NHL Rumors Update

NHL Rumors Update for 07/31/2020

July 31, 2020

The latest NHL rumors from The Hockey Writers.

 

07/31/2020 edition:

By Jim Parsons on Jul 30, 2020 08:50 am

In today’s NHL rumor rundown, Jim Benning commented on a few items related to the Vancouver Canucks roster, the New York Islanders could lose Sebastian Aho to Sweden, and the Arizona Coyotes are having a busy news week, specifically when it comes to Taylor Hall and former GM John Chayka. Finally, what is Mike Babcock up to? He’s been brought in to help coach a University team.

Benning Comments On Virtanen and Markstrom

Canucks’ GM Jim Benning joined David Amber in the first intermission of the Canucks vs. Winnipeg Jets game and said that he fully intends to sign Jacob Markstrom and that his play in the postseason won’t contribute much to the team’s negotiations with their goaltender.

Benning responded:

“We’re gonna get something figured out for him. We both decided ‘let’s just wait until after the playoffs are done.’ We’ll sit down with his agent Pat Morris… We want to keep him on the team. He’s been a good goalie for us here these last couple years and a big part of our team.”

On the topic of Jake Virtanen not playing in the game Wednesday night, Benning cautioned not to look too much into it. The GM said Micheal Ferland had some good practices and they wanted to see what he could do. There’s not much more to it than that.

Brian Burke said after the Winnipeg win, it will likely come down to who Vancouver feels is a difference-maker in the playoffs. Ferland may get the edge in that department based on his playoff experience.

More On Chayka Situation In Arizona

As part of Elliotte Friedman’s 31 Thoughts article, the NHL insider gave an update on what he’s heard in respect to John Chayka leaving the Arizona Coyotes in such an odd fashion. When asked why he would leave when he did, Friedman said:

The timing is awful, completely foreign to what sports are (and should be) about. The only logical explanation I’ve been given is that Chayka was given legal advice to do it this way.

“Like him or not,” another NHL exec said, “he’s detailed. There’s a reason.”

Friedman also noted that speculation is that Chayka is being offered a job in New Jersey where David Blitzer and Joshua Harris, (owners of the Devils) also run the Philadelphia 76ers and Crystal Palace of the English Premier League. Friedman says, “The theory is that this is some kind of analytics/sports science/leadership position across some or all of those (potential) platforms.”

Coyotes Offer to Taylor Hall

In other Coyotes news, Friedman says he thinks the Coyotes’ offer to Taylor Hall was five years, $7.25-million AAV. He says that’s not a final offer, but a starting point.

That said, there are some questions as to how aggressive the team will get when it comes to negotiations. Friedman thinks the situation is as important to Hall as anything and that would suggest if Arizona feels that Hall doesn’t think the situation is right, why keep making offers?

Mike Babcock Joins Vermont Coaching Staff

Former Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock has found another coaching job… sort of. The job is a volunteer position so as not to go on another team’s payroll, but he’s now going to be working with the University of Vermont hockey team, as per a report from NHL.com.

The position is being classified as an advisor for the 2020-21 season.

Babcock joins the team under the leadership of first-year Vermont coach Todd Woodcroft, most recently an assistant with the Winnipeg Jets and former defenseman Marc Stuart is also joining the team in a coaching/advisor capacity.

Islanders Likely to Lose Aho

Arthur Staple of The Athletic said during a mailbag segment that he believes the New York Islanders could be without defenseman Sebastian Aho next season.

Staples says:

I think he might go back to Sweden, at least to start the year. Maybe he’d sign there long term. Hard to see how he breaks through at this point since he hasn’t gotten a sniff in two years now.

source – ‘Live Q&A: Arthur Staple answers your Islanders questions‘ – Arthur Staple – The Athletic – 07/28/2020

Staple also noted that if the Islanders are looking to move out salary, the order of people they try to move would be Nick Leddy, then maybe Johnny Boychuk and if they get desperate, maybe Josh Bailey.

By Jim Parsons on Jul 29, 2020 12:01 pm

In today’s NHL rumors rundown, there is news the Toronto Maple Leafs will be loaning a player currently in their bubble to the KHL, the Anaheim Ducks have made a signing, and the Golden Knights explain their decision not to bring Max Pacioretty into their bubble. The Detroit Red Wings will go goalie shopping and finally, has Dale Weise of the Montreal Canadiens signed a deal with another team while playing for the Habs?

Maple Leafs to Loan Korshkov to KHL

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Egor Korshkov may be part of the team’s current postseason roster, but he isn’t likely to play much. Under contract for next season, it sounds like the Maple Leafs are going to loan Korskov out to the KHL.

According to multiple sources, including Russian news source Sport24, Korshkov had planned to sign a contract with HC Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. That said, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman has updated the report, noting that instead of letting him sign, Korshkov will be loaned out rather than having his contract terminated with the Leafs.

Doing the deal this way for the Maple Leafs leaves open the option for Korshkov to play for Toronto at some point next season.

Dale Weise Agrees to Deal With Another Team?

As strange as it might sound that a player might sign a deal with one team, but play for another as a play-in contender in this year’s postseason, that appears to be what Dale Weise of the Montreal Canadiens has done.

Perhaps not confident he’ll keep employment in the NHL, Weise, who was set to become an unrestricted free agent, could be heading to Switzerland. According to reporter Guillaume Lefrançois of La Presse in Montreal, Weise has a deal in place with a Swiss team, HC Lausanne, where he will play in 2020-21.

Weise has struggled in the past seasons, landing in Montreal after playing with Philadelphia Flyers.

Red Wings to Go Goalie Shopping?

According to MLIVE.COM’s Ansar Khan, acquiring a goaltender sits atop the Detroit Red Wings to-do list. Khan’s not sure Steve Yzerman can convince notable UFA goalies to willingly sign with the team so he believes a trade is the best plan.

Khan said possible options include Matt Murray or Tristan Jarry of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Jake Allen of the St. Louis Blues, or Alexandar Georgiev of the New York Rangers.

Ducks Sign Milano

The Anaheim Ducks have officially confirmed a new deal with restricted free agent Sonny Milano. As per a report from NHL insider Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, Milano is set to make $1.6 million next season and $1.8 million in 2021-22.

Milano hasn’t exactly panned out like many would have hoped since being drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets. He’s skilled but inconsistent. But after joining the Ducks and scoring five points in nine games before the season ended, the team must have seen enough to feel a new deal was warranted.

Hurricanes Lose Two

According to Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer, Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said that it is doubtful that defenseman Dougie Hamilton and forward Martin Necas play this season.

That’s a big loss for the Hurricanes as they get set to battle the New York Rangers.

Golden Knights Explain Leaving Pacioretty Behind

David Schoen of RJ Sports reports that Vegas Golden Knights coach Pete DeBoer said that one of the reasons Max Pacioretty did not join the team in Edmonton was because they weren’t sure what kind of access the players would have to workout equipment. It was important Pacioretty have the right tools to rehab.

DeBoer was pleasantly surprised to see the accommodations. “The weight room is fantastic,” he said. He added, “… but the ice time and the availability to rehab someone back from an injury with basically unlimited ice is something that probably was the key to leaving him back.”

Recent Articles:

Latest News