NHL Rumors Update

NHL Rumors Update for 02/07/2020

February 07, 2020

The latest NHL rumors from The Hockey Writers.

 

02/07/2020 edition:

By Jim Parsons on Feb 06, 2020 01:25 pm

In today’s NHL rumor rundown, there’s new on the Los Angeles Kings and forward Tyler Toffoli, buzz around what the Calgary Flames will do if Mark Giordano is hurt for any length of time, and could Jack Eichel actually be looking for a way out of Buffalo if the Sabres don’t make the playoffs? One insider asked that question and the rest of the TSN panel don’t know if it’s too far off from happening?

Giordano Still Being Evaluated

According to Kristen Anderson of the Calgary Sun, there is no word yet regarding the status of defenseman Mark Giordano. Giordano underwent an MRI for a lower-body injury suffered during Tuesday’s 3-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks but there’s no telling how long he’ll be out of action for.

Anderson writes:

They’ll likely deliver more news publicly on Thursday morning and, also, give an indication of their short-term solutions. Their long-term solutions, however, could be more complex depending on the length of time their heart-and-soul leader is sidelined for.

Does that mean they seek a blueliner elsewhere with the National Hockey League trade deadline approaching on Feb. 24? Potentially

source – ‘Injured Giordano may be walking, but Flames are planning for his absence’ Kristen Anderson – Calgary Sun – 02/06/2020

The Flames were heavily rumored to be in the market for a top-six forward and buzz was they had their eyes on Tyler Toffoli. If Giordano is out long-term, it might shift the focus for Calgary and move them from seeking a forward to replacing their captain.

McLellan Asked Kings to Keep Toffoli

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman writes in his lastest 31 Thoughts article that Los Angeles Kings coach Todd McLellan lobbied for Toffoli to be re-signed. It appears those requests are being ignored as the expectation is that he’ll still be moved out of LA.

The leading candidates to land Toffoli are the Boston Bruins (their fall-back plan to Chris Kreider) and Calgary Flames, with the Philadelphia Flyers potentially also thrown into the mix. Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia looked at Toffoli as an option for the Flyers and noted that the organization would have difficulty taking on his $4.6 million salary-cap hit. If the Flyers were to seriously pursue this, they might first need to move a piece out.

As for what the Kings might do with Alec Martinez, the expectation is that he’ll still be moved. The Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights might be an option. There’s not much buzz about Jonathan Quick now that Jack Campbell has been dealt.

Could Jack Eichel Seek Trade Out of Buffalo?

TSN hockey insider Darren Dreger joined the TSN Overdrive panel yesterday and the possibility of the Buffalo Sabres missing the playoffs again was discussed. The question was then asked if Jack Eichel might be getting frustrated and want out of Buffalo should they miss again.

The panel noted that it would take Eichel publicly coming out and talking about how big a disaster the organization is and how he doesn’t feel there’s an improvement of any kind being made. That doesn’t seem likely this is something Eichel would do.

Right now, in only the second year of an eight-year deal, things will likely stay quiet on the Eichel front but this could change over the next couple of seasons if the Sabres don’t figure out what the problem is. Eichel is more likely the player who wants to make it work in Buffalo than abandon the team.

By Jim Parsons on Feb 06, 2020 08:57 am

One week into February means three just under 20 days from the NHL Trade Deadline. There’s been a ton of talk, some realistic and some not, but not a lot of movement yet.

Whether that’s because of cap issues, a tight race in many of the NHL’s divisions or uncertainty over what the best course of action will be for each respective team, insiders and NHL franchises are still waiting for the first big domino to fall.

The below list is a combination of players who have often come up in trade talks over the past week:

12) Ilya Kovalchuk

The Montreal Canadiens are currently asking themselves, ‘What should we do with Ilya Kovalchuk?’ A player who was picked up for next to no cost is now worth potentially a lot more than the Montreal Canadiens spent to acquire him.

The latest speculation is that Montreal would like to get a second-round pick for Kovalchuk but surveyed NHL executives don’t know if the Canadiens can get anything more than a fourth for him. If so, would Marc Bergevin be better served to hold onto him?

There hasn’t been any indication about how willing Kovalchuk is to stay in Montreal and with the organization unlikely to make the playoffs, if there’s a hint of doubt he’ll stay, wouldn’t they be better served trying to buy low and sell high?

11) Alec Martinez

The Los Angeles Kings could potentially have two or three players up for grabs as sellers this season. Defenseman Alec Martinez is one of them.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have often been connected to Martinez in conversation as Dubas is said to be looking for a defenseman with term. He’s got one more season at $4 million left on his contract. The Colorado Avalanche have also been connected to Martinez.

10) Jean-Gabriel Pageau

Pageau remains in the rumor mill and he’s been on this list from day one. Reports are still that the Ottawa Senators would like him to consider re-signing with the team but there are plenty of organizations kicking tires and he could fetch a first-round pick in return.

Where Pageau fits on whichever team is kicking tires could be key to where he ends up. For example, the Oilers are rumored to be interested but it’s hard to imagine them giving up a first-round pick for him. Other teams could use him but it wouldn’t be in a top-six role. Is a first-rounder then far too much to part with?

9) Brenden Dillion

The San Jose Sharks are likely selling this season and everyone from Joe Thorton to Patrick Marleau have been mentioned in trade talks. One name that most people expect to move is defenseman Brenden Dillon.

An affordable rental defenseman, Dillion should get plenty of interest and could be the player that nets the Sharks the best possible return.

8) Taylor Hall

Back in the rumor mill again, Taylor Hall’s availability might not be known until just days before the NHL Trade Deadline. Arizona invested heavily in Hall but there on the verge of not being in the playoff race despite his productive play since joining the team.

The debate that will rage on in Arizona is whether or not the team can afford to give up on the playoff push and try to recoup more than they gave up to get Hall or if they dare abandon a change at the postseason and what it will mean if the team sends away it’s arguably most productive forward.

If Hall does become available, he’ll easily be the most high-profile rental on the market.

7) Mike Hoffman

Recently included in the trade rumor mill, the argument against moving forward Mike Hoffman is that Florida is in a playoff spot and why would the team want to move him if he’s productive? The answer is defense.

Reports are that Dale Tallon is looking to improve his blue line for the playoffs and that he feels his team is strong at the forward position. If so, that means he may see Hoffman as expendable, especially since he’s coming up to the end of his current contract and would make for a valuable rental.

Some will point to his past issues off the ice but on a short-term contract, it’s safe to assume a team that might acquire him isn’t terribly worried about it.

6) Tomas Tatar

Tomas Tatar popped up recently in the rumor mill when Friedman reported the Edmonton Oilers and Pittsburgh Penguins potentially kicked tires on him. The Montreal Canadiens may ultimately decide not to move him but for now, as sellers, they’ll at least see what he’s worth on the trade market.

Tatar has done a good job of reinventing himself in Montreal and he’s looking to have a second strong season. It’s not surprising some teams might be interested.

5) Andreas Athanasiou

The Detroit Red Wings are almost certainly going to move Andreas Athansiou. MLive’s Ansar Khan suggests that Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman could be reaching a point where he’s frustrated with Athansiou’s inability to get things figured out and as the Red Wings drop in the standings, more and more names will become available.

Expect other names from the Red Wings to eventually appear on this list, including someone like Mike Green.

4) Tyler Toffoli

It sounds like head coach Todd McLellan has asked Rob Blake to consider extending Tyler Toffoli. It appears Blake has decided to trade him anyways according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The reason might be the sheer amount of teams interested and the potential return.

The Calgary Flames are the team most widely considered the favorite to land Toffoli, When all is said and done, any team that wants him may need to outbid the Flames.

3) Matt Dumba

Matt Dumba was added to the rumor mill that last and there was some buzz the Toronto Maple Leafs might have interest when word spread that Toronto might be willing to move Kasperi Kapanen for a player with term.

Speculation is that Minnesota is unhappy about recent performance and that Bill Guerin is ready to finally make some moves as their GM. How big a shake-up the team is considering is unknown and what the return for Dumba would be could affect the likelihood he’s traded.

2) Kasperi Kapanen

The Toronto Maple Leafs are badly looking for a backup goaltender and some help on the blue line. First, they’ll want to determine how healthy Morgan Reilly is and how well Rasmus Sandin can do in short order. If there are issues there, Dubas might finally pull the trigger on a deal.

That Kapanen was recently in the news after being late for a practice and being a healthy scratch only adds to the speculation the team might be less-than pleased with his attitude.

1) Chris Kreider

The interest in Chris Kreider is at an all-time high and he remains the biggest trade piece headed into February 24. Right now, the St. Louis Blues are considered to be the team that has the most interest.

“There’s a lot of interest — believed to include contenders who might be happy to wait for cap reasons (Boston, St. Louis) and others who aren’t worried about that (Colorado). ” Friedman noted.

There were some concerns about his health after he took a nasty bump to the head but he’s skating again and expected to join the Rangers in their next game.

By Jim Parsons on Feb 05, 2020 02:16 pm

In today’s NHL rumor rundown, the Florida Panthers might move Mike Hoffman, Darnell Nurse and the Edmonton Oilers are working on an extension and only one deal seems to make sense, and there are more whispers surrounding Max Domi out of Montreal.

Hoffman on the Move Out of Florida?

Pierre LeBrun explained during Insider Trading on TSN on Tuesday night that forward Mike Hoffman was asked to submit his no-trade list in the event the Florida Panthers decided to move him ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline.

LeBrun explained that the Panthers are in a playoff spot but also a high-scoring team. Potentially, they’re willing to trade offense for defense. He notes:

“The bottom line is Florida needs a defensive addition on the backend. That’s what would make it happen. It doesn’t mean they’ll move him, this could be something that plays out until the end of the year.”

LeBrun believes the Edmonton Oilers might be a fit, even if he’s not sure Hoffman is on the Oilers radar. As most people know, the Oilers are looking for another top-six winger and if James Neal’s injury is anything serious, certainly could use a veteran goal scorer.

Dale Tallon spoke to Mike Zeisberger of NHL.com and explained he’s looking for another defenseman for a very specific role:

I’d like to acquire a veteran D if I could to play with [Aaron] Ekblad and settle things down a bit back there. We need to be more consistent on the blue line.

Nurse To Sign Bridge Deal

We took a closer look at the Darnell Nurse ask if he’s going to stay long-term in Edmonton at the end of this season. Bob McKenzie spoke of the contract negotiations between Nurse and the Oilers and noted that things are moving along but likely not on a long-term deal.

The expectation is that because of Edmonton’s salary cap situation, they’ll sign him to a two-year bridge deal, just under $6 million per season and walk him into unrestricted free agency. But, because Nurse wants to be in Edmonton long-term, the team is not as concerned about the free agency situation.

Max Domi’s Future in Montreal Uncertain?

Yvon Pedneault of Le Journal de Montreal (translation required) is continuing to take a look at Max Domi’s future in Montreal, this time suggesting the emergence of rookie Nick Suzuki could change Domi’s importance with the organization. A soon-to-be RFA, Domi has failed to step this season and the Canadiens are unsure about committing long-term.

Pedneault writes:

Today, in front of the performances of Suzuki, do we have a very different evaluation of Domi, who is far from having made the difference and who was unable to take up an important challenge, that of being a great leader during that there was congestion in the infirmary?

Pedneault points out the Canadiens have over $62 million invested in next season’s roster and that could mean issues giving big money to Domi. If not moved at the deadline, perhaps he’s moved around the draft if Montreal feels it best to move on.

The Canadiens are definitely a team to watch as this year’s deadline as they have a number of pieces that could be on the move.

Dubois Deal Not Coming Anytime Soon

According to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, the Columbus Blue Jackets won’t be announcing a contract extension for Pierre-Luc Dubois anytime in the near future as negotiations are being pushed back to the summer.

Portzline tweets that the two sides were willing to talk during the season, but the team has moved him down the priority list.

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