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NHL Rumors Update
NHL Rumors Update for 04/20/2019
The latest NHL rumors from The Hockey Writers.
04/20/2019 edition:
By Jim Parsons on Apr 18, 2019 02:12 pm
In today’s NHL rumor rundown, there are updates on the Vancouver Canucks and their blue line, the Tampa Bay Lightning are not going to abandon their coach, and the Pittsburgh Penguins will keep their coach but may move some key names.
What Will the Canucks Do on Their Blue Line?
Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province writes the Canucks will be aggressive in trying to fill two roster weaknesses – a top-six right winger and a top-four defenseman. Someone to play with Alex Edler on the blue line could be the priority.
Kuzma writes:
The Canucks need to make a depth decision on UFA defenceman Luke Schenn while RFA blueliners Josh Teves and Brogan Rafferty will need new deals. Hard to imagine the Canucks will bring RFA defenceman Derrick Pouliot back because of his struggles and they also have to figure out where Ashton Sautner, Guillaume Brisebois, Olli Juolevi and Alex Biega work into the mix.
The team may try to use free agency or trade but with free agency, the Canucks have limited cap space and some existing players that need new contracts. Winnipeg Jets pending UFA Tyler Myers might be an option, but it could cost more than the $5.5 million per season deal he’s currently on. A trade would need to be made to free up some space.
In respect to the decision the Canucks need to make on Schenn, there was talk the team was happy with his play and might try to re-sign him.
No Concern For Cooper in Tampa
Tampa Bay Lightning GM Julian BriseBois is fully committed to head coach Jon Cooper, even after the infamous collapse of the team in four games versus the Columbus Blue Jackets. BriseBois told reporters, if he hadn’t already signed Cooper’s extension, he’d be trying to do so right now.
“There’s no sense in looking for the next Coop when I have the original,” BriseBois said to a cast of media members including Caley Chelios at his season-ending media availability. With that, any questions about whether or not the coach was on the hot seat will probably fade away.
There also isn’t expected to be much change in terms of the roster, other than perhaps on the blue line where the team has a number of unrestricted free agents.
Sullivan Not the Issue in Pittsburgh
Sticking with coaching, multiple sources are suggesting Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan won’t be going anywhere. Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now suggests he’s not one of the problems.
Further to that, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes:
If there’s even a sliver of panic evident occurring within the front office, it’s not getting out publicly.
The sense is almost — weird as this may sound — that such a putrid postseason might actually scare the Penguins straight and remind them of the identity crisis they need to solve.
Still, there will be changes and the direction most people believe the team will follow is to try and include more speed.
While there might be a couple of whispers out there, Evgeni Malkin won’t be moved unless he asks to be traded. The same can’t be said about players like Phil Kessel or Justin Schultz, who while the team maybe shouldn’t move either player, might, to get something of value in return.
One team that we might want to watch for in any Kessel talks is the Arizona Coyotes.
The post NHL Rumors: Cooper, Canucks, Penguins, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
By Jim Parsons on Apr 17, 2019 02:10 pm
In today’s NHL rumor rundown, there is a lot of talk surrounding the Tampa Bay Lightning after losing to the Columbus Blue Jackets in a 4-0 series sweep on Tuesday. There is also chatter in Pittsburgh where the Penguins got swept in four. Finally, is Bobrovsky cementing himself with a nice payday and is Evan Bouchard going to get some additional playing time with the Edmonton Oilers AHL team?
Don’t Expect Drastic Change in Tampa
Joe Smith of The Athletic wrote an article almost immediately following the Tampa Bay Lightning loss to Columbus and said while GM Julien BriseBois didn’t make any moves ahead of the trade deadline, he’s not likely to make a ton more now that the Bolts have been booted from the playoffs, even with the Lightning dumbfounded by what just happened.
Smith writes:
The most popular, and emotional, hot take would be to shake everything up. But as mind-boggling, as this ending is, I don’t see drastic changes being made.
Smith explained there will naturally be some different faces on the roster next year, especially with Braydon Coburn, Dan Girardi and Anton Stralman’s contracts up. He added that Ryan Callahan is a buyout/trade candidate considering he has one year left on his deal at $5.8 million.
In management, expect the Lightning to lose Steve Yzerman and assistant GM Pat Verbeek who is a potential GM candidate with the Edmonton Oilers. As for other changes, at most, they could look to move out a forward to create a slot for a young prospect.
Bobrovsky Upping His Value
Sticking with the Blue Jackets win over Tampa, Pierre LeBrun wrote in The Athletic on April 11, 2019, that Bobrovsky was already guaranteed a hefty pay raise come July 1 and a seven-year deal, but his work in the postseason isn’t going unnoticed and is adding to the probability.
With the win last night and the playoff series sweep, Bobrovsky silenced a lot of doubters who called into question his playoff history.
Penguins Could Make Huge Changes
The other team that was booted from the playoffs on Tuesday in a series sweep was the Pittsburgh Penguins. Unlike Tampa, they may make drastic changes to their lineup as a result. In fact, the only two players who may be guaranteed as safe are Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
Emily Kaplan and Chris Peters of ESPN write that, as part of the Penguins offseason, they may look to send out a defenseman or two, with Olli Maatta a possibility. The team may also try to shop Patric Hornqvist, even though his $5.3 million cap hit for four more years could make that hard to do.
Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette adds that six goals for the entire team and only one by Kessel over four games in the series is just not good enough.
Mackey writes:
Expect the Penguins to use this as sort of a transition year, moving some high-dollar players for cap space and trying to get younger, a rebuild on the fly. … Expect general manager Jim Rutherford to listen to offers on Kessel…
Mackey reported Kessel expects there will be roster changes but doesn’t know if he’ll be part of them. Rutherford entertained offers before but felt no sense of urgency. This series may have changed that feeling.
Oilers to Get Jump on Bouchard’s Development?
After the London Knights Game 7 loss, Jason Gregor of TSN is reporting the Edmonton Oilers will likely assign Evan Bouchard to Bakersfield of the AHL.
With Ethan Bear banged up on Bakersfield’s blueline, Bouchard might get some playing time right away which is great for his development.
The post NHL Rumors: Lightning, Penguins, Bobrovsky, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
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