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NHL Rumors Update
NHL Rumors Update for 12/13/2019
The latest NHL rumors from The Hockey Writers.
12/13/2019 edition:
By Jim Parsons on Dec 12, 2019 11:50 am
In today’s NHL rumor rundown, there is news from Elliotte Friedman’s 31 Thoughts article, there are rumors of more than just Taylor Hall being moved out of New Jersey and are the Edmonton Oilers worried about dropping attendance?
Maple Leafs Backup Goaltending Situation Staying a Situation?
Friedman notes about the Toronto Maple Leafs, “I’m not convinced Toronto’s going to alter its backup situation.” He says his feeling is that the Maple Leafs just don’t love what’s out there for them to choose from.
Friedman doesn’t believe the names the Maple Leafs might be most interested will really be available based on how these backups have played. Tristan Jarry has been unbelievable for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Alexandar Georgiev might be the future goaltender for the New York Rangers.
In other Maple Leafs news, Friedman said he was informed that there’s a healthy appetite in the NHL marketplace for Kasperi Kapanen and that, if the Maple Leafs wanted to move him, they’d have no trouble getting a good return. As it stands now, the Maple Leafs do not want to move him.
Canadiens Not Interested in Taylor Hall?
There are plenty of rumors regarding Taylor Hall, including the fact the New York Islanders may become a bidder as they look for a scorer. One team that probably won’t be interested is the Montreal Canadiens.
TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie reports the Canadiens aren’t interested in acquiring Hall, noting that speculation the Devils don’t want to give Hall a six- to eight-year deal is a huge red flag for them. Instead, the team is more focused on improving their defense and that spending all their assets on Hall would be mismanaging where they need to improve the most.
Devils to Move P.K. Subban?
The focus of trade talk in New Jersey will be on Taylor Hall this season. That doesn’t mean other players won’t be moved. One of the surprising names that seems to have just popped up is P.K. Subban.
“His name is out there,” an NHL source told SBRPicks.com. Noting that the contract will be hard to move and the Devils will have to retain salary to get a deal done, the source also noted:
“it’s not as crazy an idea as some may think and it may be the best thing for P.K. and the Devils. There just hasn’t been a fit there, and I’m talking hockey wise. This is nothing to do with P.K. as a teammate or person from all I’ve been told.”
Related: Cleveland Barons NHL Draft History
Sorokin to Stay in Russia?
There are reports out of Russia that CSKA Moscow is trying to extend Islanders goalie prospect Ilya Sorokin. If this is true, any deal could bring the netminder to unrestricted free agency in North America and the Islanders would essentially lose him for nothing.
Oilers Ready to Make Loud Noise?
Allan Mitchell took a look at five loud noises the Edmonton Oilers could make right now to improve the excitement level around the team. They include any combination of trades for Taylor Hall, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Chris Kreider, Tyler Toffoli and Mike Hoffman. It’s not that the Oilers will do any of these things, but there is concern in Edmonton over a drop in attendance despite a winning record.
Mitchell writes:
“… it’s possible Daryl Katz wants to see more excitement in Edmonton surrounding the Oilers. A Tuesday night game against the Carolina Hurricanes that featured miles of empty seats can’t sit well for the owner or the organization.
That said, mortgaging the future again this winter is not a formula for winning. Holland’s Oilers are still in first place in the Pacific Division, the general manager owes it to Tippett and the players to see how far they can go. There is not yet a seven-game losing streak or a two-week dive into the deep freeze of the Pacific.
There are a number of reasons attendance could be dropping. From the economy to ticket prices and concession rates to a fan base that promised it wouldn’t support this team until it had shown consistent improvement. The balancing act will be what GM Ken Holland can do that is best long-term for the organization but doesn’t dent the wallet of the owner.
The post NHL Rumors: Maple Leafs, Canadiens, Devils, Oilers, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
By Jim Parsons on Dec 11, 2019 12:50 pm
In today’s NHL rumor rundown there is news surrounding the value of a player like Alex Galchenyuk who is on the trade block but has struggled, there are targets the Vegas Golden Knights might be looking at and there is rumored motivation on the New Jersey Devils part to get a deal done for Taylor Hall right away. Finally, are the Red Wings looking at making a coaching change?
Alex Galchenyuk Trade Buzz
Eric Engels of Sportsnet discussed at length the reputation of Alex Galchenyuk around the NHL. A top draft choice and a player pegged to be a top-six forward in the league, he’s struggled with consistency.
Now on the fourth line in Pittsburgh, general manager Jim Rutherford is reportedly attempting to trade Galchenyuk but doesn’t see there being much of a market since the word is out. “Everyone knows what he is. Not sure who will want to acquire him”, one Eastern Conference executive told Engels. “And more importantly, what will they want to give up to get him knowing all that?”
Galchenyuk is playing himself into a huge pay cut on his next contract and it will be interesting to see who has interest in him if he doesn’t turn things around.
Blue Line Targets for Vegas
Jesse Granger of The Athletic took a look at five possible defense targets for the Vegas Golden Knights, among them being Shayne Gostisbehere, Sami Vatanen, Erik Gustafsson, Marco Scandella, and Mike Green.
Among them, Mike Green is the player with the most say over where he goes considering he has a full no-move clause that becomes a 10-team trade clause on February 1, 2019.
Granger writes:
At 34, Green’s best years are definitely behind him, but he could still serve as a puck-moving defenseman who can create offense and perhaps pitch in on the power play. He has a history with McPhee, playing the first 10 years of his career with the Capitals.
All players (except Gostisbehere) are on expiring contracts and would be considered rentals. It would be hard to imagine the Golden Knights being willing to give up much, or that they would invest in a struggling Gostisbehere at his salary over the next few seasons.
Devils Motivated to Move Hall
Via Sportsnet Elliotte Friedman notes on Hockey Central that the New Jersey Devils are seen as a team motivated to get a Taylor Hall deal done and quickly.
The Avalanche are still the team leading the charge but the Arizona Coyotes, Dallas Stars, New York Islanders and even St. Louis Blues might be in there depending on the status of Vladimir Tarasenko.
Friedman added, “New Jersey is willing to keep money to make the deal better and facilitate it, and that is smart.”
Blashill’s Job in Jeopardy?
Even though the Detroit Red Wings are staring at a 12-game winless run, according to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, GM Steve Yzerman has not given any indication he will make a coaching change this season.
The GM has said he wanted to use this season to observe the team but one has to wonder how many games the organization is willing to lose before they make a change. Blashill said of the rumors that he gets that his name is in the rumor mill as a future coaching casualty but said:
“For me, all I’m doing is what I always do and that’s be solution based and worry about what we can control. What we can control right now is learning from this game and make sure we are helping our team get better.”
The post NHL Rumors: Penguins, Devils, Red Wings, Golden Knights, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
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