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NHL Rumors Update
NHL Rumors Update for 03/25/2020
The latest NHL rumors from The Hockey Writers.
03/25/2020 edition:
By Jim Parsons on Mar 24, 2020 02:05 pm
In today’s NHL rumor rundown, there is news on the Columbus Blue Jackets who are working on a long-term deal for one of their young defensemen, there are more and more insiders estimating trouble for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Boston Bruins are thinking long-term about a few players and the NHL GM’s are getting together in a conference call Tuesday to discuss a variety of topics.
Blue Jackets To Sign Gavrikov Long-Term
The Columbus Blue Jackets are supposedly working on a new deal for defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov. Gavrikov has only been under contract with the team for less than a year, but because he burned through the first year of his entry-level pact in the playoffs last season, he will be in need of a new deal this summer.
Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports that the Blue Jackets focus is a long-term extension as the 24-year-old has been a key part of the blue line for Columbus this season. Portzline writes:
“Gavrikov is a restricted free agent this summer, but the Blue Jackets and Millstein have already started working on a long-term contract extension. The Blue Jackets waited long enough for Gavrikov; now they want to keep him.
Related: Boston Bruins Logo History
Insiders Believe Maple Leafs Facing Cap Concerns
We’re talked before about the Toronto Maple Leafs and potential issues they might have rounding out their roster if the salary cap doesn’t increase this off-season. More and more insiders are starting to believe the Maple Leafs and GM Kyle Dubas should prepare for big changes.
Sportsnet’s Luke Fox believes improving the blueline remains a pressing need, and if the team can’t land a right-shot blueliner via free agency — like Alex Pietrangelo, Chris Tanev, Travis Hamonic, Justin Schultz, or Radkos Gudas — Dubas could be forced into the trade market for someone like Matt Dumba, Rasmus Ristolainen, Colin Miller and Josh Manson.
Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun is almost certain the Leafs will have to make a trade. He writes:
The likelihood is that one of Kasperi Kapanen, Andreas Johnsson or Alex Kerfoot, each of whom carries a cap hit of at least $3.2 million for multiple seasons, will be traded.
Related: Top 10 NHL Backup Goaltenders
Long-Term Plans for the Boston Bruins
NBC Sports Adam Gretz examined what be in the long-term plans for the Boston Bruins, focusing mostly on goaltender Tuukka Rask, unrestricted free agent defenseman Torey Krug and restricted free agent winger Jake DeBrusk.
Gretz feels there’s enough salary-cap space to re-sign both Krug and DeBrusk but there are concerns about keeping Krug at a reasonable cap number (around $6.5 million per season). That will lead to questions about how to structure his contract.
And, after Rask mentioned he was contemplating retirement, the Bruins are now forced to make plans around Jaroslav Halak who is a UFA this summer. There’s no guarantee he’ll be back and there are questions about whether or not he’s the long-term answer for the Bruins.
NHL GM’s Holding Conference Call Today
As per Darren Dreger, NHL general managers will participate in a conference call today. Among the topics of discussion, playoff scenarios, the NHL Entry Draft, and pending free agent contracts will take priority. Questions may include how contracts work if the season resumes and shoots past July 1 when a number of players contracts expire. Or, how will the NHL Draft work in relation to the standings, should the season not be completed?
Dreger also reported that what came out of the owner’s meeting Monday was the likelihood of playing NHL regular season games again the league playing into September. That would mean next season would start mid-November.
The post NHL Rumors: Blue Jackets, Maple Leafs, Bruins, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
By Jim Parsons on Mar 23, 2020 01:35 pm
In today’s NHL rumor rundown, there is news on the Vegas Golden Knights talking to one of their 2017 draft picks about an extension, while the Edmonton Oilers did sign a draft pick of their own. Where will he play? Finally, if the NHL goes with compliance buyouts, who are the early candidates?
Golden Knights Talking to Dugan About Extension
David Schoen of RJ Sports writes that Vegas Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon is working on getting down to business when it comes to prospect Jack Dugan. He quotes McCrimmon who said, “We’ll have discussions with his representatives here at an appropriate point. It hasn’t been pressing because there’s no hockey being played. But those are conversations we’ll have here as we move along.”
Dugan was drafted 142nd in the fifth round of the 2017 draft and has spent the previous two seasons playing at Providence College. He had an impressive rookie season, posting 10 goals and 39 points in 41 games and followed that up with a much more dominant sophomore campaign, scoring 10 goals and 52 points in just 34 games.
He was named a Hobey Baker Award top-10 finalist and, as PC Men’s Hockey points out, in 14 games against opponents that finished in the top-20 of the Pairwise rankings, Dugan recorded six goals and 16 assists.
Oilers Sign Roy, Likely He’ll Play in Bakersfield
According to the Edmonton Journal’s Jim Matheson, newly signed prospect Raphael Lavoie will be suiting up for Bakersfield next season, the Oilers’ AHL team. Lavoie signed a three-year contract for $2.6 million Saturday, with a $92,000 signing bonus.
Matheson writes:
Lavoie, who is in his fourth year playing junior with 82 points in 55 games — spending the first half of the season with Halifax before he was traded to Chicoutimi for four draft picks — will likely be in Bakersfield next season as a rookie pro. He’s got terrific tools with soft hands and an NHL frame at six-foot-four, 198 pounds, with things to work on like most juniors, unless your name is Connor McDavid.
The Oilers will work Lavoie into their forward prospect pool which is strong but could use extra help, while their defense is coming along nicely.
GM Ken Holland has noted the Oilers have no intention to rush their prospects, and the 6’4, 205 lb. power-forward will get a chance to work on aspects of his game that will make him a strong NHL player. Scott Howson, the Oilers head of player development, said of Lavoie:
“He needs to get stronger and more powerful and his skating needs to improve. He’ll need to become a better two-way player, but I thought his world junior experience helped him in that area as he wasn’t necessarily relied on to produce offence. He needed to be a good two-way player. He rose to that challenge.”
Compliance Buyout Candidates
We previously reported on speculation that the NHL might bring back compliance buyouts to help allieviate some of the financial burden being felt by the coronavirus outbreak that has caused the NHL to shut things down. If the league does go that route, there are rumblings about who might be considered early candidates for a buyout.
The Edmonton Journal’s David Staples took a look at a few players, listing forwards, defensemen and goaltenders. At forward, he suggests candidates include Justin Abdelkader, Frans Nielsen, Andrew Ladd, Milan Lucic, Kyle Okposo, Loui Eriksson, Kyle Turris, Tyler Johnson, James Neal, and Jeff Skinner.
Defensemen candidates include Kris Russell, Karl Alzner, John Moore, and Brent Seabrook, P.K. Subban and Justin Faulk. Among the goaltender options, he lists Pekka Rinne, Henrik Lundqvist and Cory Schneider.
Staples adds, when talking about what teams will look at when making that decision:
That will come down to numerous factors, with perhaps the most important factor being the willingness and ability of a team owner to pay out a buyout, then replace that salary on the team. Given the financial hit folks are taking right now, some owners may not be willing to do so.
The post NHL Rumors: Golden Knights, Oilers, Buyouts, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
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