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NHL Rumors Update
NHL Rumors Update for 12/02/2019
The latest NHL rumors from The Hockey Writers.
12/02/2019 edition:
By Jim Parsons on Dec 01, 2019 12:45 pm
In today’s NHL rumor rundown, Saturday was a day full of buzz surrounding Taylor Hall and a couple of teams were mentioned in the same conversation. But, did Hall provide any details as to his own situation? Plus, what is the latest on restricted free agents Julius Honka and Jesse Puljujarvi?
Devils Listening to Offers on Hall
It was revealed on Saturday that Taylor Hall officially appears to be on the market as reports suggested the New Jersey Devils were willing to listen to offers from teams. Pierre LeBrun was the first to report the news.
While it doesn’t mean the Devils will immediately trade Hall — and Hall has publicly said he’s not asked for a trade — a number of potential suitors were mentioned. The Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers are already early favourites. Again, Hall has said of his potential move, “I’ll let my agent speak but I have not asked for a trade,” as per NorthJersey.com. “I don’t know what gets out there sometimes.”
As for Hall’s connection to the Oilers, Brian Burke said during Sportsnet’s broadcast of the Oilers vs Vancouver Canucks that he wonders if he, and others in the media are eating a load of hogwash or propaganda from the agent here because he doesn’t see the fit in Edmonton. The cap situation is too problematic for the Oilers and he’s not sure Hall puts them over the top. “They just don’t have the horses,” Burke said. He sees a much more likely fit in Montreal.
Regardless of where, there is a sense a trade is coming. LeBrun added:
“If and when he’s dealt, I would expect the deal to have a conditional nature to it so that if he re-signs with his new club there will be additional asset(s)… Either way, this isn’t necessarily a deal, if it happens, that must wait until the Feb. 24 deadline….
This is a situation people will be keeping a close eye on for the next few weeks.
Oilers Trying to Improve Team?
In other news out of Edmonton, GM Ken Holland told Jim Matheson of The Edmonton Sun that he’s open to trading a first-round pick but only if the team is in a spot where the playoffs are a lock.
Matheson quotes Holland:
“Would I trade a first-round draft pick? I certainly wouldn’t trade a first-round pick if there was any chance we could miss the playoffs. If it’s somewhere between 20 and 30 (in round 1), that’s different… You watch the draft lottery and you see Philadelphia going from 13 to two, and Chicago from 12 to three because they have a first-round pick and you don’t want to give up your chance at that.”
Related: The Best NHL Forwards Ever
What About Puljujarvi?
As for Jesse Puljujuarvi, the Oilers are not close on a deal and it doesn’t look like he’ll be moved prior to the deadline at 5pm Eastern today. The panel on Sportsnet, namely Chris Johnston said:
“Right now, everything fairly quiet around Edmonton Oilers forward Jesse Puljujarvi. And it’s my belief that he wants to remain in Finland even if he is dealt.”
Julius Honka Wants Back in NHL
Also, according to the Sportsnet panel, Dallas Stars RFA Julius Honka is also playing in Finland but would rather not be. He’s hoping his rights are either moved or the Stars offer a last-minute contract so he can return to the NHL.
“He wants to get back to North America,” Johnston said of Honka on Saturday night’s Headlines segment. He added, “There is a belief that the Dallas Stars might be able to get something done with him.”
The post NHL Rumors: Hall, Oilers, Stars, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
By Jim Parsons on Nov 30, 2019 12:45 pm
In today’s NHL rumor rundown, one local Edmonton media scribe suggests the Edmonton Oilers should look at getting one particular contract signed now. In Toronto, where the Maple Leafs need a backup goaltender, what is the plan? And, with rumors of the Montreal Canadiens potentially looking to shed large salaries, one scribe writes the team’s focus should be elsewhere.
Get Nurse Done Now
Of the Edmonton Journal and David Staples contends that Edmonton GM Ken Holland shouldn’t wait to get an extension done with defenseman Darnell Nurse. Staples suggests that if he waits too long, Nurse’s annual average number could jump.
Staples writes:
When we look at the 17 other NHL d-men who are most similar statistically and stylistically to Nurse, they all make between $5.0 million and $8.0 million per year, with Trouba near the top end representing something of an overpay and Shea Theadore at the bottom end being more of a bargain.
It is assumed that the Oilers would like to keep Nurse because he’s been an important contributor on their blue line but how much he gets is important considering what the Oilers already have tied up in just 10 players for next season.
Staples notes that the Oilers need to find room for the contracts of Nurse, Zack Kassian, Ethan Bear, Matt Benning and Caleb Jones. That might mean possibly moving Kris Russell’s contract ($4 million).
Maple Leafs Looking for Backup
Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun writes that the Toronto Maple Leafs are seeking a backup goaltender due to the struggles of netminder Michael Hutchinson. Hutchinson hasn’t won a game in his six starts this season.
Simmons writes of GM Kyle Dubas:
Now he’s left his team in a difficult spot without a second goalie who can win anything. What he needs to do now is to find another option, a way to open salary cap space, a way to alter his payroll, a way to find a backup goaltender who is both capable and ridiculously inexpensive. And around the league, nobody is about to do the Leafs any favours.
Unfortunately, Simmons doesn’t offer any options or names in his piece which means there’s not really a target the Maple Leafs might be eyeing. The Pittsburgh Penguins have two netminders in Tristan Jarry and Casey DeSmith who have been in the rumor mill over the past month. Might there be a fit there? Both would be considering affordable options, but again, it’s not like the Penguins will want to do the Maple Leafs any favors.
Eric Comrie is out as he was just acquired by the Detroit Red Wings.
Canadiens Focused on Blue Line
While noise from the Montreal fanbase suggests the Canadiens consider shopping goaltender Carey Price, Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette notes that it’s likely not possible considering Price’s no-move clause and obscene salary. Instead, he believes the Canadiens are focused on improving their defense.
Hickey suggests general manager Marc Bergevin use some of his over $8.3 million in salary-cap space to land a top-flight defenseman. Hickey writes:
If Bergevin wants to upgrade the blue line, he has to be willing to make a hockey trade, but that could involve some of his prospects and he has been reluctant to make that type of move in the past.
Of the teams that might have extra defensemen to spare, the Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks and Calgary Flames should make the short list.
The post NHL Rumors: Nurse, Maple Leafs, Canadiens, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
By Jim Parsons on Nov 29, 2019 01:35 pm
In today’s NHL rumor rundown, TSN’s Darren Dreger talks about the type of situation that would work best for Taylor Hall. Also, are there specific names out there that might help the Edmonton Oilers? Finally, is all of the news regarding coach abuse and other allegations leading to a situation where the NHL needs to be cautious of future legal action?
Would Taylor Hall Fit With Canadiens?
Darren Dreger of TSN writes that things are all quiet on the trade front when it comes to Taylor Hall of the New Jersey Devils but that a team to watch and who may consider Hall a good fit for is the Montreal Canadiens.
“I don’t understand why they wouldn’t have interest and I’m not so sure, that given the opportunity, Taylor Hall wouldn’t sign in with the Montreal Canadiens,” said Dreger. He adds that he doesn’t think Hall is at all concerned about some of the scrutiny and the pressure that comes with playing in a market like Montreal, citing that he did so in Edmonton.
Dreger compared Hall to a player like John Tavares who not only signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but chose them and loves it there. He believes Hall would like to play in a place where he feeds off the passion of the fans and the city.
Related: Top 5 Goaltenders of the 1970s
Possible Options for the Oilers
While Ken Holland has said that he’s not likely to make a trade right away, it hasn’t stopped some from speculating as to what names might be out there that the Oilers could pursue.
Sonny Sachdeva of Sportsnet names eight players he believes would help the Oilers this season. Of the most interesting, he names New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider, Ottawa Senators center Jean-Gabriel Pageau, and Calgary Flames winger Michael Frolik.
Part of the reason the Oilers will wait is because of the cost associated to acquiring some of these players. Kreider and Pageau won’t be cheap.
In other Oilers news, the elbow that cost defenseman Adam Larsson five minutes and a game misconduct will not be reviewed by the NHL. At first, there was some speculation he might have a hearing and potentially be suspended for his hit on T.J. Tynan, but that is not the case. Larsson shared with Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal the Department of Player Safety has not reached out or announced any supplementary discipline.
NHL Treading Carefully With Player Allegations
Elliotte Friedman said in an interview that part of the reason for the delay in removing (officially he resigned) Bill Peters as Calgary Flames coach and any delays in comments by the Flames organization is because there’s a real concern by teams and the league that everything needs to be carefully measured when commenting on these situations.
Everyone is wondering if legal action will follow some of these allegations and it’s important for teams and the NHL not to do or say anything that would put them in poor legal standing should lawsuits come out of some of these situations. And, with more and more names being brought into the public forum, this is a real issue.
Friedman noted that the NHL would like players to use the resources available to them with their teams but the league needs to understand that players might fear that as information is revealed, should they use those resources, they will lose “their voice”. In other words, the message will not be their own. The NHL has to expect more and more of this to come out on social media versus the channels the NHL provides.
The post NHL Rumors: Canadiens, Oilers, NHL Legal Troubles, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
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