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NHL Rumors Update
NHL Rumors Update for 05/11/2019
The latest NHL rumors from The Hockey Writers.
05/11/2019 edition:
By Jim Parsons on May 10, 2019 12:52 pm
In today’s NHL rumor rundown, Jim Benning comments on the Vancouver Canucks’ plans in free agency, there are some updates out of Buffalo and Joel Quenneville might bring in a friend to help with the Florida Panthers.
Canucks to Be Busy, But Not Overspend
Iain MacIntyre of Sportsnet writes the Canucks could use another winger for the line of Bo Horvat and Tanner Pearson, as well as grab another reliable defenseman that has more to offer than what the Canucks currently employ.
The team would like to get help for their power play and they aren’t sure about Sven Baertschi who has the potential skills but also suffered a concussion last season.
Canucks GM Jim Benning said regarding what the Canucks intend to do:
“We’re continuing to talk to Alex Edler and try to figure out a new deal for him there, and we’re in conversations with Brock and his camp. I don’t think we’re going to be going crazy with a lot of the top-end guys (in free agency).
“Whether it’s a player good enough to complement Pettersson and Boeser or complement Pearson and Bo, if we can add a player through free agency or trade that fits in with those guys, I think it’s going to improve our group.”
Loui Eriksson and the Canucks
There could be an issue between head coach Travis Green and Loui Eriksson. Patrick Johnston of the Vancouver Province writes Eriksson doesn’t plan to leave the NHL but has been frustrated with how things have gone in Vancouver.
In an interview with Swedish site HockeySverige, he said:
“The coach and I don’t really get on 100 per cent. It is difficult when I do not get the same trust that I received from all the other coaches I had during my career. Of course, it is tough on that front.”
Bye, Bye, Brendan Gaunce
Rick Dhaliwal writes the Vancouver Canucks won’t be qualifying restricted free agent forward Brendan Gaunce. The 2012 first-round pick could use a change of scenery.
Gaunce gets added to the list of players Benning is informing won’t be back. The other day he told Derrick Pouliot the team isn’t keeping him.
Buffalo Sabres Updates
During an interview on WGR 550, TSN’s Darren Dreger said that a decision by the Buffalo Sabres on their next head coach isn’t imminent and that it could come by the end of the month. “We know it’s the usual suspects: Jacques Martin, Todd Richards, Dave Tippett although it seems to be a bit of a long shot, and maybe they wait for Sheldon Keefe.”
Paul Hamilton of WGR 550 said the Sabres haven’t made a decision on pending UFA Jason Pominville yet. If he wants to stay with the team, he’ll need to take a big pay cut.
Pominville said he feels good enough to play but he needs some time to think about things.
The Sabres also need to decide on a contract offer for Jeff Skinner and whether or not they’ll trade Rasmus Ristolainnen. They also have a long list of RFAs: Zemgus Girgensons, Johan Larsson, Jake McCabe, Linus Ullmark, C.J. Smith, Sean Malone, Remi Elie, Eric Cornel, Jack Dougherty and Brycen Martin.
Quenneville Looking to Familiar Friends?
Andy Strickland of Fox Sports Midwest tweets that Andrew Brunette’s name is coming up in connection with Joel Quenneville, and that Quenneville may look to bring in Brunette.
The two have had a“strong relationship that goes back several years” and Brunette was fired along with several others last month when Paul Fenton made sweeping changes.
Brunette is quite versatile having served as an assistant GM, director of player personnel and assistant coach.
The post NHL Rumors: Canucks, Sabres, Panthers, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
By Jim Parsons on May 09, 2019 12:55 pm
In today’s NHL rumor rundown, there is a potential change in the future of Henrik Lundqvist, the Rangers may welcome back an old executive, the Vancouver Canucks are going to try and dump a couple of forwards, the Edmonton Oilers need a goalie and more.
Henrik Lundqvist Leaving Rangers?
Jon Lane of NHL.com reports that New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist told Swedish paper Expressen, “I don’t know if I’ll stay with the Rangers my entire career.” This will come as a huge shock to most people who assumed there was no way Lundqvist would leave the only NHL team he’s ever known.
Lundqvist has two seasons remaining on a seven-year contract and while he said, it has always been his goal to stay with the Rangers, he added, “… but once you get up there in age you never know. I know what I want, but if the club has other ideas I know I’ll have to listen. You can’t just do your own thing.”
Saying that his focus on the World Championships, he admitted, “Sometimes the dream might not work out in the end … we’ll see what happens.”
It is not being assumed any change would happen this summer and there haven’t been rumors suggesting the Rangers are actively trying to move him.
John Davidson Leaving Columbus?
Larry Brooks of the NY Post writes that it appears John Davidson may exercise his out clause with the Columbus Blue Jackets and potentially return to the New York Rangers.
Part of the appeal for the Rangers to welcome Davidson back is the likelihood of a relationship with Blue Jackets pending UFA forward Artemi Panarin. The Rangers are rumored to be interested and need every little advantage they can get over the Florida Panthers, New York Islanders and Chicago Blackhawks, who are all rumored to be interested in Panarin’s services.
Canucks to Move a Couple of Forwards
After we wrote yesterday that the Vancouver Canucks have told Derrick Pouliot he will not be brought back thanks to a logjam on defense, Iain MacIntyre of Sportsnet reports the Vancouver Canucks plan to be aggressive in moving one of their 11 forwards under contract. This is because they want to improve their scoring and because they have five RFAs who are expected to get qualifying offers.
Of the candidates to be moved, Ryan Spooner could be bought out, Nikolay Goldobin, Brandon Sutter and Markus Granlund could be traded and the Canucks can only hope a team has interest in Loui Eriksson if the team retains some salary.
Where Will Oilers Find Goaltending Help?
During an interview with TSN 1260 (audio link), new Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland indicated he’s likely to use the free agent market to find a backup goaltender (or Plan B) for new but unproven starter Mikko Koskinen.
Holland said:
“Many teams have two goalies now. Ideally I’d like a goalie who could play 30-35 games and they challenge and push each other. Ideally I’d like one who has pro experience. I will talk to teams, but right now we likely will find one in free agency.”
While the Oilers won’t have much money to spend, the goaltending market isn’t typically one that a GM can’t pluck a winner from for cheap. For the Oilers, players like Petr Mrazek, Curtis McElhinney, Brian Elliott, Mike Smith, and Anders Nilsson all fit the bill of what they might be looking for.
Kovalchuk Ready to Play Under McLellan
Speaking with reporters including Igor Eronko of Sport-Express, Ilya Kovalchuk explained that he is still motivated to play for the Los Angeles Kings and has spoken with a number players who spent time under new LA Kings head coach Todd McLellan.
Kovalchuk has two years remaining on the $18.75 million deal he signed last summer.
The post NHL Rumors: Lundqvist, Panarin, Canucks, Oilers, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
By Jim Parsons on May 08, 2019 12:21 pm
In today’s NHL rumor rundown, there are whispers that Antti Niemi might be headed to the KHL, Derrick Pouliot is likely leaving Vancouver, the Blue Jackets are making one final push on a couple of free agents and the plan for the Dallas Stars is becoming clearer after being booted from the NHL playoffs.
Antti Niemi Leaving for KHL?
The Finnish newspaper Satakunnan Kansa is reporting that Niemi will join Jokerit for next season. He is under contract until July 1, 2019, but most reports are that the Canadiens will let Niemi walk considering they have plans for Charlie Lindgren at the NHL level in 2019-20. In fact, there are reports the team has already told Niemi he won’t be returning.
Niemi will become an unrestricted free agent but at 35 and having played in just 17 games with the Canadiens this past season, there might not be much of a future for him in the NHL. He struggled and can make more by leaving.
If the Canadiens aren’t sold on Lindgren, expect them to look for a backup this offseason.
Derrick Pouliot Leaving Vancouver?
Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal reports that the Vancouver Canucks have informed defenseman Derrick Pouliot and his representation that they will not qualify him this off-season. He will become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
While there is still some things to like in Pouliot’s game and he will find a team, part of the issue in Vancouver is that they have a number of up-and-coming prospects on their blue line, many of whom are ready to take the next step.
The group is led by Quinn Hughes and Olli Juolevi, undrafted free agents Mitch Eliot, Brogan Rafferty, and Josh Teves, plus Troy Stecher, Chris Tanev, Ben Hutton, and Alex Biega. There are AHL standouts Ashton Sautner and Guillaume Brisebois and, of course, unrestricted free agents Alexander Edler and Luke Schenn, neither of whom want to leave Vancouver.
Blue Jackets to Make One More Big Push
The Columbus Blue Jackets are rumored to be making one final push to re-sign both Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky. Panarin has said he wants to test the free agent market and the Florida Panthers and New York Rangers are the front runners to land him while Bobrovsky is looking for a big payday and it’s been rumored he’s longed to leave Columbus for a while.
The Blue Jackets took a big gamble just prior to the trade deadline to land a number of big-time players and it almost worked. Now, there is a chance the team will look extremely different with as many as five or six big-name pending free agents on the move.
The name most likely to stay is Ryan Dzingel but even he could test the free agent waters, especially after he was a healthy scratch in Game 1 of the Blue Jackets latest series.
Dallas Stars Next Steps
Following the Dallas Stars elimination, last night from the Stanley Cup playoffs, Emily Kaplan and Chris Peters of ESPN.COM write that they believe the Stars should attempt to re-sign winger Mats Zuccarello.
While Zuccarello missed a big portion of the regular season after joining the Stars, he was one of their best forwards in the playoffs. The Stars are hoping they can convince him to stay at a reasonable number.
Kaplan and Peters also suggest restricted free agent defenseman Julius Honka has fallen out of favor and the team should attempt to add a scoring winger.
The post NHL Rumors: Niemi, Pouliot, Blue Jackets, Stars, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
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