NHL Rumors Update

NHL Rumors Update for 12/04/2018

December 04, 2018

The latest NHL rumors from The Hockey Writers.

 

12/04/2018 edition:

By Jim Parsons on Dec 04, 2018 02:32 pm

In today’s rumor rundown, one New York Ranger is preparing himself for a trade he thinks is inevitable. Meanwhile, the Seattle expansion franchise was officially approved by the NHL on Tuesday but speculation of a few things that won’t be happening with the new team are already making the rounds.

Zuccarello Certain He’ll Be Traded

The New York Post’s Brett Cyrgalis relays a report from a journalist in Zuccarello’s native Norway that Mats Zuccarello believes a trade is more likely than him finishing out the year in New York. Only ever having played for the New York Rangers, there’s been buzz surrounding Zuccarello all season that he might be moved as part of the mini-rebuild going on in New York.

Mats Zuccarello, New York Rangers, Mar. 22, 2018 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Whether that trade happens earlier in the season or doesn’t happen until just prior to the NHL Trade Deadline, it won’t be easy for Zuccarello to move on from the only team he’s ever known. That said, knowing a trade is likely coming will allow him to prepare a little better than most players get the opportunity to.

What’s Not Happening with the Seattle Franchise

On Tuesday, the NHL Board of Governors unanimously approved a 32nd team join the NHL for the 2021-22 season. That team will come out of Seattle and it will require some division realignment as part of bringing them into the league.

FILE – In this Oct. 2, 2018, file photo, Seattle Hockey Partners David Bonderman, left, and Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan talk to the media as they leave a meeting at National Hockey League headquarters, in New York. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

Speculation of things not happening, at least according to Commissioner Gary Bettman, is that the team will not be called the Metropolitans and the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames will not move out of the Pacific Division. It appears the Arizona Coyotes will move into the Central Division with Seattle joining the Pacific. The team will not join the league in the 2020-21 season but one year later in 2021-22.

Kovalchuk to the Bruins?

Matt Kalman of WEEI is reporting the Boston Bruins might re-visit their interest in LA Kings winger Ilya Kovalchuk. While Kovalchuk is out injured and a trade won’t happen during that time, the Kings would likely be happy to move him and his salary considering how much he’s struggled under coach Willie Desjardins. had been struggling and is now out for four weeks with ankle issue.

Los Angeles Kings left wing Ilya Kovalchuk (Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports)

Even though the Bruins have cap space, the likelihood is, no trade would happen with the Kings retaining some salary. Kovalchuk has two more years on his current deal and taking on his salary may affect the Bruins ability to sign some of their younger core.

Stars Looking to Add a D-Man

David Pagnotta of the Fourth Period is reporting that the Dallas Stars have been looking for a defenseman since most of their blueline corps is on the injured list. Montreal Canadiens defenseman Karl Alzner is one defenseman they’ve looked at but he may not be the only one.

David Schlemko, Montreal Canadiens, Feb. 20, 2018 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Pagnotta reports the team is also looking at Canadiens defenseman David Schlemko and that the Stars assistant GM Jeff Jackson was with one of the Stars pro scouts at the Canadiens-Sharks game over the weekend.

It is uncertain as to how serious the search is because the play of Taylor Fedun and Joel Hanley has been strong and given the team a bit more time despite some key injuries.

Lightning Looking at Martinez

Dennis Bernstein is reporting the Tampa Bay Lightning may have interest in Los Angeles Kings defenseman Alec Martinez. No matter how well they’re doing, the Lightning are a team that never seem to stop tinkering and looking for ways to improve.

Real Reason Maple Leafs Traded Josh Leivo

Other than the obvious need to clear some roster space for William Nylander, the reason behind trading Josh Leivo was that Leivo was promised an opportunity elsewhere if his playing time dropped.

Pierre Lebrun said when Leivo signed his extension in Toronto, it was promised that if Leivo’s role was diminished this season, they would do what they could to move him to another destination. It appears this trade is Dubas keeping good on that promise.

By Jim Parsons on Dec 03, 2018 01:45 pm

In today’s rumor rundown, the Montreal Canadiens are still looking at improving their blue line and a defenseman out of Los Angeles might be on the radar. With the expansion group out of Seattle all but ready to join the NHL, questions about teams moving divisions have popped up. And, with William Nylander back, there needed to be room made in Toronto. Who was the first player to go? The answer was Josh Leivo. Is there more coming?

Options For Montreal’s Blue Line

Eric Engels of Sportsnet is following up on a report from Nick Kypreos that noted the Montreal Canadiens have been looking for a top-pairing defenseman to play with Shea Weber. Not much came out of that report right away but now some names are potentially popping up.

Jake Muzzin #6, Los Angeles Kings – December 18, 2017 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Los Angeles Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin is a name that has come up in terms of a trade. The 29-year old LA blueliner is owned $4 million through next season and the Canadiens have the cap room to add and possibly extend him if they could find the right trade pieces to pry him out of the Kings’ organization.

Another name to come up but less likely is St. Louis Blues’ defenseman Jay Bouwmeester. Bouwmeester is 35 and is in the final year of his contract. He’d certainly be a rental and likely not someone to stay after this season in Montreal so the return to St. Louis wouldn’t be all that high.

Oilers Want to Stay in the Pacific

Seattle joining the NHL seems like a foregone conclusion. The next steps would be aligning the divisions to make room for a 32nd team. There are questions as to what happens with some teams in certain divisions, namely the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames in the Pacific Division. There are rumors they would be moved.

(James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports)

The Oilers aren’t all that keen about the idea of moving to the Central Division in realignment. Terry Jones of the Edmonton Sun writes that the Oilers and vehemently opposed to the idea of moving divisions. He writes that the response from Bob Nicholson, vice-chairman and CEO of the Oilers Entertainment Group was:

“Hell no! We don’t want to go! We want to stay in the Pacific. And we’re pretty strong about it. Seattle is going to come into the league and when they do come in, we definitely do not want to move. We feel the rivalries are too strong for the NHL to do that to our franchise.”

source – ‘JONES: In the Zone – Edmonton Oilers don’t want to be bumped from division by Seattle expansion’ – Terry Jones – Edmonton Sun – 12/02/2018

Josh Leivo Traded, More Coming?

Darren Dreger reported early Monday morning that the Maple Leafs are looking at clearing up some roster space in Toronto with William Nylander coming back and the person being traded is Josh Leivo.

Working on the details, but sounds like Maple Leafs forward Josh Leivo is in the process of being traded.

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) December 3, 2018

Leivo has size and skill and likely had some interested suitors but he wasn’t getting much of a chance in Toronto. He’s now in Vancouver where the Canucks will certainly use him more than the Maple Leafs did. With Nylander returning, are there more moves coming?

Leivo’s salary was only $925K and the Maple Leafs took back prospect Michael Carcone. While the Leafs don’t necessarily need to shed a ton of salary this season, if they want to make room for potential rentals near the trade deadline, they may move out more salary.

Flyers to Name Chuck Fletcher as GM

The Philadelphia Flyers made quick work of their hiring process after letting Ron Hextall go as general manager. Sam Carchidi of philly.com reports that the team will soon name Chuck Fletcher as his replacement.

The story writes:

A high-ranking club official said Fletcher will replace Ron Hextall, who was stunningly fired Nov. 26 while in his fifth season as GM. Bill Zito, a Columbus assistant general manager, was believed to be the runner-up to Fletcher.

source – ‘Source: Chuck Fletcher to be named Flyers GM’ – Sam Carchidi – The Inquirer – 12/03/2018

Simmonds a Bruin?

Joe Haggerty from NBC Sports Boston suggested that Philadelphia Flyers winger Wayne Simmonds could be a good short-term option if he’s available by the trade deadline. If the Flyers don’t start turning their season around, there is certainly going to be talk of Simmonds being moved.

Haggerty wonders if the Bruins would move a combination of Anders Bjork, Ryan Donato or Danton Heinen.

By Jim Parsons on Dec 02, 2018 06:00 pm

In today’s rumor rundown, William Nylander’s deal is having reaching effects in both Toronto and for other teams in the NHL. Another forward in Philly is salivating at Nylander’s extension and in Boston, Charlie McAvoy seems to know what he wants.

Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, Wayne Simmonds asking price might mean the Flyers are looking at a trade.

Jake Gardiner Extension Still Possible?

A name not often mentioned out of Toronto is that of defenseman Jake Gardiner, who while getting somewhat lost in the shuffle that is the William Nylander, Auston Matthews, and Mitch Marner contract talks, still needs a new deal at the end of this season. With the news yesterday that Nylander had signed, speculation is that the Leafs might not have room for Gardiner’s contract.

Jake Gardiner, Toronto Maple Leafs, Dec. 12, 2017 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Gardiner is a pending free agent and will certainly earn a raise over the $4.05 million salary he’s making this season. Nick Kypreos said on Saturday’s Headlines segment that Gardiner could look for $6 to $7 million if he hit the free agent market and that’s not likely something the Maple Leafs can match. But, according to the panel, the organization might not have to compete.

Kypreos argued, “If he’s willing to take a slight increase from the that he is presently earning then perhaps they’d be more than willing to put him on a long-term contract.” So too, as Elliotte Friedman pointed out, one way to help with Gardiner’s contract is to go heavy in signing bonuses, which might be enough incentive to overlook the lower annual salary.

Alternatively, Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun believes the Nylander signing and the new contracts due for Matthews and Marner means the Leafs have no room to re-sign Gardiner.

Simmonds Six-Year Ask Could Mean a Trade

John Boruk of NBC Philadelphia is reporting that prior to Ron Hextall being relieved of his duties in Philadelphia, he was working with forward Wayne Simmonds on a contract extension. Simmonds, who is a pending free agent was among the many forwards rumored to be traded around the NHL Draft and throughout the offseason. Hextall maintained that he wanted to keep him in the organization but also recently said the two sides were never close to finding common ground.

Paul Stastny and Wayne Simmonds (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

With Hextall now gone, things have gotten interesting. The last talks took place around November 1st and on Friday, it was said the two sides were “a ways apart.” Part of the reason is that Simmonds was, and might still be, looking for a six-year deal. If Simmonds is still holding onto the idea of a six-year contract and if the Flyers continue to struggle, the odds of him being traded go up dramatically.

Charlie McAvoy Wants His Money Sooner Than Later

Now that William Nylander’s deal is done, eyes will shift to other restricted free agents to see how Nylander’s contract affects the rates of young players moving forward. One of those players is Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy.

Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins, Dec. 2, 2017 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Reports have that the Bruins are already negotiating with McAvoy and have opened those negotiations not far off from what Nylander received, according to The Athletic’s Joe McDonald. McDonald writes:

Despite this injury, a massive payday will be in his future… and according to sources, the offer was in the range of $6.5 million per season for seven years. At this point, he would likely be better served by finishing the season and then negotiating a long-term deal in the range of $7.5 to $8 million for eight years.

source – ‘What will William Nylander’s signing mean for the Boston Bruins?- Joe McDonald – The Athletic – 12/01/2018

Speculation is that McAvoy isn’t interested in a bridge deal and if the Bruins don’t find a long-term salary that works, could have troubling contract negotiations on their hands. Perhaps not as troubling as Nyalnder’s was, but problematic nonetheless. The Bruins might have to pay as much as $8.0 million per season over eight years and there’s no doubt the team is different without him. They’re simply not as good and have trouble getting out of their own end when he’s out of the lineup.

Flyers New GM Will Have Hands Full

PHILLY.COM’s Sam Carchidi believes Flyers winger Travis Konecny will benefit from contract Nylander just signed. “TK is 21 and has scored 42 career goals. He is an RFA after this season. Nylander is 22 and has 48 career goals and will have a $6.9M cap hit after this season. So there’s that for the Flyers’ next GM.”

By Jim Parsons on Dec 01, 2018 01:56 pm

In today’s rumor rundown, it’s “decision day” for William Nylander and, really, his decision comes down to two viable options. Meanwhile, another NHL star who will need a new contract at the end of this season hasn’t really begun thinking about a new deal with his new team. There are questions surrounding the goaltending in Pittsburgh and the Los Angeles Kings may be on the verge of making big moves.

Nylander to Sign or Sit

Bob McKenzie of TSN said via a series of Twitter threads that what’s happening with William Nylander today actually boils down to something quite simple. He either signs with the Toronto Maple Leafs or he sits out the rest of the NHL season.

William Nylander, Toronto Maple Leafs, Dec. 12, 2017 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

McKenzie said, “Not to oversimplify things but it’s pretty elementary: TOR will make its final, best offer to William Nylander today. He’ll either accept it or not. It’s highly highly highly unlikely, tho technically still possible, he’ll be traded.” He later added that he believes a deal will get signed that comes in around six years and at just over the $6.67 million David Pastrnak is making with the Boston Bruins. He doesn’t believe Nylander will get as high as $7 million per season.

If it gets done, it sure seems like the likelihood (not to be confused with a sure thing) is it being a 6 year deal somewhere just north of David Pastrnak’s 6 x $6.67M. How much North is the obvious key here. I’d be surprised if it’s as high as $7M but we shall see.

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) December 1, 2018

McKenzie said he was surprised there wasn’t more chatter about a three-year option or a two-year bridge deal because that would have given Nylander the time to prove his value and revisit these contracts talks with better numbers, after he’d seen what Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews signed for, and earned arbitration rights.

McKenzie does not see a trade as realistic option this late in the game.

Erik Karlsson Not Thinking About Long-Term Yet

While all eyes are on Nylander and Toronto, in San Jose, a big-name defenseman and the Sharks might have some work to do when it comes to signing a new deal. Mike Zeisberger of NHL.com reports that San Jose Sharks blueliner Erik Karlsson said he hasn’t thought about signing a long-term contract extension with the team, something he’s eligible to do after July 1st.

San Jose Sharks’ Erik Karlsson (65) smiles after a goal against the Vancouver Canucks during the third period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Friday, Nov. 23, 2018. (AP Photo/Josie Lepe)

“Right now I’m worried about today,” he said. “That’s the mindset I’ve had all year. I’m trying to stay as focused as I can in the dressing room. The future is something I can’t control.”

Clearly, the Sharks want Karlsson long-term and wouldn’t have traded for him if the expectation was that they wouldn’t try to keep him. That said, there’s no word that Karlsson ever gave the indication he’d stick around or not test free agency. It will be interesting to watch as the season rolls along because Karlsson hasn’t put up the big offensive numbers he normally does and the Sharks have struggled.

Things Still Unsettled in LA

Elliotte Freidman was on Sportsnet 960 and was asked if the Los Angeles Kings could be looking at additional, perhaps “major” changes. He believes with the struggles the team is still having after the coaching change, there certainly could be moves.

Photo: Michael Connell/Texas Stars Hockey

Since Willie Desjardins took over, the team has continued to lose games and players like Ilya Kovalchuk are suffering under his guidance. LA lost a close game in Edmonton on Thursday and then lost again versus Calgary. “I think there’s a willingness to do things,” Friedman said. He added, “They made the coaching change, they made the one trade, and I think their plan was to wait a bit longer. I just don’t think they’re liking what they’re seeing.”

Penguins to Move Matt Murray?

Darren Dreger was on TSN 690 and discussed the Pittsburgh Penguins and their goaltending situation. Things haven’t looked good and there’s talk the Penguins might consider moving Matt Murray when he’s healthy.

Matt Murray, Pittsburgh Penguins, January 2, 2018 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Dreger said in moving him, the Penguins are hoping to pick up a defenseman. They badly miss Justin Schultz. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see Rutherford and the Penguins try and acquire some form of puck-moving defenseman in the future, but it’s difficult to do,” Dreger said.

When asked if the Penguins regret letting Marc-Andre Fleury go in the expansion draft to keep Matt Murray, Elliotte Friedman said that nobody likely saw the Penguins being in this situation with Murray and “there’s something going on between the ears.” Friedman agreed with the notion that there are trade whispers surrounding Murray but said there isn’t really any good goaltending better the Pens could grab on the market.

Friedman believes that the Penguins might actually be shopping Murray because of the lack of goaltending options and the possibility that a return could be greater now than at any other time.

Oilers to Give Zykov an Opportunity

The Edmonton Oilers have a game versus the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday but newly waiver-acquired forward Valentin Zykov will not be in the lineup. After being claimed from the Carolina Hurricanes, there were some questions about where he’d fit on the Oilers roster.

It appears Edmonton will be giving him a good look when he joins the team. Coach Ken Hitchcock said that he likes Zykov’s analytical numbers and that those stats demonstrate Zykov should help the team in areas they need assistance, including shot range and battling for position.

Zykov not with the Oilers yet but here's what Hitchcock said today: "His analytics pop up strongly where exactly we need to go. He scores from short range. He's got a quick stick in close. He fights for position. He holds ice in areas where we need more help."

— Reid Wilkins (@ReidWilkins) December 1, 2018

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