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NHL Rumors Update
NHL Rumors Update for 12/23/2019
The latest NHL rumors from The Hockey Writers.
12/23/2019 edition:
By Jim Parsons on Dec 22, 2019 01:40 pm
In today’s NHL rumor rundown, there is more information about Lias Andersson’s requested trade, details on why the Edmonton Oilers passed on Taylor Hall, updates regarding Brent Seabrook’s injuries and Nicklas Backstrom extension news.
Andersson Suspended by Rangers
After requesting a trade and then leaving the team, as expected, the New York Rangers have suspended Lias Andersson. Andersson would not return back to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL following his trade request, according to New York Post’s Larry Brooks.
The trade request was officially reported by Darren Dreger of TSN and the expected reason is that the former seventh overall pick in 2017 has split this season between New York and their AHL affiliate in Hartford, feeling as though he’s not gotten a fair shake with the Rangers organization. In reality, he’s produced little for either team.
It will be interesting to see what kind of return is offered for Andersson consider his struggles. The Rangers acquired him as the centerpiece of a deal that sent Derek Stepan and Antti Raanta to Arizona. They clearly won’t just give him away in trade.
Latest on Nicklas Backstrom Negotiations
As Nicklas Backstrom negotiates his own contract extension with the Washington Capitals, Samantha Pell of the Washington Post reports, the two sides are still trying to find common ground when it comes to contract length. She suggests Backstrom is looking for a five-year extension while the Caps might be more interested in a three-year term.
Pell writes:
The sticking point in negotiations is contract length, not money, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. Backstrom is meeting directly with General Manager Brian MacLellan to negotiate, and both parties have made it clear they want Backstrom to stay in Washington.
Pell also noted that when asked if he’s looked at contract terms for comparable players around the league, Backstrom said he’s not really doing much research and just plans to talk it out with the Capitals in a normal conversation.
In other Capitals news, it was revealed that the team and goaltender Braden Holtby won’t talk contract extension until after the season. That doesn’t mean a deal will be difficult as the Capitals have a history of signing big contracts between the end of the season and free agency.
Related: Top 5 Goaltenders of the 1960s
Brent Seabrook Out For Some Time
It turns out that any conspiracy over the fact that Brent Seabrook was left home and didn’t travel with the Blackhawks can be put to rest as recent reports by Elliotte Friedman say his injuries are numerous and could be serious.
On Saturday night Friedman revealed that Seabrook is currently being evaluated by medical staff to judge what the next step of his career is going to be. It sounds like the Blackhawks are leaning towards shutting him down for the foreseeable future.
Why Oilers Passed on Hall
Friedman also noted that the reason Edmonton passed on acquiring Taylor Hall was because of the lack of draft picks the organization has had over the past few summers. The Oilers felt that they needed to keep their picks and with how much the franchise had been giving up picks, giving away more just didn’t make sense for them.
Don’t be surprised if the Oilers jump into the Hall conversation again some free agency time where they don’t have to give up draft picks to sign him.
Kovalchuk Should Find a Home Soon
Chris Johnston reports numerous teams have shown interest in Ilya Kovalchuk following his exit from the Los Angeles Kings organization. His agent is working the phones. Johnston says there’s nothing imminent but something should turn up.
The post NHL Rumors: Rangers, Oilers, Capitals, Blackhawks, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
By Jim Parsons on Dec 21, 2019 01:15 pm
In today’s NHL rumor rundown, there is news on the Arizona Coyotes’ odds of retaining Taylor Hall, Jake Gardiner talks his decision to turn down millions of dollars before joining the Carolina Hurricanes, only to maybe be on the trade block, and are talks heating up involving P.K. Subban?
Coyotes Under Consideration Now
Taylor Hall’s agent Darren Ferris confirmed to Craig Morgan of The Athletic that Hall, the Coyotes and everyone involved in the process of a possible extension negotiation are on the same page, in that they’ll wait to even begin talking. That said, Ferris did indicate that Hall being traded to Arizona now puts them in a position they weren’t in prior. A candidate to keep him.
Ferris was essentially inferring the Arizona Coyotes wouldn’t have been on Hall’s radar if not for landing there prior to free agency. He explains:
It gives Arizona an opportunity that it probably would not have been afforded for him to consider in the future because you just don’t know where the mindset would be at the end of the year. Now you get a chance to have him in there, have him get an idea of what it’s like to be in Arizona, and I have the feeling with the way Hallsy approaches things that he will really like Arizona and the lifestyle there. He is going to see that, ‘This might be a place where I can play for a while.’”
Most are betting that Hall still moves on to another team in the off season but if the Coyotes perform well and he gets comfortable, you never know.
Gardiner Turned Away Millions of Dollars
Jake Gardiner is having a less-than-stellar season and some might believe he wishes he could do things over again before choosing the Carolina Hurricanes in the offseason as a free agent destination. With that in mind, he spoke with The Athletic about why he turned down another deal before joining the Hurricanes.
Montreal was interested and wanted a decision quickly. Outside of not being sure if that timing was right and after playing in Toronto (the enemy) for so many years, he said he chose not to sign.
James Mirtle writes:
He actually turned down a lucrative contract – believed to be more than $5-million a season – from the Montreal Canadiens on July 3, which led to his long wait for a new deal as other teams moved players around and created cap space.
But, Gardiner is not upset about his decision. He may not be having the best season but he loves Carolina and just bought a house with his family. Ironically, the Hurricanes are reportedly open to a deal for Gardiner ahead of this year’s NHL Trade Deadline.
Subban Trade Talk Heating Up
According to analyst Randy Timmins, New Jersey Devils general manager Ray Shero is in serious discussions to move P.K. Subban back to the Atlantic Division. That means one of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, Ottawa Senators or Detroit Red Wings are interested.
How interested is unclear as Subban carries a hefty salary and has a reputation for self-promotion that can be distracting to an organization. If the Maple Leafs are going to lose Jake Muzzin, Codi Ceci or Tyson Barrie, would they be interested in Subban?
The post NHL Rumors: Hall, Gardiner, Subban, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
By Jim Parsons on Dec 20, 2019 12:35 pm
In today’s NHL rumor rundown, both the Carolina Hurricanes and Buffalo Sabres have defensemen available on the trade block, the Minnesota Wild might be willing to trade Jason Zucker (again) and one team is interested, and is there something fishy going on with the Chicago Blackhawks and Brent Seabrook? Is Zack Kassian really worth $4 million per season and is everyone jumping to gun too early on a Jacob Markstrom trade?
Hurricanes and Sabres Trying to Move D-Man
There are plenty of teams looking to add to their blue line this time of year. A position where you can never have too many good pieces and they say championships are won, if there’s a franchise out there that thinks they need to make a swap or an improvement, they might want to call one of two teams.
TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports in the latest edition of Insider Trading that both the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes have made multiple defensemen available in trade. Names include Zach Bogosian, Colin Miller and Marco Scandella from the Sabres and the Hurricanes are willing to move Trevor van Riemsdyk, Jake Gardiner and Joel Edmundson. Edmundson and Gardiner are both new pieces to the team this season.
McKenzie notes that both teams are looking for scoring help so the trades would either be for a forward or prospects who have the potential to score a little in the NHL.
Zucker to Be Almost Traded Three Times?
Jason Zucker of the Minnesota Wild has had an interesting 2019. He was almost traded to Calgary at last season’s trade deadline, then he was offered to Pittsburgh for Phil Kessel before Kessel nixed the trade and got himself traded to Arizona. Now, it appears Pittsburgh Penguins GM Jim Rutherford is interested in acquiring Zucker again.
Josh Yohe of The Athletic reports that Zucker remains a realistic trade option for the Penguins ahead of this season’s trade deadline. Still looking for a top-six winger for a playoff run, Zucker is on their radar. Also on their radar is Los Angeles Kings forward Tyler Toffoli.
Yohe writes:
Toffoli would be intriguing to any team that’s a contender. I suspect the Penguins would like to add one more forward before the deadline, preferably of the top-six variety. So these are names to keep in mind.
What’s Up With Seabrook in Chicago?
One day after being a healthy scratch, the Chicago Blackhawks announced that veteran defenseman Brent Seabrook will not travel with his team to Winnipeg and is reportedly staying back to undergo medical evaluation.
There have been more than a few people who have commented on the timing of this announcement and the history of the Blackhawks’ organization to have veterans with bad contracts retire early (rumors are for cap circumvention reasons.) It’s hard to jump to that kind of conclusion already considering this could be a legitimate injury but his situation is worth keeping an eye on.
At the same time, if this is an injury, let’s hope it’s not a serious one. Blackhawks head coach Jeremy Colliton said Seabrook has some things nagging him and decision was made to stay in Chicago and get them checked out. It doesn’t sound like anything big.
Did People Jump the Gun on Canucks Markstrom?
In his latest 31 Thoughts column for Sportsnet, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reports the Canucks could wind up trading as many as four players should the team continue to go backwards down the standings. He mentioned interest in Josh Leivo and Chris Tanev, along with goaltender Jacob Markstrom.
Friedman noted that teams don’t often like to wait until the trade deadline so they can get goalies integrated into the system and ironically, Markstrom was absent from a recent practice and Canucks’ game-day skate.
Rumors began to swirl there may be something ready to happen on the Markstrom front. However, Markstrom did end up playing against the Golden Knights and played well on Thursday evening in a 5-4 overtime win for Vancouver.
Oilers Insider Suggests High Price for Kassian
Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal noted that a four-year, $4 million per season deal for Edmonton Oilers pending UFA Zack Kassian is possible, even a good number. He uses Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals as a comparison.
Wilson signed a long-term deal at $5.16 million per deal and Matheson says that because Kassian is older (28-years old) he should come in a bit less. It would hard to imagine the Oilers going as high as $4 million per season for a player who only this year showed he has the propensity to score.
The Oilers and Kassian’s people have begun preliminary talks on an extension.
The post NHL Rumors: Hurricanes, Sabres, Penguins, Oilers, Blackhawks, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
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