after the season has come to a close. Nill said, “We’ll wait until the season’s over.”

Dallas Stars center Mats Zuccarello (Jon Durr-USA TODAY Sports)

Zuccarello joined the Stars from the New York Rangers just prior to the NHL trade deadline but broke his arm in his first game in a Stars uniform. He has not returned to the lineup since. But, according to Nill, the lack of discussions is not exclusive to Zuccarello. “Right now, I’m in no rush with any contracts. I want to see how the team finishes, see what the player is. That stuff really kind of happens after the playoffs,” Nill explained.

Should the Stars end up re-signing Zuccarello, the Rangers will receive a conditional 2020 first-round pick instead of the conditional 2020 third-round pick that it is now.

Flyers Are an Offseason Team to Watch

Darren Dreger was part of a radio interview on Ottawa’s TSN 1200 and said he expects the Philadelphia Flyers to be urgent in their offseason deals and downright aggressive when it comes to making changes. “… it doesn’t matter if it’s Brayden Point or it’s Mitch Marner or you want to go lower-end to Kasperi Kapanen or Andreas Johnsson, go down the list… But Philadelphia and Detroit are among those teams rumored to be in that hunt, looking for that type of possibility.”

Lightning forward Brayden Point (Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports)

Dreger said, should Panarin get to free agency, he believes the Flyers would 100% be in those conversations and he also believes they could go after both Panarin and defenseman Erik Karlsson. “When it comes to Fletcher and the possibilities in Philadelphia, I think that anything is possible,” Dreger said.

Red Wings Got Two Free Agents Because of Their Rebuild

Craig Custance noted in a recent article on The Athletic that part of the reason the Detroit Red Wings were able to land both Princeton’s Ryan Kuffner and Michigan State’s Taro Hirose to entry-level contracts was that the team was going through a rebuild and that was attractive to the duo.

CHICAGO, IL – JUNE 24: General manager Ken Holland of the Detroit Red Wings landed two of the NCAA’s biggest forward free agents on Tuesday. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)

Both Kuffner and Hirose share the same adviser in Allain Roy, it sounds like the rebuilding state of the organization was a selling point. Custance writes:

Both are expected to join the Red Wings this week and will stay with the team through season’s end. Some formal visa matters and the standard acclimation period make a projected debut date hazy, but that’s all just a matter of time…

source – ‘Why the Red Wings made Taro Hirose and Ryan Kuffner their ‘top two’ college targets’ – Craig Custance – The Athletic – 03/12/2019

Custance also noted that Red Wings GM Ken Holland said the team wouldn’t be adding any other college forwards this season but that he might look at options on defense should something present itself. The Red Wings certainly could use a good player/prospect ready to play NHL minutes on the blue line.

Jon Cooper to Hit Coaching Free Agency?

One year after Barry Trotz left the Washington Capitals and joined the New York Islanders (one year after also winning a Stanley Cup), head coach of the Tampa Bay Lighting, Jon Cooper could be the next big-ticket coach on the market available to the highest bidder.

Jon Cooper (Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)

Pierre LeBrun recently wrote an article in The Athletic stating that he believes the Bolts will come to an extension with Cooper but that could all be done after the season. Cooper is already in for a large raise but if he wins a Stanley Cup, he launches his salary into a different stratosphere. Rumblings are, he’s making about $2.5 million this season.

LeBrun writes:

A few things to consider here. Babcock, Quenneville, Julien and Trotz all signed those deals with a Stanley Cup on their resume, in Quenneville’s case three of them, and in Babcock’s case two Olympic gold medals to boot… So if Cooper signs his next deal with Tampa before the playoffs, he’s doing it without a Cup on his resume. If he waits until after the playoffs and Tampa does in fact win it all, well that might change things for him.

source – ‘LeBrun Notebook: Jon Cooper’s next contract, the Jack Adams debate and Brayden Point’s waiting game’ – Pierre LeBrun – The Athletic – 03/13/2019

Expect the two sides to reach a deal after the season. If Tampa wins the Stanley Cup, this will just be icing on the cake for Cooper.

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