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NHL Rumors Update
NHL Rumors Update for 10/21/2019
The latest NHL rumors from The Hockey Writers.
10/21/2019 edition:
By Kyle Gipe on Oct 20, 2019 11:05 am
In today’s NHL Rumors rundown, we look at Mathew Barzal and his upcoming contract negotiations, Adam Gaudette’s status with the Vancouver Canucks, and Nico Hischier’s extension. Plus, could the Boston Bruins have interest in Jesse Puljujarvi or Josh Ho-Sang?
Islanders Looking to Accelerate Barzal Extension Talks?
In yesterday’s edition of Sportsnet’s Headlines, Chris Johnston was asked about New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal who’s in the final year of his entry-level contract. Johnston believes that the two sides have yet to begin negotiations but thinks that the Islanders would prefer to get an extension done before the offseason begins. This would prevent them from having to potentially drag out negotiations into training camp. The 2018 Calder Trophy winner has had an excellent start to his career and his 147 points in his first two seasons were actually 17 more than Toronto Maple Leafs forward and 2019 restricted free agent (RFA) Mitch Marner had in his.
If you recall, Marner recently signed a six-year extension worth $10.893 million per season after his 94-point performance in his third season increased his value. While it’s unlikely that Barzal matches Marner’s 94 points, that doesn’t mean his cap hit won’t be comparable to Marner’s. Barzal is the Islanders’ first-line center, a role and position more valuable than Marner, a winger. Of course, contract length will impact the deal’s cap hit, but it’s likely that the Islanders will have interest in signing Barzal to a long-term deal to lock down their most important, and best, player.
Should Gaudette Stay in the NHL?
Following the Canucks’ 1-0 loss to the New Jersey Devils, The Province’s Ben Kuzma looked into prospect Adam Gaudette and his role on the team. (from ‘Canucks Post Game: Pettersson’s problem, Markstrom dishes, Gaudette watch, Hughes review,’ The Province, 10/20/2019) Although Gaudette is on the NHL roster, he’s only appeared in three games this season and hasn’t played since Oct. 12.
He does have an assist on the season, but has played bottom-six minutes when in the lineup. Kuzma points out that while the Canucks and head coach Travis Green are big fans of him, is it better for Gaudette to be a healthy scratch in the NHL or be receiving top-line minutes in the American Hockey League with the Utica Comets?
“We’re monitoring it closely,” he said. “We’ll take it day by day, but he’s working hard and that’s the one thing about Gauds — he works on his game every day.”
He excelled in the AHL last season, when he had 11 points in 14 games, and after dominating the NCAA, he looks ready to produce at the NHL level. Kuzma thinks that the third line makes the most sense for Gaudette as he has had chemistry this season when centering the line and shifting Brandon Sutter to the wing. The Canucks have gotten off to a strong start with a 4-3-0 record in 2019-20, however, they are struggling to score goals. Giving regular playing time to a talented forward like Gaudette could provide a boost to their offense while continuing to turn over the roster to a younger group of players.
Hischier’s Contract a Result of Finding Common Ground
On Friday, the Devils and 2017 first-overall pick Nico Hischier agreed to a seven-year extension with a $7.25-million cap hit. He is currently in the final year of his entry-level contract and was scheduled to become an RFA at season’s end. Despite being thrown into the fire from the moment he broke into the league, he has performed well, with 101 points in 157 games while playing a quality two-way style.
While it’s likely that the Devils always wanted to go long-term with Hischier, it would have been understandable for him to pursue a shorter, bridge deal in order to increase his value. However, that wasn’t the case. In interviews with NJ.com’s Chris Ryan, Hischier confirmed that he always had interest in signing a long-term contract.
“I felt really welcomed since day one here. I was really happy, was treated well,” Hischier said. “They give me the confidence a player needs. So I had no reason why I wouldn’t want to stay here. I was happy they felt the same way, so there wasn’t a lot of back and forth.”
Although Hischier hasn’t produced at the levels of other number one picks like Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews, the Devils love his game and were fine committing to him long-term.
He can play top line minutes. He can play against other teams’ best players. I think in the future, he’s going to be a Selke Award winner. He has all the attributes and makings of a player like a Patrice Bergeron type of player.
While the Devils are betting on Hischier’s development and upside by giving him a long-term deal, making the deal look a bit questionable in the present, there’s also a clear path to the contract being a bargain in the future. He may never score 40 goals in a season or hit the 100-point mark, but his strong two-way play down the middle is something every team would love to have.
Could the Bruins Target Puljujarvi or Ho-Sang?
In yesterday’s Rumors piece, I discussed the Bruins’ potential interest in Taylor Hall in an effort to address their need for additional scoring. While adding Hall would be a high-caliber move, there are also some lower-caliber deals they could consider that would still benefit the roster.
According to NBC Sports Boston’s Joe Haggerty, the Bruins should have interest in Jesse Puljujarvi and Josh Ho-Sang. He believes that both have the potential to contribute to the Bruins while being lower-cost options than someone like Hall.
Maybe it’s time for the Bruins to get out ahead of the NHL curve and take advantage of a couple of situations brewing in other NHL destinations. With so many second and third line-types shooting blanks right now, why not kick the tires on Josh Ho-Sang with the Islanders, or with Jesse Puljujarvi in Edmonton?
Regarding Ho-Sang, Haggerty points out that he wouldn’t cost much, and while he doesn’t have a ton of upside at his point, he also can’t be much worse than Karson Kuhlman and Brett Ritchie. Perhaps Ho-Sang, who’s struggled in his Islanders tenure, could benefit from playing on a team like the Bruins that has excellent leadership.
Meanwhile, Haggerty thinks that the Bruins would have more interest in Puljujarvi. The former fourth-overall pick is currently producing with Karpat in Finland’s Liiga after he requested a traded from the Edmonton Oilers over the offseason. Haggerty believes that Puljujarvi’s size (6-foot-4) would be an excellent fit on the Bruins’ second line even though he’s never be a big producer at the NHL or AHL levels. He’s another player who could benefit from a change of scenery by moving to a more stable organization like the Bruins. Haggerty thinks that the Oilers could be looking for top-nine forward prospect and a draft pick in return for Puljujarvi, and those are assets the Bruins have plenty of. Adding Puljujarvi is the type of low-risk, high-reward deal that could pay off exponentially in the future.
The post NHL Rumors: Barzal, Gaudette, Hischier, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
By Kyle Gipe on Oct 19, 2019 12:50 pm
In today’s NHL Rumors rundown, I give my thoughts on some names from Pierre LeBrun’s trade bait list. These names include Ilya Kovalchuk and Chris Kreider. Plus, could the Boston Bruins have interest in Taylor Hall if the New Jersey Devils make him available this season?
LeBrun’s Trade Bait List
In a Friday column, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun listed several players who could be dealt between now and the Feb. 24 trade deadline. (from ‘LeBrun: A look ahead to the trade deadline to see who may be in play and which teams may be interested,’ The Athletic, 10/17/2019) I’m going to discuss a few of the players and provide my thoughts on whether they’ll be moved.
Taylor Hall
The most popular player mentioned in trade rumors early this season, Devils winger Taylor Hall is an unrestricted free agent (UFA) at season’s end. It’s been well documented that the Devils want to re-sign Hall, but a poor start to the season could negatively affect the odds of that happening. Devils general manager Ray Shero will continue to try and get an extension done, but if he doesn’t have a strong feeling that Hall will sign an extension, he has to entertain trade offers.
Hall is a player every team would love to have, and most teams will likely kick the tires on him if he is made available. But, he won’t be cheap. A NHL-ready player, high-end prospect, and first-round pick are likely the package Shero would be looking for. However, a team would need some assurance from Hall that he’ll re-sign with them before giving up such a large trade package. I think that Shero will wait as long as possible before considering a Hall trade, but if the Devils are out of the playoff race and an extension isn’t signed by the deadline, he has to seriously consider dealing the UFA winger.
Ilya Kovalchuk
When the Los Angeles Kings signed Ilya Kovalchuk to a three-year deal in 2018, the move was questioned. The Kings were an aging team in need of youth and Kovalchuk was 35 at the time. His first season in L.A. didn’t go well, with 16 goals and 34 points in 64 games. He’s gotten off to a much better start this season, with two goals and six points in seven games, but the Kings aren’t a good team. Their 2-5-0 record already has them in last place in the Pacific Division and they don’t look to be a competitive team in the near future.
Kovalchuk’s turnaround this season could have teams interested in him, but his contract will be tough to move. If his $6.25-million cap hit wasn’t rough enough, he also has a full no-move clause this season, and has a modified no-trade clause next season that allows him to submit a seven-team approval list. Even if the Kings find a suitor for Kovalchuk, and he approves the trade, the team will still need to retain some salary. It seems unlikely that he’ll be dealt anytime soon.
Kyle Turris
Another popular name in NHL rumors is Nashville Predators center Kyle Turris. At one point, it seemed that the Predators would have done just about anything to move him, however, his five points in seven games to start 2019-20 has calmed those desires a bit. His strong play has given the Predators quality center depth with the flexibility of moving him up in the lineup. That being said, the team could still have interest in dealing him after this season when he’ll have four years and $24 million remaining on his contract.
While his play has been encouraging, $6 million is too much to pay a fourth-line center, which Turris is this season. The Predators could also benefit from shedding at least some of his cap hit in order to incorporate Roman Josi’s extension. If Turris continues to play well, it will further increase his trade value, but there’s still a chance the Preds have to retain some salary.
Chris Kreider
Of the players on this list, Chris Kreider is the one I think most likely to be traded by the deadline. The New York Rangers are coming out of a rebuild and have transitioned their roster from veterans to one full of youth. Kreider is one of those remaining veterans and is also a UFA at season’s end. He’s been a great player for the Rangers in his career, but he’s also 28, so signing him to a long-term deal wouldn’t be in the Rangers’ best interest.
With his speed and tenacious play, there will be plenty of teams interested in him as a playoff rental this season. I think that’s the route the Rangers will go with him, similar to what they did with Mats Zuccarello last season. Look for the Rangers to increase his trade value throughout this season and move him by the February deadline.
Hall a Fit for Bruins?
In yesterday’s Hagg Bag, NBC Sports Boston’s Joe Haggerty was asked whether or not Taylor Hall would be a fit for the Bruins as they continue to look for a second-line right winger. The person who proposed the question suggested that pairing Hall with David Krejci and Karson Kuhlman could put the Bruins over the top. Haggerty feels that Hall could be a good, but not perfect fit for the team. One reason is that he is a left winger, which doesn’t address the team’s need on the right side, and the other is the salary cap.
Unfortunately, the cap gymnastics and asset requirements to get him are just one part of the problem. There’s also the issue that Hall is pretty much a left-wing, left-shot forward on a Bruins team that has plenty of left-wing, left-shot forwards already stocked on the roster.
Haggerty does believe that including Jake DeBrusk as part of the return could address the team’s excess of left wingers. He also thinks the team could figure out the cap situation by buying out David Backes’ contract and potentially not bringing back Zdeno Chara after this season. The Bruins certainly have the assets to acquire Hall, but they’d need to know that he would sign an extension with them before considering such a deal.
If a Hall trade wouldn’t work, perhaps the Bruins could pursue Kovalchuk. When he made the decision to return to the NHL, the Bruins were one of the teams interested in him. Now, with him potentially available again, would the Bruins still have interest in him? He’s a right-shot winger, which would address their need, and would cost less in assets than Hall. But, again, Kovalchuk would have to waive his no-move clause to be traded to the Bruins.
The post NHL Rumors: Bruins, Hall, Trade Rumors, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
By Kyle Gipe on Oct 18, 2019 12:10 pm
In today’s edition of NHL Rumors, we look at the Edmonton Oilers’ potential interest in Taylor Hall and the Carolina Hurricanes’ desire to bring in a top-nine forward. Plus, what are the Los Angeles Kings going to do with Jonathan Quick, and is Rasmus Ristolainen content as a Buffalo Sabre?
Oilers Interested in Hall Reunion?
In an interview on Sportsnet’s Tim & Sid, Elliotte Friedman suggested that if the New Jersey Devils want to move pending free agent Taylor Hall this season the Oilers could be a trade partner. Such a trade would be a reunion as the Oilers drafted him first overall in 2010 and he played his first six seasons with them.
It would not surprise me at all if Edmonton is a big suitor here. I don’t know if they can make a trade, I don’t know if they have enough to make a deal, but it just wouldn’t surprise me. Put it this way: it’s long been believed that if Edmonton had a chance to correct and bring him back, that they would be interested. But there’s a new GM there now, so we’ll see.
However, in response to Friedman’s suggestion, the Edmonton’s Journal’s David Staples refuted the rumors. (from ‘Other teams likely in better position than Oilers to bid high for Hall,’ Edmonton Journal, 10/17/2019) While he acknowledges that Hall could help the Oilers, he says the trade is basically impossible for Edmonton. Any team that’s going to pay the high asking price the Devils would seek would only do so with the intention of extending Hall. Staples references the package the Vegas Golden Knights gave up (a top prospect, NHL roster player, and a second-round pick) to acquire Mark Stone as a comparison. They then signed Stone to an eight-year, $76-million extension. An Oilers package would have to include a prospect like Evan Bouchard or Philip Broberg as the centerpiece.
That doesn’t even factor in that the Oilers would have difficulty extending Hall. The Oilers already have $57.5 million committed next season to nine NHL players and have to re-sign Darnell Nurse and make a decision on Mike Smith, among other moves. When you factor in that Hall is likely to get between $10 and $11 million per season on his next deal, it would be nearly impossible for the Oilers to consider re-signing Hall. And that’s saying Hall would even have interest in signing with Edmonton.
Hurricanes’ Targeting Top-Nine Forward?
On the most recent edition of TSN’s Insider Trading, Pierre LeBrun suggested that the Hurricanes are kicking the tires on options to add to their top-nine forward group. Specifically, he mentions that the Hurricanes have inquired about New York Islander Josh Ho-Sang and Oiler Jesse Puljujarvi.
The Hurricanes are making inquiries. At, I think, the end of the day, after not getting that deal with Anaheim, there’s still that hole in their top nine. So they’ve made inquiries.
The Hurricanes and Puljujarvi have been connected in the recent past, with Julien Gauthier rumored to be the return. It’s unknown whether or not the Hurricanes would part with Gauthier, their 2016 first-round pick, as he’s gotten off to a good start in the American Hockey League this season. However, it will cost a lot in assets to acquire Puljujarvi considering he continues to light up Finland’s Liiga, where he has 12 points in 12 games.
Ho-Sang is a bit different. After not making the NHL roster out of training camp this season, the 2014 first-round pick requested a trade, and has yet to report to the AHL. The Hurricanes could almost certainly acquire Ho-Sang for less than it’d take to get Puljujarvi, and they could attempt to help him find his game again.
Quick’s Future in L.A.
Another rumor that comes from Insider Trading is Bob McKenzie speculating on Jonathan Quick’s future with the Kings. McKenzie points out that with the way Jack Campbell is playing, plus the upside of prospect Cal Petersen, currently in the AHL, Quick could be the odd-man out. Quick’s .793 save percentage on the season is also worst in the league and he’s now struggled for two straight seasons. The 33-year-old netminder has played a lot of hockey in his career (595 starts in the regular season alone), and it appears that Campbell has supplanted him as the Kings’ starter. The Kings would certainly love to move him, and perhaps a new setting would help him find his game again, but his $5.8-million cap hit through 2022-23 will be difficult to move, even though he doesn’t have trade protection.
One possible solution would be to trade Quick in a goalie swap for another not-so-great contract. One destination could be the Ottawa Senators, where Craig Anderson has struggled the past three seasons. With the Senators in the middle of a rebuild, strong goaltending isn’t a necessity at the moment, so Quick wouldn’t be under much pressure. Anderson is in the last year of his deal that has a $4.75-million cap hit. His contract does have a modified no-trade clause in which he submits a 10-team no-trade list, so that could be a stumbling block. Another destination could be the Minnesota Wild, where Devan Dubnyk is struggling as his numbers have regressed for the third straight season. He’s 33 and has one more year left on his deal with a $4.3-million cap hit and a modified no-trade clause. His clause allows him to submit a 19-team approval list.
Ristolainen Staying in Buffalo?
Lastly, after months of speculating on where Sabres defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen may land after he reportedly asked for a trade over the offseason, it appears that he could be staying put in Buffalo. After the team’s great 6-1-1 start, according to LeBrun, Ristolainen is happy with the team and new head coach Ralph Krueger.
Here’s a guy in Ristolainen that sounds happy playing for head coach Ralph Krueger and right now that’s the case. I don’t see a trade happening at this point, and we’ll see if Ristolainen continues to be happy.
Ristolainen is in his seventh season and the Sabres have yet to reach the postseason in his career. With how much better the team has looked to begin the season, and the talent that surrounds him on the roster, him finding peace with the current situation would be the ideal solution for all involved. The Sabres are still relying heavily on Ristolainen, who’s averaging a team-high 23:52 per game, and that’s despite 2018 first-overall pick Rasmus Dahlin being on the defense. It’s a situation to continue monitoring throughout the season, but if Ristolainen remains a Sabre, he could certainly be an asset in their path of returning to the postseason.
The post NHL Rumors: Oilers, Hurricanes, Quick, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
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