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NHL Rumors Update
NHL Rumors Update for 07/12/2019
The latest NHL rumors from The Hockey Writers.
07/12/2019 edition:
By Jim Parsons on Jul 11, 2019 01:34 pm
In today’s NHL rumor rundown there are some updates out of Edmonton where buzz surrounds some of the things the Oilers tried to do in free agency, the Vancouver Canucks made it imperative they move out salary after signing Micheal Ferland and what are three of the possible landing spots for Rasmus Ristolainen? It seems clear the Buffalo Sabres are setting the table for a big trade.
Oilers Were in on a Number of Options
Previous reports about the Edmonton Oilers suggest the team is probably more likely to make a trade than to sign a free agent. That doesn’t mean the team wasn’t in on a few things at the opening of free agency.
Jason Gregor of OilersNation reports the Edmonton Oilers still want to add a scoring winger, and need to, partially because they missed out of some of the targets they were aiming for.
Holland made an offer to Wayne Simmonds but for about $1.5 million less than he got from the New Jersey Devils. Edmonton kicked tires on Derick Brassard but he wants a four-year deal at over $4 million per season. The Oilers aren’t willing to go above $3 million and offered as much as $2.5 million. There has been some chatter involving Ryan Dzingel but he’s out of their price range at $4 to $5 million per season. If Dzingel decides to do a short-term, show-me type contract, the Oilers would be interested.
Sticking with the Oilers, Gregor also reports the Oilers have no real interest at this time in Patrick Maroon and the team is set to announce the additions of some of the former scouting staff from Detroit who worked with Holland.
Ferland Signing Affects Eriksson
After the Vancouver Canucks signed Micheal Ferland to a long-term deal, all eyes moved over to what the Canucks were going to do in an effort to find room to sign other forwards like Brock Boeser and Nikolay Goldobin. The answer seems to be to move Loui Eriksson.
Eriksson being traded is something his agent is well aware could happen and in fact, should happen. Eriksson’s agent J.P. Barry admitted to on TSN radio, this “has gone past any kind of request.” It is now up to everyone from Eriksson’s camp to GM Jim Benning to find a solution.
David Alter reported yesterday that Eriksson will receive a $4 million signing bonus on July 15th and, at the same time, become a much less expensive option for some teams to take on his cap hit.
Possible Destinations for Ristolainen
There continue to be rumblings of the Buffalo Sabres using their new defensive depth to add a forward and the name popping up most often is Rasmus Ristolainen. Matt Larkin of The Hockey News writes there are three potential destinations for the offensive-defenseman.
First, the Edmonton Oilers where Larkin wonders if there could be something involving Ryan Nugent-Hopkins? Second, the Winnipeg Jets might need to replace Tyler Myers and Jacob Trouba and could offerJack Roslovic, Nikolaj Ehlers or a combination of players. Finally, the Tampa Bay Lightning could use a right-handed defenseman. Tyler Johnson might be a good match but GM Julien BriseBois has been reluctant to trade him.
Three Teams That Should Consider an Offer Sheet
Josh Wegman of The Score suggests the Colorado Avalanche, New Jersey Devils, and Carolina Hurricanes should consider the idea of an offer sheet. The Avs and the Devils have the cap space to sign Toronto’s Mitch Marner at an annual average value of $12 million.
The post NHL Rumors: Oilers, Canucks, Sabres, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
By Jim Parsons on Jul 10, 2019 12:28 pm
In today’s NHL rumor rundown, there is more news on the Edmonton Oilers beyond the status of Jesse Puljujarvi, rumors the Buffalo Sabres turned down a huge trade that would have seen them land one of the best left-wingers in hockey and questions about whether or not Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin would dare try another offer sheet? One scribe doesn’t think so.
Oilers Trading a Defenseman?
David Staples of the Edmonton Journal writes the Edmonton Oilers might look to trade a blueliner for some immediate help at forward. Since the team doesn’t have a lot of salary cap wiggle room, a trade may be a more likely option than a signing at this point. Staples suggests two players: Kris Russell or Matt Benning.
The problem with trading either is that in the event of an injury, the team will have to rely on some very young and unproven talents. Staples writes:
If the Oilers move one of them, it will leave them with just four out of five veteran d-men left from the group of Darnell Nurse, Oscar Klefbom, Adam Larsson, Russell, and Benning. Even with a group of strong young d-men who are likely ready or close-to-ready for NHL duty (Caleb Jones, Joel Persson, William Lagesson, Ethan Bear, Evan Bouchard, Dmitri Samorukov), if the Oilers go with rookies in the third-pairing that will leave them exposed.
Russell does have a no-trade clause but he has given Oilers GM Ken Holland a list of 10 teams he’d accept a trade to. Staples suggests Anaheim, Vegas, Winnipeg, Ottawa, San Jose, Los Angeles and Nashville as possible destinations. He suggests targets like Tyler Toffoli, Andrew Copp, or Cody Eakin, among others.
One Defenseman Too Many in Buffalo
With the acquisition of Henri Jokiharju on Monday, the Buffalo Sabres have an abundance of defenseman, adding another to an already crowded group. The addition is leading to speculation the team might be ready to make another move, this time to send a blueliner out.
The goal for the Sabres is to add a second-line center and the shiny object they can dangle is Rasmus Ristolainen.
Speaking of Ristolainen, according to Joe Yerdon of The Athletic said on @TSN1260 radio with Jason Gregor, on Tuesday, the Buffalo Sabres turned down a trade a few years ago that would have seen them acquire Taylor Hall for Ristolainen. They wanted to keep the defenseman so they said no.
Gardiner Wants $7 Million Per Season
Scott Billeck of NBC Sports writes that while Jake Gardiner is at the top of his remaining free agent list, Gardiner is pricing himself out of much of the marketplace asking for $7 million per season.
One team that might consider him is the New Jersey Devils.
Canadiens Done With Offer Sheets
Eric Engels of SportsNet writes not to expect the Montreal Canadiens to sign another player to an offer sheet. Citing words that were spoken to him in a one-on-one interview with the Canadiens GM, Marc Bergevin, Engels says, ” “… it would require him throwing away everything he believes in on the subject, or everything he says he believes in, and I’d be shocked if he did that.”
He told him that Bergevin said as a GM making an offer sheet, you need the pics, you have to be willing to overspend and you have to be ok knowing that if the player gets injured and you miss the playoff, you forfeit your chance at the NHL Draft Lottery.
Engels says all these things contributed to why the offer for Aho was structured in the way that it was. The other offers he’d have to make on other restricted free agents aren’t the same, thus the Canadiens likely aren’t players.
Blues Don’t Want Maroon
We wrote the other day that because of salary cap issues, the St. Louis Blues wouldn’t likely sign Patrick Maroon. The sense was if they didn’t have other free agents they needed to look at, they’d consider it. That assumption appears to be incorrect.
Jeremy Rutherford reports the Blues have limited interest in Maroon according to sources.
The post NHL Rumors: Oilers, Sabres, Canadiens, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
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